• The Cowboys are getting Tyler Smith back at exactly the moment the Buccaneers are trying to patch together a lineup that already looks thinner than it did a week ago.
  • Dallas officially activated Smith from injured reserve for the game against Tampa Bay, and hours before kickoff the Cowboys announced the All-Pro guard would play.
  • The Buccaneers, meanwhile, entered the game with four players ruled out: Antoine Winfield Jr. (rib), Baker Mayfield (right thumb), Benjamin Morrison (quad), and SirVocea Dennis (ankle/foot).
  • Rookie outside linebacker Rueben Bain Jr. is set to return after missing time with shoulder and groin injuries, and tight end Ko Kieft is also back after sitting out a game with an elbow injury.
  • But the broader picture for Tampa Bay is still defined by the same issue that has followed it into Week 5: the offensive line that was supposed to be a strength has become a problem other teams are targeting.
  • That line has been described as a weak point the Buccaneers have found other teams exploiting, and the matchup with Dallas comes with that pressure already hanging over the game.
  • Cornerback Cobie Durant is out with a hamstring injury, and the Cowboys will also be without linebacker DeMarvion Overshown and tackle Drew Shelton.
  • Dallas gets Smith back, Tampa Bay gets a few returns but also carries a longer injury list, and the line play on both sides is part of the story before the first snap.