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Wednesday Notes: Potential Slickness In Seattle
Tony Romo ended up wearing gloves in a rainy August preseason game in Shreveport, La.
IRVING, Texas - Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells can control the climate of his Valley Ranch indoor practice facility. But when the outside temperature matches the exact weather conditions for Saturday's 7 p.m. (CST) kickoff in Seattle, why not head outdoors?
That's what the Cowboys did for Wednesday's practice, getting a feel for the 44-degree weather that's the expected high for Saturday's wild-game game at Qwest Field against the Seahawks. The forecast also calls for a 40 percent chance of showers, and Parcells said his players have been working with wet footballs the last two days.
"Now the balls we were practicing with are probably a little wetter than the actual game conditions will be, based on the fact that we're dunking them in buckets," said Parcells, knowing the officials do a good job of running dry footballs into the game between plays.
One can't entirely simulate Mother Nature. But Parcells wants his team prepared for a potentially wet field, especially considering it has committed 11 turnovers in the past four games, losing three of them to drop to 9-7.
Parcells said quarterback Tony Romo particularly would have to adjust to a slick football because "if you throw the ball hard it's going to float on you." Romo has been wearing gloves in practice this week, though he irritated Parcells for fumbling with gloves on in the third quarter of the Cowboys' rain-soaked preseason game against the Saints in Shreveport, La.
"If it's raining, I'll be wearing gloves," said Romo, who was scrambling out of the pocket before fumbling, which led to a Saints touchdown that rainy night.
Romo's wide receivers also might have to change their catching habits.
"You've got to focus on it and squeeze it a lot harder," receiver Patrick Crayton said. "Like some of the times you could just let it hit your hands and go on. With these, you've got to make sure it's secure and tuck it away before you can think about running up field."
T.O.'s Return
It's playoff time, and Terrell Owens says he's ready for his first postseason appearance since 2004.
But with 72 hours until kickoff, he's pacing himself.
"My coach told me at one time, 'Don't peak too soon,'" said Owens, who returned from a broken leg in less than seven weeks and caught nine balls for 122 yards in the Eagles' Super Bowl loss to New England two years ago. "The game's not here yet, so I'm not going to use up excess energy."
Owens seemed to exude a quiet confidence during Wednesday's media session. He's no stranger to the playoffs, having caught 38 passes for 527 yards and three touchdowns in eight career games.
And with Romo making his first playoff start Saturday, Owens could provide a veteran safety blanket for the 26-year-old quarterback.
"I've been in the playoffs before," Owens said. "I've played in the Super Bowl before - wasn't 100 percent healthy, but I held my own. I'm not a guy that lacks confidence."
Costly Mistakes
Parcells has cited turnovers as a large factor in his team's recent struggles. Seattle's Mike Holmgren can relate.
Holmgren was pleased with the Seahawks' performance in last Sunday's win over Tampa Bay. But following recent back-to-back losses to Arizona and San Francisco, Holmgren said, "I was about as disappointed as I've ever been in a team I've coached."
Prior to its win over Tampa Bay, the Seahawks also had lost to San Diego to cap a three-game losing streak. During that span, the Seattle defense had allowed an average of 358.3 yards per game.
Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck threw two interceptions in a 20-14 loss to the 49ers, and Seattle fumbled three times in a 27-21 defeat at Arizona.
"That's what it is in the business sometimes," Hasselbeck said. "It comes down to a couple of plays here or there, and in the last few years we've been making those plays. For a three-week stint there we didn't make the plays, and we lost three in a row."
A New Level
Parcells has said the hardest part of his job these days is getting a young team prepared for the playoffs.
Twenty-eight players on the 53-man roster are in no more than their third year in the league, including 11 rookies. Of the 53, 20 have appeared in a playoff game, but only a handful of players - including Drew Bledsoe, Terrell Owens, Terry Glenn, Marco Rivera and Al Singleton - have played in the Super Bowl.
"You can tell them how it's going to be, but they all have to go through it," said Rivera, who played in two Super Bowls under Mike Holmgren with the Packers (1996-97). "Just the emotion leading up to the game, the intensity of the game. If you think everything was going fast during the season, just wait until the playoffs. Everything is 100 times faster."
