OWENS SMILING AGAIN

Shawn Clarke, NFL Contributing Editor
The Sports Network

When Terrell Owens is having fun and not criticizing teammates or coaches, the rest of the NFL better beware. A focused T.O. will burn you.

Owens certainly appears to be catching fire following Sunday's win at Carolina. He didn't score a touchdown, but caught passes and made plays to set up scores for the team. The wideout also passed Michael Irvin and Charlie Joiner (750 receptions) for 19th place on the NFL's all-time reception list, and now has 703 for his career. Owens also has 37 catches for 482 yards and five touchdown receptions this season, all team highs, and burned a talent- laden Carolina secondary for 107 yards.

Owens is quiet for now, or at least until Romo throws a few picks and turns his attention away from the loud-mouthed wide receiver, who is satisfied so far with the new signal-caller.

"He proved that he can play on a national spotlight," Owens said of Romo. "He had a great week of practice. This is why the coaches put him back there. We just have to go out there and make plays for him."

In Romo we trust: Cowboys ride QB to victory

Shawn Clarke, NFL Contributing Editor

(Sports Network) - It started out ugly, but the debut of new Dallas Cowboys No. 1 quarterback Tony Romo ended prettier than the team's heralded cheerleaders.

Romo's performance in Sunday's 35-14 win at Carolina had head coach Bill Parcells smiling, and even kissing a few players. The coach also jokingly turned the brim of Terrell Owens' cap, like a father would his eight-year old son after a Little League game.

Of course, Owens was all smiles. He got the ball a season-high nine times for 107 yards, including a clutch two-point conversion which gave Dallas a 21-14 lead.

But the big story of the night was Romo, who completed 24 of his 36 passes for 270 yards and a touchdown with one interception in his first NFL start. Romo, so far, is proving his worth over Drew Bledsoe, whose ability to avoid the rush and pick up first downs with his legs is inferior to Romo's.

Bledsoe was the starter until being replaced at halftime against the Giants, and Romo did no better in that game with three picks over the last 30 minutes. Week 8 brought a different story. There were a few moments against the Panthers, that if Bledsoe had been in the game, he would have exited with a few black marks on his helmet.

It's only one game for Romo, but his introduction left an impression on the team and improved the Cowboys to 4-3 this season. Dallas is second in the NFC East behind New York, and ahead of both Philadelphia (4-4) and Washington (2-5), which is this week's opponent at FedEx Field.

Romo, who was named starter on the Wednesday prior to the Carolina game, helped Dallas score 35 unanswered points over the final three quarters at hostile Bank of America Stadium. The Cowboys also opened their three-game road trip in style and erased the memories of last Monday's loss to the Giants.

"It was a good comeback being down 14," Parcells said. "I'll take my hats off to my kids tonight. They fought back. That was a good one for us. We needed it badly. They fought their guts out."

Dallas fought for 404 total yards of offense with a well-balanced attack. The offensive line was a big reason, and gave Romo enough time to spread the ball around and the running backs to find lanes.

In addition to the receiving work of Owens, tight end Jason Witten recorded season-highs in receptions (6) and yards (80) with a touchdown of is own. Wideout Terry Glenn caught four passes for 52 yards.

"Hey, I don't really care who it goes to," Romo said. "I just throw it to whoever is open. I'm not trying to pick out anyone. If you're going to get open, I'll get you the ball."

Running the ball was an area Dallas needed to work on during the week, after posting just 69 yards on the ground in the loss to New York, including a season-low 30 for running back Julius Jones.

This week, Jones took out his frustrations on Carolina for 92 yards and a score on 24 touches. Jones and fellow back Marion Barber, who had 49 yards and two TDs on nine carries, helped contribute to a 156-yard ground assault.

ARON ON COWBOYS: Forget mobility; Romo most offers hope

Associated Press
National Football League News Wire

IRVING, Texas -- Tony Romo lacks Drew Bledsoe's big arm and
his pedigree. He wasn't drafted, much less taken No. 1 overall. He
hasn't started a Super Bowl and perhaps hasn't even watched an
entire Pro Bowl, while Bledsoe has played in four.

But for the time being, Romo offers the Dallas Cowboys something
Bledsoe can't: Hope.

The same statement could've been made last week, after coach
Bill Parcells announced the quarterback change. Yet it would've
been wishful thinking for Cowboys fans, not something based on
"demonstrated ability," to borrow from the Parcells phrase book.

Now Romo has demonstrated that ability. And while Parcells tried
tempering his optimism by saying Monday that Romo's success against
Carolina might have been beginner's luck, do you really think the
65-year-old coach would've gone around kissing players as if they'd
won the Super Bowl unless he thought this game really meant
something?

C'mon. That was way too rousing of a celebration for a
pre-Halloween victory from a guy who repeatedly says a season isn't
worth evaluating until after Thanksgiving.

It was all about a player sparking a team -- not just for one
win, but in a way that could lead to many more, perhaps enough for
this team to finally win its first playoff game since 1996.

Sure, that's reading a lot into one game that turned as much on
mistakes by the Panthers as it did perfection by the Cowboys, but
it describes the fresh mood at Valley Ranch this week.

"You just hope the course of action you decided to take is for
the good of the team," Parcells said Monday.

Parcells had a lot riding on the move -- this season and,
perhaps, the final chapter of his career. Had it blown up on him
Sunday night, there's no telling what might've happened this week.

Now Parcells is fired up. He's got friends calling and telling
him how great he is. He feels like a genius for having stuck by the
kid and maybe takes a bit more glee in having turned his nothing
into something when Jerry Jones' hand-picked somethings all turned
out to be nothings.

Players are feeling good, too. They finally beat a good team and
did it on the road after getting down by two touchdowns. They are
rallying around Romo right now more than they ever were around
Bledsoe this season.

"He can play," said Terrell Owens, who may benefit from this
move as much as anyone. "You saw Tony scanning the field, scanning
the defense and putting the ball in the right place at the right
time. I think with the weapons we have on offense, we can rip a
defense apart."

While some might say Romo was a better option simply because he
couldn't be any worse than Bledsoe, he certainly seemed to know
what he was doing out there, proving that he really was paying
close attention during his three-plus years of apprenticeship.

Down 14-0 after three drives (a punt, a missed field goal and an
interception), Romo got Dallas within 14-10 at halftime. A pair of
punts to start the second half didn't get him down either. The
Cowboys scored on four of their final five possessions, ringing up
a club-record 25 points in the fourth quarter.

"His game management could use a little work, but for the first
time out in that kind of situation, I'd say I was generally
satisfied with that," Parcells said Monday.

The next challenge is how Romo handles the fame that comes with
being the starting quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys.

He got a taste of it being everyone's darling the last few
months, as Bledsoe fell out of favor. But that might be nothing
compared to what could be coming.

Consider this: The team sent fans a "Breaking News" e-mail
Tuesday with the subject line "QB Tony Romo Jerseys Are Here,"
along with pictures of the home and road versions. Click through to
the jersey page on their Web site and those two models are in the
first two slots, ahead of the top-selling Terrell Owens models.

Then there's the 21st century example of his new status: an
anti-Romo blog began last Tuesday that's purely a farce. All
postings are signed by "Really Drew Bledsoe," and nearly all are
good for a chuckle or two, providing you don't offend easily.
That'll be obvious once you do a Google search and discover the
address is a derogatory tweak of Romo's name.

That's off the field stuff, though. He'll have plenty more
challenges on the field, starting Sunday with the blitz-happy
Washington Redskins, who now have six quarters' worth of film to
study.

Actually, his first on-field test comes at practice Wednesday.
He might still be sore from Sunday night, and perhaps still
bursting with pride, but will have to wipe the slate clean and get
ready to try proving himself all over again.

He's already been warned. As Romo was getting on the team bus
Sunday night, Parcells told him: "You better be able to get back
in the huddle on Wednesday and try to convince us you can move the
team."

Anthony Fasano, TE — Dallas Cowboys

Anthony Fasano, TE — Dallas Cowboys Oct. 31, 4:08 p.m.

Now that Tony Romo has replaced Drew Bledsoe as the Cowboys' starting quarterback, Fasano could get more passes directed his way. Fasano has excellent hands and runs good routes, but he doesn’t have much speed and that makes it difficult for him to separate from linebackers. (Jean-Jacques Taylor for SN)

This week on "Dallas"

By Os Davis on October 31, 2006 12:22 AM

And now, a special RealFootball365 service for those of you viewers who may have missed an episode or two of that scheming, head-game playing, back-biting family known as "Dallas." Following is an episode guide to help fill you in on all the plots, subplots and subsubplots of the NFL's No. 1-ranked soap opera you somehow may have missed

In this week's episode, entitled "New Blood brings New New Hope," patriarch Jock Ewing (played by Jerry Jones) again sees nothing but trouble for the whole Dallas Cowboys ' clan as alliances have shifted from soon-to-be forgotten Gary (Drew Bledsoe) to his up-and-coming smiling son Bobby (Tony Romo).

Bobby pleases stockholders (Cowboy fans) with a solid 24-of-36 for 270 yards. Gary threatens to leave the series altogether, but no one notices. Meanwhile, Jock reassures J.R. (Terrell Owens) that he is still his favorite, citing as proof the 107 yards on nine catches. Miss Ellie (Bill Parcells) looks happier than a tuna in a pond full of minnows at her rollicking boys and says, "We haven't been having a lot of fun around here. They're having fun right now."

Previous episodes with a bearing on current events in "Dallas" include the following:

Episode one, "A New Hope." (Wait, that was "Star Wars.") With an all-new supporting cast, higher production values and a J.R. meaner than ever, "Dallas" looks primed for a solid season before a rival firm overlooked by the clan, the Jacksonville Jaguars , surprises when Gary appears to have lost his stock reports, newspaper, ranch house and mind. Overcoming illness, J.R. is overshadowed. Jock reassures J.R. that he is still the favorite.

Episode three, "Who OD'd J.R.? Part One." In an otherwise blah episode, the critical mass created by J.R.'s steady stream of media hype, half-joking statements and complaining result in an attempt on the Favored Son's life. As Jock, Jones delivers a heart-rending monologue resembling a combination of "King Lear" and William Shatner (Capt. Kirk) lamenting his son's death in "Star Trek III." Suspects in J.R.'s near-lethal poisoning include his jealous receiver mate Sue Ellen (Terry Glenn), Gary, and essentially the entire population outside the Dallas-Ft. Worth metropolitan statistical area.

Episode four, "Who OD'd J.R.? Part Two." The ratings-grabbing cliffhanger resolution has the "Dallas" clan overcoming little serious opposition from Tennessee, and the would-be assassin of J.R. revealed to be no one, as J.R.'s spokesman, Alexis Carrington, explains. (And yes, we know that Joan Collins' character was never on the real-life "Dallas," but that's about as close a reference to "Dynasty" this incarnation of the Cowboys is going to get.)

Episode seven, "Take This Job and ... No, Wait, Please, I Didn't Mean to Throw that Interception, I'll Concentrate Next Time." Impatient stockholders suffering from a condition similar to that of the "Memento" protagonist, instantly forget Gary giving up the body for a gutsy TD and begin booing, throwing blunt objects and calling for his head. Bobby, thought dead for the remainder of the season, appears in a shower in the locker room and is inserted into the lineup. J.R. smiles charmingly while dropping a key third-down pass. Miss Ellie mouths the word "damn" on prime time.

Be sure to tune in again this week, as the "Dallas" family visits the nation's capital to lobby for playoff positioning; the defense takes further steps in its struggle with bipolar disorder; Gary again threatens to leave and no one notices; Marion Barber III decides to continue taking injections of DNA to make him into Earl Campbell; and the entire offensive line is lined up against a wall in Moldavia and shot.

Film review: Tony Romo

By Grizz
Posted on Tue Oct 31, 2006 at 12:04:41 PM EST



I watched the win over the Panthers again and have two reports two give. The first one is all Tony Romo, since he deserves special attention and it follows below. The second one, about the rest of the team, will follow later today and includes a focus on the offensive line.

Here's the caveat for the entire Tony Romo breakdown below; this was one game. I'm basing this review on what I saw Sunday night and it's not a comment on future play. So if it sounds like Romo is the next Tom Brady or something, it's because for one night he was. But next week, that all could be washed away with a poor performance.


1. Poise

The game wasn't too big for Tony Romo on Sunday Night. We hear Coach Parcells throw that phrase out in press conferences, on Sunday we saw it defined. To Romo, this was just another day at the office, or so it appeared.

Take the opening drives of the game. Romo comes out and hits T.O. to open the first drive and on 2nd and 3 hits Witten for a first down. Chop block, penalty, 2nd and 18. He hits Witten for 10 yards and its 3rd and 8. Peppers reads the middle screen and covers MB3, Flozell gets beat and Romo is sacked. Tough start.

Undaunted, Romo comes out and leads a 9-play 52-yard drive, and then Vanderjagt misses the FG. That's two series in a row where Romo had done his job but was undone by the rest of the team. The next offensive series for Romo starts with the Cowboys down 7-0. Hostile environment, you're now losing, the team is making mistakes, that could be discouraging for a young QB. On first down he hit Witten again but a holding penalty makes it 1st and 20. On 3rd down, desperate to make something happen, Romo makes the killer mistake by throwing an ill-advised pass that is intercepted. The Panthers immediately cashed it in for a 14-0 lead.

This was the moment that poise really kicked in for Romo. That's a lot of negative activity in the first quarter of Romo's first game starting in the NFL, and only the second game where he'd played minutes that were actually meaningful.

So what does Romo do? Direct a 9-play, 47-yard TD drive. A drive that never even has a 3rd down, Romo threw 4 passes on 2nd down, converting each to 1st downs or a TD. Efficient and effective. On the next series Romo goes 68 yards in 14 plays, eating up the time in the first half, and gets a FG. On the series, he converted a 3rd and 2 by using his feet, then converted a 3rd and 7 with a bullet strike to Witten. He almost converted a 3rd and 13 with the Panthers blitzing for a first down, but Terry Glenn came up a yard short on the catch and we kicked the FG.

Now its 14-10 at halftime and the game is up for grabs. That's poise under pressure.


2. Pocket presence

I counted at least four. And by that, I mean four times that Romo made plays when Bledsoe would've absolutely failed, and I think that's being generous to Bledsoe.

Tony Romo had the spidey-senses working. He felt pressure when it was real, and when it wasn't real he stayed in the pocket. Two different sides of the coin and equally important.

When the pressure came and the pocket started collapsing, not only was Romo adept at moving around in the pocket or taking off running, but he almost always moved in the right direction to open space. He almost always put himself in position to make a play instead of just running around in the backfield without a plan except to avoid the sack. A good example was a play to Witten. We had a 3rd and 2 deep in Panther territory, and MB3 had just picked up the 1st down on a run but T.O. got called for holding. It's a spot foul so now its 3rd and 7; Gurode gets a false start penalty and its 3rd and 12. Romo drops back, Rivera gets beat and his man is headed for Romo. At the last second Romo takes two quick steps to his left, finds the open ground in the pocket, and with his head up the whole time fires a bullet to Witten for the first down.

On the flip side, he doesn't get hit as much as Bledsoe did, so he doesn't get happy feet in the pocket. After Bledsoe got hit a few times early in games because he couldn't avoid the rush, he would start seeing the rush instead of sensing it and the happy feet would start dancing. His mechanics would get out of whack and disaster usually awaited. Romo didn't have that problem. He avoided the rush so well that he didn't take a lot of hits, even on plays where he gets the pass off; he's not getting knocked down. As the game progressed Romo stayed in the pocket, sometimes when it looked like it was breaking down, but he knew he had enough time to make his throw. He didn't start dancing and was able to accurately judge real pressure from false pressure. It's frustrating when a QB bails out of a pocket to early, almost as much as when he bails out too late.


3. Quick release

It was like hitting the fast-forward button on your Tivo in comparison to Drew Bledsoe. Not the super fast-forward, just the one tap on the button fast-forward. Romo has a quick release and he makes quick decisions.

When Romo took 3-step drops to throw the quick hitches and slants, it was text-book. His drop is fast; he plants on the back foot and gets the ball out on target, quickly. When he hits the 5 and 7-step drops, his quick release lets him hang in the pocket just a little longer before he has to throw it. He was very adept at letting the rush get close to him but still giving himself time to get the ball out cleanly, without anyone hitting his arm or fouling up his mechanics. This was one thing that absolutely killed Bledsoe, throwing passes under duress when he couldn't step into a throw.


4. Reading the defense

It's hard to be too accurate about reads and audibles without knowing the play calls, but Romo didn't look to be shy about changing the plays. He took his time at the line, was constantly pointing out the pass rush and appeared to make audible calls regularly.

The Panthers chose to blitz Romo. They ran a number of middle blitzes using their LB's. The line did a good job of picking them up and Romo took advantage of their absence. With the middle LB's missing from the coverage Romo and Witten played catch over the middle of the field and he hit both Owens and Glenn on deep `in' patterns.

On the 2-point conversion, Romo read the defense perfectly. The Cowboys lined up in a shotgun formation with an empty backfield. I was calling out QB draw the minute I saw the formation. But it wasn't a draw. Owens was in the left slot, and the linebacker covering the middle of the field crept up to the end of the line and faked a blitz. Romo took the snap, faked a QB draw by taking a step forward, then dropped back and fired the ball to Owens on a quick slant. Romo saw the linebacker at the end of the line, froze him for just an instant before he could drop back into coverage and he was a step slow in making the coverage on Owens across the middle. The defensive back on Owens was covering his outside expecting help from the linebacker on the inside. Romo saw the whole thing and executed it perfectly.


5. Possible weaknesses

So far, Romo hasn't connected on the deep pattern with regularity, mainly because he's content to take the short, underneath stuff. He did connect on a couple of passes of 20+ yards on Sunday over the middle, but we've yet to see the go pattern or the deep post, routes of that nature. We don't really know yet how good he is hitting receivers 30-yards or more downfield. He's going to have to do it at some point because defenses will start pressing forward to stop the short passing game.

We can't forget he did make a very bad impulse throw for an interception which is easy to overlook considering how he played the rest of the game. But he needs to remember that play as an example of what not to do in a game.

His deep out passes could use a little more zip. He threw one to Glenn that was a little dangerous because it hung up there for a second and he also floated one into Owens. Now, the Owens one was a safe loft, he was wide open so the softer touch was the safer throw, but it also kept Owens from having time to turn up field. Next time, he might need Owens to score instead of just getting the first down to help grind out the clock.

Tony Romo on GAC

Recap by c_rob from a sports forum:

It was a big win and we needed it. It was a positive but we have two more road games.

The spotlight that was on you--can this kid come in and save the Cowboys,-you do seem to like the spotlight. I think there is a fine line, if you are going to play QB then you have to want the ball. For me personally it is satisfying to go out and win.

Your girlfriend? Did she call you back? Yes she did (Galloway-I knew she would as soon as you went big time) Tony-we are in a long distance deal, she is in med school. She just complimented me.

What were your thoughts coming out of the Giants game? The thing I learned about myself is that it's tough to have a performance like that and dwell on it for a long time. I knew a long time ago I wouldn't want to do anything in sports if I couldn't be successful at it. I have tried to put myself in position to succeed. It was very hard to swallow last week, but I was very anxious to get back out there and prove that I could.

Your attitude, you want to be the best, how did that work out coming out of high school, you get an offer from E. Illinois, then you don't get drafted, how did you keep the attitude that you were going to do it? I thought I had some of the tools, but I didn't start playing until I was older, once I went forward I kept improving, I think I have good instincts.

What did Bledsoe say after the Carolina game if anything? He has been very complimentary. It has to be tough for him. We still have a working relationship.

There is a grassy knoll theory that the entire team suddenly played better for Romo than they had for Bledsoe. Blocking was better, no dropped passes? I don't know, when you don't win you look for things. I think some of the young guys have rallied together. The execution on both sides of the ball was very good last night.

Washington, everyone is now a Tony Romo fan, what are they going to come at you with on Sunday? I just started watching film on them today. They usually bring pressure. Hopefully I won't be surprised by too much. (Randy, wait a minute you've started one game now you know everything?? Tony-Yeah, but I've watched a lot of film and games. Randy-well you can be a sportswriter now.)

Ware and Spears on the Ticket

What's this about his "talk" to the team?

Apparently Bill saying stuff like, "I need to get back to the coach I used to be, the coach who could inspire guys, the guy who can be passionate about the game, etc."

Ware says that he said that Saturday at the hotel, and that the "speech," was to be honest with the team, not to inspire them, per se, but that after that, he said, the team was ready to go out and rip someone's head off, he said you could tell there was no losing this game.

Ware says none of them (at least, most of the "newer" guys) had ever seen Parcells that way before.

Interesting.

A change in Parcells approach?
Spears: "Carolina didn't stand a chance. It all transpired from the talk in the hotel, the being down 14, the emotion on the sidelines, etc."

Spears: "Let me get this out there (when someone called in about pass rushing). Me, Fergi, and Canty are not in this defense to rush the passer. Even DeMarcus Ware and Greg Ellis have three or four other responsibilities on pass plays."

Spears: (Responding to the sack-happy media) "Our coaches are going to be happy when we go into practice tomorrow because we only let up 73 yards rushing. You aren't going to see a 15 sack guy in this defense. Its Ware and Ellis's job to re-route these guys to the outside first....

... It's Me, Canty's, and Fergi's job to get these guys into third and long so Ware and Ellis can pin their ears back. You aren't going to see sacks from this defense in first and second downs."

SI.com: Mid-Season Playoff Predictions

NFC wild cards

Dallas: The Cowboys are my pick to get hot down the stretch and play the role of dangerous wild-card qualifier, in the mode of Pittsburgh in last year's AFC playoff field. And like the Steelers, Dallas might find itself sitting 7-5 or so before it really starts to make its move. But having three of their last four at Texas Stadium is going to make the difference in December for the Tony Romo-led Cowboys.

Panthers Reeling After Loss to Cowboys

By MIKE CRANSTON
AP Sports Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- The Carolina Panthers entered the season as the trendy pick to win the Super Bowl.

Midway through the season, they're in disarray.

On Monday, coach John Fox called the team's 35-14 loss to Dallas a night earlier - when the Panthers gave up 25 fourth-quarter points - one of the most disappointing of his career. He also apologized to fans for the team's three turnovers in the final 10 minutes of Sunday night's nationally televised debacle that dropped Carolina to 4-4 heading into its off week.

On top of that, All-Pro receiver Steve Smith also appeared to be openly critical of the team's coaches for being too conservative as the Panthers blew a double-digit lead for the second consecutive week.

"One of the reasons why is you get up 14 points, sometimes we act like it's a hundred points," Smith said.

Smith had six catches for 55 yards against the Cowboys, but the normally solid receiver also dropped two passes and muffed a punt return that the Panthers recovered. Still, the former Pro Bowl punt returner said he didn't plan on being a return man again this season.

"That'll be my last time back there," Smith said.

When asked whether he or his coaches had made that decision, he bristled.

"The last time I checked, I've only got one person to answer to. That's my maker," he said.

Fox said Monday he didn't know about Smith's comments.

"I don't know what he said after the game. That could have been in frustration. I don't know," Fox said. "He was very open-minded to do it in that game. We'll revisit that as we move forward."

Fox didn't argue about Smith's criticism of the team's back-to-back collapses, saying only that it was one of many issues for the Panthers to deal with in the next two weeks. The Panthers are off until a Monday night game with division rival Tampa Bay on Nov. 13.

"The reality is the last two weeks in particular we have scored two touchdowns and then not scored again. I don't think there's any mistruth to that," Fox said. "What we act like I'm not really sure, but if that's what he's referring to, it's hard to argue."

The Panthers' quick start Sunday night ended with many of their fans booing in the final quarter, one of the worst single-quarter performances in franchise history. Carolina mishandled punts, fumbled kickoffs, dropped passes and allowed Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, in his first start, time to do anything he wanted.

"My level of frustration is (high) after a loss, in particular when the game is in hand at 14-13 and you lose 35-14," Fox said. "A lot of my losses, I'm not sure I've experienced one of those."

There was plenty of blame to be shared for the poor performance:

- Normally sure-handed Keyshawn Johnson let what might have been a touchdown pass slip through his hands in the third quarter.

- Carolina picked up only 76 yards rushing while the defense surrendered 156 yards on the ground, allowing on opponent to go over 100 yards rushing for the fourth time this season.

- The secondary, which lost cornerback Ken Lucas to a strained groin in the first half, struggled to contain Terrell Owens (nine catches for 107 yards, Terry Glenn (four catches for 52 yards) and tight end Jason Witten (six catches for 80 yards).

Safety Mike Minter appeared a step slow, getting beat on Witten's 3-yard touchdown catch and getting late to Owens on a 2-point conversion catch in the fourth quarter.

Fox, who hinted at personnel changes after Sunday's game, declined to discuss Minter's status.

"Like I said before, my satisfaction level is at 4-4 as a football team," Fox said. "I'm not going to go into individuals at this point, and probably won't a whole lot moving forward."

Cowboys signed RB Keylon Kincade.

Cowboys signed RB Keylon Kincade.

He'll take Tyson Thompson's spot as a reserve running back and special teams player.

USAToday Inside Slant

Inside Slant
Posted 10/30/2006 11:48 PM ET

Bill Parcells won't tell you he expected Tony Romo to play this well in his first start since a 2002 Division I-AA playoff game at Eastern Illinois.
And he doesn't know yet if this was the beginning of the Romo era or just one lucky game.

But he will tell you he is not surprised by Romo's success, passing for 270 yards and leading the Cowboys to a 35-14 victory over the Panthers.

"You don't know what to expect exactly," Parcells said. "You just hope the course of action you decided to take is for the good of the team, and you hope it turns out that way. I told you all along, I'm hopeful the path we chose to get him ready for pro football was correct. I'm hoping that turns out to be the right one, too. I still don't know for us other than the fact if we had done it a lot sooner I don't think it would have worked. And I don't think he thinks it would have worked now. He may have thought then, that it might have, but I don't think so now."

Parcells carefully groomed Romo for this moment.

He watched him mature from practice squad player in 2003 to third-string quarterback in 2004 to backup in 2005 and to now being ready to be the starter.

Sure, Romo has more mobility than the benched Drew Bledsoe. He also has a quicker release. Both of those characteristics showed against the Panthers and played a role in the Cowboys' victory.

But mostly Romo was prepared for this. He had put in the work. And although he had his ill-advised moments and will continue have moments because of his inexperience, he proved that the game is not too big for him.

"Look, Tony is like any young kid." Parcells said. "He's been around here, he knows what this process has been better than anyone. He knows he's been waiting in the wings. He knows that opportunity won't stay forever either. I think he's mature enough guy and a smart enough guy to realize that."

NOTES, QUOTES

—They are calling Cowboys coach Bill Parcells the kissing bandit in Dallas, following Sunday's emotional victory against the Panthers. Parcells told the team to start having a little more fun at a meeting Saturday night. Many of Parcells' former players expressed concern to him that he wasn't having any fun on the sideline. Former Giants star Jim Burt even flew to Charlotte to check on Parcells personally.

After the win, Parcells let it all hang out, kissing multiple players on the sideline.

"I just do things once in a while," Parcells said. "I'm not ashamed of that. I never have been. I'm really not ashamed of it. I've done plenty of other things I'm not proud of, so every once in awhile you've got to, you know ..."

—The Cowboys' charter plane from Charlotte made an emergency landing in Nashville early Monday when assistant strength coach Tony Ollison became ill on the flight.

Ollison is believed to have suffered heart-related problems. He stayed in Nashville on Monday for continued tests and observation.

His situation cast a pall over what was a festive atmosphere following the victory against the Panthers

"I don't think anybody was feeling all that good about it when you see somebody not doing well and kind of in a captive environment where you can't get immediate assistance," Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said. "I think we all had concerns there but we did about the best we could do. We were on the ground in 10 minutes after the time we decided to do that."

Expected to land at 3 a.m., the Cowboys didn't get back to Dallas until 5 a.m.


PLAYER NOTES

—TE Jason Witten recorded his first touchdown reception of the season with a three-yard scoring catch against the Panthers. Witten had a season-high six receptions for a season-high 80 yards.

—WR Terrell Owens recorded a season-high nine receptions for a season-high 107 yards against the Panthers. He now has 753 career receptions, moving him past Michael Irvin and Charlie Joiner (750 career receptions) into 19th place on the NFL's all-time reception list. With his 107 yards, he reached the 11,000-yard mark for his career, the 17th player in NFL history to reach that mark, finishing the game with 11,017 career receiving yards. Owens' 107 receiving yards marked his first 100-yard game of the season and the 37th of his career.

—QB Drew Bledsoe saw his streak of 70 consecutive starts ended when he was replaced by Tony Romo against Carolina. It was the fourth-longest active streak among NFL quarterbacks.

—S Roy Williams recorded his team-leading third interception of the season against the Panthers.

—LB Greg Ellis recorded two sacks and a forced fumble against the Panthers, his second multi-sack game of the season and the 13th of his career.

—RB Marion Barber scored his fifth and sixth touchdowns of the season. It was his first multiple-touchdown game of the season and the third multiple-touchdown games of his career. Barber's six rushing touchdowns this season tie him with Clinton Portis for third in the NFL in that category behind just LaDainian Tomlinson (9) and Larry Johnson (8).

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

REPORT CARD VS. PANTHERS

PASSING OFFENSE: B — Tony Romo passed for 270 yards. He got good protection up front. But he also bought time with his mobility and quick release. Terrell Owens had a season high nine catches for 107 yards. Tight end Jason Witten also recorded season highs with six catches for 80 yards.

RUSHING OFFENSE: A — The Cowboys were very strong on the ground. Julius Jones rushed for 92 yards and a touchdown. Marion Barber added 49 yards and two touchdowns.

PASS DEFENSE: A — Dangerous receiver Steve Smith recorded six catches but no big plays through the air. He and the other Panthers receivers dropped a lot of passes. But cornerback Terence Newman did a good job covering Smith with Cover 2 help over the top. Greg Ellis notched two sacks. Quarterback Jake Delhomme passed for just 149 yards.

RUSH DEFENSE: A — The Panthers tallied just 76 yards on the ground. Most of that came on an end around by receiver Steve Smith that went for a 24-yard touchdown. Credit nose tackle Jason Ferguson for bottling thing up in the middle of the defense.

SPECIAL TEAMS: A — Tyson Thompson jump-started the comeback with a 37-yard kickoff return. The Cowboys also forced two Panthers fumbles on kickoff returns, with one resulting in a turnover. Matt McBriar averaged 48.3 yards per punt and kicker Mike Vanderjagt made field goals of 38 and 24 yards.

COACHING: A — Bill Parcells said he made the quarterback switch because he felt Tony Romo gave the Cowboys a better chance to win than the immobile and mistake-prone Drew Bledsoe. At least for one game he was right. Romo made the right plays and extended plays, something Bledsoe could never do. He was also unflappable for a player making his first start.

Redskins' QB Watches Parcells Move Pay Off

By JOSEPH WHITE
ASHBURN, Va. - Washington Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell stayed up to watch the whole game Sunday night when Tony Romo won as a first-time starter for the Dallas Cowboys.

"He kept his composure, played with a lot of poise," Campbell said Monday. "It's something you have to do when your first time comes."

Campbell did his best not to sound envious, but he is still waiting for his first time. And with the Cowboys coming to town this week, the debate over when that should happen will only intensify.

Romo's performance in the Cowboys' 35-14 victory at Carolina was vindication for Dallas coach Bill Parcells' decision to bench 30-something Drew Bledsoe and give an untested youngster a shot at energizing an inconsistent offense.

There's a case that Joe Gibbs should do the same - by replacing Mark Brunell with Campbell - but the Redskins coach isn't yet ready to copy his longtime nemesis. Gibbs, for that matter, wouldn't offer an opinion on what Parcells' move.

"For me to say something about that is out of place for me," Gibbs said. "What they've got right now is a quarterback who played extremely well last night."

The Redskins traded three draft picks so they could move up and select Campbell in the first round in 2005. He has been the inactive No. 3 quarterback for every game since. No one would question his absence of playing time if Washington were headed toward another playoff season, but Gibbs' team is 2-5 and struggling to establish an offensive identity.

"Right now you've just got to stay patient and stay confident and understand that when your number's called , that you can go in there and do some good things," Campbell said. "It's just another test in your life. You've got to understand it's all going to pay off for you one day. I've seen guys thrown in there who weren't ready, and I've seen guys have to wait."

At least Campbell has been getting some rare work with the starters over the past week. Brunell has a pulled ribcage muscle, so Campbell ran the offense during last week's two practices before the bye, and on Monday he and fellow backup Todd Collins took turns. Brunell is expected to return to practice Wednesday.

"It made me feel like I wasn't an outsider looking in," Campbell said. "It made me feel like I was actually within the group."

The crowd of reporters around Campbell's locker was so large Monday that running back Rock Cartwright yelled repeatedly: "Jason must be playing this week." Still, Gibbs isn't even ready to give Campbell the outright No. 2 job.

In the coach's unusual pecking order, Collins will play if Brunell is hurt during a game, while Campbell will play only if the team knows well in advance that Brunell can't go.

"I've talked to him a lot about patience," Gibbs said, "and how sometimes it's hard to be excited about things knowing there's a chance that you're not going to play."

Bobby Carpenter, LB — Dallas Cowboys

Carpenter has been an early disappointment, in part because he hasn't fit the team's scheme. Carpenter started out as an inside linebacker in Mike Zimmer's 3-4 defense. He recently was tried as an outside linebacker. Now he has been moved back inside. Carpenter might be a man without a position. Some think he's too short and not quick enough to pass rush as an outside linebacker, and he might lack the cover skills to be a three-down inside linebacker. (Dan Pompei/SN)

NFL Point Spreads For Week 9

NFL Point Spreads For Week 9

Date & Time Favorite Spread Underdog
11/5 1:00 ET At St. Louis -2.5 Kansas City
11/5 1:00 ET At Baltimore -3.5 Cincinnati
11/5 1:00 ET At NY Giants -13 Houston
11/5 1:00 ET At Jacksonville -9 Tennessee
11/5 1:00 ET Dallas -3 At Washington
11/5 1:00 ET At Buffalo -3 Green Bay
11/5 1:00 ET New Orleans -1 At Tampa Bay
11/5 1:00 ET Atlanta -5.5 At Detroit
11/5 1:00 ET At Chicago -13.5 Miami
11/5 4:05 ET Minnesota -6.5 At San Francisco
11/5 4:15 ET At San Diego -12.5 Cleveland
11/5 4:15 ET At Pittsburgh -2.5 Denver
11/5 8:15 ET At New England -1 Indianapolis

Monday Night Football Point Spread

11/6 8:30 ET At Seattle -8.5 Oakland

Parcells knew 'it was time' to let emotions loose

By JAIME ARON
AP Sports Writer

IRVING, Texas (AP) -Bill Parcells' friends saw the warning signs last week. The way he looked during and after the Dallas Cowboys' loss to the New York Giants left them worried about his health and happiness.

Some called. Others sent e-mails.

Jim Burt showed up.

Burt, the nose tackle on Parcells' 1986 Super Bowl champion team with the Giants and still a close friend, flew to Carolina for the Cowboys' game against the Panthers on Sunday night and delivered a message on behalf of everyone who cares about the coach.

``He said, `It was time,''' Parcells said. ``We all know what that means in that group of guys that were together. You've got to show you're going to be there for somebody and that's a nice thing.''

With Burt on the sideline and his team under orders to have fun, the Cowboys not only beat the Panthers 35-14, they did so in a way that gives Parcells hope for the rest of this season.

Dallas (4-3) trailed 14-0 at halftime, but quarterback Tony Romo led a comeback that included a 25-point fourth quarter. That was the most fourth-quarter points in team history, quite a feat for Romo in his debut as the starter. The defense had a solid game, too, limiting Carolina to 204 yards and none of the big plays that had been dooming the Cowboys.

``We went into the season with a lot of high expectations and we really weren't living up to them. We're still not there yet, but we hope that tonight will (help),'' said Romo, who completed 24 of 36 passes for 270 yards, with a touchdown and an interception.

Once victory seemed certain, Parcells let loose on the sideline. He kissed several players and patted Terrell Owens on the cheek.

``I'd take all the crap I took in this business twice a day for about two years to feel just like I did last night once,'' Parcells said. ``It's a great feeling to see your team go like that.''

The thrill continued afterward, too.

Parcells had a 15-minute phone call with Tony LaRussa while on the team plane, and on Monday morning he heard from New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton, a Dallas assistant the previous three years. Parcells received more e-mails from friends, and was especially appreciative of a ``nice, long'' one from a former player he hadn't heard from in more than a year.

``It's one of the gratifying things you have about this profession,'' Parcells said.

The outpouring of emotion might seem a bit much for an October game, but - to Parcells, at least - the season might have been riding on it. The win doesn't help as much as a loss would've been a huge setback for their playoff hopes.

The Cowboys went to Carolina having lost to three good teams and beaten three bad ones. The one that drained Parcells was the loss to the Giants, at home in front of a national television audience.

With a chance to take over first place in the division, Dallas got behind early and never fully recovered. Every time the Cowboys started to make a move, they followed it with a huge mistake. As the failed rallies built up, so did Parcells' blood pressure.

``I was ashamed of the product,'' he said Monday.

Earlier in his career, Parcells might have vented his anger by ranting and raving. Experience taught him to hold back.

``You just don't want to do damage when you know the sensitivity level is the highest,'' he said. ``I kind of have to be careful with my mouth because I can be a little sarcastic. I'm working on trying to improve that, though. And I think I am making progress, I really do, after a few years.''

He finally let the team know how he felt Saturday night. He told them he wasn't having any fun, adding, ``this job is not worth doing if you are not having at least a little bit of fun.''

Asked Monday whether he considered giving up the job because it was no fun, Parcells described such thoughts as a hazard of the profession, saying all 16 coaches who lose each week wonder ``What am I doing this for?''

``This can be a very tedious, tedious endeavor,'' he later said.

Now Parcells is waiting to see whether the performance against Carolina was just one great game or the start of something big. He used metaphors from two other sports to convey that message.

``You know, anyone can land a lucky punch,'' Parcells said. ``Or, every once in a while, you're standing up there at the plate and they hit your bat. You're swinging, but they hit your bat. You didn't really hit the ball.

