Cowboys Have Their Eye on Top of NFC East

Nov 23, 2006, 4:35 GMT

Dallas enters its annual holiday matchup, which this year will feature a visit from the struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in a deadlock with the New York Giants atop the NFC East. The Cowboys have made up ground quickly in the division race over the past month, with the team's change from Drew Bledsoe at Tony Romo at quarterback precipitating an impressive 3-1 run. After going 2-1 in his first three starts, all on the road, Romo led America's Team to a 21-14 win over previously unbeaten Indianapolis last Sunday. That victory, coupled with the Giants' 26-10 loss in Jacksonville on Monday, handed Bill Parcells and company a share of first place with a favorable concluding schedule ahead of them.

The Cowboys play four of their final six games at home, beginning with Thursday's tilt, giving the organization a realistic shot at its first NFC East title since the 1998 season.

Tampa Bay, meanwhile, is simply seeking improvement over its final six games. The Buccaneers snapped a three-game losing streak with last Sunday's 20-17 over the Redskins, with rookie quarterback Bruce Gradkowski moving to 3-4 as a starter since taking over for the injured Chris Simms (ruptured spleen) in Week 5. The Bucs will on Sunday be seeking to secure their first win in their last six away games, dating back to 2005.

Tampa Bay will be playing on Thanksgiving Day for the first time in its 31- year history.

Dallas, which will be hosting a Thanksgiving Day for the 29th consecutive season, is 3-6 on the holiday since 1997, including last year's 24-21 overtime loss to Denver. The Cowboys last won on Turkey Day in 2004, when they scored a 21-7 win over the Bears.

SERIES HISTORY

Dallas has a 6-3 advantage in its all-time regular season series with Tampa Bay, but has lost each of its last three meetings with the Buccaneers. Tampa was a 16-0 home winner when the teams last met, in 2003, and were 10-6 victors when they last visited Dallas in 2001. The Cowboys last defeated the Buccaneers in 1990, when they won a home-and-home against Tampa Bay.

In addition to the regular season series, the teams have met twice in the postseason, with Dallas scoring victories in a 1981 NFC Divisional Playoff (38-0) and a 1982 NFC First-Round Playoff (30-17).

Parcells is 3-2 in his career against the Buccaneers, including 2-1 while with the Giants (1983-90), 1-0 while with the Jets (1997-99) and 0-1 since arriving in Dallas in 2003. The Bucs' Jon Gruden has a 3-0 career record against the Cowboys, including a pair of wins while with the helm of the Oakland Raiders (1998-01), Gruden is 2-0 head-to-head against Parcells, including a win for the Raiders over Parcells' Jets in 1999.

BUCCANEERS OFFENSE VS. COWBOYS DEFENSE

Gradkowski hasn't quite convinced Tampa Bay fans that he is their quarterback of the future, but under extremely difficult circumstances, the sixth-round draft pick out of Toledo has done a solid job. Gradkowski's 73.7 passer rating is better than that of fellow rookies Vince Young (56.1) and Matt Leinart (68.1), two players that commanded significantly more cash when they signed their contracts back in the summer. The youngster has not thrown for more than 200 yards since his Week 5 debut, but has fired multiple TD passes in four of his seven starts. Gradkowski's two touchdowns last week went to No. 1 wideout Joey Galloway and tight end Anthony Becht, with the latter player scoring on a tipped ball that bounced off Galloway's chest. Galloway (38 receptions, 5 TD) will be facing a Cowboys team that he played for from 2000 through 2003. The Bucs have yet to find a reliable No. 2 wideout to offset the veteran, though both Michael Clayton (27 receptions, 1 TD) and Ike Hilliard (19 receptions, 1 TD) have had their moments this year. Becht (13 receptions, 1 TD) should see extended time this week with tight end Alex Smith (22 receptions, 2 TD) expected to miss the contest with a high ankle sprain. The Tampa Bay offensive line has allowed 20 sacks on the year, including 16 of Gradkowski.

Gruden and the Tampa offense will undoubtedly look to attack a Dallas defense that has had some problems in the secondary this season and will be without top pass rusher Greg Ellis (Achilles) for the remainder of the year due to a ruptured Achilles. Those supposed setbacks didn't affect the Cowboys last week, as outside linebacker Demarcus Ware (41 tackles, 6 sacks) and reserve end Jay Ratliff (13 tackles, 4 sacks) both sacked the quick-triggered Peyton Manning, while linebacker Kevin Burnett (25 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) and strong safety Roy Williams (35 tackles, 4 INT) both recorded picks off of the perennial Pro Bowler. Burnett's interception went for a controversial 39-yard touchdown return, as it appeared that the second-year-pro was touched down after recording the pick. Matching up with Galloway this week will likely be Dallas cornerback Terence Newman (40 tackles, 1 INT), with Williams and fellow safety Keith Davis (20 tackles) counted on for support.