Learning On The Job
Rookie free safety Pat Watkins made his NFL debut at Qwest Field back on Aug. 12. Looking back nearly five months later, he realizes how much he's learned since.
"That was the biggest learning process because that was one of the first games I've been in the NFL," Watkins said. "I didn't quite understand everything like I do now."
Watkins has endured a rollercoaster rookie season. He started the first six games, then got benched for seven games but reclaimed his job for the final three. Watkins recorded his third interception of the season last Sunday against Detroit, and Parcells said he's been happy with his development.
"The only thing I think I tried to do is not think so much," Watkins said. "I was out-thinking myself. I was thinking so much that by the time the ball was snapped, I was lost running around."
What A Rush
The Cowboys tweaked their defense a little against Detroit and increased their pass rush, recording five sacks - one less than the season-high of their six recorded in Game 2 against Washington. They'll have a chance to produce more pressure Saturday against a depleted Seattle offensive line.
Veteran center Robbie Tobeck has missed the last eight games after undergoing hip surgery, and guard Chris Gray snapped his 121-game streak of consecutive starts last Sunday because of an injured thigh. Gray is being listed as questionable, and has been unable to practice early in the week. Tobeck, who at least improved from being inactive seven consecutive weeks to just not playing last Sunday, has not been included on this week's injury report.
Cowboys nickel defensive tackle Jay Ratliff and cornerback Jacques Reeves are practicing this week after missing Sunday's game with shoulder and elbow injuries, respectively. Neither is listed on the Cowboys' injury report. Short Shots Parcells has a career 11-7 record in the playoffs, ranking sixth all-time and third among active coaches - just ahead of Mike Holmgren (11-9) . . . Parcells said he wasn't sure if safety Tony Parrish would be active for the second consecutive game. Parrish's availability could depend on Reeves' status . . . Parcells said earlier Wednesday he'd address his future with the team after the season. When Terrell Owens, who signed a three-year, $25 million deal last April with the Cowboys, also was asked if he wondered whether he'd be back for a second year, he said, "I'm not even really focused on that right now. I hear all the speculation, but that's not what's important for me."
IRVING, Texas - Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells can control the climate of his Valley Ranch indoor practice facility. But when the outside temperature matches the exact weather conditions for Saturday's 7 p.m. (CST) kickoff in Seattle, why not head outdoors?
That's what the Cowboys did for Wednesday's practice, getting a feel for the 44-degree weather that's the expected high for Saturday's wild-game game at Qwest Field against the Seahawks. The forecast also calls for a 40 percent chance of showers, and Parcells said his players have been working with wet footballs the last two days.
"Now the balls we were practicing with are probably a little wetter than the actual game conditions will be, based on the fact that we're dunking them in buckets," said Parcells, knowing the officials do a good job of running dry footballs into the game between plays.
One can't entirely simulate Mother Nature. But Parcells wants his team prepared for a potentially wet field, especially considering it has committed 11 turnovers in the past four games, losing three of them to drop to 9-7.
Parcells said quarterback Tony Romo particularly would have to adjust to a slick football because "if you throw the ball hard it's going to float on you." Romo has been wearing gloves in practice this week, though he irritated Parcells for fumbling with gloves on in the third quarter of the Cowboys' rain-soaked preseason game against the Saints in Shreveport, La.
"If it's raining, I'll be wearing gloves," said Romo, who was scrambling out of the pocket before fumbling, which led to a Saints touchdown that rainy night.
Romo's wide receivers also might have to change their catching habits.
"You've got to focus on it and squeeze it a lot harder," receiver Patrick Crayton said. "Like some of the times you could just let it hit your hands and go on. With these, you've got to make sure it's secure and tuck it away before you can think about running up field."
T.O.'s Return
It's playoff time, and Terrell Owens says he's ready for his first postseason appearance since 2004.
But with 72 hours until kickoff, he's pacing himself.
"My coach told me at one time, 'Don't peak too soon,'" said Owens, who returned from a broken leg in less than seven weeks and caught nine balls for 122 yards in the Eagles' Super Bowl loss to New England two years ago. "The game's not here yet, so I'm not going to use up excess energy."
