At some point it has to happen, right? At some point all of this nonsense that was created by Terrell Owens a week ago has to catch up with the Dallas Cowboys, right?

As Dallas gets set to take on the Baltimore Ravens tonight, there seems to be a cloud hanging over Valley Ranch just ready to unleash a bolt of lighting and destroy the Cowboys’ season in a moments notice. And while everything looked just peachy in a 20-8 victory over the Giants last week, I’m not buying that things have completely smoothed out for Owens, Tony Romo, Jason Witten, Wade Phillips and everyone else that dons a big star logo on their clothing appeal these days.

First and foremost, everything is always great among teammates when they win. So it was no surprise to see Owens, Romo and Witten all smiles at the end of the Cowboys-Giants game last week, because Dallas won. Problems seem to get pushed off to the side rather quickly when everything is copasetic on the field.

But what has to worry Cowboy fans is that eventually, off-field issues rise to the surface at some point. And one has to wonder if some point is tonight.

The Ravens have a nasty taste in their mouths after losing at home to the Steelers last week when they essentially had a victory locked up. Ben Rothlisberger and the Pittsburgh offense had done virtually nothing until their final drive of the game, yet they made plays when it mattered most and pulled victory out of the jaws of defeat. Now Baltimore’s playoff hopes remain in flux, but a win over Dallas would go a long way in solving that issue.

If things start going array for the ‘Boys tonight, can they hold everything together? Or will Owens start complaining that he’s not getting the ball enough? And will Romo start turning the ball over again like he has a penchant for doing when the Cowboys are losing? Or will Jason Garrett have an answer for the Ravens’ stout defense if his offense isn’t clicking? (Especially if Marion Barber doesn’t play or cannot be effective with an injured toe and calf.)

Many purists think the Cowboys are back on track after their impressive victory over the Giants last week. They can’t stop writing about how Phillips has fixed the defense and how the trio of Owens, Romo and Witten are all best friends now. Hey, maybe they’re right. Or maybe the win over New York just kept the issues at bay for a week. Either way, we’ll find out very soon what kind of team Dallas is made out of because a win would go a long way in proving that this team is what many people thought they would be at the start of the year: A Super Bowl contender.

Here’s a quick Week 16 preview for all of the early games with playoff implications in the NFL this week:

Ravens at Cowboys, 8:15PM ET Saturday NFL Network
It’s a shame that only four people will have the opportunity to see this game Saturday night due to the broadcast being on NFL Network. It appears that Marion Barber will play again this week but he doesn’t have a great matchup against a stout Baltimore defense. The Ravens will continue to pound the ball on the ground and keep rookie quarterback Joe Flacco protected, which was one thing the Giants failed to do last week for Eli Manning when they gave up eight sacks in a loss to Dallas. The Cowboys are playing their best defense of the season right now but will all of their off-field issues eventually catch up to them? Can Terrell Owens behave? Will Tony Romo hold this team together?

Steelers at Titans, 1:00PM ET, CBS
Home field advantage in the AFC is on the line in this game, but Tennessee is in trouble. Not only are the Titans coming off a loss, but they also lost DT Albert Haynesworth for the season and managed to score just 12 points on the suddenly hot Houston Texans last Sunday. The Steelers, meanwhile, continue to play the best defense of any team in the NFL and while they still have of a fair amount of issues on the offensive side of the ball, they appear to be the team to beat in the NFL right now. We’ll find out a lot about both teams this Sunday in a game that should be a massive defensive struggle.

Cardinals at Patriots, 1:00PM ET FOX
New England is currently locked in a three-way tie in the AFC East although a win over Arizona would go a long way in earning a division crown because they wrap up the season against the hapless Bills next week. The Cardinals might have won the NFC West two weeks ago, but at 8-6 they don’t look like a team ready for the postseason. They have yet to beat a quality opponent on the road and their defense looked disastrous last week in allowing the Vikings’ Tarvaris Jackson to throw four touchdown passes and Adrian Peterson to do whatever he wanted on the ground. If they hope to get any momentum before the playoffs, the Cards might want to start with a win this Sunday in Foxboro. But that might be tough to do against a Patriots team on a mission.

