Glauber: Boys must beat Giants or adios, partner

The numbers are downright baffling to Cowboys coach Wade Phillips. For the life of him, he can't figure out why things have gone so badly for his team this season.

One by one, he ticks off the stats, and wonders why in the world the most important number of all - the team's 1-4 record - is so poor.

"We're third in the NFL in offense, and fourth in defense," Phillips said Wednesday, as he began preparations for Monday night's game against the Giants in Dallas. "We've outgained our opponents by about 600 yards in five games. Usually when you're moving the ball and stopping the other team, you have a chance to win."

Instead, the Cowboys have lost all but one game, and they're facing as big a must-win in Week 7 as you can imagine. Lose at home to the 4-2 Giants, who are tied with the Eagles atop the NFC East, and the Cowboys can just about call it a season. But a win on Monday night, and suddenly, a two-game deficit with 10 games to play doesn't seem all that daunting.

There's an adage in the NFL that the more desperate team usually wins in a game of evenly matched opponents, and Dallas certainly fits that description heading into the NFC East showdown. Making the situation even more critical for Phillips is the continued speculation about his job security. With each passing loss, the pressure grows greater for Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to make a change.

So far, Jones has remained loyal, and indicated the team isn't nearly as bad as its record suggests. Jones addressed the team this week and struck an upbeat note - "he was really positive," Phillips said - but the owner has a history of impatience with coaches.

Even so, it would take more losing for Jones to make a change now. Consider: Jones has been through six coaches since purchasing the team in 1989, but he has never fired a coach during the season. Then again, there has never been a Super Bowl in Dallas, so perhaps the specter of hosting the NFL's marquee event next February might prompt Jones to make an exception.

Phillips is doing his best to ignore the pressure.

"It's frustrating, but you keep working towards the future and don't dwell on the past," Phillips said. "You have to learn from the past. It's all about attitude now. It's all about the team staying together, pulling for each other, and believing in each other. That's the challenge."

Credit Phillips for this much; despite the losing, there aren't any internal fractures inside the Cowboys' locker room. But in a city that is as demanding on its football team as any in the league, Phillips knows the losing can't continue without consequences.

"It's always tough, because we expect to win," he said. "The last three years, we have won more games than any other team in the NFC, so yeah, the expectations are high and we felt like we were going to have a better team."

Phillips' reference to his record the previous three seasons is actually part of the problem. For all the team's regular season success, he doesn't have much to show for it when it counts most: Phillips has just one playoff victory in that span.

The pressure is immense, but Phillips - who is almost certain to be fired if he doesn't make the playoffs - insists he isn't looking beyond Monday night.

"The season is not over, and we're looking forward to winning at home on Monday night," he said. "We can feel better about ourselves if we can beat the Giants."

If not? Then it's more misery for the beleaguered coach.