All is not bad.

The Cowboys can still reach the playoffs right?

Right?
Tony Romo returns and that should help the passing game. Felix Jones is also coming back and that should help the run game.

Terence Newman is returning and that takes some pressure off the defensive front knowing they have to make a impact play every down.

The Cowboys, under Romo, are 0-2. But in 2006 they were kicking the go-ahead field goal when it was blocked and last year they didn't care about the game because they had clinched a playoff berth. So, Dallas can win in Landover.

The Cowboys have a week off. Thank goodness.

Let's look at a few things that need to change in order for this team to get going.

1. Start Roy Williams. He started against Tampa Bay then sat for the Giants. Either he starts or not. Williams has to get involved. Start him.

2. Play Greg Ellis, Anthony Spencer and DeMarcus Ware at the same time. Forget about this rotation stuff with Ellis and Spencer. Play all three backers. Wade Phillips said he wants to put the best players on the field. Well do it.

3. Challenge the defense. Jason Garrett's play calling is terrible. His quarterbacks are not throwing balls into tight coverage so guys like Patrick Crayton and Williams will make catches to get up the field. Time for Tony Romo to go deep more.

A ugly loss in the Swamp. We let you know who played well and who didn't.

Stock up

1. Jason Witten. He played with a broken rib when he probably should have sat.

2. DeMarcus Ware. Had one sack and one quarterback hurry.

3. Bradie James. Had a strong game with 12 tackles, one sack and a fumble recovery.

4. Mike Jenkins. Had the cornerbacks first pick of the season.

5. Anthony Spencer. Played in his first game in a while and was effective.

Today and Wednesday, Oct. 29, we are moving this blog and all Dallas Morning News blogs to a new set of servers, which will increase our stability and speed.

However, during the transition, you have to click to a special URL to see new posts.

Click here to be redirected to our new servers, which is where new posts can be found. But don't save or bookmark that new link! It's only temporary. By Wednesday noon, our regular blog address should be pointing to the proper servers, so please don't change your bookmarks.

Oh and don't comment on the posts here any more. First click to our new servers, above.

Thank you for your patience.

With Anthony Henry slowed by a bruised thigh and possibly unavailable for Sunday's game at New York, the Cowboys will turn to a familiar face by bringing in Quincy Butler off of New Orleans' practice squad.

Butler was with the Cowboys in 2006-07 and was cut by the club on Aug. 25. He was hobbled for much of training camp with a hamstring injury.

Under league rules, Butler, who played at TCU, needs to be on the roster for the next three weeks because he came from the Saints' practice squad.

If Henry cannot play, then Orlando Scandrick would start opposite fellow rookie Mike Jenkins, and Alan Ball would work in the nickel package. Butler's familiarity with the defense should help him get up to speed quickly and possibly play against the Giants.

Jason Witten wants to strap on some extra padding and try to give it a go Sunday against the Giants, broken rib and all. The Cowboys are currently playing without several Pro Bowlers and a very talented rookie running back. Are the Cowboys in such sad shape offensively that Witten must play against New York?

The coaching staff has two different questions on their hands here, it seems. Tony Romo, Terence Newman and Felix Jones are all believed to be returning after the bye week. Well, at least Romo and Jones are expected back. Newman? Who knows when he'll actually return.

Is playing Witten now worth risking his health for the rest of the season? That depends on if you think Martellus Bennett is ready for some prime-time exposure. He's gaining more confidence each week and rotating in with the first team at practice.

Or, considering the offense is so hamstrung as it is with the relatively immobile Brad Johnson, does the offense need as many weapons as possible on the field? Terrell Owens, Roy Williams, Patrick Crayton and Marion Barber are some good weapons.

Witten would be a nice addition, but it just doesn't seem like it's worth risking it. I'd rather have him skip one game to have him for the last seven.

Jerry has really screwed up this backup quarterback situation. You want to read my take, go here.

Sports media blogger Barry Horn has done a fine job chronicling CBS studio analyst Bill Cowher's pointed criticism of the Cowboys, much of which could be considered shots at the coaching.

ProFootballTalk.com's Mike Florio is also fanning the Cowher-might-wanna-coach-the-Cowboys flames. Florio sees Cowher's revelation that he talked to the Redskins last off-season as a reminder that his name remains in circulation for head coaching vacancies.

And, of course, if the Cowboys happen to have a head coaching vacancy, Cowher might be very interested in cashing Jerry Jones' checks and coaching a team with Super Bowl-caliber talent.

Wade Phillips said Brad Johnson will start Sunday against the Giants, but it sure sounded like Brooks Bollinger better be ready to play in the NFC East showdown.

At least it would be familiar territory for Bollinger. He was a sixth-round pick of the New York Jets in 2003 and has played in five games at the Meadowlands, with four starts, all of which came in 2005.

Bollinger was 2-2 in four starts at Giants Stadium and has five touchdowns and one interception in his work there. He beat Oakland and Buffalo and loist to New Orleans and New England. The fewest points the Jets scored with him at home was 19 (to the Saints).

