Bradie James: Now is time to bounce back
Todd Archer/Reporter, Dallas Morning News

The general feeling coming out of the locker room Monday was one of unity. There were no fingers being pointed. Instead players continued to take the blame for what happened Sunday.

It’s the accountability approach Wade Phillips and the players have preached since the end of last season.

“This is where we are right now coming through the second game of the season,” linebacker Bradie James said. “It’s an adverse situation. It’s time to bounce back and pick ourselves up because it’s a marathon, not a sprint. It’ll be a shame if we fall apart right now.”

Twice last year the Cowboys lost back to back games. One stretch came in Tony Romo’s absence from a fractured pinky finger. The other came at the end of last year when they lost to Baltimore and Philadelphia.

Can this team rebound?

Bradie James sees big difference in Wade Phillips
Tim MacMahon/Blogger, Dallas Morning News

Bradie James expressed skepticism when he heard Wade Phillips’ post-Philly Flop vow to be more demanding. But, as training camp nears the end, James is a believer in the new, tougher version of his head coach.

Phillips still doesn’t do much screaming and hollering. He has yet to yank a player by his facemask. But, according to James, Phillips is much more demanding than he’s been the past two years.

It starts with the schedule. This is the 11th day of two-a-days during training camp, significantly more than the Cowboys had previously under Phillips or Bill Parcells.

“This camp has been like two of the other camps put together, you know what I mean?” said James, who acknowledged mental and physical fatigue. “I haven’t heard anyone call this one Cupcake.”

James said he’s also seen a significant change in Phillips’ personality. Phillips made it clear before camp that his days of coddling players were done. “No complaining, no excuses,” Phillips said, per James.

Phillips acknowledged after last season that if the Cowboys weren’t going to change the coach, the coach had better change. Phillips is no fool, so he knows that his job is on the line this season despite a public vote of confidence from Jerry Jones, which hasn’t been matched by a contract extension.

Phillips has followed through with the first steps of his Get Tough Plan.

“He’s almost like a new coach,” James said. “He knows what’s at stake, and he knows we need to have a winning season. He’s been different. He said he was going to be different, and I didn’t know how he would pull it off, but I think he has.”