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EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Bill Parcells went 2-0 at Giants Stadium last season. He hopes to close out this season with another win at his former home Sunday night when the Dallas Cowboys visit the New York Giants.
It has not been a pleasant year for Parcells, who has watched the Cowboys go from a playoff team to one that will finish below .500. But at least Dallas has two first-round picks in the 2005 draft and room under the salary cap to pursue free agents.
Last season, Parcells won both of his games here, beating the Giants, 35-32 and the New York Jets, 17-6.
The Giants have entrusted their future with coach Tom Coughlin and quarterback Eli Manning, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 draft. Unfortunately, they sent a first-round pick in the 2005 draft in the trade for Manning, who has lost his first six starts since replacing Kurt Warner.
Since getting off to a 5-2 start, including a 26-10 win at Dallas on October 10, the Giants have lost eight straight, matching a streak to close out the 2003 season under former coach Jim Fassel. They last lost nine consecutive games in 1976.
To make matters worse, some unidentified players stated that they hated playing for Coughlin in a story reported by the New York Post. Neither Coughlin or general manager Ernie Accorsi commented on the report.
But it's clear that Coughlin's rules have antagonized some members of the team. Cornerback Will Peterson was removed from the starting lineup by Coughlin for arriving late for a team meeting and insinuated there are problems in the locker room.
"I'm just saying there has to be a problem if we keep losing close games and keep doing things to lose," Peterson said. "It's got to be something with our attitude, it's got to be something with our mentality, it's got to be something innate that you can't put your finger on in order for us to keep losing like this."
But Tiki Barber, the Giants' lone Pro Bowl player, defended his coach's disciplinary rules.
"Playing for Tom Coughlin takes a certain level of maturity, he expects that out of his players," Barber said. "I think it's important for guys not to try to fight the system because it's not gonna change. It's just the way he is. I think guys understand where he's coming from but some may just not like it. It's just a few, you get that on every team, in any year."
Barber set a franchise record with his ninth 100-yard rushing game last week in a 23-22 loss to Cincinnati, surpassing Joe Morris, who had eight in 1986. He set a career-high with 1,423 yards and needs 94 Sunday to break Morris' single-season record of 1,516. Barber also needs 66 yards to break Rodney Hampton's career franchise record of 6,897 yards.
Barber recorded 198 total yards - 122 rushing and 76 receiving - and scored a touchdown in the Giants' win at Dallas earlier this season.
Coughlin gets another chance to beat his mentor. Coughlin was a wide receivers coach under Parcells from 1988-90 with the Giants. Their last year together was the last time New York won the Super Bowl.
It also will be a homecoming of sorts for Cowboys quarterback Vinny Testaverde, who spent the last six years with the Jets. Last week, Testaverde connected with rookie Patrick Crayton on a 39-yard touchdown with 30 seconds left in the Cowboys' 13-10 win over Washington.
Matchup to watch: Giants right tackle David Diehl faces left end Greg Ellis, who leads the Cowboys with nine sacks.
Series: Dallas leads, 50-32-2.
EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Bill Parcells went 2-0 at Giants Stadium last season. He hopes to close out this season with another win at his former home Sunday night when the Dallas Cowboys visit the New York Giants.
It has not been a pleasant year for Parcells, who has watched the Cowboys go from a playoff team to one that will finish below .500. But at least Dallas has two first-round picks in the 2005 draft and room under the salary cap to pursue free agents.
Last season, Parcells won both of his games here, beating the Giants, 35-32 and the New York Jets, 17-6.
The Giants have entrusted their future with coach Tom Coughlin and quarterback Eli Manning, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 draft. Unfortunately, they sent a first-round pick in the 2005 draft in the trade for Manning, who has lost his first six starts since replacing Kurt Warner.
Since getting off to a 5-2 start, including a 26-10 win at Dallas on October 10, the Giants have lost eight straight, matching a streak to close out the 2003 season under former coach Jim Fassel. They last lost nine consecutive games in 1976.
To make matters worse, some unidentified players stated that they hated playing for Coughlin in a story reported by the New York Post. Neither Coughlin or general manager Ernie Accorsi commented on the report.
But it's clear that Coughlin's rules have antagonized some members of the team. Cornerback Will Peterson was removed from the starting lineup by Coughlin for arriving late for a team meeting and insinuated there are problems in the locker room.
"I'm just saying there has to be a problem if we keep losing close games and keep doing things to lose," Peterson said. "It's got to be something with our attitude, it's got to be something with our mentality, it's got to be something innate that you can't put your finger on in order for us to keep losing like this."
