Testaverde Saves the Cowboys

Bill Parcells wants to develop Drew Henson into an NFL quarterback and he wants to win games. If he has to pick one, he’ll take winning every time.

So with the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears playing terribly and tied at halftime, Parcells pulled Henson from his first start, turned to Vinny Testaverde and walked away with a 21-7 victory Thursday, ending a three-game losing streak.

“I’m going to relax and enjoy this,” Parcells said. “I didn’t know whether we were going to get another one or not for a while.”

At least the Cowboys (4-7) came away feeling good about one youngster on offense, running back Julius Jones. The second-round pick from Notre Dame followed his 81-yard, 30-carry performance in his starting debut Sunday with 150 yards and two touchdowns in 33 carries against the Bears.

In the first quarter, Henson led a 62-yard, five-play drive that included a nifty 33-yard touchdown run by Jones. But the only points Henson produced the rest of the half were for Chicago -- an interception that R.W. McQuarters returned for a touchdown.

Henson completed four of 12 passes for 31 yards in two quarters. Parcells told him, “Good job,” and that he was going with Testaverde.

Henson spent the second half mostly standing alone, flipping through overhead pictures and listening to play calls by holding his helmet to his ear.

“You go in and try not to make mistakes, but the times that you do, you just learn from it,” Henson said.

Testaverde started slowly, then in the fourth quarter capped a drive with a two-yard touchdown pass to Darian Barnes. An interception on Chicago’s next snap brought the Cowboys right back on the field and soon after Jones scampered four yards up the middle for his second touchdown.

Testaverde completed nine of 14 passes for 92 yards.

Parcells wouldn’t say who will start next at quarterback, but he has until a week from Monday night to decide.