Chargers at Buccaneers, 1:00PM ET CBS
The Broncos have kept the Chargers in the playoff mix but San Diego’s hopes are hanging by a thread. One more loss or a Denver win and they would officially be eliminated. Tampa Bay is coming off two straight losses to divisional opponents and injuries are mounting along the defensive line. The Buccaneers’ once stout run defense has been gashed for over 450 yards the past two weeks and if LaDainain Tomlinson can get going, the Chargers might be the next opponent to run amuck on Tampa. Still, the Bucs are in good shape for the playoffs if they can muster a win Sunday and they should have a huge advantage this week with wideout Antonio Bryant going against a spotty San Diego secondary. If the Bucs win out, they’ll secure one of the Wild Card seeds in the NFC and after hosting the Chargers this week, they wrap up the season against the Raiders at Raymond James.

Randy Galloway of the Star-Telegram ripped Dallas Cowboys’ wideout Terrell Owens for calling ESPN reporter Ed Werder a “liar” last week when it was reported that T.O. had a problem with Tony Romo favoring Jason Witten in the passing game because the two are best buds.

You already know the story of what Werder reported last week. You already know Owens went on national TV after the Sunday night win over the Giants and called Werder a “liar.” You might or might not know Owens climbed atop the interview room podium a few minutes later and maybe a half dozen times called Werder a “liar,” and “unprofessional,” and said “he made it all up.”

That was Eldo’s story and he was sticking to it.

But on Tuesday, Werder’s employer, the mighty Bristol boys (by the way, I also draw a paycheck from those people), gave Owens free time to once again jump the butt of one of the nation’s most respected and most veteran NFL reporters, someone who has covered the Cowboys since 1989.
Maybe the suits in Bristol are smarter than I thought. Or maybe Owens is dumber than I thought. OK, nope, that last part couldn’t have been the case.

Anyway, Owens trapped himself with this comment on national TV:

“I believe someone said it,” he revealed. Really, Mr. Owens.

“Someone” would be the unidentified teammate who told Werder that Owens was jealous of the Tony Romo-Jason Witten friendship, and he believed they were conspiring to keep the ball from being thrown Eldo’s way.

So after repeatedly calling Werder a “liar,” after repeatedly saying Werder “made it all up,” now this fool tells a national audience he “believes someone said it.”

Galloway goes on to say that T.O. owes Werder an apology and that other Cowboy players (including linebacker Bradie James) aren’t denying having to play peacemaker between Owens and Romo.

All of this drama and yet the Cowboys stifle the defending Super Bowl champions on Sunday night. Amazing…

The Dallas Cowboys’ talented trio of Tony Romo, Jason Witten and Terrell Owens appeared to have put their problems aside Sunday night in an impressive 20-8 win over the New York Giants. But both Romo and Witten were no-shows at Owens’ annual birthday party, which has turned into a celebrity fund-raiser in the Dallas area.

Cowboy officials wanted to paint a picture of team unity at this event and cited that both Romo and Witten were receiving treatment for injuries sustained in the game on Sunday as the reason for them not showing up at the charity event.

Cowboys LB Greg Ellis said it was important to send the message that “we are one team. There are not any problems. We are not a team divided and we are sticking together.”

The beneficiary of Owens’ fund-raiser was his Catch-A-Dream Foundation, which raises money to aid 81 families in the Dallas area for the holiday season.

The Dallas Cowboys put all of the internal bickering and inner squabbling that dominated the headlines at Valley Ranch last week behind them Sunday night and came up with a massive 20-8 win over their division rivals the New York Giants, who lost back to back games for the first time all season.

Tony Romo was excellent, completing 20 of 30 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns, as well as Tashard Choice, who rushed nine times for 91 yards and a game-clinching 38-yard touchdown run. But the Dallas defense was the true hero, sacking Eli Manning eight times, intercepting him once and limited a Brandon Jacobs-less Giants’ running game to just 72 yards.

