PHILADELPHIA — In the hailstorm of shame and blame that must be rained upon the Dallas Cowboys on Monday, don't forget to include the quarterback.

The frat party is over. His golden touch has come undone.

On a day when a postseason berth was there for the taking, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo did more than his share to give it all away.

Yes, he had help, as the Philadelphia Eagles' 44-6 winning margin easily suggests. But as the Cowboys briskly gurgled down the December drain yet again, an unsettling side of Romo has emerged.

When he's good, he's been very good. At times, he's even played like the franchise messiah that owner Jerry Jones is paying him to be.

But when the elements and the pass rush and his own impetuousness have conspired against him in these make-or-break December and January games, Romo has been more a part of the problem than the solution.

Blasphemy? Have it your way.

But I see a 28-year-old quarterback who hasn't been playing up to his six-year, $67.4 million contract. I see a team that still hasn't won a playoff game in 12 seasons.

I see a former small-college football player who wasn't drafted by an NFL team and is now reminding the league why.

Not that he doesn't belong in the NFL. He's more than validated that.

Rather, three Decembers of Tony Romo have peeled open his flaws — exposed his antsy feet, his propensity to be loose and breezy with the football and, if you believe Terrell Owens, his inability to spread the passing game around.

Romo was sacked three times, intercepted once, fumbled twice and failed to get the Cowboys' offense into the end zone Sunday.

Romo wears his stats, though, like his trademark backward ballcap. He is a fantasy football player's delight, piling up yards and touchdowns.

As he's proven, he can get by on his dimples and his smile.

But not Sunday. On Sunday, there was too much at stake — coaches' jobs and playoff berths, to name two — to excuse or ignore Romo's shortcomings.

Yet, ever since Romo ousted Drew Bledsoe as starting quarterback in 2006, this is what the Cowboys are wont to do. It's as if Jones was so determined to finally find his next Troy Aikman, he has tried to legitimize his decision with the big contract and an unwavering chorus of praise.

Even Sunday, with Romo's palm prints all over the ghastly 44-6 defeat, some teammates seemed to steer clear of criticizing Romo.

"I think he's the best quarterback in this league," Cowboys tight end Jason Witten said. "He's a warrior, a tough guy. He can do things that other guys can't."

When asked about Romo, Owens added, "It's funny you should ask that. I texted Tony this morning and told him, 'I'm still the same guy who shed tears for you in the press conference last year.' "

Owens used the words "shameful" and "terrible,"" however, to describe what happened here Sunday.

"People have to look in the mirror — myself included," he said, "and ask themselves, 'How can I get better?' "

That includes Romo, Owens suggested.

"I know the guy is competitive," he said. "But I can't put my finger on it."

The coddling, frankly, hasn't helped Romo's development or the Cowboys at all. He has adopted a defense mechanism, of sorts, when prodded to explain a bad throw or busted play. He smiles, he cracks a small joke and then he asserts that the mistake will be identified and corrected in the film room.

When asked specifically Sunday about his own inconsistencies, Romo answered, "We've got to play better. I've got to play better. The team has to play better. We didn't play good this December. That's obviously the story."

Well, yes and no. Romo's erratic play was a huge part of that story. If he ever hopes to be a team leader, Romo is going to have to admit to his own shortcomings.

The Cowboys don't need major changes, Romo said after Sunday's rout. Random things happen in games, the quarterback said, that spell the difference between losing and winning.

"Scheme is a major, major part of it that the normal fan or writer doesn't understand sometimes," Romo said. "With some games, it's not always easy to just say, 'Well, he didn't play good.' A lot of it is scheme."

Hmm. It's not Tony Romo's fault, but offensive coordinator Jason Garrett's?

That's an awfully weak observation, since Garrett wasn't the one with three turnovers.

As other teams have watched Romo more and more on tape, let me suggest, they've learned his ticks and nuances. They've learned, as the Eagles' defense showed, that Romo needs to be pressured at whatever the cost. Some teams are sending a lineman or linebacker to the front of the pocket, sealing off Romo's favorite escape route.

A sharp critique of the Cowboys' offensive line might be appropriate here. But move along, please, there's nothing new to report there. The line's run blocking surpasses its pass protection abilities.

Romo has to move around, in other words, if he wants to find pass receivers.

In the meantime, Romo has to live with the stigma of allegedly not being able to win the big games.

"I wake up tomorrow and keep living," Romo asserted. "We're going to try to win the Super Bowl. That's all you can do. If we don't, OK.

"I've had a lot worse happen to me than a loss at a sporting event, that's for sure."

Ah, the standard "everyman" answer. That's not going to solve the Cowboys' problem during this long, premature off-season.

Blasphemy? If you say so.

But I saw a shameful performance Sunday here at Lincoln Financial Field.

The quarterback needs to answer for it.