Looks as if Singleton Will Start for Ellis

Expect Al Singleton to start Sunday in Greg Ellis' place at strongside outside linebacker. Ellis is on injured reserve following season-ending surgery Tuesday to repair his left Achilles tendon.

Bill Parcells said he wasn't sure who would replace Ellis in the starting lineup or as a pass-rushing defensive end with the Cowboys' nickel defense, but did give a clue by referring to the candidates in this order: Singleton, Bobby Carpenter, Kevin Burnett and Junior Glymph. Rookie defensive end Jason Hatcher could take Ellis' role in the nickel. It's likely that Carpenter would replace Singleton in passing situations.

Parcells said, "I don't want to do much with Burnett because I expect him to be in the nickel a lot. There are no pass-run situations with these [Colts]."

Big Bill said he hasn't been able to find a qualified street free agent at linebacker to add to the active roster.

He said, "We're thin at tight end, running back and linebacker. On the defensive line we're kind of OK, but if something big happened we'd have some trouble." Dallas re-signed fullback Lousaka Polite for the third time this year to help in the offensive backfield.

Here's some stuff you might not have known about Singleton:

His greatest asset, according to Parcells, is that he's "reliable." Singleton's like the milkman -- which means he shows up every day, for those who don't remember milkmen, who went out when gasoline went over 30 cents a gallon and lawsuits became in vogue.

No wonder The Tuna likes Singleton: He's another Jersey guy, who starred at Irvington High School and across the Delaware River at Temple.

His full name is Alshermond Glendale Singleton.

He's a newlywed, having been married last June.