For the moment, the win puts the Cowboys in the fifth playoff spot in the NFC. They’ll host the Ravens next Sunday before wrapping up the season in Philadelphia on December 28. If they continue to get this kind of defensive effort and can keep from killing each other in between games, Dallas will not only make the playoffs but they could potentially make a deep run, as well. One game at a time though.

As for the Giants, they’re now 0-2 since Plaxico Burress accidentally shot himself in the leg at a nightclub and suddenly their offense looks incredibly ordinary. Getting Jacobs back will obviously help, but if the offensive line plays as badly as they did Sunday night in Dallas, the G-Men won’t get past anyone come January.

Two weeks ago the Giants beat the Redskins in convincing fashion and everyone thought they were a lock for the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Now a loss next week at home against the Panthers and Carolina would own the top spot in the conference. It’s amazing how quickly things can turn on a dime in the NFL.

According to a report by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Cowboys’ wide receiver Terrell Owens and tight end Jason Witten had to be separated after getting into a heated debate during a team meeting on Friday.

“It’s a dead issue,” receiver Patrick Crayton said.

It might be, but it didn’t come without a near altercation Friday between Owens and tight end Jason Witten in the Cowboys’ locker room. According to two sources, the two exchanged words before being separated. Both players acted as if everything was fine when the media was allowed in the locker room. But Owens was still clearly miffed.

Which is why it’s not a dead issue and won’t be unless the Cowboys can pull together and not only beat the Giants but make a playoff run.

Despite the best efforts of all those involved to dismiss, deny or downplay any and everything, it’s become apparent the loose semblance of control has unbuckled at Valley Ranch, and the fragility of a team of which so much is expected continues to crack. A season that should be about what happens on the field continues to be more about everything but.

No. 1: Owens denied an ESPN report that he is envious of the relationship between Witten and Tony Romo.

“What do I have to be jealous of?” Owens said. “Look at me, I’m … Anything that goes on, I am going to be the scapegoat. I’m handsome as hell. trying to figure out how I make the headlines and I don’t even say anything.”

Asked if he was cool with Witten and Romo, Owens said: “I’m cool with everybody. We addressed everything. Coach addressed everything. Everything is everything.”

Said Witten of having priority with Romo: “I don’t want people thinking that. Obviously I have a lot of respect for Terrell and I think it’s the same way. He’s a hell of a player.”

No. 2: The meeting Crayton, Owens and Roy Williams had with offensive coordinator Jason Garrett about trying to get the ball more, and the alleged tunnel vision Romo has for Witten.
The official line Friday was that meetings take place all the time; it’s no big deal.

The unofficial line is those players were irritated at not being thrown the ball late in the Cowboys’ 20-13 loss Sunday in Pittsburgh. They want the ball. Period.

No. 3: Cornerback Terence Newman’s phone interview with ESPNFirst Take on Friday morning, when he said there is not enough accountability by players, as well as the coaching staff.

One of two things usually happens when internal bickering starts to take over a team: 1) Players will band together and rise above it or 2) The team will implode on the field and frustrations will boil over. Considering the Cowboys have a brutal three-game stretch ahead of them, it’ll be interesting to see if the players unite or tear each other apart at the seems. Either way, it’s been an interesting week at Valley Ranch.

Sunday’s Best: Giants (11-2) at Cowboys (8-5), 8:15 PM ET NBC
We’re getting down to crunch time in the NFL and there’s nothing better than an NFC East battle with playoff implications. If the regular season ended today, the Cowboys would be in as the sixth seed. But the regular season doesn’t end today and Dallas has one of the toughest final stretches of any team with playoff aspirations. After playing host to the Giants on Sunday night, they’re home against the Ravens next week and then travel to Philadelphia in the season finale. That’s a brutal three-game stretch for any team, nevertheless one that is dealing with injuries (see Marion Barber) and internal bickering (see Cowboys’ wideouts vs. Tony Romo). The Giants, meanwhile, are sitting pretty for the top seed in the NFC, but they’ll have to earn it after losing to the Eagles at home last Sunday. Suddenly the Carolina Panthers are just one game behind the Giants in the quest for capturing home field advantage throughout the postseason and the two teams play each other next week in Jersey. Can the Cowboys bounce back from their collapse last Sunday in Pittsburgh? Will the Giants lose two in a row for the first time all season? Like several matchups on the Week 15 schedule, this game is must-see.

