They're Parcells' guys
01/04/07 01:57 PM
By ED BARK
Don't blame the messenger, say John Madden and Cris Collinsworth. Never mind that the Dallas Cowboys lost three key home games in December under the direction of a coach who's supposed to be a big-time motivator and deal-closer.
Collinsworth says it's "foolish that people would even consider trying to run Bill Parcells out of a job . . . Stability means a lot in this league."
Madden, who expects Parcells to return next season, has "never enjoyed the hunt-and-kill of a coach . . . It's not like there are a lot of Knute Rocknes out there."
They weighed in on Parcells' behalf during a Thursday teleconference tied to NBC's coverage of two NFL playoff games Sunday. Madden and Al Michaels will do the Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks at 7 p.m. central. Collinsworth is teaming with Tom Hammond on the Indianapolis Colts-Kansas City Chiefs game at 3:30 p.m.
Madden instead lays the blame for the Cowboys' late season pratfalls on quarterback Tony Romo and the defense.
"Tony Romo has to take care of the ball," he says. "I kind of agree with Bill Parcells. It's not that Tony Romo doesn't have confidence. Maybe he's over-confident . . . I think his mechanics have really gotten sloppy."
He expected the defense to play better, but says the Cowboys lack both a pass rush and a solid secondary, where they're "not very good."
Collinsworth compares Romo to a hotshot young pitcher in major league baseball. The second time around, "it gets a little tougher," he says. "Right now with Tony Romo, the ball security is becoming a real issue."
Wide receiver Terrell Owens, the Cowboys' other hot button, won't be back with the team next season even if he wants to be, Madden thinks. But in Parcells' case it's different, he says.
"As everyone knows with Bill Parcells, you never can be sure. At 65, does he have the energy and all those things? He's going to do what he wants to do, and maybe more importantly what he feels he can do. It's kind of like a player. It's not the games, it's getting ready for the games . . . A win puts those fires out (to fire him). If he beats Seattle and goes on to the next round and wins that one, hell, they'll be giving him a parade."
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