DMN: Wade Phillips needs to toughen Dallas Cowboys up

by Kevin Sherrington

IRVING – Good news from Valley Ranch: Terence Newman and Kyle Kosier and Tony Romo are all back, and Romo's throwing with his old zip.

Bad news: Captain Kangaroo is back, too.

You'd think the Cowboys' week off would have afforded Wade Phillips sufficient time to take stock and drop the squishy, indulgent persona that sends an unfortunate message to media, fans and his players, in particular.

When you coach a team that had Super Bowl pretensions and it goes into an inexplicable spiral that preceded the injuries, as even the owner and players concede, maybe it's time to leap out of character.

You know, do something radical. Like name a holder.

The vacancy came open when Brad Johnson went from the No. 2 quarterback to No. 3. Most teams don't carry three active quarterbacks in games because it means burning another position.

But Phillips says three quarterbacks are a possibility for the Redskins if he doesn't find another holder he likes.

Of course, he had all last week to pick one. Or he did until Friday, when he gave the Cowboys a three-day pass.

Opinions vary on the wisdom of giving the guys in this locker room anything more than 24 hours off without pulling their passports. Maybe you remember Romo's Mexican vacation. In fact, the Friday before the debacle against the Giants, two captains – Ken Hamlin and Keith Davis – and Tank Johnson went to McAllen on a venture that could not be construed as a mission of mercy.

Question: Was a border run two days before a big road game against a division rival a problem for Phillips?

Answer: Unless the commissioner steps in these days, it's anything goes.

Jason Witten cautions not to overreact when it comes to the easy off-week.

"Bill Parcells was the toughest coach ever, and he always gave us four off days," Witten said. "Just not back-to-back-to-back."

So is there anything to be gained from this kind of schedule?

"The off time is the same as it's always been," he insisted. "There's nothing [new] there."

Here's the problem, Jason: With a 5-4 record and two losses in the division, the Cowboys are in no position to go about business as usual. It's a matter of perception. If they were 7-2 and just a game back of the Giants, no one would care what they did in their off-time.

This team has dramatically underachieved, however, even with the injuries. At some point it has to be held accountable.

But by whom? Phillips?

Here's what he had to say Monday when asked if he had any special instruction for rookie cornerback Mike Jenkins, who, among other sins, didn't so much as give Derrick Ward a hard glance on his touchdown run in New Jersey:

"Players sometimes think it's all negative from coaches and you gotta watch that. It can go the other way. We try to talk about positive things, too."

Hey, we do the same with my 11-year-old's football team.

Look, no one's asking Phillips to do what Jack Del Rio did with his 3-5 Jacksonville Jaguars last week.

Del Rio suspended a team captain for celebrating a sack during a loss to Cincinnati. He also outlawed music, games and TV in the locker room.

The Jaguars responded with a win over Detroit, which doesn't sound like much, even to the players, who said Del Rio's disciplinary measures won't be an issue as long as they win.

Del Rio is just being himself. In all fairness, so is Phillips.

But would it hurt if he just acted like he was mad that T.O.'s in New York pumping his new book on Letterman?

And better get to work on that holder, Wade. Only five days until Washington.