Game story
In Week 1 of the 2001 NFL season on 2001-09-09, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers took care of business against the Dallas Cowboys, pulling away with a 10–6 final that stayed a one-score game deep into the second half.
The highest-scoring period was Q4 with 7 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
B. Johnson (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) paced the passing game, with +8.62 total EPA.
On the individual side, B. Johnson (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +8.62 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (-20.9% win probability) landed in the fourth quarter when Dallas Cowboys changed the game: (1:26) (Shotgun) 17-Q.Carter pass intended for 81-R.Ismail INTERCEPTED by 47-J.Lynch at TB 10. 47-J.Lynch to TB 14 for 4 yards (83-W.McGarity).
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q3 | Q4 | — | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 B. Johnson · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Passing · +8.62 total EPA · 37 snaps · +0.23 EPA/play
- 2 J. Green · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Receiving · +8.43 total EPA · 9 snaps · +0.94 EPA/play
- 3 K. Johnson · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Receiving · +2.90 total EPA · 9 snaps · +0.32 EPA/play
- 4 R. Thomas · Dallas Cowboys · Rushing · +1.82 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.91 EPA/play
- 5 B. Johnson · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Rushing · +1.46 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.36 EPA/play
- 6 K. Williams · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Receiving · +0.52 total EPA · 1 snaps · +0.52 EPA/play
- 7 T. Hambrick · Dallas Cowboys · Rushing · +0.40 total EPA · 1 snaps · +0.40 EPA/play
- 8 J. Cook · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Receiving · -0.18 total EPA · 1 snaps · -0.18 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
B. Johnson — TB · Passing
B. Johnson posted the highest total EPA (+8.62) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Tampa Bay Buccaneers's efficiency. Across 37 counted snaps, they averaged +0.23 EPA per play.
The signature play (-4.22 EPA) came from Dallas Cowboys: (3:49) 17-Q.Carter FUMBLES (Aborted) at DAL 42, RECOVERED by TB-21-D.Abraham at DAL 40.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — B. Johnson
Field goals
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — M. Gramatica
- Dallas Cowboys — T. Seder
- Dallas Cowboys — T. Seder
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: The quarter finished even at 3–3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers connected on a field goal from the DAL 21 (Q1 52:53) — (7:53) 7-M.Gramatica 39 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-84-S.McDermott, Holder-3-M.Royals.; Dallas Cowboys connected on a field goal from the TB 4 (Q1 49:32) — (4:32) 6-T.Seder 22 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-95-R.Chevrier, Holder-4-M.Knorr..
The third quarter: Dallas Cowboys won the period 3–0. Dallas Cowboys connected on a field goal from the TB 28 (Q3 27:00) — (12:00) 6-T.Seder 46 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-95-R.Chevrier, Holder-4-M.Knorr..
The fourth quarter: Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the period 7–0. Tampa Bay Buccaneers found the end zone from the DAL 1 (Q4 12:38) — (12:38) 14-B.Johnson up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. Quarterback sneak.; Tampa Bay Buccaneers added 1 points from the DAL 2 (Q4 12:35) — 7-M.Gramatica extra point is GOOD, Center-84-S.McDermott, Holder-3-M.Royals. Grant of Dallas has a sprained right ankle and may return..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Dallas Cowboys (Q4 1:26) — (1:26) (Shotgun) 17-Q.Carter pass intended for 81-R.Ismail INTERCEPTED by 47-J.Lynch at TB 10. 47-J.Lynch to TB 14 for 4 yards (83-W.McGarity).
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Q3 16:37) — (1:37) (Shotgun) 14-B.Johnson pass to 81-J.Green ran ob at DAL 29 for 25 yards. Pass complete right sideline.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Q2 33:16) — (3:16) 28-W.Dunn up the middle to DAL 19 for 1 yard (60-J.Nix). FUMBLES (60-J.Nix), RECOVERED by DAL-93-P.Zellner at DAL 21.
- Dallas Cowboys (Q1 48:49) — (3:49) 17-Q.Carter FUMBLES (Aborted) at DAL 42, RECOVERED by TB-21-D.Abraham at DAL 40.
- Dallas Cowboys (Q1 52:50) — 7-M.Gramatica kicks 64 yards from TB 30 to DAL 6. 80-R.Swinton to TB 17 for 77 yards (51-A.Singleton). Return left side of the field.
