Thursday, August 24, 2006

Owens might not play until opener

By STEPHEN HAWKINS
BC-FBN--Cowboys-T.O.,0321
AP Sports Writer


IRVING, Texas (AP) -- Terrell Owens missed practice again Thursday, virtually assuring he will miss his third straight preseason game for the Dallas Cowboys this weekend and might not play until the regular-season opener.

Owens missed 15 of 27 training camp workouts in Oxnard, Calif., and the first two exhibition games before the Cowboys resumed practice at home Wednesday.

Owens said Wednesday he aggravated his left hamstring injury by returning to practice too soon last week. The receiver characterized his injury as a "severe pull" and said he wasn't going to jeopardize his health by rushing back again.

The Cowboys play San Francisco, Owens' original team, on Saturday night. Five days later, they play their last preseason game.

It's possible Owens might not play in a game until the Sept. 10 opener at Jacksonville. He hasn't played in a game with quarterback Drew Bledsoe, and the Dallas offense is different from the West Coast scheme Owens played in for the 49ers and Philadelphia.

Owens said Wednesday he's not concerned about the possibility of not playing in the preseason.
"I don't really have any doubts about if I'm going to perform or not," he said.

After missing 14 consecutive training camp practices and the preseason opener in Seattle because of the hamstring problem that has bothered him all month, Owens returned for five practices last week. He then missed the final full workout in California.

Owens first felt a twinge in his hamstring Aug. 2, but an MRI taken three days later was clear. Owens said another MRI this week also was negative, with only a little fluid in the hamstring.

"Just because the MRI doesn't show anything, that doesn't mean that I'm not hurting," Owens said.