SEAHAWKS GUARD OUT: Seattle starting right guard Chris Gray will miss the playoffs after tearing a ligament in his right knee during Saturday's game. The 11-year veteran has started 74 consecutive games for the Seahawks dating to the 1999 season.
Floyd Womack, a third-year player who usually plays tackle, will start for Gray. He has started 14 games in his career, including four this season.
PANTHERS SEEK RESPECT: Carolina won 11 games, the NFC South and earned the third seed. However, it believes it has fallen into the shadow of the Cowboys.
As the teams prepare to meet in the first round of the playoffs Saturday in Charlotte, the Panthers feel overlooked.
"I don't think we get the respect we deserve," defensive end Julius Peppers said. "Just before this year, everybody was like, "They're not going to do that good.' But now we are here, and nobody is giving us a chance to beat them."
Maybe it's the star on their helmet, a winning tradition or Bill Parcells roaming the sideline. Whatever it is, the Cowboys have an aura about them that Carolina is a little fed up with.
"I wasn't even born when they got that title, so I don't know why they are America's Team," defensive tackle Brentson Buckner said. "I read a couple books, but I never got the answer for it. Does it irk you? Yeah, because you are out here doing the same thing."
COWBOYS CONFOUND COACH: Parcells admits to being bewildered by his team.
"When you look around your team and ask yourself, "How many of these guys think the proper way about the game and have a good understanding?' That's where I have the collective thought of, "Gee whiz, there is a lot of work to do along those lines,' " Parcells said.
What drives Parcells insane is Dallas' inconsistency.
He believed silly mistakes such as false starts had been stripped down to a bare minimum only to watch them and penalties like them hamstring his team Sunday. He believed his players had finally figured what's what until defensive end Eric Ogbogu raced onto the field without his helmet.
He believed the Cowboys were ready for the playoffs. Then they lost 13-7 to the Saints on Sunday.
"I told them after the game, "If we don't play well, first of all, we could never beat a good team, and certainly any team in the league would have a really good chance to beat us.' That's where we are right now," Parcells said. "Even though our record says a little differently, I know for a fact that's where we are."
