Wins, not numbers, remain Roy Williams’ focus

By CHAREAN WILLIAMS

cjwilliams@star-telegram.com

IRVING — It wasn’t the rust. Or the ribs. Or the medication. Roy Williams said Wednesday that he "just played terrible" against the Atlanta Falcons.

"I don’t know where I was," said Williams, whose teammates called him Daisy Duke on Wednesday after he wore cutoff game pants to practice. "I guess I was with Martellus [Bennett] on Jupiter or something.

"…The thing I’ve got to do is I have a chance to get better this week. I’m glad this wasn’t the last game of the year, because I’d have to live with this for four or five months. That taste is out of my mouth. I’m ready to roll, ready to catch the ball and do the things that I’ve been doing."

Williams caught one pass for 16 yards against the Falcons. He was targeted on five others, two of which were drops. After the game, Williams, who had missed the Kansas City game with cracked cartilage in three ribs, called it the worst game of his life.

"He had some opportunities," Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett said. "A couple of them were tight, contested plays. We didn’t convert for whatever reason. He is going about it the right way. He’s been in and out of the lineup with the injury, but he’s approached it the right way and playing better and better, and I think we all believe those connections will come."

Williams has 12 catches for 230 yards and a touchdown this season. He also has three drops, according to Stats, Inc.

In the 15 games he’s played since being traded to the Cowboys, Williams has 31 receptions for 428 yards and two touchdowns.

Williams was told to keep his head up when he went to get donuts Wednesday morning, and fans still were asking for his autograph as he and his family dined at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen on Sunday night after the game.

Williams said he is unconcerned about his numbers as long as the Cowboys, who have won two in a row, keep winning.

"We’re winning. Winning cures all," Williams said. "If I was up north [in Detroit], and I had the game I had last Sunday, we’d have lost 56-3. But we have such a good football team that even though I played like crap, we had other guys step up, and it was a big team win for us."

Rossum hurting

Returner Allen Rossum, signed off the waiver wire two weeks ago, injured his hamstring on his first kickoff return with his new team. Rossum said Wednesday that the MRI showed a strain, and the Cowboys expect him to miss 2-4 weeks.

"I’m taking the day off," Rossum said. "I’m going to sit over here in my La-Z-Boy."

Fullback Deon Anderson (illness) also did not practice.

With Rossum not expected to play Sunday, Patrick Crayton will be the primary punt returner. Felix Jones and Miles Austin have handled 14 of the team’s kickoff returns, but rookie Kevin Ogletree could be active this week. Ogletree was active for the Chiefs game, because Roy Williams was out with his rib injury, and had four returns.

Kicking it

Rookie David Buehler is tied for the NFL lead in touchbacks with 13. New England kicker Stephen Gostkowski also has 13. The Cowboys’ team record is the 27 that Lin Elliott had in 1992.

"That’s what I’ve heard," Buehler said. "People tell me that. I don’t really keep up on the stats. …What’s happened in the past is in the past. I’m just trying to go out here and lead the league in touchbacks this year. If I set a Cowboys record on the way, so be it."

Buehler had a career-best four touchbacks against the Falcons.

Briefly

Wade Phillips called for a team huddle after the team had finished stretching. It was out of the ordinary. "I just had some things to say," Phillips said. "I wanted to remind them of a few things going into practice that were important for us."

DeMarcus Ware (foot), Marion Barber (quad) and Gerald Sensabaugh (thumb) are on the injury report, but all three practiced Wednesday. Wade Phillips said Barber still is not 100 percent, though "he’s still explosive."

ONLINE: star-telegram.com/cowboys

Charean Williams, 817-390-7760

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