Hostile
10-30-2004, 03:03 AM
Posted 10/28/2004 2:24 AM
Inside Slant
Let the blame game begin in Dallas.
The Cowboys are 2-4, riding a three-game losing streak and at their lowest point in Bill Parcells' two-year tenure.
Even Parcells admits the Cowboys, who were a surprising 10-6 last season, are regressing.
"It's my fault," Parcells said. "I take full responsibility for it. I really do ... because I'm the head coach. It's my responsibility to put a team that performs better than that on the field."
Parcells, who got little sleep following the loss to Green Bay and spent 12 hours watching film on Tuesday, believes he has a plan to fix the Cowboys.
But he couldn't deny his frustrations over a team that has taken a step back from where they were a year ago.
"I just feel like I'm not doing a good job right now. That's the truth," Parcells said. "I really honestly thought that going into training camp this year that we had a chance to be much better than last year. It just hasn't turned out that way. We are not in good shape mentally or physically."
While injuries have been a problem for the Cowboys this season, Parcells again said he's guilty of mismanagement and/or misjudgment. Many decisions in offseason were based on the Cowboys having the No. 1 defense last season and needing to improve on offense to be a better team in 2004.
He said he had no expectations of a current Cowboys defense whose major problems include untimely penalties, giving up big plays and not getting stops on third down.
"I've seen some evidence defensively that we are struggling to stop people," Parcells said. "So starting out the season, there is no way that you can assume, when you've had a pretty successful defense the year before that all of a sudden it's going to reverse itself to the extent that it has. I thought we had a few more playmakers offensively, that if we can play the same type of defense, we'll be more explosive offensively. So now I have to alter my approach a little bit."
The changes Parcells makes will likely be more strategic and philosophical — with a bigger emphasis on running the ball on offense to take pressure off the reeling defense.
According to many Cowboys players, the biggest changes need to come in the locker room and from within.
Defensive tackle La'Roi Glover refuses to accept Parcells taking all the blame.
"I don't like it when that happens," Glover said. "He is just being a man and manning up. The only way he knows how to do it is putting it on himself. The players need to do the same things. We need to accept responsibility, put pressure on ourselves to get this turned around.
Running back Richie Anderson agreed, saying players play and coaches coach.
"I am not going to allow him to take all the blame," Anderson said. "He's been a successful coach in this league for a long time. I will take responsibility as players. We are going to talk about that this week. We have a lot of season left. We can still get this turned around. We just have to do it."SERIES HISTORY: 19th meeting. The Cowboys and Detroit Lions series is tied 9-9. The Cowboys have lost eight of the last 11 meetings. Eight of the 18 games have been decided by a touchdown or less.
NOTES, QUOTES
—DE Greg Ellis has 41 career sacks since entering the NFL in 1998. His six sacks in 2004 ranks fifth in the NFL. The others: Charles Grant, New Orleans, 7.5; John Abraham, NY Jets, 7.5; Patrick Kerney, Atlanta, 7.0; Terrell Suggs, Baltimore, 7.0; Greg Ellis, Dallas, 6.0.
—Thirteen players have caught a pass for the Cowboys through six games compared with 12 in the entire 2003 season.
—Bill Parcells-coached teams are 6-3 against the Detroit Lions. He was 4-1 with the New York Giants, 1-1 with the New England Patriots, 0-1 with the New York Jets and 1-0 with the Cowboys.
—Before joining the Cowboys, offensive coordinator/running backs coach Maurice Carthon served as Lions offensive coordinator in 2002 after originally joining the team as running backs coach in 2001.
—The Cowboys' defense didn't get all the blame for the 41-20 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. Coach Bill Parcells said the kickoff-coverage and kickoff-return units were awful. The coverage team, which came into the game ranked No. 1 in the league, was repeatedly gashed for long returns. Parcells blamed short kickoffs by Billy Cundiff and poor tackling. The unit's ranking slipped to fourth, limiting opponents to an average of 18.1 yards per return. The lackluster return game was credited to faulty blocking by the deep wedge and poor decisions by deep backs ReShard Lee, Jacques Reeves and Quincy Morgan.
BY THE NUMBERS: 5 — The Cowboys' turnover margin. The Detroit Lions are plus-10. The Cowboys have three interceptions and one fumble recovery in six games.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It's my fault. I take full responsibility for it. I really do ... because I'm the head coach. It's my responsibility to put a team that performs better than that on the field." — Cowboys coach Bill Parcells.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
The Cowboys released tight end Landon Trusty from the practice squad Tuesday and re-signed safety Tom Crowder to the practice squad.
—LB Dat Nguyen leads the Cowboys with 56 tackles, followed by safety Roy Williams, who is next with 44 tackles.
