IRVING – Bill Parcells wants everybody on his football team to zip it up and play.
One game remains in the regular season with a guarantee of at least one playoff appearance. But several players have been doing more talking than backing up their performance, and Parcells wants this team to focus so its postseason appearance doesn't end quickly.
In a Thursday morning meeting with his team, Parcells addressed the issue.
"You know, I tell the players all the time, it's a show-me game," he said. "There is too much talking."
Following Monday night's loss to Philadelphia, cornerback Terence Newman said he was tired of his teammates boasting about themselves and not backing it up on the field. Newman repeated the same comments the next day.
"Yeah, I know," Parcells said. "I gave them that speech in minicamp. I gave them that speech in [training camp]. I gave them the speech [Thursday]. The same one. That's what it is. It is time to show [what you can do] period. That is how you will be judged."
Newman's comments were mainly about the team in general.
Media outlets and tight end Jason Witten believed Newman was talking about receiver Terrell Owens.
After Monday's loss, Owens complained about not getting the ball sooner in the offense. Receiver Terry Glenn also voiced his displeasure of not getting the ball enough.
When Thursday's practice was over, Newman pulled Owens aside and said he wasn't talking about the receiver.
"I mean, obviously, he said it was a message for the whole team," Owens said. "It wasn't directed toward me."
Owens also said he had no problem with Witten misunderstanding Newman's comments.
"He was basically, I'm pretty sure, just answering the question," Owens said of Witten. "I don't really feel the need to go and talk to him about it. I don't really fault him. I'm pretty sure it was just something that kind of just fell in his lap."
Owens also backed up his statements about not getting into the offense soon enough. He believes getting the ball sooner can improve his effectiveness.
"You want to get all your players involved," Parcells said. "But, you know, it's funny. It really is funny. I got two 1,000-yard receivers. I got a 1,000-yard rusher. I got the second guy [Marion Barber] running for 15 touchdowns. I got a tight end [Witten] with 60 catches. Now, tell me again they are not involved."
Glenn is 62 yards from 1,000 receiving yards. If he achieves this, the Cowboys will have two 1,000-yard receivers, Owens being the other, and a 1,000-yard running back, Julius Jones, for the first time since 1979.
Owens' inability to catch the ball in key situations is another topic of discussion. He has a NFL-leading 14 drops. He voiced frustration over the drops and said the torn tendon at the tip of his right ring finger is hurting him. Owens will need surgery at the end of the season to repair the tendon.
He said there are no technique issues in how he catches the ball, though his two drops on Monday came with the ball going through his arms.
"It's frustrating, and I know my hand is messed up. And there's nothing I can do about that until after the season," Owens said. "I know that I'm not catching the ball as well as I should have, and I know my hand is a part of it. But I'm not going to make that an excuse.
"It is what it is. If I was going to make an excuse, I would have had the surgery. Then I wouldn't be sitting here talking about this."
With Owens and Newman talking, it appears things are frantic at Valley Ranch.
Maybe that's why Parcells decided it was time for another chat.
"It's a show-me game," Parcells said. "If you can do it, they call you champs. If you can't do it, they don't. It's as simple as that."
E-mail cwatkins@dallasnews.com
