National Football League News

Romo's big day leads Cowboys over Bucs

Nov 24, 2006, 0:55 GMT

Irving, TX - Tony Romo threw for 306 yards and tied a team- record with five touchdown passes as Dallas moved into first place in the NFC East with a 38-10 victory over Tampa Bay in a Thanksgiving Day matchup at Texas Stadium.Romo completed 22-of-29 passes and tied the team record for most touchdown passes in a game, a feat that last occurred when the legendary Troy Aikman did it in 1999 in an overtime win over Washington. Danny White was the last Dallas quarterback to throw five touchdown passes in regulation back in 1983.'The guys up front played great,' said Romo. 'We just got good talent out there on both sides of the ball. We are starting to come together as a team and I think it showed out there.'Terry Glenn and Marion Barber each had two touchdown receptions for the Cowboys, who have won three straight and jumped ahead of the New York Giants in the NFC East standings. Barber also added 83 yards on the ground.Glenn finished with four catches for 89 yards for Dallas (7-4), which was coming off a 21-14 win over previously unbeaten Indianapolis last Sunday. Terrell Owens had eight catches for 107 yards and a touchdown while Patrick Crayton added four receptions for 68 yards.'Our players worked hard to get ready,' said Dallas head coach Bill Parcells. 'The guys played well and I am proud of them and we will see what we got from here.'Cadillac Williams rushed for 78 yards for the Buccaneers (3-8), who have dropped four of their last five games. Rookie quarterback Bruce Gradkowski was 10-of-20 for 120 yards and threw two interceptions while Joey Galloway had three catches for 71 yards.'Dallas is a great football team,' said Tampa Bay head coach Jon Gruden, who came into the game 3-0 against the Cowboys. 'They were much better than we were. Happy Thanksgiving. I compliment Dallas greatly and take full responsibility for the game.'The Buccaneers got the football first and scored a touchdown on their opening drive. Mike Alstott pounded his way into the end zone from one-yard out to cap a 10-play, 80-yard march. The key play on the scoring drive was Gradkowski connecting with Galloway on a 53-yard pass over the middle.It was all Dallas the rest of the way.The Cowboys tied the game at 7-7 late in the first quarter as Romo found Glenn wide open over the middle of the end zone for a 30-yard touchdown strike. Romo had completions of 18-yards to Owens and 21-yards to Crayton on the scoring drive.Dallas then forced a turnover on the first play of the ensuing drive for Tampa Bay, as Roy Williams picked off Gradkowski at the Cowboys' 25-yard line and returned the pick to the Tampa Bay 48-yard line.The Cowboys capitalized off the turnover and Romo hooked up with Glenn once again, this time from two yards out. On 3rd-and-2 from the Tampa Bay two-yard line, Romo fired a quick hitch pass to Glenn along the right sideline and the wide out dove across the goal line to make it 14-7 at 11:33 of the second quarter.The Bucs answered on their next drive as Matt Bryant's 46-yard field goal made it 14-10 with 6:38 remaining in the second quarter. Williams rushed for 37 yards on the drive.After forcing a Tampa Bay punt, Dallas got the ball back with under two minutes left in the first half, and Romo led a successful two-minute drill that saw the Cowboys take a 21-10 lead with just 30 seconds left until halftime. A 33-yard completion to Crayton put Dallas on Tampa's one-yard line and Romo then found Barber open in the end zone for a one-yard TD pass after rolling out to the left.'I could have thrown those first two (touchdown passes),' Parcells said.The Cowboys got the ball to start the second half and picked off right where they left off in the first half, scoring a touchdown to increase their lead to 28-10. After a 45-yard pass to Glenn put Dallas at the Tampa 11, the Cowboys moved the ball down to the two-yard line and were faced with a 4th-and-2. Electing to go for it, Romo faked a hand off and rolled right, hitting Barber for a two-yard TD toss as the defense over pursued.Dallas then blew the game open after Akin Ayodele intercepted Gradkowski deep in Tampa Bay territory with a little more than nine minutes to play in the third quarter.Romo continued his stellar day as the Cowboys offense converted the turnover into points, as Owens caught a seven-yard touchdown pass over the middle to make it 35-10 with 6 1/2 minutes left in the third.'I thought it was Aikman out there,' said Gruden concerning the play of Romo. 'He is a fine quarterback. I think he is a very polished technician right now and he has plenty of guys to go to.'A 22-yard field goal by Mike Vanderjagt made it 38-10 with 10 minutes left in the contest.Game Notes

Dallas was hosting a Thanksgiving Day game for the 29th consecutive season while Tampa Bay played on Thanksgiving Day for the first time in its 31-year history.

The Cowboys have a 7-3 advantage in the all-time regular season series with the Buccaneers.

Dallas is 4-1 since Romo took over starting quarterbacking duties for Drew Bledsoe.

Romo's five TD passes was the ninth occurrence in team history and the first time on Thanksgiving.

Tampa Bay linebacker Derrick Brooks made a team-record 184th start.

Buccaneers' offensive lineman Dan Buenning was carted off the field in the fourth quarter with a right knee injury and did not return.

Two-time Grammy Award winner Kelly Clarkson sang the national anthem before the start of the game, and American Idol winner Carrie Underwood performed at halftime.