Cowboys vs. Buccaneers odds, predictions, betting preview: Thursday Night Football picks, best bets

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Best bets and betting preview for Buccaneers vs. Cowboys on Thursday Night Football

Oct 8, 2026 at 9:42 am ET • 2 min read

The Week 5 NFL schedule begins when the Dallas Cowboys host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football. Dallas got back to the .500 mark this season with a 34-30 win at Houston last week, while Tampa Bay fell to 0-4 with a 17-14 loss to the Packers. The Cowboys are 8.5-point favorites in the Cowboys vs. Buccaneers odds, with the over/under at 47.5. Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (thumb) is inactive. Claim the Kalshi promo code CBSSPORTS55 here now and get a $55 bonus after $25 in trades:

Kickoff for Cowboys vs. Buccaneers is set for 8:15 p.m. ET at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. SportsLine's team of NFL experts have analyzed TNF and revealed their Buccaneers vs. Cowboys prediction, and you can also read our NFL betting preview for Thursday Night Football. Claim the latest Polymarket promo code CBSSPORTS to get a $25 bonus after $10 in trades:

Cowboys vs. Buccaneers betting preview

Dallas holds a 13-2 edge at home in the all-time series between these teams, which is the second-best home record against a single opponent (minimum 15 games). The Buccaneers head into this game with a 0-4 record, which is their worst start to a campaign since going 0-8 to open the 2013 season. They are playing without quarterback Baker Mayfield, who is sidelined with a thumb injury.       

Backup quarterback Jalon Daniels will make his first primetime start after completing 19 of 27 passes for 148 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in a loss to Green Bay. Dallas is coming off a 34-30 win at Houston, as quarterback Dak Prescott threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver CeeDee Lamb with 40 seconds remaining. The Cowboys have scored and allowed 28-plus points per game through four games for the second year in a row, becoming the second team in league history to do so. Claim $150 in bonus bets after your first $5 wager at DraftKings here:

Cowboys vs. Buccaneers picks, best bets 

• Cowboys -8.5 (-110)
• Chris Godwin Over 3.5 receptions (+125)

Cowboys -8.5 (-110)

"The Bucs are the type of team Dallas typically rolls at home," SportsLine expert Thomas Casale said. "The Cowboys have played well since Week 1, and while the defense is still a concern, the Bucs aren't built to exploit it right now. Undrafted free agent Jalon Daniels struggled in his NFL debut against the Packers as expected, and the Bucs were held to 4.5 yards per play. It's not Daniels' fault, he has no business starting in the NFL right now. If the Cowboys put up 27 on Thursday, they should cover this number comfortably at home." Bet on Buccaneers vs. Cowboys at bet365 with bonus code CBSBET365 and get $200 in bonus bets after betting $10:

Chris Godwin Over 3.5 receptions (+125)

"Godwin played a big part in rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels' debut," Prop Bet Guy Doug said. "Godwin reeled in six catches on seven targets (26% target rate), on a very QB friendly 2.3 average depth of target. He lined up in the slot for 70% of his routes, saw two designed screens, and had a 24% first read rate (all per Fantasy Points Data). Against the Cowboys, the Bucs will likely be in position where they'll be throwing. Godwin will avoided the Joey Porter Jr. matchup lining up inside, and the Cowboys have allowed the seventh most catches out of the slot as is. He might not break 25 yards, but I'm expecting another high volume game for the veteran." Use the BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS to get up to $1,500 in bonus bets when wagering on Thursday Night Football: