http://www.star-telegram.com/332/story/383572.html
Terry Glenn barely dodges injury in debut
By RICK HERRIN
rherrin@star-telegram.com
LANDOVER, Md. -- Cowboys receiver Terry Glenn sat alone facing his locker rubbing his lower right leg over and over.
Glenn was fortunate he wasn’t on the training table caring for his troublesome right knee after the 27-6 loss at Washington. In his first game of the season, Glenn barely played and also barely dodged disaster when he was hit low by Commanders safety LaRon Landry in the second quarter on an incomplete pass.
Glenn, who was hit well after the overthrown pass landed, was not injured on the play when he was upended near the sidelines. He got up, walked to the sideline and only returned for one more play. The 12-veteran, coming off two knee surgeries, was shocked by the hit and thought the Commanders were going after his right knee.
"Those guys are out there trying to really take it to my knee," Glenn said. "I think they were trying to hurt me."
Landry didn’t agree with Glenn and denied he was trying to hurt the healing receiver.
"Not at all," Landry said. "We weren’t intentionally trying to hurt the guy. We were out there flying around to the ball, trying to make plays whether it was Terry Glenn or whoever. It didn’t matter."
Part of the reason Glenn felt that way was the possibility the Cowboys could play the Commanders again in the divisional round on Jan. 13. Maybe, he believed, they were trying to keep him out of a future matchup.
"They know if we see them again they are going to have problems," Glenn said. "Especially in Dallas."
In his first game since last year’s playoff at Seattle, Glenn finished without a catch and was involved in only a few plays. He had only two passes in his direction. Due to wet conditions, it was somewhat surprising Glenn even played. Wade Phillips said last week that Glenn probably wouldn’t play if it was raining or the field was in poor condition.
Not much was gained in the passing game in Glenn’s return. It was more about Glenn getting acclimated to playing in a game again.
"My main thing was to get my feet wet out there and get ready for the playoff game," Glenn said. "I'm not 100 percent. It felt good to get out there."
The Cowboys are also fortunate his return comes with Pro Bowl receiver Terrell Owens out with an ankle injury. Owens missed his first game of the season but is hopeful he can return with three weeks rest.
"It was good to get him out on the field just to get him out in the mix of things," Cowboys receivers coach Ray Sherman said.
Phillips wanted Glenn to get some game action, get hit and adjust to playing before the playoff game.
Well, he got it.
"I didn't want to go into a playoff game where he hadn't had any contact," Phillips said, "And then all the sudden he goes in a game and comes out and can't play for us."
Glenn, who did not play in the second half, expects to be ready to play the entire game. He said he will work on running all the pass routes this week, rather than the select few he did in practice and the game.
On the first pass his direction, Tony Romo was intercepted by Commanders cornerback Shawn Springs in the first quarter. Springs blew past Glenn on the slant pattern. The second pass his way was Landry’s hit and he escaped uninjured.
"That's the main thing," Glenn said. "I didn’t have any setbacks today."