Romo finished the game despite hurting his ankle in the third and said he'll be OK.

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TAMPA - Wade Phillips would have preferred the climate-controlled confines of new Cowboys Stadium. The comfort of his own fans' cheers. Maybe even an opponent with more useful 2008 game film and less roster turnover.

What he got was a revamped, "fired up" Tampa Bay Buccaneers team, a hostile crowd of 63,806 at Raymond James Stadium and clammy, roasting September conditions.

Not an ideal setting for the first game of the 2009 season, Phillips admitted. But he learned about his team's resiliency in Sunday's 34-21 opening victory - his third straight as Cowboys head coach and the franchise's first three-game opener streak since 1997-99.

The Cowboys (1-0) will play their home opener next Sunday against NFC East rival New York.

"I thought (Tampa Bay) played well, but we really played well ourselves," Phillips said. "It gets you off on the right foot. That's why I'd rather play at home than on the road, but if you can get one on the road I think it's a real plus for you."

The players returned home with a decisive win despite an uneven start that matched Tampa Bay's intermittent rain. The Cowboys managed only a pair of field goals in the first quarter and found themselves trailing 7-6 near the end of the half, until quarterback Tony Romo hit fourth-year receiver Miles Austin down the right sideline for a 42-yard touchdown.

The offense increased its momentum in the second half and the Cowboys never trailed again. Behind solid line protection, Romo finished 16-of-27 for a career-high 353 yards and three touchdowns to increase his club record of career 300-yard games to 17.

All three of his TD targets (Austin, Roy Williams, Patrick Crayton) scored from more than 40 yards out, including a career-long 80-yard catch and run by Crayton to make the score 27-14 with 12:43 left in the fourth quarter. On the ensuing drive, Tampa Bay's comeback ended when Bucs tight end Kellen Winslow dropped a wide-open pass on fourth and seven from the Cowboys' 26.

"You're not judged off of yards or anything like that," Romo said of his record performance. "You're judged off of winning and losing at this position. I think our team understands that it's about winning and losing. And that's what we're out here to try and do."

Romo finished the game despite hurting his right ankle late in the third quarter. He had his ankle wrapped before boarding the team charter home and likely will be re-evaluated Monday, though he said "it should be fine."

Romo's three deep strikes did dispel the preseason theory that the offense was big-play deficient without departed receiver Terrell Owens. Those big plays helped keep the Cowboys ahead of a productive Tampa Bay offense that nearly outgained them in total yardage (462 to 450).

New Bucs quarterback Byron Leftwich threw for 276 yards and a touchdown. Running backs Cadillac Williams and Derrick Ward combined for 159 yards and two TDs on 15 carries, including 94 yards in the first half against an aggressive Cowboys defense. The Bucs' offense also didn't commit a turnover and didn't allow a sack.

The Cowboys slowed the Tampa Bay (0-1) running attack by deploying more of its base defense in the second half. Phillips said the muggy weather wore down his unit in the second half, but it protected a sizable cushion in the fourth quarter.

"We out-willed their defense," inside linebacker Bradie James said. "We didn't give up the big, big plays. Once guys start giving up the big, big plays for touchdowns then the score can get ugly.

"We've got some work to do and we will. But this was a tough stadium to come in. The elements were tough. We pulled it out."

Phillips also was pleased with his special teams. Starting strong safety Gerald Sensabaugh blocked a Bucs first-quarter field goal, kicker Nick Folk drilled both of his attempts and rookie kickoff specialist David Buehler had three touchbacks. Tampa Bay's average drive start was its own 23.

"The guy's a difference-maker as far as kickoffs are concerned," Phillips said of Buehler. "It makes them have to go a long ways."

By contrast, Romo didn't have to direct many methodical drives. The offense found its rhythm after scoring only six points on two potential TD drives in the first quarter. One stalled on a pair of busted plays. The other halted at the Bucs' four despite a first-and-goal at the eight.

Romo-to-Austin busted the game open, however, and the Cowboys never looked back.

"I was just so impressed - and a lot of it's due to Tony - but just our ability to stay with it and not panic in the first game," said tight end Jason Witten, who had a team-high five catches for 71 yards.

"It just kind of snowballed for us. That's how it's got to be and it's not going to be easy. That's a good football team we played and if we can continue to do that, I think good things will happen."