Cowboys

With his blue Cowboys No. 81 jersey already tucked in his bag and his shades firmly fastened in front of his eyes, Terrell Owens still had no chance of going unnoticed after the NFC's Pro Bowl practice Wednesday. Not that escaping incognito was what the Cowboys receiver had in mind.

So while a few hundred Cowboys fans screamed for him, Owens sat on a small bench for one interview. Then he sprinted -- no, make that sauntered -- a few yards before a TV crew caught up, along with some other reporters.

By the time Cowboys T.O. made his way to the team bus, he'd stopped for a handful of chats with a variety of media types. All in a day's work.

The Cowboys ,Owens said it was the "first time I've done that," meaning ignoring the big game. Maybe he was afraid of being moved to tears if the Giants won, which they did, 17-14

He believes that opportunity will come now that offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, the Cowboys' head coach in waiting, is returning with a lucrative new contract. Owens considers Garrett, along with Romo, to be his major ally.

"Jason Garrett knows how to utilize me best," Cowboys Owens said. "We spent most of the offseason working, prior to minicamps and training camp, and he convinced me that would be the No. 1 (priority). It was, we had a lot of fun and we lived up to the expectations.

Cowboys finished 13-3 this season, winning the NFC East and scoring 455 points, second only to the potent Patriots. But the Cowboys were 0-1 in the playoffs, and Owens played on a gimpy ankle that sidelined him for the season finale and more than two weeks of practice.

After that defeat, Owens broke down in tears.

The Cowboys for sure will be gunning for the Super Bowl next year.