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Four years later, the Cowboys have nothing to show for all the cash they threw around during 2008.

Jerry Jones went on a re-signing spree that offseason, making major commitments to receiver Terrell Owens, running back Marion Barber, left tackle Flozell Adams, safety Ken Hamlin and cornerback Terence Newman. He gave receiver Roy Williams a rich extension after trading for him later that season.

The Cowboys cut ties with the last of those guys Tuesday, releasing Newman in a move that was about as surprising as opponents picking on him while the Cowboys lost four of their last five games.

Half of the Cowboys who cashed huge signing bonus checks from the Cowboys in ’08 weren’t even in the league last season. Barber and Williams were role players for the Bears, and Newman struggled as the Cowboys’ starting left cornerback.

T.O. was the first of the group to go from Valley Ranch. He got the pink slip – er, white tablecloth – after one controversy-packed, chemistry-killing season of his four-year, $34 million extension that included a $12.9 million signing bonus.

The Cowboys cut Adams and Hamlin two seasons into their six-year deals. Adams got $15 million guaranteed on a $43 million contract. Hamlin got a $9 million signing bonus on a $39 million contract. The Cowboys got an oft-penalized tackle and a non-playmaking safety.

Barber and Williams played three nonproductive seasons for the Cowboys after getting their rich contracts. Barber’s seven-year, $45 million deal included $16 million guaranteed. About half of Williams’ six-year, $54 million deal, which he signed before playing a down for the Cowboys, was guaranteed.

Newman played four seasons of his six-year, $50.2 million deal, which included $22.5 million guaranteed. He struggled much of the last two seasons, but Newman was still the best buy of the Cowboys’ ’08 shopping spree.

It isn’t the worst contract the Cowboys have given a wide receiver in recent memory, but man, the Miles Austin deal looks awful right now.

Austin hasn’t come close to playing up to $54 million standards in the first two seasons of his six-year deal. He has regressed since cashing in after his 2009 breakout season.

Austin was still the Cowboys’ No. 1 receiver in 2010, but he struggled with drops and had his numbers drop drastically across the board. He was the Cowboys’ third most productive wide receiver last season, when he was plagued by hamstring strains and managed to lose a potential Giants-crushing touchdown catch in the bright lights of the JerryTron.

And Austin’s contract got a lot worse when the NFL dropped the hammer on the Cowboys for getting a little too cute in the structuring of the deal.

As reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the league docked the Cowboys $10 million of cap space, which can be split over the next two seasons, essentially for exploiting a loophole in the uncapped season by giving Austin a $17 million base salary in the first year of his deal.

That’s a huge blow to a team that needs to fill a lot of holes this offseason. It might just cause the Cowboys to lose Laurent Robinson, a free agent who severely outperformed Austin while playing for the veterans’ minimum last season.

On the bright side, at least Austin has given the Cowboys much better bang for buck than Roy Williams did.

IRVING, Texas -- As we continue our Fixing the Cowboys series this week, plenty of free-agent options are dancing in fans’ heads as they dream and scheme of ways to spend Jerry Jones’ money.

As executive vice president Stephen Jones said late last season, the Cowboys will be able to do whatever it is they want to do when free agency begins in March.

According to league figures, the Cowboys have $12.6 million in salary-cap room based off the 2011 cap of $120.375 million, and that includes the $28 million (or so) in dead money related to guys like Roy Williams, Leonard Davis, Marc Colombo, Marion Barber, Andre Gurode and Igor Olshansky who were cut in 2011.

The 2012 cap is expected to remain flat or go up slightly.

The $12.6 million figure does not take into account the tender amounts the Cowboys have for their exclusive rights and restricted free agents or the space needed for their draft picks, but that will not significantly impair their ability to sign players.

The Cowboys can create more room against the cap by releasing cornerback Terence Newman and saving either $4 million or $6 million depending on whether they would want to count him as a post-June 1 cut.

They have triggers in the deals of left tackle (or right tackle) Doug Free and cornerback Orlando Scandrick that would lower their base salaries to the league minimum, turn the difference into signing bonus and save them about $8.6 million. Re-working DeMarcus Ware’s contract would open up about $3.3 million

All told, the Cowboys could have in the neighborhood of $20 million or so to spend when free agency begins.

That’s not a bad place to be.

