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Notebook: Reward for players: three-day weekend

01:32 AM CST on Friday, November 24, 2006

From Staff Reports

Bill Parcells will have the players go through their normal day-after game routine by running and lifting before having three days off. The Cowboys will return to practice Tuesday for their Dec. 10 game with the New York Giants.

"This is a first for me ever doing that," Parcells said.

The players were surprised.

Cowboys 38, Buccaneers 10
Romo throws for five scores in yet another win
Cowlishaw: Time to put doubts aside; this thing is for real
Taylor: Parcells has molded team befitting his image
Moore: Romo impresses Bucs coach
Williams picking his battles
Todd Archer's Cowboys report card
Calvin Watkins' five plays that shaped the game
Notebook
Game photos
Game summary
Official NFL summary (.pdf)
Grade the Cowboys' performance
Tell Us: Which remaining opponent concerns you?
Tell Us: How far can they go?
Sports front page (.pdf)
All-time vs. Tampa Bay
Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day
More Cowboys

"I never thought we'd get that much," Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten said. "But he told us if we'd win he'd take care of us and he is."

— Todd Archer

Flury of yellow flags reduced to two vs. Bucs

In the previous four games, the Cowboys picked up 35 penalties for 361 yards. On Thursday, Dallas had two penalties for 19 yards. It was the fewest penalties since Oct. 23 when the Cowboys had one for five yards in a loss to the Giants.

— Calvin Watkins

Offense clicking, thanks to line play

The Cowboys had season highs in yards (435) and time of possession (37 minutes, 17 seconds). They tied a season high for first downs( 27). The offensive line deserves much of the credit.

Tony Romo was sacked only once and threw for 306 yards. The Cowboys also ran for 137 yards.

"I think we're really coming together and learning how to play together," left guard Kyle Kosier said. "Flozell [Adams] had never played next to me. He's used to me and the same with Andre (Gurode) and on the right side. It's coming together."

— Todd Archer

Watkins plays more in passing situations

Keith Davis started at free safety, but Patrick Watkins was involved in numerous plays. The rookie from Florida State finished with one tackle, but was on the field in many passing situations. Watkins has been beaten on several pass plays. He entered the game because Davis bruised his right shoulder on a kickoff return.

Davis said he was OK.

"It was good to play out there, and I'm glad the coaches are showing some confidence in me," Watkins said. "Todd [Bowles, the secondary coach] and Mike [MacIntyre, the safety coach] have let me stay after practice and look at game film. I know I'm getting on their nerves, but I'm glad they are letting me stay and work."

— Calvin Watkins

LB DeMarcus Ware pleased with his play

Outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware said he had his best game of the season with three tackles and one quarterback hurry. Ware was putting pressure on left tackle Anthony Davis and whoever else got in his way by getting off the ball quickly. He leads the team with six sacks.

"You just want to be aggressive," Ware said. "I know I'm judged on how many sacks I get, but pressure is just as important."

— Calvin Watkins

Fabini sees time at tackle in place of Colombo

Right tackle Marc Colombo missed some time in the first half when he jammed his knee, allowing Jason Fabini to see his first work at right tackle this season.

LOUIS DeLUCA / DMN
Cornerback Terence Newman drops by for a word with Tony Romo in the first half at Texas Stadium. Newman had a 24-yard punt return, and Romo tied a franchise record with five touchdown passes.

Fabini has seen several snaps as an extra tight end in recent weeks and on Thursday he went in motion a few times. Colombo returned in the second half.

— Todd Archer

Top three receivers turn in big numbers

The three main receivers for the Cowboys – Terrell Owens, Terry Glenn and Patrick Crayton – had a big day. They had 16 catches for 264 yards and three touchdowns.

Last week against Indianapolis, they combined for 12 catches and 154 yards with no touchdowns.

"Everybody is expecting the ball each time you're out there running a route," Crayton said. "When you know you might get a pass, you're running with some enthusiasm."

— Calvin Watkins

T.O. makes contribution to Salvation Army

Terrell Owens was at it again with a touchdown celebration. After he caught a 7-yard touchdown pass with 6:30 left in the third quarter, he dropped the ball into a giant Salvation Army kettle used as a prop for the halftime show.

"Yeah, yeah that was my donation," Owens said.

When asked how much the ball would be worth now Owens said, "I hope it's as much as the fine."

LOUIS DeLUCA / DMN
Terry Glenn dives past Buccaneers safety Jermaine Phillips (23) to score his second touchdown.

