Struggles may pave way to exits for Parcells, Gibbs

	Now in the seventh combined season of their NFC East comebacks, Bill Parcells and Joe Gibbs have made only two playoff appearances since their return. Doug Pensinger/Getty Images
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Joe Gibbs and Bill Parcells. Lions in winter.

"I'm ashamed to put out a team that plays like that,'' Parcells, the Dallas coach, said Monday night after his Cowboys got drilled by the Giants. He could have been speaking for both men, after Washington's poiseless players contributed to Gibbs' fifth loss this season Sunday at Indianapolis

Weird stat of the week: Gibbs and Parcells both lost 36-22 over the weekend.

Sad stat of the year: These two coaching giants are a combined 46-47 in their NFC East Comeback Tour in regular-season games, 1-2 in the playoffs.

Father Time stat of the year: Gibbs and Parcells are each 65.

We all wonder whether this is the end for both men, whether six months from now Parcells will be at his home in Saratoga Springs awaiting the summer thoroughbred meet and whether Gibbs will be back at his auto-racing garage in North Carolina, plotting how to win a stock car championship. These two used to own the playoffs and won five of the 10 Super Bowls between 1983 and 1992, but are in danger of leaving the game without winning a single postseason game beyond the wild-card round in their final coaching stops.

My guess is this is it for Parcells after four seasons in Dallas, win or lose this year. But he's got a little Evander Holyfield in him. You never say never with him, and you can't be sure what he'll do if Jerry Jones tries to persuade him to return for a last shot with a full year of Tony Romo under center. I do know from my recent conversations with him that he's not tired, not worn out. The piece on ESPN Monday night with the NFL Films wirings of him then and now -- with the Giants in the '80s and the Cowboys this summer -- showed a man as passionate about the job now as he was then. It's beyond frustrating to him, though, that he could put out a team that would leave a blitzer unblocked to cause a safety, throw four interceptions, allow six sacks and surrender 155 rushing yards.

Gibbs? I don't know. He's a proud man. He can't be happy with 19-22 in his NFL renaissance. He might say: "I've got to stick with this until I get it right, and my energy level is high.'' But he also might tell Dan Snyder he's not getting the job done, and you might want to go out and hire the next mercenary. I felt bad for Gibbs on Sunday, with the stupid Derrick Frost penalty for arguing and taking his helmet off on the field, with the undisciplined Antwaan Randle El celebration penalty, for his team losing an absolute must-win game by two touchdowns. The Redskins, 2-5, play eight of their last nine against serious playoff contenders. In other words, it ain't looking good.