ESPN

IRVING -- Inside linebacker Keith Brooking has moved himself into a leadership role on this team. He pumps up the team on the field after their last walkthrough on game days and he took it another step on Monday.

Brooking, on his own show, got into it with the host, Ch. 11's Steve Dennis about a line of questioning. Brooking took offense to Dennis asking coach Wade Phillips about what have the Cowboys won and whether or not they were winners.

Brooking's rant made news in the locker room. Phillips told several players about it and Jay Ratliff, Marion Barber and Ken Hamlin yelled at Dennis about it on Wednesday.

Patrick Crayton voiced his displeasure on Thursday.

"I'm not here to make friends, I'm here to win," Brooking said.

It seems everything is OK between Brooking and Dennis, but the fire Brooking showed was a step in the right direction for this team. The Cowboys care about their coach and want to win for him.

I wouldn't think you could say that last year.

As for Brooking, he's a good guy, likes talking to the media and will voice his opinion if he reads or hears something he doesn't like.

IRVING, Texas -- Tony Romo understands that there is only one way to quiet the questions about the Dallas Cowboys' December difficulties.

"Until we win football games here," Romo said, "it’ll be a nice topic of conversation."

Romo insists that the Cowboys' problems winning in past Decembers doesn't weigh on his mind. He's 5-9 in December and 0-2 in the playoffs as a starter.

"We’re going to go out there and try to win this football game and go forward, and we don’t look at last year," Romo said. "We look at today, how can we get better, how can we win this football game this weekend. If we do that, that’s all our job is right now."

If they don't do that, their NFC East lead is gone and the December talk picks up a few decibels.

IRVING, Texas -- Tony Romo declared during the offseason that he'd take a different approach to leadership.

Voluntarily adding holding duties is an example of that.

"Leadership is doing what needs to be done," Romo recalls his father, Ramiro, telling him.

This isn't the sort of leadership most people recognize. Romo still isn't a guy who does a lot of ranting and raving on the sideline.

But Romo is right that this is a form of leadership. He's setting a tone that every detail is important as the Cowboys get ready for a stretch run.

The franchise quarterback is willing to get his hands dirty on special teams. The message to the rest of the Cowboys: Everybody needs to do whatever it takes to win.

ARLINGTON -- Cowboys safety Ken Hamlin (ankle) and tight end Martellus Bennett (concussion) missed practice Thursday.

Fullback Deon Anderson (knee) returned to practice, after missing Wednesday's session.
Anderson is wearing a sleeve on his right knee. With Hamlin and Bennett missing practice it lowers the possibility of them playing this week vs. San Diego on Sunday.

If Cowboys backup tight end Martellus Bennett is unavailable for Sunday because of concussion issues, rookie John Phillips steps up to get more snaps in practice and in the game. The Cowboys face the Chargers on Sunday.

Phillips has only two catches for eight yards this season, but veteran tight end Jason Witten is confident in the rookie.

“If Martellus can’t go it’s a blow,” Witten said. “John embraces that challenge. One thing you look at in a rookie is the stage going to be too big for him, definitely not the case for him. He kinda embraces those challenges. He’s a smart guy, played in a lot of different looks. John really stepped up and played well, I think everybody has been surprised at how well he’s done."

Fullback Deon Anderson (right knee bruise) said he should practice on Thursday.

Michael Smith talks about Chad Ochocinco's antics and the Dallas Cowboys' tough schedule.

IRVING, Texas – Players tell us that Wade Phillips often delivers a tougher message behind closed doors than he does while sitting in front of microphones.

Let’s hope that’s the case with LT Flozell Adams.

Adams put himself in the NFL’s crosshairs with a blatant cheap shot on New York Giants DE Justin Tuck, earning a $50,000 fine. That brings Adams’ fine total to $75,000 for five infractions this season. He was fortunate to avoid a suspension for shoving Tuck in the back and sparking a mini-melee after the first half ended.

Phillips told his team to avoid such stupidity before they traveled to Giants Stadium. He noted the history of nastiness in the Cowboys’ rivalry with their NFC East rivals and stressed the importance of avoiding personal fouls. That Adams' "dirtbag" moment, to borrow Tuck’s word, didn’t cost the Cowboys 15 yards due to a loophole in the rulebook is beyond the point. The longest-tenured current Cowboy did exactly what Phillips told his team not to do, putting a personal grudge above the good of the team.

Yet Phillips has been gentle with his public comments about the situation. He even made a point of mentioning that Adams could appeal the fine.

