TAMPA — The Cowboys began the day with the eighth-ranked ground game in the NFL, averaging 129 rushing yards and 4.5 yards per carry behind an elite offensive line. With the Bucs loading up to stop the run, Dallas couldn’t generate any offensive balance as Tampa Bay’s defensive front seven dominated the trenches.
“Our first thing was stopping the run and making them one-dimensional,’’ Bucs defensive tackle Akeem Spence said after Dallas was limited to 42 yards in 21 rushing attempts. “We wanted to let them try to make (quarterback) Matt Cassel beat us. Once we shut them down on the ground, we got after the quarterback.