DallasCowboys.com:Friday's Notebook

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Friday's Notebook:

Anderson Unlikely To Play

Cliff Cook

DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer

October 31, 2003, 5:30 p.m. (CST)

IRVING, Texas - Fullback Richie Anderson's continued problems with a back and shoulder injury, causing him to miss practice this entire week, will likely sideline him for Sunday's game against the Washington Redskins, according to Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells.

Evidently, the injury to Anderson might be worse than just the sore back and shoulder Parcells has talked about for most of the week. Anderson is having a disk problem, said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, and already has been given the first of what could be three rounds of epidural injections.

"The real question is if it will be several weeks or (just) a week," Jones said of the team's all purpose fullback who is second on the team with 166 yards rushing and also with 23 receptions.

Jones stopped short of saying Anderson had a herniated disk, but did seem genuinely concerned with his 11th-year veteran. Anderson has been an important part of the team's ball-control offense, and some of his responsibilities will spill over to the tight ends and fullback Jamar Martin.

"We've always tried to, in our offense, have our second tight end and our first fullback be interchangeable parts for this very reason," Parcells said. "Both (Jason) Witten and (James) Whalen would be capable of doing jobs that Anderson and Martin would be doing. Obviously Witten would not be carrying the ball, but as far as the other assignments, we try to interchange those parts."

Whalen's Leg Still A Concern

Not only will the Cowboys be missing Anderson, there is a good chance Whalen, the team's third tight end and special teams player, also will be unavailable. He has been bothered by a strained hamstring for nearly a month, which caused him to miss three of the past four games, including last week against Tampa Bay.

"Whalen's been able to do most things," Parcells said. "But this is one of those things where he's been back and forth a little bit and he kind of tweaked it once and I just don't know whether we use him or not. We'll see."

Whalen said the strain high on his hamstring, even though he has practiced this week, probably needs more rest to prevent the problem from lingering for several more weeks.

Welcome Back, Now Get In There

Running back Adrian Murrell will likely be pressed into immediate service after being signed on Wednesday by the Cowboys. Murrell hasn't played in a NFL regular-season game since 2000, but did spend three weeks at training camp with the Cowboys before getting released at the end of camp.

"I'm hoping Adrian can give us something," Parcells said. "That's why I brought him here. With the way things are in the NFL now, you have to be willing to take a chance on a guy and do something. I think, quite honestly, the media always interprets it as a negative on some other guy. Nothing's further from the truth."

He means Murrell was signed because of the perception the Cowboys are losing faith in starting running back Troy Hambrick, who struggled last week, gaining just 25 yards on 11 carries. Hambrick went as far as saying on Thursday he didn't mind the Cowboys signing Murrell, but that maybe getting some offensive line help would have better served the team.

Murrell's presence becomes even more important now that it appears Anderson will not be available this week as the Cowboys try to head off a long-term problem with the starting fullback.

Carter Knows Situation

Parcells said quarterback Quincy Carter's attitude has remained consistent from the start of the season, even after the disappointing shutout loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last Sunday. Carter has practiced OK this week in preparation for Sunday's game against the Redskins, according to Parcells.

"He knows what's going on," Parcells said on Friday. "You don't have to tell him what's on the line here for the team, the season and for him. He knows that."

Parcells has gone out of his way to explain to the team how important the next five games will be to their potential "contender" status, but also how important these games will be toward the team making long-term evaluations of some players, which likely includes Carter's continued starting future with the team.

Backups Headed Overseas?

During his weekly show with Norm Hitzges on local Dallas all-sports radio station 1310 The Ticket, Jones said he would consider sending both Chad Hutchinson and Tony Romo sits to pee to NFL Europe over the summer to gain more experience.

"We like our young quarterbacks," Jones said. "Chad is improving. He's getting a lot of snaps at practice and he needs that. I think we take a look at those guys and possibly look at them in Europe this summer."

Hutchinson has played in just one game this season, a mop-up role against the Detroit Lions. He completed one pass for eight yards.

No Pads

The Cowboys went through an entire week of practice without wearing shoulder pads for the first time this season. Parcells had the team practicing in what is known as "shells," a very light, minimum-protection shoulder protection.

"I'm trying to get the team ready physically," Parcells said. "We've been hitting pretty good for eight weeks, so I'm trying to back off physically and trying to put the onus on them to get ready mentally. It changes in some respects, but the speed of practice really picks up a little bit."

Skins Injury Update

The injuries are mounting for the Redskins, but cornerback Fred Smoot gamely thinks he can be ready to play come Sunday despite a bruised clavicle. Smoot is still listed as doubtful for Sunday, but expressed a desire to play against the Cowboys, saying the possibility he could play this week is "very realistic."

Redskins head coach Steve Spurrier isn't as optimistic, saying any talk of Smoot playing is coming from only Smoot. Not only will Smoot likely miss the game, but so will his backup Rashad Bauman, who missed practice all week after spraining an ankle on Monday.

Spurrier also said he is planning to play without running backs Trung Candidate (ankle) and Ladell Betts (forearm). That means he must rely on a combination of Chad Morton, Sultan McCullough and fullback Rock Cartwright to split the tailback duties Sunday. Also likely out is guard Dave Fiore.

Second Chance for Russell

Troubled former Raiders defensive tackle Darrell Russell went through his first NFL practice in nearly two years on Thursday after signing with the Washington Redskins the previous day. Russell was suspended by the NFL for violating the league's substance-abuse policy not once, but three times, missing the past 18 months serving an indefinite suspension that was lifted on Tuesday.

Russell, who was once considered one of the NFL's elite defensive tackles, had multiple run-ins with the law, including a rape charge that was dropped for insufficient evidence, a drunk-driving arrest and an unresolved civil lawsuit.

The Redskins are counting on Russell to provide the kind of play-making ability on defense that earned him two Pro Bowl appearances with Oakland, and will be counting on that right from the start, Spurrier saying the second pick in the 1997 draft could play from 15-25 plays Sunday against the Cowboys.

Short Shots

Parcells' former high school basketball coach Mickey Corcoran visited Valley Ranch on Friday, and is in town to attend the game on Sunday. Not only is the former Riverdale (N.J.) High School coach known for coaching Parcells, but he was coached himself in high school by one Vince Lomardi . . . Spurrier seemed to be leaning toward making practice squad quarterback Gibran Hamdan his backup to Patrick Ramsey on Sunday. Hamdan, a rookie, and Tim Hasselbeck, were signed to the 53-man roster after the Redskins released former backup Rob Johnson. Neither backup has ever taken an NFL snap. Not good, either, since Ramsey has failed to finish each of the Redskins' last two games because of injuries . . . Washington's bid to host the 2008 Super Bowl fell short Thursday when the NFL's team owners voted the game to be played in the Arizona Cardinals new stadium being built in Glendale, Ariz. . . . One set of make-shift goal post and cross bar were hung from the ceiling at the north end of the Cowboys' new indoor practice facility so kicker Billy Cundiff could get in some good work on inclement and extremely windy days . . . Former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman and current radio voice of the Cowboys Brad Sham were among those getting their shots in at the 20-year Anniversary Roast of Dale Hansen, Sham's former partner on the Cowboys Radio Network and 20-year sports director at WFAA-TV in Dallas. The last word of the evening, though, went to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who took a shot at the always-entertaining Hansen for the lack of game preparation.