Earlier in the game, Terry Glenn, after catching a touchdown pass, handed a ball to fan in the stands.

— Calvin Watkins

Linebacker rotation remains the same

The linebacker rotation necessitated by Greg Ellis' season-ending Achilles' tendon injury was the same Thursday as it was Sunday with Al Singleton starting and Kevin Burnett and Bobby Carpenter working in the rotation.

Singleton had three tackles. Rookie defensive end Jason Hatcher, who has moved to right defensive end the last two games, had the first sack of his career.

— Todd Archer

Briefly ...

Mike Vanderjagt opened the game with a touchback, his third of the season and one off his career high, set in 2003. ... Linebacker Akin Ayodele third-quarter interception was his second in as many games ... Running back Skyler Green, cornerback Nate Jones, nose tackle Montavious Stanley, guard Travis Leffew, guard Cory Procter, tackle Pat McQuistan, defensive end Stephen Bowen and tight end Tony Curtis were inactive ... Tampa Bay fullback Mike Alstott went to the locker room before halftime after a hit from Bradie James but returned in the second half. ... FB Lousaka Polite saw his heaviest load with seven carries for 18 yards. It marked first carries of the season. ... Tampa Bay left guard Dan Buenning injured his right knee midway through the fourth quarter and coach Jon Gruden said he is probably lost for the season.

THE GAME AFTER
Four times the Cowboys have beaten an undefeated team after the first five weeks of the season. This is what happened the following week:
Date Opponent Result
1974
Nov. 3 vs. St. Louis (7-0) W, 17-14
Nov. 10 vs. San Francisco W, 20-14
1986
Oct. 23 vs. Washington (5-0) W, 30-6
Oct. 19 at Philadelphia W, 17-14
1991
Nov. 24 vs. Washington (11-0) W, 24-21
Nov. 28 vs. Pittsburgh W, 20-10
2006
Nov. 19 vs. Indianapolis (9-0) W, 21-14
Nov. 23 vs. Tampa Bay W, 38-10

FINDING THE END ZONE
Seattle's Matt Hasselbeck was the most recent quarterback to throw for five touchdowns, Sept. 24 against the New York Giants.
Date Player Com Att Yds TD Int Rate
Sept. 24 Matt Hasselbeck 24 33 227 5 3 93.1
Thursday Tony Romo 22 29 306 5 0 148.9

HEARTY THANKS
The Cowboys are 24-14-1 on Thanksgiving, and their 38-10 win over Tampa Bay was good for their second-largest margin of victory in their 39 years of holiday play:
Margin Year Result
44 1980 Cowboys 51, Seattle 7
28 2006 Cowboys 38, Tampa Bay 10
27 1978 Cowboys 37, Washington 10
27 1992 Cowboys 30, N.Y. Giants 3
24 1967 Cowboys 46, St. Louis 21

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
435 Cowboys' season-high in offensive yards. It eclipsed the 434 at Arizona on Nov. 12. Dallas averaged 6.5 yards per play.
5 Interception total for Roy Williams ties his career high, set as a rookie in 2002.
196 The combined receiving yards from Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn. The pair had more yards than the Tampa Bay receivers.
19 The difference in yardage between Marion Barber and Julius Jones in the last three games. Barber has rushed 38 times for 183 yards and three touchdowns, and Jones has 48 carries for 164 yards with no touchdowns.
1 The first victory this season for the Cowboys with former quarterback Troy Aikman and Joe Buck doing the game. Dallas is 1-3 with Aikman and Buck and 3-3 on Fox games.
18 Passing first downs, the most by Dallas since it picked up 18 on Nov. 26, 1998, against Minnesota, also on Thanksgiving Day.

— Calvin Watkins

SCORING MACHINE
For the second time this season, backup running back Marion Barber led the team in rushing, finishing with 83 yards on 16 carries. Starter Julius Jones had 11 carries for 40 yards. Barber has rushed for 183 yards the last three games. He also had two touchdowns Thursday, and in 24 career games Barber has 16 touchdowns, including a team-high 11 this season. The Cowboys' top scorers among non-kickers since 1996:
Player Season Rush Rec. Total
Emmitt Smith 1998 13 2 15
Emmitt Smith 1996 12 3 15
Emmitt Smith 1999 11 2 13
Marion Barber 2006 9 2 11
Michael Irvin 1997 0 9 9
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