IRVING – Defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban was upset he did not play last week
at Philadelphia, but he was more upset that he was not told of the
decision directly by coach Bill Parcells.
"To go in the locker room and see my equipment is not there, I think
that it was handled in a very classless manner," said Ekuban, becoming
the first player to publicly question Parcells since he became coach.
After starting 20 straight games entering last week, Ekuban was benched
in favor of Eric Ogbogu at right defensive end. It was the first time in
his career he was inactive when not hurt.
Defensive tackle Michael Myers found out he would not play against the
New York Giants after starting the season opener against Atlanta in a
similar fashion, as did kick returner Reggie Swinton. Myers was released
Oct. 7, and Swinton was later traded. Parcells did not personally inform
tailback Adrian Murrell that he had been released either.
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Smiley N. Pool / DMN
Defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban questioned coach Bill Parcells
this week after not being told he wouldn't play in last
Sunday's game against Philadelphia.
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"I don't understand why the decision was made," Ekuban said. "I don't
agree with it. I definitely don't agree with the way it was brought
about, but my attitude will be the same. I'm going to go out and work
hard. I don't want to be a distraction to the team because we still have
our overall goal of making the playoffs available."
Parcells said he made the move to Ogbogu because Ekuban had not
produced. Ogbogu has two more tackles (24 to 22) than Ekuban but both
players have 2 ½ sacks and seven quarterback pressures. Ogbogu has
forced three fumbles and Ekuban had two.
But Ogbogu's statistics came in fewer snaps.
"It's a production game, so I played [Ogbogu]," Parcells said. "[Ekuban]
will probably play again some more this year, but we had to make a
couple of choices for Philadelphia about who we wanted to take for
certain reasons."
Ekuban said he has not spoken with Parcells, "and he's not talked to me.
I don't see a need to talk to him. If he's got anything to say to me,
he's going to say something."
After posting a career-high 6 ½ sacks in 2000, Ekuban missed all but one
game in 2001 because of back surgery and had just one sack last season.
Of the teams still in playoff contention, the 24 sacks the Cowboys have
registered this year are the lowest. Dallas had only 24 sacks in 2002.
"I'm disappointed for Ebenezer," owner and general manager Jerry Jones
said Tuesday. "But I know that he has the attitude and has the will to
get back in there and play well the last three ballgames if he's given
the opportunity."
Ekuban, a No. 1 pick in 1999, is a free agent after the season and
believes he is entering his final month with the Cowboys. The team has
not negotiated with his agent this season, as it did with Greg Ellis,
who signed a seven-year extension in September.
Finding a pass-rushing defensive end figures to be among the Cowboys'
bigger needs in either free agency or the draft.
"If I'm inactive, I pretty much know what they're going to do," Ekuban
said. "I don't lose any sleep over trying to figure out whether the
Cowboys are going to retain me. I think the decision has already been
made. For these last three games and hopefully more, we'll just try to
stay positive."
Reeves firing no shock to Parcells
Coach Bill Parcells was not pleased to see Atlanta fire coach Dan Reeves
, a former Cowboy, Wednesday, but he was not surprised either.
"This industry now has become like many other industries in this country
[with] instant gratification," Parcells said. "You know, you just look
at the number of jobs that there are in this league and then you look at
the annual turnover in the jobs generally speaking, and I'd like you to
name another industry that has that ratio."
E-mail tarcher@dallasnews.com
3: The number of times
quarterback Patrick Ramsey was sacked per game in 11 contests he was in
before he was knocked out of the Nov. 23 game at Miami with a slight
concussion. Since his departure his replacement, Tim Hasselbeck, has
been sacked only three times in four games. In Hasselbeck's first start
against New Orleans, he was not sacked, the only time this season a
Washington quarterback has been spared.
Todd Archer
Jessie Armstead
Redskins linebacker
Armstead led Carter High School to a Class 5A state championship his
senior year, making an astonishing 302 tackles to go with nine sacks and
five interceptions. He earned a criminal justice degree at the University
of Miami in three years and took grad school courses in his last year of
eligibility.
The New York Giants selected him with the 207th overall pick, but he was
named the team's rookie of the year in 1993. He led the Giants in
tackles from 1996-2000, making more than 100 in each season.
He signed with Washington on March 1, 2002, and tied for the team lead
in tackles with linebacker LaVar Arrington with 107. This season, he has
84 tackles with 5 ½ sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He has
not missed a game in his 11 years, and he has started 125 straight games.
Todd Archer