It has to be noted, however, that Bollinger has not taken any work in practice with the first team since coming to the Cowboys. What he would give the Cowboys is more mobility against the Giants' pass rush but in those four starts he threw for more than 150 yards only once.

If Bollinger plays, the game plan would be one that relied heavily on Marion Barber, just like last week's vs. Tampa Bay.

Here's what he said last week about his fluency in the Cowboys offense: "It's one thing to look at it and prepare and say, 'I got it, I got it, I got it,'" Bollinger said. "And it's easy to look at it on tape and say, 'I got it, I got it, I got it. The next thing is getting your hands under center and everything is moving and do you have it there?"

According to multiple sources, Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten has a broken rib but he hopes to play Sunday against the New York Giants.

The Cowboys are off today and resume practice Wednesday.

Coach Wade Phillips said on Monday he did not know the full extent of WItten's injury but he was told there is a chance Witten - and Anthony Henry (quadriceps) - could play against the Giants.

Witten suffered the injury Sunday against Tampa Bay and attempted to return to the game in the second half but played only one series. If Witten cannot play, it would be just the second game he has missed because of injury in his career. He missed one game as a rookie because of a broken jaw.

It would also severely hurt an offense that has struggled the last two weeks. Without Witten, rookie Martellus Bennett and Tony Curtis would have to fill in.

If Witten, who has also been troubled by a right shoulder injury, can play he would likely have to wear added protection to cover his ribs.

Editor's note: Each week, we'll take a look at classic moments in Texas Stadium history.

Oct. 27, 2002

Seattle 17, Cowboys 14

With Walter Payton's brother watching from the stands, Emmitt Smith finally reached football immortality with an 11-yard run straight up the middle against the Seahawks to become the NFL's new all-time leading rusher.

The NFL arranged the schedule so Smith would have the best shot at breaking the record at home. The Cowboys' marketing staff designed an entire campaign around Smith's record-chasing efforts. For the fans that stayed for a post-game ceremony, it was worth it.

Smith finished the season with the Cowboys and played two more years in Arizona. He finished his career with 18,355 yards. Payton held the previous record with 16,726 yards from 1975 to 1987.

Did you know?: Every item Smith wore on the field that day, except his socks, underwear and T-shirt, was uniquely marked for the occasion. WeTrak, a memorabilia and autograph security company, heat-sealed a microchip into Smith's gloves, helmet, jerseys, pants, shoes, shoulder pads and even the football right after Smith broke the record, so each item was authenticated.

Several key members of the Dallas defense attributed their unit's outstanding performance against Tampa Bay to better energy and execution. Wade Phillips agreed.

They insisted that there was a good game plan, but they didn't do anything against the Bucs that was a drastic departure from what they'd been doing all season from a scheme standpoint.

"It's not any different than what we've been playing," Phillips said Monday. "We've been playing aggressive. That's our style."

In fact, a review of the tape reveals that the Cowboys were actually less aggressive against the Bucs than they were against the Cardinals in terms of bringing extra pass rushers. (Follow the jump for evidence.)

If you haven't checked out Mike Lombardi's blog over at the National Football Post, you should. The former NFL executuve has a theory when it comes to playing Pittsburgh: you're not the same team the next week.

The Steelers have been and are one of the most physical teams in the NFL. You may beat them, but you pay a price physically and it costs you in the following game. The Giants beat the Steelers last week in what was a typical, hard-fought, big-hitting game.

This week the Giants play the Cowboys.

So if you're looking for any bit of good news as a Cowboys' fan, you can look at Lombardi's theory as a sign of hope with Tony Romo, Terence Newman, Felix Jones, Anthony Spencer and maybe Jason Witten and Anthony Henry not playing Sunday.

Over the last two years, teams are just 7-14 in games after they play the Steelers, including a 1-5 record this year.

DE Justin Tuck, who has emerged as the best player on the Giants' defense, made a big deal this summer about the defending Super Bowl champs' supposed underdog role. He loved the fact that the Cowboys were considered the NFC favorite and getting all kinds of attention.

So Tuck is a bit disappointed that Dallas will limp into New Jersey with a 5-3 record and several Pro Bowlers on the injured list.

"When you are a competitor like everybody on this football team, you want to play the best," Tuck said, per New York Daily News columnist Gary Myers. "I can honestly say I wish they were coming here undefeated."

Oh, and the Giants don't want to hear any whining about all the Cowboys' injuries after Sunday's butt kicking.

"Everybody wants to beat everybody at their best. We don't want to have excuses like 'Romo is not playing, we didn't have this guy, we didn't have that guy,'" Tuck said. "We don't want excuses like that. But it won't change our approach. We are still going to go in there and try to sack whoever is back there."

If you click the link to read Myers' column, you'll see that he suggests Jerry Jones play quarterback. That's ridiculous. Everybody knows that Jerry's a receiver these days.

So, what did the Cowboys do on their day off. Well, new wide receiver Roy Williams went to Detroit to celebrate Halloween.

LB Zach Thomas doesn't consider himself a vocal leader. He prefers to defer to guys on the defense like captains Bradie James, Greg Ellis and Ken Hamlin.

