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This is not the way Bill Parcells wanted to take the Dallas Cowboys into the playoffs.
Instead of carrying the momentum of three straight wins into a game Saturday night at Carolina, Parcells is again wondering about his team's erratic, immature tendencies after a 13-7 loss at New Orleans in the season finale.
``I told them after the game we could never beat a good team if we don't play well,'' Parcells said Monday. ``Certainly, any team in the league would have a really good chance to beat us if we don't play well.
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``Even though our record says a little differently, I know that for a fact.
That's where we are.''
Parcells has talked often this season about blunders typical of young players. Yet he clearly noted that the mistakes made against the Saints were not tied to experience.
They were more indicative of players who don't completely understand the best way to do their jobs -- or, in his parlance, guys who just ``don't get it.''
``That's where I have the collective thought of, gee whiz, there is a lot of work to do along those lines,'' he said.
In bouncing back from two straight losses with two straight wins, the Cowboys clinched a playoff spot the week before the finale. They even prepared for the game thinking they'd have a chance to play for the division title, a No. 2 seed and a first-round bye.
That chance evaporated when Philadelphia won Saturday night. Still, Parcells expected better Sunday.
The running game turned out to be unreliable, a big letdown considering the Saints were among the league's worst at stopping the run. That led to Quincy Carter throwing a season-high 47 passes, three of which were intercepted. Other drives were hurt by penalties.
Thanks mostly to the defense, which was polishing off a No. 1 ranking for the season, Dallas never trailed by more than six points. The Cowboys might have broken through had receiver Terry Glenn not slipped at the New Orleans 8, turning what might have been the go-ahead touchdown into a game-sealing interception with 1:27 left.
``You're thinking as the game goes along, `It's just a matter of time before we make enough plays and score' and we just never did,'' Parcells said. ``Something just always happened. ... We just couldn't get it done.''
Glenn's tumble was one of many by the Cowboys on the Superdome's new turf. Parcells was angry that those players didn't test their cleats before the game.
That goof was nothing compared to defensive end Eric Ogbogu running onto the field without his helmet. At his locker Monday, Ogbogu found a helmet with the words ``Don't Forget Me'' written in big, black letters on white tape across the top.
Focus shouldn't be a problem this week.
The Cowboys are back in the postseason for the first time since 1999, making it a first for most players. Parcells doesn't think it's necessary to explain what is at stake, or give any speeches imploring them to try hard.
``I can't remember one that wasn't played at high level,'' said Parcells, 11-6 over eight previous postseasons.
He reached the Super Bowl three times, winning it twice.
``Certainly a team like Carolina that is young and hungry and having success for the first time in a little while, there is no question they will be at their best.''
While Dallas can't look back to its last game for momentum, it can look back to Nov. 23, when it beat Carolina 24-20 at Texas Stadium.
``Whatever happened before
today doesn't matter,'' defensive tackle La'Roi Glover said. ``This is a whole
new season, a whole new deal. You take some of the stuff from the first game
and try to use it to your advantage.''