IRVING, Texas -- If you regularly come back to the thought that, 'Man, the Cowboys sure come up with some inventive ways to lose games,' you're right.

Since 2005, I have come up with 13 head-scratching losses that seem to define this franchise. And that does not include the humiliating 44-6 defeat at Philadelphia to close the 2008 season, which knocked the Cowboys out of a playoff spot.

Three of those losses have come this year. Three came last year. Two each in ’09, ’08 and ’06, and the one that kicked it off came on Sept. 19, 2005 (against Washington), when the Triplets – Michael Irvin, Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith - were inducted into the Ring of Honor.

It has been quite a roller-coaster ride, but without the fun part.

Sept. 19, 2005 – Washington, 14-13.

The Cowboys lead, 13-0, with 6:01 to play, and the 65,207 in attendance, the largest crowd at Texas Stadium at the time following the 1985 renovations, was enjoying the moment. The Triplets were inducted into the Ring of Honor. The defense was dominating.

Then Santana Moss happened.

Moss caught touchdown passes of 39 and 70 yards in the final 3:46, bringing to light Roy Williams’ deficiencies in coverage. The second touchdown came with 2:35 to play. Oh, by the way, the Cowboys missed the playoffs by a game that year.

Nov. 5, 2006 – Washington, 22-19

Tony Romo’s second start was about to end with a fourth-quarter drive for a game-winning field goal, but Troy Vincent blocked Mike Vanderjagt’s 35-yard try. Sean Taylor scooped up the loose ball and returned it 30 yards. Another 15 yards was added because of a Kyle Kosier facemask penalty.

With no time on the clock, Nick Novak kicked a 47-yarder to beat the Cowboys.

Jan. 6, 2007 – Seattle, 21-20

This one was the most heartbreaking because it was in the wild-card round of the playoffs. It was also Bill Parcells’ final game as a head coach. The Cowboys maintain to this day that had they won that game, they could have gone to the Super Bowl.

Instead L.P. LaDouceur’s snap for a 19-yard field goal try slipped through Romo’s hands. Conspiracy theorists point to the slippery "K-ball" that was put in play before the snap. Others point to a Jason Witten first down that was overturned by the replay official, which negated the possibility to run the clock out or score a touchdown.

Oct. 12, 2008 – Arizona, 30-24 (OT)

The Cowboys somehow tied this game at the end of regulation on a 52-yard field goal by Nick Folk, but on the opening series of overtime, they lost Tony Romo to a broken pinky finger and punter Mat McBriar to a broken foot. On the play in which McBriar broke his foot, Sean Morey blocked his punt and Monty Beisel fell on the ball for a touchdown. The game started with a special teams touchdown (a 93-yard kick return) for the Cardinals, and ended with one.

Dec. 20, 2008 – Baltimore, 33-24

In what was a struggle for the offense for most of the game, twice the Cowboys pulled to within two points of the Ravens. Terrell Owens made the score 19-17 by scoring with 3:50 to play. Baltimore answered with a 77-yard touchdown run by Willis McGahee. Jason Witten cut the gap again with a TD grab with 1:36 to play. Le'Ron McClain answered with an 80-yard touchdown run.

It was not the way Jerry Jones wanted to see Texas Stadium close.

Sept. 20, 2009 – NY Giants, 33-31

If Jones didn’t want to see Texas Stadium close that way, he didn’t want to see Cowboys Stadium open this way. Felix Jones gave the Cowboys a 31-30 lead with a touchdown run with 3:40 to play.

Then Eli Manning happened.

Manning completed 7-of-9 passes for 64 yards, helping the Giants overcome a 1st-and-20 situation from their 15 and leading to a 37-yard game-winning field goal by Lawrence Tynes with no time left.

Oct. 4, 2009 – Denver, 17-10

The Cowboys blew a 10-0 lead when Broncos wide receiver caught a 51-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Orton with 1:46 to play. However, Romo had the Cowboys in position to tie the game after a 53-yard completion to Sam Hurd.

At the Denver 2-yard line with nine seconds to play, Romo went to Hurd (unsuccessfully) on back-to-back plays while the wideout was defended by Pro Bowler Champ Bailey.

Cowboys Pro Bowler Jason Witten did not even run a route.