``I don't know. I won't call it a lucky punch and I don't think they hit the bat. If they did, so be it.''

Thompson out for rest of season

By RICK HERRIN
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

IRVING - Cowboys running back/kick returner Tyson Thompson will have surgery on his broken left ankle and miss the rest of the season.

Bill Parcells said the Cowboys will look into possibly signing a returner to replace Thompson.

Veteran Aaron Glenn filled in for Thompson against Carolina and had one return for 14 yards. The Cowboys beat Carolina 35-14 Sunday night.

Thompson, of Irving, suffered the injury on a first-quarter return when he was tackled out of bounds after a 37-yard return and the play drew an unnecessary roughness penalty. Thompson had two returns in the game for a 33.5 average.

Entering the Carolina game, Thompson was third in the NFC and ninth in the NFL in klckoff returns.

Update on Cowboys asst. strength coach

We just bumped into Cowboys linebacker Ryan Fowler at Benny's Bagels, and he said players were informed that assistant strength coach, Tony Ollison, was going to be fine after becoming ill on the team charter.

Fowler said several people on the plane said Ollison had a heart attack. The plane quickly landed in Nashville and Dr. Robert Fowler accompanied Ollison to the hospital.

Ollison joined the Cowboys in 2000. He's one of the nicest guys on the staff and his soft-spoken nature is a good complement to Joe Juraszek's in-your-face style.

I remember Ollison telling me during training camp that he was in the middle of a serious diet.

Fowler said he was confused when someone told him, "T.O. just had a heart attack."

"I was thinking, 'isn't T.O. about 32?'" said Fowler, who was obviously thinking of Terrell Owens.

Our prayers are with Ollison, his wife, Sherry, and their two sons during this difficult time.

Bill should have an update for us in about 15 minutes.

m

Posted by Matt Mosley at 12:05 PM (E-mail this entry) | Comments (0)

Romo takes team for winning ride

Mosley: Romo takes team for winning ride
12:33 PM CST on Monday, October 30, 2006

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – After a false start against the Giants, the Tony Romo era was cleared for takeoff Sunday night.

Bill Parcells told his team last week that the Romo Plan could last two plays or two years. This was partly out of respect for the quarterback he drafted out of Washington State in 1993, but also because hates for anyone to feel comfortable.

In private, Parcells was telling Romo not to look over his shoulder.

The short-timer coach had taken the calculated risk that his team needed radical change, and based on Sunday night's 35-14 victory over the Panthers, the move paid off.

In a fit of passion, Parcells kissed every player in sight. Terrell Owens. Keith Davis. Keyshawn Johnson.

They were all victims of the Cowboys' very own Kissing Bandit.

"I'll take my hat off to my kids tonight," Parcells said. "They fought back. They fought their guts out."

He recovered in time to downplay Romo's 24-of-36, 270-yard performance, but he may have been the only one in the locker room doing so. T.O. and Witten were giddy over Romo's performance, in no small part because the two former Pro Bowlers combined for 15 catches and 187 yards.

Romo may have been inspired by a career backup quarterback named Frank Reich, who engineered one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history and was the guest speaker during Sunday afternoon's team chapel service.

Romo, an avid reader, alluded to an inspirational book he'd read a few weeks ago after the game but didn't provide the title. He said it was about an athlete who realized, after a big-game situation, that it had been less nerve-racking than expected.

Because we've had several book discussions over the past four seasons, I can all but assure you that the book's either about Brett Favre or Michael Jordan, Romo's two heroes.

It's hard to believe that the Cowboys almost played themselves out of the game in the first quarter. After a costly interception helped put his team in a 14-0 hole, Romo engineered a nine-play, 47-yard touchdown drive that was aided by Tyson Thompson's 37-yard kickoff return and a 15-yard penalty for a late hit by Karl Hankton.

Thompson broke his ankle on the play.

From there, Romo connected on four of five passes and hit Witten with a nifty back-shoulder pass.

From that moment on, Romo never seemed rattled.

The Cowboys' defense gained their footing and pitched a shutout the rest of the way.

Of course, you would probably be reading a completely different column if a wide-open former Cowboys wide receiver hadn't dropped a pass midway through the third quarter.

Keyshawn, who has flourished with the Panthers, eyed the goal line too early on the third-and-7 play and the Cowboys were given new life.

Let's hope Parcells' lips wiped away some of the pain.

Anyway, you've heard the coach talk about "distractible players," and Romo's definitely fit the description at times. He looked like a college drum major while attempting to call an audible in the first quarter.

And if you've spent any time watching Peyton Manning, you know what I'm talking about.

Parcells likes for his quarterbacks to take "mental breaks" between plays, but Tony often spends his downtime executing Tiger Woods fist-pumps and bantering with officials.

What you hope is that the good qualities – the quick release and mobility – outweigh the bad.

Parcells doesn't want to mute Romo's gunslinger mentality because it's a big part of why he's here. The kid from Burlington, Wisc., grew up studying Favre's every move, right down to the way he jogs onto the field before each series.

On Sunday night, a team that had been stuck in neutral fed off Romo's exuberance.

His teammates were strongly advised not to share their opinions about the quarterback switch, but judging by their reaction Sunday night, I'm thinking they're on board.

Now, if you're interested in what happened away from the action last night, please continue reading:

Things I jotted down on my 8½x11¾-inch notepad that may or may not interest you: The next time your family's planning a Halloween Weekend getaway, don't rule this place out.

Dressed as gnomes, witches and disgraced ex-presidents, Panthers fans flooded the downtown area at least five hours before kickoff.

The Panthers are a huge draw in this community, in part, because nothing else is open on Sundays.

Bank of America Stadium has quickly become one of Charlotte's most important landmarks. The teal seats are to die for, and the stadium has more ATMs than Caesars Palace.

Being in the Bible Belt, an invocation was given before the game. This was quickly followed by the Panthers' mascot, SirPurr, doing the Running Man dance. …

Mike Vanderjagt's kickoffs are so awful that teams have no clue how to field them. His unintentional squib kick in the fourth quarter somehow ended up in the arms of Panthers fullback Brad Hoover, who promptly fumbled. Credit rookie Sammy Hurd with the strip and fumble. The kid impressed us with his hands during training camp, but since then, he's emerged as one of the team's most dynamic special teams players. …

Some of you know I've always been partial to mascots, and the Panthers didn't disappoint with Sunday's Mascot Mania halftime show. SirPurr and several local professional and college mascots squared off in a tackle football game. Fans were so entertained that they booed the non-mascot players when they returned for the second half. …

Rufus Lynx of the Charlotte Bobcats organization delivered some nice throws, but was hampered by several drops, which may have been caused by small eye slits. Rufus finally scored on a keeper when N.C. State's Mr. Wuff broke outside containment. …

The New York Times sports magazine, Play, contained an epic Bill Parcells story by Moneyball author Michael Lewis on Sunday. If you have a couple of days to spare, it's a good read.

Quick excerpt: "Flozell Adams is as impenetrable as a symbolist poem."

It's funny, but this stuff almost never pops into my head on deadline.

Lewis, who like most sportswriters, has a home in Paris, France, had the opportunity to watch film in Parcells' office and check out his elephant figurine collection.

Check out his upcoming book, Flo Knows Lambic Pentameter. …

And speaking of the Old Gray Lady, check out the review of Richard Ford's new novel, Lay of the Land in the Sunday Book Review. Headed to my local bookstore to pick this one up following Bill's news session today. …

A wide-open Keyshawn Johnson dropped what would have been a certain touchdown pass midway through the third quarter. He then chucked his helmet on the sideline. When I talked to him Saturday evening, he was almost despondent about USC's loss to Oregon State and that may have carried over onto the field. …

Team chaplain John Weber was nice enough to let me attend the team's Sunday afternoon chapel service. The guest speaker was former Bills quarterback Frank Reich, who took a beating from the Cowboys in Super Bowl XXVII. He said he was pulled over for going 58 in a 40 on his way to the service Sunday afternoon, but was given a free pass when the officer said his wife was a former Bills cheerleader. "That won't happen on Judgment Day," he said. …

Funny moment when referee Scott Green accidentally turned his stadium mic on while shouting at head linesman Tony Veteri.

"C'mon, Tony!" Green said to Veteri, who was loitering with the line judge. …

I just read where a woman is in jail for stalking Jake Delhomme. I'm thinking Jake may have helped his cause with that performance in the second half, though. …

Anyone have any advice on what to do when the man in 16E accidentally puts his head on your shoulder while sleeping? … Was having a nice conversation with T.O. at the team hotel Saturday evening before a Fox 4 reporter broke things up.

Gamblers have little faith in Cowboys

In this game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Carolina Panthers, sports bettors are nearly 80% on the Carolina Panthers to win at Carolina -5 1/2.

The line initially opened at Carolina -3 but has shot all the way up to -6 at some online sportsbooks. SBG Global maintained a line of Carolina -5 1/2

The Dallas Cowboys are 6 of 7 in this series with the Carolina Panthers since 1998.

Tony Romo will make his first career start at quarterback Sunday night when the Dallas Cowboys visit the Carolina Panthers. Sources at SBG Global report that the public has no faith in Romo and are playing the Panthers hard.

Romo started the second half of Monday night's 36-22 home loss to the New York Giants after Bledsoe threw an interception at the goal line just before halftime. ''Any time you do something like this, it's not without a lot of consideration,'' head coach Bill Parcells said. ''I've been thinking about it for some time. ... Hopefully, maybe as the team is comprised right now, he might be able to do a couple of things that assist us.''

Romo will be the ninth different starting quarterback for the Cowboys (3-3) since Troy Aikman retired after the 2001 season.

Romo threw three interceptions on Monday, one of which was returned 96 yards for a touchdown, and got sacked twice. He did complete 14 of 25 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for a 2-point conversion.
''He's got to be more careful with the ball than he was the other night,'' Parcells said.

The Cowboys face the Panthers (4-3) and defensive end Julius Peppers , who leads the NFL with eight sacks this season. Carolina ranks fifth in the NFC with 206.6 passing yards allowed per game.

The Panthers are coming off a 17-14 loss at Cincinnati. Quarterback Jake Delhomme drove the Panthers to the 10-yard line but was intercepted with 3:50 left in the game on a bad pass to Keyshawn Johnson in the end zone.
''You don't play well, you accept it like a man,'' said Delhomme.

In a 24-20 loss to the Cowboys last Dec. 24, star wide receiver Steve Smith was held to 18 yards on one catch and was ejected in the third quarter.

Dallas has taken five of six regular-season meetings with Carolina, but has lost both of its playoff games against the Panthers.

We believe history favors the Cowboys in this one. Oddsmakers will rely on gamblers believing the quarterback situation in Dallas is too messy for a comeback in Carolina.

But we must first review our team ratings. And guess what? We have Carolina only able to win by 3 points in this matchup.

Our pick is Dallas +5 1/2 at SBG GLOBAL

Rooting for Romo: A little background onTony Romo

Midwestern origins gave QB a strong foundation
12:41 AM CDT on Sunday, October 29, 2006
By BRAD TOWNSEND / The Dallas Morning News

BURLINGTON, Wis. – Two hours after their son was named the Dallas Cowboys' starting quarterback, Ramiro and Joan Romo sat in their living room, overwhelmed by the magnitude of it all.

News of Tony Romo's promotion was on TV, radio and the Internet on Wednesday. The Romos' phone rang all day. A Dallas Morning News reporter showed up on their doorstep.

Mrs. Romo broke out her famous Danish kringle pastry and childhood photos of Tony. For one afternoon, the Romos' three-bedroom home in this town of 10,000 nestled in Wisconsin's southeast corner felt like the center of the sports universe.
"I would say to people in Dallas, 'If you're patient, he'll go to another level for you,' " Ramiro Romo said. "Just as he has gone up the depth chart in Dallas, his play will go up. I guarantee you."

He knows patience is a lot to ask of Cowboys fans. When 26-year-old Tony takes Dallas' first offensive snap against Carolina tonight, he will be the Cowboys' ninth starting quarterback since Troy Aikman's 2000 retirement.
That's why soft-speaking Ramiro doesn't want to get carried away. But even here, in the thick of Green Bay Packers country, the Tony Romo-for-Drew Bledsoe shockwave was felt full force.

The Packers' Brett Favre is king in these parts, but Cowboys quarterback is one of the glamour positions in sports. Besides, Tony is homegrown, having starred in football, basketball and golf at Burlington High School.
When Cowboys coach Bill Parcells benched Bledsoe and inserted Romo in the second half of last Monday night's loss to the New York Giants, Burlington phone lines buzzed. High school athletic director Eric Burling woke his kids.
"My youngest said, 'Dad, I can't believe it. We're Packers season-ticket holders, and we're rooting for the Cowboys.' "

Tony Romo's ascension might be the most notable occurrence in Burlington since it was declared Chocolate City, USA, in 1986, 10 years after the Nestle Chocolate and Confection Co. opened here.

Who knows? If all goes well the next two months, he might marshal next May's Chocolate Parade.
"Everyone knows everyone," Romo said. "It's neat to come from there because every time I go back they treat you very well and people want to hear how things are going."

Hope, excitement

For Cowboys fans, Romo represents cautious hope and guarded excitement.
Part of their intrigue is that they know little about the undrafted, 6-2, 225-pounder for whom they have clamored all season – beyond the fact he is more mobile than Bledsoe and has, for the moment, gruff Parcells' nod of approval.
How did Romo rise from pudgy, lightly recruited Burlington kid to NCAA Division I-AA player of the year at Eastern Illinois in 2002 to Cowboys third-teamer to starter?
The clues are sprinkled amid the rolling, tree- and feed-silo-dotted hills of Burlington, which is roughly halfway between Milwaukee and Chicago. The Illinois state line is 25 miles to the south, Lake Michigan 25 miles to the east.
There is the old Burlington High School (a new one opened in 2000), where in 1997 and '98 Romo dazzled – Favre-like, locals say – for undermanned Demons teams whose home field was squeezed by an undersized track that cut through the end zones.
"Coffin corners," chuckled Ramiro, pausing his SUV between the old field and the gym, where three days a week Tony played 6 a.m. pickup basketball games with coaches and teachers.

The Burlington tour continued to the town center, past the movie theater with the photo of Tony in the lobby, to Fred's World's Best Burger. The Tony Romo table was occupied, but the diners kindly allowed a peek at the Tony photos and accomplishments displayed beneath the glass top.

"I'm almost positive: If I'd had him first, I'd have had no other children," laughed Joan, who also has Danielle, 30, and Jossalyn, 28. "He wore me out."
Ramiro and Joan grew up in nearby Racine. They married when he was 18, she 19. Tony was born in San Diego during Ramiro's five-year Navy service.
The Romos returned to Wisconsin when Tony was 2 and built an 1,100-square-foot house in Burlington on a three-quarter-acre cul-de-sac lot, less than a football field from the Burlington Cemetery.

The ideal small-town, middle-class setting, it turns out, for a sports-minded, Methodist-raised boy to grow up.
"We had all the needs," Joan said, "but probably not all the wants."
The video game craze was starting, but Tony spent most of his time outside, or in the gym during harsh winter months.

Ramiro started as a carpenter, rose to commercial-builder foreman and now is a construction superintendent. Joan worked various jobs, including the clubhouse counter at the nearby golf course, where during his elementary school days, Tony squeezed in a few holes before going to school in jeans wet with dew.
He didn't play youth football because Burlington had none. Like his father, he played soccer. Upon arriving at Burlington High, his fall sport was soccer. But, as he discovered, that required a whole lot of running.
"I don't want to say Tony was lazy," laughed Burlington assistant athletic director Scott Hoffman, who coached Romo in recreational soccer and basketball during his middle school years. "He was smart, smarter than most coaches.
"He would always look for the shortcuts, how to finish drills the quickest. Tony wanted to get to game day."

'Kind of a screwball'

Romo quit soccer early in his freshman year and decided to try football.
"What position?" Ramiro asked him.
"Quarterback," Tony said.

Everyone considered it a success when Tony started for the freshman B team. His football, basketball and golf coaches saw raw talent, but Burlington basketball coach Steve Berezowitz recalls that Tony was "kind of a screwball."
The woodshop teacher told the coaches that Tony was such a hazard, he would pass him only if he promised to not take any more shop classes.
Tony usually did his homework on the school bus – just enough to maintain a B average and appease his parents – while leaving extra time for sports.
At home, he'd pop in football and basketball instructional videotapes, rewinding them so often that he wore them out. Joan had to buy three Pete Maravich basketball tapes. One of the football tapes included instruction from Favre and Bledsoe.
After his video sessions, Joan would catch Tony's passes with a pillow until Ramiro got home from work. Ramiro still has a fat ring finger and crooked pinky from catching them.

Tony kept a notepad next to his bed, in case a play or fundamentals thought came to mind in the middle of the night. While visiting his apartment two weeks ago, Joan saw a pad in Tony's bedroom and another in the bathroom.

At Burlington High, a broken finger curtailed his sophomore football season. But as a junior, he flourished in coach Steve Gerber's spread offense.
"The normal high school quarterback that I worked with – that kid would see one side of the field and maybe get as far as the second read on that side of the field," said Gerber, who was Burlington's head coach from 1997 to 2002 and is now a teacher there.

"Tony was one of those kids who could go left to right and back to the left and see the secondary read back on the other side."
Berezowitz was 22 when he took over as basketball coach before Romo's sophomore year. An admitted screamer in those days, he was extra hard on Tony because he saw untapped potential.

"We always say Berezowitz prepared him for Parcells," Joan said.
"Tony really grew up between his junior and senior year, as a person, as a student, as an athlete," said Berezowitz, who still talks to Romo weekly and travels with him to the NCAA basketball Final Four each year.

But before Romo's senior year, 1,100-student Burlington was placed in a larger-classification conference with schools twice its size.
Romo made the All-Racine County football team and was honorable mention all-state in basketball after averaging 24.3 points, but both squads finished with losing records.

Perhaps that is why he received little interest from major-college recruiters. Even Eastern Illinois didn't come around until late in the fall, telling him he would have to be a backup because it had a starter.
"Dad, I'm going to start," Tony told Ramiro when the recruiter left that night.

Accomplishments

For all that Tony has accomplished, one might expect the Romo home to be filled with plaques, photos and mementos. Instead, the walls and shelves mostly are filled with family photos. The exception is his Walter Payton Division I-AA player of the year trophy in the living room.

Most of Tony's sports stuff is stored in Rubbermaid containers in the basement, awaiting the day that he has his own house. He has a girlfriend in Florida but shares an apartment with high school buddy Nick Sekeres, now a Plano middle school teacher.

While sitting in the stands at Burlington games on Friday nights, Ramiro and Joan usually get a call from Tony, asking how the game is going. They hear crowd noise on the other end of the line because Tony and Nick will have "found" a high school game in the Dallas area.

"There's been times along the way when I've thanked God that Tony's gotten this far," Ramiro said. "I'll say, 'He did pretty good, he's a good kid, he's not going to advance any further, whatever."

Standing at the kitchen table while Joan showed off Tony's baby pictures, Ramiro taps his finger on the table for emphasis.
"But you know what? Every time he's proven me wrong. I'm not going to doubt him anymore."

Romo's sense of humor intact after promotion

San Antonio Express-News

Tony Romo's promotion to Cowboys starting quarterback apparently hasn't caused him to lose his sense of humor.

Asked last week to name his favorite receiver, Romo said it was little-known linebacker-turned-fullback Oliver Hoyte.
Reporters also wanted to know why Romo gets along so well with Terrell Owens. Romo smiled and cracked, "I used to date his sister."
Looking for a spark: The Cowboys' young defensive line needs to pick up the pace, coach Bill Parcells said.
With the exception of second-year tackle Jay Ratliff, the Cowboys haven't gotten much from their young pass rushers. Ratliff, though, has three sacks and four quarterback pressures.
"That's why I signed (6-foot-6, 272-pound outside linebacker) Junior Glymph back," Parcells said.
Parcells said he especially wants to see more pressure on first and second downs.
Tough guy: When Parcells was asked whether he misses receiver Keyshawn Johnson, the Panthers receiver who played for Parcells with the New York Jets and the Cowboys, the coach said, "It's not the time of year to be sentimental."

Johnson has 36 catches for 460 yards and two touchdowns this season. He caught 141 passes for 1,820 yards and 12 TDs in his two seasons with the Cowboys, a stint that ended when he became a free agent after last season and signed with Carolina.
Third-down woes: The Panthers have converted just 23.5 percent of their third downs this season to rank last in the league. In a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals last week, the Panthers were just 2 for 11, including 0 for 5 in the second half.
Hot Peppers: Parcells couldn't say enough good things about Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers last week.

"Any coach in the league wouldn't start naming defensive ends and get very far without putting his name up there," Parcells said. "It's in the consensus he's in the top two or three, and I would agree with that, if not the best."
Peppers' eight sacks leads the league.

This and that: Romo will remain the team's holder. ... The Cowboys are 11-13 in Sunday night games. ... Second-year Panthers center Geoff Hangartner is a former standout for New Braunfels High School and Texas A&M. ... Dallas has won five of six regular-season meetings with Carolina.

FORUM TALK: Plax really disses Williams

Taken from the Giants forum with no links to Plax comments.
Plax really disses Williams
by River Mike

I searched the first page to see if this has been discussed before, and I don't see it. I was a bit surprised when I read it. Although it's not that uncommon for players to dis an opponent, this one seems particularly strong ...

"He clearly does not hold Williams in high regard. "He can't cover and No. 25 (rookie safety Patrick Watkins) can't cover," Burress said. "It wasn't a surprise. That's been (Williams') rap since he came in the league. He's a 250-pound ankle tackler. That's what he is. And horse collars, too." But isn't Williams a big hitter? "He is, when you ain't looking," Burress said. "He'll sock you when you ain't looking. Look at how he tackles guys coming straight at him and guys that are not looking. He's a different football player." So, he can't cover? "Not at all," Burress said. "He wouldn't have made that play if he was on a skateboard."

This should make for an interesting second match.

Williams fined $10,000 & Watkins stays behind on trip to Charlotte

Notebook: Williams collared by NFL

01:53 AM CST on Sunday, October 29, 2006

TODD ARCHER / The Dallas Morning News

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – For the second straight week and the third time this season, Cowboys safety Roy Williams was fined by the NFL.

The league docked Williams $10,000 for a horse-collar tackle on New York Giants running back Tiki Barber on Monday. No penalty was called on the play.

Williams was fined $7,500 for a hit two weeks ago on Houston receiver Kevin Walter and another $7,500 for a hit on Jacksonville quarterback Byron Leftwich in the opener.

The league also fined defensive ends Phillip Daniels of Washington and Ray Edwards of Minnesota $5,000 each for what was considered illegal or excessive contact against quarterbacks in last week's games, according to ESPN.com.

■ FS Watkins stays behind: For the first time this season, rookie Patrick Watkins will not be the Cowboys' free safety.

Watkins did not make the trip to Charlotte on Saturday, which should make veteran Marcus Coleman the starter.

Watkins has struggled to make plays on deep balls, including a 50-yard touchdown catch last week by Plaxico Burress.

Coleman missed the first four games because of a suspension and was released when he came back. He re-signed with the Cowboys last week and saw action on special teams.

Quinn in a Dallas uniform?

San Antonio Express-News
by Tom Orsborn

Could Notre Dame's Brady Quinn wind up with the Dallas Cowboys? How about Michigan State's Drew Stanton?

Don't laugh. Jerry Jones said last week he's prepared to target a quarterback in the first round of the draft should Tony Romo falter. And don't forget the Cowboys' owner often makes moves with the sizzle factor in mind. Wouldn't landing Quinn fill some seats at Texas Stadium?
"Part of the responsibility I have is how you address the long-term situation at quarterback," said Jones, who added he's "consciously tried not to go to the top of the draft to get a quarterback" but could change if Romo isn't the answer.
Trading up to select Quinn or Stanton would be costly. Most 2007 mock drafts have them going in the top 10.
But why not make a move to end this quarterback nonsense once and for all?
The Cowboys have started eight quarterbacks — Romo will be No. 9 — since Troy Aikman retired after the 2000 season. The carousel has included the likes of Anthony Wright, Clint Stoerner and Ryan Leaf.
Jones tried to stop the ride by picking Quincy Carter, Chad Hutchinson and Drew Henson for auditions. Bill Parcells brought in old pals Vinny Testaverde and Drew Bledsoe.
So why not stop the madness and draft a can't-miss passer? History says it's a fairly tried-and-true route for a quarterback to achieve greatness with the Cowboys.

In 1964, they drafted Vietnam-bound Navy star Roger Staubach in the 10th round. Aikman was their top pick in 1989. Both have busts in Canton.
Now, there have been misses. As Parcells is fond of saying, the draft is not an exact science.
The Cowboys chose Craig Morton sixth overall in 1965. Carter was a second-round choice in 2001.
Both had their moments but were eventually sent packing.
Of course, Jones may wind up using his 2007 first-round pick on an offensive lineman — now there's a thought — or a receiver. But the guess here is he goes looking for a quarterback if Romo crumbles.
Working in Romo's favor is his relationship with Terrell Owens.
Owens said Thursday he planned to bake cookies for Romo. Before Romo was named the starter and became worthy of Toll House time with T.O., the two played catch after practice and chatted on the sideline about defensive schemes.
Such bonding experiences never occurred between Owens and Bledsoe.
"I honestly tried to do that time and time again," Owens said. "But for whatever reason, it didn't happen."
Translation: "I didn't want to get chummy with a quarterback who already had a go-to guy (Terry Glenn)."
But even with Owens on his side, Romo faces an uphill climb. His biggest obstacle is the offensive line. After six games, it's clear the unit falls apart when it faces physical front sevens that can bring the heat.
Playing behind that line, even a quarterback with Michael Vick's legs, Dan Marino's arm, Joe Montana's cool and Johnny Unitas' grit would struggle.
But Romo could surprise. He's got a strong arm, a quick release, a sharp mind and that certain something extra you look for in a quarterback.
But then again, so does Brady Quinn.
Who would you rather have?

Owner joins Cowboys on candidates list

By CHAREAN WILLIAMS
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is among the 111 former players, coaches and contributors on the Pro Football Hall of Fame's preliminary list of modern-era candidates.

"Just to be mentioned with these other names is a wonderful honor," Jones said in a statement. "These are the best of the best, and I am grateful for the opportunity to be considered."

He is joined by several former Cowboys players, including first-time eligible candidates Mark Stepnoski and Randall Cunningham, as well as Herschel Walker, Michael Irvin, Drew Pearson, Charles Haley and Ed "Too Tall" Jones. Gil Brandt, the Cowboys' former player personnel director, also made the preliminary list as did Tennessee Titans national coordinator of college scouting C.O. Brocato, an Arlington resident.

Irvin, who played for the Cowboys from 1988-99, has the best chance to represent Dallas in the Class of 2007. He made it to the final six in his first year of eligibility and was in the final 10 in February.

Hall of Fame selectors will choose 25 modern-era semifinalists next month. Those 25 candidates will be reduced to 15 in a mail vote, joining seniors candidates Gene Hickerson, a guard with the Browns, and Charlie Sanders, a tight end with the Lions, on the Class of 2007 ballot.

For the first time, the finalists list will number 17. It previously was limited to 13 modern-era nominees and the two senior candidates for a total of 15.

Selectors meet Feb. 3, the day before Super Bowl XLI, with induction requiring 80 percent voting support on the final ballot. The Class of 2007 will have between three and six members.

To be considered for Hall of Fame election, players must be retired at least five years. There is no mandatory retirement period for contributors, but a coach must be retired before he is eligible.

In addition to Cunningham and Stepnoski, other first-year eligible players are Terrell Davis, Ricky Watters, Bruce Matthews, Randall McDaniel, Steve Wisniewski, Eric Allen, LeRoy Butler and Carnell Lake.

In the Know

Pro Football Hall of Fame nominees

Class of 2007 preliminary list

Nominees in first year of eligibility

Quarterback -- Randall Cunningham

Running backs -- Terrell Davis, Ricky Watters

Offensive linemen -- Bruce Matthews (G/C/T), Randall McDaniel (G), Mark Stepnoski (C/G), Steve Wisniewski(G)

Defensive backs -- Eric Allen, LeRoy Butler, Carnell Lake

Other nominees

Quarterbacks -- Ken Anderson, Bernie Kosar, Jim Plunkett, Phil Simms, Brian Sipe, Ken Stabler, Joe Theismann

Running backs -- Roger Craig, Greg Pruitt, *Thurman Thomas, Herschel Walker

Wide receivers -- Cliff Branch, Harold Carmichael, Gary Clark, Mark Clayton, Isaac Curtis, Mark Duper, Henry Ellard, *Michael Irvin, *Art Monk, Drew Pearson, Andre Reed

Tight ends -- Mark Bavaro, Todd Christensen, Ben Coates, Brent Jones, Steve Jordan

Offensive linemen -- Jim Covert (T), Dermontti Dawson (C), *Russ Grimm (G), Jay Hilgenberg (C), Chris Hinton (G/T), Kent Hull (C), Joe Jacoby (T), Mike Kenn (T), *Bob Kuechenberg (G), Jeff Van Note (C), *Gary Zimmerman (T)

Defensive linemen-- Fred Dean (E), Richard Dent (E), Chris Doleman (E/LB), Charles Haley (E/LB), Ed "Too Tall" Jones (E), Joe Klecko (E/T/NT), Dexter Manley (E), Charles Mann (E), Fred Smerlas (NT)

Linebackers - Cornelius Bennett, Robert Brazile, Randy Gradishar, Kevin Greene, Ken Harvey, Rickey Jackson, Clay Matthews, Karl Mecklenburg, Sam Mills, John Offerdahl, Darryl Talley, *Derrick Thomas, Andre Tippett

Defensive backs -- Steve Atwater (S), Joey Browner (S), Raymond Clayborn (CB), Kenny Easley (S), David Fulcher (SS), Lester Hayes (CB), Albert Lewis (CB), Lemar Parrish (CB), Ken Riley (CB), Donnie Shell (S), Roger Wehrli (CB), Louis Wright (CB)

Kicker/punter -- Ray Guy (P), Nick Lowery (K), Reggie Roby (P)

Special teams/WR -- Steve Tasker

Coaches -- Don Coryell, Tom Flores, Jimmy Johnson, Chuck Knox, Buddy Parker, Dan Reeves, Clark Shaughnessy, Dick Vermeil

Contributors -- Bud Adams, Jr., Gil Brandt, C. O. Brocato, Joe Browne, Ed DeBartolo Jr., Jerry Jones, Bucko Kilroy, Art Modell, Bill Nunn, Lee Remmel, Ed Sabol, Steve Sabol, Rex Stuart, Paul Tagliabue, Ralph Wilson, Jr., Ron Wolf, George Young

*on 2006 15 finalists list

Big Bill deserves criticism

By Newy Scruggs
Special to the Star-Telegram
"Bill Parcells, a New Jersey Con Man, all wrong for Texas"

"Tuna Refuses to Stay the Course... Romo In"

"Big Bill Cuts and Runs on Bledsoe"

Luckily, Cowboys coach Bill Parcells is not running for political office, because he'd see slogans and ads aimed at his leadership of the 3-3 Dallas Cowboys.

I'm joking... I think.

The Cowboys' season will not go to the polls Nov. 7. Parcells has 10 games to show us if he has a clue and can take this team to the playoffs with a free-agent quarterback 32 teams, including the Cowboys, decided not to draft four years ago.

One day, Parcells will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. At this point, it will be for his work with three teams up north, and his Texas folly will be forgotten.

Drew Bledsoe, once taken as the top overall draft pick by Parcells, deserved to be benched for making the kind of turnovers veterans shouldn't.

It speaks to a bigger problem of the Tuna's administration. Since taking Dave Campo's players and going 10-6 with a playoff appearance in 2003, the Tuna has failed to make the postseason.

Parcells purged all but 10 players from that playoff team. Since Tuna has turned the roster over to consist of "Parcells Guys," the question must be asked: "How come the head coach doesn't catch any heat?"

The future Hall of Famer (28-26 in four years with the Cowboys) gets off easier than Chan Gailey and Dave Campo did during their mediocre runs as the coaches of America's Team.

In two seasons, Gailey won the NFC East once and produced two playoff teams. Campo went 5-11 three times before Parcells took over. All deemed not good enough from the Cowboys' constituency.

Parcells' biggest blunders seem to be at quarterback. Quincy Carter was cut in training camp in 2004 after taking the team to the playoffs and was replaced by the 40-year-old Interception, Vinny Testaverde, a former Parcells guy with the Jets. Drew Bledsoe found his way to town after Buffalo released him, and now he's riding the pine this weekend. These moves qualify as failure.

Romo could be the next Tom Brady. Odds say he won't be. The playoffs are still attainable, but only if the Cowboys can find a way to start beating teams with winning records.

A team like Carolina in Charlotte on NBC's Sunday Night Football would be a good start.

The heat should be turned up on the offensive line, T.O., the kicker, the defense, but most of all on the man who put the plan together and got a raise to come back and coach in 2006 -- Bill Parcells.

Newy Scruggs is sports director for NBC 5.

Coleman likely to replace Watkins at free safety

COWBOYS NOTES
Coleman likely to replace Watkins at free safety
By MAC ENGEL
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
IRVING - Marcus Coleman, your turn.

After starting rookie fifth-round draft pick Pat Watkins at free safety for the first six games of the season, the Cowboys are looking to an old Bill Parcells favorite.

Free safety has been a sore spot, as Watkins has been in on the coverage of at least four long plays this season, three of them touchdowns.

Watkins said he has not been practicing with the first-teamers this week. All signs point to Coleman making his first start Sunday night.

Coleman, 32, played for the first time last week but only on special teams. The NFL suspended Coleman for the first four games of the season because he violated the league's substance-abuse policy.

"I feel really good," said Coleman. "It didn't take me long to get back and feel the same."

Keith Davis, who was the starter at free safety last season, could also see time there Sunday.

Watkins has 22 tackles, three passes defended and one fumble recovery this season.

Hatcher misses practice

Defensive end Jason Hatcher (ankle) did not practice and is unlikely to play Sunday.

dallascowboys.com

Keyshawn Johnson says he is a better player and a better man than Terrell Owens

Keyshawn Johnson says he is a better player and a better man than Terrell Owens
By CLARENCE E. HILL JR.
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER

When receiver Keyshawn Johnson was traded to the Cowboys from Tampa Bay in 2004, he thought he had finally found a home.
He was reunited with coach Bill Parcells from their days with the New York Jets and became friends with owner Jerry Jones. Not only did he have a chance to rebuild his image, but this was to be his nirvana. He badly wanted to finish his career with the Cowboys.
That was before the Cowboys released him last March and signed receiver Terrell Owens. The Cowboys tried to re-sign Johnson but did not come close to the financial offer made to him by the Carolina Panthers.
When the Cowboys (3-3) travel to Carolina (4-3) on Sunday, they will not find Johnson a bitter man. The 11-year veteran believes he found a better situation and a happier place.
"I don't like how NBC is promoting the game. They are showing a picture of me and [Bill] Parcells, with me staring the Cowboys down, calling it a revenge game. They are trying to use me to pump up their ratings. I don't have revenge. I don't have animosity. The people in that organization are all friends of mine. I went to the Arkansas-USC game with Jerry Jones and sat in the box with his family.
"I have heard all the talk about the Cowboys upgrading the position by replacing me with the player [Terrell Owens]. The player is not better than me. He is going to stay behind me, I don't care what the statistics say. He is behind me from the draft to the world in general, in life as a person, as a man and as a player on the football field. I am complete. I am a finished product in every aspect."
"If at all possible, I would like to be an owner one day. It doesn't have to be NFL, but it will be sports related, as long as it makes good business sense. And who else to learn from besides Jerry Jones?"
"I am trying to have success beyond the game. I want to be like Troy Aikman, Roger Staubach, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan. I wouldn't want to walk away from the game and have nothing else to do with my life."
"The thing I cherish most about my career was being able to win a Super Bowl title. Nobody can ever take away from me the fact that I was the No. 1 overall pick in the draft and that I was a major contributor to a championship team."
"I know people remember me most for writing a book as a rookie. I have no regrets about that. People seem to forget what you have done as a player. They just want to talk about a book. But I have written several books, children's books, a workout book. But people just want to give me the Throw Me the Damn Ball book.
"I would have liked to have finished my career in Dallas. It didn't work that way. I was enjoying the situation. I was content. But I wasn't going to sit back and play for free, regardless of what my relationship was with the owner and coach. It's a business.
"Jake [Delhomme] is one of the three best quarterbacks I have played with, along with Vinny Testaverde and Brad Johnson. Drew Bledsoe is a good quarterback. This quarterback can help me win another Super Bowl. I don't know if that would have been the case with Drew [Bledsoe] in Dallas."
"I think I have a few more years left in me. I would like to get to 1,000 catches and win another world championship so I can put the pressure on the Hall of Fame voters. It's about winning another title for me. If I have the catches and the title, how they keep me out?"
"My mother raised six kids in south central Los Angeles. My siblings sold drugs and were in gangs. We were homeless for a time. I think I am blessed to be where I am today

Good Read on Skins future with Cowboys cap info.

The worst yet to come?
By David Elfin
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
October 27, 2006

The NFL's most disappointing team this season also faces a troubling question about its long-term future: Is the worst yet to come for the Washington Redskins?

The Redskins, who are in their bye week, are 2-5 and meet teams with winning records in seven of their final nine games. The performance of the offense in general and the quarterback in particular has been spotty, and the defense plummeted in league rankings from top 10 to bottom seven.

The future, however, looks even more distressing. The Redskins entered this season as the oldest team in the league, and they'll head into the offseason with few draft picks and little salary cap space to use to make improvements.

The Redskins' rivals in the NFC East -- the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys -- have stockpiled young talent. The Redskins, meanwhile, have stockpiled veterans on the downside of their careers. Their opening day roster consisted of players with an average age of 27.83, the highest in the NFL.

Eight of the Redskins' starters on offense and defense already are thirtysomethings: quarterback Mark Brunell (36), offensive tackle Jon Jansen (30), guard Randy Thomas (30), defensive end Phillip Daniels (33), defensive tackle Joe Salave'a (31), linebackers Marcus Washington (30) and Warrick Holdman (30) and cornerback Shawn Springs (31).