But Thomas felt like he had to say something last week, so he stood up in a defensive meeting and talked about changing the mindset and playing with enthusiasm. Wade Phillips mentioned that as a key moment during today's press conference.

"The guy is a seasoned vet, and he's definitely passionate about the game he plays," Hamlin said. "His message was heartfelt."

Thomas backed up his talk, too. After playing poorly against the Rams -- something he fessed up to immediately after the loss and lost sleep about during the week -- Thomas had a team-high 11 tackles while playing a major role in making Tampa Bay's offense one-dimensional in Sunday's win.

Wade Phillips was so touched by Jerry Jones presenting him with a game ball that he left it in a laundry basket.

"It really wasn't me," Phillips said about who deserves credit for the win. "I'd like to say it was me and only me, but it wasn't. it was really the players first and the assistant coaches next."

Phillips deflecting praise certainly isn't a surprise. His philosophy is to take blame when things go wrong and give credit when things go right, which is why he's considered a players' coach.

In this case, Phillips felt more comfortable discussing his players' passion against the Bucs instead of his defensive scheme.

"I think they just played with more verve or enthusiasm, whatever you want to call it," Phillips said. "I just think they made up their minds they weren't going to be denied in this ballgame, and they were going to play the way they felt like they could play."

It's understandable if folks aren't real excited about watching Brad "Checkdown" Johnson operate the Cowboys' offense Sunday in the Meadowlands. It's not a good sign when the nicest thing you can say about a QB is that he didn't commit any turnovers.

However, it's hard to get real fired up about what Brooks Bollinger brings to the table. There's a reason Bollinger was unemployed at the beginning of the season.

Bollinger went 6-of-18 for 62 yards against the Cowboys in his last game action, the preseason finale and his swan song with the Vikings. He does have some starting experience, but it's not exactly of the encouraging variety. Bollinger's team lost eight of his 10 starts.

Follow the jump to see his stats from those starts:

Roy Williams had his first touchdown catch with the Cowboys during Sunday's 13-9 victory over the Buccaneers.

The DMN photo staff captured the moment in this week's Motion Pictures.

Wade Phillips said there's a possibility that Jason Witten could play Sunday against the Giants.

Phillips had precious little info about the Pro Bowl TE's sore ribs, though. He said he wasn't sure whether Witten broke any ribs.

Phillips did say that he doubts Felix Jones (hamstring) will return this week.

Fifth-round pick Orlando Scandrick might be pressed into starting duty by injuries, but he's earned the coaches' confidence.

So much so that the Cowboys are considering making Scandrick the nickel back even when Terence Newman returns. Scandrick has performed well in that role in Newman's place, and Wade Phillips said the rookie might be the Cowboys' slot corner on a permanent basis.

"He has played better than a rookie," Phillips said. "He anticipated things and made a lot of plays."

Scandrick's playing time won't come at the expense of the Cowboys' Pro Bowl cornerback. Newman would simply stay outside in the nickel and dime packages. If Scandrick plays the slot in those situations, it would provide flexibility for Anthony Henry to move inside to cover tight ends again, too.

Wade Phillips said there's a possibility that the Cowboys could sign a cornerback this week, depending on how whether it looks like Anthony Henry (deep thigh bruise) will be able to play against the Giants.

If Henry can't go, rookies Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick will be the starter with Alan Ball as the nickel back. Needless to say, depth at the position would be a major concern, at least for this weekend's game.

The Cowboys hope to get Terence Newman (sports hernia) back after the bye week. They're not counting on Adam "Pacman" Jones being reinstated from suspension.

Five-time Pro Bowler Ty Law, a 34-year-old who started for the Chiefs last season, is waiting by the phone.

Players who have big wins have occasionally been known to get Mondays off. It's called Victory Monday for a reason, and coach Wade Phillips let his players enjoy the Tampa Bay win by taking the day off. They'll also have their normal Tuesday off-day as well.

The Cowboys need all the practice they can get before the Giants, right? Well, Phillips explained that giving them Monday off -- and canceling last Saturday's walkthrough practice -- will have the team more mentally sharp. At least, that's the thinking.

Players could come in on their own on Monday to watch film. But we didn't exactly get a report on who showed up and who didn't.

"We'll go over every single thing that they need to do," Phillips said. "We're going to give them all the negative things that they didn't do well enough when they come in here Wednesday. And we'll work on those things in practice and we'll work on the Giants in practice.

"Watching that film, I just didn't think was that important because we're going to go over things anyway."

Wade Phillips prefers to stress two positives from Brad Johnson's performance against Tampa Bay. Johnson didn't turn the ball over, and the Cowboys won the game.

Phillips, however, wasn't exactly beaming with confidence about his backup quarterback.

After some prodding, Phillips said that Johnson would start Sunday against the Giants. He was hesitant to even do that. Phillips certainly didn't shoot down the possibility of bringing in third-stringer Brooks Bollinger if the Cowboys' offense sputters again.

"I don't know," Phillips said as he headed off to meetings. "We'll have to discuss all that. He really hasn't taken any snaps with the first team."

The hunch here is that will change Wednesday.

LB/blogger Kevin Burnett has the answer.