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Stinker Leaves Bucs Out Of First Place

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By ROY CUMMINGS rcummings@tampatrib.com

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 27, 2008

IRVING, Texas - Dallas might still be a team in disarray, but its defense can still be dominant.

The Bucs drove the ball inside the Cowboys' 25-yard line four times Sunday but never put it in the end zone during a 13-9 loss that knocked Tampa Bay out of first place in the NFC South.

"We moved the ball pretty well, but you have to score touchdowns to win in this league," Bucs coach Jon Gruden said. "We had several opportunities to win the game, we just didn't cash in."

Nothing new there. The Bucs (5-3) went into the game ranked 29th in the league in red-zone offense, with 11 touchdowns in 28 opportunities inside opponents' 20-yard line.

They got that far twice against the Cowboys (5-3), but the first trip resulted in a field goal and the second - on the last drive of the game - ended with a failed fourth-down conversion.

The Cowboys, who avoided a third straight loss, weren't much better. They gained just 172 total yards - the fewest in a Dallas win and fourth-fewest in a Tampa Bay loss - but reached the end zone just before halftime by taking advantage of some key Bucs mistakes.

A quartet of penalties, including a personal foul against cornerback Ronde Barber that allowed Dallas to convert on third-and-13, helped the Cowboys take a 10-6 lead they never gave up.

"I feel like this was a game we should have won," said Barber, who was whistled for bringing running back Marion Barber down with an illegal horse-collar tackle. "It would have been a nice one to have."

Reporter Roy Cummings can be reached at (813) 259-7979.

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