IRVING, Texas - Cowboys kicker Nick Folk missed only seven of 53 field goal attempts in his first two seasons, including a Pro Bowl appearance in 2007. Through 11 games this year, he's missed six of 20.
With a difficult December stretch ahead - beginning Sunday against the Giants in the windy Meadowlands - the Cowboys need Folk to find his footing. He has missed a field goal in three straight games, including a 38-yarder Nov. 15 at Green Bay - only the fourth miscue of his career inside 40 yards.
Folk did make a 36-yarder in the Cowboys' Thanksgiving Day win over Oakland.
Head coach Wade Phillips remains confident in Folk for two reasons: he's seen Folk make field goals at a near-automatic rate before, and he believes the third-year kicker won't lose his poise.
"Part of it is confidence," Phillips said Monday, "but I think a guy that has a strong mindset like he does will improve and keep working at it and won't go in a slump where he's really kicking it bad. He's not kicking it bad.
"He hasn't missed what you would call a clutch kick yet. That's where he's always been really strong. We just haven't had those kinds of games this year where it's in the fourth quarter and he's got to make it, and I think he will. He's had some 40-yard kicks. You're not going to have the highest percentage on those."
Folk's last two misses indeed have been deep attempts - a 46-yarder against Washington and a 49-yarder against Oakland that bounced off the crossbar. New holder Mat McBriar blamed himself for two other misfires.
Folk says he's still self-assured and points the responsibility toward himself, though he admits a new holder is an underrated factor in the field goal operation.
Folk is also just seven months removed from surgery to repair a right hip labral tear. He didn't resume a full kicking regimen until the start of training camp in late July. Rookie kicker David Buehler has lessened Folk's workload by handling kickoffs.
"Physically I'm fine," Folk said recently. "In the off-season that's what you use it for, to refine your technique, and I'm not saying I'd be kicking as much as I would now. There's a lot that goes into my off-season that people don't see necessarily and I didn't get to work on it.
"I don't want to put any blame on anyone else. It was a tough deal and I just have to get it right from here on out and make a good playoff run."
Hamlin Still Not Practicing
Free safety Ken Hamlin (ankle) did not participate in Monday's light practice but appears closer to a return. Hamlin suffered a high ankle sprain Nov. 15 at Green Bay and was projected to miss two-to-four weeks.
"We'll see how he is on Wednesday," Phillips said.
Phillips also said tight end Jason Witten's sprained foot is improving. Listed as questionable last week, Witten had a season-high 107 receiving yards against Oakland. He went home in a walking boot - a precaution he used earlier in the week - and practiced again Monday.
"Whatever he had, we want him to keep it," Phillips joked. "He had his best game. I think he's even better today than he was during the game."
Rookie linebacker Victor Butler sprained his knee against the Raiders but was able to practice some Monday.
Dare To Be Great
Cowboys linebacker Keith Brooking has seen his share of defenses during his 12 years in the league. While he admits the Cowboys, which rank just 14th in the NFL, may not be atop the league leaders, that remains the goal.
"Our standards are extremely high. We want to be the best," Brooking said. "We're not there yet. We're not even close. But we have what it takes to be great, defensively. We can't be scared to get to that level."
The Cowboys haven't allowed more than 17 points in the last five games, and just 13 points total the last two weeks.
"We have the ability to be one of the best defenses in this league," Brooking said. "We just have to work at it, and realize how good we can really be and just be consistent. No one can run the ball against us, no one can be able to move the ball on us consistently if we have that mentality."
-Nick Eatman
Roster Moves
The Cowboys made two practice squad moves in time for Monday's light workout, releasing defensive back Jamar Love and signing defensive back Marquis Floyd and linebacker Donovan Woods.
The club has had an extra spot on its eight-man squad since last week, when the Buccaneers signed rookie quarterback Rudy Carpenter to their 53-man roster.
Floyd (West Georgia) is a former All-Arena AFL player who has spent time with the Seahawks and Browns over the last two seasons. Woods, a former quarterback and safety at Oklahoma State, was signed by the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2008.]
-Rob Phillips
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