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Last Updated: Monday, 05-12-08 5:43 am PDT

Falcons aren't alone fishing for Tuna - (12/18)

To follow up on Timmy Tabloid's post, foxsports.com's Jay Glazer is reporting that that the Dolphins are also in the mix for the services of Bill Parcells. Per Glazer's story:

Parcells could have a choice between the Falcons and Miami Dolphins, who have also reached out to Parcells, according to league sources. ... Several league sources say that Parcells has recently called around for opinions on coaches and personnel people.

I've always been an advocate of Parcells. But whether you love him or hate him, I think we can all agree that the league is a more interesting place with the Big Tuna in the pond, and not beached on an ESPN set.

Report: Parcells could become Falcons' boss - (12/18)

ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports that Bill Parcells could become the Falcons' vice president of football operations as soon as tomorrow. Atlanta owner Arthur Blank apparently has made an offer and is basically begging the Tuna to fix the mess that is the Falcons.

Parcells would not become Atlanta's new coach but sources say he would be authorized to hire the team's next coach, as well as re-organize the personnel department. He also could hire a new general manager if he and Blank agree that one is necessary.

I found it funny that Parcells hung up on Mortensen, an ESPN colleague, when asked to comment. Per Mortensen, Blank contacted Jerry Jones to ask about Parcells and got a glowing report, with Jerry crediting Parcells for rebuilding America's Team after it went 5-11 three straight seasons.

Breer Power Index - (12/18)

And here it is. Despite their loss, the Cowboys stick at 3, although things are bunching up around them. 1. Patriots ? O: 59.8/D: 27.6/Last Week: 1 ? 32.2 2. Colts ? O: 47.3/D: 27.1/Last Week: 2 ? 20.1 3. Cowboys ? O: 46.6/D: 34.1/Last Week: 3 ? 12.6 4. Packers ? O: 43.3/D: 30.9/Last Week: 5 ? 12.4 5. Steelers ? O: 38.1/D: 25.9/Last Week: 4 ? 12.2 6. Seahawks ? O: 38.6/D: 28.1/Last Week: 6 ? 10.4 7. Buccaneers ? O: 34.6/D: 25.1/Last Week: 8 ? 9.5 8. Chargers ? O: 38.4/D: 29.2/Last Week: 10 ? 9.2 9. Jaguars ? O: 39.9/D: 30.7/Last Week: 7 ? 9.1 10. Vikings ? O: 36.3/D: 30.6/Last Week: 9 ? 5.6

Housh looks ahead to Pats-Pack - (12/18)

Apparently, Bengals receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh has the same problem a lot of Americans do: He doesn't get NFL Network. Appearing on ESPN Radio's GameNight tonight, Houshmandzadeh was asked if he wanted to see the Patriots get through their final two opponents to wrap up the first 16-0 regular season in league history. He said he was torn. Then, he said this: "I would like to see them get to the Super Bowl. It'll be real interesting to see how they match up with Green Bay's corners." What might be even more interesting is seeing if those corners, with a healthy Charles Woodson, can hold Tony Romo and Co. to less than the 309 yards and four touchdowns they yielded through the air in Texas Stadium a few weeks back. Because if that matchup isn't at least a little more "intriguing" than it was the first time around, T.J. may never get to see his dream matchup. Maybe Jerry -- being the NFL Net honcho he is -- can hook Housh up with a tape of the game, and some DirecTV info so he doesn't miss the little things again.

Contingency plans - (12/18)

With a long list of wounded this week, there could be a shakedown on the 45-man gameday roster on Saturday in Carolina. Here's a look at what happens if any of these guys can't go: QB Tony Romo: He's expected to play, so it probably won't be an issue. If he can't because of his injured thumb, Brad Johnson gets the call. In the unlikely case that happens, the Cowboys would be woefully short at QB. Would Richard Bartell be signed from the practice squad for a week as the backup? Would college QBs Isaiah Stanback or Patrick Crayton be the emergency guy? S Patrick Watkins: With his injury compounded by the loss of Roy Williams, it's likely that Keith Davis gets the start at strong safety, alongside Pro Bowler Ken Hamlin. What's real interesting is the nickel defense situation. Does Courtney Brown play deep, with Davis at Roy's nickel linebacker spot? Or does Bobby Carpenter, Akin Ayodele or Bradie James play alongside Kevin Burnett in that package? C Andre Gurode: Cory Procter's in line to start at center, and he'll be backed up by Joe Berger, who will likely dress for the first time all year. WR Terry Glenn: This would be if he does play, and not if he doesn't. If he's in there, it'll likely be on a limited basis, with more snaps to come in Washington. Like we've said here before, they'll probably try to ramp him up a bit before the playoffs.

