Buccaneers vs Cowboys predictions, graded
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys · Week 5, 2026 · Thu, Oct 8 · Final: Buccaneers 24, Cowboys 16 · Updated
Who do pundits pick in Buccaneers vs Cowboys? Of 20 pundits with a call on record, 19 take the Cowboys and 1 takes the Buccaneers. 7 named a score; the median has the Cowboys by 14. The Buccaneers won 24-16, so 1 of 20 had the winner. Their graded calls averaged 18 out of 100.
Who the room took
20 pundits · each counted once, by their latest callBuccaneers vs Cowboys picks by outlet
Each pundit counted once, at the outlet or show their latest call ran on. An outlet is listed when two or more of its pundits have picked.
- CBS Sportsall 5 Cowboys
- DLLS Dallas Cowboys (podcast)Cowboys 2, Buccaneers 1
- Sports Illustratedall 3 Cowboys
- The Richard Sherman Podcast (podcast)all 2 Cowboys
The other 7 pundits write or talk elsewhere: all 7 Cowboys.
Buccaneers vs Cowboys score predictions
7 pundits named a score; the median call is Cowboys by 14, and the final was Buccaneers by 8.
Each dot is one pundit’s latest score call, placed at the winning margin it named. The solid bar is how the game actually finished. Hover or tap a dot for the pundit and the score.
- Pete PriscoCowboys 34, Buccaneers 14Miss · 21
- Jared DubinCowboys 34, Buccaneers 17Miss · 29
- Jordan DajaniCowboys 30, Buccaneers 20Close · 45
- John BreechCowboys 27, Buccaneers 17Close · 45
- Tyler SullivanCowboys 34, Buccaneers 20Miss · 36
- James YarchoCowboys 30, Buccaneers 17Miss · 38
- WaltCowboys 38, Buccaneers 17Miss · 19
Buccaneers at Cowboys: how they came in
The Buccaneers are 0-4 and have lost 4 straight; the Cowboys are 2-2. On win totals, 10 pundits put the Buccaneers at 8.5 wins on average, and 23 pundits put the Cowboys at 9.5 wins on average.
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
- Record coming in
- 0-4 · lost 4 straight · 76 scored, 96 allowed
- Last games
- L 14-17 vs Packers Week 4
- L 16-23 vs Vikings Week 3
- L 19-23 vs Browns Week 2
- Unit ranks
- offense 22nd, defense 6th of 32 (this season)
- Last season
- 8-9
- Win-total calls
- 11 pundits · average 8.5 · 2 to 17 wins
- The room's picks
- the side most pundits took won 2 of 3 Buccaneers games
- Record coming in
- 2-2 · 122 scored, 112 allowed
- Last games
- W 34-30 at Texans Week 4
- L 31-34 vs Ravens Week 3
- W 37-20 vs Commanders Week 2
- Unit ranks
- offense 9th, defense 29th of 32 (this season)
- Last season
- 7-9-1
- Win-total calls
- 23 pundits · average 9.5 · 2 to 14 wins
- The room's picks
- the side most pundits took won 2 of 4 Cowboys games
Buccaneers and Cowboys players to watch
Each club’s starting quarterback, leading rusher, receiver and tight end, and its sack and tackle leaders, with their 2026 regular season so far, with the latest call on each from a pundit on our leaderboard whose record beats the naive pick (69 pundits clear that bar), made since the 2026 schedule came out. “No.” is their rank there.
