Published: September 21, 2009 07:22 pm      

Gloomy times for Cowboys

Already a big letdown after blowing game late against NY Giants

By Stephen Hawkins

AP Sports Writer

IRVING — Only two games into a new season and Cowboys linebacker Bradie James already finds himself in an all-too familiar spot.

James was standing at his locker the day after a loss trying to explain what’s going wrong.

After missing the playoffs in the 2008 season that started with Super Bowl expectations and ended with that blowout loss in Philadelphia, there has already been a big letdown in front of the largest regular-season crowd in NFL history.

“Even though it’s the second game of the season, it’s an adverse situation,” James said Monday, only about 13 hours after a 33-31 loss in their inaugural game at Cowboys Stadium on a last-play field goal by the New York Giants.

“It’ll be a crying shame if we just fall apart right now,” James said. “We’ve just got to bounce back, pick ourselves up.”

Sure, it would have been nice to christen the nearly $1.2 billion showplace with a victory over the defending NFC East champion in front of 105,121 fans.

But the concerns facing the Cowboys (1-1) certainly aren’t about where they play.

—Tony Romo, who made such a conscious effort during the offseason to eliminate turnovers and silly mistakes, threw three interceptions a week after a nearly flawless opener. All three picks led to touchdowns for the Giants, the last a long heave when Romo didn't realize a defender was even deeper than his receiver.

—The Cowboys are the only defense in the league that hasn’t yet forced or a turnover or recorded a sack.

—A week after giving up 450 yards in the season-opening win at Tampa Bay, the Giants had 427 yards even though running back Brandon Jacobs was stifled by Dallas. Jacobs got 31 of his 58 yards on one run.

“Anytime you have one, it seems like the worst loss ever, and I still feel that way right now,” coach Wade Phillips said.