Sept. 12, 2010 – Washington, 13-7

The Cowboys dominated defensively, but were done in by Jason Garrett’s decision to call a play with four seconds left in the first half and a mile away from the Redskins’ end zone. Romo flipped the ball to Tashard Choice, who fumbled while fighting for extra yards. Cornerback DeAngelo Hall scooped up the loose ball and ran it back for a 32-yard touchdown. It was the Redskins' only touchdown of the game.

In position to win the game, Alex Barron happened.

With three seconds left, Romo hit Roy Williams for an apparent game-tying touchdown with the point-after attempt being the difference in a win. Not so fast. Barron, starting in place of an injured Marc Colombo, was called for holding Brian Orakpo on the touchdown pass, wiping out the comeback.

Nov. 25, 2010 – New Orleans, 30-27

The Cowboys were not in the playoff chase, but they were fighting under Garrett, who took over for Wade Phillips as the interim coach. They led 27-23 and were in position to salt the game away as Roy Williams raced down the field toward the Saints end zone. As he switched the ball to his left hand away from a New Orleans defender, he allowed Michael Jenkins to strip it away for the turnover.

Five plays and 89 yards later, Drew Brees hit Lance Moore with the game-winning touchdown pass.

Dec. 25, 2010 – Arizona, 27-26

Stephen McGee was shaping up as the hero, filling in for an injured Jon Kitna. He hit Miles Austin with a 37-yard touchdown pass with 1:41 to play to give the Cowboys the lead. Unfortunately David Buehler missed the PAT, giving Arizona hope.

John Skelton converted a 4th-and-15 with a 26-yard pass to Larry Fitzgerald, and Jay Feely won the game with a 48-yard field goal.

Sept. 11, 2011 – NY Jets, 27-24

The Cowboys led, 24-10, two plays into the fourth quarter following a Felix Jones touchdown. They were in position to answer a Jets touchdown with at least a field goal when Romo fumbled while diving to the New York goal line for his first of two fourth-quarter turnovers.

On the Cowboys’ next series, Joe McKnight blocked McBriar’s punt and Isaiah Trufant returned it 18 yards for the tying touchdown.

Late in regulation, Romo was intercepted by Darrelle Revis on a poor throw to Dez Bryant. That was turned into a game-winning field goal by former Cowboy Nick Folk.

Dec. 4, 2011 – Arizona, 19-13 (OT)

Sensing a trend with Arizona here?

Tied at 13-13, Romo put the Cowboys in position to win the game with another Dan Bailey field goal. His 15-yard completion to Bryant had the Cowboys at the Cardinals' 31-yard line. Yet with two timeouts and roughly 25 seconds to go, the Cowboys did not stop the clock until Romo spiked the ball with seven seconds to play.

As Bailey lined up for the game-winner, Garrett called a timeout because the play clock was running out. Bailey’s second attempt fell short, and in overtime the Cowboys would never get the ball.

LaRod Stephens-Howling raced 52 yards on a short flip from Kevin Kolb for the game-winner.

Dec. 11, 2011 – NY Giants, 37-34

Bryant’s 50-yard touchdown pass gave the Cowboys a 34-22 lead with 5:41 to play. All seemed well with the world.

Then Eli Manning happened. Again.

He shredded the Dallas defense on an eight-play, 80-yard drive that ended in a Jake Ballard touchdown catch and then directed New York on a six-play, 56-yard drive that ended in a Brandon Jacobs touchdown. The subsequent two-point conversion gave the Giants a three-point cushion.

During the second drive, Garrett let crucial seconds go off the clock again by failing to call a timeout until 1:00 remained.

Despite all that, two Romo-to-Miles Austin completions had the Cowboys at the New York 29-yard line with six seconds to play.

Before Bailey went in for the game-tying 47-yard try, Giants coach Tom Coughlin called a timeout, negating what turned out to be a good kick. Bailey’s second attempt wasn't close to going through the uprights.

Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul pushed between LaDouceur and Montrae Holland and deflected Bailey’s kick.

Sometimes, the media demands answers. We want players and coaches to be held accountable for their actions on and off the field.

And that was the case this week regarding Jason Garrett, who didn't publicly admit a mistake for not reacting quicker either with a timeout or spiking of the ball in the overtime loss to the Arizona Cardinals last Sunday.