McBriar's going to Hawaii anyway - (12/18)

Mat McBriar didn't get selected to the Pro Bowl, but he'll be in Hawaii during February anyway. He plans to get married there the week after the Pro Bowl. McBriar wasn't being presumptuous about his chances to return to the Pro Bowl when he made his wedding plans. "There are other things in Hawaii, you know," he said recently. McBriar met his bride-to-be while they were attending the University of Hawaii. It's also the halfway point between their homelands (Australia and Minnesota). McBriar is having another outstanding season, but San Francisco's Andy Lee deserved the Pro Bowl berth. Lee averages 48.3 yards per punt and 42.4 gross, compared to 47.3 and 39.1 for McBriar.

Carrie Underwood vs. Jessica Simpson - (12/18)

SI.com's Extra Mustard does a very in-depth breakdown of Tony Romo's blonde beauties. Based purely on superficial qualities that you can see in a photograph, I believe Romo has upgraded since last season. I sure am feeling patriotic after checking that out, and I hope Ms. Simpson gets the cinematic credibility that she's seeking.

Are the rules offensive? - (12/18)

Whether it's something as significant as a suspension, or as small as an illegal contact penalty, you can usually break players into two camps on rules like the horse-collar ones that will keep Roy Williams out of Charlotte on Saturday night: 1. Offense 2. Defense The idea that defensive players look at some rule changes as a bed of nails on the road to doing their jobs is nothing new. Simply, it's long been perceived that the NFL tweaks and adjusts its regulations to promote scoring, in turn making things more difficult on the guys trying keep points from going up. ?You look at all the passing rules, it?s to help create more explosive plays for the offense, it gets you more crowds, gets you more fans enjoying the game," linebacker Akin Ayodele said. "(The horse-collar rule) puts you in a predicament. Should I get this runner down? Or should I stop and let him run by me and then look bad? Because you?re gonna look bad on film. The reporters are going to say, ?Well, Roy Williams had a chance to bring him down, but he just stopped.??

Ratliff's contract numbers - (12/18)

Here's the breakdown on Jay Ratliff's five-year, $20.5 million contract: Signing bonus - $8 million Base salaries - 2008 - $520,000 2009 - $1.25 million 2010 - $2.105 million 2011 - $3.75 million 2012 - $4.875 million

Give Tony Sparano his due - (12/18)

Tony Sparano, the Cowboys assistant head coach, has been way overlooked this year, but there is some vindication that three of his linemen - Flozell Adams, Andre Gurode and Leonard Davis - were named starters to the Pro Bowl. Since 2005 when he took over the offensive line, the Cowboys have sent the aforementioned linemen to the Pro Bowl as well as Larry Allen. Sparano deserves more recognition for the job he does. He plays a big part in the game planning each week, and remember he called plays last year when the Cowboys had a 1,000-yard rusher, two 1,000-yard receivers and a Pro Bowl quarterback, tight end, center and left tackle.

More Pro Bowlers than points?! - (12/18)

I just came to the startling realization that the Cowboys have more offensive Pro Bowlers (7) than points scored in last week's loss (6). Tony Romo, T.O., Jason Witten, Marion "The Barbarian" Barber, Flozell Adams, Andre Gurode and Bigg Davis earned their Pro Bowl berths with outstanding seasons. But it's simply amazing that an offense with so much starpower can put up that kind of a stinker against a last-place team.

Opinions split on Roy's suspension - (12/18)

How controversial is Roy Williams' suspension? You can't even get a consensus opinion on it inside the Cowboys' locker room. Keith Davis, who will replace Williams at strong safety, said he understood Sheriff Goodell's thinking in this case. "This is the third time it happened," Davis said, referring to the number of Roy Williams Rule violations for Williams this season, "so this penalty is more than deserving, I guess." WR Patrick Crayton said he's glad the league banned horse-collar tackles, a dangerous technique. And he said Williams shouldn't be surprised by the suspension, which the NFL warned him could be coming after he horse-collared Marshawn Lynch. "He's been given so many warnings, plus the rule was put in place for him," Crayton said. "I don't know, that'd be a red light flashing in my head." Follow the jump for guys saying Williams got a raw deal.

