Published: October 05, 2009 08:38 pm      

Masters of mediocrity

Cowboys can beat bad teams, can’t beat the good ones

By Jaime Aron

AP Sports Writer

IRVING — A month into this season, the Cowboys have mastered mediocrity.

They’re 2-0 against teams that haven’t won, 0-2 against teams that haven’t lost.

They’re 2-0 when Tony Romo holds onto the ball, 0-2 when he turns the ball over.

They’ve won once by throwing and once by running. Their defense keeps getting better, but isn’t good enough to carry them, especially not with DeMarcus Ware still seeking his first sack.

Looking for one thing they’ve done really well all four games?

“I still think our special teams are playing solid for us,” coach Wade Phillips said Monday.

Being stuck in the middle is nothing new. Since starting 11-1 in Phillips’ first season replacing Bill Parcells, the Cowboys are 12-12, or 12-13 if you count a playoff loss.

After failing to make the playoffs last season, things were supposed to be different this time. With three-fourths of the season to go, that could still happen, but something’s going to have to change.

“We are good enough to win, but we are not good enough (to win) making too many mistakes,” Phillips said.

Phillips noted that Dallas beat Tampa Bay and Carolina by at least 10 points and went down to the wire in losses to New York and Denver. That’s either encouraging or agonizing, depending on your perspective.