Johnson so-so, but D helps Cowboys beat Bucs 13-9

[October 27, 2008]  IRVING, Texas (AP) -- Brad Johnson's aim was off and the boo birds were roaring at Texas Stadium. Somehow, the Dallas Cowboys pulled out of their midseason slump anyway.

Johnson made up for several missed chances at touchdowns by throwing one to newcomer Roy Williams at the end of a drive sustained by four defensive penalties, and the much-maligned Dallas defense made it hold up for a 13-9 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

The Cowboys (5-3) gained only 173 yards, but with coach Wade Phillips taking a "more active" role in his defense, they put the clamps on Jeff Garcia and the Bucs (5-3). Tampa Bay got two first-quarter field goals and another in the third quarter, but that was it.

The Buccaneers were driving for a possible winning touchdown until a fourth-down pass to Jerramy Stevens fell incomplete under heavy pressure with 13 seconds left. As Dallas players bounced around in celebration, Tampa Bay tackle Jeremy Trueblood threw his helmet in frustration.

"Coming through at the end, that's what you have to do," Phillips said. "Our defense certainly stepped up today. Our offense had a tough time, but that touchdown before the half was a big, big play."

Johnson, starting for the second straight week because Tony Romo has a broken pinkie on his throwing hand, was 19-of-33 for 122 yards. His longest pass went for just 14 yards, and it was on a dump-off to running back Marion Barber. Johnson also was sacked three times. However, he didn't have a turnover and neither did the Cowboys, a first this season.

"We got the dinks and dunks," said Terrell Owens, whose 33 yards receiving were the team high. "There were more opportunities there, but we didn't make them."

Several early three-and-outs drew boos as the offense jogged to the sideline, and more boos came in the fourth quarter. Fans wound up going home happy as Dallas ended a two-game losing streak and won for only the second time in five games.

Ugly as it was, the win should take some of the heat off Phillips -- just in time, too, with the Cowboys' next two games on the road against the top two teams in the division, New York and Washington, with the bye in between.

For Tampa Bay, the loss continues its road woes. The Bucs are 1-3 away from their pirate-ship home, something they're going to have to fix to return to the playoffs. This started a stretch of two straight road games, three of four and five of seven.

Garcia was 28-of-44 for 228 yards, but the offense was held without a touchdown for the first time since the 2007 opener. It also was the fewest points allowed this season by the Cowboys, and probably their best performance. The irony is that linebacker DeMarcus Ware didn't have a sack, ending his streak at an NFL record-tying 10 straight.

The game changed late in the second quarter, when Tampa Bay led 6-3 and was 25 yards from a touchdown. But Garcia took a long sack, forcing Matt Bryant to try a 51-yard field goal, which he missed. Dallas took over at its 41 and the drive ended with Johnson throwing a 2-yard, go-ahead TD pass to Williams with 1 second left in the half.

But that series was more about what the Bucs did wrong than what the Cowboys did right.

Tampa Bay committed four penalties, including a horse-collar tackle and a pass interference that gave Dallas automatic first downs after being stopped short. An illegal contact and an unsportsmanlike conduct followed.

The throw into the end zone was risky. Had the ball fallen incomplete, the clock might not have stopped in time for a field goal try. It ended up not mattering because Johnson made his best play of the day, throwing high enough for Williams to use his 4-inch height advantage to grab the ball over cornerback Phillip Buchanon.

Williams caught two passes for 10 yards in his first home game with the Cowboys; he was shut out last week in his first game since being acquired in a trade with Detroit.

Dallas tight end Jason Witten caught only one pass for 8 yards, then left with a rib injury. X-rays showed no break and he returned for a few plays in the third quarter, then went to the sideline for good.

[Associated Press; By JAIME ARON]

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