Will the Cowboys Have a December to Remember or Another Forgettable Season?

Well, Cowboy fans, here it is—the month you're all scared of, the month that for the past three seasons marked the end of the high scoring, aggressive defense, and well-coached games.

For the past three seasons December has given way to an inept offense, a defense that's on the field too long, and a combined 4-8 record.

This December won't be easy as the Cowboys' schedule isn't in their favor.

Can the Cowboys overcome their demons and finish strong, or will they once again drop as fast as the temperature?

The Cowboys start this December on the road against the lowly Giants. While the Giants have a 6-5 record and a ton of injuries, they still have a passing game that lit the Cowboys up in Week Two.

Eli Manning was 25 of 38 for 330 yards and two TDs and wasn't sacked once. Receivers Steve Smith and Mario Manningham ran a clinic against the Cowboys' secondary.

Still, the Cowboys only lost by two points, and much of the blame was put on Tony Romo and his three interceptions. Romo hasn't thrown more than one interception in a game since, and the Giants' secondary is a shell of what it used to be after various injuries.

On Dec. 13 the Cowboys host the San Diego Chargers, a team that beat both the Giants and Eagles. The Chargers are currently 8-3, including 4-1 on the road, and have won six in a row after a rough start. They'll probably win this weekend against the Cleveland Browns, making it seven in a row.

Six days later the Cowboys face the New Orleans Saints on Saturday night in Louisiana. The Saints are undefeated after dismantling the Patriots last night, and Drew Brees has thrown for at least 300 yards in six of the Saints' 11 games. Including this season and last season, the Saints are a combined 12-2 at the Superdome.

The Cowboys then finish December against the Washington Redskins, who they beat two weeks ago 7-6. Although the Skins controlled much of the game, the Cowboys got themselves collected enough to drive down the field late in the game and score, then intercepted a Jason Campbell pass to put the game away.

There are some signs that the Cowboys can be successful in December. Their offense fixed some kinks in a tune-up game against the Raiders on Thanksgiving, and Keith Brooking, along with DeMarcus Ware, leads a defense that hasn't given up more than a TD in two straight games and hasn't give up 20 points since October. 

Romo has found himself again after two subpar performances against the Packers and Skins. Felix Jones seems to be 100 percent for the first time since coming back from his PCL sprain, and Jason Witten had a season high in receiving yards with 107 on a sprained foot last week.

If the Cowboys can go 2-2 in December, which I think they will with wins over the Giants and Redskins, they should lock up a playoff berth. If they win three games in December, they should have the division wrapped up by the time they play Philadelphia to finish their season, making that game irrelevant for them. But in order to do that, they need to play their best while Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett (Run the Ball!!!) call good games.

This month means a lot for the Cowboys: A chance at the playoffs for the team and a chance for Garrett and Phillips to keep their jobs. The hot seat has cooled off a bit, but you can bet if the Cowboys start dropping games, Bill Cowher and Mike Shanahan (provided he doesn't take the Bills job) will be getting calls from Jerry Jones when the season ends.