Upset Watch: 49ers (5-8) at Dolphins (8-5), 1:00 PM ET, FOX
Let me state for the record that I think the Dolphins have been one of the best storylines in the NFL this season. That said – they’re due for a letdown. Just when the public is ready to hop on a team’s bandwagon and ride its coattails the rest of the season, they hit a pothole and send everyone flying off. Miami is a better team than San Francisco and they should win Sunday in convincing fashion. But San Fran is a dangerous team right now because they have nothing to play for and have fiery Mike Singletary leading the way – the same fiery Mike Singletary that is trying to prove he deserves a head-coaching job. The Niners have been more competitive since Singletary took over and quarterback Shaun Hill has been a pleasant surprise. You might think I’m crazy (and I am) for predicting a 49er upset considering Frank Gore is expected to miss the game, but DeShaun Foster is no slouch and is likely craving the opportunity to carry the full load. Just when you think you’ve got the NFL figured out, it throws you a punch to the gut. Do we have another punch coming this Sunday in Miami?

Intriguing Matchup: Buccaneers (9-4) at Falcons (8-5), 1:00 PM ET, FOX
Call this “Sunday’s Best II.” With the Bucs’ loss to the Panthers in Carolina on Monday night, the NFC South is now 0-10 this season when playing on the road against other NFC South opponents. And considering Jeff Garcia has missed significant practice time this week due to a calf injury, things don’t bode well for Tampa. However, Monte Kiffin’s defense has always given the Falcons trouble. Both of these teams are coming off of divisional losses and both need a win to stay in the NFC playoff picture (especially Atlanta), so we can probably expect one hell of a fight. Look for Tampa to take away Michael Turner and the Falcons’ running game and force rookie Matt Ryan to beat them through the air. They had this same approach in their Week 2 victory and Ryan failed miserably, although it’s safe to say he’s a completely different player nowadays and he showed once again last week in New Orleans that he can make every throw in the NFL. Will the Bucs get back on track this week or will the legend of Matt Ryan continue to grow?

Other Notable Games:

Steelers (10-3) at Ravens (9-4), 4:15 PM ET CBS
Call this game “Sunday’s Best III” or “Sunday’s Best 1A.” Whatever you call it, it’s going to be one of the best games of week. Pittsburgh remains one game ahead of Baltimore in the AFC North and currently has the head to head advantage after beating the Ravens earlier in the year. No team is playing better defensively right now than Pittsburgh, but the Ravens have suddenly hit their offensive stride in recent weeks and still boasts one of the best defenses in the league. This game might wind up being a 6-3 final.

Vikings (8-5) at Cardinals (8-5), 4:05 PM ET FOX
The Cardinals may have locked up the NFC West crown last week, but they still have plenty to play for as they try to improve their playoff seeding. And with the Bears’ victory over the Saints on Thursday night, the Vikings must win to stay one game ahead of Chicago in the NFC North. Can backup Tarvaris Jackson lead Minnesota to victory?

Broncos (8-5) at Panthers (10-3), 4:15 PM ET, CBS
With their win over Tampa on Monday night, many purists are talking about Carolina possibly being the No. 1 seed in the NFC come playoff time. But they’ll get a challenge this Sunday from a Denver team trying to clinch the AFC West crown.

Bills (6-7) at Jets (8-5), 1:00 PM ET, CBS
After losing two straight, the Jets now find themselves in a three-way tie with the Dolphins and Patriots for first place in the AFC East. Can they get back on track or will the Bills play spoiler?

A couple of the Cowboys’ wide receivers (presumably Terrell Owens, Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton) held a meeting with offensive coordinator Jason Garrett about their role in the Dallas offense compared to tight end Jason Witten, who they say quarterback Tony Romo favors because the two are buddies.

At issue is the perception that Romo relies too heavily on tight end and best friend Jason Witten, and doesn’t always throw to the open man. The breaking point was Sunday’s 20-13 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, in which the Cowboys blew a 13-3 fourth-quarter lead in the final 7 minutes, 15 seconds.

