Cowboys WR Williams now knows he needs improvement

The Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Roy Williams kept dropping key passes that hit him in the hands for the last two games and eventually got to understand why the ball was not thrown to his way, but to the one in No. 19 Cowboys jersey most of the time.

Williams had been confident and upbeat in interviews every week, despite catching only 38 passes for 596 yards when he was supposed to be Tony Romo’s No. 1 target. But he understood why his quarterback lost confidence in him after he dropped a key pass shortly before halftime of Sunday’s win over the Washington Redskins, with no defender anywhere near him.

The Cowboys gave up four draft picks, including first- and third-rounders this year, to get Williams from Detroit midway through last season, and immediately gave him a $45 million, five-year contract extension. But he caught only 19 passes in 10 games last season. His status as the team’s top receiver was completely lost a few weeks into the season when he missed a game with rib injury with Miles Austin to be his replacement. Austin made the Cowboys see what a better receiver they had ignored because of focus on Williams.

Austin set a club record with 250 yards receiving in his first start and then has managed to lead the club with an NFC-best 1,230 yards on 74 catches, with 11 touchdowns, and on Tuesday was voted into the Pro Bowl, while Williams has had totally seven touchdowns.

“I don’t blame them. I blame myself. So I have to get my (act) together and try to right this thing and help this team win some games in the playoffs.” Williams said of having no other ball come his way after he dropped the pass in the rest of last Sunday’s game. But he still has the confidence that he has “the best hands in the league, top three at least.” What in his plan now is to put in more work after practice.