What can we learn from the papers?
First, the players are lobbying -- softly -- for more aggressiveness in the game plan. Their head coach takes it in stride, asking, not entirely sarcastically, if anybody wants to take the coaching whistle from him? Nobody's taking, with the usually jocular Keyshawn Johnson saying that the players, "know nothing."
Parcells points out that you can't go all out every week and the Redskins defense presents a greater challenge than K.C.'s. They cover better and they blitz better. One area where Parcells might compromise is on relatively safe tosses to this backs and tight end. Dallas earned several second and ones by running bootlegs and releasing FB Lousaka Polite on delayed routes.
One thing has should concern everyone is news that Wednesday's practice was sloppy. Similar rumors were last heard in the days before the Eagles rematch. The Cowboys turned in a sloppy performance but escaped with a one point win. I sincerely hope things tighten up today or we're looking at another 16-14 nailbiter.
Washington's injury report expands and contracts. Right now, all of Washington's top three CBs are dinged up, though it appears all will suit up. However, Shawn Springs and Walt Harris are rehabbing leg injuries so maybe there is something to the offensive players' pleas.
Ugh. Home sick. I've got my new DVDs of Super Bowl VI and the '70 NFC title game to keep me company. (Not the NFL Films highlights, but the network broadcasts.) Watching them it's clear to me that Duane Thomas was probably the most talented RB to don a Cowboys uniform. He was 220 lbs. in an era of 255 lb. linemen. He could cut. He had speed. He was a fine receiver. He blocked. Imagine Marcus Allen's game in Jim Brown's body and you get the idea. And after two years, he was gone. What a waste.