But Tiki Barber, the Giants' lone Pro Bowl player, defended his coach's disciplinary rules.
"Playing for Tom Coughlin takes a certain level of maturity, he expects that out of his players," Barber said. "I think it's important for guys not to try to fight the system because it's not gonna change. It's just the way he is. I think guys understand where he's coming from but some may just not like it. It's just a few, you get that on every team, in any year."
Barber set a franchise record with his ninth 100-yard rushing game last week in a 23-22 loss to Cincinnati, surpassing Joe Morris, who had eight in 1986. He set a career-high with 1,423 yards and needs 94 Sunday to break Morris' single-season record of 1,516. Barber also needs 66 yards to break Rodney Hampton's career franchise record of 6,897 yards.
Barber recorded 198 total yards - 122 rushing and 76 receiving - and scored a touchdown in the Giants' win at Dallas earlier this season.
Coughlin gets another chance to beat his mentor. Coughlin was a wide receivers coach under Parcells from 1988-90 with the Giants. Their last year together was the last time New York won the Super Bowl.
It also will be a homecoming of sorts for Cowboys quarterback Vinny Testaverde, who spent the last six years with the Jets. Last week, Testaverde connected with rookie Patrick Crayton on a 39-yard touchdown with 30 seconds left in the Cowboys' 13-10 win over Washington.
Matchup to watch: Giants right tackle David Diehl faces left end Greg Ellis, who leads the Cowboys with nine sacks.
Series: Dallas leads, 50-32-2.
Just let me know who you want to cover. I have the unbelievable power of making any team a winner. All I have to do is bet the other side. You want Eli to shine and take Dallas to the shed, then I bet Dallas. You want the pitiful Dallas squad to upset NY then I bet NY. Just let me know and I can make it happen. This is f******g pissing me off.
Oh and by the way Ace, I personally am responsible for your loss on the Jets. Why because I bet them.
Due to the fact that I am on Dallas on the under, EVERYONE else should play NY and the over.
Oh and by the way Ace, I personally am responsible for your loss on the Jets. Why because I bet them.
Due to the fact that I am on Dallas on the under, EVERYONE else should play NY and the over.
Popatop said:
Negative thinking produces negative results.
Read this book. It'll be the best $3.00 you ever spent.
I speak from personal experience. No one who believes he is going to lose before the wager is made should be gambling. Change your thought processes first.
DALLAS and the UNDER
Parcells wants to win this - he is good at keeping his team from quitting on him and he has shown that he does not experiment in a game if he thinks he can win. Plus it is the Giants you know he wants to beat them. Look at their last 2 games and see he will be conservative and just try to get the win, not get in some shootout with a rookie QB. Dallas does have some revenge factor for this to payback the loss Warner put on them in Dallas back when both teams were thinking playoffs. Eli is not the first rook to struggle to get a win, so don't be suprised when he goes 0 for the year as a starter. His chance to win was last week at Cincy, not tonight. Dallas will give them a heavy dose of Julius Jones, the Giants run D has actually been worse at home this year allowing 4.4 yds per carry. Dallas run D is nothing special either so look for Giants to run the ball early so this turns into 2 teams just trying to get the season over with
Here are some trends for the under:
Dallas 0-3 this year, 3-8 last 3Y o/u in last 4 weeks of the season
Dallas 1-4 this year, 3-13 last 3Y o/u vs. sub .500 teams
Dallas 0-3, 1-7 vs losing teams in second half of season
Parcells wants to win this - he is good at keeping his team from quitting on him and he has shown that he does not experiment in a game if he thinks he can win. Plus it is the Giants you know he wants to beat them. Look at their last 2 games and see he will be conservative and just try to get the win, not get in some shootout with a rookie QB. Dallas does have some revenge factor for this to payback the loss Warner put on them in Dallas back when both teams were thinking playoffs. Eli is not the first rook to struggle to get a win, so don't be suprised when he goes 0 for the year as a starter. His chance to win was last week at Cincy, not tonight. Dallas will give them a heavy dose of Julius Jones, the Giants run D has actually been worse at home this year allowing 4.4 yds per carry. Dallas run D is nothing special either so look for Giants to run the ball early so this turns into 2 teams just trying to get the season over with
Here are some trends for the under:
Dallas 0-3 this year, 3-8 last 3Y o/u in last 4 weeks of the season
Dallas 1-4 this year, 3-13 last 3Y o/u vs. sub .500 teams
Dallas 0-3, 1-7 vs losing teams in second half of season
