Vinny's Back In Saddle Bob Glauber Newsday 8/8/04 So we finally get to find out about Vinny Testaverde once and for all. Does he still have something left at age 40? Or is the guy dreaming that he can somehow lead the Cowboys back to the playoffs now that Quincy Carter's ill-fated stint in Dallas is over? Jets fans who watched Testaverde the last two seasons can easily conclude that he's through. With 12 starts in that span, he threw a mere 10 touchdown passes. He lost his job to Chad Pennington after five games in 2002, and the Jets won only twice in Testaverde's seven starts last year before Pennington returned from a wrist injury. But don't discount the possibility that Testaverde will perform at a higher level with Dallas than he did in his final seasons with the Jets. Bill Parcells was a master at bringing out the best in Testaverde during a career year in 1998, when he threw 29 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. Though it's unrealistic to expect those kinds of numbers at his age, it is reasonable to assume that Parcells will tailor the offense far more effectively for Testaverde than the Jets did the previous three years. From the start, Testaverde was ill-suited for Jets offensive coordinator Paul Hackett's West Coast offense. Testaverde is a pure drop-back passer - period - but Hackett had him do more of the dink-and-dunk stuff to keep the chains moving. The two styles never meshed, and Testaverde was largely handcuffed, unable to air it out like he did under Parcells. But Parcells will have Testaverde throw it downfield plenty, and the Cowboys' talented receiving corps of Keyshawn Johnson, Testaverde's former go-to guy in New York, Terry Glenn and Antonio Bryant, is as solid a group of receivers Testaverde has ever had. The Eddie George signing gives the running game a lift and allows rookie tailback Julius Jones to ease into the lineup, taking even more pressure off Testaverde. "This is an offense I've run with Bill," Testaverde said. "So I'm very confident that I can be successful within this system." Now it remains to be seen whether Testaverde can hold up for an entire season, or whether Parcells will have to turn to untested Drew Henson - or perhaps backup Tony Romo - earlier than he'd like. "I can't sit here and tell you I'm going to make it through the season," Testaverde said. "Not very many starting quarterbacks do make it through a full season, no matter what the age. But I know I've worked my butt off to give myself the best chance to go through a full season." Testaverde's leadership is also a plus, especially given the difficult circumstances the team now faces. Parcells stunned the team with the release of Carter, who recently tested positive a second time for substance abuse. The team is now under scrutiny from the NFL Players Association, which will investigate the possibility the Cowboys violated the collective-bargaining agreement by releasing Carter because of substance-abuse problems. Team sources have contended that Carter's release was a culmination of factors, not simply a drug problem. Testaverde's professionalism will go a long way toward easing the controversy, and Henson can have no finer teacher as he embarks on his NFL career. Parcells can only hope Testaverde can play long enough and effectively enough to make the transition a seamless one.