Buccaneers vs Cowboys: Where to watch Dak Prescott's game today and what time it starts

The NFL Week 5 begins in Arlington, Texas, and brings a matchup with opposing scripts at AT&T Stadium : the Dallas Cowboys , coming off a late rally in Houston, host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers , who are dragging through a forgettable start. Two franchises with a recent playoff past, now separated by an abyss on the scoreboard and in spirit.

What time and where to watch Thursday night's Buccaneers vs Cowboys game

Thursday Night Football can be followed on Prime Video, with NFL+, and to watch the game between Tampa Bay and Dallas, you can do so on KDFW-TV FOX 4. As for the game time, it will start:

Pregame overview of the Buccaneers vs Cowboys

The photo in the overall standings tells a good part of the story. Dallas comes in with a record of 2 wins and 2 losses , sitting in 19th place in the overall standings and third in the East of the National Conference, behind the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Cowboys are also one of the most productive offenses at the start: they have scored 122 points, a figure that places them among the highest-scoring teams in the entire league. The problem is on the other side of the ball, where they have already allowed 112 points.

Tampa Bay, on the other hand, is going through a bleak start: 0 wins and 4 losses , last place in the NFC South and third from last in the overall standings (29th position).

The Buccaneers have scored just 76 points and have allowed 96, a -20 differential that reflects a stalled offense and a defense that has struggled to close out games.

The Cowboys have alternated between highs and lows. After falling in the opener against the Giants, they responded strongly at home against Washington, let a high-voltage matchup against Baltimore slip away, and pulled it out at the buzzer in Week 4 against Houston. They are a team capable of putting up points in bunches, but they still have not found the consistency to protect leads.

Tampa Bay, meanwhile, has not been able to celebrate. Since the start of the season, they have strung together four losses: to Cincinnati, against Cleveland, versus Minnesota, and, even more painfully, at home to Green Bay by a razor-thin 14-17 in Week 4. The pattern is clear: close games that slip away in the decisive moments. In three of their four losses, the Bucs finished within a touchdown or less.

What's at stake for the Playoffs

Although neither of the two is fighting for the top of its conference today, the context in the NFC East is tight. Dallas is just one win behind the division-leading Giants , so every victory matters in order not to fall out of the playoff conversation.

In a conference where San Francisco and Minnesota remain unbeaten, the Cowboys cannot afford to give up ground against a theoretically inferior opponent. Winning at home is, for Dallas, a positioning obligation.

At the other end, Tampa Bay shares the bottom of the standings with heavyweight names : the Buccaneers join the Los Angeles Chargers, Tennessee, Houston, and Miami in the group of teams still without a win.

For a franchise with ambitions and a roster that reached the postseason last season, falling to 0-5 would be a massive warning sign. The margin for error is now virtually nonexistent: another stumble would leave their playoff hopes in nearly irretrievable territory before reaching the midpoint of the schedule.

What is the forecast for the Buccaneers vs Cowboys?

Everything points to a high-scoring game. Dallas combines home-field advantage, one of the most prolific offenses in the league, and the urgency of not falling behind in its division. Tampa Bay has talent, but its results crisis and the difficulty of closing out games weigh too heavily.

The forecast leans toward a Cowboys victory , although with a porous Texas defense, it would not be surprising if the Buccaneers keep the score alive until the final quarter. If Dallas protects the ball, it should prevail in Arlington.