The scores tell you how each team is built. Tampa Bay has lost 4 straight by a total of 19 points, and it has scored 19 or fewer in each of its last 3. That's a defense keeping games close while the offense stalls. Dallas has scored 31, 34 and 37 in 3 of its 4 games. It has also given up 28, 34 and 30 in those same 3 games, so even its wins turn into shootouts.
Here's the matchup to watch. CeeDee Lamb caught 17 passes for 189 yards against Houston, and the Cowboys gained 399 yards after halftime once they stopped forcing it. Now he faces a Tampa secondary that was down Morrison and wasn't sure about Winfield last week. George Pickens draws coverage away from him, and Javonte Williams just scored 3 touchdowns. That's a lot to ask of a banged-up back seven on a short week.
Tampa's way to stay in it is the formula that almost worked against Green Bay: shorten the game, let Daniels use his legs, and lean on Bucky Irving and Chris Godwin Jr., who both practiced fully last week. Daniels' interceptions turned a close game into a loss. Against an offense that can score in bunches, giving away possessions is how 3-point losses turn into 3-score losses. The short week cuts both ways, though. Dallas had to bus home from Houston, and a rookie QB has 3 days to digest a new game plan.
Kickoff is 7:15 PM CT on Thursday, October 8, indoors in Arlington. If Daniels keeps protecting the ball and the Tampa defense keeps holding offenses near 20 points, this could be a long night for a Dallas team that hasn't won comfortably since Week 2. If the Bucs secondary has no answer for Lamb, the 0-4 start turns into 0-5 in a hurry.