"There comes a point in every season for every team that you start to separate yourself, and you see the league do that every year," Witten said. "For us, we've had some tough losses to bear, obviously some big wins, but we're at that point where we need to stack them up."
The schedule favors the Cowboys. While this week's opponent, Buffalo, has a winning record, the next three teams -- Washington, Miami and Arizona -- do not.
The Cowboys are coming off a split against teams with losing records, a loss at Philadelphia and a win against Seattle.
So the team is in the midst of a stretch where they play five losing teams in six weeks.
"You don't get caught up in what the schedule looks like," Witten said. "... But you've got to start stacking them up to stay in the hunt, and really, the best teams -- and for that matter, the best players -- they start playing their best football at this time of year. I think we're that type of team. But I think we've got to show it. We've got to go do it."
Receiver options
Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said the team will look inside and outside as it considers adding a receiver in the wake of a second hamstring injury to Miles Austin. The veteran could miss two to four weeks.
The Cowboys have receivers on the practice squad, but they are all in developmental stages. Teddy Williams is a former college track athlete, and Dwayne Harris and Andre Holmes are rookies. A fourth receiver, Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, is a converted safety.
Two punters
The Cowboys are not ready to put punter Mat McBriar on the injured-reserve list, which would end his season. But Jason Garrett said the Cowboys know the cost of carrying two punters. The team already has two place-kickers.
"You have to make priorities, and having a kicker that you feel good about and a punter that you feel good about, those are important priorities," Garrett said. "We feel like a kickoff guy, a David Buehler, can be very helpful.... We feel like there's good value there. But at the same time, to have a second punter, it can be a difficult deal. So we're going to have to manage that situation."
Return game
Jason Garrett said the injury to Miles Austin could affect how much Dez Bryant is used to return punts. "We'll cross that bridge as we go," Garrett said.
When Felix Jones is healthy, he could be used more on kickoff returns.
"That's certainly something we would consider at some point, but we just want to get him healthy and get him going again as a running back," Garrett said.
Witten on Garrett
Witten said it's too bad Jason Garrett's record through his first 16 games with the Cowboys doesn't reflect better on the job he has done.
"He's been brilliant," Witten said. "Obviously, the way we play, the accountability and the urgency -- when you turn on that film, the opponents that have played us, win or loss, I think they would say they feel the way we play them and the style we play with. I think that starts with him, the way he coaches and the way he demands that."
CREDIT : star-telegram.com/2011/11/07/3507872/witten-its-time-for-cowboys-to.html
