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Come Fan with UsTuesday, August 4, 2026

Buccaneers Vs. Cowboys Game Recap: Cowboys Outlast Bucs, Win 16-10

On a mistake-filled day in Dallas, the Cowboys rode the right leg of kicker Dan Bailey to a 16-10 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Cowboys offense looked like it hadn’t practiced all week, accounting for just 305 total yards and most of the team’s 13 penalties for 105 yards, but the Dallas defense showed up time and again on Sunday, holding the Buccaneers to just 166 yards of total offense. Bailey was 3-for-3 on field goal attempts.

The Buccaneers defense did its best to keep Greg Schiano's squad in the game, sacking Tony Romo four times and forcing the Cowboys to kick field goals over and over again.

The Cowboys' offense never really found a rhythm, scoring its only touchdown of the day -- an 11-yard run by DeMarco Murray -- after being gifted a short field by a Josh Freeman interception. Freeman, who got the Bucs on the board first in the game with an early touchdown pass, finished the day a miserable 10-for-28 for 110 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Indeed, the moment that seemed most indicative of either team's offense on the day was when Cowboys receiver Kevin Ogletree ran a short route into the end zone and slipped and fell on an official's hat.

After mostly running into the back of the line all day, the Buccaneers finally found an offense late in the fourth quarter, adding a Connor Barth field goal that made it 16-10, but the effort was too little too late, even after causing the Dallas offense to struggle all day.

The loss may have been additionally costly to Tampa Bay. Bucs defensive end Adrian Clayborn sustained a left leg injury and had to be helped off the field in the third quarter.

The Cowboys also managed to get through the game injury-free, as left guard Nate Livings (hand) and receiver Miles Austin (ribs) both headed to the locker room, but quickly returned to the field.

With the win, Dallas goes to 2-1 and the Buccaneers drop to 1-2.

For more on the Cowboys, visit Blogging the Boys and SB Nation Dallas. For more on the Buccaneers, check out Bucs Nation and SB Nation Tampa Bay.

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