Four other starters -- offensive tackle Chris Samuels, center Casey Rabach, defensive tackle Cornelius Griffin and linebacker Lemar Marshall -- will join them within a year.

The flow of rookies into the starting lineup, on the other hand, has been decidedly small: Samuels, guard Derrick Dockery, tight end Chris Cooley, cornerback Carlos Rogers and safety Sean Taylor are the only such players to enter the lineup since 2000.

That list seems all the shorter in comparison to the other teams in the division.

The Eagles start 13 such players, including Pro Bowl cornerback Sheldon Brown and star running back Brian Westbrook. The Cowboys start 12, including Pro Bowl safety Roy Williams and tight end Jason Witten. The Giants start nine, led by quarterback Eli Manning and Pro Bowl tight end Jeremy Shockey.

That trend won't be reversed soon.

The Redskins will have only one or two picks in the first four rounds of next year's draft, depending upon the compensation they are required to give for their preseason trade for running back T.J. Duckett.

Their division rivals, meanwhile, are better positioned for the draft. The Cowboys and Giants each have all of their picks in the first four rounds, and the Eagles hold a pick in each of the first three rounds.

The Redskins long have operated in such a manner, often to great success. The George Allen line, "the future is now," has served as their motto for nearly four decades, whether Allen, Bobby Beathard, Dan Snyder or Joe Gibbs called the shots in the front office.

The Redskins never believed in losing today to build a better tomorrow. Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi always hates "to see holes" when he looks at his roster of picks for the next draft, but the Redskins generally have traded picks like so many Pokemon cards.

Allen drafted only one player before the fourth round in his seven seasons in charge. Beathard traded six of his final seven first-round picks. Snyder, in charge of the 2000, 2002 and 2003 drafts, and Gibbs, who has ruled the front office the past three years, haven't been as trade crazed. Still, their combined six drafts produced only 13 players, five of them starters, on the current roster.

When Gibbs returned to the Redskins in 2004 after an 11-year retirement, he was thrilled by the prospect of working with the unrestricted free agency that began the month he departed the league. A coach who treasured veterans loved being able to bring in proven players as free agents rather than trying to guess how collegians might adjust to the pros.

"I'd hate to think what our team would look like if we weren't active in free agency," Gibbs said this week when asked about the failure of this year's class of free agents.

Gibbs did well with most of the veterans he imported in 2004: Washington made the Pro Bowl that season, and Springs and Griffin should have. Daniels led the team in sacks last year. All four were key starters for the Redskins team that last season ended a five-year playoff drought.

The most recent free agent classes (Andre Carter, Brandon Lloyd, Adam Archuleta, et al) so far has been disappointing.

In addition to the salary cap-eating contracts, there is a hidden cost to adding such experienced talent. When those players come to the Redskins, they are either hitting their peak (Washington, Griffin) or are on the way down (Brunell, Daniels). And they're not going to give that little extra something in hopes of landing their first mega-millions contract, as a younger player might.

Some scoffed when the Eagles, who possessed elite cornerbacks in Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor, used first- and second-round picks on corners Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown in the 2002 draft. Why not draft a receiver to replace run-of-the-mill starters Todd Pinkston and James Thrash?

Two years later, however, Vincent and Taylor had departed and Sheppard and Brown were starting on the Eagles' first Super Bowl team in 24 years. And, for good measure, Sheppard made the Pro Bowl.

In contrast, the Redskins had no young offensive linemen on the rise to fill in for injured starters in recent seasons. So when Jansen suffered a season-ending injury in 2004 and Thomas did the same last season, they were replaced by Ray Brown, the oldest lineman to play in the NFL in 75 years. Brown retired in January at 43.

Or compare the Redskins' defense, the team's solid foundation the past two years, to that of the Cowboys. The Dallas defense includes six starters under 27, the Redskins' only two (Taylor and Rogers).

And consider the quarterbacks.

Donovan McNabb, who turns 30 next month, is in his prime in his seventh season as the Eagles' main man. Manning, 25, is making giant strides in his second year as New York's full-time starter. Cowboys coach Bill Parcells is gambling that 26-year-old Tony Romo will give the offense the spark that immobile veteran Drew Bledsoe couldn't.

Gibbs, however, remains committed to over-the-hill Brunell while Jason Campbell, a first-round draft pick last year, watches and waits.

The more obvious problem with bringing in top-shelf veterans, however, is their cost.

Springs, Brunell, Griffin and Daniels alone account for more than $23 million on the Redskins' 2007 salary cap. Taylor, Rogers, Campbell and their top choice in the 2006 draft, linebacker Rocky McIntosh, cost less than $7 million combined. And getting rid of highly paid players has its costs, too. Former linebacker LaVar Arrington counts nearly $8 million against the Redskins' cap this year even though he now plays for the Giants.

The Redskins are just $1 million below next year's projected salary cap of $109 million. Their division rivals, again, are in better position: The Eagles ($31 million under the cap), Cowboys ($22 million) and Giants ($16 million) have plenty of money to spend.

So help isn't on the way to Redskin Park anytime soon

Cowboys reeking of desperation

by Richard Oliver:
San Antonio Express-News

Something smells in the land of the Tuna.
The breakthrough campaign forecast for the Cowboys has instead become a season on the stink, and what's wafting through the Valley Ranch corridors these days isn't exactly what you'd call rosy optimism.

It reeks of desperation.

Especially in a team setting, the scent of it can assault the senses quicker than a rancher shuffling into the house after taking a shortcut through the barnyard.

How Dallas' locker room reacts in the aftermath will be telling.

Players can tackle the odoriferous mess they're in or recoil from it. The result will play out on the scoreboard soon enough.

A little more than a third of the way through this campaign, the Cowboys are at 3-3 and gasping in the NFC East, at the kind of crossroads that will decide more than Sunday's pivotal showdown.

Coach Bill Parcells chose a new course this week by making a long-awaited switch at quarterback, installing young firebrand Tony Romo ahead of warhorse Drew Bledsoe.

Mark it down as the defining moment of the coach's tenure with Dallas.

If this latest maneuver fails, the next significant change should aim a bit higher than any shotgun snap.

It's the Tuna who should roll.

After all the drafts, free-agent signings and personnel shifts over the past four-plus seasons, Parcells heads to Carolina with only a 28-27 record in Dallas, including one abbreviated playoff run and more starting quarterbacks than big-game victories.

En route to the Hall of Fame, the legendary coach appears stuck in stall and blame. Hired to be a champion, Parcells has too often been Chan Gailey.

Suddenly, it seems he's no Bill Belichick or Charlie Weis. Heck, at this point he's no Sean Payton.

As the pupils have become the masters, the Cowboys have become mediocre again.

It's time to take a hard look at why.

Owner Jerry Jones said Thursday that he feels the impact of it, admitting he's lowered expectations for a season he projected as something special.

"I have to be a realist," the owner said. "I hadn't thought or hoped that we'd be sitting here after the sixth game making these adjustments."

That, he added, "is a step back."

It should also be an alarm bell for Parcells. The man who views accountability as a standard, often waving it before his troops like a signal flag, should be held to the same over the next 10 games.

If he doesn't take these horses to the Super Bowl, perhaps he should go back to betting on others at Saratoga.

Parcells, 65, would have an answer for that today, and it would be a description awfully similar to what that rancher might be scraping off his boots. During his career, the ascribed genius has generally viewed his management skills to be hindered only by the folks carrying out the orders.

In the latter part of his coaching journey, that has usually involved the quarterback position.

The move to the brash Romo has a precedent on Parcells' resume. In 1997, with the New York Jets offense misfiring, the coach yanked Neil O'Donnell, like Bledsoe a Super Bowl graduate, in favor of another unheralded, cocksure thrower named Glenn Foley.

"It's a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately game with him," Foley, a former Boston College overachiever, said later. "That's how he runs it."

By early 1998, Foley was out and retread Vinny Testaverde in. In a stunning resurgence, the former Tampa Bay quarterback amassed 29 touchdowns and only seven interceptions, leading New York to the AFC title game.

Today, Parcells has found his latest Foley, and it has come to this for Cowboys fans: The hope for the future again rests on a question mark.

Just as it did when Parcells brought Testaverde to the Cowboys and later Bledsoe. And just as it didn't when the Cowboys coach failed to aggressively court Drew Brees and Jake Delhomme, among others, last offseason.

As a result, Dallas heads to Carolina today after a move that smacks of desperation.

And, after all this time, that stinks.

Cowboys hoping Romo provides Brady-like relief of Bledsoe

By JAIME ARON
AP Sports Writer

IRVING, Texas (AP) -The last time Drew Bledsoe lost his job, it also was to an unproven quarterback. It worked out pretty well for Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

The Dallas Cowboys hope Tony Romo provides the same kind of boost.

Brady replaced Bledsoe early in the 2001 season after a hit put Bledsoe in intensive care for a few days. He never got his job back, because Brady, then in his second season out of Michigan, ran the offense so well. The Patriots won the Super Bowl that season and two of the next three.

This time, Bledsoe is getting benched because coach Bill Parcells has lost confidence in him after poor performances.

Romo will make his first start since the 2002 Division I-AA playoffs Sunday night, when the Cowboys visit the Carolina Panthers. After watching the first 52 games of his NFL career, then coming off the bench in the last two, he's ready to be the main man.

``I've always prepared like I was going to play each week,'' Romo said. ``You know, there's more sense of urgency and, in that respect, you're going to want to be perfect with everything throughout the week. It's not always going to be, but you want things to go smooth.''

The Tony Romo Project began in 2003, the same season Parcells arrived in Dallas.

The I-AA player of the year at Eastern Illinois, Romo went undrafted. Several teams tried signing him, but he picked the Cowboys because of Parcells and a depth chart that featured only Quincy Carter and Chad Hutchinson. He made the club as the No. 3 quarterback, and the waiting game began.

Romo has watched all sorts of QBs come and go, from has-beens like Vinny Testaverde to never-weres like Hutchinson and Drew Henson. Now, Romo finally has made it to the top - Dallas' ninth starting quarterback since Troy Aikman.

Romo downplays his long, slow rise, saying the only thing that matters is ``what do you do when you get there.

``If you don't perform, you get thrown aside like anybody else,'' he said.

Dallas is 3-3, with plenty of time to make a run at the playoffs. Teammates are upbeat about their chances with Romo in charge, either because they're eager to see what he can do or because they were frustrated with Bledsoe. Among the supporters is Terrell Owens, who could become the biggest beneficiary.

Bledsoe and T.O. never had the bond that Bledsoe had with Terry Glenn. Romo already has thrown two touchdowns to Owens and likely will keep looking for No. 81.

``I welcome that,'' Owens said. ``That's all I've ever wanted, just a guy to stand back there and know that I'm a playmaker. Give me an opportunity to make plays.''

Because Romo has seen firsthand that being the Cowboys' starting quarterback can be a temporary assignment, he seems determined to enjoy his turn.

During his first media session since the promotion, Romo said with a straight face that his favorite target is Oliver Hoyte, a linebacker who was converted to fullback last week.

``He's doing some good things in the passing game,'' Romo said, finally cracking a smile.

Parcells had told reporters that Romo reminded him of other quarterbacks, but the coach declined to name them. When Romo was asked for those names, he said, ``He started off with John Elway,'' flashing another smile.

Confidence is Romo's strong suit. After Bledsoe struggled in the opener and fans already were clamoring for a change, Romo - who'd yet to throw a pass - described the budding controversy as inevitable ``any time you have a couple of quality players at a position.''

Confident or not, he'll have to protect the ball.

Romo threw three interceptions in his two quarters against the New York Giants on Monday night, when a five-point halftime deficit became a 36-22 loss. Turnovers were Bledsoe's undoing, and they'll do the same to Romo unless he's smarter with the ball.

Between his confidence and his scrambling abilities, Romo believes he can make any throw. It's a Brett Favre-esque mentality you might expect from a native of Burlington, Wis., and something he knows he must control.

He said so to the boss, telling Jerry Jones, ``You've seen the last of what you saw out there tonight.''

``I like that resolve,'' Jones said.

Jones gave Romo a $2 million bonus in August as part of a contract through 2007. Now Romo has 10 games to prove whether he deserves to be the starter next season.

``No one in this locker room thinks about it like that,'' Romo said. ``They think, 'How can we win this game this week? How can we get in a position make a run this year?' ... We've got a lot of games left. A tough road, but we're going to be all right.''

Tom Brady couldn't have said it better.

Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones May Target QB In Draft

Source: Tom Orsborn, San Antonio Express-News

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones suggested Thursday he's prepared to target a quarterback in the first round of the draft if it's clear Tony Romo isn't the answer. Coach Bill Parcells ? with Jones' blessing ? benched Drew Bledsoe on Wednesday in favor of Romo. The move disappointed Jones, although he said he has confidence in Romo. "I'm disappointed at the reason we're having to make this change," Jones said. Romo will be the ninth starting quarterback for the Cowboys since Troy Aikman retired after the 2000 season. Jones said he's "consciously tried not to go to the top of the draft to get a quarterback" but added a new strategy may be needed should Romo falter.

Marcus Coleman to start at free safety

Marcus Coleman will start at free safety for the Cowboys on Sunday at Carolina.
Strong safety Roy Williams made the announcement on his weekly radio show on K104 this morning with host Chris Arnold.

Coleman replaces Patrick Watkins, who gets benched after numerous mistakes in the deep passing game.

Coach Bill Parcells wouldn't say who would start at his news conference this morning, so we'll find Coleman and possibly Watkins to find out the deal when the locker room opens up in a few moments.


Parcells also said he doesn't anticipate activating Watkins, Coleman and Keith Davis, who started 15 games last season at free safety.

So, I would think, Coleman and Davis are playing and Watkins is inactive.

We'll find out on Sunday.

Irvin Says Quitters Can't Be Leaders

TV 'IDIOTS' FIRE BACK AT BARBER
IRVIN SAYS QUITTERS CAN'T BE LEADERS

By ANDREW MARCHAND


ESPN's Michael Irvin continued his verbal war with Tiki Barber yesterday, saying the retirement issue will impede Barber's ability to be a team leader on the Giants.

October 27, 2006 -- In the heat of games, Irvin said he thinks Barber's teammates might not be compelled to listen to him anymore.

"It kills his ability to lead," Irvin told The Post. "He is the leader of that football team. If I am a young guy and we are in a battle and we are banging heads and we are fighting. I'm out there getting hit and being hit and we are in a tough spot in a football game.

"If I am in the line of battle and Tiki comes to me and says, 'Come on, give me what you have!' I'm going to look at him and say, 'Aww, shut up. What are you talking about? You are quitting on us.' This stuff will come out on the sideline."

Yesterday, led by Eli Manning, Barber's teammates disagreed with Irvin's assessment, saying Barber's retirement plans becoming public have no impact.

"For us, it didn't change anything," Manning said. "We can't worry about next season. It is worrying about this week and this game. Now, we know we can really wear him out this season. We don't have to save anything for next season."

The issue of Barber as a possible distraction likely would have been silenced for the time being had Barber not resorted to name-calling on his Sirius Satellite Radio show Tuesday night.

On the "Barber Shop" - which Tiki is host of with his brother and Sunday opponent, Ronde of the Bucs - Barber called out some media members, including Irvin and ESPN's Tom Jackson, whom he labeled "idiots." Barber said the two offered opinions without speaking to him or anyone with the Giants.

Barber drew further attention to the situation by belittling Irvin, adding that Irvin is the "ultimate character guy, facetiously speaking, of course."

"Please get a clue about how to be a journalist," Barber concluded.

Irvin did not appreciate the personal attacks, but said it comes with the territory.

October 27, 2006 -- CONTINUED

"I know people talk about Tiki as a class guy, but it is what it is," Irvin said. "The thing that struck me as odd is I try not to listen to idiots. I try not to let their opinions sway me in any way or control my feelings in any way. If you really thought that we were idiots, why would our opinion get to you so much?"

Jackson was listening to the "Barber Shop" when Tiki went on the offensive. Jackson said he was a bit surprised by Barber's harsh language, but stood by his belief that the situation is a "distraction" for the Giants.

"I thought that the name-calling seemed a bit unnecessary," Jackson told The Post yesterday.

Jackson is a huge Barber fan. He said he often watches Barber on Fox News' "Fox & Friends." On that show, Jackson said Barber opines on a variety of subjects.

"I was asked an opinion about a subject, just the way he is often asked an opinion about a myriad of topics, a plethora of things," Jackson said. "I'm assuming that often times that when he gives those opinions that he has not spoken directly to the people he is talking about because some of those opinions include the President of the United States, the Secretary of State, senators, governors, movies, books, I'm assuming he hasn't spoken to all those people before he gives those opinions. His opinion is no less valid. It is an opinion. That's all."

No matter how respected Jackson and Irvin were as players, no Giant was willing to side with them on the issue. In their public comments, the Giants all were squarely behind Barber.

"There is no quit in that guy," Antonio Pierce said. "He is still our leader on offense."

Plaxico Burress said, "I don't feel it has been a distraction at all. I'm sure everyone can see the way he is playing, the way he is running."

Brad Sham calls out ESPN

Nothing But The Facts, Please

IRVING, Texas - We must do better than this.
And in this case, by "this," I'm not referring to quarterback play or safety coverage. And by "we," I don't mean the Cowboys.
I mean us, the media. We're doing a sloppy reporting job, and once it starts there's no telling where it ends.
And specifically, I'm calling out ESPN, The Worldwide Leader in Sports.
Don't misunderstand. This is not a bitter vendetta. I am an ESPN fan. And normally criticizing a specific media outlet is not something I endorse, not from this corner.
But on Tuesday, you and I got wrong information. We must do better than this.
Tuesday, ESPN reported from the NFL owners' meeting in New Orleans that there had to be a brewing firestorm between Cowboys' coach Bill Parcells and owner Jerry Jones. There had to be, because Parcells made the halftime quarterback change Monday night from Drew Bledsoe to Tony Romo and Jones was against it. Jones was against it, and he was publicly saying he thought his coach had made the wrong choice.
To prove it, ESPN ran a sound byte from a TV interview with Jones. Asked if he had spoken to Parcells about the change and if he agreed with it, Jones said, "We discuss all the time. I really don't know. I thought the best chance for us to be where we wanted to be, which was contending in the playoffs, was to go with the experienced quarterback, which was Drew. And I don't know that I've changed my mind about that at all."
And ESPN had their story. In SportsCenters, big stories ran about the Jerry-Bill controversy. Wednesday morning on the popular Mike and Mike in the Morning show, which simulcasts on ESPN Radio and ESPN2 television, multiple segments were devoted to the split between Jones and Parcells.
Listen, I'm a Mike and Mike fan. I mean, I'm a Mike fan and a Mike fan and a Mike and Mike fan. They're entertaining, and I believe what I hear there. I know the network's Cowboys beat reporter, Ed Werder, to be a person and journalist of quality and integrity. Werder did break the national story before the game Monday night that Romo was on alert and might come in.
But Werder wasn't part of the New Orleans or Bristol, Conn., reporting on Jones' comments from Tuesday. Too bad. Because we didn't get the whole story from ESPN. In fact, much worse happened. We got a wrong story.
The sound byte from Jones was accurate, all right, and as far as it goes it does indeed appear that he endorses Bledsoe as the quarterback. If only his entire comment had run, as it did on some local outlets later Tuesday night, and on the Talkin' Cowboys radio show on the Cowboys Radio Network and DallasCowboys.com Wednesday morning. The rest of the quote shows Jones straddling the fence in his answer, and in fact endorsing no one.
When you simply hear the rest of the answer, which in fact you could do by going to ESPN's website, you hear him say, after saying he hasn't changed his mind about the value of an experienced quarterback:
"But we've got to win games, and we've got to give ourselves every opportunity to. There's no question Romo's got more mobility, and he can mitigate some of the problems we have with Drew's mobility. On the other hand, you saw (Monday night) we give up some good stuff experience-wise, too. It'll be a tough decision."
So what's the difference? Why make a big to-do about it?
Because leaving out half the quote completely changes its meaning, and thus the story. In fact, if there's no conflict between Jones and Parcells, there is no story. This becomes highly disappointing to the national reporters (and the local ones) who have been waiting for that since the day Parcells was hired.
I'm a big freedom of the press guy. I believe that those in power, whether government or private business or the head of the family, tend to watch out for their self-interests by telling us only what they want us to know. Nothing wrong with that from their perspective. It's their job.
It's just that as consumers and/or citizens, we're entitled to more. Parcells and Jones are entitled to tell you as little as they can get away with. You, as a consumer of products like their sponsors and their tickets, are entitled to information, as much as we can get. That's where the media comes in.
And that's why it is absolutely incumbent on the media to be above reproach. We are the ones who are supposed to tell you what's really is happening, not what the people in power want you to know. How can the system work at all if we are either too lazy to tell the whole story or too dishonest to change what we report if it's not what we want to report? Sadly, there is truth in the old joking journalistic adage, "Never let the facts stand in the way of a good story."
Some of this happened in the Terrell Owens reporting in the last month. Answers to questions from a Monday were put on the questions from Wednesday, because it fit the story better. If you didn't know what to believe, you wouldn't know what to believe.
Someday Jones and Parcells will part ways. Maybe it will be amicably, when Bill rides into the sunset. Maybe it will be acrimonious, when one of them just gets sick of the way things are going. But the fact right now is that they're not fighting over this. Maybe they have different ideas, but they're not fighting. And any attempt to tell you otherwise is one of two dangerous things: It's either very lazy, sloppy reporting or it's intentionally dishonest.
I'm going to pick lazy and sloppy, because I do not wish to believe that someone with so much influence in this profession I hold dear would intentionally manipulate the facts simply because they could and wanted to.
What we should be reporting is what Jones said Wednesday in comments taped to run on the NFL Network. Asked if the change was due to the play of Bledsoe or because this particular change combined with the rest of the Cowboys' personnel on offense gave the team the best chance to win right now, he quickly responded, "I think you've nailed it right there." The public may not always like the media, but usually you trust us because you have little other choice about getting information. It's really, really bad when we let you down like we did this week.

T.O is happy with QB change (AP)

IRVING, Texas (AP) -- While Jerry Jones is disappointed the Dallas Cowboys are going to their backup quarterback, he won't get any complaints from Terrell Owens.

T.O. said Thursday he already feels better chemistry with Tony Romo than he ever did with deposed starter Drew Bledsoe. Owens even had an example, pointing out his 8-yard touchdown catch against New York Giants on Monday night.

"I looked across the formation and he looked at me and he knew what was going on," Owens said. "It's just two players making a play."

Did he and Bledsoe ever develop that bond?

"I honestly tried to do that time and time again," he said. "But for whatever reason it didn't happen."

What happened with Bledsoe were turnovers, far too many for coach Bill Parcells to tolerate. So he switched to the unproven Romo at halftime against the Giants, then on Wednesday announced that Romo would keep the job when Dallas (3-3) plays at Carolina on Sunday night.

Jones hinted Tuesday he wanted to stick with the veteran. He explained Thursday that he actually was clinging to his preseason belief that Bledsoe would lead Dallas to the playoffs.

"I'm disappointed at the reason we're having to make this change," Jones said.

The QB switch has forced Jones to lower his expectations for this season. He's no longer convinced this team could be "special," the code word he and Parcells used this summer instead of saying they expected a deep playoff run.

"I have to be a realist," Jones said. "I hadn't thought or hoped that we'd be sitting here after the sixth game making these adjustments. ... I did not want to this year go to an inexperienced quarterback. I wanted to have the benefit of Drew Bledsoe. It hasn't worked out as of today. It just hasn't worked out. That to me is a step back."

Romo is in his fourth year with the Cowboys, but had never thrown a pass until two games ago. In his relief appearance Monday night, the former Division I-AA player of the year was 14-of-25 for 227 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a 2-point conversion. He also threw three interceptions.

Interceptions were Bledsoe's undoing. He had three in each of Dallas' first two losses, then a costly one against New York on what became his final pass.

Parcells wasn't the only one on the Cowboys sideline disgusted by that play. Teammates were frustrated by the same old, same old, too.

It hadn't gotten to the point that players were lobbying for a change, but linebacker Bradie James said it was being discussed.

How strong was the support for Romo?

"I don't know if it was sizzling," he said. "It might've been lukewarm."

James said everyone is rallying around Romo "because that's who we need to believe in."

"It'd be that way if it was Matt Baker," said James, referring to the team's practice squad QB. "We're going to roll with Romo and get it going. This is the guy. He's the golden child right now."

Romo has been getting ready for a long time, having sat by while Quincy Carter, Vinny Testaverde, Drew Henson and Bledsoe all got their chances.

The organization liked his potential enough that he received a second contract extension, and a $2 million bonus, in the preseason, locking him up through 2007. Yet he was never trusted enough to throw the ball until recently.

"I saw him coming along. I saw things I liked in the player," Parcells said. "Now it's time. I guess I was ready now."

Parcells said he's not nervous about starting Romo. He said the better description is "anxious to see what is going to happen."

Confidence is not an issue with Romo. Neither is mobility, Bledsoe's biggest weakness. Romo also has a quicker release, all of which should lead to fewer sacks -- and, as Owens hopes, more hookups to No. 81 on broken plays.

"Once he gets outside that pocket, he can make some things happen," Owens said. "He has some coaches who will be in his ear to just get the ball to the playmakers and everything will work out well."

The knocks on Romo are his lack of experience, obviously, as well average arm strength and a tendency to make what Parcells calls "impulse" throws.

But now Romo may have a chance to get comfortable. Each game will be an audition to see if he deserves to start the next one, and at the end of the season the Cowboys will have a better idea if he's their quarterback of the future. He's already set to become the ninth starter since Troy Aikman.

"I think Bill's expectations are for us to go 10-0. That would be ideal," Romo said. "You are going to lose in this league. That's going to happen. You just have to make sure you take it week by week and get yourself ready to go every week for a new challenge."

Jones has taken pride in "consciously tried not to go to the top of the draft to get a quarterback." However, he acknowledged Thursday that he might have to change that philosophy if things don't pan out with Romo.

"Part of the responsibility I have is how you address the long term situation at quarterback," said Jones, who also is the team's general manager. "My mind-set would be to say, positively, it's going to work. ... In my mind, we're going to see a player that makes some plays, makes some things happen."

Giants Brandon Jacobs dissin' Roy Williams

Taken from the Giants forum: Charlotte Sports Radio / Brandon Jacobs : Giant Mike : 10/26/06 8:17 PM

Funny exchange on sports radio today:
The update guy on the after drive show is a big Cowboys fan. The host of the show told him today that the Giants Brandon Jacobs is changing his number to #31... the guy says: "oh yea, why is that?" And he says because he looked so good "wearing #31" into the endzone Monday night.

They go on to argue a little and the Cowboy fan says "c'mon it was 4th and inches, how far could he have dragged him?" The host says... "If the endzone was in Philly Jacobs would have dragged him there."

Odds on "which NFL head coach will lose his job first."

Intertops.com has posted odds on "which NFL head coach will lose his job first." Art Shell (Oakland) the 7-to-2 favorite, followed by Bill Cowher (Pittsburgh) 13-to-2. Others include: Dennis Green (Arizona) 9-to-1; Brian Billick (Baltimore) 12-to-1; "no coaching changes before Super Bowl XLI" 13-to-1; Bill Parcells (Dallas) 16-to-1; Nick Saban (Miami) 16-to-1; Romeo Crennel (Cleveland) 33-to-1; Tom Coughlin (Giants) 33-to-1; Dick Jauron (Buffalo) 40-to-1; Bill Belichick (New England) 66-to-1.

Cowher might retire after this season but he certainly won't be fired. Green is a tempting proposition at 9-to-1. If the Cowboys miss the playoffs, it won't be a surprise if Parcells quits. Few tears would be shed in Miami if Saban were replaced. Bills GM Marv Levy could can Jauron and take the coaching reins himself, but that's not very likely to happen. Why blemish an outstanding coaching record at this stage of his career? I wouldn't take Belichick at 666-to-1. Why would he want to leave or be fired?

Skins may be looking to make QB change against Cowboys

NFL Network's Adam Schefter reports Jason Campbell is taking all the first-team reps in practice during Washington's Week 8 bye.

Mark Brunell currently has hurt ribs, but Schefter says the Redskins are using his injury and the bye-week practices to get Campbell ready, possibly to be the team's starting quarterback in Week 9.

Smith: All-Indispensable Defense

Smith: All-Indispensable Defense
By Michael Smith
ESPN.com

It wasn't easy, but after talking to players, coaches, scouts and other personnel people around the NFL, here is the All-Indispensable Defense. Also, check out our All-Indispensable Offense.

All-Indispensable Team: Defense
Pos. Player Team Comment

S
Troy Polamalu
Steelers Coordinator Dick LeBeau's ultimate weapon, Polamalu covers slot receivers, the deep middle and the deep half, supports the run, and blitzes from any angle. Arguably the Steelers' most valuable player.


S
Ed Reed
Ravens Defensive Player of the Year in 2004 missed six games last year yet still was deserving of a Pro Bowl invitation. Quarterback of the Ravens' star-studded secondary. Probably possesses the best combination of coverage and tackling skills of any safety in football.

CB
Champ Bailey
Broncos True shutdown cover guy in the mold of Darrell Green and Deion Sanders. Challenge him if you dare, quarterbacks.

CB
Terence Newman
Cowboys Has not allowed a touchdown pass since the 2004 season. So quick he can shut down outside receivers as well as slot receivers on third down, rare for a top-notch corner. OLB

Mike Vrabel
Patriots Sure, every member of the Patriots' defense seems replaceable and in some cases has been successfully replaced. But where would New England's defense have been last year had Vrabel not been able to make a seamless transition to the middle?

MLB
Zach Thomas
Dolphins Still going strong after 11 years. Not just a team leader but the face of the Dolphins.

OLB
Keith Brooking
Falcons Hasn't missed a game in five-plus seasons, and the Falcons are grateful for it. Has been productive and team's leader from both outside and middle linebacker spots.

DE
Julius Peppers
Panthers League's sack leader, on his way to earning Defensive Player of the Year honors. Among the league's best players regardless of position.

NT
Jamal Williams
Chargers Bolts' defensive dominance all starts with the big man in the middle.

DT
Bryant Young
49ers Steady on the field and in the locker room for a once proud but now rebuilding franchise. Unquestioned team leader. Is as effective at 3-4 end as at 4-3 tackle. Think the Niners' defense is bad with Young, imagine what it'd be without him.

DE
Michael Strahan
Giants Along with the late Reggie White, Strahan is the standard for base defensive ends. A great pass-rusher who's just as stout against the run.

Jones Disappointed With Switch to Romo

By JAIME ARON
IRVING, Texas - Jerry Jones is disappointed the Dallas Cowboys are turning to Tony Romo at quarterback, although it's not because he lacks faith in his former backup. "I'm disappointed at the reason we're having to make this change," Jones said Thursday.

The change as forced Jones to lower his expectations for this season. He and coach Bill Parcells frequently said during the summer they thought this team could be "special," their code word for a team that could go deep in the playoffs.

Now?

"I have to be a realist," he said. "I hadn't thought or hoped that we'd be sitting here after the sixth game making these adjustments. ... I did not want to this year go to an inexperienced quarterback. I wanted to have the benefit of Drew Bledsoe. It hasn't worked out as of today. It just hasn't worked out. That to me is a step back."

Jones was counting on the Cowboys being a lot better than 3-3 and was expecting Bledsoe to be a big part of their success. Instead, the same problems Bledsoe has long faced - sacks and interceptions - are reasons for Dallas' slow start.

Parcells benched Bledsoe at halftime Monday night against the New York Giants and turned to Romo, who'd been with the team since 2003 but hadn't thrown a pass until the previous game.

The former Division I-AA player of the year was 14-of-25 for 227 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a 2-point conversion, but also threw three interceptions. Still, it was good enough for Parcells to announce Wednesday that Romo is now the starter.

He realizes things don't look as good now. The Cowboys have lost to the three best teams they've played and beaten the three worst, a recipe for mediocrity - something Dallas is trying to shake out of. The club hasn't won a playoff game since 1996 and hasn't made it to the postseason since 2003.

Giving Romo a chance now also could benefit the Cowboys in the long run because they'll find out whether he deserves the job next year. He received an extension through 2007 during the preseason.

Jones was quick to point out that wasn't a reason for this move, saying it is not a sign that "we were junking this season and just putting the team together for the future."

Romo will be the ninth starting quarterback for Dallas since Troy Aikman. Romo is the biggest long shot to make it up the depth chart, having outlasted Jones-picked candidates Quincy Carter, Chad Hutchinson and Drew Henson, plus old Parcells favorites Vinny Testaverde and Bledsoe.

Jones, who carries the dual role of owner and general manager, defended his quarterback carousel, noting that he's "consciously tried not to go to the top of the draft to get a quarterback" and acknowledging that might have to change if Romo also isn't the answer.

"Part of the responsibility I have is how you address the long term situation at quarterback," he acknowledged.

Jones is still optimistic about Romo.

"I think he's a top athlete," Jones said. "I like his approach to competing. He's got a natural leadership quality about him. ... He's pocket sensitive. He's got a good feel of where it's coming from, the pressure."

Jones said he and Parcells have talked about the quarterbacks in "probably 50 percent of the conversations we have," so there wasn't a lengthy discussion about the change. He added that he does not regret sticking with Bledsoe so long, instead of having broken in Romo earlier this year or even in previous years.

"I know why we made the decisions," he said. "I would have liked for them to turn out better, but I don't regret it."

What to expect

From the Cowboy's Fanzone:

It seems the big stories around the NFL all involve QBs this week. The 'controversy' in Dallas, the situation in Washington, the troubles in Miami. The many fans on the Cowboys Fan Forum (http://blog.dallascowboys.com/forums/) that I help moderate also can't help but talk about the controversies. And with things how they are here in Dallas, can you blame them?

So it made me get to some thinking. What should we expect from Romo, his first half season as a starter? So many fans think he is the answer to all our problems, while many others believe it spells doom for the rest of the season. So let me bring some realism to you all with some facts and stats.

Let's start out with Brett Favre, since many have compared Romo to him. His first season as a starter, he managed a fairly well 18 TDs and 16 INTs with a rating of 85.3.. Not all too shabby I suppose.

Let's check out the first time starter stats for last year's number one overall choice, Alex Smith. 1 TD to 11 INTs and a QB rating of 40 in 7 games started. Ouch.

Let's try some NFC East QBs now. McNabb in his first 6 games as a starter, he completed 49 percent of his passes and threw 8TDs and 7INTs for a rating of 60.1. Brunell went 15TDs and 7 INTs for a rating of 82.6 in his first 10 games a starter, all coming his junior year in the league. Eli Manning threw 6TDs to 9INTs for a rating of 55.4 in his 7 games started as a rookie.

So, if you think about this all logically, you can come to one very simple conclusion. All first time starters have some troubles, but their level of troubles usually vary. In some situations, you have a QB learning to play in the NFL while on a team with poor protection, no recievers and a horrible defense that forces the young QB to throw more than he should.

In the case of Brunell, who sat and watched for 2 seasons, he had a good first year as a starter. Could it be from sitting and watching? We all know what it did for Carson Palmer.

No matter if you like Romo or not, you have to realize he may be something in this league or he may not - but he will have some struggles either way. But if you weigh his inexperience and inevitable struggles against his supporting cast of T.O., J. Jones, Witten and T.G., and the fact he has sat, watched and learned for 3 seasons, I begin to like the odds of Romo having a decent season.

How decent? Maybe Favre-ish first season starter decent. Will it translate into wins? Only time will tell. Am I correct with my prediction? Time will tell that, too.

Either way, there's that comparison again.

Don't expect Romo to save Boy's season

Gosselin Article:

Struggling NFL teams occasionally bench starting quarterbacks into a season looking for a spark, as the Cowboys have done this week with Drew Bledsoe.
Most of the time, that team's problems are bigger than the quarterback position. But occasionally the strategy works – twice this decade, in fact. One team even used a quarterbacking change as the impetus for an NFL title.
That was the Baltimore Ravens in 2000. The Ravens were scuffling along at 5-3 with Tony Banks at quarterback. But the offense was nonexistent. Baltimore went 16 consecutive quarters without scoring a touchdown when coach Brian Billick finally benched Banks in favor of Trent Dilfer.
The Ravens went on to win 11 of Dilfer's 12 starts, culminating in a 34-7 romp over the New York Giants in the Super Bowl. Dilfer passed for 12 touchdowns in his eight regular-season starts and three more in the playoffs – generating enough offense for the Ravens to win their first NFL championship.
In 2002, the Pittsburgh Steelers struggled to an 0-2 start and were trailing Cleveland 13-6 in the fourth quarter when coach Bill Cowher yanked Kordell Stewart in favor of Tommy Maddox.
Maddox rallied Pittsburgh to win that game in overtime and then posted an 8-2 record down the stretch to propel the Steelers to an AFC Central title.
So seasons can be salvaged with a strategic change at quarterback. But in the case of both Baltimore and Pittsburgh, an older, more experienced quarterback replaced a younger one. That won't be the case with Tony Romo replacing Bledsoe.

Jerry speaks... on the QB situation, Romo, and drafting a QB

DMN Blog: Jones speaks

Owner/general manger Jerry Jones spoke to the media for about 25 minutes at the start of practice on Thursday.

Here's some of the highlights: On the QB situation: "There’s no issue as far as I’m concerned relative to is there any debate on my part relative to Tony starting. I knew when we started the season that if we went away from Drew Bledsoe that meant we were facing some challenges that I didn’t want to face during the season."

On disappointment of making the change at QB: "I’m not disappointed that Tony Romo as a young quarterback that we’re playing him. I’m not disappointed. I’m disappointed at the reason we’re having to make this change not that we’re dealing with those reasons."

Posted by Calvin Watkins at 12:41 PM (E-mail this entry) | Comments (0)

Jones on Romo
Here's some more Jerry Jones on Tony Romo's ability to quarterback the Cowboys:

"I think he's a top athlete. I like his approach to competing. He's got a natural leadership quality about him. He does as you all know, he gets that ball out of there...he sees it. When that mind sees it, it's gone. And you can't coach that. He's pocket sensitive. He's got a good feel of where it's coming from, the pressure."