Buccaneers
- Baker MayfieldStarting QB · QB
922 passing yards · 3 TD, 4 INT · 60.6% completions · 6 games · 32nd in the NFL in passing yards
“Mayfield would seemingly be good to go, based on Bowles' current timeline, for their game on Oct. 25 against the Carolina Panthers.” the article →
Baker Mayfield to outplay his draft cost (a QB2)
“Mayfield does not have elite rushing upside, but he is a standout pick as a QB2 when you pair everything together.” the article →
- Bucky IrvingRB1 · RB
825 rushing yards on 167 carries · 8 TD · 22 catches for 106 · 9 games · 4th in the NFL in rushing yards
Bucky Irving to be 1st on the depth chart
“A lot of people are convinced Irving will be a committee back this season. ... Irving still averaged 20.3 touches per game. That's workhorse usage by modern standards.” the article →
Bucky Irving to fall short of his draft cost (RB22, Overall RK57 | ECR vs. ADP: -13)
“Irving could be a nice bounce-back candidate in 2026 or a massive disappointment that loses work to Gainwell and Tucker all year. I'll buy the dip if he slips in some drafts, but I won't go out of my way to draft him this season.” the article →
- Emeka EgbukaWR1 · WR
31 catches for 278 yards · 2 TD · 7 games · 81st in the NFL in receiving yards
Emeka Egbuka to be 1st on the depth chart
“He's going to be the alpha receiver in Tampa” the article →
Emeka Egbuka to be 1st on the depth chart
“Egbuka can establish himself as the team's clear WR1 and return WR1/2 production.” the article →
- Cade OttonTE1 · TE
23 catches for 211 yards · 0 TD · 8 games · 118th in the NFL in receiving yards
- David WalkerSack leader · LB
4 sacks · 15 solo tackles · 8 games · 30th in the NFL in sacks
- Josiah TrotterTackle leader · LB
1 sack · 36 solo tackles · 1 interception · 8 games · 14th in the NFL in solo tackles
Cowboys
- Dak PrescottStarting QB · QB
2,381 passing yards · 16 TD, 5 INT · 64.9% completions · 102 rushing yards · 9 games · 3rd in the NFL in passing yards
Dak Prescott to stay with Dallas Cowboys
“QB Dak Prescott, Cowboys ... the dozen players that most likely won't be traded” the article →
Dak Prescott to outplay his draft cost (the middle rounds)
“Dak Prescott seems primed for another big season ... quarterbacks he loves to target in the middle rounds of fantasy football drafts” the article →
- Javonte WilliamsRB1 · RB
629 rushing yards on 154 carries · 10 TD · 24 catches for 127 · 9 games · 9th in the NFL in rushing yards
Javonte Williams to finish top 15 at his position, by fantasy points
“If Williams can post production as he did over the first half of the 2025 season for an entire year, he is a locked-in top-10 back with top-5 upside. At his floor, he looks like a low-end RB1 or top 15 fantasy back.” the article →
Javonte Williams to finish top 13 at his position, by fantasy points
“Why is Javonte Williams getting so much hate down at eighteen eighteen and running back in projections I am at thirteen” the article →
- CeeDee LambWR1 · WR
70 catches for 904 yards · 7 TD · 9 games · 2nd in the NFL in receiving yards
“With extra time to recover after a Thursday-night game in Week 5, Lamb could be ready to go when the Cowboys face the Packers this week.” the article →
CeeDee Lamb to finish top 1 at his position, by an unstated measure
“they've put one of the league's premier playmakers in a prime position to dominate the game and re-emerge as WR1 in a league loaded with blue-chip pass catchers... he might be primed to claim the crown as the league's top playmaker.” the article →
- Jake FergusonTE1 · TE
19 catches for 136 yards · 4 TD · 8 games · 154th in the NFL in receiving yards
Jake Ferguson to fall short of his draft cost (TE12, Overall RK117 | ECR vs. ADP: -8)
“Ferguson's 2026 production could be limited as long as Lamb and Pickens are both healthy, so it's best to consider Ferguson a high-end TE2 in this year's drafts.” the article →
Jake Ferguson to be 1st on the depth chart
“He is Dallas' clear No. 1 TE” the article →
- Quinnen WilliamsSack leader · DT
5 sacks · 20 solo tackles · 9 games · 14th in the NFL in sacks
Quinnen Williams to make team captain
“I think he's got maybe a chance to be a team captain with Dallas.” the article →
Quinnen Williams to win Team MVP (non-QB)
“Cowboys: DT Quinnen Williams.” the article →
- Caleb DownsTackle leader · S
2 sacks · 33 solo tackles · 1 interception · 9 games · 30th in the NFL in solo tackles
Caleb Downs to win Defensive Rookie of the Year
“Caleb Downs is going to win Defensive Rookie of the Year” the article →
Caleb Downs to win Defensive Rookie of the Year
“So I'm going Caleb Downs, and Price is my offensive and defensive rookie of the year.” the article →
Our write-up of how the room did: Buccaneers 24, Cowboys 16: One in Nineteen Called the Upset →
Every call on Buccaneers at Cowboys
26–28 of 28
Dallas Cowboys to beat Tampa Bay Buccaneers
That's a win. That's a dub for the cowboys.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers to beat Cowboys
I think this is one of those trap games that they could lose. I'm going with Tampa.
Dallas Cowboys to beat Buccaneers
Buccaneers at the Cowboys to kick off week five on Amazon Prime. They'll beat Tampa.