"I think he worries about playing the game and playing it well," Phillips said. "In my opinion, he’s not a vicious player."

The message in Phillips’ meeting with Adams better have been much more stern. Further stupidity from Adams could cost the Cowboys a playoff spot -- and Phillips his job.

IRVING, Texas -- Chargers outside linebacker Shawne Merriman, who missed last week's game at Cleveland with a foot injury, returned to practice but was limited.

The other outside linebacker, Shaun Phillips, did not practice because of an ankle injury.

Defensive end Luis Castillo did practice fully as his calf injury seems to be healing. Guard Kris Dielman did not practice due to a non-football related injury.

IRVING, Texas -- The biggest news from the Wade Phillips news conference was that quarterback Tony Romo is going back to being the holder.

Romo was the holder from 2004-07. Brad Johnson took over before the duties were handed to punter Mat McBriar at the start of this season.

McBriar didn't like being the holder, and it showed several times this season.

"It's not the kicker," Phillips said. "It's how you handle the ball, how you spin the ball, where you put the laces, whether he wants it up, leaning one way the other way, leaning forward those kinds of things. That's what a holder does. A guy who can do it well. [Romo] doesn't have a problem doing that."

As for the injuries, Phillips didn't think safety Ken Hamlin (ankle) would return for Sunday's game against the Chargers. Fullback Deon Anderson (knee) could practice tomorrow.

Things are uncertain regarding backup tight end Martellus Bennett (concussion), though Phillips was hopeful the second-year man from Texas A&M might practice.

But Bennett was having physical problems. He hurt a shin in the Giants game and then somehow suffered a concussion.

"He came in and said he was kinda foggy and his eyes hurting," Phillips said.

With Anderson and Bennett out, John Phillips played the tight end/fullback role in practice.

Cornerback Terence Newman has knee soreness but fully participated in practice Wednesday.

"He said he felt good after practice," Phillips said.

Left tackle Flozell Adams was fined $50,000 by the league for unnecessary roughness, and the next time something like this happens, he could get suspended. Phillips said he's not worried about Adams' aggressiveness getting hindered somewhat because of a concern over what the referees may call.

Phillips compared the Chargers' tall receivers to the Eagles speed receivers.

IRVING, Texas -- The deep respect Keith Brooking expressed for Wade Phillips is mutual.

"I'd fight for him all the way, too," Phillips said, "because he gives everything he's got on the field and he's a great guy off the field. That's the kind of players you like. That's the kind of players you want to have on your football team."

Phillips was responding to comments Brooking made during the Tuesday taping of his weekly television show in support of the oft-criticized head coach.

Phillips downplayed the idea of NFL players fighting for their coach, saying that sort of thing occurs more at the college level. But he appreciates the sentiment and enjoys the relationships he has established with his players.

"It's a personal game," Phillips said. "It's not just, you're the coach and you don't ever talk to the players and those kind of things.

"I think they know I work hard at what I do and try to do my best for them."

Brooking's admiration for Phillips, his defensive coordinator in Atlanta for two seasons, is one of the primary reasons the veteran linebacker signed with the Cowboys this offseason.

Phillips wanted Brooking because he thought he'd be a good fit as the starting inside linebacker next to Bradie James. Brooking's leadership and attitude have been huge bonuses.

Brooking emerged as an emotional leader for the Cowboys early in the season. He's a guy frequently seen hollering in the middle of huddles.

Right now, Brooking is rallying the Cowboys around their coach.

IRVING, Texas – Tony Romo has come out of a retirement as a holder, a smart move for the Dallas Cowboys despite the disastrous result of Romo’s last snap in that role.

Romo’s only gaffe as a holder cost the Cowboys a chance to take a late lead in a playoff game, causing Romo to sob in the visiting locker room at Seattle’s Qwest Field after what turned out to be Bill Parcells’ final night on the Dallas sideline. But the Seattle Slip is a distant memory. The Cowboys’ current field goal woes are fresh in folks’ minds, and Romo represents the best solution on the roster.

Punter Mat McBriar has no confidence as a holder. Kicker Nick Folk, who has missed more field goals this season (eight) than his previous two campaigns combined, has no confidence in McBriar to get the ball down in the proper spot with the laces pointed in the right direction.

Romo is the only other player on the roster who has served as a holder in an NFL game. He’s the only player on the roster the coaches believe can fill that role flawlessly. There is minimal risk of injury as a holder, so it makes sense in this instance for the starting quarterback to play a role on special teams.

