IRVING, Texas (AP) -- It appears the Dallas Cowboys must win their third consecutive Super Bowl the hard way. The road to Miami might have to go through San Francisco."Stuff's broken and it has to be fixed," said defensive end Charles Haley. "We've been taking a pounding. Our defense is going downhill and the offense is sputtering. We just can't sit back and think we're the best and not do anything. We have to fix it now."
The Cowboys' 19-14 loss to Cleveland on Saturday dropped them to an 11-3 record and a game behind San Francisco with two to play in the chase for the NFC homefield advantage through the playoffs. Dallas lost 21-14 to the 49ers earlier in the season so San Francisco owns the tie-breaker.
Dallas has clinched the NFC East and can win a bye in the first round of the playoffs with a victory or a Minnesota loss.
"As far as I'm concerned getting a first round bye is the most important thing," said quarterback Troy Aikman, who lost a fumble and was intercepted two times in his return to the lineup after a two-week absence. "We've been hearing about playing San Francisco in the championship game since the playoffs. We've played out there before and won. Maybe we won't even have to play San Francisco. Who knows?"
However, Aikman admits the Cowboys have been playing less than at a championship level.
"In the last two or three weeks we've put up a lot of points but we've been hot and cold," Aikman said. "In the past we've been more consistent. It's important we get back to that kind of football."
The Cowboys won with Jason Garrett and Rodney Peete after Aikman sprained his left knee. Aikman, playing with a knee brace, wasn't as mobile and his passing also suffered with a slick ball.
"I thought I struggled and didn't throw the ball very well," Aikman said. "Cleveland is very good on defense, the best we've played."
Dallas has road games at New Orleans and the New York Giants left on the schedule and coach Barry Switzer said it will be tough.
Under Switzer the Cowboys haven't taken it to the most dominant teams. Dallas is 3-3 against teams over .500, losing to San Francisco, Detroit, and Cleveland.
"We really wanted to win this game at home and clinch a bye in the first round," Switzer said. "It didn't work out that way. It seems everybody wants a piece of us. We've got to get back looking like the Dallas Cowboys. We look out of sync on both offense and defense against the Browns."
Switzer added "sometimes you eat the bear but the bear took a big bite out of us."
Cornerback Kevin Smith said the loss to the Browns will take a lot out of the Cowboys.
"I think we fell hard," he said. "I'm sure we had our eyes opened. We can still control our destiny by playing at home if we get the first round bye. We will worry about a game in San Francisco if and when it comes down to that."
No team has every won three consecutive Super Bowls and safety James Washington said he sees why.
"We've been doing pretty good on turnovers but we got burned by them," he said. "If you live by the sword you die by the sword. Now we just ahve to dig in. We still know what we have to do even if this makes it harder."