FOX: Dallas Cowboys at Washington

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Dallas Cowboys at Washington

Is Bill Parcells being too harsh with his team?

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Not at all. Besides, why would you ever criticize Bill Parcells with the success he's had throughout his career. He knows how to motivate players.

Most will argue that nobody expected them to be a .500 team. But they find themselves in the December hunt for a playoff spot. Parcells has to demand the best from his players. They have to prepare as they are expected to win. They can't accept the problems with penalties and turnovers lately. You have to push your players to become the best they can be at this stage. They are an immature team that needs to learn how to win these critical matchups late in the season.

Parcells feels good about his opportunity for a solid effort offensively against the Redskins. The backs and tight ends should again play a big factor this week. Although the ground game hasn't been that productive, credit Parcells about remaining persistent about establishing a steadying presence there. That's the foundation of becoming a consistent football team down the road

Dallas (8-5) at Washington (5-8)

This week also marked the official opening of Tuna season in Dallas, as a formerly adoring public and media took some shots at Bill Parcells and his conservative game plans.

Many Cowboys players reportedly feel the same, although none were foolish enough to say so publicly, but the second-guessers have a point and Parcells has a dilemma.

Does he continue to keep the gloves on quarterback Quincy Carter in an effort to minimize turnovers or open things up and make full use of the team's talented wide receivers?

The Cowboys are 3-4 since a 5-1 start and Bill Parcells is taking some heat.

Associated Press

Joey Galloway, Terry Glenn and Antonio Bryant didn't have a catch among them in last week's 36-10 loss at Philadelphia, but the Cowboys played the Eagles to a 10-10 standoff before a Carter interception on the third play of the second half opened the floodgates.

So what does Parcells do? After seeing his team lose two games in 10 days by a combined 76-10 score — and heading into a three-game stretch that will determine its playoff fate — the risk of turning Carter loose apparently still outweighs the potential reward.

"You can't make him something he's not," Parcells said. "Not right now."

Not that the Cowboys really need to change their approach against Washington, which they have beaten in 11 of their last 12 meetings, including a 21-14 Week 9 decision in which Troy Hambrick rushed for 100 yards and two touchdowns.

The Redskins snapped a three-game losing streak last week as Tim Hasselbeck got his first NFL win in his second start, a 20-7 victory over the Giants.

Hasselbeck is more mobile and has a quicker release than injured starter Patrick Ramsey, who has been shut down for the rest of the season, but he also has been helped by some conservative play-calling.

Steve Spurrier called 48 running plays and just 21 passes a week ago and Washington beat a Giants team with nothing to play for. If it can do the same to a Cowboys club with everything on the line, this could be a hot December in Dallas.

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