But now we await an interview DeMarcus Ware gives NBC's Michele Tafoya in which he says Garrett apologized to the team for his gaffe at the end of regulation. (The interview will air Sunday prior to the Cowboys-Giants game).

So is Garrett square with his team because he told them in private he was wrong?

Yes, he is.

Several players supported Garrett in public despite the mistake and said it's not his fault.

The next question: Why wouldn't Garrett just say so this week when asked by reporters?

With the revelation that he did tell the team he messed up, Garrett's decision-making process is open to more scrutiny.

If the Cowboys lose Sunday night to the New York Giants, their first-place lead is gone and the season may be on the brink of collapse.

Garrett's decision to let Dan Bailey attempt that 49-yard field goal looms larger, as the Arizona loss might cost the Cowboys a playoff spot.

It won't cost Garrett his job, but it's just another negative mark on his record.

People like to say Garrett is a smart guy because he went to an Ivy League school. That's fine. But it's funny how so many of us in the media have questioned his football IQ.

*A few years ago, he didn't give Felix Jones a single carry.

*He had trouble getting the ball to Roy Williams on a consistent basis.

*There was Tashard Choice's run near the end of the first half at Washington last year that led to a fumble returned for a touchdown. Garrett should have taken a knee, and didn't. He later admitted he should have.

*Garrett has taken all sorts of questions about why he doesn't run the ball more, something he's decided to do this year with the emergence of DeMarco Murray.

*At the end of the debacle against Detroit in which the Cowboys blew a 24-3 lead, there was an issue as to whether Garrett knew there was time on the clock when Felix Jones ran out of bounds to end the game. Garrett is seen on the sidelines looking at his play sheet as if he's about to call a play. Garrett did say he knew the game was over.

*In Week 2, he called for a run play with a nicked up Miles Austin, who clearly wasn't himself.

*The Cowboys continue to commit silly penalties at the wrong time. Dallas has 32 penalties in the fourth quarter this year, tied for fourth most in the NFL. When Wade Phillips was the coach, he was questioned repeatedly about the discipline of his team. Should Garrett get those same questions?

Jerry Jones said Phillips never got a honeymoon from the media in his four seasons here. Is Garrett getting one?

The players like Garrett. Respect him. Most of these same players liked and respected Phillips.

Somehow these players didn't get the job done for him and Jones was forced to do something he never wanted to do, and that's fire a coach.

Garrett is doing the right things for his team and should be given a chance to get Jones a title he cherishes. But Garrett is on the line here if the Cowboys don't beat the Giants.

He mismanaged the loss at Arizona, which might haunt the team down the line.

His apology was needed; now, his team must do something for him, and that's beat New York.

IRVING, Texas -- The Cowboys finished 6-10 in 2010, and owner Jerry Jones fired coach Wade Phillips after a 1-7 start.

There was a belief the 2011 season would be a rebuilding one at Valley Ranch after the release of highly priced veterans Roy Williams, Marion Barber, Marc Colombo and Andre Gurode.

But the Cowboys have forged a 7-4 record and a one-game lead over the New York Giants for first place in the NFC East with five games to play in the season.

The Cowboys have an opportunity to win the division and at worst get a No. 4 seed for the playoffs.

"We've played well enough to be in the hunt," Jones said Thursday. "That was my wish, that we could play that well. It looks like we're improving and I feel like we're improving and I can see that we've got the potential to be better than we've been."

Over the next five weeks, the Cowboys play three division games -- the Giants twice and the Eagles -- and visit Arizona this Sunday and Tampa Bay on Dec. 17.

This team has endured bad finishes in the past, like a 1-3 finish in 2008, but a 2-2 close to the 2010 season gave Jones more faith that Jason Garrett is the right man to lead the Cowboys.

Jones said he doesn't believe this group is thinking the season is over and a playoff berth is guaranteed.

"I think it's just too fresh and it was too impactful to have the disappointment that we had last year," Jones said. "I know on a personal basis and I know for many members of our team's leadership that last year was one of the biggest disappointments that we've had and biggest surprises. I think that's too fresh on our memories."

IRVING, Texas – The minimum-salary receiver the Cowboys signed off the streets in September has been a massive upgrade over the recently cut blockbuster trade bust with the $45 million contract.

Just compare Laurent Robinson’s stats to those sorry numbers produced by Roy Williams during his terrible tenure in Dallas.