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Dallas Cowboys (Q1 48:49) — (3:49) 17-Q.Carter FUMBLES (Aborted) at DAL 42, RECOVERED by TB-21-D.Abraham at DAL 40.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Q2 33:16) — (3:16) 28-W.Dunn up the middle to DAL 19 for 1 yard (60-J.Nix). FUMBLES (60-J.Nix), RECOVERED by DAL-93-P.Zellner at DAL 21.
- Dallas Cowboys (Q1 52:50) — 7-M.Gramatica kicks 64 yards from TB 30 to DAL 6. 80-R.Swinton to TB 17 for 77 yards (51-A.Singleton). Return left side of the field.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Q3 16:37) — (1:37) (Shotgun) 14-B.Johnson pass to 81-J.Green ran ob at DAL 29 for 25 yards. Pass complete right sideline.
Quarterback report card
B.Johnson led all passers in efficiency for Tampa Bay Buccaneers, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- B.Johnson (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) · 37 dropbacks · 67.6% completion · +0.23 EPA/play · +8.62 total EPA
- Q.Carter (Dallas Cowboys) · 22 dropbacks · 40.9% completion · -0.44 EPA/play · -9.63 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Dallas Cowboys |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.046 | -0.175 |
| Offensive success rate | 43.5% | 38.6% |
| Pass EPA/play | +0.233 | -0.438 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.276 | -0.422 |
| Defensive EPA/play | +0.175 | +0.046 |
| Defensive success rate | 61.4% | 56.5% |
By the numbers
Despite the final score, Tampa Bay Buccaneers generated the better offensive EPA per play (-0.05 vs -0.17), suggesting they moved the ball more efficiently.
- Dallas Cowboys: 11 drives, -9.95 total EPA, 2 scoring drives
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 11 drives, -3.94 total EPA, 2 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- One-score margin — fantasy managers should double-check garbage-time stats before drawing conclusions.
- B. Johnson (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers FG (+3) — Q1 52:53 · DAL 21 · Score 3-0
(7:53) 7-M.Gramatica 39 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-84-S.McDermott, Holder-3-M.Royals. - Dallas Cowboys FG (+3) — Q1 49:32 · TB 4 · Score 3-3
(4:32) 6-T.Seder 22 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-95-R.Chevrier, Holder-4-M.Knorr. - Dallas Cowboys FG (+3) — Q3 27:00 · TB 28 · Score 3-6
(12:00) 6-T.Seder 46 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-95-R.Chevrier, Holder-4-M.Knorr. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers TD (+6) — Q4 12:38 · DAL 1 · Score 9-6
(12:38) 14-B.Johnson up the middle for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. Quarterback sneak. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers XP (+1) — Q4 12:35 · DAL 2 · Score 10-6
7-M.Gramatica extra point is GOOD, Center-84-S.McDermott, Holder-3-M.Royals. Grant of Dallas has a sprained right ankle and may return.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Dallas Cowboys?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Dallas Cowboys 10-6 in Week 1, 2001 on 2001-09-09.
What was the final score of Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Dallas Cowboys?
The final score was Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10, Dallas Cowboys 6 (TB 10-6 DAL) in Week 1, 2001 on 2001-09-09.
What was the score by quarter in Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Dallas Cowboys?
Q1: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3, Dallas Cowboys 3; Q3: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0, Dallas Cowboys 3; Q4: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7, Dallas Cowboys 0; Final: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10, Dallas Cowboys 6.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Dallas Cowboys?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers touchdown — B. Johnson (Q4 12:38) Tampa Bay Buccaneers field goal — M. Gramatica (Q1 52:53, 3 pts) Dallas Cowboys field goal — T. Seder (Q1 49:32, 3 pts) Dallas Cowboys field goal — T. Seder (Q3 27:00, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Dallas Cowboys?
B. Johnson (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), 67.6% completion, +0.23 EPA per dropback, +8.62 total passing EPA. Q. Carter (Dallas Cowboys), 40.9% completion, -0.44 EPA per dropback, -9.63 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Dallas Cowboys?
B. Johnson (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) led the game in total EPA with +8.62 on passing plays. across 37 snaps. The top single-play swing was (-4.22 EPA): (3:49) 17-Q.Carter FUMBLES (Aborted) at DAL 42, RECOVERED by TB-21-D.Abraham at DAL 40.. The biggest win-probability swing was -20.9%.
Was Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Dallas Cowboys a close game?
Yes — the margin was 4 points. Tampa Bay Buccaneers won 10-6 in a game that stayed a one-score game deep into the second half.
Season records after this game
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Now 1-0 W
Dallas Cowboys
Now 0-1 L
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