| Page 3 of 3 < |
Seahawks Beat Cowboys 21-20 in Stunner
"I don't know if I have ever felt this low," the disconsolate quarterback said.
Added team owner Jerry Jones: "I feel empty."
  Dallas Cowboys' Terence Newman (41) tackles Seattle Seahawks' Bobby Engram in the first quarter of their NFC wild card playoff football game Saturday, Jan. 6, 2007, in Seattle.(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) (Rick Bowmer - AP)   The Indianapolis Colts overcome the rain and a sloppy start to beat the Chicago Bears, 29-17. The Colts' victory ignites a wild celebration among the white-and-blue attired fans in the sea of colorful vinyl rainwear that populated the soggy stands. Peyton Manning fills the final hole in his legend as the greatest quarterback never to win the biggest game. Leonard Shapiro: Tony Dungy and Manning seal their place in history by winning the Super Bowl. Manning adds a Super Bowl MVP award to his long list of achievements. Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes plow forward for the Colts go-ahead touchdown and never look back. There was a collective failure by the Bears' offense, but Rex Grossman provides the most vivid images. Notebook: Two assistant coaches who participated in the Super Bowl likely will interview for Dallas' head coaching job. On Our Site Wilbon and Kornheiser share their thoughts live during Sunday's big game. Photos: Relive all of the action from the NFL playoffs. Audio: Manning on the Win. Audio: Grossman on the Loss. Audio: Dungy Praises Smith. Quarterly Report (PDF) A Slew of Errors (PDF) Graphic: Play of the Game. MARK MASKE'S NFL INSIDER • Jaguars Tackle in Critical Condition • Lions Bolster Backfield With R. Johnson |
The Cowboys are 0-for-2 under Parcells in the playoffs and might have played their last game for him. If so, his four-year tenure would end with three straight losses and four in his last five games.
"I'm going to take a look at things, take a look at what we need to do, and go from there," Parcells said.
Jones wants Parcells back.
"I think we gave ourself a chance this year to meet our goal. We didn't get them met, but we gave ourselves a chance," Jones said.
Hasselbeck was 18-of-36 for 240 yards with two touchdowns, both to Stevens, and two interceptions, both of which resulted in Dallas field goals.
Alexander ran 24 times for 69 yards. His 20-yard burst at the end was his longest of the game.
Romo was 17-of-29 for 189 yards and a touchdown. He didn't have any turnovers after a spurt of them in recent weeks, although he did fumble once. And, of course, there was the botched hold that mattered most.
"It was perfect," Alexander quipped. "Just how we planned it."
Miles Austin, an undrafted rookie, had the first kickoff return for a touchdown in Cowboys playoff history. His 93-yarder put Dallas up 17-13 in the third quarter only 11 seconds after the Seahawks had gone ahead.
The Cowboys' defense was way better than usual, too. They allowed only two first-half field goals, their stingiest half in eight games, and kept Seattle from ever getting into a groove.
Dallas is 0-5 in the playoffs since winning a wild-card game at Minnesota on Dec. 28, 1996. The Cowboys had never lost more than three straight postseason games.
Parcells had never even lost two straight playoff games before this 0-3 drought. In 2003, his first year in Dallas, he became the only coach to guide four teams into the playoffs, but another loss kept him from upping that mark to the only coach to win playoff games with four clubs.
"I did the best I could," Parcells said. "It wasn't quite good enough."
Holmgren won his 12th career playoff game, tying Bill Cowher for fifth-best in NFL history.
Notes:@ There was a pregame moment of silence for slain Denver cornerback Darrent Williams. ... Seattle had two sacks, matching its total for the previous four games. ... The longest kickoff return by Dallas in a playoff game had been an 89-yarder by Rod Hill in January 1983. ... Injured Seahawks safety Marcus Trufant raised the team's 12th Man flag to a boisterous ovation before kickoff. ... T.O. on his future in Dallas: "Definitely, I see no reason not to" be back.
