Cowboys-Buccaneers Prediction in 100 Words

Another blog asked for me to write a 100-word piece predicting the Cowboys-Giants game next week. I was so anxious to get started that I wrote one for tomorrow’s game against Tampa Bay.  As you can see, I am not especially optimistic.

The Cowboys have lost three of four and suffered a 34-14 humiliation at the hands of the previously dreadful Rams. Are the Cowboys still a probable playoff team at this point? Dallas will need to meet or exceed a 10-6 mark to get into the playoffs, and consecutive games against the Buccaneers, Giants, and Redskins are huge roadblocks as the Cowboys try to start heading back in the right direction. Jeff Garcia has been a Cowboy-killer in the past, and he looked strong against the Seahawks on Sunday. Regretfully, I think the ship is still off-course. Buccaneers 24, Cowboys 17.

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Jeff Garcia vs. Dallas

As the starter for the San Francisco 49ers early in the decade, Jeff Garcia was indeed a Cowboy-killer. The 49ers won two of those three games, and Garcia threw nine touchdowns with no interceptions in those starts.

He was the starter with Cleveland in 2004 when the Browns lost to Dallas. That was a poor performance by Garcia, as he completed only eight of 27 passes for 71 yards with no touchdowns and three picks. Two seasons ago, he beat the Cowboys as the Eagles’ starter late in the season.

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Bring Back Bucco Bruce!

Too Tall Jones smacks Doug Williams

Speaking of guys with effeminate lisps, the Cowboys should hope that the Buccaneers follow BucPower.com‘s advice and bring back the orange and white uniforms with the gay-looking pirate named Bucco Bruce on their helmets.

The Cowboys played the Buccaneers eight times between 1977 and 1990. The teams played the first seven of those games in Dallas, and the Cowboys won all eight games, including two playoff games. The shot above of Too Tall Jones crushing Doug Williams is from the 1981 playoffs when Dallas routed the Buccaneers 38-0.

In 1990, Dallas played Tampa Bay twice during a three-week window, which was odd given the two teams were not in the same division. The two wins over Tampa Bay helped Dallas to improve to 7-9 that season.

Dallas has lost three of four to Tampa Bay since 2000. In each of these games, the Buccaneers played in their new uniforms. In the Cowboys’ won while wearing their throwback uniforms from 1960 to 1963. That’s helpful to know.

Simulations

Here are the results from the simulations for the week:

Accuscore: Dallas wins 52% of the simulations.

The good news is that Dallas won 52% of the simulations in tomorrow’s game. The Cowboys outscored Tampa Bay 21.5 to 21.1, so it would be a good game if the simulations held up.

WhatIfSports: Tampa Bay 26, Dallas 21

According to the WhatIfSports simulations, Dallas will have trouble with both Earnest Graham and Antonio Bryant, as the Buccaneers won 53.1% of the simulations.