Romo was throwing to Witten on the final interception. Owens openly acknowledges he was open on the play and complained vociferously on the sideline during the game. Romo also missed a wide-open Crayton down the seam on the final drive of the game, and then threw incomplete to Witten on the final play when Crayton was also open.

Crayton said it was a good meeting, a needed meeting, in the interest of trying to win games and have a better offense.

He said they weren’t complaining because they went in with a positive tone and had a frank and honest discussion.

Romo, who talks on Wednesday, was not available for comment.

The Dallas wideouts need to freaking grow up. This isn’t backyard football where you focus on getting the ball to your friends – this is the NFL. I highly doubt Romo is only focusing on getting the ball to Witten. And T.O. saying he was open on the final play in Pittsburgh is no surprise because, well, he’s always open.

Considering the Cowboys are on the brink of making the playoffs but face an incredibly tough final stretch of games, you’d think the team would come together instead of some players holding meetings and complaining about not getting the ball enough.

Jennifer Floyd Engel of the Star-Telegram.com writes that the media should stop giving Tony Romo a free pass and call him what he is in December: a choker.

Sunday was just about that point for Romo. The Cowboys were on the verge of what would have been a gigantic, momentum-building victory in Pittsburgh. It was not a stretch to say this could have been defining. Until they collapsed, in a 20-13 loss to Pittsburgh

And Romo has to be dropped in the grease for this.

He was responsible for four of the five Cowboys turnovers. And he is lucky the tuck rule saved him from another. The last, of course, was the worst — a pick to Steelers cornerback Deshea Townsend that went for seven in the other direction. It was the game winner.

The Cowboys needed him to be his best Sunday, or at least not screw it up for the defense who was finally playing theirs. He was not … not even close. There were moments of good, but not enough. Too often, what we saw from Romo was the recklessness Big Bill had often warned about, the one play in the game that ends up negating the others.

Romo has a bit of a December problem, much like his team. He has not brought his best self in said games which often is synonymous with big games. And he is no longer young or inexperienced or all of the other things people like me say to defend him when he is being attacked.

The reality is, if this were anybody else, he’d have no defenders.

But this is Romo. So we tiptoe around the reality that he has to start showing he has what it takes to win when it counts. Or else he’ll prove something else.

This fits under the old adage that quarterbacks take too much credit when their teams when win and too much blame when they lose. Romo wasn’t very good in Pittsburgh Sunday but he also was playing without his running back due to injury and he can’t help if Jason Witten runs the wrong route. I will agree that he gets less criticism than say, Donovan McNabb, but the media needs to go on a game-by-game basis and then paint the larger picture.

Romo was bad yesterday, but the Cowboys were a completely different team without him when he was out with a pinkie injury. The Cowboys aren’t knocking on the door of a playoff berth without him and Pittsburgh’s defense can make any quarterback look silly. So let’s relax on the here-we-go-again mindset with Romo in regards to his December play and let’s see how this thing plays out.

Entering their game with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys had a great opportunity to take a one-game lead for the final Wild Card spot in the NFC because the Atlanta Falcons lost to the New Orleans Saints earlier in the day.

After tying the game 3-3 just before halftime, the Cowboys built a 13-3 lead just before the start of the fourth quarter after Terrell Owens caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Tony Romo and Nick Folk converted on his second field goal of the day.

Earlier in the fourth, Dallas also came up with a huge goal line stop on fourth down, but they couldn’t carry the momentum from the play and finish the Steelers off. Pittsburgh managed to cut the Cowboys’ lead to 13-6 on a Jeff Reed field goal, then scored a touchdown four minutes later when Heath Miller caught a 6-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger.

Then disaster struck for the Cowboys as Romo was picked off by Deshea Townsend, who returned the gift 25 yards for the game-winning touchdown as Pittsburgh held on for a 20-13 victory. On the interception, it appeared that tight end Jason Witten ran the wrong route.

