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IRVING, Texas - There's no secret what kind of test awaits this Cowboys' offense here in the final month of the season.
Four games, against the top seven defenses in the NFL, including a three-game stretch against the top three.
It starts Sunday in Pittsburgh, the league's best defensive unit, and maybe the most physical.
In a game that will likely revert back to the old-school days of mud and slop, it's expected the Cowboys will have to win the game in the trenches. The team that does more of the pushing than being pushed around will ultimately come out on top.
For Montrae Holland, call it music to his ears.
Aside from the opportunity to play, which has eluded him most of this season, Holland said he prefers the smash-mouth type of football in which he can throw his weight around. And specifically for Holland, that's about 325 pounds if you're scoring at home.
"You like games like this," said Holland, who will start his second straight game at left guard. "They're going to be tough and physical. On the line, that's where you win the game. But for us, you want the chance to pound the ball at the end of the game. That's the position you want to be in - with the lead and running down the clock."
Last week, Holland not only found himself in the starting lineup for the first time all season, but in that very position of running the ball at the end of the game. The Cowboys had plenty of success against a struggling Seattle unit that entered the game with the 31st ranked defense. As a result, with Holland often leading the way, the Cowboys racked up 477 total yards en route to the 34-9 win.
It was a rather fun holiday experience for Holland and his family. Growing up in nearby Jefferson, Texas, his parents were able to make the two-hour trip to watch Holland start for the team he grew up watching.
"They come to every home game," said Holland, who has either been inactive for some games or simply hasn't played. "They understood the situation. They don't say anything. But it's certainly a lot better going out (in the tunnel) than walking out in street clothes."
While Holland and the Cowboys had quite a feast on Seattle, the left guard knows to expect more of a challenge Sunday in Pittsburgh.
"Definitely a better defense as far as stats go," Holland said of the Steelers, in comparison to Seattle. "They're a good defense and you have to be prepared for them. If we prepare right, we can go in there and have success on them. That's the main thing, being prepared."
Holland showed he was rather prepared last week when the Cowboys gave him the nod to replace Kyle Kosier, who re-injured his right foot for the third time since the preseason. Kosier missed eight games with a foot sprain and the Cowboys went with Cory Procter as his replacement at left guard. When Kosier returned to action against Washington, but then re-injured his foot against San Francisco, the Cowboys decided to go with Holland for the Thanksgiving Day game, despite the short week.
"It was very exciting to finally get the opportunity to get out there and help the team win," said Holland, who said he didn't think he was too rusty, despite recording his first start since last season when he was with Denver. "Not really. I think I played most of the game off of adrenaline. I was just overly excited about being out there."
Apparently, it showed up on the film as well.
Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips said Holland was impressive in his first start with the team.
"He played real well last game and we expect him to play well again this week," Phillips said. "We hope he can help us - that's why he's in there. He did well enough to keep him in the starting position. So we like him."
Phillips has said before that he likes Holland's strength in the running game. That will be especially important this week against Pittsburgh, which hasn't given up a 100-yard rusher all season and leads the NFL by allowing just 71.2 yards per game.
"He's a low-center-of-gravity guy that is pretty powerful with the run or pass," Phillips said of Holland. "As long as he plays the right technique and does them well. He is experienced and has started a lot of games in the league. That kind of showed up last week. It wasn't too big for him. He felt comfortable with our offensive line and he knew what to do, which is good."
Despite sending Denver a fifth-round pick in 2009 for Holland just before the first regular-season game, the Cowboys rarely played the veteran guard for most of the season.
Holland, a fourth-round pick of the Saints in 2003, started 30 games for the Saints in four seasons before signing with the Broncos in 2007 and starting all 16 games in Denver. But Holland reportedly showed up to training camp some 20 pounds overweight this past summer. It took him more than two weeks to get back to playing shape and when he did, the Broncos started shopping him for a trade.
Once Kosier went down in the final preseason game, the Cowboys were in need and jumped on the chance to land a veteran guard with experience. While Holland may not agree with how things were handled in Denver, he's not looking back.
"I'm here now. I put all that stuff behind me," Holland said. "I have a fresh start. I'm going to do the best I can with it."
With another year on his contract, Holland hopes his stay with the Cowboys isn't just a one-year deal. Still, he knows every opportunity he gets to play is somewhat of an audition, either for his current team or a potential future employer.
"That's always the case. Even in practice, people are always evaluating," Holland said. "That's the name of the game in the NFL. If you don't do it, someone else will."
Right now, Holland is that someone in Dallas. And he's not about to give it up.
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Nick Eatman - 
