Cowboys Next Two Games Will Define Season and a Lot More

Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips has worn the face in the picture above a lot this season.  If he can't motivate the Cowboys to play their hearts out in the next two games, he'll be wearing it again when it's reported that he won't be resigned to coach the Cowboys.

During a press conference on Monday afternoon, Phillips called the Dallas Cowboys winners and Steve Dennis of CBS 11 made it abundantly clear that the Cowboys haven't done much winning in December and as usual Wade Phillips didn't get mad, he didn't yell, he just talked in that monotone voice of his and said "They've won eight games this season, I'm not going to call them losers."

While Phillips didn't show much fight but his players did as several of them were seen yelling at Dennis at the end of the media session in the locker room on Wednesday.

Linebacker Demarcus Ware said, "You're going to have guys in this locker room that's pushing for him, playing hard for him and letting everybody know that he's a great coach."

Phillips is right, the Cowboys aren't losers...yet, but if the Cowboys don't play with a sense of desperation and urgency this week and next Saturday, it'll be too late for them.

With the emergence of the Green Bay Packers and the Arizona Cardinals, only two teams from the NFC East are going to the playoffs. The Cowboys could've put the debate of who those teams are going to to to bed, but their loss to the Giants changed everything.

The Cowboys Sunday afternoon match-up against the Chargers isn't the only game that's important for the 'Boys; Sunday night's game between the Giants and the Eagles is just as important as the Cowboys beating the Chargers.

If the Eagles win they hold serve with the Cowboys for first place in the NFC East (assuming the Cowboys win) if the Giants win they and the Cowboys lose all three teams are tied for first place and Dallas would be in second with the tiebreaker over the Eagles.

The Cowboys also have the hardest remaining schedule of any NFL team, after the Chargers this week, they play the Saints, the Redskins on the road, and finish the season at home against the Eagles.

Meanwhile, the Giants have the Washington Redskins next week followed by the Panthers and the Vikings. The Eagles play the 49ers and Broncos before finishing the season against Dallas.

If the Cowboys lose the next two games, they'll be 8-6 and on the outside looking in. It won't be easy for the Cowboys to win these games as the Chargers and Saints are two of the best teams in the NFL, but last week the Cowboys played like they didn't need to win the game.

Flozell Adams was called for unnecessary roughness, Marion Barber fumbled in his own territory leading to a Giants TD, Anthony Spencer was called twice for offsides in  Cowboys territory and the secondary let Steve Smith run wild over the middle of the field. Most of this happened during the Cowboys two minute collapse at the end of first half and they weren't able to recover. 

This is the time for a coach to be screaming and yelling, this is time to get your team motivated and to let them know what time it is; if we don't get it done, were watching the playoffs instead of preparing for it and I'm out of a job.

This won't happen however, Phillips will just talk in that same voice and say, everything is ok, don't worry, cause I'm not. There's no need for urgency, so relax guys, and just go out and play.

This means the Cowboys will have to motivate themselves, something few teams can do. but the Cowboys seem to be up for the challenge.

"I'll go to fight for that man until I hang my cleats up and I'm done playing football, because I have the utmost respect for him." said linebacker Keith Brooking

"I trust him, so I definitely want him to be around. We're going to go out there and play our best and do everything he asks us to do." nose tackle Jay Ratliff said

Talking about playing hard for Phillps is a great start but if it doesn't translaste to the field it could be another December collapse and Phillips' face is one fans and his supporting players won't be seeing anymore.