—DE Greg Ellis leads the Cowboys with six sacks and 10 quarterback pressures. Ellis is one of the few Cowboys playing up to and/or exceeding expectations. Most of the defense is playing below par, led by defensive end Marcellus Wiley, a free-agent signee who has no sacks, 12 tackles and just three quarterback pressures. Wiley recorded no stats against the Packers, as in no tackles, no sacks and no pressure. This comes one week after recording only an assisted tackle against the Steelers.
—QB Vinny Testaverde has thrown just one interception in his last 126 attempts and zero over the past 72. The last two games he has completed 64.8 percent of his passes and has a 100.2 quarterback rating. But the numbers Testaverde cares about most is 0-2, which is the Cowboys' record the past two weeks. Although he has played well, the Cowboys are in the midst of a three-game losing streak and a disappointing 2-4.
—RB Eddie George leads the Cowboys with 250 yards on 72 carries. Consider that former Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith has rushed 110 times for 459 yards. George points to Smith as an example when he said age is not a problem for him. He says it's a lack of carries and he wants more in Dallas. "I am the type of back who gets better as the goes on," George said.
GAME PLAN: The Lions are a team that feasts off the mistakes of others. They have a plus-10 turnover margin. So the Cowboys must protect the ball. Secondly, they give a more concerted effort to establishing the run to not only help the passing game but also take pressure off their overworked defense. Specifically, the offense must finish drives with touchdowns and not settle for field goals. Defensively, the Cowboys must find a way to prevent the big play.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH:
Lions receiver Roy Williams vs. Cowboys cornerback Terence Newman.
Williams is up next in the pick-on-Terence Newman derby. Williams has 24 catches for 362 yards and five touchdowns. He is the Lions' go-to guy and he will go right at the struggling Newman, who has been repeatedly torched the past two weeks. Newman has the skills, but he is mentally out of it right now. The question is: Do the Cowboys give him help and leave veteran Tyrone Williams in single coverage on the other side?
INJURY IMPACT: WR Terry Glenn is sidelined for at least the next two weeks with a mid-foot sprain. Either Randal Williams or Dedric Ward will start in his place opposite Keyshawn Johnson. Williams will likely get the nod, allowing Ward to be the supersub at both receiver positions. It's put or shut up time for Williams, a fourth-year pro who has yet to have a career catch. WR Quincy Morgan is questionable with a pulled hamstring. Williams did not practice Wednesday. If he is unable to go, the Cowboys will have to sign a receiver from the practice squad. RB Julius Jones remains sidelined with a fractured shoulder.
Inside Slant
Let the blame game begin in Dallas.
The Cowboys are 2-4, riding a three-game losing streak and at their lowest point in Bill Parcells' two-year tenure.
Even Parcells admits the Cowboys, who were a surprising 10-6 last season, are regressing.
"It's my fault," Parcells said. "I take full responsibility for it. I really do ... because I'm the head coach. It's my responsibility to put a team that performs better than that on the field."
Parcells, who got little sleep following the loss to Green Bay and spent 12 hours watching film on Tuesday, believes he has a plan to fix the Cowboys.
But he couldn't deny his frustrations over a team that has taken a step back from where they were a year ago.
"I just feel like I'm not doing a good job right now. That's the truth," Parcells said. "I really honestly thought that going into training camp this year that we had a chance to be much better than last year. It just hasn't turned out that way. We are not in good shape mentally or physically."
While injuries have been a problem for the Cowboys this season, Parcells again said he's guilty of mismanagement and/or misjudgment. Many decisions in offseason were based on the Cowboys having the No. 1 defense last season and needing to improve on offense to be a better team in 2004.
He said he had no expectations of a current Cowboys defense whose major problems include untimely penalties, giving up big plays and not getting stops on third down.
"I've seen some evidence defensively that we are struggling to stop people," Parcells said. "So starting out the season, there is no way that you can assume, when you've had a pretty successful defense the year before that all of a sudden it's going to reverse itself to the extent that it has. I thought we had a few more playmakers offensively, that if we can play the same type of defense, we'll be more explosive offensively. So now I have to alter my approach a little bit."
The changes Parcells makes will likely be more strategic and philosophical — with a bigger emphasis on running the ball on offense to take pressure off the reeling defense.
According to many Cowboys players, the biggest changes need to come in the locker room and from within.
Defensive tackle La'Roi Glover refuses to accept Parcells taking all the blame.
"I don't like it when that happens," Glover said. "He is just being a man and manning up. The only way he knows how to do it is putting it on himself. The players need to do the same things. We need to accept responsibility, put pressure on ourselves to get this turned around.
Running back Richie Anderson agreed, saying players play and coaches coach.
"I am not going to allow him to take all the blame," Anderson said. "He's been a successful coach in this league for a long time. I will take responsibility as players. We are going to talk about that this week. We have a lot of season left. We can still get this turned around. We just have to do it."SERIES HISTORY: 19th meeting. The Cowboys and Detroit Lions series is tied 9-9. The Cowboys have lost eight of the last 11 meetings. Eight of the 18 games have been decided by a touchdown or less.