Posted by Calvin Watkins at 12:49 PM (E-mail this entry) | Comments (0)

Aikman, Simms, Madden ON Bledsoe

Analysts lend perspective on QB decision
12:05 AM CDT on Thursday, October 26, 2006
By BARRY HORN / The Dallas Morning News

Sports media columnist Barry Horn chatted about the Cowboys quarterback change with the lead NFL analysts at Fox, CBS and NBC on Wednesday.

His conversation with Fox's Troy Aikman focused on Tony Romo's skills as a quarterback. With CBS' Phil Simms, who played for Bill Parcells with the Giants, the discussion centered on the coach's philosophy regarding quarterbacks. NBC's John Madden, a Hall of Fame coach with the Raiders, recalled making a similar mid-season quarterback switch.

Troy Aikman

"I think Tony Romo will play well. He'll have a good career. It will help him this week to take all the snaps in practice. You can't underestimate the importance of that.

"I like the energy he plays with. He has charisma. He seems to be a leader. Does he have a great arm? No. But he certainly throws the ball well enough to be successful in this league.

"He brings escapability and mobility in the pocket. What the Cowboys gain there will be balanced by a guy who hasn't played. ... For some reason, lacking mobility has become a four-letter word. The quarterback's job is to throw the ball. Peyton Manning doesn't move real well. I don't think anyone in Indianapolis would suggest benching him.

"Some people compare Romo to Brett Favre. I see Romo playing with the same type of energy as Brett, but, for now, I'd end the comparisons there. You have to rein in his recklessness. But then, it was Favre's recklessness that made him a success."

Phil Simms

"I don't know Tony Romo. I've never seen him play. But Coach Parcells is not a guy who makes these decisions quickly. He has thought about this for a long time ...

"When I played for Bill Parcells, he called me in one time during the off-season and said, 'Simms, I don't care if you do nothing, but I want you to show up here every day and at least pretend to be working out. Then I want you to walk through the locker room carrying a big stack of film and go into the film room. I don't care if you spend the next four hours sleeping in there. When you walk out, you will have created a perception and set a tone.'

"Coach Parcells knows that if you are trying to shake up a team, quarterback is the one position that can give it a different personality. He is hoping for a shot of energy from Romo that will change the style of performance of the whole team.

"He knows this one move can produce a different team. The way a quarterback talks in the huddle, the way he walks through the locker room is vital in the development of a team."


John Madden

"I know what Bill Parcells is going through. I had Daryle Lamonica as my quarterback and I switched to Kenny Stabler after the start of the season. Like Bill, I was giving up experience and arm strength for mobility.

"Daryle had no mobility and was hanging on to the ball too long. Snake could move the ball. It wasn't something I did on the spur of the moment. It is a tough decision giving up the known for the unknown. It worked out well for us, but it wasn't something I was sure of.

"When Bill made the decision on Monday night, I said he has to stick with it now. He couldn't say after the game, 'I was kidding. We're going back to Drew Bledsoe now.' I knew Romo was his new quarterback.

"I've always liked Drew Bledsoe, but if you go with a guy like him, you better have a running game and you better be able to protect him. The focus on quarterback has camouflaged some other Cowboys problems. There are a lot of moving parts there that need to be examined."

Parcells said Wednesday that Marcus Coleman may replace Pat Watkins at free safety

Coach Bill Parcells said Wednesday that Marcus Coleman may replace Pat Watkins at free safety.

Owner Jerry Jones said earlier this month that Watkins wouldn't lose his starting spot, but like with the quarterback situation he doesn't appear to yield any actual power. Watkins gave up a long score to WR Plaxico Burress last week and struggled earlier in the season as well.
Source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Jerry Jones: Romo being the starter is a step back

Romo being the starter is a step back (Jerry Jones on Fox sports)

"I'm disappointed at the reason we're having to make this change," Jones said Thursday.
The change as forced Jones to lower his expectations for this season. He and coach Bill Parcells frequently said during the summer they thought this team could be "special," their code word for a team that could go deep in the playoffs.

Now?

"I have to be a realist," he said. "I hadn't thought or hoped that we'd be sitting here after the sixth game making these adjustments. ... I did not want to this year go to an inexperienced quarterback. I wanted to have the benefit of Drew Bledsoe. It hasn't worked out as of today. It just hasn't worked out. That to me is a step back."

Jones was counting on the Cowboys being a lot better than 3-3 and was expecting Bledsoe to be a big part of their success. Instead, the same problems Bledsoe has long faced - sacks and interceptions - are reasons for Dallas' slow start.

Parcells benched Bledsoe at halftime Monday night against the New York Giants and turned to Romo, who'd been with the team since 2003 but hadn't thrown a pass until the previous game.


The former Division I-AA player of the year was 14-of-25 for 227 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a 2-point conversion, but also threw three interceptions. Still, it was good enough for Parcells to announce Wednesday that Romo is now the starter.

He realizes things don't look as good now. The Cowboys have lost to the three best teams they've played and beaten the three worst, a recipe for mediocrity - something Dallas is trying to shake out of. The club hasn't won a playoff game since 1996 and hasn't made it to the postseason since 2003.

Giving Romo a chance now also could benefit the Cowboys in the long run because they'll find out whether he deserves the job next year. He received an extension through 2007 during the preseason.

Jones was quick to point out that wasn't a reason for this move, saying it is not a sign that "we were junking this season and just putting the team together for the future."

Romo will be the ninth starting quarterback for Dallas since Troy Aikman. Romo is the biggest long shot to make it up the depth chart, having outlasted Jones-picked candidates Quincy Carter, Chad Hutchinson and Drew Henson, plus old Parcells favorites Vinny Testaverde and Bledsoe.

Jones, who carries the dual role of owner and general manager, defended his quarterback carousel, noting that he's "consciously tried not to go to the top of the draft to get a quarterback" and acknowledging that might have to change if Romo also isn't the answer.

"Part of the responsibility I have is how you address the long term situation at quarterback," he acknowledged.

Jones is still optimistic about Romo.

"I think he's a top athlete," Jones said. "I like his approach to competing. He's got a natural leadership quality about him. ... He's pocket sensitive. He's got a good feel of where it's coming from, the pressure."

Jones said he and Parcells have talked about the quarterbacks in "probably 50 percent of the conversations we have," so there wasn't a lengthy discussion about the change. He added that he does not regret sticking with Bledsoe so long, instead of having broken in Romo earlier this year or even in previous years.

"I know why we made the decisions," he said. "I would have liked for them to turn out better, but I don't regret it."

Irvin Made An Interesting Point About Our OL...

Originally posted by CaptainAmerica from a sports forum:

...He said on the Mike & Mike interview that Dallas doesn't have one offensive lineman that, as a player on the field, is just plain ole' mean and nasty and gives the OL a tough guy personality. Erik Williams came to my mind as Irvin mentioned this. (I can still see Big E dominating his opponent in the 2nd NFC Championship game against San Fran and then during a timeout pouring water on his face and the camera in slo-mo showing him blowing water up in the air like a huge killer whale!) What a tough guy Big E was on that OL!

The other thing Irvin mentioned was that on the field these guys, in his opinion, don't pass the eyeball test. Those were his words. I'm not sure I agree with that, because Flo and Gurode are big guys, but that's what he said.

So, I gave Irvin's comment about a tough guy mentality some thought. Do we have a tough guy on our OL?

1)Adams...quiet, big teddy bear type.

2)Kosier...no real personality, quiet, does his job.

3)Gurode...definitely a good guy, not mean and nasty. Example: Haynesworth incident. Gurode forgives and only responds by repeatedly saying "Why did he do it?"

4) Rivera...looks like he could be a tough, mean guy, but he's not. He's just a solid workman like vet. Has some leadership qualities, but not a nasty type player.

5) Columbo...if there is one guy who has potential to be a tough guy it's Columbo. So far however, he's just knocking the rust off and trying to get the job done.

Watkins could lose starting job

Cowboys | Watkins could lose starting job
Wed, 25 Oct 2006 11:48:37 -0700

Dallas Cowboys FS Pat Watkins could be in jeopardy of losing his starting job to either FS Marcus Coleman or SS Keith Davis.

Parcells, Green are ax-eligible

Nancy Gay
San Fran. Chronicle
Wednesday, October 25, 2006

The NFL Hot Seat brigade has moved up a notch this week, and now head coaches, not lowly coordinators, are feeling some serious heat.

Week 7, in which career-threatening coaching decisions exploded across the league like a Terrell Owens' sideline hissy fit, has left the Cowboys' Bill Parcells and the Cardinals' Dennis Green scrambling to keep their jobs.

Question is, does Parcells really want his gig anymore?

Monday night's quarterback derby at Texas Stadium, during which the fiery Dallas coach ushered in the Tony Romo Era either, 1) Six weeks too late 2) A few weeks too late or 3) At precisely the wrong time, has the hothead sounding more defeated than he ever has.

"I'm ashamed to put a team on the field that looked like that," Parcells said meekly after the Giants destroyed his team 36-22. "I apologize to the people who came out to watch that. That's not good football."

That? The Cowboys' performance was one thing, and yeah, it was pretty bad.

But that postgame performance was not the Parcells we've come to know. Where was the bluster? The fury? Parcells was red-faced, all right, and it had nothing to do with his legendary temper.

In a nutshell: Quarterback Drew Bledsoe, whose renowned feet of stone were unable to escape the New York pass rush, was sacked four times and threw a really lousy interception just before halftime.

Parcells made the Dallas fans cheer by yanking Bledsoe and going with Romo, the fourth-year backup the coach was rumored to favor during training camp.

Romo's first pass was an interception. By the end of the night, he would throw two more picks and take three sacks. Romo even got a revealing taste of what it's like to play with Owens -- the receiver dropped a fourth-down throw from Romo, then laughed about it as he trotted to the sideline.

And Parcells now has a huge mess on his hands.

No way can he go back to Bledsoe. Parcells handed the team to Romo, a quarterback without an NFL start to his name, on a national stage in the middle of a game against a division rival.

Parcells knew he couldn't make that move in training camp because Bledsoe is not a backup. Bledsoe made that perfectly clear when he was benched in New England in favor of Tom Brady, and he reiterated his stance on being No. 2 on Monday night.

"It was a bad decision," Bledsoe described Parcells' halftime move. Cue Week 8 as the point at which the Cowboys' descent coincides with Bledsoe developing a bad attitude.

Maybe Owens' ongoing antics have taken an exhausting toll on the Tuna, who no longer refers to his diva wideout by name. Parcells hasn't openly questioned Owens' gender, as he did when he once referred to wide receiver Terry Glenn as "she." But there are still 10 weeks left in the season.

They might be Parcells' final 10 weeks as an NFL head coach.

In Arizona, Green very well might be a guy trying to get himself run out of town.

Two painfully bad losses in two weeks -- the 24-23 home collapse against the Bears and a 22-9 laydown against the Raiders in Oakland despite collecting five turnovers and five sacks -- have left Green on slippery footing.

Hard to believe, but the Cardinals (1-6) are off to their worst start in nine seasons. It's really hard to believe when you consider that franchise's last winning season was in 1998 (9-7 under Vince Tobin).

The notoriously difficult (and cheap) Bidwill ownership opened up the wallet a bit this past offseason, along with that gorgeous new stadium in the desert, paying top dollar for free-agent running back Edgerrin James and first-round pick Matt Leinart.

By all accounts, Green has had the tools to win and he has squandered them.

Now everyone is looking for an exit strategy. The Bidwills don't want to fire Green because they would be on the hook for the remaining $2.5 million on the coach's contract, which expires in 2007. There is also a club option for 2008, but we can kiss that goodbye.

The Bidwills would rather Green simply quit, so they can avoid paying him.

Green seems intent on getting the boot and, thus, his cash. Last week, Green wanted to fire his offensive coordinator, Keith Rowen. Green apparently was overruled, and Rowen was "demoted" to the title of "offensive assistant."

Rowen disagrees. He knows the game in Arizona, and he has filed a grievance with the NFL office seeking to get the Cardinals to concede he actually was fired. Rowen, like Green, just wants to get paid.

Meanwhile, James -- who has an NFL-most 161 rushing attempts and only 432 yards and two touchdowns to show for them -- realizes his friends were right when they told him he was selling his soul, leaving behind all that success with the Colts to grab the big money from the dysfunctional Cardinals.

"They warned me about this. ... I wasn't prepared for this, man, I really wasn't, when making my decision," James said after the Raiders' loss. "I don't know what we're doing now."

Looks like James isn't alone there.

Romo QB COMPARISONS

QB Rating:
Romo 89.4
League Average 76.2
League Leader 136.8

Touchdowns:
Romo 3
League Average 6.6
League Leader 16

Yards:
Romo 262
League Average 945.9
League Leader 2151

USAToday Inside Slant: Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys are in full desperation mode now.
A season that began with the team selling out to win now — that's why they signed Terrell Owens and gave Bill Parcells a contract extension — is now possibly in the hands of heralded but unproven quarterback Tony Romo.

Parcells — who is likely in his last year as coach and wants badly to make a run at the playoffs and possibly the Super Bowl — simply got fed up with quarterback Drew Bledsoe's mental errors, turnovers and lack of mobility.

It's bad enough that the Cowboys can't protect Bledsoe. What's worse is that he compounded the protection issues with mental and physical mistakes.

Perhaps Bledsoe is so shell shocked after countless sacks that he is seeing the rush, which is a no-no for a quarterback.

But he still has no excuses for the bone-headed interceptions.

The last straw for Parcells came at the end of the first half against the Giants, and with the Cowboys seemingly back in the game after looking to be blown out early.

Trailing 12-7 and facing second down at the Giants' 5-yard line, Bledsoe threw an out route to wide receiver Terry Glenn that was picked off by cornerback Sam Madison. Instead of taking the lead at halftime, a steamed Parcells decided to make the switch at quarterback.

What he was essentially saying is that Romo is not only the quarterback of the future but he might be best to help the team win now.

As much as the Cowboys like Romo's mobility, moxie and potential, he is still an inexperienced quarterback. Although he had his moments against the Giants, he was exposed as a green horn with three interceptions.

Clearly the decision was about Bledsoe not being the answer. With Super Bowl or bust goal, the Cowboys are hoping they can catch lightening in the bottle with Romo.

The problem with going Romo now is the Cowboys are facing their toughest stretch of the season. They begin a three-game road trip at Carolina, Washington and Arizona. They then have two home games against Indianapolis and Tampa Bay.

"I don't know that right now," Parcells said when asked if Romo would start Sunday. "We'll see what happens. I don't have to (make that decision) until a little bit later than tonight."

The Cowboys are still in the race so their fate could be determined by Romo.

But also keep in mind the Cowboys have yet to beat a team with a winning record.

Their three wins are against the Redskins, the Titans and the Texans.

Parcells' Verdict: Romo Will Start

By STEPHEN HAWKINS
IRVING, Texas - Tony Romo is now the first-string quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, and will make his first career start Sunday night at Carolina.

Coach Bill Parcells said Wednesday that Romo, who replaced 14-year veteran Drew Bledsoe in the second half of Monday night's 36-22 loss to the New York Giants, will start.

"Any time you do something like this, it's not without a lot of consideration," Parcells said. "I've been thinking about it for some time. ... Hopefully, maybe as the team is comprised right now, he might be able to do a couple of things that assist us."

Neither Bledsoe nor Romo appeared in the Cowboys locker room Wednesday. The team said Bledsoe would talk later in the day.

Romo, a fourth-year pro who had never thrown a pass in a game until this season, will be the ninth different starting quarterback for the Cowboys (3-3) since Hall of Famer Troy Aikman retired after the 2001 season.

Bledsoe joined Parcells in Dallas last year, reuniting with the coach who made him the No. 1 pick in 1993 for the New England Patriots.

His last pass Monday night was an interception at the goal line just before halftime when the Cowboys had a chance to take the lead. Bledsoe had already been sacked four times, once for a safety.

Parcells rarely changes quarterbacks midseason, often showing loyalty to veterans. Two years ago, Parcells stuck with 41-year-old Vinny Testaverde during a 6-10 season. Like Bledsoe, Testaverde had also played with Parcells earlier in his career.

But Bledsoe apparently made too many costly mistakes for Parcells. His last interception came in a game that could have given the Cowboys first place in the NFC East.

In Dallas' three victories, Bledsoe had six touchdown passes and one interception. But those have all been against teams with losing records. Against playoff contenders Jacksonville, Philadelphia and the Giants, he has one TD and seven INTs.

Parcells told Bledsoe about his demotion Wednesday morning.

"He was emotionally under control. I'm sure he wasn't happy to hear the news," Parcells said. "I just told him we're going to make this change right now, and that he needed to stay around ready. He assurred me he would do that."

Romo was intercepted on his first pass, on a ball tipped by Michael Strahan and caught by Antonio Pierce. He threw two more interceptions, one returned 96 yards for a touchdown.

"He's got to be more careful with the ball than he was the other night," Parcells said.

But Romo also showed he could be effective. He scrambled and completed 14 of 25 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns, and flashed more footwork running for a 2-point conversion.

Terry Glenn, the Cowboys' leading receiver with 29 catches, said the team has confidence in Romo and likes his mobility. But it's still a difficult move personally for Glenn, who spent the first six seasons of his career in New England with Bledsoe and has become a favorite target.

"Well, you know Bledsoe is my guy. I wish things weren't going the way they are, but obviously the coaching staff sees something," Glenn said. "I'm just out here playing. I want to win. Whoever's out there, let's make plays and let's try to win."

Before Monday night, Romo's only two passes were a pair of completions with a touchdown to Terrell Owens. That came in the closing minutes of a 34-6 victory over the Houston Texans.

The limited game experience for Romo doesn't seem to bother the Cowboys.

"The guys believe in him," receiver Patrick Crayton said. "His mobility, man. He's an improviser sometimes when he gets out there. You kind of expect the ball to come to you on every play."

Parcells is making up for an earlier bad call

by Paul Attner
The Sporting News
October 25, 2006

Bill Parcells, the once-great coach, had no choice. After benching Drew Bledsoe, after embarrassing him on Monday night football just because he made yet another bad decision in a career filled with lots of them, Parcells had to name Tony Romo as his starter. He just needed an excuse, and Bledsoe gave him one.

Of course, Bledsoe gave him plenty in the opener against Jacksonville. He looked dreadful under pressure in the game, worse than he usually does in those situations. And he was stiffer and less responsive to the feel of pressure than ever, which is saying a lot. He played like the quarterback who needed perfect protection to flourish and that was not going to happen with the Cowboys' line. He should have been replaced then, not now.

You have to wonder what Parcells, the once-great coach, was doing in the offseason, neglecting to fix an offensive line he knew stunk and that he knew had no chance of protecting Bledsoe unless it got better. So while Jerry Jones is signing Terrell Owens, the line stays mediocre and now Romo, with absolutely no experience, is asked to salvage the Cowboys' playoff hopes.

Maybe he has the ability, and mobility, to do just that. Let's face it, that is what the change is all about. Parcells, the once-great coach, knows his line suddenly won't improve so now maybe his quarterback can use his mobility to make up for some of that line's sins. But what will compensate for Romo's inexperience when it comes to decision making? And playing on the road against quality teams and great defenses? Nothing but going through it, which is fine for an okay club but not so fine for a franchise which had Super Bowl aspirations.

If Parcells is right about Romo, maybe the Cowboys can make something of this season after all. No one outside of the organization really has a clue if Romo is the right guy. Parcells sees him every day, watches every throw, studies every move. And he should know when a quarterback has a chance. At least, he once knew.

Cowboys: Parcells makes Romo the starting QB

Tom Orsborn
Express-News Staff Writer

IRVING – The Tony Romo era begins Sunday.

Saying he wants to alter what his team has been through six games, Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells announced Wednesday that Romo will be the team's starter at quarterback against the Carolina Panthers.

Parcells said Drew Bledsoe's inability to get rid of the ball quickly had a lot to do with the move.

"Tony has a quicker release, gets the ball out a little bit better," Parcells said. "I'm hopeful things take a little turn here. I just don't think we could go much longer with things the way they are. I'm not 100 percent sure this will work, but we are going to try it."

Parcells replaced Bledsoe with Romo at the start of the third quarter in Monday night's 36-22 loss to the New York Giants. Romo passed for two touchdowns, but he also threw three interceptions.

"He's got to be more careful with the ball than he was the other night," Parcell said. "I don't expect that to be the norm. We're going to try to temper his impulse (to make big plays). At some point, you have to make the sound play instead of trying to make the big play."

Parcells said he spoke at length with Bledsoe on Wednesday morning.

"He's a good kid," Parcells said. "I think a lot of him. I told him to be ready. He assured me he would do that. Drew and I have a good relationship. He was emotionally under control when I talked to him. I'm sure he wasn't happy to hear the news, but he wasn't irate. He told me he would stick to his business, and I know what that means."

Bledsoe said after Monday's game that it was "a very bad decision" by Parcells to bench him. Asked if Bledsoe would help mentor Romo, Parcells said, "Drew will be in the mix. Don't worry."

Quarterback might not be the only position with a new starter Sunday. Parcells said he's considering replacing rookie free safety Patrick Watkins with veteran Marcus Coleman.

Watkins has been victimized several times this season by deep passes and has shown a reluctance to go after the ball.

The Cowboys enter a three-game road trip with a disappointing 3-3 record. Despite the slow start, they are only one game behind the Giants (4-2) in the NFC East.

Romo's up-and-down night sign of things to come

by Tom Orsborn
Sports writer for the San Antonio Express-News.

IRVING - Tony Romo grew up a Brett Favre fan.

On Monday night, he looked a lot like Favre - the old, washed-up version.

Like his hero, Romo has nimble feet and a lively arm. But those attributes were overshadowed by his three interceptions, one of which was returned 96 yards for a 36-15 Giants lead with 2:33 left.

Expect more of the same if coach Bill Parcells decides to bench Drew Bledsoe permanently and go with Romo. Simply put, he's a gunslinger, which means the Cowboys turnover problems will continue.

Report card
Pass offense: The line surrendered six sacks and allowed the Giants to pressure both quarterbacks all night. The pressure also prevented Bledsoe from hitting Terrell Owens on a flea-flicker in the first half. But it was bad decisions by Bledsoe and Romo - not pressure - that caused the four interceptions they threw. Owens caught six passes for a season-best 98 yards, but he also dropped a crucial fourth down pass. Grade: D

Run offense: Julius Jones averaged a season-low 2.3 yards per carry, mainly because the Giants manhandled the Cowboys offensive line. Grade: F

Pass defense: Eli Manning threw for only 189 yards, but he also had touchdown passes of 50 and 13 yards to Plaxico Burress and Jeremy Shockley. Burress also caught a 44-yard pass. Grade: C

Run defense: Tiki Barber gained 114 yards on 27 carries for a robust 4.2 average. Big Brandon Jacobs added 40 yards on 10 attempts and scored on a 3-yard run on fourth-and-1. Grade: F

Special teams: Mat McBriar's three punts netted an average of 36.7 yards, a season low. Tyson Thompson averaged a respectable 22.7 yards on six kickoff returns. Grade: C

Coaching: Tony Sparano's offensive liine continues to make mental errors and allow defenders to race untouched to the quarterback. Mike Zimmer's defense showed no backbone and his blitzes didn't make a difference. But the biggest failure belongs to Parcells, who didn't have his team ready for its biggest game of the season. Grade: F

Bledsoe is unlikely to be a Cowboy in 2007

NFL Network reports Drew Bledsoe is unlikely to be a Cowboy in 2007.

Bledsoe, due a hefty $4.5 million salary next season, has been replaced by Tony Romo, who Dallas will look to as their QB of the future. Practice squader Matt Baker has a chance to be Romo's top backup in 2007.

Parcells stuck between rock and hard place

Ian O'Connor / Special to FOXSports.com
Posted: 1 hour ago

Bill Parcells has been around long enough to know the score.

He understands that the worst kind of quarterback controversy does not involve a choice between two first-string passers, but a choice between two second-rate arms.

Tony Romo? Drew Bledsoe?

What difference does it make?

Yes, Romo is a scrambler, an athlete, an Olympic sprinter when measured against Bledsoe's mummified remains. But if Romo looked like the quarterback to lead Dallas out of its 3-3 mess and into an improbable Super Bowl run during the second half of Monday night's loss to the Giants, then Terrell Owens is your Sportsman of the Year.

Parcells did this to himself, of course. By not having a viable quarterback on his roster, he has all but guaranteed that his fourth season with the Cowboys will be his third consecutive season without a playoff berth.

A Jurassic, stationary target like Bledsoe never made any sense to begin with, not in a league where pass rushers get faster and more athletic by the possession. Bledsoe once took the Patriots to a Super Bowl, but that was 10 years and a zillion blindside hits ago.

And how good can Romo be, anyway, when he's needed a fourth season to get on the field? Parcells has gone through the likes of Chad Hutchinson, Quincy Carter, Vinny Testaverde, Drew Henson and Bledsoe to get to Romo. Parcells went through everyone but Clint Longley.

So now the coach is stuck between a crock and a hard place. Parcells came to Dallas for one last shot at another Super Bowl ring to go with the two he won with the Giants, that third ring he failed to win with the Patriots and the Jets.

Parcells wanted another title badly enough to agree to work for Jerry Jones, who stood for everything the coach thought an owner shouldn't be. Parcells loved Wellington Mara, a football lifer who preferred to remain in the shadows. Parcells loathed Bob Kraft, a superfan-turned-owner who liked to sun himself in the network camera lights.

Jones is Kraft times 10, a guy just itching to draw up the plays. Parcells met him at the altar because he figured the marital pain was worth the potential gain.

Winning it all with the Cowboys, America's team, would send Parcells' legacy through the Texas Stadium roof. He might even go down as the greatest NFL coach of all time.

But along the way, Parcells neglected the one guiding principle of the sport that brought him fortune and fame:

You have no chance without a quarterback.

And hey, it's not like Parcells hasn't had his share of quarterback problems in the past. His first year as a head coach was defined by his disastrous decision to start Scott Brunner over Phil Simms, a choice that gave birth to a 3-12-1 record.

Parcells opened his tenure with the Jets by feuding with Neil O'Donnell, their wretched relationship ending with a profane sideline screaming match. After he moved out O'Donnell and rode Testaverde to the AFC title game, Parcells watched his Super Bowl dreams collapse with Testaverde's left Achilles' tendon in the following year's opener, leaving the Jets in the wayward hands of Rick Mirer.

Jerry Jones gave Parcells his final crack at the biggest Sunday in sports. The coach had named his daughter Dallas after the storied franchise, so he didn't need any history course to freshen up on Cowboys lore.

Drew Bledsoe picked a bad time to throw a pick. (Matt Slocum / Associated Press)

He knew they'd won their five Super Bowls with Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman — Hall of Famers both — behind center. There was no mystery to that. Parcells would need to find a star at the game's most conspicuous position (by far) to win it all.

"I used to think a basketball center was the most important position in sports," Giants GM Ernie Accorsi told me once, "but Michael Jordan changed all that. Quarterback is the most important. If you wrote down the names of the 100 quarterbacks who played in the last 50 years of ultimate championship games, with seven or eight exceptions, you're talking about the Hall of Fame. That's no coincidence."

It's no coincidence that Parcells hasn't won a single playoff game in Dallas. Truth is, he hasn't had a quarterback worthy of advancing in the Super Bowl tournament.

Now Bledsoe is struggling. He's struggling at the wrong time for the wrong coach.

"(Parcells) is a very difficult guy to play for when you're playing badly," Simms once told me. "He makes it so uncomfortable for you. He's just someone you don't want to be around when things aren't going well."

Bledsoe and Romo have no choice but to be around Parcells for the season's balance. They're stuck together, all three of them. Stuck in the worst kind of quarterback controversy — one with no attractive options, never mind two.

Drew Bledsoe Press Conference...

Recap by bighoz from a sports forum:

Bledsoe:

Playing and being a starting QB in this league is a day to day and week to week and sometimes half to half thing today.
I wish I wasn't in this situation right now but I was raised to do the right thing. I will continue to be a leader on this team and support this team. I will support Tony and be a team player.
I wish I hadn't made the mistake in the game the other night, I wish I had it back. This is a very dissappointing situation for me. I will still prepare as if I will go on the field.
I was surprised at the switch the other night. It was a bit surreal.
I didn't know til this morning that Tony would be the starter. I have tried over the last couple of days to prepare for both situations.
I still believe in my heart I give us the best chance to win, but the decision has been made.
Just because I don't agree with his decision doesn't mean I don't respect him. We talked about 30 minutes today.
I have to believe we would have won had I stayed in, but that is what I should believe. I didn't play well in the first half the other day. I wanted the chance to redeem myself.
I never thought about quitting, that is not in my make-up. This is a new role for me, I am the captain of this team and will continue to be supportive.
I felt I was treated dishonestly in the New England situation but not this time. Bill sat down with me and was honest with me.

Monday Night game sets cable record

NFL | Monday Night game sets cable record
Tue, 24 Oct 2006 16:24:27 -0700

Michael Eisen, of Giants.com, reports the New York Giants' game against the Dallas Cowboys on ESPN Monday, Oct. 23 set the record for most-viewed cable telecast ever. An estimated 11.8 million people watched the game, beating the 11.1 million people that watched the NAFTA debate between Al Gore and Ross Perot 13 years ago.

FISHER BACK TO TEXAS?

FISHER BACK TO TEXAS?

There is increasing talk/rumor/speculation in league circles that the next coach of the Dallas Cowboys could be current Titans coach Jeff Fisher.

As one league source told us late Monday night, one of the rumors making the rounds is that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has promised Fisher the job once current coach Bill Parcells leaves. There's also talk that Fisher has spoken informally with potential candidates to join him in Dallas.

The only potential glitch? The Titans hold a 2007 option on Fisher, whose team has been playing better over the past few weeks.

The other potential glitch? The so-called "Rooney Rule," which prevents a team from hiring a head coach without interviewing at least one minority candidate. Jones once took advantage of a loophole to the rule by conducting a phone interview of Dennis Green. Since then, the rule has been modified to require face-to-face interviews.

Fisher has been with the Tennessee Titans since they were the Houston Oilers. He has the second-longest tenure among current NFL coaches with the same team, trailing only Bill Cowher of the Steelers.

Showing that Fisher can beat the Redskins with inferior talent likely didn't diminish the veteran coach in Jones' eyes, if the rumors are accurate. Likewise, the possible arrival of Fisher in Big D makes the fact that he fell all over himself to apologize after defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth applied the cheese grater to the face of Cowboys center Andre Gurode even more understandable.

Stay tuned. We're not reporting it's going to happen. We're just sharing one of the rumors that definitely is working its way through the NFL grapevine.

Romo Officially Named Starter

Chris Palmer made it official;
Rotowire
Update:
Quarterbacks coach Chris Palmer informed Drew Bledsoe that he would be the backup after Monday's game, which would leave Romo as the starter, the Dallas Morning News reports.

Recommendation:
Bledsoe's immobility and the Cowboys' porous offensive line simply didn't mix this season, leaving coach Bill Parcells with no other choice but to turn to the younger Romo.

Charlie Weis: Parcells knows how to push buttons

Lesson learned: How to push right buttons

The following is an excerpt from the newly released book, NO EXCUSES by Charlie Weis and Vic Carucci. In this passage, Weis discusses what he learned as an assistant coach for Bill Parcells with the New York Giants, New England Patriots and New York Jets.
Bill Parcells is a master psychologist. I just love the way Bill controls the psyche of everybody around him. He controls the psyche of the team. He controls the psyche of the media. He's able to manipulate people -- and I mean this in a positive, not negative way -- to get them to think, or at least react to the way he thinks.

You can talk about Xs and Os with Parcells until you're blue in the face. What separates him from everyone else is how he manages the team.

NO EXCUSES is the newly released book by Charlie Weis and Vic Carucci.
One of the greatest tactics I learned from Bill is what I call "button pushing." He would make it his business to learn all he could about everyone in his locker room, everyone on his coaching staff, and everyone in every part of the organization. He would find out what made you tick, and then he would find the right buttons to push in order to elevate your performance to a level higher than you ever thought that you could reach.

My button was him questioning how hard I worked. I always worked hard, but he would say things like, "So, I see you're trying to get out of here early again, huh?"
It never failed. I felt I had to work even harder every time he said that.
Bill did it with everybody. It didn't make any difference whether it was Bill Belichick, our defensive coordinator at the time, or Ron Erhardt, our offensive coordinator at the time, or the equipment guys. Everybody was fair game. Bill would find the right button to push. He would play all kinds of mind games.

I would like to think that of all of Bill's qualities that I try to emulate -- which are many -- the two that stand out the most are his management style and his personality. That personality goes back to both of us being Jersey guys. It's a little gruff. It's sometimes perceived as holier-than-thou, but it really isn't that way.

It's that you've learned that when you're a head coach, you're on an island. You don't have anywhere to go with the problems that come up, not just from a football standpoint but every social issue that you have within a team. You can't go to another head coach because then you'd be giving away information. You can't go to your assistants because they aren't the ones leading the team. After a tough loss, there's only one guy who can get the team back on course psychologically, and that's the head coach. I mean, the team's all looking at you. The assistants can lead the guys at their respective positions, but they can't lead the team.

Bill's coaching philosophy with the players was to pressure them hard -- stay on them, never relax, never let up. Even when things went well he would still tell his assistant coaches to keep the pressure on. Players never really knew where they stood with Bill and that was exactly the way he wanted it. He wanted them uneasy.

The coaches felt that, too. He just dominated you. You knew he was in control and there wasn't a damn thing you could do about it. You never sought approval from him because you weren't going to get it. He would weed out who couldn't handle that. It was his way or the highway.
More players than coaches washed out of his program. Coaches were smart enough to adapt to it, and say, "Okay, that's the way it is." You had no choice if you wanted to work for him, and you wanted to work for him because he was successful.

Bill's football philosophy was pretty simple: Control the ball on offense and play great defense. The only time he would be more elaborate on offense over the years was when he thought his defense wasn't that good. He knew offense, defense and special teams. His forte was defense, but just like Belichick, those guys who are great defensive coordinators also know the best ways to attack defenses because they know what gives them the most problems.

Belichick and Parcells ... you don't get any smarter than those two. They're on a different level than most everybody else in this game.

For Giants, it's the hating game vs. Cowboys

by Gary Myers is a Daily News sports columnist

The one thing the Giants, Eagles and Redskins have in common is their warm feelings for the Cowboys.
"I don't like them. I probably never will," said Giants linebacker LaVar Arrington, who spent the first six years of his career with the Redskins. "I don't care for them. Just playing against them for so long, you develop a healthy dislike for them."

The Giants finish their first run through the NFC East tomorrow night at Texas Stadium. If they can follow up victories over the Redskins and Falcons and beat the Cowboys, they will accomplish two things: reestablishing themselves as Super Bowl contenders and being 3-0 in the division with road victories in Philly and Dallas.

"The Cowboys are not one of my favorite teams," running back Brandon Jacobs said. "I don't like anybody in the league if it's not the Giants."

Dallas has forever been considered an arrogant organization that thinks a little too highly of itself and flaunts the America's Team label. But the Cowboys have not won a playoff game since 1996, the longest stretch in team history. Just six other teams, not counting the 1999 expansion Browns and 2002 expansion Texans, have a current streak of at least that long.

The Cowboys have become the most entertaining show in the NFL primarily because you never know what Terrell Owens is going to do next and when Bill Parcells will finally lose his temper with him. "When (Owens) is happy, everybody around him is happy," Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce said. "When he's not, nobody is happy. It's like a marriage."

Here are the five most intriguing Giants-Cowboys storylines:


The First Stop On The Tiki Barber Farewell Tour: He's leaving after this season and retiring on his own terms. He's earned that right. But how many athletes make a retirement announcement in the middle of the season, especially when their team is on a roll and days away from a crucial game? Barber should have used better judgment and waited until after the season instead of creating a distraction that could last the entire season.

Is This The Parcells Retirement Tour? (Part III): In the offseason, he signed a contract extension through the 2007 season, but that was primarily to eliminate his status as a lame duck with his original four-year deal about to expire. He coached the Giants eight years, then spent four years with the Patriots and three with the Jets. I think the only reason Parcells didn't fight Jerry Jones on the Owens signing was because he knows this is his final season and Owens gives him a better chance to win the Super Bowl than his friend Keyshawn Johnson, who was cut to make room.

Will Drew Bledsoe Fold In The Final Two Minutes? Here's why the Giants will win a close game. Bledsoe will throw an interception in the final minute for the third time this season to end a Cowboys rally. He's in his 14th season but still makes rookie mistakes. Eli Manning, in his third season, can be trusted more with the game on the line.
Giants 24, Cowboys 23.


Will the Giants Be Taking Jump Shots? They sacked Michael Vick seven times last week and continued their new jump-shot celebration. They'll shoot four jumpers tomorrow night, even if they have to tone it down by eliminating the group shootaround. Only one jump shooter at a time.

What Does T.O. Have In Mind For Prime Time? He's done the Sharpie thing, waved pom-poms, danced on the Texas Stadium star, imitated Ray Lewis, had Nicollette Sheridan jump into his arms. Maybe he will dump the water bucket on Parcells if the Cowboys win.

Rookie Carpenter ready to stop talking, start playing

Cowboys LB tries to be more aggressive, earn more time on field

By CALVIN WATKINS / The Dallas Morning News


IRVING – Bobby Carpenter is done with being frustrated.

Carpenter, the Cowboys' first-round pick from Ohio State, speaks to coaches, teammates and his dad, a former NFL player, about his lack of playing time.

But as the rookie linebacker enters a Monday night game against the Giants, he's decided its time for less talk and more action.

Carpenter has played in two games this season and was inactive for three others.

"I guess, sometimes, you have to talk to people to put things in perspective," Carpenter said. "I was frustrated for a while, but looking at it now, I'm trying to come out here and enjoy it again and take advantage of things."

Carpenter has been inactive because of his lack of aggressiveness on special teams and the Cowboys' depth at linebacker.

Carpenter played outside linebacker in college but had to move inside in the Cowboys' 3-4 scheme. Carpenter is behind Akin Ayodele, who is tied for second on the team in total tackles. In the nickel, Carpenter is Kevin Burnett's backup as one of the inside linebackers.

This week in practice, Carpenter worked as an outside pass rusher in the nickel.