Even with the loss, the Cowboys still hold onto the sixth and final playoff spot in the NFC because the Falcons’ loss to the Saints goes against their conference record. But that said, Dallas can’t feel too good about practically handing the Steelers a victory. It hurt not having Marion Barber on offense, but the defense played well enough to win and had Witten run the right route on the interception, the Cowboys might have drove down the field or at least forced overtime.

The Steelers did not look good offensively, but their defense is sick. And the funny thing is, because the offense hasn’t looked particularly sharp, this team continues to fly under the radar. But even with how good the defense has been this year, the Steelers still have some glaring, underlying issues. The offensive line is being held together by duct tape, Roethlisberger still holds onto the ball way too long and every once in a while, Mike Tomlin shows his inexperience as a head coach. For example, Dallas made a great play on that goal line stand, but Tomlin’s decision to go for it instead of making it a one possession game with the entire fourth quarter left to play was a questionable decision to say the least.

That said, even anyone thinks that the Steelers aren’t a Super Bowl contender, you’re dreaming. Their defense is that good.

Sunday’s Best: Cowboys (8-4) at Steelers (9-3), 4:15 PM ET FOX
The Cowboys are fighting for their playoff lives while the Steelers are trying to stay ahead of the surprising Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North. Dallas could be without running back Marion Barber (toe injury), which would be a massive blow going against the best defenses in the league. If the ‘Boys can’t run the ball, expect Dick Lebeau to dial up plenty of blitzes to force quarterback Tony Romo into mistakes. This essentially is a must-win for the Cowboys, who would be left on the outside looking in if the playoffs started today. A loss coupled with a Falcons win over the Saints and the Cowboys would need some help the rest of the way, with a remaining schedule that looks like this: vs. Giants, vs. Ravens, at Eagles. The Steelers, meanwhile, should be at full strength as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and running back Willie Parker are expected to play. We’ll see what the Cowboys are made of come 4:00 o’clock on Sunday. Steelers are a currently a 3-point favorite.

Upset Watch: Texans (5-7) at Packers (5-7), 1:00 PM ET CBS
Houston welcomes back quarterback Matt Schaub this week but he’s not the reason they could pull off a decent-sized upset in Week 14. Rookie running back Steve Slaton is. Slaton is coming off a 130-yard effort against the Jaguars on Monday night and racked up 156 yards three weeks ago against the Colts. Considering the Packers are allowing a whopping 141.2 yards a game on the ground this year, Slaton could be set up for another huge day. The Texans will need to find a way to get pressure on Aaron Rodgers, however, or else it’s going to be tough to win at Lambeau. The Texans’ pass defense is improving, but Rodgers and company are averaging 228.9 passing yards a game and could find success against a young Houston secondary. If the Texans don’t win outright, I say they cover the 6-point spread.

Intriguing Matchup: Vikings (7-5) at Lions (0-12), 1:00 PM ET FOX
There’s nothing intriguing about the winless Detroit Lions, but what is interesting is whether or not Kevin and Pat Williams will play for the Vikings. Minnesota needs a victory to stay at least one-game ahead of the Bears and Packers in the division, but without their interior defensive line, even the Lions are capable of finding some running room. The league suspended the Williamses on Tuesday morning, but a court ruling could change all that and allow the two mammoth d-tackles to play. If they don’t, could Detroit get its first win and turn the NFC North upside down yet again? Can Gus Frerotte keep this team afloat if the defense loses two key players?

Other notable games:

Eagles (6-5-1) at Giants (11-1), 1:00 PM ET FOX
Philly will try and keep its slim playoff hopes alive, while a win would crown the G-Men as NFC East champions and get them one step closer to claiming home field advantage throughout the postseason.

Redskins (7-5) at Ravens (8-4), 8:15 PM ET FOX
This Sunday night matchup is a great one. Both teams desperately need a win to stay within reach of a playoff berth. A loss for the ‘Skins could essentially knock them out of the postseason race.

Buccaneers (9-3) at Panthers (9-3), 8:30 PM ET ESPN
Finally a great Monday Night Football matchup after weeks of utter crap. The winner takes a one-game lead in the NFC South and holds an edge for the second spot in the NFC playoff picture, while the loser gets tossed into the Wild Card mix.