NOTES, QUOTES
—DE Greg Ellis has 41 career sacks since entering the NFL in 1998. His six sacks in 2004 ranks fifth in the NFL. The others: Charles Grant, New Orleans, 7.5; John Abraham, NY Jets, 7.5; Patrick Kerney, Atlanta, 7.0; Terrell Suggs, Baltimore, 7.0; Greg Ellis, Dallas, 6.0.
—Thirteen players have caught a pass for the Cowboys through six games compared with 12 in the entire 2003 season.
—Bill Parcells-coached teams are 6-3 against the Detroit Lions. He was 4-1 with the New York Giants, 1-1 with the New England Patriots, 0-1 with the New York Jets and 1-0 with the Cowboys.
—Before joining the Cowboys, offensive coordinator/running backs coach Maurice Carthon served as Lions offensive coordinator in 2002 after originally joining the team as running backs coach in 2001.
—The Cowboys' defense didn't get all the blame for the 41-20 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. Coach Bill Parcells said the kickoff-coverage and kickoff-return units were awful. The coverage team, which came into the game ranked No. 1 in the league, was repeatedly gashed for long returns. Parcells blamed short kickoffs by Billy Cundiff and poor tackling. The unit's ranking slipped to fourth, limiting opponents to an average of 18.1 yards per return. The lackluster return game was credited to faulty blocking by the deep wedge and poor decisions by deep backs ReShard Lee, Jacques Reeves and Quincy Morgan.
BY THE NUMBERS: 5 — The Cowboys' turnover margin. The Detroit Lions are plus-10. The Cowboys have three interceptions and one fumble recovery in six games.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It's my fault. I take full responsibility for it. I really do ... because I'm the head coach. It's my responsibility to put a team that performs better than that on the field." — Cowboys coach Bill Parcells.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
The Cowboys released tight end Landon Trusty from the practice squad Tuesday and re-signed safety Tom Crowder to the practice squad.
—LB Dat Nguyen leads the Cowboys with 56 tackles, followed by safety Roy Williams, who is next with 44 tackles.
—DE Greg Ellis leads the Cowboys with six sacks and 10 quarterback pressures. Ellis is one of the few Cowboys playing up to and/or exceeding expectations. Most of the defense is playing below par, led by defensive end Marcellus Wiley, a free-agent signee who has no sacks, 12 tackles and just three quarterback pressures. Wiley recorded no stats against the Packers, as in no tackles, no sacks and no pressure. This comes one week after recording only an assisted tackle against the Steelers.
—QB Vinny Testaverde has thrown just one interception in his last 126 attempts and zero over the past 72. The last two games he has completed 64.8 percent of his passes and has a 100.2 quarterback rating. But the numbers Testaverde cares about most is 0-2, which is the Cowboys' record the past two weeks. Although he has played well, the Cowboys are in the midst of a three-game losing streak and a disappointing 2-4.
—RB Eddie George leads the Cowboys with 250 yards on 72 carries. Consider that former Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith has rushed 110 times for 459 yards. George points to Smith as an example when he said age is not a problem for him. He says it's a lack of carries and he wants more in Dallas. "I am the type of back who gets better as the goes on," George said.
GAME PLAN: The Lions are a team that feasts off the mistakes of others. They have a plus-10 turnover margin. So the Cowboys must protect the ball. Secondly, they give a more concerted effort to establishing the run to not only help the passing game but also take pressure off their overworked defense. Specifically, the offense must finish drives with touchdowns and not settle for field goals. Defensively, the Cowboys must find a way to prevent the big play.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH:
Lions receiver Roy Williams vs. Cowboys cornerback Terence Newman.
Williams is up next in the pick-on-Terence Newman derby. Williams has 24 catches for 362 yards and five touchdowns. He is the Lions' go-to guy and he will go right at the struggling Newman, who has been repeatedly torched the past two weeks. Newman has the skills, but he is mentally out of it right now. The question is: Do the Cowboys give him help and leave veteran Tyrone Williams in single coverage on the other side?
INJURY IMPACT: WR Terry Glenn is sidelined for at least the next two weeks with a mid-foot sprain. Either Randal Williams or Dedric Ward will start in his place opposite Keyshawn Johnson. Williams will likely get the nod, allowing Ward to be the supersub at both receiver positions. It's put or shut up time for Williams, a fourth-year pro who has yet to have a career catch. WR Quincy Morgan is questionable with a pulled hamstring. Williams did not practice Wednesday. If he is unable to go, the Cowboys will have to sign a receiver from the practice squad. RB Julius Jones remains sidelined with a fractured shoulder.