Cowboys DB DaRon Bland and Dallas' defense had opportunities against the Buccaneers, but couldn't execute in some situations which proved costly in a 24-16 loss to Tampa Bay on Thursday night.

In a forgettable game full of disappointment, George Pickens at least provided one sliver of silver lining with a season-high performance against the Buccaneers.

Don't think the frustrating loss to the Buccaneers is all on the defense, as the Cowboys offense was unable to handle Tampa Bay's pressure all night, which led to disastrous results.

From continued struggles defensively to more injuries before and after kickoff, a summary of news and notes from the Cowboys' Week 5 loss to the Buccaneers in this week's Pic 6.

There's just too much blame to go around for a game like this. The offense, the defense and the special teams had the wrong kind of balance.

Nothing about what happened in the Cowboys' loss to the Buccaneers makes sense for Brian Schottenheimer, who will force the team to do some soul searching going into Week 6.

Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones said he was "extraordinarily disappointed" by Dallas' 24-16 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night, and was especially surprised by the Cowboys' struggles to stop the run.

Little about the matchup conjured images of what ultimately happened to the Cowboys when they got a wake-up call from the Bucs, and Dak Prescott says the Cowboys have to be better.

Plays that might get forgotten include DaRon Bland, who had a tough night in coverage and missed out on a chance to redeem himself with a pick-6 in the fourth quarter.

The Cowboys were never able to figure out Tampa Bay's game plan in their Thursday night matchup, losing to the previously winless Buccaneers, 24-16.

The Dallas Cowboys are hosting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a short week after a gutsy win in Houston, hoping for a big win on Thursday Night Football that, for once, doesn't go down to the wire.

After four weeks of rehabilitation on his thumb, Tyler Smith returned to practice this week and is officially a full go for Thursday Night Football against the Buccaneers.

With little time to enjoy their comeback win over the Texans, the Cowboys will mount up quickly to host a desperate Buccaneers team ready to leave it all on the field.

This week's trivia questions centered on the team's history of Thursday night games, including a meeting with the Bucs.

Despite having to play their third game in 11 days, Cowboys DT Quinnen Williams says he's not tired and is looking forward to the primetime stage on Thursday night against Tampa Bay, where he hopes the defense can continue showing improvement.

There is some good news in this week's Mick Shots, including a thumbs up on Tyler Smith, a healthier cornerback group, wise words from Kenny Clark and more!

Speaking on 105.3 The Fan, Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones updated Tyler Smith's status for Thursday, his thoughts on the CB room, and said he's "never shut down" on a potential trade before the deadline.

For the second game in a row, and on a short week, the Cowboys must guard against taking a winless team for granted, because the Buccaneers plan on leaving it all on the field in Week 5.

Cowboys CB Joey Porter Jr. hasn't been in Dallas long, but is quickly gaining comfort and confidence in the Cowboys defense as he prepares for a bigger workload and his first game at AT&T Stadium.

From the narrow loss in Brazil to the narrow win in Houston to, now, getting ready to host the Buccaneers four days later — Dak Prescott says the Cowboys will be ready, and without excuses.

Let's look at 10 key numbers for the Cowboys and their upcoming matchup, along with some other trends that are telling the story so far on this young season.

Here are some key storylines for both the Bucs and Cowboys as they head into Thursday's game at AT&T Stadium.

Cowboys All-Pro guard Tyler Smith is hoping to make his season debut on Thursday night against the Buccaneers after returning to practice, saying he thinks 'it's possible' on Monday.

The injury to his thumb required surgery to repair ahead of the season, but the Cowboys are officially one major step closer to getting their All-Pro guard back on the field.