IRVING, Texas - Defensive coordinator Brian Stewart hugged every player in sight.
Cornerback Anthony Henry, knocked out of the game with a deep thigh bruise, hobbled down the Texas Stadium sideline congratulating his teammates.
Defensive line coach Todd Grantham literally jumped into Leonard Davis' arms - a long ascent given the guard's 6-foot-6 frame.
With 13 seconds left, the Cowboys had just saved their fourth-quarter lead by forcing Tampa Bay quarterback Jeff Garcia into a fourth-down incompletion. In future hindsight, Sunday's 13-9 victory over the Buccaneers might have saved their season, too.
Hence the sideline celebration that filtered into the post-game locker room, where Cowboys owner Jerry Jones handed head coach Wade Phillips the game ball - a gesture that, at the time, he couldn't recall making in 20 years with the organization.
"It wasn't about my demonstration," Jones said. "It was more about giving him the recognition that this win should be for him. He should get recognition for this win. He had a lot to do with it."
So did his players, who seven days earlier suffered their most embarrassing loss to date against a hapless St. Louis Rams team and endured a week-long gauntlet of questions - from Phillips' job security following a second straight defeat to their chances of staying afloat in the NFC race over the next few weeks without injured starters Tony Romo, Terence Newman and more.
Forget style points. The Cowboys (5-3) just needed a win, no matter how aesthetically unpleasing, to stay a 1 ½ games behind the New York Giants (6-1) in the conference and division standings.
That's exactly what they got Sunday against a dangerous Buccaneers team (5-3) that previously had won five of six to claim a share of the NFC South lead, and against a quarterback (Garcia) who had completed more than 75 percent of his passes in his last three starts.
"I think our players definitely stepped up," Phillips said. "I think they were frustrated that we haven't won in the last two weeks and that was part of it."
"This was an emotional win for our team," said 40-year-old quarterback Brad Johnson, who filled in for Romo (fractured pinkie finger) for the second consecutive week.
An effective win, if not eye-catching.
The Cowboys' 13 points marked their lowest victory total since Dec. 26, 2004. Their 172 yards of total offense marked the lowest victory total in franchise history. Johnson completed 19 passes for only 122 yards, his longest completion a dump-off that running back Marion Barber muscled into 14 yards.
Defense defined both teams' efforts on Sunday. The Cowboys and Bucs combined for five field goals, including two by Cowboys Pro Bowl kicker Nick Folk. The deciding factor was the game's lone touchdown, scored by newly-acquired receiver Roy Williams with one second left in the first half.
The 6-foot-3 Williams, making his second appearance in a Cowboys uniform, leaped to catch a perfectly-thrown fade pass over 5-foot-11 cornerback Phillip Buchanon and give Dallas a 10-6 halftime lead.
"We can draw that one up in the backyard," said Williams, the native Texan who wore a black cowboy hat and boots after the game. "That's pretty much what we did anyway. It's what I do. What I've been doing since I was in high school is catch the fade."
Williams' touchdown paid late dividends for an offense that went three-and-out on its first three possessions. Johnson's low-risk, methodical approach produced just another field goal in the second half, but the defense had his back all game.
Garcia threw for 228 yards but was sacked twice and faced consistent pressure. The Bucs' ninth-ranked running game (130.4 avg.) sputtered to only 48 yards. Top receiver Antonio Bryant (7 for 46) had only two catches after halftime despite Henry's injury, which left the Cowboys with three youngsters at cornerback - rookies Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick and seldom-used second-year veteran Alan Ball.
The defense atoned for last week's struggles in St. Louis. The Rams scored a season-high 34 points, including 21 in the first quarter, prompting Phillips to take a larger role in that area. But the players said they simply did a better job of executing on Sunday.
"Nothing different, nothing new," defensive end Marcus Spears said. "We just played them better. Getting it right, and when you do that we have enough talent and enough guys on this team to get it done."
Especially in the game's most critical moment - Garcia facing fourth-and-three from the Dallas 18, trailing by four with 19 seconds and one timeout left on the clock, knowing a turnover on downs would end the Bucs' comeback chances.
The defense flushed Garcia out of the pocket and pressured him into an errant pass. Ball game.
"When it was on us, we showed up," inside linebacker Bradie James said. "That's what we did today. Next week I don't know what it's going to be, but hopefully we have a building block. No matter who's out there we have to play with energy and continue to play well."
Both will be critical next Sunday against the Super Bowl champion Giants in a rematch of last year's divisional round game. Romo, Newman and rookie running back Felix Jones are expected to be out until after the Nov. 9 bye week; Henry's status for next week is uncertain; and starting tight end Jason Witten also did not finish Sunday's game due to bruised ribs (X-rays were negative).
"I think everyone knows after the bye we're going be a lot stronger," Phillips said. "We've just got to get to the bye and try to win some games here. That's what we did this week, and we're going to try to do the same next week."
Home | Email | Print | Register for New Alerts | RSS
Rob Phillips - 