Wade's temperature rises - (12/18)

Cowboys coach Wade Phillips steered through his press conference today, and steadily got more and more passionate in his defense of S Roy Williams. By the end or the ordeal, you'd have thought he was on 31's legal team. "Roy?s been in on 105 tackles now, and three of them have been on that variety," Phillips said. "I mean, a guy that does it one out of 15 plays, is he worse than Roy? Percentage-wise, certainly he is. Roy?s involved so much in all this, and it?s not a horse-collar tackle if you?re tackling in the line of scrimmage. But if it?s outside, it is. "So where you are ? there's a lot of factors involved in my opinion. But that?s why they have the process. That?s why we have the appeal. We?ll see what happens."

Warm, fuzzy moment for first-time Pro Bowlers - (12/18)

Wade Phillips gathered his team after practice and announced the Cowboys' Pro Bowl selections. There was a whole bunch of hooting and hollering, especially for the guys making their first NFL-paid trips to Hawaii. K Nick Folk got a bunch of congratulations, but it's not like the rookie had to wait long. Same goes for third-year RB Marion "The Barbarian" Barber. CB Terence Newman and FS Ken Hamlin are fifth-year guys, and Newman felt like this was a long time coming. It was sweet for Hamlin, too, since there was little interest in him after Seattle let him go. But it was sweetest for RG Leonard "Bigg" Davis, a No. 2 overall pick who was labeled a bust by some folks after six seasons in Arizona. The loudest roar came when Phillips said Davis was headed to Hawaii. "I think it helped our team," Phillips said. "We got our juices flowing again. They got excited about their teammates. I got a real feeling that we got back as a team, over losing a game. Just ? boom! We're excited about our team, our players."

A bit overboard? - (12/18)

Alright, I know the Cowboys have a good team and all. But 11 Pro Bowlers? I mean, Eleven? Check this out: No other team even has nine. Not the 14-0 Patriots. Not the 12-2, defending Super Bowl champs. Not the star-studded Chargers. No one. And maybe that's, at least in part, due to the fact that the NFC squad's a bit easier to make than the AFC team. Or some kind of Cowboys bias. Here's the list: 1. Cowboys 11 2-t. Chargers 8 2-t. Patriots 8 4. Vikings 7 5-t. Colts 5 5-t. Seahawks 5 5-t. Steelers 5 8-t. Bears 4 8-t. Packers 4

Mora mouths off about Phillips - (12/18)

Jim "Playoffs?!" Mora noted the Cowboys' whopping total of Pro Bowlers and came to an interesting conclusion. "They better be the best team in the NFC," Mora said on NFL Network. "Otherwise, they ought to fire the coach, for crying out loud." I'm sure Wade Phillips appreciates the support.

Williams could head to Hawaii, too - (12/18)

It could be 12 Pro Bowlers for the Cowboys. SS Roy Williams is in line make his fifth consecutive appearance, replacing deceased Redskins safety Sean Taylor. Williams would become the 20th player to go to five Pro Bowls as a Cowboy. The previous members of that club: DT Bob Lilly (11), OL Larry Allen (10), DB Mel Renfro (10), DT Randy White (9), RB Emmitt Smith (8), QB Troy Aikman (6), S Cliff Harris (6), LB Chuck Howley (6), OG Nate Newton (6), OG John Niland (6), RB Don Perkins (6), QB Roger Staubach (6), OT Rayfield Wright (6), DE George Andrie (5), DB Cornell Green (5), WR Michael Irvin (5), LB Lee Roy Jordan (5), TE Jay Novacek (5) and S Darren Woodson (5).

Gurode, Watkins out - (12/18)

C Andre Gurode (knee) and S Patrick Watkins (ankle) will not play against Carolina. Wade Phillips said both players might be able to play against the Redskins in the regular-season finale. Cory Procter will start at center. Joe Berger will be on the active roster and back up the guard and center positions. Rookie Courtney Brown will take Watkins' spot in the Cowboys, who also take a huge hit on special teams with Watkins' injury. He has a team-high 24 tackles on special teams.

Glenn could play vs. Carolina - (12/18)

Wade Phillips said there is a possibility that WR Terry Glenn could play Saturday against Carolina. Glenn, who has undergone two arthrosopic knee surgeries since the start of training camp, ran routes during today's practice. The plan is for him to fully participate in tomorrow's practice. It's wait-and-see from there, but this is the first time Phillips put any type of timetable on Glenn's return to game action.