If Carpenter doesn't play defense, he could play on special teams, but he's endured problems. The coaches want him to attack ball carriers more.

"I've tried to be less tentative and be more aggressive," he said. "You're afraid to take a bad step because it can put you in a bad situation."

"It's tough for rookies," said defensive end Marcus Spears, who was one of the Cowboys' two first-round picks in 2005. "There's a lot to learn, and you have to remember the game up here is a lot faster."

The pressure on first-round picks to produce is tremendous because of signing bonuses and expectations from coaches, owners and fans.

"Yeah, it's more pressure because it's more money, let's be honest," said defensive end Chris Canty, a fourth-round pick in 2005. "You are being paid to do a job, and when they are paying you those big dollars, the job better get done."

Carpenter's lack of playing time doesn't mean he should be considered a bust.

In 2003, Kansas City drafted running back Larry Johnson in the first round. He was inactive for 10 games his rookie season. Johnson bounced back and was selected to his first Pro Bowl last season.

Carolina drafted linebacker Thomas Davis in the first round in 2005, and he started only one game but played in 16.

This season, Davis has started all six games and is second on the team with 38 tackles.

Carpenter's status for Monday's game is uncertain. He would like to play because his dad, Rob, played for the Giants from 1981 to 1985.

"I've long since given up trying to read situations coming in every week," Carpenter said. "I'm just trying to practice as if I'm going to play and take advantage of any special teams situations."


MAKING AN IMPACT

Notable 2006 first-round selections who are making an impact:

Pk. Player Pos. Team
2 Reggie Bush RB N. Orleans
Second in NFC in receptions with 38
10 Matt Leinart QB Arizona
Thrown for 539 yards and four TDs
21 Laurence Maroney RB N. England
Leads rookies with 332 rushing yards


Notable 2006 first-round selections who have yet to make an impact:

Pk. Player Pos. Team
1 Mario Williams DE Houston
Only 1 ½ sacks in five games
16 Jason Allen FS Miami
No tackles in six games
18 Bobby Carpenter LB Dallas
No tackles in two games

No defending stat darlings

JENNIFER FLOYD ENGEL
In My Opinion

IRVING -- Coach Tuna loves making points with props, from dangling yo-yos representing consistency to hanging mousetraps before a "trap" game.

May I suggest an iPod for Monday night?

Stream a little Under Pressure by David Bowie/Queen into his locker room because pressure is the theme of the day in Cowboys Land.

How much of it will Giants troublemakers Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora apply to Drew Bledsoe? How much of it is on Bledsoe to acquit himself satisfactorily under it? And most importantly, how much of it is on the Cowboys to win this game?

A lot, a lot and more than that are the answers.

Not to apply additional, well, you get the picture, but why is this defense escaping scrutiny? Why is there not more pressure on the pressure?

Or actually lack thereof from the Cowboys.

This Cowboys' defense was supposed to be nasty, game-changing, dominant. Whispers of Doomsday III were even heard during training camp and preseason.

Please excuse the Bob Lillys, Harvey Martins, Randy Whites, et al, while they chuckle. Or I'll chuckle for them, if they are too polite.

Doomsday I and II were havoc wreakers, just ask Craig Morton. This group is a bunch of stat darlings.

Do not start whining about this Cowboys defense ranking sixth in the NFL either. As my esteemed colleague Mr. Randy often preaches, watch the damn game.

The defense is not the sixth-best anything. Certainly not in areas that matter, such as applying pressure. They are "average" and hoping for "pretty good."

This is not merely my opinion. This is Bill Parcells'. And this is simply not good enough, not if the Cowboys plan to be anything besides 8-8 or 9-7, with fingers crossed for a wild-card spot.

The reasons me, myself and others thought the Cowboys might be a legit NFC contender were coach Mike Zimmer and his defense.

He had DeMarcus Ware in Year 2. He had rejuvenated Greg Ellis. He had two nasty, shutdown cornerbacks. He had a hard-hitting safety. He had enough ingredients to believe this defense had "special" potential.

The Cowboys still might. They certainly lack excuses if they don't.

Year after year after year, the Cowboys use the draft like a build-a-defense project. In fact, the Cowboys have not used a first-round pick on an offensive player since 1997.

And what does Ellis plus Eb Ekuban plus Roy Williams plus Terence Newman plus Ware plus Marcus Spears plus Bobby Carpenter equal? Not nearly as much as it should.

They are tied for 14th in the NFL in sacks and 15th in turnovers forced.

The ugliest number is zero, as in number of sacks on Texans QB David Carr. It was only the seventh time in his 65-game career that he did not eat turf.

The Cowboys attributed this to short drops and no rollouts. These are also what are known as excuses. Dominant defenses do not need them, especially against Carr.

And it is about time somebody puts pressure on this Cowboys defense to be dominant rather than pretty good.

Because the Cowboys can be pretty good on defense and mix in drafting a quarterback in the first round once in a blue moon. They can be pretty good without drafting scout-team linebacking depth from Ohio State in the first round. They can be pretty good and be 8-8.

The pressure should be on the 'D' to be something more.

Owens and Haley back on speaking terms

Sat, 21 Oct 2006 08:35:10 -0700

Clarence E. Hill Jr., of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, reports Dallas Cowboys WR Terrell Owens and passing game coordinator Todd Haley are both going to move on after their shouting match. During his weekly radio show, Owens said that "we talked again this week and cleared the air, and we're going to move on."

The 'Pretty Good Defense' Cowboys don’t deserve a nickname yet, so is 'good' enough?

By MAC ENGEL
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

IRVING — Linebacker Bradie James never said they were going to be Doomsday III. The Monsters of the Midway. The Steel Curtain. The Purple People Eaters. Or the 2000 Ravens.

No one on the Cowboys said they were going to be anything. Other people threw around the lofty names.

Certainly coach Bill Parcells has no such expectations for a defense that starts five first-round picks and a sixth first-rounder who plays. He doesn’t see one of the great all-time celebrity defenses. It’s more like the… 1998 New York Jets.

The Jets, who finished 12-4 in 1998, had a very good defense, but it was a defense that needed its offense. They allowed 293.7 yards and 16.6 points per game with 36 sacks, 21 interceptions and nine fumble recoveries.

“We have a chance to be a pretty good defense. Pretty good,” Parcells said. “I don’t know if we have a chance to be great. I don’t know if we have enough catalytic players to be great. I’m not sure. I mean, dynamic guys. We’ll see.”

Thus far, a defense that was projected to be one of the best in the NFL has been good. It has been nickel-and-dimed. It has been dominant. And it has been burned.

“We just need to be consistent,” defensive end Marcus Spears said.

“Up and down,” Parcells said.

“Inconsistent,” cornerback Aaron Glenn said.

If the Cowboys are going to be as good as they designed defensively, playing well Monday against the New York Giants is a good place to start. What lies ahead are road games and some of the NFL’s best offensive players.

“Everybody has been talking about, ‘potentially, we have all this talent,’” James said. “We have to find a way to put some wins together so when we come back home we’ll be in a better mood and we’ll know who we are.”

Who they are right now, statistically, is the sixth-best defense in the NFL. No. 1 against the run, too.

But — and the Cowboys admit this themselves — the numbers are asterisk-laden. It’s what the Cowboys do against the good offenses. And the good offenses are coming. The fantasy football players are coming.

Eli Manning and Tiki Barber. Steve Smith. Anquan Boldin. Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister. Michael Vick. Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison. Donovan McNabb (again).

“This is as good a week to measure yourself how good you can be,” Glenn said. “If you look at this stretch of game coming up, there are some pretty good offenses. This week is an important week for the defense to really show what we can do.”

This is what they have done: Beat up Tennessee quarterback Vince Young in his debut as a starter. Beat up Washington minus Clinton Portis and made Mark Brunell look older than he really is, which is old. And slapped around the Houston Texans.

“We beat Houston … cool,” James said. “I’m going to be real with myself, and on defense, we have to be real.”

That means acknowledging that against the “good offenses” the Cowboys are 0-2. They were unable to come up with vital stops in a Week 1 loss against Jacksonville. And although the offense coughed up five turnovers, the loss against Philadelphia in Week 5 might have been avoidable had the defense not yielded three plays for 187 yards, two of which were touchdowns and the other set up another.

“They didn’t run the ball on us; they didn’t trickle the ball down the field on us. It was three plays that allowed them to win,” linebacker Greg Ellis said.

What Parcells sees — and he’s either being honest or trying to jab his players — is a dearth of “catalytic” players who create turnovers and demand double-teams on every snap. The Cowboys rank 15th in turnovers forced and are tied for 14th in sacks.

Terence Newman is a shutdown corner. Roy Williams is a big hitter. Anthony Henry is a ballhawk. Ellis has been arguably the team MVP with 2.5 sacks, an interception and two forced fumbles. Jason Ferguson is a big reason why the run defense is solid.

But 2005 first-round picks Marcus Spears and DeMarcus Ware haven’t made a consistent impact. Neither has second-year pro Chris Canty. Parcells calls Ware raw.

Some of the pieces look good. Sometimes the package looks great. But it’s a defense that might not be capable of going it alone and winning games by itself.

“It’s good that it’s still early,” linebacker Akin Ayodele said. “For us, we’ve seen the good. We’ve seen the bad. We know what we’re capable of doing.”

According to the coach, what they are capable of doing is closer to the 1998 Jets, not the 1985 Bears.

Cowboys' Jones, Barber bring 1-2 punch

Tom Orsborn
Express-News Staff Writer

IRVING - Don Perkins and Dan Reeves in the 1960s. Calvin Hill and Walt Garrison in the '70s. Tony Dorsett and Ron Springs in the '80s.

With the Emmitt Smith era in the '90s being the one exception, each decade of the Dallas Cowboys' existence has included a talented tandem of running backs on the team's roster.

The tradition continues this season thanks to coach Bill Parcells and the potent one-two punch of Julius Jones and Marion Barber.

"When you keep these guys fresh, they just play a lot better," said former Cowboys personnel director Gil Brandt, who provided Tom Landry with a steady stream of talented runners from 1960-88. "Bill's believed in that for a long time. He used change-of-pace backs years ago when he was with the Giants."

Only three tandems in the league have combined for more rushing yards than the 680 produced by Jones and Barber. The Cowboys' running game is averaging 151.8 yards per game, which was tied with the New York Giants for third in the league after last week's games.

The Cowboys and Giants play Monday night in an important NFC East Division game between 3-2 teams. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Texas Stadium.

"I kind of like the way our running game has gone so far," Parcells said. "We're starting to be effective, and I do like the tandem we are using."

Parcells' lead horse is Jones, who has 108 attempts for 494 yards and two touchdowns. The former Notre Dame star notched his third consecutive 100-yard game in last Sunday's 34-6 victory over the Houston Texans, gaining 106 yards on 22 carries.

The effort included a 33-yard dash early in the third quarter that set up the Cowboys' first TD.

"It looked like somebody shot him out of a cannon," Cowboys linebacker Akin Ayodele said.

In his third season, Jones has developed into a more patient runner. Instead of relying on instincts, he's using his blockers more and plotting his moves downfield.

"I trust my linemen," Jones said. "I trust they're going to get the job done. I run where I'm supposed to, but if the hole's not there, it's my job to create something."

Such determination has impressed his teammates.

"The thing that separates a back from being just an ordinary guy are the yards he makes after contact, and Julius is doing a great job of running through tackles and getting those extra yards," quarterback Drew Bledsoe said. "When he goes down, he's always going forward."

Barber is just as determined. And at 6-foot, 220 pounds, he's 2 inches taller and 9 pounds heavier than Jones.

"Marion is a hard runner who wants contact," Ayodele said. "You have to bring your big-boy pads if you're going to come up and tackle him."

Used primarily as a third-down and red-zone back, Barber has chipped in 186 yards. The second-year player leads the team in yards per carry (5.0) and rushing TDs (four).

Parcells said last week he's considering giving Barber more work, mainly because the Minnesota alumnus has scored nine TDs in 18 games.

"That's something to pay attention to," Parcells said. "And he blocks pretty well, and he can catch the ball. I think we might think about expanding (his role) a little bit."

Brandt, now an analyst for NFL.com, said he thinks more work for Barber can only benefit Jones.

"(Parcells) is really enhancing (Jones') career as far as longevity goes," Brandt said. "I think everyone is recognizing the benefits of having their backs share duty. Instead of getting 24-25 carries, lead backs are getting 18-19. That allows them to play better. It may not show up statistically, but it's obvious toward the end of games when their legs are fresh."

Coaches need to trust T.O.

Tom Orsborn
San Antonio Express-News

As distasteful as it may be for them, Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells and passing game coordinator Todd Haley should listen to Terrell Owens. Drew Bledsoe did, and he's better off for it.

Bothered by his lack of productivity in the 38-24 loss to the Eagles two weeks ago, Owens had a heart to heart with Bledsoe before the Texans game.

"I told him, 'Dude, just trust me. I know how to play the game. When the ball is in the air, I know how to attack, I know how to go get it. I know every (pass) isn't going to be perfect, but just trust me,'." Owens said.

Bledsoe did just that, going to Owens in the second half even when Texans defensive backs were nearby.

The result? The two hooked up for a pair of touchdown passes in the third quarter, turning a tight game into an easy 34-6 victory for the Cowboys.

But on Wednesday, Owens was at it again. Surrounded by reporters in the locker room at the team's training headquarters, he questioned why he hasn't gotten the ball more in the first half.

In the last two games, Owens has had only one reception in the first half - an unacceptable number for a player who has been one of the league's top offensive weapons for most of this decade.

"I mean, the game is getting boring," Owens said. "The first half the last two games, it's like I'm not in the ballgame."

"I feel like I need to be in the offense, involved a little bit earlier in the ballgame," Owens added.

Such talk is nails-on-chalkboard stuff for many Cowboys fans, but Parcells and Haley would be wise to listen.

The Cowboys' offense will never truly sizzle against a tough defense until the coaches figure out how to get the ball to Owens early and often. Do that and Bledsoe, Terry Glenn, Julius Jones and Jason Witten will have a much easier time doing their thing.

Make no mistake. Listening to Owens whine week after week is annoying, but his football-related complaints are often valid. Sure, it would be better for him and everybody else involved if he aired them behind closed doors, but, hey, that's Owens.

Nobody ever said he was a mature, unselfish regular guy.

Even his teammates seem to side with him. Here's what Glenn said about Owens in an interview with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: "The job of a receiver is to score touchdowns and make plays in the end zone. Nobody does that better than T.O."

So why not get him the ball more in the early going?

It's a safe bet Bledsoe will do just that Monday night against the Giants. Unlike Parcells and Haley, Bledsoe seems to have grown comfortable with Owens. After what happened in the second half against Houston, don't be surprised if Bledsoe isn't so quick to go elsewhere if, at first glance, Owens appears to be covered.

Remember, Bledsoe and Owens lost valuable practice time together at training camp and in the preseason because of Owens' injured hamstring. Perhaps five games and the last six weeks of practice have helped them gain chemistry.

But Bledsoe can only do so much.

It's up to Parcells and Haley to make a commitment to get Owens the ball more.

As distasteful as that may be, it's the right thing to do.

Bledsoe, Parcells want Witten more involved

San Antonio Express-News

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten has spent much of his time in the first five games blocking, but that could change Monday against the New York Giants, quarterback Drew Bledsoe said.

"We've asked Jason to block a lot on blitz pickup, but we need to get him more involved in the passing game," Bledsoe said. "We have great weapons outside, and we are running the ball well, but as we go forward, I think it's going to be important to get Jason involved."

Witten has 16 catches for 165 yards, but he hasn't scored a touchdown yet.

"I'm hoping Jason can pick it up a little bit," Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said. "I thought he did a little bit the other night against Houston (three catches for 17 yards). He's blocking better, but I'd like to get him more involved in the passing game."

Witten usually plays well against the Giants. In six career games, he has 22 receptions for 234 yards and three TDs.

Teacher's pets: Undrafted rookie receivers Miles Austin and Brackenridge graduate Sam Hurd have combined for seven special-teams tackles, a number that has moved them up on Parcells' list of favorites.

"I like both of these young receivers a lot," Parcells said last week. "I think any coach would like either one of them. Now, they exasperate you. Like Sam goes out there (last week against Houston) and gets two (facemask) penalties. But it's not that he's not trying to do something."

Parcells described Austin, of Garfield, N.J., as fast, big, tough and eager.

"He's a green kid, but you can't not like coaching him," he said.

Terrific Tony: Parcells said he was pleased with second-year tight end Tony Curtis' performance against Houston last week. The former practice squad member appeared in only 16 plays in his regular-season debut, but he made a key block that allowed Julius Jones to spring 33 yards in the third quarter.

"I was generally happy with what I saw from him," Parcells said of Curtis, who was moved up to the 53-man roster after the Cowboys placed tight end Ryan Hannam on the injured list.

The 6-foot-5, 265-pound Curtis, from Portland State, spent last season on the practice squad.

Moving the chains: The Cowboys have converted an NFC-best 42.7 percent of their third downs. That ranks behind only Indianapolis (58.5) and San Diego (47.9).

Defensively, the Cowboys are allowing opponents to convert third downs at a rate of 28.1 percent. In the NFC, only Chicago (23.2), Carolina (26.3) and Tampa Bay (27.7) are better. In the league rankings, the Cowboys are fifth.

T.O.? Giants focus on Glenn

It may be T.O. week for the Giants, but T.G. demands attention as well.
In fact, as nickel back R.W. McQuarters noted, Terry Glenn has been Drew Bledsoe's go-to guy, since the two have played together for so long.
"I don't think people pay enough attention to Terry Glenn," said LB Antonio Pierce. "He's been quietly having a good season like he did last year. You try to double-team T.O. because of the problems he creates, but at the same time you have a guy who's in his 11th year in the league and he has the speed he came here with. He can stretch the field and they have a quarterback that can get him the ball."
"When they were in New England, Bledsoe could throw the ball up and Terry could go get it deep," said Giants CB Sam Madison, who faced the tandem twice a year when he was with the Dolphins. "Now he can throw it up and he has Terrell Owens to go up and attack the football. It's a challenge for us both ways, speed and size." Said Tom Coughlin, "No matter how you look at it, they both have the ability to go deep, they both can play short, they both can cross the field and they both are threats when they catch the ball to run." Glenn has three more receptions (25-22) for 60 more yards (337-277) than Owens. Owens has four TD catches (three last week) to three for Glenn.

Williams continues Cowboys tradition of hard-hitting safeties

San Antonio Express-News

Dallas Cowboys safety Roy Williams is one of the league's most feared hitters. Just ask the Houston Texans. In Sunday's 34-6 victory, Williams delivered rib-rattling blows to quarterback David Carr, running back Ron Dayne and receiver Kevin Walter.
"He really set the tone," Cowboys linebacker Bradie James said. "At halftime, I said if the maniac is playing like that, then we have to join him. He made me raise my game."
Through the years, the Cowboys have been inspired by other headhunting safeties. Express-News Cowboys beat writer Tom Orsborn looks at the top hit men in franchise history:

ROY WILLIAMS
Years: 2002-present
Coach Bill Parcells says: "Roy Williams is a clean player. He is not malicious. He is not hoping to (hurt anyone), but he will bring the wood. He is a catalytic guy with dynamic aggressiveness whose performance can get people going. I think (Hall of Famer and former San Francisco 49ers safety) Ronnie Lott was that kind of player, too."

DARREN WOODSON
Years: 1992-2003
Former Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin says: "Intimidation is part of the game, and Darren was very good at it. If you can have a defensive back — preferably a safety — who can lurk around in the backfield like Darren did, and every team knows he is a heavy hitter, that's such an advantage. Receivers have second thoughts about going across the middle and taking that hit."

BILL BATES
Years: 1983-97
Cowboys play-by-play voice Brad Sham says: "Bill reminded everyone of Cliff Harris. He was a kamikaze. He'd run into anything. Remember, Bill was part of a class of more than 100 rookie free agents. You had to do something extra to get noticed. Bill decided what he could do was hit everything he saw not named Tom Landry, and it worked."

CLIFF HARRIS
Years: 1970-79
Former Cowboys personnel director Gil Brandt says: "Cliff was one of the all-time toughest guys. His nickname was Captain Crash, and he was probably the toughest guy we ever had back there. But he could also cover. That's why he went to six Pro Bowls." Harris was named to the Cowboys' Ring of Honor in 2004 and was a member of the NFL's all-decade team for the 1970s.

Cowboys need more pressure from the defense

By Grizz
Posted on Fri Oct 20, 2006 at 10:20:58 AM EST

The Cowboys needs more pressure from the front seven, especially OLB's Greg Ellis and DeMarcus Ware. So far the Cowboys have stayed away from blitzing regularly, and while they have 12 sacks for the year, 6 of them came in the Washington game. Outside of that game, they are averaging fewer than 2 sacks per game. They need to get it going and start creating pressure, and this week would be a good time to start. Eli Manning looked very efficient last week when he wasn't getting pressured, the Cowboys may have to resort to a few more stunts or blitzes to get him on the move. Ellis knows he needs more production in the sacks department.

"Get sacks - that's what you've got to do," said Ellis, who has just 2 ½ sacks this season. "When you can get to the quarterback and make a lot of plays, particularly sacks, that's when people start talking about you."

Now don't misunderstand Ellis, the savvy veteran who played eight years at defensive end before being switched to outside linebacker this season. He's not interested in the attention nearly as much as he is the sacks.

"In our business, that's really what you're looking for," Ellis said. "As an end or any pass-rusher, you're trying to get to the quarterback at all times. Now, you can do lots of other things to help your team. But people always look at sacks first."

On the other side, DeMarcus Ware hasn't met the expectations going into the year. He's had a solid season, but is lacking in sacks and isn't the game-changing performer yet that we all hoped he would be.
When asked Thursday if he thinks his defense has "dominating" potential, Parcells said he it was too early to tell, stating he doesn't have enough catalytic players on defense, and that includes Ware.

"No, I wouldn't put him in that category yet," said Parcells, who mentioned only Roy Williams and Anthony Henry when asked to name his top playmakers on defense. "I'm not saying DeMarcus isn't . . . he can do it. It's just got to show up all the time. He's just a young guy, green."

Time to step up the defensive pressure. Chris Canty and Marcus Spears could also elevate their play on passing downs.

On the other side, the defensive pressure from the Giants last year against the Cowboys was pretty good in the second game.
The last time the Cowboys faced the New York Giants was a particularly hard-on-the-body day for quarterback Drew Bledsoe.

Bledsoe was sacked four times and pressured countless others as he was intercepted twice and lost one fumble that was returned for a touchdown Dec. 4 in a 17-10 loss.

Turnovers. There it is again. When Drew turns the ball over Dallas is in trouble. We were also in trouble because of the personnel on the line.
But that game featured Torrin Tucker at left tackle and then-rookie Rob Petitti at right tackle. Both players were manhandled all day.

Now with Flozell Adams at left and Marc Colombo at right tackle, the Cowboys have a little more flexibility in their play calling, and Bledsoe may have a little more time in the pocket.

Umenyiora against Adams is going to be a huge matchup, one Dallas has to win.

How the teams stack up after five/six games

from mojomike's SportingBlog
NFL:Teams/Divisions Ranked By Strength Of Schedule

How the teams stack up after five games based on their opponents records. Listed toughest schedule to easiest schedule.

#1 (#2) TAMPA BAY: RECORD 1-4
4-2 BAL ( L )
3-2 ATL ( L )
4-2 CAR ( L )
5-1 NO ( L )
3-2 CIN ( W )
------------
19-9=.678%

#2 (#4) GREEN BAY: RECORD 1-4
6-0 CHI ( L )
5-1 NO ( L )
1-5 DET ( W )
4-2 PHI ( L )
4-2 STL ( L )
------------
20-10=.666%

#3 (#3) NEW YORK GIANTS: RECORD 3-2
5-0 IND ( L )
3-2 PHI ( W )
4-1 SEA ( L )
2-4 WAS ( W )
3-2 ATL ( W )
---------------
17-9=.653%

#4 (#6) ARIZONA: RECORD 1-5
2-4 S.F (W )
4-2 STL (L )
4-1 SEA ( L )
3-2 ATL ( L )
2-3 KC (L )
6-0 CHI ( L )
-------------
21-12=.636%

#5 (#5) DETROIT: RECORD 1-5
4-1 SEA ( L )
6-0 CHI ( L )
1-4 GB ( L )
4-2 STL ( L )
3-2 MIN ( L )
2-4 BUF ( W )
--------------
20-13=.606%

#6 (#8 ) CLEVELAND: RECORD 1-4
5-1 NO ( L )
3-2 CIN ( L )
4-2 BAL ( L )
0-5 OAK ( W )
4-2 CAR ( L )
--------------
16-12= .571%

#7 (#9) TENNESSEE: RECORD 1-5
3-3 NYJ (L )
5-1 SD ( L )
1-5 MIA ( L )
3-2 DAL (L )
5-0 IND ( L )
2-4 WAS ( W )
---------------
19-15=.558%

#8 (#13) OAKLAND: RECORD 0-5
4-1 SD ( L )
4-2 BAL (L )
1-4 CLE ( L )
2-4 SF ( L )
4-1 DEN (L )
--------------
15-12=.555%

#9 (#14) JACKSONVILLE: RECORD 3-2
3-2 DAL ( W )
2-3 PIT ( W )
5-0 IND (L )
2-4 WAS ( L )
3-3 NYJ ( W )
-----------
15-12=.555%

#10 (#10) HOUSTON: RECORD 1-4
4-2 PHI ( L )
5-0 IND ( L )
2-4 WAS ( L )
1-5 MIA (W )
3-2 DAL ( L )
-------------
15-13=.535%

#11 (#18 ) CAROLINA: RECORD 4-2
3-2 ATL (L )
3-2 MIN (L )
1-4 TB ( W )
5-1 NO ( W )
1-4 CLE ( W )
4-2 BAL ( W )
-------------
17-15=.531%

#12 (#7) BUFFALO: RECORD 2-4
4-1 NE ( L )
1-5 MIA ( W )
3-3 NYJ ( L )
3-2 MIN ( W )
6-0 CHI ( L )
1-5 DET ( L )
--------------
18-16=.529%

#13 (#1) DENVER: RECORD 4-1
4-2 STL (L )
2-3 KC (W )
4-1 NE (W )
4-2 BAL (W )
0-5 OAK ( W )
-------------
14-13=.518%

#14 (#23) SEATTLE: RECORD 4-1
1-5 DET (W )
1-5 ARI ( W )
3-2 NYG ( W )
6-0 CHI (L )
4-2 STL ( W )
--------------
15-14=.517%

#15 (#24) ATLANTA: RECORD 3-2
4-2 CAR ( W )
1-4 TB (W )
5-1 NO ( L )
1-5 ARZ (W )
3-2 NYG ( L )
---------------
14-14=.500%

#16 (#17) MINNESOTA: RECORD 3-2
2-4 WAS (W )
4-2 CAR (W )
4-0 CHI ( L )
2-4 BUF ( L )
1-5 DET ( W )
-------------
15-15=.500%

#17 (#11) PITTSBURGH: RECORD 2-3
1-5 MIA (W )
3-2 JAC (L )
3-2 CIN ( L )
4-1 SD ( L )
2-3 KC ( W )
-------------
13-13=.500%

#18 (#12) NEW YORK JETS: RECORD 3-3
1-5 TEN (W )
3-1 NE ( L )
2-4 BUF ( W )
5-0 IND ( L )
3-2 JAC (L )
1-5 MIA ( W )
------------
15-17=.468%

#19 (#22) NEW ENGLAND: RECORD 4-1
2-4 BUF ( W )
3-3 NYJ ( W )
3-2 CIN ( W )
4-1 DEN ( L )
1-5 MIA ( W )
---------------
13-15=.464%

#20 (#19) SAN FRANCISCO: RECORD 2-4
1-5 ARZ (L )
4-2 STL ( W )
4-2 PHI ( L )
2-3 KC ( L )
0-5 OAK ( W )
4-1 SD ( L )
---------------
15-18=.454%

#21 (#26) BALTIMORE: RECORD 4-2
0-5 OAK ( W )
1-4 TB ( W )
1-4 CLE ( W )
4-1 SD ( W )
4-1 DEN ( L )
4-2 CAR ( L )
------------
14-17=.451%

#22 (#16) WASHINGTON: RECORD 2-4
3-2 MIN (L )
3-2 DAL (L )
1-4 HOU ( W )
3-2 JAC ( W )
3-2 NYG ( L )
1-5 TEN ( L )
--------------
14-17=.451%

#23 (#15) KANSAS CITY: RECORD 2-3
3-2 CIN ( L )
4-1 DEN (L )
2-4 SF ( W )
1-5 ARZ ( W )
2-3 PIT ( L )
------------
12-15=.444%

#24 (#30) NEW ORLEANS: RECORD 5-1
1-4 CLE (W )
1-4 GB ( W )
3-2 ATL (W )
4-2 CAR ( L )
1-5 TB ( W )
4-2 PHI ( W )
-------------
14-19=.424%

#25 (#28 ) INDIANAPOLIS: RECORD 5-0
3-2 NYG (W )
1-4 HOU ( W )
3-3 NYJ ( W )
3-2 JAC ( W )
1-5 TEN ( W )
--------------
11-16=.407%

#26 (#21) CINCINATTI: RECORD 3-2
2-3 KC ( W )
1-4 CLE (W )
2-3 PIT (W )
4-1 NE ( L )
1-4 TB (L )
---------------
10-15=.400%

#27 (#31) ST. LOUIS: RECORD 4-2
4-1 DEN (W )
2-4 SF ( L )
1-5 ARZ ( W )
1-5 DET ( W )
1-4 GB ( W )
4-1 SEA ( L )
--------------
13-20=.393%

#28 (#29) MIAMI: RECORD 1-5
2-3 PIT (L )
2-4 BUF ( L )
1-5 TEN ( W )
1-4 HOU ( L )
4-1 NE (L )
3-3 NYJ ( L )
--------------
13-20=.393%

#29 (#20) DALLAS: RECORD 3-2
3-2 JAC ( L )
2-4 WAS (W )
1-5 TEN ( W )
4-2 PHI (L )
1-4 HOU (W )
--------------
11-17=.392%

#30 (#25) CHICAGO: RECORD 6-0
1-4 GB (W )
3-2 MIN ( W )
1-5 DET ( W )
4-1 SEA ( W )
2-4 BUF ( W )
1-5 ARZ ( W )
------------
12-21=.363%

#31 (#27) PHILADELPHIA: RECORD 4-2
1-4 HOU (W )
3-2 NYG (L )
2-4 SF ( W )
1-4 GB ( W )
3-2 DAL ( W )
5-1 NO ( L )
------------
15-17=.363%

#32 (# 32) SAN DIEGO: RECORD 4-1
0-5 OAK (W )
1-5 TEN ( W )
4-2 BAL ( L )
2-3 PIT (W )
2-4 SF ( W )
------------
9-19=.321%

Cowboys wavied FB Lousaka Polite and signed LB Junior Glymph

Cowboys wavied FB Lousaka Polite and signed LB Junior Glymph, who was with the team in training camp.

Glymph led the Cowboys with two sacks and two forced fumbles in the preseason.
Source: Dallas Morning News

New Defensive End?

October 18, 2006
Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells said he has worked linebacker Akin Ayodele at defensive end on the nickel defense. Ayodele played end in spurts with Jacksonville before signing with the Cowboys. Ayodele said he also did that in college, putting his hand on the ground as a defensive end in pass-rush situations. The Cowboys are looking to bolster their pass rush with rookie defensive end Jason Hatcher possibly to miss Monday's game with an ankle injury.

Parcells press conference 10/19/06

By Grizz
Posted on Thu Oct 19, 2006 at 02:19:39 PM EST

We put Jeremy Urban on the PS at WR. Deleted Damarius Bilbo. Hatcher is the only guy who didn't practice.

Giants are a good screen team. They got a couple of different kinds; play-action, bootlegs. Tiki is the main danger on the screens. They have a balanced attack, run and throw, these other auxiliary parts of your offense, you can work them in and Barber is a good looking screen guy. Just another way to get him the ball in space.

Percentage-wise they pass a little more than run, but they want to be balanced. Passing in Giants stadium can be hazardous once or twice a year. In December the winds can be 35 MPH.

They will run or throw on first down, they are balanced. I don't know how they will attack us.

Looks like the same offense, but Eli knows it better. They did the same things as last year, with just a couple of wrinkles for each game.

Our defense has been up and down. I don't want us to play up and down. I think or defense can be efficient. You never know about injuries, we have some strengths but not across the board. They have a chance to be pretty good; don't know if they are great. We need more catalytic guys, more dynamic guys.

DeMarcus Ware not in the catalytic category, not yet. Roy's catalytic; Anthony gets his hands on the ball. DeMarcus can do it, but he needs to show up all the time. He still is young and raw.

We got to block them (Giants d-line), if we don't they'll disrupt the game. But we can't strategically put all our eggs in the pass blocking basket. We have to spread the field, put our guys in position to succeed. You can help with people, and run shorter routs, but in the end you have to block them.

Greg Ellis is doing well, I've always liked him, he just didn't have the same vision that I did for a while. When one of my old players calls you up and says you got a guy, and he plays the same spot, you know you got something. Greg sees it now. I told him you aren't going anywhere over the summer and that was that.

I thought about moving him last year, but I didn't have enough experience at the DE position. Canty, because of his injuries, didn't know what he could do.

Haven't decided on M. Coleman yet. Got to give Keith more time, he needs to function at full speed to dress; he has to be honest with me. I could take both of them, but Keith has to be 100%, Keith was limited yesterday in practice, but better today.

K. Coleman's nickname is Lightning, he doesn't move too quick. He's doing OK, I know what we can do with him, he's more of a run guy, not pass rush in the nickel.

(Problem giving up yards on first down?) Half those numbers they got last week was at the end when we told our defense just to keep the ball in bounds. We told the defense at the end to keep them in bounds and let them throw in front of them.

(But you had problems on first down before last week) We don't attack on first down much. You want fewer than 3.3 yards on first down. That's hard to do in the NFL today.

Don't know if Skyler will return punts. You need to wait, I've got 4 moving parts, there's a chance he will.

Miles Austin is young, fast, big and tough, and he's eager. He's green, but you can't not like coaching him. I like both these young receivers. Sam got two penalties but it's not like he's not trying to do something, he just needs better judgment.

(Owens not getting 1st half passes) Not the intention, just how the game unfolds. You try to teach the QB within certain parameters to adjust in the pocket. This thing about the mobile QB, Do you think David Carr is mobile? (reporter: not really) I think he's mobile, and he's had 76 sacks. Who held the record before him? (reporter: Cunningham) That's right, it was Cunningham. A QB who can't throw the ball away will take sacks; it's not the mobility issue. But a QB can't just be indiscriminate; you just can't sling the son-of-a-bitch anywhere. (huge laughter). (Parcells jokingly) Oops, I'm coaching again, that's it, I'm done.

Barber, Jones present similar challenges for Cowboys, Giants

By JAIME ARON
AP Sports Writer

IRVING, Texas (AP) -Although Michael Strahan has never had to chase teammate Tiki Barber in a game, 10 years of practices have taught him what a challenge it is.

So Dallas Cowboys running back Julius Jones should consider it quite a compliment that Strahan calls him ``kind of like a little Tiki Barber.''

``He's quick,'' Strahan said. ``He's fast. He gives us trouble.''

It doesn't take trying to tackle those guys to notice how much they have in common. Some things will jump out to anyone watching the Monday night game between Jones' Cowboys (3-2) and Barber's New York Giants (3-2).

Start with their size. Both are 5-foot-10 and between 205 and 210 pounds, much of it muscle.

Their styles are similar, too. Quick and shifty, they excel at bursting past the line and into the secondary. While they lack breakaway speed, their strength makes it tough to bring them down.

Barber certainly sees the resemblance.

``Absolutely,'' he said.

There also are some quirky similarities.

They wear the same uniform number, 21, and were both second-round draft picks. They also have brothers playing in the NFL: Ronde Barber in Tampa Bay, Thomas Jones in Chicago.

Thomas Jones is even the tie that binds these two. When he was a freshman at Virginia, he was roommates with Barber, then a senior. Barber didn't get to know Julius then, but he heard all about him.

Now Julius is in his third season with the Cowboys and starting to become as reliable and important to his offense as Barber has been to the Giants since his ... fourth season. (Oh well, it can't all line up perfectly.)

Jones has run for 100 yards his last three games, marking the longest streak of his career. He was leading the NFL in yards rushing per game until last Sunday. Who passed him? Barber, of course, by gaining 185, the most by anyone this season.

``He is a tremendous player, probably the best player in the division ... up there with the top four or five in the league,'' Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said.

Parcells was so impressed with Barber's performance last Sunday against Atlanta that he told Jones to study that film.

``There's some good learning on it,'' Parcells said. ``He's patient. He accelerates. He will run through tackles. You don't see him make a lot of 80-, 90-yard runs, but there are a lot of pretty 10-pluses in there, which are a little unusual.''

Barber had nine runs of at least 12 yards against the Falcons, who had been allowing only 69.3 yards per game, second fewest in the league.

Dallas has the NFL's stingiest run defense now, averaging 67.0 yards, but the Cowboys haven't faced anyone as good as Barber.

``He's a little guy, but he just plays big,'' linebacker Bradie James said. ``I think Tiki is in his own league. He will block, he will run, get that tough yard, and if you don't lock him up, he'll get 20 yards and make you look bad.''

Under Parcells, Dallas is 3-3 against New York. Barber's stat line is a perfect gauge for which team wins.

In the Giants' victories, Barber averages 110.7 yards rushing and 35.3 more receiving. He's had at least 110 total yards in all three, scoring a total of three touchdowns.

In the Cowboys' victories, Barber averaged 50.7 yards rushing and 22.3 receiving. He hasn't cracked 100 total yards and hasn't scored.

Jones is 0-2 against New York, but played well both times. He ran for 74 yards and caught nine passes for 88 yards last season, and ran for 149 yards and a touchdown, plus had 46 yards receiving, as a rookie.

The most telling stat is the games played.

