Goldberg/AP:The Tuna now has to stop the slide

[TK]

http://www.courierpress.com/ecp/gleaner_sports/article/0,1626,ECP_4477_2449989,00.html

The Tuna now has to stop the slide

By DAVE GOLDBERG, AP Football Writer

November 23, 2003

Bill Parcells never panics and won't this week against the Carolina Panthers, even though his Cowboys have stopped scoring points and face one of the NFL's better defenses.

"I don't want them to get down on themselves," he said after his team was shut out for the second time in four weeks in New England, falling into a tie for first in the NFC East with surging Philadelphia.

Sunday's game at Texas Stadium features two of the NFL's biggest surprises.

Dallas (7-3) already has won more games than the five it won in each of the last three seasons. Under John Fox, Carolina has the best record in the NFC at 8-2 after going 1-15 two years ago, then 7-9 in Fox's first season.

One reason is the surprising quarterback play of Jake Delhomme, signed as a free agent with moderate expectations after throwing just 86 passes in four seasons with New Orleans.

Recently, he's been better than that, conducting come-from-behind last-minute drives the last two weeks to beat Tampa Bay and Washington.

"We take our job seriously. It's business; 'Let's get it down the field, we've done this before, let's do it again,' " Delhomme says.

It won't be easy against Dallas. While the two shutouts in a month equal the number of times Parcells has been blanked in his 15-plus seasons as a head coach, the defense is keeping the Cowboys afloat. In its last five games, Dallas has allowed 55 points.

That leaves the Tuna railing at his offense.

"Eleven mental errors, four dropped balls, five offensive penalties, three turnovers and a sack," he says of last week's performance. "What's that add up to?"

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In other games Sunday, Seattle is at Baltimore; New England at Houston; Jacksonville at the New York Jets; Indianapolis at Buffalo; San Francisco at Green Bay; Detroit at Minnesota; Pittsburgh at Cleveland; New Orleans at Philadelphia; St. Louis at Arizona; Chicago at Denver; Tennessee at Atlanta; Oakland at Kansas City; Cincinnati at San Diego; and Washington at Miami.

The New York Giants are at Tampa Bay on Monday night.

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San Francisco (5-5) at Green Bay (5-5)

The Packers are back in the NFC North race, courtesy of Minnesota's four-game losing streak. But they're an uncharacteristic 2-3 at Lambeau Field and Brett Favre is playing with a broken thumb, throwing for only 92 yards last week in the Packers' 20-13 win in Tampa.

Still, he should start his 184th straight game Sunday against a team that is 0-4 on the road and plays four of its final six games away from Candlestick Park.

Tim Rattay will be the quarterback after going 21-of-27 for 254 yards and two touchdowns against Pittsburgh. The 49ers, who trail Seattle and St. Louis by two games in the NFC West, probably have to win at least four more games and maybe five to earn a wild-card playoff berth.

Seattle (7-3) at Baltimore (5-5)

The Seahawks, 6-0 at home, are 1-3 on the road, and, like the 49ers, have four of their final six games on the road.

Both teams are tied for the lead in their divisions despite problems -- Seattle on defense, Baltimore on offense. Ravens quarterback Kyle Boller is out for at least three more weeks and Anthony Wright is the starter.

Ray Lewis, who is having a huge season, chewed out an offensive player in the locker room after the Ravens' 9-6 overtime loss in Miami. Baltimore had three turnovers and was called for 10 penalties.

New York Giants (4-6) at Tampa Bay (4-6) (Monday night)

The Super Bowl champions now have lost three straight, have deactivated Keyshawn Johnson and seem to be in disarray. So are the Giants, who not only are playing badly but are without a number of important players, including Jeremy Shockey.

For a sideshow, it's the first meeting in four years of the Barber twins, Tiki and Ronde. Tiki is seventh in the NFL in rushing with 918 yards, but second in fumbles lost with six. Only three teams have a worse turnover margin than New York.

Cincinnati (5-5) at San Diego (2-8)

For the last dozen seasons, coaches facing the Bengals have always warned their players about being overconfident. After handing Kansas City its first loss, Cincinnati now has to worry about overlooking a downtrodden opponent.

"You play not to get laughed at, not to be called the Cincinnati Bengals of the league," the Chargers' LaDainian Tomlinson said after they lost 37-8 in Denver. Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis is making sure his team sees the comment.

