The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will travel to Texas for a Sunday Night Football showdown in Week 16 against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on Dec. 22 at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC. The Buccaneers have won the past two regular season meetings, with the most recent victory coming in Week One of the 2022 slate in Dallas. Tampa Bay is coming off a dominant 40-17 victory over the Chargers in Week 15 that allowed the Bucs to hold on to sole possession of first place in the NFC South. At SoFi Stadium, Tampa Bay's offense recorded the most points (40), most total yards (506) and most rushing yards (223) against the league's top-scoring defense. Meanwhile, the Cowboys had arguably their most complete win of the season since Week One against the Panthers in Week 15. Dallas won 30-14 and Mike Zimmer's defense sacked Bryce Young six times, while posting two interceptions and forcing two fumbles. Here are five players to observe following kickoff on Sunday Night Football:

Vita Vea

Bucs' nose tackle Vita Vea is tied with linemate Calijah Kancey for the team lead with 6.0 sacks. He has been a formidable force in the interior, wreaking havoc. In three career games against the Cowboys, Vea has racked up 2.0 sacks, three quarterback hits and four tackles (two for loss). He consistently splits double teams and overpowers centers/guards. The 347-pound menace is light on his feet and routinely pummels linemen at the point of attack. Vea has range down the line of scrimmage and without nine-time Pro Bowl right guard Zack Martin in the Cowboys' lineup (injured reserve), he will vie to take advantage on Sunday in primetime, carving up the middle of Dallas' offensive line. His double-team pressure rate ranks seventh in the league (11) among defensive tackles with 400-plus snaps and Vea will be on the prowl in prime time.

Lavonte David

In seven career games against Dallas, Lavonte David has tallied 62 tackles (six for loss), 2.0 sacks, four quarterback hits, three passes defensed and one fumble recovery. At the age of 34, David is playing with elite play recognition. Against the Chargers in Week 15, David had a stellar day with 12 tackles (one for loss), 1.5 sacks, and three quarterback hits on Justin Herbert. He became the first player this season to record a game with 12-plus tackles, three-plus quarterback hits and 1.5-plus sacks. He sets the tone in Tampa Bay and is adept at covering tight ends, blitzing through the A-gap and flattening guards to get into the backfield to make tackles. David has a knack for making plays on the football and is Mr. Consistency for the Bucs. With outstanding range and ability to diagnose and trigger, David solidifies Todd Bowles' defense. On Sunday, David will go up against Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle. Dowdle posted a career-high 149 yards on the ground in Week 15 against the Panthers, marking his third straight 100-yard rushing performance. He is on pace to surpass 1,000 yards rushing and pairs vision with burst. Dowdle is able to quickly determine cutback lanes and transitions from evading tacklers to finish mode with ease.

Tykee Smith

CeeDee Lamb is the Cowboys' top offensive weapon. His 94 receptions rank third in the NFL and Lamb's 1,089 receiving yards also rank third. Lamb had a stellar nine-catch, 116-yard performance against the Panthers in Week 15. The YAC phenom plays half his snaps in the slot and half on the outside. Lamb is able to adjust the tempo of routes along with speed variations to generate separation. He is agile in the open field and can contort to make challenging catches down the field. At some point on Sunday, Lamb will likely be paired with rookie nickel Tykee Smith. Smith is tied for the lead among rookies in forced fumbles with three and is one of four players in 2024 with three-plus forced fumbles, five passes defensed and two-plus interceptions, joining Jessie Bates III, Fred Warner and Zaire Franklin. Smith has elevated Todd Bowles' unit in 2024 with a cerebral approach to the game and effectiveness at covering pass-catchers in the intermediate area. Smith is physical near the line of scrimmage and possesses short-area burst to trigger.

Graham Barton

Osa Odighizuwa had a sack, a forced fumble, a tackle for a loss, and four quarterback hits in Week 15 against Carolina. He has developed into one of the Cowboys' best defenders and the UCLA product plays with excellent pad level, first-step quickness and bend. Odighizuwa has a non-stop motor on the field and has the athleticism to play multiple positions along the line. He has violent hands and keeps his eyes in the backfield. On Sunday, Odighizuwa will likely face Graham Barton, Cody Mauch and Ben Bredeson with his versatility inside. Barton, the Bucs' rookie center, anchors a line that has amassed 400-plus yards of offense in a game eight different times in 2024 - the most 400-yard outings in the NFL. Tampa Bay is 1 of 3 teams with multiple 500-yard performances in 2024 and Barton has helped spur the ground game with explosive drive blocks. Tampa Bay currently ranks second in the NFL in yards per rush (5.2) after finishing 32nd in that category in each of the previous two seasons. Barton has played at a high level in his first season as a pro, allowing a single sack on 848 offensive snaps played per PFF. Barton pairs superb body control and core strength with the ability to counter a variety of rush moves with an effective mirror.

Luke Goedeke

Micah Parsons is one of the most lethal pass rushers in the NFL. In Week 15 he accumulated 2.0 sacks and eight quarterback pressures against Bryce Young. Parsons missed time due to injury at the midpoint of the 2024 slate, but has returned to peak form, leading the NFL with 41 quarterback pressures since coming back. He has rare explosion and elite range. Parsons has the twitch to effectively move from gap to gap to disrupt the run and outstanding change-of-direction. He has an insatiable desire for hunting opposing quarterbacks and is placed all along the line to create disadvantageous matchups for opponents. On Sunday, he will likely face both Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke. Goedeke, the Bucs' stout right tackle, has allowed only one sack on 689 offense snaps played in 2024 and plays with a fiery disposition in the trenches that matches that of Cowboys' Parsons. He uproots opponents as a run blocker and plays with proficient technique. His weight-room prowess shows up in his pop on initial contact and Goedeke pairs powerful leg drive with fluid footwork on pulls to elongate rush lanes.