It might still be warm down in Texas, but after the Dallas Cowboys' 31-24 loss to the New York Giants, the reality of December's arrival has dawned upon owner Jerry Jones and company once again.
Over the past few years, the Cowboys have started off the season on fire, jumping out of the gates strongly in September and October only to fade down the homestretch. In fact, the Cowboys have not had a winning record in regular-season games played in December and January since 1996. Last season, the Cowboys finished 1-3 during the year's final month, but the most disturbing aspect of their late-season plummet was their performance in the final game of the year against the Philadelphia Eagles.
In a game that guaranteed the winner a wild card spot in the playoffs, the Cowboys barely even bothered to show up. Philadelphia walked all over Dallas, clinching the NFC's final playoff spot with a 44-6 victory that sent the Cowboys home empty handed.
Unfortunately for Dallas, it appears as though its late-season shortcomings have not stopped in 2009. Dallas faces a brutal schedule the rest of the way, playing the 9-3 San Diego Chargers, the undefeated New Orleans Saints, division-rival Washington and the Eagles to close out the year.
Just a few weeks ago, the Cowboys looked primed for a playoff berth and an NFC East title, but if Sunday is any indication of things to come, Dallas might find itself sitting at home again come January.
Quarterback Tony Romo has shouldered most of the blame for the Cowboys' recent December troubles, but on Sunday against the Giants, Romo was not the problem. Dallas' signal-caller finished the day with 392 yards, three touchdowns and a 76-percent completion percentage, but the Dallas offense only generated 45 rushing yards. When the two teams met in Week 2, Cowboys running backs Marion Barber and Felix Jones gashed the Giants' defense for a combined 220 yards and two touchdowns, but this time around, both players were relatively non-existent.
All seemed well for the Cowboys when Romo connected with wide receiver Roy Williams for a touchdown pass with just over three minutes remaining in the first half. The touchdown gave Dallas a 10-0 lead, and it looked as though the Cowboys would take that momentum into halftime.
However, with their season hanging on the line, New York quarterback Eli Manning and the Giants had other plans. On first down from the Giants' 42-yard line in the second quarter, Manning took the shotgun snap and looked for an open receiver downfield. The Cowboys swarmed the pocket and looked to have Manning wrapped up for a sack, but in a moment reminiscent of Super Bowl XLII, Manning managed to stay on his feet and pitched the ball to tight end Kevin Boss, who then raced 16 yards downfield for a first down.
The play essentially encapsulated the Cowboys' season: Wade Phillips' team seems to always find a way to let opportunity slip away. The improvisational lateral sparked the Giants, as two plays later Manning hit rookie wideout Hakeem Nicks for a 21-yard touchdown.
Following the touchdown, Dallas regained possession of the ball but once again made another costly mistake. After catching a short pass in the flat, Barber turned to run up field and was stripped by Giants' defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka. New York recovered Barber's fumble, marched down the short field and took a 14-10 lead heading into the break when running back Brandon Jacobs plunged into the end zone from the one-yard line.
In the second half, Romo's performance was negated by mental lapses from the defensive and special teams units. Though the Cowboys once again regained the lead, they lost all of their momentum as soon as the Giants' offense took the field.
On New York's first play from scrimmage, Manning hit Jacobs in the flat for what seemed to be a typical 10-yard gain. However, the Giants' big back turned up-field and rumbled down the sideline for a 74-yard score.
In the first half, it took New York less than three minutes to take a 10-point lead away from Dallas, and this time, it only took 19 seconds for the Giants to recover from a three-point deficit. Jacobs' strike, combined with punt returner Domenik Hixon's 79-yard return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, proved just how flaky this Cowboys team can be.
Every December, people hear the same story from the players and coaches, but nothing ever seems to change. Over the past two days, Phillips has been badgered with questions regarding his team's late-season struggles, and it has become apparent that even the man in charge has no idea what to say.
In fact, during his postgame press conference, Phillips said, "No I don't think [the Cowboys' problems in December are] a mental block, I think it's something that [the media] made up." But regardless of whether or not Phillips acknowledges his squad's struggles, the Cowboys have been absolutely dreadful in December for over a decade.
Fortunately for Phillips, after this season, he likely will never have to field another question about the Cowboys' late-season nose dives. It is hard to envision Dallas beating either San Diego or New Orleans in the upcoming two weeks, so the Cowboys' playoff hopes may once again hinge on beating their division rivals.
But if history is any indication, the Cowboys can look forward to an early offseason, and Phillips can start sending out his résumé.
