Buccaneers vs. Cowboys Week 5 Betting Odds, Prediction and Picks: Dallas Opens -9.5 for TNF
NFL Week 5 kicks off Thursday night with a pair of disappointing NFC teams facing off as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, yet again without their No. 1 quarterback, visit Dallas. The Cowboys are -9.5 on the NFL odds with a total of 47.5.
Buccaneers vs. Cowboys Kickoff, Weather, TV, Streaming Info
The unbelievable AT&T Stadium in Arlington can be completely covered or opened depending on the weather, so outside conditions won’t much be relevant Thursday. Looks like a gorgeous night in the area, though, so perhaps roof open. Prime Video has the exclusive broadcast rights.
NFL Betting Odds, Point Spread, Trends
Is it too early to say must-win game in Week 5? Definitely not for these teams, both of which had playoff expectations when the season kicked off. If Dallas misses the playoffs a third straight season overall and second in a row under coach Brian Schottenheimer, it’s hard to know what owner Jerry Jones will do but probably not something small. Especially as Schottenheimer and his first-year defensive coordinator may have cost the Cowboys their Week 2 loss in Brazil to Baltimore.
Tampa Bay’s season might already be finished at 0-4 and with starting quarterback Baker Mayfield expected to miss at least a few more weeks with a thumb injury. The Bucs may have made a big mistake signing him to a huge extension on the eve of the season. Not because the ex-Heisman winner got hurt, but his play had been regressing since about the middle of last campaign and wasn’t any better in the early going before the Week 3 injury. Not looking good for coach Todd Bowles to return in 2027.
Including playoffs, the Cowboys have dominated the all-time series overall at 17-6 and have won the past two. The most recent meeting was late in the 2024 season when the Cowboys had backup Cooper Rush under centre. Mayfield threw for 303 yards, two TDs and a pick.
NFL Player Odds and Props
For the Bucs, take rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels to throw an interception in his second career start. I partly explain why below, and the former Kansas star figures to be throwing plenty with his team likely trailing big. For the Cowboys, grab tailback Javonte Wiliams for an anytime TD after his big game Sunday in Houston.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs began life Sunday without injured starting QB Baker Mayfield for up to six weeks, and they fell to 0-4 with a 17-14 home loss to Green Bay. Undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels got his first NFL start and threw for 148 yards with a TD and two picks while rushing for 55 yards. He became the first rookie QB to start in the league this year despite not being drafted. With a quick turnaround, Daniels will remain the starter. He’s the first undrafted rookie starting QB in team history. Tampa Bay is now 3-12 in its past 15 games after starting last season 5-1. Just one team in history has reached the playoffs after starting 0-4. Coach Todd Bowles is a dead-man walking. Amazingly, the Bucs are now 0-13 ATS in their past 13 games, the longest ATS losing streak in the Super Bowl era.
Dallas Cowboys
Dallas was potentially staring at 1-3 on Sunday down 30-27 late in Houston, but Dak Prescott led the game-winning touchdown drive capped by a 12-yard pass to CeeDee Lamb with 40 seconds left for the 34-30 victory. Lamb had a career-high 17 catches for 189 yards and that score. Those were the most catches ever in an NFL game that included a game-winning receiving score in the final two minutes. Javonte Williams had a career-high three rushing scores, the first Dallas player with that many since 2022. Dak Prescott threw for 335 yards and a score in his 85th career win to tie Roger Staubach for second-most in team history. Dallas has scored 30 points in three straight games, averaging 34.0 in that span, but also has now allowed at least 30 points in 11 total games since the start of last season, most in the league. That defence on Sunday gave up eight pass plays of at least 20 yards. How important was the victory? This century, the Cowboys have never opened a season with one victory in the first month of the season and finished above .500.
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