IRVING – Bill Parcells was almost done with his postgame speech Sunday when Greg Ellis hobbled into the locker room on crutches, his left Achilles' tendon torn.
Parcells had the nine-year veteran and defensive captain call the team together following the Cowboys' 27-10 win against Arizona for one final time.
Ellis is expected to undergo surgery today and will miss the rest of the season.
The games, however, go on.
"That's the tough part of this game," Parcells said. "Sometimes inopportune things happen at the exact wrong time, but you just have to go forward and someone has to do something.
"But the contingency is something you face in this business all the time."
Parcells was not ready to give complete answers to how the Cowboys plan to replace Ellis, but he might go with the committee approach. The contenders are first-round pick Bobby Carpenter, veteran Al Singleton, recent pickup Junior Glymph and possibly Kevin Burnett.
"The problem we have is that Greg is one of our better run defenders and better pressure players," Parcells said, "so how to get that combination into the game may take more than one person."
The Cowboys drafted Carpenter with the 18th overall pick in April to be their strongside linebacker before Ellis proved he could make the transition from defensive end to linebacker.
Carpenter has been inactive for three games and has yet to make a defensive tackle. When Ellis got hurt Sunday, he got the call largely because the Cowboys were in their nickel defense.
"I can jump out there if needed," Carpenter said after Sunday's game. "I'd like to get a chance to play. If it's outside, then I'm all for it. I've been practicing mostly inside of late. A few weeks ago, I was practicing outside, and they have been moving me back and forth in case something happened. I didn't mind it."
The safest choice might be Singleton, one of Parcells' first free-agent signings in 2003. Before this season, Singleton had started 35 of 37 games in which he was healthy. He has been credited with two tackles this season, seeing most of his time on special teams.
Glymph was signed Oct. 20 off Pittsburgh's practice squad, but he has yet to play in a game. Like Ellis, he made the switch from end to linebacker in training camp. He had two sacks and two forced fumbles but was one of the final cuts.
Parcells is reluctant to move Burnett, because he does not want to affect two spots on the defense.
"Burnett has his niche going now," Parcells said. "He's nickel and special teams and that's providing some value to us, so I don't know who could replace him in that if I moved him."
Complicating Parcells' decision is Sunday's opponent: Indianapolis. Quarterback Peyton Manning is the NFL's highest-rated passer and has 18 touchdown passes with just three interceptions. He has been sacked only 10 times in 320 attempts.
Ellis was second to DeMarcus Ware on the team in sacks (4 ½) and had the third-most pressures. Without Ellis, who has led the Cowboys in sacks the last five seasons, more pressure is on Ware to get after the quarterback.
"It is going to be put on somebody," Parcells said. "Certainly he would be one. ... Sometimes now when you get down like we are, you are going to have to play it out."
When the Cowboys lost left tackle Flozell Adams in the sixth game last year, their season ended sourly because they did not have a capable replacement. In some ways, Ellis is as valuable to the defense as Adams was to the offense.
It's the fear of the unknown that worries Parcells.
"Maybe if I get [Carl] Banks out of retirement," said Parcells, recalling his former New York Giants linebacker. "This is not a good day to ask me that one. Let me figure it out, and we'll see what we do."
E-mail tarcher@dallasnews.com
With Greg Ellis out for the season with a torn left Achilles', the Cowboys could turn to a number of players to fill his role. Staff Writer Todd Archer assesses the possible replacements:
Bobby Carpenter
Pro: This is why he was drafted in the first round. He showed at Ohio State he could handle the strongside spot and rush the passer.
Con: With Ellis handling the switch with ease in training camp, Carpenter was moved inside and has not had as much practice time outside in the base defense.
Al Singleton
Pro: He has a wealth of experience and started seven games last year at strongside linebacker. With him, the coaches know he will always be in the right spot.
Con: He has only 3 ½ sacks in his career and does not bring much as a pass rusher, making him a first- and second-down player.
Kevin Burnett
Pro: He's extremely athletic and can hold up against the run against the tight end and has developed into a decent pass defender.
Con: By moving him outside, he would be taken out of his comfort zone in the nickel defense as an inside linebacker.
Junior Glymph
Pro: He showed in the preseason he can be a pressure player, with two sacks and two forced fumbles, but he got caught up in a numbers game and was released.
Con: He has not played in a regular-season game as a linebacker and spent time on Pittsburgh's and Baltimore's practice squads as a defensive end.
