Desperate Cowboys look to buck trend vs. Chargers

It's the middle of December, the month when the Dallas Cowboys typically go into deep freeze and quarterback Tony Romo and coach Wade Phillips try to ignore the questions about their failures.

A defiant Phillips, faced with a media blitz this week, bristled and refused to acknowledge Dallas' trend of collapsing in December.

The Cowboys went 1-3 in

December last year, preventing them from making the playoffs, and are 2-6 in December home games the past four years. Romo fell to 5-9 in December with last week's road loss to the New York Giants.

You get the point, and so do the Cowboys, who are sick of hearing about December doldrums.

On the flip side, the San Diego Chargers are late-season bullies, winning an NFL-record 15 consecutive games in December.

Those trends are undeniable. Yet, instead of banking on history to repeat itself, I'll side with Dallas as a 3-point home favorite over San Diego on Sunday.

In this case, expect the Cowboys to feed off the media's negativity and use it as a positive motivational factor. A win over the Chargers can help Dallas (8-4) quiet the December debate and move a step closer to winning the NFC East.

Romo was not at fault in the 31-24 loss to Giants. He passed for a career-high 392 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

But the Cowboys' biggest asset, their ground attack, was strangely absent. With running backs Marion Barber and Felix Jones, there's no excuse for Dallas not dominating on the ground.

The Chargers (9-3) have won seven in a row, mostly because quarterback Philip Rivers has been playing a hot hand. Rivers has completed 76 percent of his passes with seven touchdowns and no interceptions in the past four games.

The Cowboys rank eighth in the league in rushing offense at 130.2 yards per game. The Chargers rank 30th at 88.7 yards per game. San Diego's defense is soft against the run, ranking 21st. So if the running game still matters, Dallas gets the edge.

Phillips' job is in jeopardy, and the importance of beating the Chargers is obvious to the Cowboys. Tight end Jason Witten said the team is at a "critical point" and "really in trouble" with a loss.

Four more plays for Week 14 (Home team in CAPS):

• Bengals (+7) over VIKINGS: The underdog is 12-0 against the spread (ATS) in Cincinnati's games this season. The Bengals have all the ingredients to hang tough on the road -- a veteran quarterback in Carson Palmer, a solid running attack and the league's top-ranked run defense. Minnesota has strayed away from running back Adrian Peterson and put too much of the offense in Brett Favre's hands.

• Packers (-3) over BEARS: Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers has more weapons and is more reliable than Chicago's Jay Cutler. The Packers are in a tricky spot on the road after a Monday home victory, so try to avoid laying 31/2. But the slumping Bears are 1-7 ATS in their past eight.

• Dolphins (+3) over JAGUARS: Jacksonville has failed to cover nine straight times as a home favorite. Miami, 6-3 since its 0-3 start, is getting quality play from quarterback Chad Henne. The Dolphins are full of confidence after upsetting New England.

• Eagles (+1) over GIANTS: The victory over the Cowboys was a positive sign, but it's still tough to trust the Giants and erratic Eli Manning. The Eagles hammered the Giants 40-17 on Nov. 1, and Donovan McNabb beat the Giants twice at the Meadowlands last year.

Last week: 0-5 against the spread

Season: 30-33-2

Las Vegas Review-Journal sports writer Matt Youmans can be reached at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907.