Until this year, Jones was always hurt the first time the Cowboys and Giants met. Now that he's made it through five full games, Jones could be developing the durability needed to become an elite running back capable of having a long, productive career - like Barber, who comes into this game with 9,319 yards, only 88 behind Earl Campbell for 20th in league history.

``If Julius can turn out to be what this guy turned out to be, then the Cowboys are going to be in good shape for a long time,'' Parcells said.

Coincidentally, Barber talked this week about retiring after this season and moving into a new line of work.

``I don't know if there is anything that would change my mind,'' he said. ``I know that at some point, as all running backs do, it's not a gradual decline. It's like you step off a cliff, from 1,500 yards rushing to 400 yards rushing. ... I kind of want to go out on my own terms.''

Five reasons the Cowboys "win" or "lose"

Cowboys Insider: McBriar an awesome field-position weapon
Web Posted: 10/19/2006 04:48 PM CDT
Tom Orsborn
Express-News Staff Writer

Five reasons why the Cowboys will beat the Giants

1. The Cowboys are embarrassed that their only victories have come against creampuffs with a combined 4-13 record.

2. Giants receivers Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress vs. corners Terence Newman and Anthony Henry is a matchup that favors the Cowboys. While Toomer and Burress struggle to get open against one of the league's top corner tandems, outside linebackers DeMarcus Ware and Greg Ellis get to know Eli Manning.

3. The Cowboys will finally get Terrell Owens involved early, allowing things to open up for Terry Glenn, Witten and Julius Jones.

4. With their next three games on the road, the Cowboys can't afford a loss.

5. Tiki Barber has averaged just 65 yards rushing in 17 games against the Cowboys.


Five reasons why the Giants will beat the Cowboys

1. Cowboys tackles Flozell Adams and Marc Colombo are no match for Giants defensive ends Osi Umenyiora and Michael Strahan.

2. Isn't it time for Drew Bledsoe to have another bad game?

3. The Giants' press coverage leads to another slow start by Owens, who has a sideline meltdown and takes the team down with him.

4. Barber wants his last game at Texas Stadium to be a memorable one.

5. The Giants have won five of their last nine games at Texas Stadium.


Cowboys 26, Giants 24: The Cowboys are determined to prove they are not a yo-yo team. Plus, this is a getaway game they can't afford to lose.

McBriar an awesome field-position weapon

Cowboys Insider: McBriar an awesome field-position weapon
Web Posted: 10/19/2006 04:48 PM CDT
Tom Orsborn
Express-News Staff Writer

The Dallas Cowboys' MVP after five games isn't known by his initials like Terrell Owens. He's never been to the Pro Bowl multiple times like Roy Williams and Jason Witten. And he doesn't play a glamour position like Julius Jones.


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But punter Mat McBriar does have something that sets him apart from his teammates – startling impressive numbers.

Like a league-leading 51.8 gross punting average. Like an NFC-best 41.8 net average.

"It's a big weapon, a very big weapon," Bill Parcells said of having one of the league's top special teams performers.

McBriar has 14 punts of 50 or more yards and five of 60 or better. On Sunday, he ripped off a 75-yarder against Houston.

"You're not going to see too many 75-yard punts," Parcells said. "I don't know how close to a league record that is, but it's got to be pretty close."

The league's record longest punt is 98 yards by the New York Jets' Steve O'Neal in 1969. But McBriar's 75-yarder in the Cowboys' 34-6 victory over the Texans tied for the second-longest in team history, trailing only Ron Widby's 84-yarder in 1968.

McBriar did set a single-game team record with a 56.8-yard average on four punts (47, 75, 56 and 49 yards).

With the exception of his bobbled snap and fumble against Philadelphia – a miscue that led to an Eagles touchdown – McBriar has had a flawless season. A humble sort, the third-year player from Australia says his success is a team effort.

"I love working with L.P. (Ladouceur) snapping," he said. "The protection is awesome. Having Keith Davis as my fullback is like a godsend."

McBriar isn't the first standout punter to play for Parcells. Sean Landeta led the NFC in punting as a member of the New York Giants in 1986 and 1990.

The Giants won the Super Bowl after both seasons.

"Hey, I've always been lucky as a coach to have a good punter," Parcells said. "I really have. (Sunday) is a perfect example. Where was the ball? It goes out on the two. That's 75 yards – think about it. How many first downs they have to make? If it was just a 40-yard punt, they have to make three more first downs. That's a lot."

McBriar isn't the only special teams standout for the Cowboys. Kickoff returner Tyson Thompson ranks fourth in the league and first in the NFC with a 26.4 average.

Even place-kicker Mike Vanderjagt had a good game against the Texans. He had seven kickoffs, recording one touchback and putting another in the end zone.

"I don't know what got into him, but it was good," Parcells said.

Inside Slant: Dallas Cowboys

Posted 10/19/2006 2:41 AM ET

Another week, another T.O. problem.
For those that thought Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens would be happy now that he caught three touchdowns in last week's game against the Texans, they might want to think again.

All three of the touchdowns came in the second half.

Owens' complaint this week is that he needs to start seeing the ball earlier in the game. He hopes that comes in Monday's NFC East showdown against the New York Giants.

"I felt like going into this game, I felt like I had to make some plays to let them know that's what I do," Owens said. "I make plays, regardless. I feel like I need to be in the offense, involved a little bit earlier in the ball game. As you saw the last couple of games, I'm catching like no balls the first half, one ball one half, then all of a sudden I start getting balls in the second half.

"I think it's been an adjustment. The coaches, obviously, they're working hard, trying to find ways to implement me into the game plan. I've just got to go accordingly."

Owens said he's gotten frustrated with his lack of early involvement as the game has gotten boring to him. What's more is that he can't pinpoint a reason why it's like that.

"In the first half of the last two ballgames, I'm not in the ballgame," he said. "That's not to say I'm not working hard. I'm not sure what the case may be. Every week I come in here and the following week I say I'm going to do some necessary things to better myself. We're making strides. I can't really pinpoint, who is at fault. That's not for me to make that call as far as whose fault it is. Just thinking about it, it's not really anybody's fault. I just feel like it's something that needs to be done in a collective effort."

Owens, wary of how his words might be taken out of context, stopped himself.

He said the focus should be on what the Cowboys need to do to beat than Giants than on his complaints about the ball.

Considering the importance of the game and it being on Monday Night Football, Owens said he's ready to go.

He's also mindful that it is the two-year anniversary of the controversial Monday Night Football commercial with Desperate Housewives star Nicolette Sheridan.

He's ready to put on a show.

"I love Monday," Owens said. "Is it Monday yet? Any time the world is watching, that's the only game on, a lot of people have their friends and family. It's a game you don't have to get extra to get up for."

SERIES HISTORY: 88th meeting. The Cowboys lead the regular season series 51-34-2. They split the season series last season, with each team winning at home.

NOTES, QUOTES

—The Dallas Cowboys' two most recent inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Rayfield Wright and Troy Aikman, will be honored at halftime of Monday night's game with the New York Giants. Wright and Aikman, inducted into the Hall in August of 2006, will be presented with their Hall of Fame rings by Pro Football Hall of Fame Executive Director/President Steve Perry.

—After spending eight years coaching the N.Y. Giants, Bill Parcells has faced his former team eight times with his three subsequent teams. In those eight games, Parcells coached teams have posted a 4-4 record, with his 1999 Jets team being his only squad that did not defeat the Giants. Parcells and the Cowboys swept their season series with the Giants in 2003, lost both games in 2004 and split the series with the Giants in 2005 with each team winning at home.

—Through five games of the 2006 season, Cowboys punter Mat McBriar leads the league in gross punting average (51.8 yards-per-punt) and is second with a net average of 41.8 yards. He has also had a long punt of over 60 yards in four of the five games this year. His only game without a long of 60+ yards was at Tennessee, in which he punted just once, a 40-yarder, that pinned the Titans inside their 10-yard line. Toby Gowin (1999) was the last Dallas punter to record a long of 60-plus yards in a season more than once (two times).

McBriar logged a career day against Houston (10/15), finishing the game with a 56.8-yard average on four punts, the highest single-game punt average in club history. His 75-yard punt that landed at the Texans two-yard line was the second longest punt in team history.

—Through six weeks, the Dallas kickoff return team has helped the offense by providing good starting field position. Dallas is fourth in the league with an average start at the 28.6-yard line. Greatly helping the Cowboys cause on kickoff return is second-year return man Tyson Thompson. As a rookie, Thompson set club records (and rookie records) for kickoff returns (57) and kickoff return yards (1,399). After five games, Thompson is fourth in the league with a 26.4 yard per-return average.

—The Dallas defense is once again proving they are a tough unit to score on. Through 20 quarters of play in 2006, Dallas has shut out their opponents eight times and have not allowed more than a field goal 12 times.

—The Dallas Cowboys make just one appearance on Monday Night Football this season. Monday's game will mark Dallas's 68th Monday night game, with the Cowboys posting a 39-28 record in its previous 67 Monday Night Football appearances.

Dallas's 67 MNF appearances are more than all but one NFL team — the Miami Dolphins (71) — and their 39 victories tie the most in MNF history.

—The Cowboys have been able to get the job done and find the end zone with a shortened field. Through six weeks, Dallas boasts the league's second most effective red zone offense, scoring touchdowns on 12-of-19 drives and field goals.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "With this stretch of games we have here all these teams, certainly the next couple, I view Washington as a threat I know everybody has them in the coffin, but I've been around Joe Gibbs too long to do that. I would think they would come back. So you know we got the Colts coming too they certainly look formidable we have a lot of tough games, we got this Monday night game then we got to go to Carolina on a short week play them on a Sunday night come back go to Washington so it's a real, we got to be ready to go." — Cowboys coach Bill Parcells on the Cowboys' tough upcoming schedule and why he will learn a lot about his team before Thanksgiving.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

PLAYER NOTES

—SS Marcus Coleman was signed to the active roster. Coleman was released last week so the Cowboys wouldn't have to guarantee his salary for the entire season. He was suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the substance abuse policy.

—WR Jamaica Rector and guard Matt Tarullo were signed to the practice squad.

—K Shaun Suisham was released from the practice squad.

—QB Drew Bledsoe has a 4-1 (.800) record vs. the Giants. He threw two TDs last week (251), joining Brett Favre (403) & Peyton Manning (252) as the only active QBs with 250.

—RB Julius Jones has 357 yards from scrimmage in 2 meetings (178.5 per game) versus the Giants.

—WR Terrell Owens has 15 TD catches on MNF, tied for 2nd-most all-time. Owens has a TD in seven of his past eight MNF games (11 TDs) and has four 100-yard games in last five games on MNF (646 yards). He tied a career-high with three TDs last week.

—TE Jason Witten has three career TDs vs. the Giants, his most vs. any opponent.

GAME PLAN: The Cowboys must control the Giants ground game. Tiki Barber is having a strong season and everything the Giants do is based on his ability to make yards on the ground. Once they take Barber away, they must prevent the big play. Offensively, the Cowboys must establish the run and protect quarterback Drew Bledsoe. They will take shots down the field to Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH: Cowboys tackles Flozell Adams and Marc Colombo vs. Giants defensive ends Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora. Adams has been up and down but Colombo has played well so far. Or least better than expected for a former first round bust. Both will get a big test against the Giants. Adams was awful against Darren Howard of the Eagles. He can't have a repeat performance against Umenyiora, who is the Giants' best rusher. And while Colombo has been solid, he hasn't been tested. His first test will come against Strahan, one of the NFL's all-time best pass rushers.

—Giants receiver Plaxico Burress vs. Cowboys cornerback Anthony Henry. It's no secret the Cowboys signed Henry to defend some of the big receivers in the division. He was signed specifically for Terrell Owens when he was with the Eagles and Burress. Owens is now Henry's teammate. But he still has to deal with Burress. Henry has the size and physical strength to handle the big receivers. He also has the speed to run with them. Still, he will have his hands full with Burress, who has a knack for coming up with the big play.

INJURY IMPACT: DE Jason Hatcher is out indefinitely with a sprained ankle.

Urban signed to practice squad

Cowboys | Urban signed to practice squad
Thu, 19 Oct 2006 12:42:44 -0700

Mike Sando, of the Tacoma News Tribune, reports the Dallas Cowboys have signed WR Jerheme Urban (Seahawks) to the team's practice squad.

For better or worse, Vanderjagt is still the same

By Greg Garber
ESPN.com
Archive

The last time we saw Mike Vanderjagt in the spotlight, he was lining up a pressure-packed 46-yard field goal. With a large national audience watching, Vanderjagt rifled the ball cleanly between the goalposts.

What -- that's not how you remember it?

On this occasion his holder wasn't the Colts' Hunter Smith, but David Letterman, a Hoosier born and raised, and a hopeless Indianapolis fan. This was back in January in a segment taped on 53rd Street outside the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York. It was a "Late Night" send-up of Vanderjagt's painful miss four days earlier against Pittsburgh. With Indianapolis trailing the Steelers 21-18, Vanderjagt's kick boomed wide right with 18 seconds left. Pittsburgh escaped overtime and went on to win the Super Bowl.

"All the Steeler fans on the left side of the stadium, they all blew at the same time," Vanderjagt told Letterman.

It was, not surprisingly, Vanderjagt's last kick after eight seasons with the Colts.

"I thought it was the right thing to do," Vanderjagt said Wednesday from the Dallas Cowboys' facility in Irving, Texas. "I wasn't saying it was a joke that I missed, I was really taking responsibility for missing a field goal I should have made. Like Dave said, I make that kick 99 times out of 100. I just missed the wrong one at the wrong time."

Vanderjagt is absolutely, certifiably the most accurate field goal kicker in the history of the National Football League. His success rate (.8745) is nearly four percentage points better than the second-best kicker, Phil Dawson of the Browns.

And yet, when Vanderjagt's career epitaph is written, two words will loom larger than all others: Idiot Kicker.

This is, of course, because Vanderjagt vented after the Colts' 2002 season ended with a 41-0 playoff loss to the New York Jets. He told a Canadian cable sports network -- perhaps correctly -- that quarterback Peyton Manning and head coach Tony Dungy needed to show more fire. Manning responded in an interview during the Pro Bowl, describing Vanderjagt as "our idiot kicker who got liquored up and ran his mouth off."

"I don't know how to put it into words," Vanderjagt said. "People say I'm controversial. I don't think a 10-second interview from five years ago should [determine your legacy]. I just learned from that. You can't say things you're not supposed to say."

Vanderjagt laughed into his cell phone. "It's just the way the media wants to portray me," he said. "It's just a label. Hundreds of guys in the NFL have had run-ins with the law, and those things don't get repeated as much."

Vanderjagt plays for the Cowboys now, but with the daily soap opera that is Terrell Owens, you might have missed it. The 36-year-old kicker signed a three-year contract that, with incentives, could be worth $6 million.

The Cowboys are 3-2 and Vanderjagt has made six of his seven field goal attempts, including a 50-yarder. Oh, and he's even kicking off for the first time in years. He scored 10 points in last Sunday's victory over the Texans. After some early issues with head coach Bill Parcells, life is good for Vanderjagt.

"Yeah," Vanderjagt said, "things are going well."

Wielding Big Feat

There was a time, not so long ago, when kickers were outcasts in the NFL. They were undersized, finesse-oriented specialists in a smash-mouth man's game. Kickers, even within the context of a team, weren't considered real football players.

But coaches have long known that special teams can determine the outcome of just as many games as offense or defense. Consider the recent results of Week 6, where, appropriately, six games hinged on the performance of placekickers:

• The Cardinals' Neil Rackers, who set an NFL record last season by kicking 40 of 42 field goals, missed a 41-yard field goal with 53 seconds left. Arizona -- which once led by 20 points -- lost to the Chicago Bears 24-23.

• Seattle's Josh Brown kicked a 54-yard field goal as time expired to give the Seahawks a 30-28 victory over the Rams.

• The Saints' John Carney kicked a 31-yard field goal as time expired, giving New Orleans a dramatic 27-24 victory over the Eagles.

• Jason Hanson's 29-yard field goal was the difference in Detroit's first victory of the season, a 20-17 win over Buffalo.

• Rob Bironas kicked three field goals -- including a 30-yarder with 5:11 left to play -- to carry the Tennessee Titans to their first victory, 25-22 over Washington.

• Two field goals by Mike Nugent ultimately made a difference in the Jets' 20-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins.

No wonder they're paying kickers like CEOs. The Colts, who passed on Vanderjagt in the offseason, signed the Patriots' three-time Super Bowl champion Adam Vinatieri to a contract that featured a signing bonus of $3.5 million and an average salary of $2.5 million over the next three years. The Vikings signed Packers placekicker Ryan Longwell to a five-year contract worth $10 million and three weeks ago the San Diego Chargers locked up Nate Kaeding -- beginning only his third NFL season -- for five years with a $12.2 million deal, $3.5 million of it guaranteed.

"It gives you the kind of security you look for," Kaeding said. "I couldn't ask for anything better."

Pity the Ravens' kicker Matt Stover. He is the third-most accurate field goal kicker ever, but two years before the kicker feeding frenzy he signed a five-year deal worth just more than $1 million annually -- about half of what the current market for elite kickers bears. With the 2006 NFL salary cap at $102 million and 53 players on each roster, you can argue that -- based on their impact -- kickers are still underpaid.

"The devil's advocate will say we don't really work a whole lot," Vanderjagt said. "You know, we stand around for an hour and 45 minutes out of a two-hour practice. But we get paid to make plays on Sunday. Field goals are definitely deciding more games and more and more teams are realizing that.

"I've been talking to [Denver's Jason] Elam and Adam [Vinatieri], saying we need to raise the bar and take care of each other. Internally, we need to get more credit and more money because we decide games.

Vanderjagt, the epitome of a free spirit, was destined to run afoul of Parcells. Predictably, he did, but that flew under the radar of Owens' steady stream of skirmishes with the Cowboys.

"Our Idiot Kicker is arrogant, cocky," said Charlie Waters, who played safety in Dallas for a dozen seasons and is the team's color analyst for radio broadcasts. "He doesn't have a big rapport with Parcells. Parcells, he loves to figure players out, find out where their hot buttons out.

"He said pretty early on, 'I can't figure this guy out.' I think he feels the same way about Terrell."


A Few Kicks Away

While bringing in Owens is believed to be the idea of owner Jerry Jones, it was probably Parcells who signed off on signing Vanderjagt. Parcells, like his most visible disciple Bill Belichick, always has paid close attention to special teams. He went through three kickers last season -- Billy Cundiff, Jose Cortez and Shaun Suisham -- and they cost the Cowboys at least three games.

When Cundiff was injured in training camp, Dallas was forced to keep Cortez, who missed a 41-yard field goal attempt that would have reversed a 14-13 loss to the Redskins in Week 2. Against the Seahawks, Cortez missed a fourth-quarter try of 29 yards wide left and the Cowboys wound up losing 13-10. Cortez was released after seven games, but Cundiff missed a 34-yarder that would have broken a 21-all tie with Denver in the Thanksgiving game, a contest the Broncos won in overtime -- by a field goal. Cundiff was cut before the final game and Suisham missed a 47-yard field goal in a loss to the Rams.

The Giants won the NFC East with an 11-5 record and the Redskins, 10-6, also made the playoffs. Dallas was 9-7; winning just two of those games would have put them in the playoffs.

Enter Vanderjagt, who is as decorated as a placekicker can be. He is one of only four placekickers to go an entire season without missing a field goal, going 37-for-37 in 2003 with the Colts. That was part of his NFL-record 41 consecutive field goal run. Vanderjagt is the Colts' all-time leading scorer, with 995 points and has scored 100 points in each of his first eight seasons. He also has 11 game-winning field goals in the last 15 seconds of a game.

Vanderjagt, who is keenly aware of his worth, can recite most of these statistics.

After spending that kind of money, Parcells was hoping that Vanderjagt would handle kickoffs, requiring only one roster spot for a kicker. But a groin injury in training camp forced Parcells to keep Suisham on the team. In the final preseason game, Vanderjagt returned -- and in overtime against the Vikings promptly missed field goals from 33 and 32 yards. Some believed Parcells might cut Vanderjagt on the spot.

"It wasn't the greatest preseason I ever had," Vanderjagt said. "People fail to realize that I don't kick a lot in the offseason. I use the preseason to get ready and don't peak until September. Coach Parcells is a show-me kind of guy and that's where the problem was."

Vanderjagt said he has made concessions to age, actually taking 10 minutes to warm up his lower body by doing stretching exercises with a trainer.

"I used to walk out there," he said, "and touch my toes a few times."


Special Attention

Raul Allegre understands the wrath Parcells can bring down on a kicker. He was the Giants' placekicker from 1986-91 and the team's leading scorer when they won 17 of 19 games, culminated by Super Bowl XXI.

"I would come out in practice a half-hour before the team stuff and he'd be out there watching me," said Allegre from his office in Austin, Texas, where he serves as a color analyst for ESPN International. "He could tell whether I was in a groove or not. He had special teams coaches, but he was definitely running the show. If he doesn't like what he sees, he's not afraid to do it again until you get it right.

"I think a kicker can be worth at least five games in a season. Especially for teams that play lots of close games. The Colts, a year ago, were blowing out everybody. My theory is that Vanderjagt missed that field goal against Pittsburgh because hadn't been in that situation all year long."

Waters, who was the Cowboys' holder for 10 of his 12 seasons, has an intimate understanding of kickers.

"I know what its like to work with idiot [expletive deleted] kickers," he said, laughing "They'll drive you nuts. Kickers … they are absolute characters. They are loaded with way too much stuff in their brains. They think too much. They have way too much free time.

"You know what? Mike missed one kick [from 26 yards] for us in the Tennessee game. It opened up door and messed up the momentum a little bit. The question is, can he make them in the clutch?"

This question remains unanswered. Vanderjagt has not played a pivotal role in any of the Cowboys' five games. Still, he isn't making waves in the media and his kickoffs have been better than expected. In his six kicks from the Cowboys' 30 last Sunday, the average was 62 yards, or to the Houston 8-yard-line.

"We kicked directionally a couple of times, which takes a few yards off," Vanderjagt noted. "Some of those balls traveled 65 yards. I think I hit the ball pretty well; those kicks were NFL-quality. That's all I can ask of myself."

Vanderjagt could maintain his lead as the league's most accurate kicker through the end of his career. For one thing, he has a comfortable margin over Browns' kicker Dawson. For another: He enjoyed the indoor safety and comfort of the Colts' RCA Dome and Texas Stadium, though it has an opening in the roof, keeps most of nature's elements out.

Vanderjagt says he is happy in his working environment, which is something he hasn't experienced in some time.

"To this day, I have not received any verbal thrashings for missing field goals," he said. "When I met Coach Parcells for the first time, he said, 'I don't want to screw you up. I'm going to let you do your own thing.' I wasn't pushing the panic button.

"I keep telling him, 'You're the head coach and you've got a lot on your mind. The field goal kicker shouldn't be one of them.'"

Thirty minutes after a lengthy phone interview, the phone rang again.

"Yeah," he said, "it's Mike Vanderjagt.

"Hey, I just wanted to mention that my field goal percentage is actually better outside than it is inside. There's a perception that I'm more of an indoor kicker. It might be just half a point, but you should point out that I'm better outside."

Duly noted.

Greg Garber is a senior writer for ESPN.com.

Charlie Weiss Quoted

Originally posted by 2much2soon from a sports forum:

On cow herd's show this morning as hinting that he wants his contract bought out by someone.
I don't normally listen to the guy but had to make a run to buy a new router this morning and tuned my car radio to ESPN.
Cowherd claimed that during some recent press conference Weiss, out of nowhere, made an unsolicited comment implying he wanted his contract bought out.
Cowherd said something like "look at the transcript of the interview/press conference, no reporter asked him about this, he just brought it up out of the blue". Or words to that affect.
Now Cowherd didn't say Weiss said an NFL team, but I assumed that was what he(Cowherd) was implying.
So consider the source and take it for however you value the guy's opinion.
IMO, Cowherd is a loudmouth looking to stir up trouble. It will be interesting to see if Weiss or ND respond.

By tolerating Owens, Cowboys will benefit

by Jack McCaffery, Times Sports Columnist
10/17/2006

PHILADELPHIA -- The parade wasn’t televised, but it must have been a pip, for the Eagles had at long last won their championship,Terrell Owens scored no touchdowns, did no interpretive dances and, along with the rest of the Dallas Cowboys, did not win a game in the Linc.

Drop the confetti. Blast the fireworks. Strike up the marching band, Andy Reid doing the drum master high step.

Celebrate.

It was just over a week ago, for what it was, it was a slice of football brilliance. The Eagles not only couldn’t afford to have Owens beat them for it would cause them grief in the standings, but they couldn’t afford to give their former wide receiver the last-laugh option.

So they double-teamed him, attacked the immobile Drew Bledsoe, and won by 14. Rightfully, then, Reid was the NFL’s Coach of the Week. The Eagles not only won a game -- they won Their Game. They shut down Owens, and better still for them, made one of his replacements, Hank Baskett, the NFL’s Rookie of the Week.

"I might be the happiest chubby guy in Philadelphia," Reid said, "since Shawn Andrews lost all that weight." And as Reid was in the midst of that ho-ho-ho, Owens was just down the hall, torching Bledsoe, reminding an overflow crowd of reporters of just which Cowboy was, "pulling the trigger."

And for a week, the celebration raged, especially when Owens reacted exactly as the Birds expected him to act -- lashing out at his passing game coordinator, Todd Haley, that after being heard to scream, "What am I doing here?" Yes, it was all playing out as the Eagles expected, and as a bonus, there had even been an unscheduled midnight run to the emergency room for Owens to have medication pumped out of his ever-raging mouth.

He was trouble. He was loud. He was criticizing the quarterback. He was fighting with the assistant coaches. And the Cowboys couldn’t beat the Eagles.

Then came Sunday -- and the proof that there are two ways for a football operation to handle Terrell Owens, and that the way the Eagles did so was the wrong way. When Owens criticized Donovan McNabb and was flip with offensive coordinator Brad Childress, the Eagles’ way was to have him fired. Why not? Hadn’t Reid once made a motivational speech to brainwashed businessmen, stressing that it doesn’t matter which employee fills any particular spot, just as long as the system is in place? Who needs a Hall of Fame pass-catcher if he is going to have the cheek to reject a nodding acquaintance with a coach?

That’s what the Eagles did when Owens became a distraction: They sent him away. They did one other thing, too: They finished 6-and-10. And while there were other reasons for that fall from the Super Bowl to last place in the NFC East -- McNabb did have a sports hernia that ended his season -- it remained factual that once Owens left, so did any chance for the Birds to repeat as conference champions.

The Cowboys did it the other way -- the way the Eagles should have done it, had they not been so addicted to control that their official Web site once was caught sharing the belief that the organization "would rather go 0-16 than yield to Owens" in a contract beef. The Cowboys did it the other way, because they would rather do anything than finish 0-16. A matter of taste, that.

So when they saw Owens stomping around the Linc sidelines, the Cowboys barely yawned. And when they heard him complaining about an assistant coach, they resisted any primal urge to reach for the depth chart and an eraser. They knew what he meant when he asked who was pulling the trigger, and that Bledsoe was his target -- yet they didn’t allow their quarterback to mope around.

What the Cowboys did was ignore Terrell Owens. They ignored him, put him in the lineup, had him score 18 points and pulled even with the Eagles in the NFC East loss column on a day when Hank Baskett didn’t make a catch in a loss at New Orleans.

And what part of that plan is so outrageous, considering that the business the Cowboys have chosen -- the Eagles, too -- is to collect the world’s finest football players and pay them to win games? Why is it so difficult to ignore Owens, even if what he says often is childish, needlessly irritating, quite often wrong and decreasingly entertaining? What is he, the ambassador to Russia, or just a football player with a high-speed jaw?

What Terrell Owens says doesn’t matter. It never has. It’s air being forced through his smile. That’s it. Yet the Eagles couldn’t tolerate it, even though Owens promised to show up on Sundays and perform to skills that all sides acknowledge are spectacular.

The Cowboys chose to tolerate Owens and dismiss his babble. And not only did they do so Sunday, but they received an odd benefit. By the time they’d virtually matched the Eagles’ record, give or take a bye week, the Cowboys not only had Owens back to form, but were watching as he shook hands with Haley in joyful celebration.

No, this handy, little case study is not ready for a conclusion, for those arrive in increments. The Cowboys’ handling of Owens will be judged by how they finish the season, not by whether they beat the Houston Texans.

But the Eagles cut Owens for his behavior and finished in last place.

The Cowboys ignored almost identical behavior, and moved closer to first. So reasons to celebrate are everywhere. And it’s just a matter of who is doing the celebrating.

Aikman Combined Ratings Through Week 6

Rank Record Team Combined Off Def Off Def Combined
1 4-1 San Diego 180.9 93.9 87.0 3 1 4
2 6-0 Chicago 174.3 77.4 96.9 13 2 15
3 3-2 Dallas 168.6 83.6 85.0 6 6 12
4 4-2 Baltimore 167.8 68.9 98.9 28 3 31
5 3-2 Jacksonville 167.1 80.5 86.6 15 7 22
6 4-2 Philadelphia 165.3 86.9 78.4 1 26 27
7 4-1 Denver 164.1 69.6 94.5 24 10 34
8 5-0 Indianapolis 160.0 93.5 66.5 4 20 24
9 4-2 St. Louis 159.5 81.8 77.7 8 25 33
10 4-1 New England 159.3 82.1 77.2 10 13 23
11 2-3 Pittsburgh 155.7 73.8 81.9 17 9 26
12 3-2 Atlanta 155.4 69.8 85.6 7 12 19
13 3-2 Cincinnati 152.6 79.5 73.1 19 24 43
14 5-1 New Orleans 152.1 81.3 70.8 5 14 19
15 3-2 N.Y. Giants 150.6 86.7 63.9 2 17 19
16 1-5 Miami 150.3 71.7 78.6 21 4 25
17 1-5 Arizona 148.6 67.2 81.4 23 21 44
18 4-2 Carolina 147.9 72.2 75.7 18 16 34
19 2-4 Washington 147.9 80.6 67.3 11 22 33
20 2-3 Kansas City 147.4 71.1 76.3 26 11 37
21 3-2 Minnesota 147.1 67.5 79.6 12 5 17
22 4-1 Seattle 146.3 77.6 68.7 20 15 35
23 1-4 Tampa Bay 145.1 69.2 75.9 27 19 46
24 1-5 Detroit 140.1 71.8 68.3 16 27 43
25 2-4 Buffalo 138.6 67.7 70.9 29 18 47
26 1-4 Green Bay 137.4 67.1 70.3 9 31 40
27 1-4 Cleveland 134.4 65.2 69.2 31 23 54
28 3-3 N.Y. Jets 133.6 71.5 62.1 22 30 52
29 1-5 Tennessee 132.0 68.8 63.2 25 29 54
30 2-4 San Francisco 128.9 71.8 57.1 14 28 42
31 0-5 Oakland 125.6 52.6 73.0 32 8 40
32 1-4 Houston 123.2 70.2 53.0 30 32 62

Cowboys not satisfied with 3-2

Web Posted: 10/17/2006 01:36 AM CDT
Tom Orsborn
Express-News Staff Writer

IRVING — Nose tackle Jason Ferguson likens the Dallas Cowboys to a college team with a winning record but no victories over heavyweight foes.
"So far, all we've done is beat the unranked teams," Ferguson said.

The Cowboys (3-2) hope that changes in a Monday night outing against the New York Giants (3-2) at Texas Stadium.

"It's important we win our division games, and this is a good offensive football team with experienced players," coach Bill Parcells said of the Giants, who rank among the league leaders in total offense (401.8 yards per game) and scoring (25.4).

The Cowboys' victories, including Sunday's 34-6 drubbing of the Houston Texans, have come against teams with a combined 4-13 record. The Cowboys lost when they faced playoff contenders in their opener (at Jacksonville) and two weeks ago (at Philadelphia).

Still, the Cowboys weren't overwhelmed by either the Jaguars or the NFC East-leading Eagles (4-2) and were in position to force overtime against the latter until Drew Bledsoe threw an interception.

The turnover was one of five the Cowboys had in Philadelphia. Eight of the Cowboys' 10 turnovers have come in their two losses.

"We have stopped the run pretty well, and we are running the ball pretty well," Parcells said Monday. "We have played pretty well offensively on third down, and we have played pretty well defensively on first down, and all of that usually translates into winning. But there are overriding factors, and the turnovers are some of those."

Parcells stressed last week the need for the Cowboys to protect the ball, and the team responded with a turnover-less effort against the Texans. His emphasis this week will be on the team putting together solid efforts in consecutive games, especially with the Giants game marking the beginning of a tough six-game stretch that includes three-straight road games (Oct. 29 at Carolina, Nov. 5 at Washington and Nov. 12 at Arizona).

"We need to win this one at home because here in a minute, we're going to be gone forever," linebacker Bradie James said. "The stink is about to hit the fan.

"We can't be an up-and-down team. We can't win one and lose one. That would be an emotional rollercoaster ride. We've got to find some kind of way to put together a streak of wins. Why not start now?"

Linebacker Akin Ayodele agreed.

"If we are going to be able to control our own destiny and not have other people control it for us, then we have to take care of business these next few games," Ayodele said.

Notebook: The Cowboys released receiver Jamaica Rector. ... Rookie defensive end Jason Hatcher suffered a sprained ankle against the Texans and is expected to miss significant practice time this week. ... Parcells said rookie Skyler Green, who made his debut Sunday, needs to work on getting in better position to field punts. Green, who averaged 1.7 yards on three returns, was penalized for an invalid fair catch signal on his first try and running several yards to

Parcells yanks QB: Bledsoe era over in Dallas?

By Os Davis on October 17, 2006 01:55 AM

With the Dallas Cowboys holding on to a second-half lead against the Houston Texans , coach Bill Parcells apparently wilted to overwhelming popular pressure and yanked starting QB Drew Bledsoe for backup Tony Romo.

Many (including RealFootball365's own Andy Targovnik) have clamored for Romo to replace the much-maligned and slightly immobile Bledsoe as the starting signal-caller for the Cowboys. With Dallas already two games back of the NFC East-leading Philadelphia Eagles and clinging to a three-touchdown lead against the Pokes' hated Lone Star rivals, Parcells finally decided enough was enough.

Hanging over the Tuna's decision-making head was surely the megabucks-contract holding megastar Terrell Owens' reported objection that the 13 passes thrown his way in the Eagles game last week were not enough. After Bledsoe had ineffectively tossed just three balls T.O.'s way in the first half against the Texans, the quarterback had apparently tested his coach's patience enough.

Indeed, after entering the game in the fourth quarter, Romo completed a TD pass to Owens on just his second attempt in an NFL game. T.O. ended up accounting for half of all Romo's completions, making this tandem one to be feared in the near future. The Romo-to-Owens score even produced that highlight clip Dallas has been awaiting for months, T.O.'s star pose in the end zone.

Showing welcome optimism after the game, the media-shy Owens stated of his own performance and of the result the TD connection with Romo helped augment, "This is something to build on. It was a lot of fun."

Though neither Parcells nor Bledsoe has commented directly on the shakeup at QB in Dallas, Bledsoe seemed to accept the current situation. The man who once played in the Super Bowl under the Tuna's guidance was quoted in the Dallas Morning News online version as saying, "Listen, when you win in this league, everything is OK."

Meanwhile, Romo and Cowboys fans have got to be loving life: After all, the new guy sports a career quarterback rating of 158.3. How could Parcells not have been starting this guy all along? And people say he's a football genius...

Hot Rumors & Notes

Ben Maller
Foxsports.com

Jerry Jones says the Cowboys will stick with the 3-4 defense and a two-tight end, one-back offense even after Bill Parcells is gone. With that in mind, don't be surprised if Jones makes a run at Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis, who is familiar with both systems. Bill Cowher could be another possibility if he decides to leave the tight-fisted Steelers.

Did You Know? Balanced Cowboys have featured 171 pass plays and 170 run plays, and have scored eight TDs from each

There were 16 new offensive coordinators in the NFL at the start of this season - exactly half the teams changed coordinators. Mike Kruczek, who replaces Rowen in Arizona, becomes No. 17. While Brian Billick becomes the 11th head coach to call his own plays this year, the Ravens joined a small minority of clubs operating without an offensive coordinator. Only the Dallas Cowboys, under Bill Parcells, do not have one.

Could Indy-Dallas move to NBC?

It could certainly happen if CBS didn't choose to protect the game, which is currently scheduled to begin at noon at Texas Stadium. In case you missed it, NBC's so-called Football Night in America has been given some flexibility. (apologies if you have to register).

CBS and Fox have already submitted a list of protected games for Weeks 10-15. But that list was due after Week 4, which means the networks had to do some serious forecasting.

And if New Orleans keeps this dream season alive, look for NBC to go after that Cowboys-Saints game at Texas Stadium Dec. 10.

You have to wonder if CBS and Fox protected that game.

More to come.

Posted by Matt Mosley at 3:18 PM (E-mail this entry) | Comments (2)

Dallas defense is key to upcoming stretch

Commentary: Jaime Aron
Dallas defense is key to upcoming stretch.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006


IRVING — Hey, Cowboys fans: Did you enjoy those bruising hits by Roy Williams against the Texans?

How about all those big plays Greg Ellis has been making lately — forcing a fumble one week, snagging an interception the next?


Notice how well Anthony Henry has been covering those big receivers?
Well, they better keep coming the next five weeks. Dallas' season could depend on it.

The upcoming stretch of games is tough for a variety of reasons, but there's one common theme the Cowboys must handle: game-breaking players on offense.

Yet it's not as simple as stopping the run or handling the pass. Dallas is going to see everything from league-leading rusher Tiki Barber on Monday night to receiving whiz Steve Smith to passing sensation Peyton Manning.

If the defense is up to these challenges, the Cowboys could break away from the pack and brand themselves a true playoff threat. Fizzle, and it could be another year of false hope for Dallas fans.

So far, a defense that was supposed to be the team's biggest strength has mostly been a big tease.

They've been great in the victories, not allowing a single touchdown in two home games and pretty much smothering Tennessee in the lone road win. In a 34-6 victory over Houston this past Sunday, the Texans drove to the 1 on the opening drive, then hardly got past midfield again.

The losses have been another story. The Cowboys gave up three touchdowns and a field goal in a seven-drive span to blow a 10-0 lead on Jacksonville, then saw Donovan McNabb put up big play after big play in leading Philadelphia to victory.

