Jalon Daniels leads Buccaneers past Cowboys for first win

Jalon Daniels helped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Dallas Cowboys 24-16 on Thursday night at AT&T Stadium, earning Tampa Bay its first win of the season. The Buccaneers had entered the game 0-4.

Daniels, an undrafted rookie and backup quarterback, led an opening drive that ended with Bucky Irving catching a five-yard touchdown pass. He completed his first eight passes, a record for an undrafted rookie in the common draft era, which began in 1967.

The Buccaneers built a 24-10 lead by the end of the third quarter, with Daniels helping drive their offense to 419 total yards. He finished with 189 passing yards and a touchdown, playing without a turnover.

Irving supplied a major share of Tampa Bay’s offense. He gained 175 yards from scrimmage and scored twice, including on a 22-yard run late in the game.

Dallas moved closer when Dak Prescott threw a touchdown to George Pickens in the fourth quarter. The Cowboys then failed on a two-point attempt, leaving them eight points behind.

The Cowboys had three turnovers: two interceptions off tipped passes and a kickoff-return fumble by KaVontae Turpin. Prescott threw another interception with 1:22 remaining, ending Dallas’s final threat.

The loss left Dallas 2-3. Coach Brian Schottenheimer said he would evaluate everything after the defeat, while Tampa Bay left Arlington with a win led by its rookie quarterback.