Midweek injury updates and other news you can use - (12/13)

Jeff Garcia has sufficiently recovered from his sore back ? or perhaps Jon Gruden has decided he can?t put his team?s playoff fate in Luke McCown?s hands any longer ? so look for the starter back under center against the Falcons. Garcia is only a marginal fantasy play this week, but this is very good news for Joey Galloway?s owners, who haven?t celebrated a scoring play from him since the last time the Bucs played Atlanta, in Week 11. Don?t look now, but here comes Kyle Orton to save the Bears? season. With a 10-5 record on his resume from the 2005 season, that?s actually not out of the question. But don?t even think about using him as a fantasy passer. He?s only thrown as many as two touchdowns in a game once ? against this week?s rival, Minnesota, coincidentally. In that same "career game" he managed just 117 passing yards and an interception.

Keyshawn's response to T.O. really stinks - (12/12)

Give ESPN credit for showing great restraint with the T.O.-Keyshawn-Tuna love/hate triangle story. Our Disney pals didn't even dedicate five full minutes of SportsCenter to this sensationalizable story. Keyshawn explained that he was just trying to give T.O. good advice on not tangling with an "old legendary icon coach," which Keyshawn learned the hard way in Tampa Bay. He vowed to explain things "in more elementary terms" from now so T.O. might be able to understand. Not sure if Keyshawn was rattled by the realization that T.O. has scored twice as many TDs as him, but I found the following statement to be a bit too revealing about the former No. 1 overall pick. "People have always told me that one thing that you never want to do is get into a [urinating] match with a skunk, because they?ll [urinate] all over you, and you?ll like it," Keyshawn said. "And they?ll like it, better yet."

Another Parcells apologist yammers away - (12/12)

Texas Tech hoops coach/errant hunter Bob Knight abruptly cut short his interview with KTCK-AM 1310 The Ticket when asked if he'd shot at anybody recently, but the hosts wisely waited awhile offending the General. They actually had a nice discussion about the Cowboys, with Knight pumping up his old pal Bill Parcells. Knight said he was pleased to see the Cowboys continue in the direction that Parcells got them going. He implied that the Cowboys might have been championship material last season if not for the Seattle Slip. "Who knows what would have happened if that guy didn't fumble the ball?" Knight said.

Crunk new Cowboys song - (12/12)

I'm not certain "crunk" is still an acceptable ebonic term, but if it is, then it describes this litte rap ditty by D-Town's Lil Cayne: How You Feel '(Wyde Up). The song, which is getting play on local hip hop stations and in da clubs, is an ode to the Cowboys that was released last month. I could be wrong, but I believe Wyde Up can be translated to wired up, which could be the new "crunk" for all I know. Also, the lyrics refer to T.O. as a "fool," but I'd be willing to bet that the term is being used in the complimentary sense, as in funny, entertaining dude. Lil Cayne, please feel free to correct any of the above 411. Word.

Fryar checks in on T.O. - (12/12)

We've gone over the greatest season by a 34-year-old receiver in NFL history on Cowboys Blog. And we'll have more of it in the pages of the Morning News tomorrow. So in the interest of continuing coverage, we bring you the thoughts of Irving Fryar, the former Patriot, Dolphin and Eagle and himself one of great greybeard pass-catchers of all-time. Taken with the first pick in the 1984 NFL Draft by the Patriots, Fryar spent nine seasons in Foxboro, and had just one of more than 800 receiving yards. Then, from 1993-97, he had four 1,000-yard years and five of the six best seasons of his career, those coming from age 31-35 in Miami and Philly. And his explanation of how he did that is interesting. "One of the main reasons was that I grew up," Fryar told us. "Not that I didn?t care before, or had a lack of interest, but I started approaching the game in a different way. Anytime you change like that, you get a different result. The main thing was my mindset. I thought more about perfecting my craft."

Wade's update - (12/12)

Here's how Wade Phillips assessed the injury situation: CB TERENCE NEWMAN: He suffered a knee/toe injury on Sunday in the first quarter. Wade says that, "It's one of those deals, where it got worse after playing with it. But he may be able to practice tomorrow so I'm not too discouraged. It may be a similar situation to the way we?ve had it all year where he comes in on sub packages instead of as a starter." WR TERRY GLENN: Glenn's knee isn't all better, but Wade seemed optimistic that a return to the field could come soon. Phillips wouldn't rule Glenn out for Sunday's game against Philly, though he cautioned it was "highly unlikely" that the receiver would play that soon. WR PATRICK CRAYTON: The foot injury Crayton suffered Sunday seems to be OK. According to Phillips, "He was better, he practiced the full practice. I think I went into the Patrick Crayton deal but he seems to be never hurt even though he?s had slight injuries certainly." OT MARC COLOMBO: Phillips said the coaches are being careful with him, but that he seems to be fine and didn't miss any practice time.

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