Cowboys Have 3 Major Concerns Entering Thursday Night Game With Buccaneers

The Dallas Cowboys must improve their rushing attack, generate more sacks and getter better cornerback play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

by Romell Williams

Oct 6, 2026

The Dallas Cowboys must improve their rushing attack, generate more sacks and getter better cornerback play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Vincent Carchietta - Imagn Images

The Dallas Cowboys are coming off a dramatic 34-30 victory over the Houston Texans, but there are still plenty of issues for the team to address before Thursday night’s matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Dallas improved to 2-2 with its comeback win, yet the defense continues to give up too many big plays. The Cowboys must improve in three key areas against Tampa Bay if they want to build momentum heading into a challenging stretch of the schedule.

Can Dallas get its running game going?

Javonte Williams scored three second-half touchdowns against Houston, but Dallas still struggled to establish a consistent rushing attack. The Cowboys averaged just 3.0 yards per carry in Week 4 and are averaging 3.8 yards per attempt through four games.

That lack of consistency could become a problem against a Tampa Bay defense that has been difficult to run against. Dallas needs Williams and the offensive line to create more opportunities on early downs rather than repeatedly putting Dak Prescott in passing situations.

Williams has shown that he can finish drives, but the Cowboys need more than his ability to score near the goal line. A productive running game would help Prescott control the tempo, keep the Buccaneers’ defense honest and take some pressure off an offense that has leaned heavily on its passing attack.

The Cowboys need more from their pass rush

Dallas has recorded just three sacks through its first four games, a troubling number for a defense that needs to make opposing quarterbacks uncomfortable. Even more concerning, the Cowboys have yet to establish a consistent pass-rushing presence from their edge defenders.

Caleb Downs leads the team with one sack, while Quinnen Williams also has one. Donovan Ezeiruaku and Jonathan Bullard have combined for the remaining sack, with each credited with half a sack. The production highlights how little Dallas has gotten from a pass rush expected to generate pressure from multiple positions.

The Cowboys need players such as Rashan Gary, Von Miller and Ezeiruaku to make a bigger impact. Pressure without sacks can disrupt a quarterback, but it does not always end a drive or create the negative plays that change a game.

Tampa Bay’s quarterback situation could give Dallas an opportunity to turn things around. With Baker Mayfield sidelined, the Buccaneers are preparing to rely on rookie Jalon Daniels. The Cowboys cannot assume that means an easy night, but making a young quarterback uncomfortable should be a priority.

Can the other Cowboys cornerbacks step up?

Joey Porter Jr. made an encouraging first impression against Houston, playing 24 defensive snaps without allowing a catch on the one pass thrown his way in coverage. However, the rest of Dallas’ secondary struggled to contain the Texans’ passing attack.

Houston finished with 397 total yards, including 335 passing yards from C.J. Stroud. Nico Collins caught seven passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns, exposing the need for better coverage from the Cowboys’ other cornerbacks.

Porter’s arrival gives Dallas another talented option, but one player cannot fix the entire secondary. The Cowboys need DaRon Bland and the rest of the defensive backs to tighten their coverage and limit explosive plays.

That becomes even more important if Dallas cannot generate pressure up front. When quarterbacks have time to throw, the secondary is forced to cover for longer stretches, increasing the chances of breakdowns.

The Cowboys have reasons to feel encouraged after their comeback win, but the defense still has significant work to do. Improving the pass rush, getting more consistency from the cornerbacks and establishing the running game would put Dallas in a better position to earn another victory on Thursday night.