IRVING – Tony Romo sat in his SUV outside the Cowboys' practice facility Sunday afternoon, still hurting.
He wore a blue Cowboys cap, shorts and a jacket as soft music played on the radio.
Romo was trying to find the words – or music – to describe his pain a day after Dallas' agonizing 21-20 loss to Seattle on Saturday in the NFC wild-card round.
Maybe the blues would have been appropriate.
Romo dropped the snap on a potential game-winning field goal try in the closing moments at Qwest Field.
When asked if he had slept at all following the game, Romo replied, "Not much."
So how did owner/general manager Jerry Jones feel a day after the disappointing loss?
"Worse this morning than I did last night," Jones said as he was driving out of the Cowboys' complex at Valley Ranch.
Romo appeared more down Sunday than he did after the game, and his words seemed out of focus.
"I still feel really bad about it," he said. "It's a ... tough to swallow. I don't know how to explain it."
The players straggled into the facility for exit physicals and quick meetings with the coaching staff.
Bill Parcells, who had been at the complex since early in the morning, left at 11:45 a.m. in a beige Lincoln Town Car. He waved at reporters but didn't stop.
■ Davis wants role defined: Free safety Keith Davis, who started 15 games in 2005, would like a more defined role in 2007.
Davis lost his starting job in the preseason to rookie Patrick Watkins, but he regained the job at Washington on Nov. 5.
He mainly backed up Watkins in the last month and played on special teams.
"I love being a Cowboy, but if they just want me to play special teams, that's fine," Davis said. "I don't have a problem with that. Just let me know where I stand. ... When I did play, we were [4-2], and we were [5-6] when I didn't. Do the math. Not to say that I was the main reason for that, but I'm looking at the numbers."
■ Ellis has cast removed: Greg Ellis had the cast on his torn left Achilles' removed. Ellis, who was hurt Nov. 12 at Arizona, still uses crutches but said he should be ready by training camp. He's not sure if he'll be able to return in time for minicamp in May.
"They [the doctors] said it was healing really well, so I feel better about it now," Ellis said. "They said the tendons were basically taking to the other part of the tendon and is mending back together. I shouldn't have any problems."
■ Rivera might need back surgery: Right guard Marco Rivera might need a second back surgery in three years if doctors determine he has another herniated disk.
Rivera said he suffered the injury in the second series of Saturday's loss at Seattle, but he played through it.
Rivera will have an MRI today. He suffered a herniated disk while jogging on a treadmill shortly after signing with the Cowboys in 2005.
■ Briefly: Terrell Owens will go to Florida this week to get a second opinion on the torn tendon at the tip of his right index finger that he has been told needs surgery.
Staff Writer Chuck Carlton and DallasNews.com's Matt Mosley contributed to this report.
E-mail cwatkins@dallasnews.com