"We can talk about the Houston game — 'Yeah, we beat Houston. Cool.' — but I'm going to be real with myself and the defense has to be real," linebacker Bradie James said. "The stink is about to hit the fan. We need to see where we're going to go, how we're going to be."

Another curious dichotomy: Dallas is 3-0 against teams with losing records, 0-2 against teams with winning records.

Coach Bill Parcells and team owner Jerry Jones spent the last two off-seasons building a defense that can be the team's backbone. These next five games are like a progress report.

Four of the next five foes have a higher-rated offense than defense. The exception is Carolina and that's only because Smith missed the first two games with an injury; the Panthers moved the ball just fine in the four games since he's returned, winning them all.

The first test is Barber and the Giants. He's coming off a 185-yard game, but he'll be running into the team that's allowing the fewest rushing yards in the NFL.

After Monday, Dallas goes to Carolina to face Smith (a bigger threat these days than even the great Terrell Owens) and his new sidekick, Keyshawn Johnson. Then the Cowboys will get a dose of offenses with multiple threats.

The Washington brain trust will be paying attention to how Dallas handles Barber and Smith. Based on that, the Redskins will decide whether to feature Clinton Portis or Santana Moss.

Then comes Arizona. With Matt Leinart having a few more weeks to develop and Larry Fitzgerald's hamstring having more time to heal, that trip to the desert could be tougher than expected, especially after the way the Cardinals played the first three quarters against Chicago on Monday night.

The last game in the run could be the most difficult: Indianapolis, with Manning, Marvin Harrison and the rest of their highly productive unit.

The Cowboys currently have the sixth-stingiest defense in the league. Where they rank after playing the Colts should say a lot about whether they get to play in January.

Henry quietly proves he's real deal

by Todd Archer

IRVING – Attention does not come easy in the Cowboys' secondary.

There is a Pro Bowler at safety in Roy Williams, who is perhaps the biggest hitter in the NFL. There is a Pro Bowler to be at cornerback in Terence Newman, who did not allow a touchdown pass a year ago. There is an ex-Pro Bowler in Aaron Glenn, whose experience helps everybody. Even rookie safety Pat Watkins has even had his moments.

But not much has been said about the Cowboys other starting cornerback, Anthony Henry. Quietly, Henry just does his job.

Through five games, Henry has 28 unassisted tackles, a team-high 11 pass deflections and an interception, which came Sunday vs. Houston and led to a Marion Barber touchdown that iced the game.

"He's a ballhawk kind of kid," coach Bill Parcells said. "He gets his hands on balls. That's what I like about him. He studies pretty well. He was on it [Sunday]."

When the Cowboys signed Henry to a five-year, $25.2 million deal that including a $10 million signing bonus last year, it was met with a general, "Who?"

He spent his first four years in Cleveland but after he intercepted 10 passes as a rookie, which tied him for the NFL lead, he picked off seven passes in the next three seasons.

But the Cowboys had product knowledge, as Jerry Jones called it.

Todd Bowles was Henry's position coach in Cleveland and joined the Cowboys' coaching staff before free agency began.

Although Ken Lucas, Fred Smooth and Gary Baxter may have been bigger names, Jones wanted as close to a sure thing as he could get when giving out $10 million on the spot, so they went with Henry.

In 17 games with the Cowboys, he has 78 tackles, four interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, 20 pass deflections and a forced fumble. Only Lucas, who signed with Carolina, has more picks (nine) than Henry of that group, and Lucas has played in four more games.

Henry missed four games and six starts last season because of groin injury suffered not long after his 58-yard interception return for a score against Arizona. Although he returned to the field, he was not the same player. He had eight tackles in his final four games and twice he went without a tackle.

This season, however, Henry has looked like he did before the injury. He has had at least one pass deflection in four of five games. In his last three games he has 18 tackles and eight pass deflections.

"Once he gets that confidence going, he's pretty tough to deal with because he's so physical," Parcells said.

The Cowboys signed the 6-1, 208-pound Henry partly to deal with Terrell Owens, who was in Philadelphia at the time. Owens is now a Cowboy, but bigger receivers remain such as the Giants' Plaxico Burress this week, and Carolina's Keyshawn Johnson in two weeks.

"He is very smart," Newman said. "And he has very good footwork. His size allows him to match up against the bigger receivers and make his presence felt."

Parcells said Monday that DE Jason Hatcher (ankle) is out indefinitely

Coach Bill Parcells said Monday that DE Jason Hatcher (ankle) is out indefinitely.

X-rays were negative after Hatcher left Sunday's game with a sprained right ankle. He was replaced by DE Kenyon Coleman.
Source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Parcells has beaten all 32 NFL franchises

Cowboys | Parcells has beaten all 32 NFL franchises
Mon, 16 Oct 2006 20:03:48 -0700

Don Pierson, of the Chicago Tribune, reports Dallas Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells became the third head coach to beat all 32 current NFL franchises after his Week 6 win against the Houston Texans. Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy and Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan are the other two coaches to beat every team in the league.

Despite win, Bledsoe still can't please fans

By TODD ARCHER / The Dallas Morning News


IRVING – Texas Stadium was almost empty as Drew Bledsoe played catch with his three sons, Stu, John and Henry, after Sunday's 34-6 win against Houston.

It was nice moment.

A few hours earlier, however, Bledsoe was on the receiving end of boos from the home crowd, which jointly called for Tony Romo after a failed offensive series. Even with the game out of hand, Romo received a loud ovation when he came into the game.

After the game, Bledsoe joked about the booing.

"They were saying, 'Drew,' " Bledsoe said. "They love me everywhere they go."

Bledsoe threw career touchdown passes Nos. 250 and 251, becoming the 13th quarterback in NFL history to reach 250, and completed 17 of 28 passes for 168 yards. His 101.5 passer rating was his second best of the season. More importantly, his consecutive games with an interception ended at seven.

Coach Bill Parcells mentioned a couple of throwaways from Bledsoe as a positive sign, even if it led to more unhappiness among the fans.

"We had our own issues to deal with, so if we're not scoring points on every drive, we aren't happy," Bledsoe said of the restlessness.

NFL Point Spreads For Week 7

NFL Point Spreads For Week 7
Date & Time Favorite Spread Underdog
10/22 1:00 ET San Diego -5 At Kansas City
10/22 1:00 ET Jacksonville -9.5 At Houston
10/22 1:00 ET New England -5.5 At Buffalo
10/22 1:00 ET Pittsburgh -1.5 At Atlanta
10/22 1:00 ET At Miami -4 Green Bay
10/22 1:00 ET Philadelphia -5 At Tampa Bay
10/22 1:00 ET At NY Jets -3.5 Detroit
10/22 1:00 ET At Cincinnati -3 Carolina
10/22 4:05 ET Denver -4.5 At Cleveland
10/22 4:15 ET At Indianapolis -9.5 Washington
10/22 4:15 ET At Seattle -6.5 Minnesota
10/22 4:15 ET Arizona -3 At Oakland

Monday Night Football Point Spread

10/23 8:30 ET At Dallas -3.5 NY Giants

Todd Archer's Cowboys report card

RUN OFFENSE
B Julius Jones became the first Cowboys runner to reach 100 yards in three straight games since Emmitt Smith in 2000. Marion Barber chipped in with 57 yards on 10 carries. The offensive line and tight ends had an excellent game, including clinching blocks from right tackle Marc Colombo and tight end Tony Curtis on Jones' game-long 33-yard run.

RUN DEFENSE
A David Carr led the Texans with 15 yards, which says something about this group. Nose tackle Jason Ferguson was dominant again. Ron Dayne, who had a big game vs. the Cowboys last year while with Denver, was a non-factor (10 carries, 14 yards) as was Samkon Gado (four carries, 5 yards). The Texans had eight carries in the first quarter go for 1 or no yards.

PASS OFFENSE
B- Call it efficient. Drew Bledsoe was sacked only two times, both in the first half, and the Cowboys burned the Texans when they blitzed. Owens caught three touchdown passes, but it was Bledsoe's ability to mix it around that helped: Patrick Crayton, Owens and Terry Glenn each caught five passes. On a few occasions Bledsoe wisely through the ball away.

PASS DEFENSE
B+ The pass rush could have been better, but Anthony Henry had his best game of the year, intercepting one pass and knocking away five others. He also kept Andre Johnson to a quiet nine-catch day. Safety Roy Williams set the tone with some big hits. Carr was intercepted on back-to-back drives in the third quarter by Greg Ellis and Henry.

SPECIAL TEAMS
C A 45-yard punt return at the end of the second quarter contributed to a Texans field goal. Despite the return, Mat McBriar had a 46-yard net average. Mike Vanderjagt's kickoffs did not hurt the coverage team, and Kevin Burnett forced a fumble that led a field goal. Skyler Green had a penalty for trying to return a punt after calling for a fair catch.

COACHING
B+ This was a big game for the coaching staff after what happened in Philadelphia. The defense did not allow a play longer than 21 yards and allowed only three third-down tries to be converted in 13 chances. Owens got the ball, Jones ran the ball and Bledsoe protected the ball. Going for it on fourth down was gutsy, but the call was dubious considering how they were running the ball.

OVERALL
B+ They did what they were supposed to do, just like they did two weeks ago at Tennessee: They beat a bad team. They did not look commanding, especially in the first half, but they came out strong in the second half, scoring 31 points. In a week filled with emotion – from the loss to Philadelphia to the practice-field dust-up between Terrell Owens and Todd Haley – the Cowboys could breathe easy in the fourth quarter.

Henry a major hit for Cowboys

Star-Telegram Staff Writer

IRVING -- Cowboys cornerback Anthony Henry is usually a quiet player who rarely shows much emotion.

Facing one of the league's premier receivers Sunday, Henry's playmaking transformed him into a fiery spark. Henry helped fuel the Cowboys' 34-6 victory against Houston by locking up Texans star Andre Johnson.

Henry continually made plays, followed by fist-pumping outbursts against Johnson.

"That's what happens when you are in a zone like he was," Cowboys cornerback Aaron Glenn said. "He played out of his mind today. That's what we expect from him week in and week out."

Johnson (6-foot-3, 222 pounds) was continually harassed in tight coverage by the 6-1, 208-pound Henry, who had a team-high five passes defended and one interception. Johnson led the Texans with nine receptions for 75 yards but was taken away as a weapon when the game was in doubt. In the first three quarters, Johnson was held to five catches for 31 yards. He entered the game leading the league in receiving yards per game at 102.5 and had three 100-yard receiving days this season.

"He definitely rose to the challenge," Cowboys linebacker Bradie James said of Henry. "The secondary had to step up, and they did. If they hadn't stepped up, maybe we wouldn't be here with a win."

Henry made his biggest play when Houston quarterback David Carr, the league's top-rated passer before Sunday, forced a pass to Johnson at the Texans' 44. Henry intercepted the pass near the Houston sideline.

The big plays the secondary gave up against Philadelphia in last week's 38-24 loss disappeared against the Texans.

The Cowboys defense produced two second-half interceptions to help jump-start the offense. Dallas scored touchdowns off both turnovers to build a safe 24-6 lead with 14:57 left in the game.

Special teams also produced a turnover when safety Roy Williams recovered a fumble on a kickoff return early in the fourth quarter. Linebacker Kevin Burnett forced the mistake, and the Cowboys followed with Mike Vanderjagt's 21-yard field goal for a 27-6 lead. It was the second time this season the Cowboys produced three turnovers in a game.

"Roy made a lot of big plays and big hits," James said. "He basically set the tone for us."

James tipped a pass intended for Johnson that was intercepted by a diving Greg Ellis at the Houston 34.

Ellis, who has made an impressive switch from defensive end to linebacker this season, produced his first interception since 2002 and the third of his career. Cornerback Terence Newman stripped the ball from Ellis and ran 12 yards to the Houston 23.

IN THE KNOW

Playing 'D'

The Cowboys secondary led the defensive charge against Houston on Sunday in Dallas' 34-6 victory.

Linebacker Greg Ellis recorded the third interception of his career.

Cornerback Anthony Henry recorded his first interception of the season and 21st of his career.

The 12 first downs allowed are the fewest since holding Detroit to 11 on Nov. 20, 2005.

The one rushing first down allowed has been accomplished many times, with the most recent against Chicago on Nov. 25, 2004. The Cowboys have allowed no first downs seven times, with the most recent against Philadelphia on Oct. 9, 2005.

The 34 rushing yards allowed was the fewest since allowing 19 rushing yards against Philadelphia on Oct. 9, 2005.

Parcells said he hopes to get Marion Barber more involved in the offense

Coach Bill Parcells said he hopes to get Marion Barber more involved in the offense.

Unprompted, Parcells said, "I do like the tandem... Actually I think Marion could get in the game even more... He seems to be productive when he gets in the game." This is exactly what Julius Jones owners don't want to hear, but Parcells often throws curveballs and motivational ploys into pressers. Barber has 37 carries, while Jones has 108 on the season.

Cowboys released WR Jamaica Rector

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports Dallas is now trying to re-sign safety Marcus Coleman, who was cut by the team last Saturday. Rector had a nice training camp but couldn't crack the roster on game days.

Drew Bledsoe completed 17-of-28 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns in Week 6

Drew Bledsoe completed 17-of-28 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns in Week 6.

Bledsoe only led Dallas to three first half points. Even in their second-half rally, he missed a few threws we'd expect him to make. Bledsoe did spread the ball around well and his line played slightly better.

Julius Jones rushed 22 times for 106 yards in Week 6

Julius Jones rushed 22 times for 106 yards in Week 6.

We've seen this one before. Jones played great, but struggled with at least five carries inside the ten, not scoring once. Marion Barber vultured a touchdown. Jones appeared to get shaken up on his last play after taking a helmet to the thigh, so check back this week to make sure it's okay.

Marion Barber rushed ten times for 57 yards and a score in Week 6

Marion Barber rushed ten times for 57 yards and a score in Week 6.

Barber played well on third downs, and punched in a touchdown after three straight carries inside the ten in the third quarter. Julius Jones also got his chances near the goal line, but didn't convert. Barber is still only an emergency option in fantasy leagues despite his four touchdowns.

Patrick Crayton led the Cowboys with five catches for 61 yards in Week 6

Patrick Crayton led the Cowboys with five catches for 61 yards in Week 6.

Drew Bledsoe has looked to Crayton first on third downs. He will only be a fantasy option if a starter gets hurt, but it's good to see the promising third-year pro back in the mix.

Terry Glenn caught five passes for 47 yards in Week 6

Terry Glenn caught five passes for 47 yards in Week 6.

Interestingly, the Texans assigned their top corner Dunta Robinson to cover Glenn most of the day. T.O. got all the scores, but Glenn was also targeted on a fade route in the end zone. Glenn has at least four catches every week; keep him active against the Giants.

Down in the Valley? Not for long

By Randy Galloway
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/RUSTY KENNEDY
Philadelphia was a debacle as Bill Parcells got a little whine with his cheese steak from receiver Terrell Owens.Been a tough week, huh? A week of mucking out Valley Ranch misery after the mishap in Philadelphia.

We've heard that one sad whine act in the locker room, we've heard the Big Bill growl, we've listened to the ifs and buts.

Don't believe, however, I've ever heard a head coach of the Cowboys publicly declare one of his players taboo to talk about with the media.

It must be getting real touchy these days in the Irving bunker.

But now, in this time of despair, let us all rejoice. Good news has arrived.

Today, it's gonna be all right again.

Today, everybody gets fat and happy again on success.

By Monday, Philadelphia will be so far back there in the rearview mirror, it might as well be San Angelo.

Personal opinion: I'd rather be in San Angelo, but enough about my vacation destinations.

Today, Drew Bledsoe gets his game flipped back around to the sunny side of quarterbacking life.

By midafternoon, Jerry Jones will be in the postgame locker room describing Drew once again as "being like a surgeon back there."

Bledsoe may have butchered the patient in Philly, but today he will be cuttin' and grinnin'.

Even Eldorado Owens finally figures out a way today to get open, stay open and get the ball thrown his way. No guarantees, however, on Eldo actually catching it.

But seriously, dude. He's a playmaker. Philadelphia was a personal disgrace, but Owens has got easy money today.

Then there's the Cowboys' defense.

Cheese-steaked in Philly, but the head coach blamed it all on a rookie safety. Made everybody feel better about the collapse back East.

Now that Pat Watkins has been fed to the media wolves, that defense will be hell-bent to prove it's not the most overrated bunch in the NFL.

David Carr, screw down the facemask real tight.

Hey, it's only Houston. Noon kickoff at Texas Stadium, with a butt-kick to follow.

Vegas has the Texans as a 13-point underdog. Ohio State would only be about 12 if that team was today's visitor. Then again, Ohio State players are paid better than the Texans. (Old joke, and I'm sorry for bringing it up.)

Looking ahead, what about the Giants in that Monday night game? Then the following trips to Carolina and Washington?

Thank goodness it's Houston. This is a perfect jumping-off point into a tough stretch of schedule.

Everybody can be fat and happy for a week.

Except...

Remember that September night in Mosquitoville four years ago?

First game ever for the Texans. Biggest burp ever for the Cowboys.

I know. I know. It's totally different these days. For one thing, the quarterback isn't a junkie.

And since that humiliating defeat, the Cowboys have gone on to much greater things.

Like an overall record of 32-36, including the one quick exit from the playoffs three years ago.

Fear that, Houston.

Then again, the Texans built up so much momentum from a first-ever win against the Cowboys, they managed to become the laughingstock franchise of the entire league.

With a 1-3 record at the moment, nothing figures to change.

Except...

Carr, the human sack bag of a quarterback, is suddenly progressing nicely in the system of new coach Gary Kubiak.

If that foolish NFL quarterback rating system was actually valid, I'd tell you Carr was the best in the league at the moment for producing the most with the least mistakes. But it's not valid.

More important is the kid throwing accurately, instead of throwing picks, and he's avoiding sacks.

Carr also has three receivers who can make Roy Williams stumble and fall in coverage, as if that's difficult -- Andre Johnson, Eric Moulds and Kevin Walter.

What Carr doesn't have is a running game any opposition will respect, making his air progress that much more impressive.

Be careful here. If Byron Leftwich did it in Jacksonville with his group of nomad receivers, don't necessarily dismiss Carr and Co.

And about that Houston defense that Bledsoe will go surgeon on.

The overall numbers for four games look bad.

But after the Texans were defensively hopeless in September, changes were made.

The Texans will now blitz the snot out of you.

Bledsoe against the blitz? It's been like a cricket hitting a windshield at 60 mph.

If Flozell Adams decides this is his week to block somebody, Bledsoe may survive this incoming barrage. But is anybody betting on Flo actually caring?

And while most people in football are hooting at the Texans for taking Mario Williams in the draft instead of Reggie Bush, the Mario Fan Club is growing quickly in scattered NFL precincts other than Houston.

Texans fans may never forgive owner Bob McNair for passing up both Bush and Vince Young.

Big Bill, however, said this week the defensive end was rated at the top of the Cowboys' draft board in April. And, yes, being in Houston shoes with the No. 1 pick, Parcells also would have gone Williams first, even with Bush as the league's new poster child in New Orleans.

But before anyone down South considers that good news, better check the overall Cowboys draft record under Big Bill.

Sorry, Bobby Carpenter, but you may not letter this season..

OK, while it figures to be a case of Fat Sunday at Texas Stadium, play it safe and bring along a designated driver.

You know. Just in case the Cowboys are overserved on overconfidence. Or there's an allergic overreaction and accidental overdose to the Philly debacle.

Owens no longer dealing with Haley on a personal level

Cowboys | Owens no longer dealing with Haley on a personal level
Fri, 13 Oct 2006 17:38:45 -0700

Clarence E. Hill Jr., of the Forth Worth Star-Telegram, reports Dallas Cowboys WR Terrell Owens says he is no longer dealing with wide receivers coach Todd Haley on a personal level because he violated his trust. "Anything is fixable. But at this point, I feel like I have gone out on a limb. People that know me know I don't trust too many people. When I felt like I have gone out on a limb and talked to Todd in a setting where we are man to man and up front with each other, and then I feel like that trust is being violated, then right now I will have a hard time here on out," said Owens. Owens was late to practice Wednesday, Oct. 11 and got into a shouting match with Haley. Owens will talk to Haley about football, but not about anything lese. "Other than him being my coach and me being respectful and him being respectful to me as a player, outside of that, there will be nothing else. No other dialogue. There will be no more friendly nothing because I don't trust anybody like that."

Witten off to a slow start

Cowboys | Witten off to a slow start
Sat, 14 Oct 2006 08:26:54 -0700

Calvin Watkins, of The Dallas Morning News, reports Dallas Cowboys TE Jason Witten is off to a slow start this season. He has three fewer catches and 33 fewer yards through four games than he did in 2005. Witten also has failed to score a touchdown this year. Defenses are using zone coverage against Witten in the middle of the field more this year and he has been used more to block on running plays and against blitzes. QB Drew Bledsoe said, "Jason will become more involved as we move forward. To be honest, he's become more of a blocker, and he's been unselfish."

Jason Witten has been asked to block more this season

Jason Witten has been asked to block more this season.

Fantasy tight ends have seen a drop in production across the board. Dallas' line woes could keep Witten in a blocking role most of the year.
Source: Dallas Morning News

Cowboys released defensive back Marcus Coleman

Cowboys released defensive back Marcus Coleman.

Originally signed to be a Bill Parcells reclamation project, Coleman landed on the suspended list after violating the league's substance-abuse policy. An 11-year vet, Coleman's NFL days could be done.

Cowboys Insider: Owens should have breakout game against Texans

Web Posted: 10/12/2006 03:22 PM CDT
Tom Orsborn
Express-News Staff Writer


Imagine coming home from work to an empty apartment and then spending the rest of the night in the dark stewing about the unfairness of life.

Welcome to Terrell Owens’ world.

“I don’t go nowhere,” Owens told reporters in Irving. “I don’t do nothing. It’s frustrating. It’s frustrating just to go (through) what I have been going through since training camp. I’ve had the hamstring. Then I break my hand. Then I go to the hospital. Then personal stuff.”

Owens said his only relief from the pain is playing on Sundays, but even that’s been a downer. He had only three catches for 45 yards in the Cowboys’ 38-24 loss to the Eagles and is on pace for his lowest output in a full season since 1999.

“My way of venting is going out there on Sunday, trying to win ballgames,” Owens said. “Now it’s added frustration, especially when I know we have a good team.”

Owens says he can’t even watch TV in peace. He’s still upset about comments directed at him during Fox Sports’ broadcast of the Philadelphia game, which he saw on the NFL Network Tuesday night.

“The guys in the booth are saying, ‘There he goes again. He’s up to his old stuff again,’ ” Owens said, referring to shots of him barking at his teammates and passing game coordinator Todd Haley during the second half. “It’s very unfair.-.-.-. It makes me hesitant to try to do what I need to do. If I go to the sidelines and don’t say anything, it’s going to be, ‘He doesn’t care.’ It’s like I’m in a no-win situation.”

Little wonder Owens is seeking solace in religion. The Dallas Morning News reports he’s reading “He-Motions: Even Strong Men Struggle” by Bishop T.D. Jakes, pastor of The Potter’s House in Dallas. San Antonio’s Max Lucado wrote the forward.

Rookie receiver Sam Hurd, the Brackenridge graduate who Owens tutored at training camp, attends Jakes’ church and is reportedly trying to recruit Owens.

There’s nothing wrong with Owens embarking on a faith journey, but I think his mood will brighten considerably if he just has a big game against the Texans. Asked if he thought things would change for the better on Sunday at Texas Stadium, Owens said, “There shouldn’t be any reason why not.”

I agree. If the Cowboys can’t get Owens going against the Texans, they might as well release him. Houston, which is giving up a league-worst 295.2 passing yards per game, has allowed three receivers to gain more than 100 yards. Count on Owens becoming the fourth.

Five reasons why the Cowboys beat the Texans

1. The Texans’ porous pass defense can’t counter a hungry Owens and a determined Drew Bledsoe.

2. The revenge factor: In their inaugural game in 2002, the Texans humbled the Cowboys 19-10 in Houston.

3. The Texans’ offensive line still can’t protect quarterback David Carr, who has been sacked 15 times this season.

4. The Cowboys under Parcells generally win against teams they should beat, especially at home.

5. The Cowboys need to beat the Texans and the New York Giants on Oct. 23 at Texas Stadium because they play three straight on the road (Oct. 29 at Carolina, Nov. 5 at Washington and Nov. 12 at Arizona) after this mini homestand.

Five reasons why the Texans will beat the Cowboys

1. They showed signs of life in losing to Miami two weeks ago.

2. Because they had last week off, they’ve had plenty of time to prepare for the Cowboys’ 3-4 defense.

3. Cowboys corners Anthony Henry, Terence Newman and Aaron Glenn will have their hands full with receivers Andre Johnson and Eric Moulds, two of the league’s best.

4. Texans head coach Gary Kubiak, formerly a member of Mike Shanahan’s staff in Denver, remembers what worked for the Broncos last year when they beat the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day.

5. It’s a rivalry game – especially for the Texans - and anything can happen in those affairs.

Prediction

Cowboys 34, Texans 14: Drew Bledsoe bounces back big time from his awful outing in Philly thanks to a breakout performance by Owens against the league’s worst pass defense.

Personal Milestone for Bill this week!!

from nfl.com:

If the Cowboys defeat the Texans this weekend, Bill Parcells will become the third head coach to defeat all 32 current NFL franchises (Tony Dungy, Mike Shanahan).

Dallas defense should be a tough test for (Texans) offense

Texans know 3-4, but not like this
Dallas defense should be a tough test for offense

By MEGAN MANFULL
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle
When the Texans line up against the Cowboys' 3-4 defense this week, it won't be foreign to them.
Although they had little success, the Texans used the same scheme for four seasons. They ranked next to last in total defense in 2003 and 2005. Their best finish came in 2002, when they ranked 16th among the NFL's 32 teams.


The Cowboys haven't had similar struggles in the 3-4k. Now in their third season in the scheme, the Cowboys rank ninth in total defense. They are fifth against the run, allowing just 75.3 yards per game.
"If you play the 3-4 and have good personnel, it's a great defense," right tackle Zach Wiegert said. "They are all very gap sound. They are all smart players. They don't do a ton of stuff, but they just do what they do really well."
With Marcus Spears, Jason Ferguson and Chris Canty manning the front, and linebackers Greg Ellis, DeMarcus Ware, Akin Ayodele and Bradie James on the second level, the Cowboys' front seven is daunting.
"They have some big, talented players out there, and they create mismatches for your backs and even for your tackles," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. "(Cowboys coach Bill Parcells) built a heck of a crew over there. And their back end, starting with the safety (Roy Williams) and the corner (Terence Newman), they're as good as there is in this business."
The Cowboys, who often play Williams near the line of scrimmage to bolster their run defense, make stopping the run their top priority.
"You always have to look for (Williams) because he's like another linebacker on the field," Wiegert said. "Usually they'll play seven guys and then if you start hurting them on the run, they'll bring him up to shut the run down."
It figures to be a task unlike any the Texans have faced this season. Only four teams have allowed fewer rushing yards per game than the Cowboys.
Texans center Mike Flanagan said: "They're lining up, saying, 'You can't beat us. We're not disguising anything. We're going to be right here. If you're going to beat us, you're going to have to physically dominate us, man-on-man.' "
Dallas' defense is not without flaws. After watching the Cowboys allow an 87-yard touchdown pass and a 40-yard flea flicker in last week's loss at Philadelphia, the Texans are hoping there are plays to be made against the Cowboys.
"You go through the course of a season and you're going to get beat," quarterback David Carr said. "That stuff happens, but good teams respond to that. And I have no reason to doubt they won't bounce back from that. So we're going to have to play a pretty solid game."

Cowboys safeties Pat Watkins and Keith Davis will rotate in Week 6

Cowboys safeties Pat Watkins and Keith Davis will rotate in Week 6.

Watkins, a rookie, lost his full-time starting job due to poor tackling. Marcus Coleman, soon to be back from suspension, may also factor in.
Source: dallascowboys.com

T.O. runs the wrong route ... again!

T.O. runs the wrong route ... again!

No one knows how to feed a news cycle like Terrell Owens. On the same day he questioned his role on the team, he was late to practice and had a heated exchange with passing game coordinator Todd Haley, according to this report from our Todd Archer.

ESPN now calling this a "verbal confrontation." Ed Werder's saying Haley and Owens were shouting, "Don't disrespect me!" to each other. Former Cowboys safety Darren Woodson is saying this happens everywhere and that he had heated exchanges with his defensive coordinator and good friend, Mike Zimmer, all the time.

That's all fine and good, but T.O. has a pattern of insubordination. He stopped talking to Eagles offensive coordinator Brad Childress and most people remember his meltdown with 49ers coach Greg Knapp.

The T.O apologists will quickly shout "much ado about nothing," but when you factor in his history, there's something to this.

Posted by Matt Mosley at 3:06 PM (E-mail this entry) | Comments (0)

Parcells: Mum's the word on T.O.

Parcells: Mum's the word on T.O.

At least for now, Bill Parcells is through answering questions about Terrell Owens.
The popular subject wasn't even raised until halfway through Thursday's news conference, but it's obvious that Parcells has had enough.

"I have no comment on Terrell," he said.
Asked why, Parcells said, "Because I don't want to talk about him anymore ... I'm tired of it."

When one reporter who wears UT apparel on a daily basis pressed the issue, Parcells stared at him for a few seconds and then turned to public relations chief Rich Dalrymple for backup.

Owens only speaks on Wednesdays, so there weren't as many cameras at Valley Ranch. Even "Easy" Ed Werder was given the day off after complaining that the T.O. story was derailing all the work he'd done on his one-piece takeaway.

In unrelated news, the Ryan Hannam era may have come to an end in Dallas today. Hannam was placed on injured reserve because of what Parcells called a "degenerative" knee injury.

Hannam, who came over from Seattle during free agency, had struggled with the knee throughout training camp and had only been active for two of the first four games.

Back with more in a moment.

Posted by Matt Mosley at 3:01 PM (E-mail this entry) | Comments (7)

Adams could lose job

Cowboys | Adams could lose job
Thu, 12 Oct 2006 20:19:32 -0700

Clarence E. Hill Jr., of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, reports Dallas Cowboys OT Flozell Adams could lose his left tackle job after struggling during the Week 5 game. Head coach Bill Parcells said he is not ready to pull Adams, but he left open the possibility of replacing him if he doesn't see improvement. Rookie OT Pat McQuistan could be called on to replace Adams.

Cowboys to release Coleman today

Jones: Cowboys to release Coleman today
By RICK HERRIN
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER

IRVING _ The Cowboys will release veteran safety Marcus Coleman today, according to owner Jerry Jones.

Jones, speaking on his weekly radio show, said the Cowboys will release Coleman today and also that Pat Watkins won?t lose his starting job.

When asked would Watkins lose his job, Jones said ?no?.

Coleman has been serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL?s substance-abuse policy.

Defense has large problem looming

Unit has had to make adjustments after being burned by big plays
02:37 AM CDT on Friday, October 13, 2006
By CALVIN WATKINS / The Dallas Morning News

IRVING – The offense's inability to hold onto the football against Philadelphia wasn't the only major topic the Cowboys addressed this week.

Dallas gave up five plays of 20 or more yards resulting in two touchdowns. For the season, the Cowboys have given up 12 plays of 20 or more yards – all passing plays.

Although the Cowboys had allowed 14 plays of 20 yards or more through four games last season, coach Bill Parcells knows that if Dallas wants to be considered a Super Bowl contender the defense must eliminate big plays.

"We're not going to win if we do what we did [in the Philadelphia] game," Parcells said.

Players and Parcells agree the right defenses have been called. It boils down to a lack of execution.

Last week, rookie free safety Patrick Watkins guessed wrong on where a long pass was going, and it allowed tight end L.J. Smith to run free down the sideline and make a 60-yard catch.

On another long play, an 87-yard touchdown pass from Donovan McNabb to Hank Baskett, the Cowboys sent cornerback Anthony Henry on a blitz forcing Watkins into single coverage. Watkins froze on the stop-and-go route and gave Baskett some distance. After Baskett caught the ball, Watkins tried to punch it out instead of making the tackle. The mistake cost him as Baskett ran into the end zone. Watkins said he made a rookie mistake trying to strip the ball.

"That game was so elementary to dissect," Parcells said. "I mean, it's just so elementary. You put yourself in a position where you're at an extreme disadvantage by what you did."

In Dallas' season-opening loss to Jacksonville, cornerback Terence Newman couldn't find the ball and was beaten on a 30-yard completion from Byron Leftwich to Ernest Wilford.

"You just have to correct what you can correct from [any] game," defensive end Chris Canty said. "The mistakes, the breakdowns and you move on from that. You have to understand from those lessons, and if you don't, teams will exploit those all season."

Parcells said he believes teams will try to throw deep, especially against Watkins, so the Cowboys will play Watkins and Keith Davis at free safety Sunday against Houston. Davis started 15 games at the position last season.

His experience should help the Cowboys make smarter decisions on pass plays.

Before the Eagles game, the Cowboys ranked eighth in the NFL in pass defense. After allowing 354 passing yards, the team is 20th. The Cowboys have given up five pass plays of 25 or more yards this season, two of which were touchdowns.

"Big plays, we have to make some," Newman said. "As much as you want to stop them, you have to make them. As a defense, with the talent we have, it's one of the biggest issues going into the game."

Pressure up front and making the right decisions in the secondary can help a defense prevent big plays. Parcells said the front seven has to better pressure the quarterback so throws come out faster, leading to mistakes.

"You have to be more disciplined," linebacker Akin Ayodele said. "You can't give up those big plays. You have to make them drive the length of the field. It's a copycat league, and Houston will see some of the things we did wrong and use it against us."

E-mail cwatkins@dallasnews.com


BREAKOUT PLAYS
The longest plays allowed by the Cowboys this season:

LONGEST PASS PLAYS
Yds. Player, opponent Date
87 Hank Baskett, Phil. Oct. 8
60 L.J. Smith, Phil. Oct. 8
40 Reggie Brown, Phil. Oct. 8
30 Ernest Wilford, Jax. Sept. 10
25 Matt Jones, Jax. Sept. 10

LONGEST RUNS
19 Santana Moss, Wash. Sept. 17
17 Ladell Betts, Wash. Sept. 17
15 T.J. Duckett, Wash. Sept. 17
12 Mark Brunell, Wash. Sept. 17
10 Fred Taylor, Jax. Sept. 10

Who should be the man in Dallas?

By Cris Collinsworth
Special to NFL.com

(Oct. 12, 2006) -- Bill Parcells announced this week that, despite throwing three interceptions in a loss to the Eagles last week, Drew Bledsoe will continue to be the Cowboys' starting quarterback. After two solid games against Washington and Tennessee, Bledsoe struggled against the Eagles' relentless pass rush, renewing speculation that Tony Romo might replace him in the starting lineup.

Bledsoe still has one of the better arms in the NFL. His problem is, and has always been, mobility. He doesn't have the speed to get away from the pass rush, doesn't throw well once he starts to move and doesn't make his best decisions when he's under pressure. Unfortunately for him, this weakness is magnified by the Cowboys' inability to protect the quarterback. The Eagles' game plan, blitzing up the middle between the guards, confused the Cowboys' offensive line, particularly left tackle Flozell Adams, who made numerous mental mistakes that led to sacks. Bledsoe was sacked seven times and hurried and harassed countless other times.

Backup quarterback Tony Romo has the speed and agility to avoid sacks and make plays on the move. He also has good arm strength and makes good decisions. I watched a lot of tape of him this preseason and didn't see any reason he can't play quarterback in the NFL. He has been with the Cowboys for four years, so he is well-versed in their offensive system. Romo's biggest problem is a complete lack of experience. He has looked great in the preseason, but has never attempted a regular-season pass, which is a whole different level of football.

Playing Romo, instead of Bledsoe, would also open up the Cowboys' playbook. They have eliminated almost every play in their offense that wasn't a straight dropback. Romo's mobility would allow them to run more rollouts, which could take some of the pressure off the offensive line. They could also send their talented tight ends, Jason Witten and Anthony Fasano, out on pass routes more, rather than having to use them to help out the offensive tackles.

On the other hand, making a change at quarterback right now may be a make-or-break move. If Romo fails, it might cost them the season. It would be tough to turn back to Bledsoe at that point and expect the team to still have confidence in him, as a player and a leader. For some coaches, it might be worth the risk to get the young quarterback some experience for the future, but there's a good chance that this is Parcells' last year in Dallas. He is only interested in what gives him the best shot at winning a Super Bowl this year.

If the Cowboys were going to make the change, this would have been the ideal time. They are at home against the Texans, who are last in the NFL in total defense, pass defense and interceptions. They are also home next weekend, which would give the young quarterback two full games at home before he had to take his act on the road.

Parcells' decision came down to Bledsoe's experience vs. Romo's mobility. There is no question that, at this point, Bledsoe is the better pure passer of the two. But, considering the pounding he's taking behind a questionable offensive line, you have to wonder if Romo isn't the better choice for this team.

Cowboys will activate running back Skyler Green

Roster moves

The Cowboys will activate running back Skyler Green and tight end Tony Curtis from the practice squad to replace Shaun Suisham and Ryan Hannam on the 53-man roster.
Green said he will return punts Sunday against Houston.

Posted by Todd Archer at 3:04 PM (E-mail this entry) | Comments (0)

T.O.'s tardiness leads to argument with coach

Owens, Haley clashed after WR was late to Wednesday's practice
02:45 PM CDT on Friday, October 13, 2006
By TODD ARCHER / The Dallas Morning News

IRVING – There might be a reason behind Bill Parcells' decision to not talk about Terrell Owens the last two days.

According to multiple sources, Owens was late to Wednesday's practice, leading to a heated discussion with passing game coordinator Todd Haley. On Thursday, however, Owens and Haley met and squashed the issue.

Owens was not available for comment. The incident is not expected to affect Owens' playing status for Sunday's game against Houston.

During his media availability on Wednesday, Owens expressed frustration with how he was being used in the offense, which has contributed to his 17-catch, 232-yard, one-touchdown start to the season.

