Dan Bailey gets another new holder

September, 28, 2012
9/28/12
11:07
AM CT
IRVING, Texas -- In not even more than two NFL seasons, kicker Dan Bailey will work with his fourth holder Monday night.

Last season, as a rookie, Bailey had Mat McBriar, Tony Romo and Chris Jones holding for him.

McBriar had a leg problem, Romo held briefly and Jones became the full-time holder in the last regular-season game of 2011. Jones held the job this season again after the Cowboys elected McBriar to test the free agent market.

Now with Jones out for at least two weeks with a sprained knee, newly signed punter Brian Moorman will hold Monday night against the Chicago Bears. Moorman was the holder for Buffalo Bills until he was released this week.

"In this situation, he's obviously a guy who has been in the league for awhile," Bailey said. "He knows what he's doing, and it's not like something new that he has never done. It's just a familiarity thing, kind of learning what he's used to and him kind of learning what I'm used to. We'll make a compromise and come together and try to make it work."

Bailey doesn't seem to mind the different holders because it hasn't bothered his work.

Last year, Bailey tied a Cowboys record with 26 consecutive field goals and his 32 overall field goals set a Cowboys rookie record.

Bailey is 4-4 on field goals this season, with his longest coming from 33 yards.

"I think as much as anything else, what impress me about him is his mental toughness, his maturity," coach Jason Garrett said. "We saw that right from the start, nothing seemed to bother him. He's had a few different holders. ... He just says put it down and I'll kick it through. That goes a long way in telling me what type of kicker he is."
Calvin Watkins joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009. He's covered the Cowboys since 2006 and also has covered colleges, boxing and high school sports.

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