• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Slumping Cowboys to be without Romo again vs. Buccaneers

Oct 23, 2008 - 6:01 AM TAMPA BAY (5-2) AT DALLAS (4-3), 1:00 pm EDT

IRVING, Texas (Ticker) -- The Dallas Cowboys found out what it was like not to have Tony Romo under center last weekend. They hope for better results without him this week.

Romo will miss his second straight game this Sunday when the Cowboys host the Tampa Buccaneers.

After losing Romo, running back Felix Jones and punter Mat McBriar to injuries, cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones was suspended indefinitely and Dallas traded for troubled receiver Roy Williams.

The results were not good. Hampered by a broken pinkie, Romo was active last Sunday but did not start. His replacement, Brad Johnson, was intercepted three times as the Cowboys suffered a 34-14 beatdown at the hands of the St. Louis Rams.

After winning their first three games, the Cowboys have lost three of their last four contests and fallen to third place in the NFC East.

The new Roy Williams, who came from the winless Detroit Lions, did not make a catch, while safety Roy Williams broke his forearm again and is out for the season.

Dallas was hoping to have Romo back in the starting lineup against the Bucs, who are seeking their third straight win.

But Romo put an end to such speculation during an appearance on teammate Terrell Owens' weekly radio show Tuesday, saying that Johnson will make a second straight start against Tampa Bay unless, "something different happens that we don't foresee."

A huge first-half from Jeff Garcia was all Tampa Bay needed against the struggling Seattle Seahawks. Garcia threw for 310 yards - 226 of which came in the first half - and the Buccaneers coasted to a 20-10 victory over the Seahawks last Sunday.

Antonio Bryant caught a 47-yard TD pass and Earnest Graham had a 1-yard TD run for Tampa Bay (5-2), which outgained the Seahawks, 266-44, in the first half en route to a 17-0 lead.

Garcia, who started a second straight game in place of Brian Griese (elbow), completed 27-of-36 passes and led an efficient attack that converted 10-of-18 third downs and dominated time of possession, holding the ball for nearly 42 minutes.