Robinson has caught 27 of 36 passes thrown to him this season for 441 yards and four touchdowns. That makes Robinson by far the most efficient of Tony Romo’s top weapons this season.

By comparison, Williams had 530 yards and five touchdowns last season, when quarterbacks completed 37 of 64 passes targeting him. And that was his most efficient year for the Cowboys.

Williams had 596 yards and seven touchdowns in 2009, but he caught only 38 of 88 passes thrown to him. His 2008 work in Dallas after arriving at the trade deadline was a total disaster: 19 catches for 198 yards and one touchdown on 43 attempts.

Strange how it didn’t take long for Robinson to establish a rapport with Romo and earn the trust of Jason Garrett, two things that never happened for Williams.

“It’s just a great fit for me,” Robinson said after his two-touchdown performance in the blowout of the Bills. “We’ve got a lot of offensive power and I feel like I can help out. … I really love playing here. I love it. I love everything about Dallas and wearing the star.”

He's been one of the best bargains in the NFL, quite a contrast to the overpaid receiver the Cowboys got rid of in the summer.

IRVING, Texas -- Generally speaking, wide receivers that join teams in the middle of a year with little attempt to learn the playbook or the quarterback tend to struggle.

As Calvin Watkins pointed out today, Laurent Robinson is proving that rule wrong.

In six games, Robinson has 24 catches for 368 yards and two touchdowns. He has two 100-yard games as well. Tony Romo has come to trust him quickly and Robinson’s numbers figure to improve if Miles Austin misses the next 2-4 weeks with a hamstring injury.

Since 2004, the Cowboys have added some big-name wide receivers to their roster either via trade or a free agent signing.

In 2004, they traded Antonio Bryant to Cleveland for Quincy Morgan, who had 22 catches for 260 yards and no touchdowns in nine games.

In 2005 they signed Peerless Price in hopes his reunion with Drew Bledsoe would push him back to prominence. It never happened. In seven games he had six catches for 96 yards.

And then there’s the Roy Williams trade of 2008 with Detroit. Williams had 19 catches for 198 yards and a touchdown in 10 games.

In fewer games, Robinson has better numbers than any of those guys.

IRVING, Texas -- The NFL trade deadline has passed without the Cowboys making a deal, which is not surprising.

Owner and general manager Jerry Jones said on his KRLD-FM radio show earlier in the day that a trade involving running back Tashard Choice was unlikely because of the high ankle sprain suffered by Felix Jones on Sunday.

Tight end Martellus Bennett was another name that was linked to the trade market but nothing materialized.

Bennett and Choice will be unrestricted free agents after this season and are likely to play elsewhere in 2012.

The Cowboys have not made a deadline trade deal since acquiring Roy Williams and a seventh rounder from Detroit in 2008 for first-, third- and sixth-round picks.

IRVING, Texas – The Cowboys’ dilemma is not “fixing” Tony Romo. It is “tweaking” Tony Romo.

Since he has been the playcaller for the Dallas Cowboys, Jason Garrett has had to find a balance between Romo the gunslinger and Romo the robot. He does not want to take away what makes Romo great and turn him into a manager of the game.

Quarterbacks can’t manage games and be truly successful. They have to make plays on their own at times to win games unless you have an otherworldly defense. The Cowboys don’t have that.

But they don’t need it, either.

Garrett has to take away some of the freedom Romo has on offense until he can trust him again. This is not about taking away the check-with-me options depending on the defensive front or the “smoke” throws when corners are backed off and the safety is in the box.

He has to treat Romo the way he treated Jon Kitna last year and point out to Romo the Cowboys scored at least 26 points in Kitna’s seven starts.

Kitna did it behind an offensive line that was not playing great and led to the release of three starters this year. He did it with a running back (Marion Barber) who struggled and was cut. He did it with a wide receiver (Roy Williams) who struggled and was cut. In three games he did it without Dez Bryant.

Kitna trusted what was in front of him and had a stretch of five games with a completion percentage of at least 67.6. And he was not a robot.

Do you know who that Kitna was? It was the 2009 version of Romo.

After a three-interception game to open Cowboys Stadium against the New York Giants, Romo promised to be better, and he was. He did not have a multiple-pick game the rest of the season. He threw a career-low nine picks and the Cowboys went 11-5 and won a playoff game.