Detroit (3-7) at Minnesota (6-4)

You like streaks? The Vikings have lost four in a row after winning their first six; the Lions have lost 21 consecutive road games dating back to 2000, two short of the NFL record.

"We need to relax a little bit on the field," Vikings coach Mike Tice says. The way the Lions play away from Detroit, they could be just what Minnesota needs.

New Orleans (5-5) at Philadelphia (7-3)

The Eagles have won six of seven and finally got an easy victory last week, beating the Giants 28-10 to tie the Cowboys for first in the NFC East. Just as important, Donovan McNabb had his second consecutive 300-yard game as he continued his second-half surge.

The Saints also are improving after a 1-4 start, and are very much in the NFC wild-card race. Deuce McAllister is the main reason with seven straight 100-yard rushing games.

Oakland (3-7) at Kansas City (9-1)

Probably the wrong time for the Raiders to play the Chiefs, who are coming off their first loss. Kansas City won 17-10 in Oakland a month ago, just holding off a late rally led by Marques Tuiasosopo, who's now hurt.

With Tuiasosopo and Rich Gannon out, Rick Mirer is the Raiders' QB. But it was the defense that sparked the 28-18 win over Minnesota last week, forcing six turnovers.

Pittsburgh (3-7) at Cleveland (4-6)

Two teams still alive because they're in the NFL's worst division, the AFC North. The Steelers had hoped a "soft" late schedule would spark a late run, but the 49ers were anything but soft in beating them 30-14 Monday night.

The Browns scored the most points last Sunday since returning in 1999, getting 44 against an Arizona team that's allowing 35 points a game on the road.

Washington (4-6) at Miami (6-4)

The Dolphins have lost three of five and scored only one touchdown in their last two games, but survived against the Ravens last week with a 9-6 overtime win.

The Redskins produced just 181 yards of offense even though they almost beat Carolina last week. So Steve Spurrier will go back to calling the plays, perhaps with untested Tim Hasselbeck at quarterback if Patrick Ramsey's foot injury keeps him out.

New England (8-2) at Houston (4-6)

The Patriots are still filling in new guys for their many injured players, the latest J.J. Stokes, signed this week to beef up the depleted receiving corps. Stokes has never fulfilled his promise, but the way the Patriots are going this season, he'll probably become an instant star.

This won't be easy. The Texans have won two of three and haven't been blown away since a 38-17 loss to Tennessee on Oct. 12.

Indianapolis (8-2) at Buffalo (4-6)

The Bills have scored just 48 points in their last five games, four of them losses. They have three safeties in that span, two last week in a 12-10 loss to Houston, but haven't scored a touchdown since Oct. 19.

The Colts, on the other hand, haven't scored fewer than 20 in any game and have 134 points in their last five.

St. Louis (7-3) at Arizona (3-7)

The Rams won the first meeting 37-13, but the Cardinals are a different team at home, where they are 3-2. They're allowing an average of 20 points a game at home and 35 on the road.

So this may not be easy for the Rams, who are 5-0 in their dome, but just 2-3 away. Even in victory, they struggled last week in Chicago, barely (bearly?) winning 23-21.

Chicago (3-7) at Denver (6-4)

The Broncos look like contenders again with Jake Plummer back at quarterback, although they keep losing linebackers. Al Wilson is the only starter left and rookie Terry Pierce, who had been starting with Ian Gold and John Mobley gone, is now also out for the season.

The Bears are yet another team that shows up at home, but not away: Chicago is 0-5 on the road.

Tennessee (8-2) at Atlanta (2-8)

The Falcons are playing better, but this still looks like a spot where the Titans can resume their 30-point-a-game streak, broken last week at six in a 10-3 win over Jacksonville.

"It's nice to be able to sit here and be very critical of some of the negative things associated with this ballgame in light of the fact that we still won," coach Jeff Fisher said after that one.

Jacksonville (2-8) at New York Jets (3-7)

Marshall reunion week: Chad Pennington at QB for the Jets against Byron Leftwich, his successor with the Thundering Herd.

Pennington has upgraded the Jets' offense and they found a new weapon last week in wide receiver and return man Jonathan Carter. But the defense allowed 538 yards to the Colts.