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MRIs Negative, but Receiver Not Ready to Play
By STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP
IRVING, Texas (Aug. 23) - Terrell Owens won't be in any hurry to get off the bicycle this time.
Like he did for most practices during training camp in Oxnard, Calif., Owens rode a stationary bicycle Wednesday when the Dallas Cowboys held their first workout at home. The receiver said he reaggravated his left hamstring injury by returning to practice too soon last week.
"At this point, yeah, I will be close to 100 percent before I get back on the field," Owens said. "I'm not going to jeopardize my health just because of speculation or anything like that."
Owens characterized his injury as a "severe pull" and said he almost certainly will miss his third straight preseason game. The Cowboys play at home Saturday night against San Francisco , Owens' original team.
"It's frustrating, but it's not where I need it to be to play and perform like I need to," Owens said. "So at this point, I'm going to be smart about it."
Asked if he could play if the regular season were starting, Owens said, "I doubt it, not the way I need to play."
After missing 14 consecutive training camp practices and the preseason opener in Seattle because of the hamstring problem that has bothered him all month, Owens returned for five practices last week. He then missed the final full workout in California and didn't play Monday night against New Orleans in Shreveport, La., after the hamstring tightened up on him.
Owens had returned to practice after Cowboys owner Jerry Jones suggested that the receiver needed to learn how to practice at less than 100 percent. His first practice back came only hours after coach Bill Parcells reiterated that Owens needed to be on the field.
"I felt like I was never pressured to get back on the field. I just tried to compromise with some people, just try to be around the team and get back out there," Owens said. "It just flared up again."
Owens first felt a twinge in his hamstring Aug. 2, but an MRI taken three days later was clear. Owens said another MRI taken this week was also negative, with only a little fluid in the hamstring.
"Just because the MRI doesn't show anything, that doesn't mean that I'm not hurting," Owens said. "I got to a point where I was feeling a little bit healthier (last week), obviously to go out there and practice. I felt like I got more reps than my body was ready for, than my injury was ready for."
Owens went through individual and team drills last week, running routes at full speed and making hard cuts without any apparent problems.
While saying he would take a "majority" of the blame for doing too much, Owens said he thought he was only going to be doing "limited stuff" on the field.
"That went out the window after the first day," Owens said.
Dallas has its final preseason game five nights after playing the 49ers .
It's possible that Owens might not play in a game for Dallas until the Sept. 10 season opener at Jacksonville . He hasn't played in a game with quarterback Drew Bledsoe , and the Dallas offense is different from the West Coast scheme Owens played in for the 49ers and Philadelphia .
"He is pretty much up on what to do," Parcells said. "He has been very attentive in meetings and trying to learn. There are some adjustments for him to make. Where he is and actually doing it is hard to tell. ... I'm going to have to see something."
Owens said he's not concerned about the possibility of not playing in the preseason. He wants to make sure he is healthy for the regular season.
"I don't really have any doubts about if I'm going to perform or not," he said. "Obviously, I need to get on the field ... to try to get in a rhythm in the offense. I think that will come with time, and I don't think I'm too far off."
Except he's not getting any closer riding a stationary bike.
By STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP
IRVING, Texas (Aug. 23) - Terrell Owens won't be in any hurry to get off the bicycle this time.
Like he did for most practices during training camp in Oxnard, Calif., Owens rode a stationary bicycle Wednesday when the Dallas Cowboys held their first workout at home. The receiver said he reaggravated his left hamstring injury by returning to practice too soon last week.
"At this point, yeah, I will be close to 100 percent before I get back on the field," Owens said. "I'm not going to jeopardize my health just because of speculation or anything like that."
Owens characterized his injury as a "severe pull" and said he almost certainly will miss his third straight preseason game. The Cowboys play at home Saturday night against San Francisco , Owens' original team.
"It's frustrating, but it's not where I need it to be to play and perform like I need to," Owens said. "So at this point, I'm going to be smart about it."
Asked if he could play if the regular season were starting, Owens said, "I doubt it, not the way I need to play."
After missing 14 consecutive training camp practices and the preseason opener in Seattle because of the hamstring problem that has bothered him all month, Owens returned for five practices last week. He then missed the final full workout in California and didn't play Monday night against New Orleans in Shreveport, La., after the hamstring tightened up on him.
Owens had returned to practice after Cowboys owner Jerry Jones suggested that the receiver needed to learn how to practice at less than 100 percent. His first practice back came only hours after coach Bill Parcells reiterated that Owens needed to be on the field.
"I felt like I was never pressured to get back on the field. I just tried to compromise with some people, just try to be around the team and get back out there," Owens said. "It just flared up again."
Owens first felt a twinge in his hamstring Aug. 2, but an MRI taken three days later was clear. Owens said another MRI taken this week was also negative, with only a little fluid in the hamstring.
"Just because the MRI doesn't show anything, that doesn't mean that I'm not hurting," Owens said. "I got to a point where I was feeling a little bit healthier (last week), obviously to go out there and practice. I felt like I got more reps than my body was ready for, than my injury was ready for."
Owens went through individual and team drills last week, running routes at full speed and making hard cuts without any apparent problems.
While saying he would take a "majority" of the blame for doing too much, Owens said he thought he was only going to be doing "limited stuff" on the field.
"That went out the window after the first day," Owens said.
Dallas has its final preseason game five nights after playing the 49ers .
It's possible that Owens might not play in a game for Dallas until the Sept. 10 season opener at Jacksonville . He hasn't played in a game with quarterback Drew Bledsoe , and the Dallas offense is different from the West Coast scheme Owens played in for the 49ers and Philadelphia .
"He is pretty much up on what to do," Parcells said. "He has been very attentive in meetings and trying to learn. There are some adjustments for him to make. Where he is and actually doing it is hard to tell. ... I'm going to have to see something."
Owens said he's not concerned about the possibility of not playing in the preseason. He wants to make sure he is healthy for the regular season.
"I don't really have any doubts about if I'm going to perform or not," he said. "Obviously, I need to get on the field ... to try to get in a rhythm in the offense. I think that will come with time, and I don't think I'm too far off."
Except he's not getting any closer riding a stationary bike.
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