Sunday’s game against Detroit marked the sixth time Romo has attempted at least 47 passes in a game. The Cowboys are 1-5 when he throws it so much. That he threw 47 passes in a game in which the Cowboys had a 24-point third-quarter lead is confusing, especially with how the Cowboys were running the ball.

But that’s another debate for another time.

Garrett does not need to put the shackles on Romo. In ’09, Romo threw the ball a career-high 550 times for a career-high 4,483 yards. The ball was in Romo’s hands a lot and the decisions were his, but Garrett can help him by either changing Romo’s progressions or changing the depth of Romo’s drops to call for shorter, quicker throws.

Once Romo trusts the system, then Garrett can trust him again.

IRVING, Texas – Jerry Jones admitted the obvious in late July.

“I’d love to have that trade back,” Jerry said in late July, days after he finally gave up on blockbuster trade bust Roy Williams.

Detroit, on the other hand, has to be pretty satisfied with the deal.

It didn’t work out as well as it could have for the Lions. The third- and sixth-round picks Detroit got in the trade never made an impact and are long gone from the Lions’ roster. But tight end Brandon Pettigrew, the tight end the Lions selected with the 20th overall pick in 2009, is blossoming into a big weapon for an up-and-coming offense.

The 6-foot-5, 265-pound Pettigrew caught 71 passes for 722 yards and four touchdowns last season. He has 16 catches for 176 yards during Detroit’s 3-0 start this season, including career bests of 11 catches for 112 yards in last week’s comeback win over the Vikings.

“He’s the security blanket for me,” quarterback Matthew Stafford told reporters last week. “I love throwing the ball to him. He’s got great hands. [He’s a] big, physical guy, and he understands the game.”

Pettigrew has career totals of 117 catches for 1,244 yards and six touchdowns in 30 games, numbers that will grow exponentially in the years to come. Williams ended his Cowboys tenure with 94 catches for 1,324 yards and 13 touchdowns in 40 games, collecting $27 million in guaranteed money in the process.

The Lions had no plans to re-sign Williams in free agency and managed to flip him for a significant piece in their rebuilding project. That should make every Pettigrew catch Sunday especially painful to watch for the Cowboys’ front office and fans.

IRVING, Texas -- After what happened Monday night against Washington with so much miscommunication between Tony Romo and his young wide receivers there has been a hue and cry for the Cowboys to go get a veteran wide receiver.

Some have asked for Randy Moss. Others have asked for T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Some even Terrell Owens, which is incredibly ridiculous if you think back to how he left here following the 2008 season.

Jason Garrett was asked about the possibility on Wednesday.

“At this point, no,” Garrett said. “We’re always on the lookout to find guys that can help our football team. That’s been an area where we have been banged up. We’ll continue to do that [look] and if there’s somebody who comes across our path that we like and we think might fit and help us, we’ll certainly look at it.”

Now, you could say the “at this point, no,” part of the quote leaves the door open. Maybe it does, but I think that would only happen if Miles Austin or Dez Bryant is lost for the year due to injury.

Finding a real contributor at this time is difficult.

I submit to you Quincy Morgan, Peerless Price and Roy Williams.

In 2004 the Cowboys acquired Morgan from Cleveland. In nine games he caught 22 passes for 260 yards and no touchdowns.

In 2005 the Cowboys signed Price, who was on the street at the time. In seven games he caught six passes for 96 yards from Drew Bledsoe, with whom he excelled in Buffalo.

In 2008 the Cowboys traded for Williams from Detroit. In 10 games he caught 19 passes for 198 yards and one touchdown.

Bringing in a veteran is not the greatest solution.

In 2007, Chris Chambers was traded from Miami to San Diego and caught 35 passes for 555 yards and four touchdowns. That’s pretty good production there. Chambers is available, too.

In 2009 Braylon Edwards caught 35 passes for 541 yards and four scores in 12 games after his trade from Cleveland to the New York Jets. That’s OK production, too, but Edwards never delivered as much as the Jets had hoped.

And let’s look at Moss. Last year he was dealt to Minnesota by New England. In four games he caught 13 passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns before then-coach Brad Childress got tired of him and cut him. Moss then went to Tennessee and he caught six passes for 80 yards and no scores in four games.

