What's up with Roy?
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

EVERYONE'S FALL GUY LATELY - Dallas safety Roy Williams (above) hasn't been defending himself from charges that he's not playing at the same level he once was. Williams says he'll change his jersey number from 31 to 38 this season, and hopes his bad pass-coverage karma will change with it.

IRVING (AP) - Dallas Cowboys safety Roy Williams is used to dealing out big hits. Lately, his reputation has had its share.

Williams, a former Oklahoma Sooner, has gone from fan favorite to fans' favorite punching bag in recent years, mostly because of how often touchdown passes are thrown with him in the vicinity.

He hasn't helped himself, in or out of the locker room, by blaming others, from reporters he accused of not understanding what was happening to teammates he claimed to be bailing out. At least, that's what he would say the few times he was willing to be interviewed.

Coaches keep insisting the big hitter is just fine as a cover guy, even though last season they began sending him to the sideline in obvious passing situations.

Things have gotten worse in recent weeks.

It started with Williams going on a radio station and admitting there were times last season when he lined up against someone he knew he couldn't cover, leaving him hoping the quarterback wouldn't throw his way.

Then longtime teammate Greg Ellis said in a radio interview that Williams grumbled about not fitting into coach Wade Phillips' defense. He also accused Williams of avoiding teammates by working out early in the mornings, leaving before anyone else arrives. Coaches invited Williams in for a chat.

The first week of organized team activities would have been a great time for Williams to step forward and clear the air via the media. Instead, he took his family to Mexico.

He was probably back in time to hear cornerback Terence Newman tell a local television station Sunday that there were times last season that Williams came into the huddle with the "deer in the headlights" look.

When Williams returned to work Tuesday, he was greeted by a local newspaper column headlined, "Status of Cowboys' Roy Williams slowly sinking."

On Wednesday, when the locker room was open to media, Williams had another chance to voice his side of the story. He never showed up at his locker.

Williams has said he was switching from No. 31 to 38 as a way of reinventing himself.

By staying away from the cameras, Williams left others to talk about him again. Predictably, coaches and team owner Jerry Jones came to his defense, and Newman was forced to break down his buzzworthy quote.

"I think every DB in the league has looked like a deer in the headlights at times," Newman said. It wasn't like I said during the whole season last year Roy was looking like a deer in the headlights. I said 'at times.' It happens. I stick behind it. It was not like it was something bad. If you get beat on a play you come back to the huddle and you don't look like you are confident."

Dave Campo was the Dallas coach when Williams arrived. He's back with the club as secondary coach and said Williams still has "all the skills necessary" to be a great player.

"All of a sudden, everybody thinks he can't play," Campo said. "That's a bunch of baloney."

Jones is counting on Williams to return to a high level of play.

"Every one of us need to be emptying our bucket and doing everything we can to win," he said. "I don't expect to have anything but that from Roy. I think we've got a good chance to see it."