TAMPA, Florida (Ticker) -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers got back at Bill Parcells.
Twenty months after being jilted by the coach, the Buccaneers put a stranglehold on Parcells and the Dallas Cowboys, 16-0.
"Give them a lot of credit, they outplayed us in every phase," Parcells said of losing to the team he had a chance to coach when offered the job in February 2002. "We did not have a chance to win this game, and we gave them a little help as well with our turnovers and untimely penalties. We cannot do what we did today and expect to beat the world champions."
It was the second shutout of the season for the Bucs (4-3), who held the Cowboys to nine first downs and 178 total yards, forced three turnovers and sacked Quincy Carter four times.
"We just made an effort to come out and get back to the basics; gap responsibilities, assignments on the field and tackling," said Buccaneers defensive tackle Warren Sapp, who had a sack. "You see what happens when we have it down."
The Bucs blanked Philadelphia, 17-0 in the season opener, but Tampa Bay's vaunted defense had to deal with adversity after being scorched for 458 total yards, including 212 on the ground, in a 24-7 loss at San Francisco last week.
"We don't have to talk about how bad we played," said Bucs linebacker Derrick Brooks of bouncing back from last week's performance. "We knew what we had to do to correct it and we went back to the basics, to what makes our defense what it is."
And the Bucs were ready for the Cowboys, despite the absence of two starters in the secondary - Pro Bowl safety John Lynch and cornerback Brian Kelly. Lynch missed the game with a pinched nerve in his neck and Kelly is out for the rest of the season with a torn pectoral muscle.
But Jermaine Phillips, a college teammate of Carter's at Georgia, set up Tampa Bay's first score with a 41-yard interception return to the Dallas 24 in the second quarter.
"He (Carter) threw my first touchdown pass in college and he threw me my first interception in the pros," said Phillips, who was one of Carter's receivers at Georgia. "That's kind of funny, ironic and exciting."
Phillips must have felt like a receiver when he raced over the middle to catch a pass by Carter intended for Joey Galloway at the Tampa Bay 35 and returned it to the Dallas 24 before he was pushed out of bounds.
"That showed them it wasn't going to be an easy day against our secondary," said Bucs free safety Dwight Smith. "I think that slowed them down on the deep ball because on the tapes we were watching, they were averaging one or two deep balls per quarter, but we didn't get that. I think it was because of that interception."
After a 15-yard run by Michael Pittman to the Dallas 4, the Bucs had to settle for a 24-yard field goal by Martin Gramatica with 10:53 left in the second quarter.
Pittman finished with a season-high 113 yards on 30 carries for his second 100-yard game of the season.
"We went out there and pounded the rock," Pittman said.
But Bucs coach Jon Gruden put some razzle dazzle into the game plan as well, calling for a flea-flicker that was executed perfectly in the second quarter. Pittman took a handoff up the middle and pitched back to Brad Johnson, who lofted a 48-yard pass to tight end Ken Dilger to the Dallas 19.
"We saw their safeties were playing pretty aggressive on the run, and we saw on film that this could work," Dilger said. "It was a great throw by Brad and my biggest thing was just catching the ball and getting as much out of it as I could."
The drive stalled at the Dallas 14, but on a 32-yard field goal by Gramatica, rookie Terrence Newman was called for running into the kicker, giving the Bucs a first down at the 9.
"That was a close play," said Newman, who dove to block the kick as Gramatica fell to the ground. "I don't think I ran into him, but the refs though otherwise. "You know he (Gramatica) told me it was a ticky-tac type of call, but it happened so we just had to play through it."
Two plays later, Johnson threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to Keyshawn Johnson to increase the lead to 10-0 with 4:13 remaining in the half.
Keyshawn Johnson played for three seasons under Parcells with the New York Jets (1997-99) and called him his favorite coach. That caused the crowd of 65,602 to boo the outspoken receiver in pre-game introductions. Amid the jeers, Keyshawn Johnson ran across the field and shook Parcells' hand.
There was nothing but cheers, though, when Keyshawn Johnson made a sliding catch in the end zone. It was his only reception of the day.
A 24-yard interception return by cornerback Ronde Barber to the Dallas 21 set up Gramatica's second field goal - a 26-yarder with 9:25 left in the third quarter.
"We played with a purpose today," said Barber, who did not practice all week due to a sore hamstring. "I do what I do every week regardless of circumstances. A pulled hamstring, broken thumb, torn ACL, whatever the circumstances, I come out to play."
Gramatica added a 50-yard field goal with 2:03 remaining in the third.
The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for Dallas (5-2), which resides in first place in the NFC East under Parcells.
"This is the Super Bowl champs, and when you go up against the Super Bowl champs you have to bring you're A game and we didn't have our A game today," said Cowboys safety Darren Woodson.
When the Bucs fired Tony Dungy after the 2001 season, owner Malcolm Glazer offered the job to Parcells, who coached the Giants to Super Bowl titles in 1986 and 1990. Parcells appeared ready to accept it, but backed out at the last minute and decided to stay in retirement.
The Bucs then pursued Gruden and Steve Mariucci. Both were under contract, but Glazer was willing to pay a heavy price to pry Gruden loose from Al Davis, sending the Oakland Raiders four draft picks and $8 million.
Gruden proved to be worthy, leading the Bucs to their first Super Bowl title last season. At 39, he became the youngest coach to win a Super Bowl.
The Bucs are now 7-0 after losses under Gruden.
"You always have something to prove in the NFL," Gruden said. "You have to establish yourself every week. If you're not ready to play and you don't establish yourself every Sunday, with the way the league is set up you will be defeated."
After completing just 2-of-5 passes for seven yards in the first quarter, Brad Johnson went 11-of-21 for 144 yards the rest of the way.
Carter was 15-of-25 for 140 yards with the two critical interceptions.
"He (Carter) definitely had happy feet today, and that got him out of a rhythm," said Bucs defensive tackle Anthony McFarland, who had a sack.
After being steamrolled on the ground by San Francisco last week, the Bucs held the Cowboys to 60 yards rushing. Troy Hambrick had just 25 yards on 11 carries.
"We kept going three-and-out and putting our defense back on the field," Hambrick said. "That's not how we've been playing ball."
Even with the injuries in the secondary, Tampa Bay managed to contain Dallas' talented trio of receivers - Terry Glenn, Galloway and Antonio Bryant - to a combined five catches for 52 yards.
Tim Wansley and Corey Ivy replaced Kelly at cornerback, John Howell filled in for Lynch at strong safety and Phillips stepped in at nickel back.
"Tim Wansley stepped up, Corey Ivy stepped up and Jermaine Phillips is going to be a heck of a football player," Barber said. "I think everyone is starting to realize that right now we have to ride with what we have."