IRVING, Texas -- The Cowboys have a short week to get ready for undefeated Detroit – isn’t that strange to say – so we’ll get into the weekly installment of Five Wonders quickly:

** As stated at the top the Lions are undefeated and turning into a contender in the NFC after being kicked around for so long. Whenever Detroit plays the Cowboys there has to be a mention of the Roy Williams’ trade in 2008. I do not wonder if the Cowboys would want a do over on this deal. I know they would. The trade failed in an epic manner. The Cowboys have up first, third and sixth round picks, plus $27 million in guaranteed money only to cut Williams in the offseason. Detroit, however, hit on only one of those draft picks and it has been a big hit: tight end Brandon Pettigrew. The other picks: WR Derrick Williams (third) and RB Aaron Brown (sixth, TCU-ex) are no longer on the team and contributed little. Pettigrew caught a career-high 11 passes for 112 yards on Sunday vs. Minnesota.

** Bill Parcells said he didn’t coach penalties. Wade Phillips took the brunt of the heat for the penalties. I wonder what Jason Garrett’s approach is. Through 11 games with Garrett as the coach, the Cowboys are averaging 6.2 penalties for 48.6 yards per game. In 56 games with Phillips, the Cowboys averaged 7.1 penalties for 56.6 yards. That’s about one penalty and eight yards a game. Why does it seem like the Cowboys are not-so penalty happy with Garrett?

** There isn’t much to complain about when it comes to the Cowboys defense through three games. They are sixth in the league in yards, second vs. the run, 12th vs. the pass. They lead the NFL with 13 sacks. It’s all good. But I wonder just how good they are. The New York Jets, San Francisco and Washington have limitations on offense. The Cowboys next two games come against Detroit and New England. The Lions are averaging 33.7 points per game. The Patriots are at 34.7 points. Slow down those juggernauts and the Cowboys will have something. But it also could create an issue, too. Rob Ryan should be at the top or near the top of the list for head coaching jobs in 2012.

** I’m not sure Bradie James has covered kickoffs since his rookie year in 2003, but the veteran inside linebacker was filling that role Monday vs. Washington. With Sean Lee doing so well defensively he was taken off the coverage team. That James was willing to fill in speaks to his commitment to the team and how serious he takes his leadership role.

** I wondered why the Cowboys did not take the trade with Jacksonville on draft day to move down a little in the first round and acquire extra picks. Instead they stood at No. 9 and took Tyron Smith. I’m not wondering anymore. Through three games Smith has been the Cowboys’ best offensive lineman. It’s not been perfect, but Smith has excelled. I’m sure there are some mental mistakes through the first three games but Smith’s athleticism makes up for a lot.

IRVING, Texas – The Cowboys scored the seventh most points in the NFL last season. Only one team gave up more points.

Yet all five starters who have been shown the Valley Ranch door since the lockout was lifted were offensive players.

“A lot of it has to do with the business part of football, what guys are making and how old they are and what kinds of players you have to replace them,” Jason Garrett said. “We made a concerted effort in the draft and in signing some young college free agents to address some of those areas, and we felt like if those guys were able to compete for some of those spots we could make some of those moves.

“It wasn’t intentional necessarily. You’re trying to create competition throughout your football team and then make the best decisions based on what’s available to you.”

It’s not as if underperforming, high-priced defensive players should feel safe. Defensive end Igor Olshansky is in serious danger of being cut this summer. Cornerback Terence Newman’s time with the Cowboys will probably come to an end after this season.

It’s also not as if the five starters cut by the Cowboys were reasons why Dallas put points on the board last season, although Garrett is too professional to point that out.

The offense moved the ball despite the poor performances of Barber, Williams, Davis and Colombo last season. Gurode was just a guy despite a reputation-based invitation to the Pro Bowl. And all of those players except for Colombo were being paid like an elite player at their position.

ARLINGTON -- When Roy Williams played with the Cowboys, he was always under the gun. It could be the drops. It could be his route running. It could be his conditioning.

Whatever it was, Williams was always fighting for his rep with the fans and media.

He needed a fresh start, but it seems after two drops in Monday's preseason game with the Chicago Bears, things have started all over again.

Here's a story from ESPNChicago about Williams' struggles in training camp.

In other former Cowboys' receiver news, Sam Hurd is wearing a walking boot due to a sprained ankle.