Romo took most of the snaps as the holder during Wednesday’s practice. Coach Wade Phillips didn’t want to make a definite declaration, but he strongly indicated that Romo would hold Sunday against the San Diego Chargers.

Points are precious in a playoff race. The Cowboys can’t afford to keep giving them away three at a time. Romo is coming to the rescue in a role nobody ever thought he’d have to play again.

The holder will remain Mat McBriar at least for now.

McBriar and kicker Nick Folk were having some issues during the Cowboys game with the Giants on Sunday.

Folk missed a 42-yard field goal in the fourth quarter that would have cut the Giants lead to just one. Folk was upset that McBriar placed the ball down in a bad spot.The two said they would work on it this week in practice.

So, far we’ve been told, McBriar still has two jobs: Punter and holder.

When McBriar was asked is the operation in a funk he said, “The operation is something like that. Practices have been solid. We’ve been solid all through training camp and for some reason we get in the games and we’re not doing well.”

Folk has missed six of his last 11 kicks on the season including three of his last four. However, one of those misses was a 57-yarder in New York. On the year, Folk is just 4-of-10 from 40-49 yards, while he’s 11-12 from shorter distances. Folk said some of those misses were his fault, other times its been the holder's inability to get the ball down in time.

“A lot of people know I’m a pretty good kicker and I’m confident in my abilities,” Folk said. “I think it’s been an entire operation a lot of the kicks are my fault and I will take that. But we got to get better in the whole operation.”

McBriar, who is close friends with Folk, was asked has these struggles put a strain on their relationship, he said with a laugh, “He hasn’t brought me any beers lately.”

IRVING --Outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware registered his ninth sack of the season on Sunday. It was Ware’s first game since it was discovered he has a small chip fracture in the left wrist. Ware wore a soft cast during the Giants game and will continue to do so.

“It feels good,” Ware said of the wrist before practice on Wednesday. “I just got done benching and doing curls in [the weight room]. It hadn’t been hindered. I’m just wearing the cast in the game in case of a helmet or something. It’s for protection.”

Ware had some troubles against the Giants offensive line and didn't pick up a sack until 2:33 remaining in the game.

Ware leads the team with 35 quarterback pressures and is third with 80 total tackles.

IRVING, Texas -- San Diego Chargers coach Norv Turner didn’t have much interest in discussing his candidacy for the job that Jerry Jones gave Wade Phillips in 2007.

But Turner was more than willing to discuss his December success, something the Dallas Cowboys certainly haven’t enjoyed recently. The Chargers are 10-0 in December games under Turner, success that has served as a springboard to a 3-2 playoff record the last two years.

“We have real good players, and as the season goes on, you’d like for those guys to keep getting better,” Turner said in a conference call with Valley Ranch media.

Turner noted that there were several factors to the Chargers’ December dominance, such as a favorable schedule, good fortune with health getting key players back from injuries. He tweaks the team’s schedule during the week down the stretch, breaking up the monotony of a long season. He agrees with Jimmy Johnson, his former boss at Valley Ranch, that teams that rely on young players benefit from their energy and enthusiasm late in the season.

And there is a snowball effect to the Chargers’ late-season success. They enter stadiums with a swagger at this time of year.

“Our team has that anyway, because we do have a lot of good players,” Turner said. “There is a sense of confidence. I think one of the things too obviously to win games like that in December, like any other time of year, you have to win close games and you have to win games in the fourth quarter. We’ve been able to do that.”

The Cowboys haven’t, going 3-6 in December under Phillips. If those trends don’t end Sunday, the Cowboys are in serious trouble.

IRVING, Texas -- The days when people questioned whether the Dallas Cowboys picked the right outside linebacker in the 2005 first round are long gone.

DeMarcus Ware, the 10th overall pick, is at least a tier above the man who the San Diego Chargers took with the next selection.

That wasn't the case early in their careers. Ware got off a great start with 19.5 sacks in his first two seasons. But that success paled in comparison with the dominance of Merriman, who had 27 sacks in his first two seasons, leading the league with 17 in 2006.

Ware claims that the comparisons to Merriman didn't serve as motivational fodder.

"I mean, I get motivated every day, especially coming from such a small school," Ware said. "They usually say, 'Can you measure up?' I just think that being consistent every year, showing consistency, that’s what I’ve been harping on every year. I get pressure and do what I do and really don’t worry about what everyone else says."

Pretty much everyone says these days that Ware is one of the premier defensive players in the NFL. Ware leads the league with 43 sacks since the start of the 2007 season. Merriman, who missed all but one game last season with a knee injury, has 16.5 sacks during that span.