third-down opportunities?
But noooo, the Cowboys have to mitigate whatever advantage they forged by dropping interceptions, dropping touchdown passes, getting nailed for 153 yards of losses on 11 penalties and then, despite all that, with a chance to win in the final seconds on a chip-shot field goal, missing a block that basically cuts them down, 22-19.
They have only themselves to blame.
This, then, gives you hope over the second half, knowing better days can be ahead because of the talent level, or leaves you feeling hopeless because, as Parcells says, the results basically tell you who you are, knowing some things never change.
"Sure, I think we've shown some capabilities," Parcells said, knowing no matter what he thinks, this team still is 4-4 and now 1-1 despite the fact he's getting a very good return on his quarterback exchange, going from Bledsoe to Romo. "But there are other things that we've been doing poorly that have led to our demise."
And then there is the weird stuff: Owens dropping what would have been a 74-yard touchdown pass; Kyle Kosier getting called for a 15-yard facemask penalty on Sean Taylor's return that by all rights after watching the replay should have been no more than the five-yard garden variety; should-be interceptions bouncing off Roy Williams' helmet; missed assignments, and none bigger than Marc Colombo not jabbing out on the final field-goal attempt and then blocking in as he only did.
One thing after another, after another, after another.
Will the worm ever turn?
Maybe this team truly is snake-bit this season, that no matter what it does, something always seems to go wrong, including now going oh-for-two flying back from these past two road trips, first having to make an emergency landing for medical reasons coming back from Carolina and lastly having to change planes in Baltimore, Md., because of a balky engine before takeoff.
What next, as the desert awaits next Sunday?
Just always seems to be something, and we haven't even begun to document all of Owens' shenanigans.
Then again, if the Cowboys ever get this all together in the second half, who knows.
But at this point, they have been nothing but a bunch of teases; showing you just enough to be tantalizing, but never consistently producing enough. The clock is ticking, but time has not run out, because there sure seems to be more than meets the mediocre 4-4 record.
"Hey, that was a tough one yesterday, there isn't any doubt about it," Parcells said of the loss to the Redskins (3-5). "That was a trying time for me. I'm sure it's pretty trying for the players, and I know it's pretty frustrating for the fans when you're down there and watching your team lose a game like that, I understand that.
"But you don't have much time to dwell on it. You got to try and get going, and try to get ready for Arizona and see if you can do a better job next week, and you know, in three weeks from now the thing could look a lot differently. I don't know that it will, but it could."
The clock is ticking on the Cowboys, but has not struck 12, not yet . . . not with the talent onboard.
