Cowboys Team Report

INSIDE SLANT

The Cowboys don’t want to hear it. They don’t want to talk about it.

They would love to be able to ignore it.

But they can’t escape their failures in December, which are too real and too relevant, no matter what coach Wade Phillips said.

Sunday’s 31-24 loss to the Giants was just the next chapter in horrifying book that began in 1996, the last year the Cowboys won a playoff game.

The Cowboys are 19-32 in December ever since. They are 5-10 in December since 2006.

“Well, the facts are that we’re 8-4 (this year),” Phillips said. “It’s crushing when you lose a ballgame, but you’ve got to bounce back from those things. It’s a 16-game season, the results from the 16 games determine where you are.”

The results support the fact that the Cowboys crumble in crucial moments, that they don’t get it done when it matters most.

“I think we have a winning team,” Phillips said. “If you have a bunch of winners, I think you’re going to bounce back from losses. I think also they do take it one game at a time, and that’s what we need to continue to do.”

The Cowboys remain in first place in the NFC East, tied with the Eagles. But the Giants are one game back. Dallas has a rigorous four-game stretch to end the season, starting Sunday against the Giants.

If the Cowboys are to make the playoffs, they are going to have to find a way to reverse their December fortunes.

“Until we win, I know we’re going to hear about (December),” linebacker Bradie James(notes) said. “No matter how bad it can be, we’ve got to figure out a way to win. We’ve got to fix the mistakes, and we had a couple of them. We still have four games, and guys will respond. We just have to stay together.”

NOTES, QUOTES

—Left tackle Flozell Adams(notes) could be fined or suspended for a personal-foul penalty he received against the Giants. Adams has already been fined three times by the NFL this season for four infractions.

Adams was fined $5,000 after Week 1 for an unnecessary roughness penalty against Tampa Bay. In Week 2 against the Giants, he tripped Justin Tuck(notes) and also kicked Osi Umenyiora(notes). He was fined $12,500 for the two fouls.

And after adding a $7,500 fine for a tripping penalty against Carolina in Week 3, Adams was warned by the league that any other offenses could result in a suspension.

“I have talked to the Cowboys and the league. The league is discussing it, and we will find out (Tuesday),” said Jordan Woy, Adams’ agent. “Flo thought the play was still in action when the hit occurred. There was a lot of confusion on that play. It is unfortunate that it happened.”

• Kicker Nick Folk(notes) is under scrutiny for missing a 42-yard field goal against the Giants. It was his eighth miss of the season. But the Cowboys are not just focusing on Folk, they are examining the whole operation, and they could replace punter Mat McBriar(notes) as the holder. Folk blamed McBriar’s hold for his miss against the Giants.

McBriar has taken the blame for at least two other misses. It’s something the Cowboys are going to look at, although they have few alternatives for a replacement holder. Backup quarterback Jon Kitna(notes) has never done it. Receiver Patrick Crayton(notes) is an option, along with receiver Sam Hurd(notes) and kickoff specialist David Buehler(notes).

None, however, likely would have had enough to time in practice to take the job away from McBriar.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

Player Notes  

• LB DeMarcus Ware(notes) wore a cast on his fractured left wrist against the Giants, but it wasn’t a problem. He had his ninth sack of the season. “In fact, after the game he said he wanted one on the other wrist,” coach Wade Phillips said. “It must’ve felt all right for him.”

• FB Deon Anderson(notes) has a bruised knee. His status for Sunday’s game against the Chargers is uncertain.

• TE Martellus Bennett(notes) missed a few plays against the Giants with a knee injury, but he returned and is considered OK for Sunday’s game against the Chargers.

• FS Ken Hamlin(notes) has missed the past three games with a high ankle sprain. His status for the Chargers game will be determined Wednesday.

• RT Doug Free(notes) was not the problem with the run game against the Giants. “Free played pretty well, I thought,” coach Wade Phillips said. “I think he graded out probably better than any of our offensive linemen this past game. He did a pretty good job.”

Report Card Vs  . GIANTS

Passing Offense:   A—Tony Romo(notes) was darn near perfect, completing 41 of 55 passes for 392 yards, all career highs, and three touchdowns. He didn’t throw any interceptions, and he made Roy Williams relevant with two touchdown receptions. Jason Witten(notes) caught 14 passes for a career high 156 yards, and Miles Austin(notes) had another 100-yard day receiving.

Rushing Offense:   F—The Cowboys averaged just 2 yards a carry and got nothing done on the ground against the Giants, who lined up with eight men in the box for much of the game.

Pass Defense:   D—Eli Manning(notes) didn’t complete many passes, but the ones he did were big plays, particularly a 74-yard touchdown to RB Brandon Jacobs(notes). The Cowboys couldn’t contain Steve Smith, who had six catches for 110 yards.

Rush Defense:   B—The Giants rushed 23 times for just 100 yards, and the Cowboys forced a fumble. The one play the Cowboys want back is a 29-yard run by Ahmad Bradshaw(notes) in which they missed several tackles, setting up a score.

Special Teams:   F—The Cowboys missed a 42-yard field goal and gave up a 79-yard punt return for a touchdown.

Coaching:   D—The Cowboys are now 19-32 in December since 1996. They still didn’t get it done when it mattered late in the season.