The Buccaneers received a rare contribution from their running game last week, as struggling sophomore Cadillac Williams (619 rushing yards, 1 TD, 23 receptions) exploited a porous Washington offense for a season-high 122 yards on 27 carries. Williams will be trying to build on that performance this week, and will also be vying for his first touchdown since a Week 3 loss to Carolina. Backup Michael Pittman (76 rushing yards, 26 receptions) and fullback Mike Alstott (48 rushing yards, 1 TD, 16 receptions) also chipped in in the win over the Redskins, with Pittman amassing a total of 48 yards on two carries and two receptions and Alstott totaling 36 yards on seven total touches. Despite the Week 11 efforts, Tampa Bay ranks a distant 28th in NFL rushing offense (91.2) and is tied for last in the league in rushing TDs (3) along with the Raiders and Seahawks.

Williams will have his work cut out for him against a Dallas defense that ranks fourth in the NFL against the run (85.7 yards per game) and hasn't allowed a 100-yard rusher since Tiki Barber went for 114 on them Oct. 23rd. The Cowboys have been solid up front all year, with nose tackle Jason Ferguson (24 tackles) and ends Marcus Spears (31 tackles, 1 sack) and Chris Canty (19 tackles, 1 sack) proving difficult to block along the team's three-man front. Behind that group are inside linebackers Bradie James (57 tackles, 1 INT) and Akin Ayodele (55 tackles, 1 INT, 1 sack), who combined for 15 tackles in the Indianapolis win.

COWBOYS OFFENSE VS. BUCCANEERS DEFENSE

Romo (1350 passing yards, 8 TD, 5 INT) didn't throw a touchdown pass in the Indianapolis win, and also tossed his first interception in three weeks, but it is difficult to find fault with a player that completed 19-of-23 passes for 226 yards against an unbeaten team. Romo enters Thursday's game with a sterling 100.0 passer rating, which trails only that of Peyton Manning, whom he outdueled last week. Wideouts Terrell Owens (53 receptions, 7 TD), Terry Glenn (42 receptions, 4 TD), and Patrick Crayton (24 receptions, 3 TD) have all thrived with Romo in the lineup, as has tight end Jason Witten (39 receptions, 1 TD). Glenn led the charge with six catches for 78 yards against Indianapolis, while Owens had four receptions for 70 yards in his quietest game since Romo has been on the scene. An offensive line that was maligned with Bledsoe in the lineup has given up just seven sacks in Romo's six appearances.

Romo should have plenty of time to look downfield on Thursday, as a Tampa Bay defense that ranks 31st in the league with just 13 sacks will likely be without its top pass rusher, Simeon Rice (shoulder). With Rice (2 sacks) out of the lineup last week, Dewayne White (20 tackles, 4 sacks) started opposite Greg Spires (26 tackles, 1.5 sacks) and notched his fourth sack of the year. The Buccaneer secondary has not been particularly noted for its strong play in 2006 either, as the team has just five interceptions on the season and has endured injuries to cornerback Brian Kelly (foot) and his replacement, Juran Bolden (leg). Bolden (46 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) left in the fourth quarter of Sunday's win over the Redskins, but is not listed on this week's injury report. Cornerback Ronde Barber (76 tackles, 3 INT) had a team-high-tying eight tackles in the Washington win, and Jermaine Phillips (62 tackles) chipped in with six stops and a forced fumble from his strong safety position.

Although Romo has received many of the recent accolades heaped upon Dallas, the work of a running game that ranks fifth in the league (133.8 yards per game) should not be understated. Running backs Julius Jones (813 rushing yards, 3 TD) and Marion Barber III (409 rushing yards, 9 TD, 12 receptions) have both given headaches to opposing defensive coordinators, with both dishing out problems in last Sunday's win over Indianapolis. Jones moved the chains with 79 yards on 22 carries, also contributing three catches for 25 yards out of the backfield, while Barber rushed nine times for 35 yards and scored his eighth and ninth touchdowns of the season. Only LaDainian Tomlinson and Larry Johnson have more rushing TDs than does Barber as Week 12 begins.

Though they rank just 20th in the league against the run (121.3 yards per game), the Buccaneers have not allowed a 100-yard rusher since the Eagles' Brian Westbrook reached triple digits against them on Oct. 22nd. Last Sunday, Redskins running backs T.J. Duckett and Ladell Betts combined for 44 yards on just 12 carries against the Tampa front seven. The run-stopping effort will be easier on Thursday if the Bucs have the services of tackle Ellis Wyms (ankle) and linebacker Shelton Quarles (knee), both of whom are listed as questionable. Wyms (18 tackles, 4 sacks) and Quarles (55 tackles) have both missed the team's last two games. Veteran linebacker Derrick Brooks (80 tackles, 1 INT) has been the Bucs' most consistent tackler this season, and Chris Hovan (29 tackles) has provided a strong presence from his spot on the interior line.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

Romo has been consistent enough over the past four games to show the world, not to mention his teammates, that he can play. The key for the fourth-year- pro has been a terrific supporting cast that features two solid running backs, two talented veteran receivers, a top-notch tight end, and an offensive line that has been good enough to hold everything together. On defense, Dallas has been far from perfect, but appears as if it is beginning to jell. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, can boast none of the qualities above, which is why the Buccaneers will lose by a decisive margin on Thursday. The team is too young in some places, too old in others, and isn't healthy enough at the moment to make an upset bid appear realistic. Look for Dallas to keep the Bucs at arm's length throughout.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Cowboys 30, Buccaneers 13

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