The Cowboys average 24.4 points

(10th-most) thanks to a balanced attack. Tony Romo (26 TDs, 9 INTs) has terrific targets in Miles Austin, Dez Bryant, Laurent Robinson and Jason Witten. RB DeMarco Murray was lost for the season after fracturing an ankle last week, but Felix Jones can carry the load, as evidenced by his 137 total yards vs. the Giants.

Buccaneers QB Josh Freeman practiced fully this week after playing through shoulder discomfort in the blowout loss to Jacksonville. Even healthy, it’s hard to trust Freeman (12 TDs, 18 INTs), who has regressed in a big way. WR Dezmon Briscoe likely will start opposite Mike Williams with Arrelious Benn dealing with a concussion. LeGarrette Blount averages 5.0 yards per carry but has fumbled five times. The Bucs average 17.8 points (26th-most).

Edge: Dallas

Defense

DeMarcus Ware (15 sacks) leads a fierce Dallas pass rush, but the linebackers and secondary are subpar. The Cowboys give up 243.2 passing yards (24th) and 21.6 points per game (16th). Corner Terence Newman is no longer elite or even above average.

Tampa Bay just gave up 41 points to Jacksonville’s pathetic offense. The Bucs rank 31st in points allowed (28.5). Injuries have decimated the defensive front, and Tampa is allowing 4.6 yards per carry. The only good news is that top corner Aqib Talib (hamstring) practiced fully and is expected to start.

Edge: Dallas

Special teams

The Cowboys have failed on crucial field-goal tries at the end of their last two games, with one getting blocked. But Dan Bailey is still 31 of 35 this season.

The Bucs’ Connor Barth is 24 of 26 on field-goal tries, including hitting 2 of 3 from 50-plus yards. Both teams are mediocre in the return game.

Edge: Tampa Bay

Word on the street

"I think he's proven to us that he can carry the ball more. We can throw it to him more. He carried the load (last Sunday night) and did a really nice job for us. And we've got a lot of confidence in him." – Dallas coach Jason Garrett’s on Felix Jones as a workhorse back in the absence of DeMarco Murray.

"The guys, they support me through wins, through losses, through whatever. I know there's a cloud outside the organization, but there's a ray of sunshine in the building." – Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris, whose job is in jeopardy due to the team’s seven-game skid.

The Dallas Cowboys were less than six minutes from putting a stranglehold on the NFC East race and a playoff berth a week ago. But, as has been the case for much of the season, the Cowboys couldn't stand prosperity, blew a 12-point lead in the final 3 1/2 minutes and dropped a 37-34 decision to the New York Giants, their bitter division rival. So, instead of holding a two-game lead with three to play, Dallas finds itself in a tie with the Giants atop the NFC East as it prepares to visit the reeling Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday night.

TV: NFL Network, 8:20 p.m. ET.

LINE: Cowboys -7, O/U 46.5

WEATHER: Cloudy skies and 6-mph winds are in the forecast for Tampa. Game-time temperatures will be in the low 60s.

ABOUT THE COWBOYS (7-6, 4-8-1 ATS): Dallas did more than lose a football game against the Giants. Rookie running back DeMarco Murray was lost for the season with a fractured ankle. Murray had ripped off three 100-yard games and helped sparked a four-game winning streak, but his injury puts oft-injured Felix Jones back in the starting lineup. Jones ran for 106 yards on 16 carries against the Giants. QB Tony Romo threw a season-high four TD passes and guided Dallas into position for a game-tying field goal that was blocked. He has thrown for 15 scores and two interceptions in the last six games.

ABOUT THE BUCCANEERS (4-9, 4-9 ATS): Since beating New Orleans on Oct. 16 to move to 4-2 on the season, Tampa Bay has unraveled, losing seven consecutive games. The Buccaneers were pounded at Jacksonville 41-14 last week, and they have absorbed a pair of brutal defeats at home during the skid, falling to Houston (37-9) and NFC South rival Carolina (38-19). Sore-armed QB Josh Freeman has thrown a league-high 18 interceptions after being picked off only six times last season. The defense has been equally inept by allowing an NFC-worst 370 points, including at least 35 points in four of the past five games.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Dallas, which has won the last three against the Bucs, signed veteran RB Sammy Morris this week.

2. Tampa Bay has not lost eight straight games since 1987.

3. “It’s great for you guys to scare my family half to death and talk about that stuff all throughout. ... For me, a chance to ruin (Cowboys coach) Jason Garrett’s season, and let you talk about him.” – Bucs coach Raheem Morris on rumors he could be fired.

TRENDS:

Favorite is 4-0 ATS in their last four meetings.
Home team is 5-1 ATS in their last six meetings.
Cowboys are 4-1 ATS in their last five meetings.

PREDICTION: Cowboys 34, Buccaneers 20. Dallas breezes to snap its two-game losing streak.