Well, it is only Tuesday and here we are already moving on to the week five matchup on a short week for the Dallas Cowboys.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 0-4, and they might be without Baker Mayfield again, who just had his stitches removed, but it is a short week and there is no way he is going to be able to grip a football by Thursday to be able to start this game.
This gives the Cowboys a golden chance to get to 3-2, as long as they don’t get too cute in this matchup.
Cowboys record by points allowed since 2025:
🔹Under 30: 7-3
🔹30+: 2-8-1 (including today)
GAME INFO:
Date: Thursday, October 8th | Time: 7:25 PM.
Location: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas.
TV: PRIME VIDEO | Stream: NFL+ & FuboTV
Radio:105.3 The Fan (KRLD-FM), 107.5 La Grande in Spanish (KMVK-FM)
ODDS:
ESPN Matchup Predictor Odds to Win: Cowboys (86.5%), Buccaneers (13.4%).
DraftKings Sportsbook Odds: (O/U: 47.5) | Line: Cowboys – 9.5, (Odds are subject to change)
Like I noted above, the Cowboys have a golden opportunity here to get to 3-2, and with the Bucs likely to start Jalon Daniels for the second straight game, the defense could have a chacne to figure some things out.
Don’t Get Cute
I won’t lie to you, these games scare me from time to time and that is because we see this all the time.
The Cowboys are nearly double-digit favorites in this game, and are at home a place that they normally have really good success, and after going on the road and beating the Houston Texans with a game-winning drive, stick to what got you there.
All I ask is to look prepared when you walk into this matchup on a short week. Don’t try and get cute and think that, because it is a team without their starting quarterback and a below-average roster, it’ll be a cakewalk, because look around the league. No, it won’t be.
From what I saw this morning, it sounds like Tyler Smith is going to return for the Dallas Cowboys, so 2-2 is exactly what I thought they would be before he returned, and honestly, we all know they should be 3-1, but still, they have a chance to get over .500 and should do so, just don’t make it difficult.
The offensive line has held up a lot better than I thought it would and, honestly, it starts with Tyler Guyton. He has really made an impact and thus far has played up to his raw talent, and drives aren’t coming back or being stalled because he did something annoying like he did last year.
With this game and then traveling to Green Bay to play a Packers team that can’t figure it out on offense, the Cowboys, regardless of how shaky the defense is can get to 5-3.
The defense played well in the first half and got some big time stops in the second half. Yes, they still gave up 30 and could not find a stop in the final drive, but things are getting better. The run defense is the best thing about them thus far, but the secondary still bothers me.
This could be a get right game for the defense and Joey Porter, I might add, looked awesome in his 24 defensive snaps in his debut, 19 of which were coverage snaps. He was targeted one time and did not allow a reception.
Porter matched up against Texans WR Nico Collins five times and was not targeted. That is what they need from him. DaRon Bland had a really tough day.
I think the Cowboys will cover the spread here and win this game by at least two scores. I am sure like always it will seem close for about a half or so, but with the backup and the Bucs just not being very good this year, Dallas will pull away after a few duds.
The Cowboys improve to 3-2. They win this game 33-17.
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