Shades Of Gray Don't Slow Vinny By Steve Doerschuk Canton Repository Sports Writer 9/19/04 DALLAS -- The symbol of the Cowboys -- a single blue star -- passes as apt imagery for quarterback Vinny Testaverde. As long as Testaverde has played, as stand-up as he has been in all the tense locker rooms, as many yards (41,298) as his NFL completions (3,363) have covered, a single blue fact remains. He has never risen above the rank of one-star general. Heading into today's Texas-oven-roasted game against the Browns, Testaverde's career record as a starting quarterback is 82-107-1. He is 2-3 in the postseason, never getting farther than the 1998 AFC finals with the Jets, who fell 23-10 to Denver. He hates that. "If I had won a Super Bowl," he said, "more than likely I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you." Vincent Frank Testaverde will turn 41 two weeks before Thanksgiving. In NFL terms, he is beyond ancient. Bill Belichick, who was Testaverde's head coach in Cleveland, employs a quarterbacks coach, Josh McDaniels, who is 13 years younger than Vinny. "When I'm 40," said Jeff Garcia, the Browns' 34-year-old quarterback, "I don't know if I'll still be able to scratch and claw. More power to him." Testaverde's power comes from 63-year-old Cowboys Head Coach Bill Parcells. The Cowboys rode a top-ranked defense to the playoffs last year, but the offense was rough behind quarterback Quincy Carter. Parcells built his offense around Testaverde when they were with the Jets. Yes, Testaverde got old, but ... The Oakland Raiders reached a Super Bowl with a golden oldies air corps of Rich Gannon, Jerry Rice and Tim Brown. Parcells hopes for that in Dallas with Testaverde and wideouts Keyshawn Johnson and Terry Glenn. In fact, the offense was more promising than the defense in the Cowboys 35-17 loss at Minnesota. Testaverde, the No. 1 pick of the 1987 draft, threw for 355 yards, an NFL Game-1 best. Johnson, the No. 1 pick of the 1996 draft, caught nine passes for 111 yards. "I played with Keyshawn with the Jets," Testaverde said. "I know his body language. I have a great feeling for him. It showed up in our first game." Garcia showed up in the Browns' first game in time to help. Cleveland's defense, though, did the heavy lifting during a 20-3 rout of Baltimore. Middle linebacker Andra Davis sounded confident about containing a Dallas offense that will fall back on Testaverde if a running game featuring Eddie George sputters a second-straight week. Davis doesn't get stars in his eyes over the Browns' first expansion-era meeting with "America's Team." "America's Team? Not for me," Davis said. "I've never been down there. It's just another team in our way." Davis earned a game ball for his role in neutralizing running back Jamal Lewis. "It wasn't like I made that many tackles," Davis said with a grin. "It seemed like every time I got there, Warrick Holdman was tackling him. He's taking all my plays." Holdman is the Browns' new starting weakside linebacker. The strongside linebacker spot remains one of the few unsettled spots, with Ben Taylor starting but Chaun Thompson's role expanding. The offense has been without running back Lee Suggs (neck stinger). Head Coach Butch Davis has guarded Suggs' status for the game like a state secret. It's no secret fatigue could come into play. Temperatures are expected 90-something. "Drink up," said Browns defensive tackle Michael Myers, an ex-Cowboy. "We should be all right if we keep rolling people in, keeping everybody fresh." Rolling in at defensive end will be Ebenezer Ekuban, a former first-round draft choice of the Cowboys who started for them in a Jan . 4 playoff loss to Carolina. Parcells didn't fight to keep Ekuban off the free-agency market. "There's nothing bad I can say about the Dallas organization," Ekuban said. "I was there five years. They gave me an opportunity. They're first class." Ekuban might make Parcells sorry. Rotating at end with Courtney Brown and Kernard Lang, Ekuban had five quarterback pressures against the young Kyle Boller. Today, the object is to rattle old man Testaverde. At this stage of his career, Testaverde might be past rattling. All he wants is a Super Bowl before he wears out. "I'm just taking it one game at a time," he said. "Forget one year at a time."