IRVING, Texas (AP) – Bill Parcells was about to put the Dallas Cowboys’ victory over the Carolina Panthers in perspective. He was going to tell his players what they did right and wrong, explain the significance of the win and describe the playoff ramifications.

He couldn’t. He was too choked up to get it all out.

It didn’t matter. Whatever Parcells might have said couldn’t have had the same impact on players as the teary-eyed reaction from their stern, demanding boss in the locker room following a 24-20 victory Sunday.

“That was something special,” tight end Dan Campbell said Monday. “It’s something I’ll never forget – ever. He’s a hard man, a hard coach, but he gives credit when credit is due. That speaks volumes.”

This game meant more than usual because of several factors. Although the Cowboys have gone from three straight losing seasons to being tied for the division lead, they’d been shut out in two of the previous four games and weren’t so impressive in the wins. Only one of the seven teams they’d beaten had a winning record as of Sunday and two of their three losses were to teams with losing records.

If they didn’t turn it around against Carolina, a bigger slide was possible considering Miami and a trip to Philadelphia were next. Doing so against the Panthers wasn’t going to be easy because of a defense Parcells called the most physical they’d faced.

, and Carolina’s knack for winning in the closing minutes made him fear the game wouldn’t be decided until time ran out.

“I knew that this game was going to be very important to this team – probably more than they knew it,” Parcells said Monday.

Despite 10 penalties, including pass interference calls that helped set up 17 of Carolina’s 20 points, two missed field goals and a practically forgotten running game, the Cowboys never trailed and were able to hold the ball the final 3:47, preventing Carolina from even trying another comeback.

Add all those factors together and it’s understandable why someone as devoted as Parcells would come a little unglued.

“Eventually the team has to be convinced that all the hard work that they do is worth something. When you win a game like that, that makes a lot of what you do worthwhile,” he said. “It’s hard to explain. It just overcomes you sometimes a little bit. That’s all. I’m not ashamed of it.”

Parcells said he was over it as soon as he left Texas Stadium. He then drove straight to team headquarters to start preparing for Thursday’s game against Miami.

When players arrived Monday, many felt a new bond with their coach forged in the locker room Sunday. Defensive tackle La’Roi Glover called that scene as important as the victory.

“Guys are believing that if you just handle your business, go out and prepare the right way, you can go out against anybody and be successful,” he said.

Safety Darren Woodson, the lone remaining member from Dallas’ three Super Bowl teams in the 1990s, said Parcells’ reaction showed him how passionate his coach is.

“That’s why guys really follow him, because we understand how much it means to him,” Woodson said. “And it wasn’t just him. A lot of guys in there were feeling it.”

Fullback Richie Anderson was probably the least surprised. He was on the Jets when the 1-15 team Parcells inherited went 9-7, narrowly missing the playoffs, his first season, then reached the AFC championship game the next year. Anderson said Parcells choked up several times those seasons.

“He’s human,” Anderson said.

Of course he is. But he’s never shown it, certainly not in front of the whole team, and definitely not to some of the players he’s been toughest on, such as quarterback Quincy Carter and receiver Antonio Bryant. Both considered it a breakthrough moment.

“Him showing that kind of emotion, I think, is his way of saying thank you,” Bryant said. “It’s like his approval.”

“It’s almost like a dad when he’s proud of you,” Carter said.

Defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban was among the few who laughed off the significance of seeing Parcells be more like Dick Vermeil than, well, Bill Parcells.

“At least now we know that he has emotions,” Ekuban said. “Now we know that he’s not just a straight-faced coach who is just going to tell you about Xs and Os. He’s going to be a little bit joyful, a little bit happy.

“It’s good to know he has that side, too.”

AP-ES-11-24-03 1841EST