Mick Shots: TO sitting out; players to watch Monday

Mick Shots - Aug. 20

Here was a case on Saturday where not enough information led to out-of-control speculation when Terrell Owens didn’t practice Saturday afternoon following Bill Parcells announcing earlier in the day the wide receiver would not be playing in Monday night’s game. Had he said Owens was not going to practice in the afternoon, then no one would have started putting two and two together, figuring Owens was pouting after finding out he wasn’t going to play, so basically said his hamstring still hurt and didn’t want to practice. Evidently, Owens already knew he wasn’t going to play before he even practiced Saturday morning. So, actually, since he wasn’t going to play Monday, there was no sense asking him to go twice on Saturday when the second practice was basically a cards practice, meaning the Cowboys were running scout-team stuff to prepare for the Saints.

Also, don’t start adding stuff up after you discover Owens wasn’t on the team plane to Shreveport, La. Injured players don’t go to the games. Patrick Crayton (ankle) was heading back to Dallas, and I’m sure no one started oohing about that. Not playing Monday gives Owens three full days of rest on a hamstring that evidently was starting to tighten up on him. Plus, Parcells would like to practice twice at least one day this week.

Here’s guessing the Cowboys will be fully stocked with IV’s for Monday’s game since the heat index at kickoff is sure to be hovering round 100 – that is if predicted thunderstorms don’t hit.

Here are some guys to watch Monday night: Watkins (25) playing safety on the first nickel defense; Greg Ellis at left outside linebacker; Jay Ratliff (66) at defensive tackle on the nickel defense; Abram Elam (37) on the first kickoff return team with Skyler Green (10); Cory Procter (71) at one of the two guard positions on the second team; and how well Andre Gurode plays at center against a 4-3 defensive front.