Owens seemed to exude a quiet confidence during Wednesday's media session. He's no stranger to the playoffs, having caught 38 passes for 527 yards and three touchdowns in eight career games.
And with Romo making his first playoff start Saturday, Owens could provide a veteran safety blanket for the 26-year-old quarterback.
"I've been in the playoffs before," Owens said. "I've played in the Super Bowl before - wasn't 100 percent healthy, but I held my own. I'm not a guy that lacks confidence."
Costly Mistakes
Parcells has cited turnovers as a large factor in his team's recent struggles. Seattle's Mike Holmgren can relate.
Holmgren was pleased with the Seahawks' performance in last Sunday's win over Tampa Bay. But following recent back-to-back losses to Arizona and San Francisco, Holmgren said, "I was about as disappointed as I've ever been in a team I've coached."
Prior to its win over Tampa Bay, the Seahawks also had lost to San Diego to cap a three-game losing streak. During that span, the Seattle defense had allowed an average of 358.3 yards per game.
Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck threw two interceptions in a 20-14 loss to the 49ers, and Seattle fumbled three times in a 27-21 defeat at Arizona.
"That's what it is in the business sometimes," Hasselbeck said. "It comes down to a couple of plays here or there, and in the last few years we've been making those plays. For a three-week stint there we didn't make the plays, and we lost three in a row."
A New Level
Parcells has said the hardest part of his job these days is getting a young team prepared for the playoffs.
Twenty-eight players on the 53-man roster are in no more than their third year in the league, including 11 rookies. Of the 53, 20 have appeared in a playoff game, but only a handful of players - including Drew Bledsoe, Terrell Owens, Terry Glenn, Marco Rivera and Al Singleton - have played in the Super Bowl.
"You can tell them how it's going to be, but they all have to go through it," said Rivera, who played in two Super Bowls under Mike Holmgren with the Packers (1996-97). "Just the emotion leading up to the game, the intensity of the game. If you think everything was going fast during the season, just wait until the playoffs. Everything is 100 times faster."
Learning On The Job
Rookie free safety Pat Watkins made his NFL debut at Qwest Field back on Aug. 12. Looking back nearly five months later, he realizes how much he's learned since.
"That was the biggest learning process because that was one of the first games I've been in the NFL," Watkins said. "I didn't quite understand everything like I do now."
Watkins has endured a rollercoaster rookie season. He started the first six games, then got benched for seven games but reclaimed his job for the final three. Watkins recorded his third interception of the season last Sunday against Detroit, and Parcells said he's been happy with his development.
"The only thing I think I tried to do is not think so much," Watkins said. "I was out-thinking myself. I was thinking so much that by the time the ball was snapped, I was lost running around."
What A Rush
The Cowboys tweaked their defense a little against Detroit and increased their pass rush, recording five sacks - one less than the season-high of their six recorded in Game 2 against Washington. They'll have a chance to produce more pressure Saturday against a depleted Seattle offensive line.
Veteran center Robbie Tobeck has missed the last eight games after undergoing hip surgery, and guard Chris Gray snapped his 121-game streak of consecutive starts last Sunday because of an injured thigh. Gray is being listed as questionable, and has been unable to practice early in the week. Tobeck, who at least improved from being inactive seven consecutive weeks to just not playing last Sunday, has not been included on this week's injury report.
Cowboys nickel defensive tackle Jay Ratliff and cornerback Jacques Reeves are practicing this week after missing Sunday's game with shoulder and elbow injuries, respectively. Neither is listed on the Cowboys' injury report. Short Shots Parcells has a career 11-7 record in the playoffs, ranking sixth all-time and third among active coaches - just ahead of Mike Holmgren (11-9) . . . Parcells said he wasn't sure if safety Tony Parrish would be active for the second consecutive game. Parrish's availability could depend on Reeves' status . . . Parcells said earlier Wednesday he'd address his future with the team after the season. When Terrell Owens, who signed a three-year, $25 million deal last April with the Cowboys, also was asked if he wondered whether he'd be back for a second year, he said, "I'm not even really focused on that right now. I hear all the speculation, but that's not what's important for me."