During Sunday's game at Philadelphia, Owens, who was held to three catches for 45 yards in his return, was seen mouthing, "Why am I here?" and, "Are you kidding me?" and had several animated discussions with Haley.

On Wednesday, Owens again questioned why he was with the Cowboys.

When asked Wednesday why he thought he was not involved more, Owens said, "I don't know. I honestly couldn't tell you. All I know is, dude, I practice hard every day. The guys know that. When I'm on the football field on Sundays, I try my best to do whatever I can to help win games. For whatever reason, that's not happening."

This is the second off-field issue involving Owens and practice. He missed a team meeting and rehab session on Aug. 25, resulting in a $9,500 fine.

Since signing a three-year, $25 million deal with the Cowboys that included a $5 million signing bonus, Owens' time with the team has not gone smoothly. He missed 21 practices during training camp with a hamstring injury, broke his right hand Sept. 17 vs. Washington and suffered an accidental overdose on painkillers on Sept. 27.

Cowboys' conference calls

Dallas Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells and quarterback Drew Bledsoe spoke to the Houston media during a conference call Wednesday afternoon.


Head coach Bill Parcells

(on continuing to start QB Drew Bledsoe) “I just think that right now he gives us the best chance to be successful. To be honest with you, the media doesn’t really know enough to talk about many other things specifically. So that the thing that’s in vogue here right now so most people will focus on it. I don’t really pay too much attention to that, but I am looking and I have (QB Tony) Romo prepared to play. I was hopeful that at some point and time this year that I could play him. So if that opportunity comes up, I’m not afraid to do it.”

(on whether QB Drew Bledsoe’s past enables him to deal well with off-field distraction) “Well, I’ll tell you, when you have been around as long as he has, or you’ve been around as long as I have as a coach, if you don’t have a little bit of a turtle shell by now it would be unusual because you are going to get criticized and that’s just part of business. I think probably after a while you kind of get, like I said, a veneer on you, and you really don’t pay…you know, after about my third year in coaching I really quit paying attention to what was said about me, positively or negatively.”

(on WR Terry Glenn being together physically and mentally) “Well, you know, I think that is true, but in my case and in my relationship with Terry it’s always pretty much been the same. He caught, I think (and) I’m not positive about this, but I think he caught 112 balls counting the playoffs his rookie year. It might have been 110, I don’t know. He caught 90 in the regular season. So from day one he’s always been a top-quality player since I’ve been involved with him. Now what happened in the interim when I wasn’t with him, I don’t know, but since he’s been here I do see a great deal of maturity in him personally, but that is just natural. When I got him he was 20, and now he’s 33, so something happened.”

(on whether Bledsoe and Glenn having played together before is a positive) “Well, yes, I think that’s the case. Drew knows Terry’s body language well. And Terry is a very precise route runner, and he has immense quickness and very good hands and very good speed. And he’s a problem for anybody when he’s on his game. It’s very difficult to come at Terry. I know we don’t have anybody that can come at him.”

(on the Texans on film) “Well, similarities to the Denver offense. I think they have a real good offensive structure. It’s a little different than a lot of people run, but I think it’s going to grow to be effective. I think I’m impressed with some of the young players on defense. I’ll tell you people in Houston because it's no secret, because I had him in here, I was drooling to draft that (S) C.C. Brown that you have playing safety for you down there. I don’t know if he knows that, but we did have him in here to visit. I was very anxious to try to get him on our team. I see where he’s been a starter there for the better part of his first two years. He’s off to a good start. Some of the guys they added this year, and I’ve always thought a lot of (DE) Anthony Weaver. He happens to be from Saratoga, NY where I have a house, so I’m a little prejudice, but I think he’s a good addition for them. I think (LB) DeMeco) Ryans and (DE Mario) Williams are going to be good players for them also. I think it’s a good thing. I think (QB David) Carr is going to flourish here under Coach Kubiak.”

(on his stating that he also would have taken DE Mario Williams first in the draft) “I think I would have, yes, myself. I think. quite honestly. You know, I am a defensive coach at heart; you have to understand that. But he has rare size and speed, and I think he’s going to windup being a very good player.”

(on WR Terrell Owen’s value vs. the distractions) “I think we have a little more to do. You know, he missed a lot of work early here and then he broke his hand. We had some things that kid of slowed down a little bit in progress, but hopefully we can get him up to speed here quickly.”

(on whether Owen’s sideline behavior is an indictor of his intensity) “I didn’t notice that, but this guy goes around and they have the camera on him 100% of the time, so I don’t think it’s wise to evaluate somebody’s behavior just by watching them on camera and not being there to hear it. Now I really didn’t know what was going on if anything. My coaches didn’t even say anything to me about it, so obviously it wasn’t too disruptive, whatever it was.”

(on whether he feels his team is better than their 2-2 start) “You know I’ve always, my whole career, it’s a stupid expression, but, ‘You are what you are.’ There’s no grey-area in this business, (no) ‘oh well, we could have been’ or ‘we really are’ (or) ‘our quarterly report is better than it looks like’. So I’m a little disappointed at where we are especially in the case of last week’s game where we gave away 17 points and still had a chance to win it. So we’re getting ready to get to a very tough stretch of our season, starting this week and I think the next six or seven games are really going to go a long way in determining where we are. I’m sure that’s true for everybody, but in our case we have three road games in a row, the first one at Carolina after a short week on a Monday night. So we’re going to find out what we’ve got here real quick.”

(on whether Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones has stressed winning vs. Houston) “He hasn’t yet, but I’m sure he’ll get around to it. Having played the Texans a couple times in preseason since I’ve been here, I have a little bit of a feel for their team. Now it’s a little different team, but I only have four guys on the team that were on the team the first year I got here. There’s only four of them, so it’s pretty much new for both teams.”

(on what Bledsoe will need to do against Houston’s defense) “Well the number on thing we have to do it we have to protect the ball better than we have been doing. If we don’t do that the rest of that stuff isn’t going to make any difference. If you turn the ball over three or four times in the NFL, you’re losing.”


QB Drew Bledsoe

(on Texans’ defense) “Well they changed their personality some against the Dolphins. They decided they were going to come out and blitz the Dolphins a bunch on over half the snaps in the game. They brought some sort of pressure, either with the linebacker blitz or safety blitz. That combined with the trouble that we had against the Eagles in handling some of their pressure we’re need to believe that they’re probably going to come after us this game and make us prove that we can deal with their pressure defense. So that’s our big focus going into this week is being able to handle the blitzes and the pressures when they come.”

(on changes to prepare for blitzing) “Well the big thing that we have to do is be able to communicate things better than we did against the Eagles. We have rules in all of our protections that allow us to handle and deal with all the different pressures. We just have to be more consistent doing that.”

(on focus going into this game after a loss) “We are very focused. That was a very emotional game for us and a huge game for us and unfortunately we didn’t come away with a win. But this week we have to bounce back and play better against the Texans team that we know is going to be rested, that’s had two weeks to prepare for us coming to this game.”

(on QB coach Chris Palmer) “Chris and I have a great relationship, we really do. We worked together in New England. It’s great to have him back here. I know this game is important to him and I know things didn’t go as well down there as anybody would have hoped for him while he was there. But at the same time my relationship with him has been outstanding. He’s a very good quarterback coach, he’s extremely knowledgeable. It’s really been great to be working with him again."

(on what he has learned from Palmer) “He’s very meticulous when it comes to his mechanics as a thrower. I’m fourteen years into it and at times what happens is coaches will hesitate to coach you on your mechanics when you’ve been in it for that long. But Chris is not on that side of the picture I stay on top of things. He’s very good with me, I think we see football the same way in terms of seeing the entire defense and not allowing yourself to just be focused on one particular guy or one particular area. And he wants me, as a quarterback, to see the entire defense and understand what’s happening and be able to go with the right places with the ball because of it.”

(on experience helping with criticism) “Part of the playing the position of quarterback, if you’re going to play for any length of time at tall, is being able to deal with things that come your way that aren’t positive. You know, something negative comes your way you’ve got to be able to, number one, look at what’s happening and see what’s really happening and understand which part of it you can correct and which part you can control. And the other thing is that it’s important that you have thick skin, no matter what happens, how the game went, if you don’t win and it’s going to come down on the quarterback; if you do win you’re going to get credit for it. You just have to be able to deal with that stuff and if you can’t you don’t last very long.”

Cowboys released K Shaun Suisham

Cowboys released K Shaun Suisham.

Mike Vanderjagt will handle kickoffs moving forward. Suisham may be signed to the practice squad.

By cutting Suisham, the Cowboys will have two open roster spots after the team places tight end Ryan Hannam on injured reserve.

TE Ryan Hannam on injured reserve

Cowboys placed TE Ryan Hannam on injured reserve with a degenerative knee condition.

Hannam was a blocking tight end that Dallas signed to a four-year, $5 million contract in March.

Parcells said Hannam needs surgery to correct a degenerative problem in his right knee that has bothered him since training camp.

Yes, Owens is frustrated with role with Cowboys

By JAIME ARON, AP Sports Writer
October 11, 2006
AP - Sep 29, 2:25 pm EDT

IRVING, Texas (AP) -- Terrell Owens screamed it on the sideline against Philadelphia, in the locker room after a loss and repeated it again Wednesday: "Why am I here?"

The volatile receiver admits he's frustrated with his role on the Dallas Cowboys, but not simply because he's off to his worst start in years. According to T.O., he'd be fine if Dallas was winning and he had mediocre statistics.

It's the Cowboys' being 2-2 combined with the reduced numbers that he can't tolerate.

"I do have a problem when I don't feel like I'm involved enough," he said. "I know I can make a difference. That's not me being arrogant. I just know what I bring to the table. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here. ... I want to win. I came here to help this team win."

Owens spoke the entire 45 minutes the locker room was open to reporters, passionately describing his feelings on many subjects. He even revealed that the ongoing issues he's faced the last few months, from a hamstring injury in training camp to an accidental overdose, have driven him to "sit in my house in the dark" instead of having much of a social life.

He never directly criticized quarterback Drew Bledsoe or coach Bill Parcells, the playbook or the play calling.

In fact, T.O. had few specific complaints -- just the general one about not getting the ball enough.

"I haven't really gotten started yet," he said.

Owens has 17 catches for 232 yards and one touchdown. It's his fewest catches after four games since 1999 and his fewest yards at this point since 2002. His three-game streak without reaching the end zone is his longest drought since 2000.

In a loss Sunday against the Eagles, his former team, Owens caught only three passes for 45 yards. However, there were 13 passes thrown his way -- five more than to any other Dallas receiver, Parcells noted Wednesday. Owens dropped one and two were intercepted, including one that likely would've been a touchdown.

"The opportunities are there," he said. "We're just not connecting."

Owens knew when he signed with Dallas in March he was joining an offense that wasn't designed to showcase a specific receiver. However, he acknowledged for the first time Wednesday he expected that to change for him -- like it did in Philadelphia.

"Dude, I am playmaker," he said. "These guys know that. It's simple. ... Get the ball in the playmaker's hands."

Owens was mostly supportive of Bledsoe, especially compared to how he's talked about his previous quarterbacks. He even added he is working on his route-running "to give the quarterback better looks, things of that nature."

"I think we all need to play better," Owens said. "That was one of the things he came up to me and said. Even after the game, he sent me a text that said, `Stay with me,' he'll play better for me. You can only respect that. He's trying his best to get the ball to me in certain situations. It's hard when he has a lot of pressure on him."

Bledsoe reiterated Wednesday that T.O. is a quality receiver who wants the ball and the quarterback is happy to try getting it to him.

"I've never had a receiver, at least not one who is worth anything, that was happy with the number of times they touch the ball," Bledsoe said. "I told him when he got here, `Listen, I don't expect you to be happy all the time. If you don't get to touch the ball enough, I don't expect you to like that. At the same time, you have to keep playing hard for me and give me good information when you come back.' And he's been very good about that."

Owens thinks he's been good about it, too, adding he's not trying "to come in and stir things up ... to create more controversy and distraction around here."

"I wouldn't say I'm unhappy," said Owens, who is making $10 million this season as part of a $25 million, three-year deal. "I'm not happy about the losing. I just feel like there's really an opportunity for something really special to happen here in Dallas with the team that we have. Once we get the nucleus of guys in the right positions to play and play as a unit, then we're going to be OK."

But is T.O. going to be OK?

"I don't go nowhere," he said. "I don't do nothing. It's frustrating. It's frustrating just to go (through) what I have been going through since training camp. I've had the hamstring. Then I break my hand. Then I go to the hospital. Then personal stuff.

"My way of venting is going out there on Sunday, trying to win ballgames. Now it's added frustration, especially when I know we have a good team. And the team we lost to, they know they should have lost. We made too many mistakes to win. We are stopping ourselves."

Owens watched the game film of the Eagles game with teammates Monday ("It was sickening," he said), then saw a replay of the Fox broadcast Tuesday night on the NFL Network.

He was still peeved Wednesday about some of the things discussed about him, especially the repeated shots of him barking at his teammates.

"The guys in the booth are saying, `There he goes again, he's up to his old stuff again,"' he said. "It's very unfair. ... It makes me hesitant to try to do what I need to do."

Besides, if he wanted to really do something shocking and get across his message, he could always borrow from the repertoire of his Dallas predecessor, Keyshawn Johnson.

"I need to get a shirt -- `Give me the damn ball!"' Owens said, smiling wide and laughing. "I am just kidding. I am just kidding."

Tuna, what are you waiting for?

By Andy Targovnik on October 11, 2006 12:11 AM

While the Dallas Cowboys ' loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday was certainly not all Drew Bledsoe's fault, his performance was distressing enough. Frankly, I don't know how much longer Bill Parcells can wait before he gives Tony Romo a shot under center.

At his Monday afternoon press conference, Parcells dismissed the idea of switching to Romo and defended Bledsoe: "When a guy (opposing pass rusher) comes from four yards away from you running at full speed, and you're (Bledsoe) not even back in your stance yet, you haven't got much of a chance."

How can you argue with that? To fault Bledsoe when he's under siege would be unfair. But that's not the point. The point is that when the game is on the line, Bledsoe too often comes up short.

With 1:57 left in Sunday's game, down seven points and out of timeouts, Bledsoe faded back to pass, stood in the pocket, kept pumping his arm, but never got rid of the ball. He was finally sacked for a 12-yard loss but more importantly, the next play wasn't run until a whopping 35 seconds had ticked off the clock. How does a 14-year veteran, who should know better, take a sack at that point?

But even after that sack, Dallas still had a chance to tie the game. After a 57-yard pass interference call, and with the ball resting on Philly's 6-yard line, Bledsoe had four chances to lead his team to pay dirt. On first down, Bledsoe had nobody open, so he did exactly what he should have done - he whipped the ball out of the end zone.

But on the next play, he forced the ball into double coverage, got picked off, and the game was over.

Cowboy fans were once again left scratching their heads. With two more chances to score, why force the ball into traffic?

Monday, Parcells explained Bledsoe's inexplicable interception like this: "He threw the ball into double coverage. There was no place to go with the ball. Hopefully, in that situation, like the play before, we'd throw it out of the end zone and have two more shots at it, but for some reason we didn't."

Here's the reason coach: Your quarterback made a mistake that a veteran who has thrown for over 44,000 yards shouldn't make.

I'm not suggesting that Bledsoe lose his job just because of a couple of fourth-quarter miscues. The problem is that those types of mistakes are a pattern. When he has the time, he's fine. But as soon as he gets some pressure, it's pot luck.

The bottom line: Winning quarterbacks take messy games and find a way to win them. Steve McNair can look awful for 58 minutes - but then somehow finds a way to make a winning play. Same with Donovan McNabb.

Is Romo the answer? We'll never know unless he gets a shot.

It's not like this type of experiment hasn't worked. There's a guy named Brady who replaced a guy named Bledsoe in New England and won the Super Bowl. And, more recently, in San Diego, Philip Rivers has replaced Drew Brees without a hitch.

Parcells said, "I don't think that (Romo) is the answer right this minute."

After Sunday's performance, it doesn't seem like Bledsoe is the answer, either. And it's doubtful he ever will be.

NFL Point Spreads For Week 6

NFL Point Spreads For Week 6

Date & Time Favorite Spread Underdog
10/15 1:00 ET Cincinnati -6 At Tampa Bay
10/15 1:00 ET At Washington -10 Tennessee
10/15 1:00 ET At Dallas -13 Houston
10/15 1:00 ET Buffalo -1 At Detroit
10/15 1:00 ET Seattle -3 At St. Louis
10/15 1:00 ET At Atlanta -3 NY Giants
10/15 1:00 ET Philadelphia -3 At New Orleans
10/15 1:00 ET At Baltimore -3 Carolina
10/15 4:15 ET At NY Jets -2.5 Miami
10/15 4:15 ET San Diego -10 At San Francisco
10/15 4:15 ET At Pittsburgh -7 Kansas City
10/15 8:15 ET At Denver -15 Oakland

Monday Night Football Point Spread

10/16 8:30 ET Chicago -10.5 At Arizona

Jimmy Johnson: Cowboys Won't Get Far With Bledsoe

Recap by CowboysGonnie from a sports forum:

On Sirius satellite, former Cowboys coach was on and was asked what he thought about the Cowboys chances with Bledsoe as the QB, Johnson went on to say "the Cowboys won't get far with Bledsoe.." Johnson also said that "Defenses foam at the mouth when they play QBs like Bledsoe"

They asked Jimmy if Romo is the answer and Jimmy said, "With the offensive line struggles in Dallas, you need a QB that is a little mobile, and Romo gives them that; however, starting Romo would be the equivalent of starting a rookie, but if Bledsoe continues to turn the ball over, a change will come sometime this season, give it 4 more weeks."

Is Jerry Jones grumbling behind the scenes? Johnson said "Without a doubt, you can rest assured that Jerry is not happy, and this could cause some tension all around, look, Jerry does not like to lose, period...Jerry went out and got T.O., he has not reaped the rewards from that acquisition yet..."

Do you want to coach again? "I must say, I've had that itch every now and then, it would have to be the ideal situation, very ideal"

Would you coach the Cowboys again? "I doubt it, but you never want to say no, coaching is very political these days, even more than when I was in Dallas, I doubt I would, but you can never close that door, I love football"

Cardinals Shopping Leonard Davis, Cowboys may be interested

Posted Oct 10th 2006 2:57PM by Dan Benton
Filed under: AZ Cardinals, NFC West, NFL Rumors

XTRA Sports is reporting that the 1-4 Arizona Cardinals are shopping Left Tackle Leonard Davis. It is hard to wrap my mind around this rumor simply because of the offensive line struggles. Why would the Cardinals be willing to trade one of their best offensive linemen when that is their weakest spot?

Davis has been a Cardinal since 2001 when the Cardinals drafted him number two overall. He has also started all 80 games that he has played in a Cardinals uniform, including all 5 this season.

Some of the teams mentioned to be interested are the Dallas Cowboys and the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders seem to be an interesting name given that they are looking for offensive line help and recently Randy Moss saying he "would not mind being traded." With Larry Fitzgerald out for at least 2-5 weeks and potentially longer, that may be an intriguing option. Then again, the last thing the Cardinals need is another overpaid, under performing (Edgerrin James) starter.

There were no specifics given on what exactly the Cardinals would be looking for in return.

Texans 'D' relishes shot at Bledsoe

Web Posted: 10/10/2006 10:58 PM CDT
Jerome Solomon
Houston Chronicle

They sacked the quarterback five times. They held the running game to 70 yards.
They played extremely well on third down, limiting conversions to three of the 12 attempted.

In the end, they came up with a clutch stop of a two-point play to preserve the victory.

Yes, the Texans defenders had much to be proud of after a 17-15 victory over Miami. But is one fine outing an indicator of good things to come, or simply an aberration for what remains the league's worst defense in several categories, including total yards and passing yards?

"This game is all about momentum," defensive lineman Anthony Weaver said. "For us as a defense, we have to continue to get better.

"The thing that we did best (against the Dolphins) was get after the quarterback, and that's something that we need to have as a staple around here."

Which brings us to this week's opponent, the Dallas Cowboys, and their stationary-in-the-pocket quarterback Drew Bledsoe.
Dallas is in the middle of the pack in sacks allowed per pass play (19th), but seven of the 10 sacks the Cowboys have surrendered this season came Sunday in a loss at Philadelphia. The Texans were watching.

"You can tell that Bledsoe doesn't like to move too much," said rush end Antwan Peek, who expects to return to action against the Cowboys after sitting out two games with a groin injury. "(The Eagles) were relentless. If you're relentless on defense, anything is possible. That's the way good defense is played."

Dallas coach Bill Parcells announced Monday the Cowboys would again start Bledsoe, who committed four turnovers against the Eagles. The Texans don't seem to mind.

"The reason you get excited when you play a guy like Drew Bledsoe — a great quarterback and you know if he gets time he's going to find somebody open — is he's not very mobile," Weaver said. "For a defensive lineman, you lick your chops, pin your ears back and go after him, because you know he's not going to run away from you. Yeah, you get excited."

The Texans had similar thoughts before the Miami game, noting the Dolphins were struggling to keep their quarterback upright.

The results, which yielded 289 total yards, were encouraging. The Texans held only one team, Baltimore, under 300 yards last season.

But the Texans know that effort was but one step toward establishing a solid defense. San Francisco, which is allowing one more point per game, is the only team that has given up more points than Houston (28.2), and the Texans' defense ranks in the bottom third in every statistic.

"We definitely have the tools," Peek said. "We just have to find out what's broken and fix it. I think that'll be the difference in us winning more ballgames."

Hannam hampered by knee injury

Cowboys | Hannam hampered by knee injury
Wed, 11 Oct 2006 14:08:38 -0700

Dallas Cowboys TE Ryan Hannam (knee) has been bothered by a knee injury so far this season, but has not missed any practice time. If Hannam were unable to play in Week 6, FB Lousaka Polite would see an increased role.

DMN Blog: Pat Watkins sharing time

Rookie free safety Patrick Watkins is sharing time on the first-team defense with Keith Davis. Watkins didn't appear to happy about the situation when asked about practice time.

"Everybody will not play a great game," he said. "I have to bounce back and hold my confidence level."


Posted by Calvin Watkins at 2:58 PM (E-mail this entry) | Comments (0)

RECAP: The Drew Bledsoe Show on The Ticket...

Recap by TrickBlue from a sports forum:

Bledsoe:
1. Last week was a dissappointment to us. We felt we had many chances last week and we blew it. It was loud and hostile there, but we spotted them 10 points early and didn't execute when we needed to.
2. I can't recall many games when it was a louder atmosphere excluding some domes.
The Eagles do a great job with their pass rush. As a QB what you try to do is try to go things a little more quickly and try to anticipate more. You have to be able to throw the ball before the WR breaks and know they will be there. I am trying to get a little more experience with some of these guys to develop that.
3. They came at us with alot of different blitzes that forces you to adjust on the fly. With the crowd noise they know it is hard for you to communicate and pick up what may be coming.
4. There are some things in terms of the precision of our offense that when you are under duress you have to be extremely precise and you can really hurt them. We are going to continue to work on consistency in our game. We were able to do it a few times last Sunday, but obviously not enough.
5. We only caught them with a couple of draws with the blitz last week. They were really committed to going for me and they were effective. We had been doing a good job in the previous three games at picking up the blitz. To their credit they were able to get some things working and hurt us.
6. We may need to incorprate the shotgun more. Part of the reason we haven't used it, particularly the other night where we are trying to change plays and the guys can't hear me well from the shotgun in an environment such as that. We are able to do it more at home obviously.
7. The interception at the end of the game. Jason thought the LB was going to undercut the route and swung around him. I didn't know he was going to do that and just missed it. I anticipated wrongly what he was going to do. The guy actually covering Jason is not the one that actually caught the ball. I threw it outside and the wrong guy caught it. I turned running to see if I could get an angle on him, I couldn't. Obviously at that time in the game all I could do was try to strip him, but obviously I couldn't do that and realized the game was over.
8. They were very committed to taking TO out of the game. The first int when my arm was hit I was trying to get one down the sidelines to him. We did want to get him involved in the game but were just not able to do it. There were no words on the sideline. We were all frustrated by the way the game was going but TO was not out of line at any time on the sideline. I did underthrow him but hopefully as we go forward I will understand what he is going to be doing on his routes. I need to learn when he bursts or stuttersteps. It fooled me when he slowed down, stutter-stepped and then burst. I wasn't anticipating that and I underthrew him resulting in a turnover.
9. I have thick skin. You ahve to to play QB in the NFL. I have to just come back next week and rebound. You can't start in the NFL for 14 years if you let criticism get to you.
10. I would have liked to have gotten up and celebrated running for the TD as I don't get to do that very much. The guy hit me pretty hard and I had to just lay there a second.
11. Getting up Monday was hard. I don't get much rest after a loss and you know you have to watch it all over again on film. Wednesdays are alway better as you get to look forward to the next game.
12. I realize the headlines would have been different if I had connected with Witten, but you go through those plays every week in the NFL. The games are very close i the NFL. When you are really competitive it really stings. It's hard to put it behind you, but you have to.
13. Philly has a lot of good players on that defense. They do alot of things to confuse you. They are very smart and they hit very hard.
14. We need to go ut and win this week. The Texans won their last game and had two weeks to prepare for this one. They blitzed alot against the Dolphins. I would anticipate that they will come in and blitz alot. If we handle them well we win the game, if not it could be a long day.
15. On the empty backfield. We have answers for that, but we have to protect that from the inside out. We need to handle the closest guy in. We had some miscommunications on what we should do and it cost us. Until we solve it, it will be like blood in the water every week for us.

Cowboys not as good as advertised - and not nearly good enough

By Jean-Jacques Taylor

IRVING, Texas - Jerry Jones and Bill Parcells sold you a bill of goods when training camp began in July, so you have every right to be mad, frustrated or disappointed.

Jerry told you, in so many words, that the Cowboys had Super Bowl potential. So did Parcells, though he told the players they had a chance to be special, coachspeak for going to the Super Bowl. That way, he had plausible deniability down the road.

But these Cowboys aren't contenders.

There's no need to check the flight schedules from Dallas to Miami in early February or contact a scalper in hopes of getting tickets to the game.

Maybe the Cowboys will win enough games to sneak into the playoffs for the first time since 2003. Maybe they'll even win a postseason game for the first time since the 1996 season, ending the longest drought in franchise history.

But they're not going to play in Super Bowl XLI, which means they're not a contender.

Contenders don't allow seven sacks in a game. Contenders don't give up three completions of 40 yards or more. Contenders don't have a quarterback who throws three of the ugliest interceptions in recorded history.

Contenders don't commit five turnovers. Contenders don't have their punter drop a snap. Contenders don't give up an 87-yard touchdown when the coach says the defensive coordinator called a perfect play.

Contenders don't have an offensive line that remains consistently inconsistent. Contenders don't have a quarterback controversy every other week. Contenders don't turn a five-time Pro Bowl receiver into a role player.

Parcells wants you to know that losing to Philadelphia doesn't mean the season is over. The players concur. Cowboys optimists will tell you only a really good team could make as many mistakes as Dallas made and have an opportunity to tie the score in the final minute.

Whatever.

A contender wins the games it's supposed to win, even if they're not aesthetically pleasing, and figures out a way to win a game or two it has no business winning. The Cowboys have won the two games they should have won, but they found creative ways to lose at Jacksonville and Philadelphia.

Clearly, those are quality opponents but the Cowboys positioned themselves to win each game before losing.

Already, Dallas trails Philadelphia by 1 1/2 games in the NFC East. After home games against Houston and the New York Giants, Dallas embarks on a three-game road trip to Carolina, Washington and Arizona. This stretch will ultimately define the Cowboys' season.

Dallas has some fundamental issues that will eventually wreck its season unless significant changes occur.

Is there any tangible reason to believe Drew Bledsoe isn't going to have a few more games where he looks hesitant and overwhelmed because the offensive line can't protect him? And, trust me, the specter of a quarterback controversy is going to beat him down sooner or later.

And when is the defense, purportedly one of the league's best, going to shut down a good offense?

Jacksonville and Philadelphia each had their way with Dallas' defense.

Again, is there any tangible reason to think Eli Manning, Peyton Manning and McNabb aren't going to have their way with the Dallas defense based on the first four games?

A lot of the season remains to be played, and the eternal optimists will talk about how Pittsburgh was 7-5 last year before winning eight straight games, including Super Bowl XLI. A few old-timers might point out how Dallas was 5-4 in 1970 before advancing to Super Bowl V and 6-4 in 1978 before playing in Super Bowl XIII.

There is no indication this team can find the consistency it needs to make a sustained run in the playoffs. This team is erratic from play to play, quarter to quarter and game to game.

They must exasperate Jerry, who has spent more than $50 million in signing bonuses the last two seasons to upgrade the roster, and Parcells, whose 27-25 record in four seasons, makes you occasionally ponder whether the game has passed him by

This much is clear: The Cowboys aren't contenders. Maybe they never were.

The stage is set for a switch

JENNIFER FLOYD ENGEL
Little Balls of Hat
Star-Telegram
Jennifer Floyd

IRVING - Anybody listening closely heard Coach Tuna set the stage for Drew Bledsoe to be fired as QB if things do not improve and quickly.

He did not say this, or really anything close Monday.

Coach Tuna actually shot me a Jedi death stare when I asked if he had considered switching QBs after Bledsoe's three-interception performance in a loss to Philly.

"No," he snapped. "Not right at this moment. No."

His answer to "why not?" was equally adamant and loaded with disclaimers.

"Because I don't think that's the answer right this minute," he said.

What separated Coach Tuna's definitive debunking of QBC 3.0 from QBC-Bledsoe 2.0 and QBC-Vinny 1.0 was how he answered my final question.

What, if anything, do you say to Bledsoe about his turnover malfunctions?

"We absolutely have to make protecting the football our No. 1 priority," Parcells said. "We're doing everything else -- we're scoring points, we're fourth or fifth in rushing, we got time of possession, we're converting third downs, we're moving the ball....

"So protecting the ball is the primary thing we have to do. Until we do that, we're not going to be very good."

What he said, without exactly saying it, was the only thing keeping the Cowboys from becoming a playoff contender is turnovers. And who is the main turner-over? Bledsoe, of course.

So either his QB needs to start taking better care of the ball or he will not be his QB. The stage has been set. The next move belongs to Bledsoe.

Just wondering: Why is it, if FOB reports from training camp of Coach Tuna's love affair with Tony Romo were true, did Parcells not make a change already?

Go sell stupid elsewhere: For all of you T.O. enablers who are selling he said nothing with his "Who's pulling the trigger?" rant in Philly, explain what his not-so-cryptic hints about anybody who saw the game knows who to blame were about.

I sent her some emails indicating that she may be brain-damaged for coming out with her rant that it was TO's fault that we lost. I forwarded her some information making it clear that most people with that attitude were in fact brain-damaged. I will have to catch up with my email to see if she responded... At least Galloway had it pegged for a change.

New campaign: Hire Joe Torre.

Just wondering, Part II: What QB do Deion Sanders and Michael Irvin believe is good enough for T.O.?

Speaking of, the LBOH just-shut-up award goes to ... : Deion. Not unlike Irvin opining T.O. deserved a real QB like Brett Favre rather than Donovan McNabb a year ago, Deion spewed "Bench Bledsoe" to his NFL Network buddies.

That's an ender: Mark me down as believing Bledsoe bounces back and leads this Cowboys team to a playoff berth.

Mac Engel Chat

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE

Star-Telegram

Here are excerpts from Tuesday's online chat with Cowboys beat writer Mac Engel:

What will it take for Bill Parcells to switch quarterbacks? When our record is 2-13? And where is Jerry Jones' voice in this situation? Is he the owner or is Tuna the owner/GM?

The Cowboys aren't going to go 2-13 with Drew Bledsoe as the quarterback. But, wow, would that be a story, huh? Jerry Jones can sign a few players, but he's not going to tell Bill Parcells what to do with them. If he tried, Bill would quit. For the sake of argument, if the Cowboys are struggling and Bledsoe continues to be bad, Tony Romo will play. But it won't happen for a while. If it happens at all.

Why can't these coaches and Bledsoe figure out a way to utilize Terrell Owens more? The guy is supposed to be one of the most dynamic playmakers in the NFL, and the Cowboys seem to have turned him into a decoy.

I do agree that there are plays for the Cowboys to get the ball to Owens. Some of this has to do with Bledsoe's relationship with Terry Glenn. He knows him and exactly what he's going to do. He doesn't have that bond with Owens. I'm not sure if he'll get it this season. But the Cowboys aren't going to the West Coast offense to get Owens the ball. This is a basic offense, and there will be no 90-catch receivers.

At what point is the inevitable going to happen, with Owens really tearing apart Bledsoe and maybe the offensive coaches as well? This guy is used to accumulating big-time numbers, so how long can he tolerate a QB who keeps missing him?

That is the $25 million question. The fact that Michael Irvin and Deion Sanders are stumping for Bledsoe to be benched is an obvious sign that the complaining behind closed doors has begun. Irvin and Sanders are buddies with Owens. You do the math.

Parcells said he couldn't evaluate Drew Bledsoe's performance against Philadelphia because Bledsoe was under constant duress

Coach Bill Parcells said he couldn't evaluate Drew Bledsoe's performance against Philadelphia because Bledsoe was under constant duress.

Parcells referred to breakdowns across the board on the offensive line. With good matchups against poor Houston and New York defensive backfields, Bledsoe has likely dodge the Tony Romo bullet for the month of October.

Owens believes the Cowboys could be 4-0 if they featured him more in the offense

Terrell Owens believes the Cowboys could be 4-0 if they featured him more in the offense.

"I do question why I'm here," Owens said. T.O. has been targeted 14 more times this season than anyone else on the Cowboys. Owens is third in the NFL in targets per game, trailing only Marvin Harrison and Torry Holt.

Cowboys should use TO or let him go

By Jean-Jacques Taylor/Dallas Morning News

PHILADELPHIA – The Cowboys have done the impossible. They have transformed Terrell Owens into a $10 million decoy.

So who's at fault?

Is Bill Parcells stubbornly refusing to build the passing offense around T.O.?

Or is Todd Haley, the team's first-year passing game coordinator, in over his head?

Jerry Jones needs these questions answered immediately.

Jerry gave T.O. a three-year deal worth $25 million, including $10 million in bonuses and salary this season, to be an impact player – not a role player. Thus far, Jerry has spent $6,470,588.24 (Owens' bonuses plus prorated salary) for 17 receptions, 232 yards, one meaningless touchdown and no tangible impact. That projects to 68 catches for 928 yards and four touchdowns, which would be T.O.'s worst full season since 1999.

In his much-anticipated return to Philadelphia, where he was suspended and deactivated for the final nine games last season for conduct detrimental to the team, T.O. was a nonfactor in a 38-24 loss at Lincoln Financial Field.

T.O. said his performance wasn't disappointing on a personal level, but you know he spent all week preparing to have a game worthy of leading off SportsCenter. And don't think he didn't have a creative TD celebration ready.

Instead, he finished with three catches for 45 yards. This has become a disturbing trend.

Parcells never wants any player placed above the team, which is one of the reasons he has made himself the face of every franchise he's coached. But if Parcells doesn't want T.O. to be the focal point of the offense, there's no way Jerry is going to get his money's worth. If Parcells returns next season, there's no need for Jerry to give T.O. another $8 million in bonuses and salary to be a role player. He might as well cut him and save the money.

Sure, T.O. forces defenses to double-team him, creating more room for Julius Jones to run and Terry Glenn and Jason Witten to catch passes, but he's not worth the money if the Cowboys aren't going to use him.

T.O. is a like a good running back: The more he touches the ball, the more his confidence grows and the more productive he becomes. Make T.O. a role player and he loses the edge that makes him great.

It's ridiculous for Drew Bledsoe to attempt 16 first-half passes and direct only two toward T.O.

Bledsoe says he's simply going through his progression of reads and delivering the ball to the open receiver. Parcells says teams are double-covering T.O. and eliminating him from the game.

Neither excuse is valid.

You think Carolina's Steve Smith doesn't get double-covered? What about Cincinnati's Chad Johnson? Or St. Louis' Torry Holt? More important, it's not like T.O. wasn't constantly double-covered in Philadelphia and San Francisco.

That's where Haley, who spent all off-season lobbying for this position, must do a better job.

It's his job to install creative route combinations designed to get T.O. the ball. It's his job to integrate the routes T.O. ran successfully with Philadelphia and San Francisco into the Cowboys' offense. It's also his job to convince Parcells it's in the team's best interest to use those plays.

You saw a couple of crossing routes and hitches Sunday, but the Cowboys never gave the impression they wanted T.O. to be a difference-maker against the team he despises. Jerry said the game plan called for T.O. to have a large role in Sunday's game, but the offensive line's inability to protect the quarterback ruined it.

For once, T.O. tried to be politically correct.

He said there were opportunities for him to make big plays, but the Cowboys missed them. Actually, there was only one opportunity.

With the Cowboys trailing 31-24 midway through the fourth quarter, Lito Sheppard intercepted Bledsoe's badly underthrown pass intended for T.O. at the Philadelphia 7. A good pass would've resulted in a touchdown.

T.O. stomped to the sideline, where he paced angrily. Earlier in the game, he had an intense conversation with Haley.

"When you see me get frustrated, it's frustration over missed opportunities," Owens said. "I don't know what the answers are. As an offensive unit, we were all frustrated."

And it's not going to end until Parcells and Haley figure out how to maximize T.O.'s talent.

E-mail jjtaylor@dallasnews.com

WHERE DID T.O. GO?

How Terrell Owens' first four games this season compare with his first four the last three seasons:

Season Team Rec. Yds. TDs
2003 49ers 25 299 1
2004 Eagles 26 364 6
2005 Eagles 32 506 4
2006 Cowboys 17 232 1

Keith Davis is now the Cowboys' starting free safety

Keith Davis is now the Cowboys' starting free safety.

He replaced rookie Pat Watkins, who was struggling to wrap up.
Source: Dallas Morning News

FS Pat Watkins has been sent to the bench

Cowboys rookie FS Pat Watkins has been sent to the bench.

The fifth-round "freak" wasn't tackling well enough to keep his starting job. Keith Davis replaced Watkins in the lineup Sunday.
Source: Dallas Morning News