TAMPA, Fla, (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys remain winless without Tony Romo.
The Cowboys’ longest losing streak since 1989 reached seven games Sunday when Jameis Winston scored on a 1-yard quarterback keeper with 54 seconds remaining, lifting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 10-6 victory.
Romo has been out with a broken left collarbone. The star quarterback could return next week at Miami.
“Tony has had a good couple of weeks of practice with us,” Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. “We anticipate him being able to practice this week.”
Matt Cassel is 0-4 and Brandon Weeden is winless in three starts in the Cowboys’ longest slide since they also lost seven straight on the way to a 1-15 finish. Dallas owner Jerry Jones said the skid hasn’t changed his mind about having Romo play as soon as next weekend.
“It’s in the long-term best interest, if of course he’s ready, to play this week,” Jones said. “It’s in our long-term best interest to go out there and try to win a ballgame.”
Winston shrugged off two interceptions — the first he had thrown in a month — and benefited from a defensive holding call that wiped out his goal-line fumble on the play before he faked a handoff to Doug Martin before circling around the right end all alone.
“I think we just have to look at how we deal with these losses,” Jones said. “How you address that loss. You all saw it. We weren’t able to make the plays. To their credit, they make the play at the end.”
The Cowboys (2-7) reached the Tampa Bay 44 following the kickoff after the Winston score, but Cassel’s throw to the end zone was intercepted by Bradley McDougald after the Tampa Bay safety appeared to give Dez Bryant a slight shove in the back.
Bryant argued for a pass interference call to no avail.
“Obviously to a man, we’re all disappointed,” Cassel said. “We keep saying that we’re going to get this thing turned around, and we truly believe it. Unfortunately we keep getting in these tight games we’re not able to finish.”
The Bucs (4-5) drove 56 yards in nine plays for the winning score.
Winston completed 22 of 39 passes for 264 yards, including a 17-yard throw to Brandon Myers to help get the Bucs into position to win. On third-and-goal from the 5, the 6-foot-4, 230-pound quarterback scrambled up the middle and dived for the end zone, losing the ball before crossing the goal line.
But safety Jeff Heath, who had two interceptions, was flagged for holding receiver Mike Evans in the end zone. Winston scored his fourth rushing TD of the season on the next play.
“The touchdown was magical, man,” Winston said.
Cassel was 19 of 31 for 186 yards and one interception.
After throwing four interceptions and losing a fumble during a 14-point loss to Carolina on Oct. 4, Winston went four straight games without a turnover. Heath’s interception in the second quarter, stopping a drive that reached the Dallas 26, ended the rookie’s streak of 134 consecutive passes without a pick.
With Vincent Jackson out for the third consecutive game with a knee injury, Evans had eight receptions for 126 yards.
Bryant had five catches for 45 yards for Dallas, which was limited to field goals of 42 and 53 yards in the first half. Dan Bailey also missed a 48-yarder in the second quarter.
“We’re not finishing games,” Dallas defensive end Jeremy Mincey said. “I don’t know (why). It’s definitely a head scratcher. Definitely a disappointing loss. It was right there. We held them to three until the last three minutes or so. It’s just frustrating.”
NOTES: Cowboys CB Morris Claiborne left with a hamstring injury. “It can’t be that good … I didn’t finish the game,” Claiborne said. He will have an MRI exam Monday. … Dallas had just 216 offensive yards and 12 first downs. … Cowboys DE Greg Hardy had one solo tackle.