Falcons (8-4) at Saints (6-6), 1:00 PM ET FOX
Atlanta has been a nice story this year, but it can’t relax now. A win would go a long way in securing a playoff spot for the Falcons, who finish with a possibly depleted Vikings and a hapless Rams team in their final two games.

Ah, Thanksgiving – the time to give thanks.

I thought that since it was Thanksgiving (which don’t forget, is the time to give thanks) that I would lay out 10 things that I’m thankful for in the world of sports.

I’m thankful for…

1…there’s no possible way we’ll see a Big Ten team play in the national championship.
I love the Big Ten for many reasons – the physical brand of football, the traditions, the rivalries, etc. But there’s no team in that conference this year that could match up with the likes of Alabama, Florida, Texas or Oklahoma on a national stage. Penn State and Ohio State are solid teams, but if the Nittany Lions took on the Gators in the title game, there’s a good chance that we’d all be watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas” by halftime.

2…parity in the NFL.
How exciting is the NFL again this season? None of the divisions outside of the NFC West and maybe the NFC East have been decided yet and we still have five weeks of action left. Granted, there has been a lot of mediocre football being played around the league, but at least parity has bred competition on a weekly basis. Who would have thought that at this point in the season, the Jets, Ravens and Falcons would all be vying for a playoff spot?

3…rivalry week in college football.
Granted, not all of the matchups are attractive, but how great is it that Auburn is playing Alabama the same week Florida is playing Florida State? Even Ole’ Miss and Mississippi State will be entertaining and the possibility that one of the ranked schools will be knocked off by a rival is exciting.

4…the Hot Stove League is heating up again.
Outside of Opening Day and the postseason, this is by far the best time in baseball. Who doesn’t love hopping on the computer each day and surfing through all the rumors? And once your team lands one of the prized free agents, it’s all you can do from imaging your team playing in the Fall Classic next year.

5…fantasy football playoffs.
Everyone sitting in the bottom half of their fantasy football standings right now just flipped me the bird, but for those of us gearing up for the playoffs, the culmination of everything we’ve been working for all season is finally here. This is the time of year when you say, “Work? What work? Sorry boss – I’ve got to check my roster 4,000 more times before noon and then hit the Steelers training room so I can massage Ben Roethlisberger’s hamstrings so to ensure he’s ready to go this Sunday.”

6…shootouts in hockey.
Hockey purists tell me that shootouts determining which team wins and loses “isn’t really hockey.” Fair enough, but at least when I spend $80 on a ticket now I actually see my team win or go down in flames. There’s nothing more unsatisfying than a tie in sports – any sport. If I watch a bunch of players go at it on a slab of ice for three hours, I want to feel either ecstatic or traumatized at the end.

7…Manny Ramirez being a free agent.
If you don’t like following the circus that is Manny Ramirez, than you’ve got issues. And the fact that he’s a free agent this offseason only means we’ll get “Manny being Manny” on full blast over the next couple weeks/months. I seriously can’t wait to see where this goofy bastard winds up playing next year, but I’m going to enjoy the process even more.

8…humorous sports blogs.
How great is it that I can get a recap of the Cowboys-Giants game at the same place I can read about how Tony Romo nailed Jessica Simpson on a beach in Mexico? It’s a beautiful thing.

9…MAC football on a Tuesday night.
When most people see that Northern Illinois is taking on Buffalo on a random Tuesday night, they usually keep flipping until they land on a new episode of “Dancing With the Stars.” Not me. During football season, I don’t care of Texas is playing Oklahoma or Texas School for the Blind is taking on Oklahoma Little Sisters of the Poor – I’m watching it…and recording that new episode of “Dancing with the Stars.”

10…Erin Andrews working the sidelines.
‘Nuff said.

Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback Tony Romo is one sweet, sweet man.

A homeless man who goes by Doc was cashing in change at a Cinemark Theatre in Dallas when a guy walked up and offered to pay his way into the movie. He planned to spend his day passing out fliers and accepted a rain check before realizing that he recognized the generous gentleman.
“Was that Tony Romo?” Doc asked the worker behind the counter.

It sure was. Doc, who requested that his real name not be used, hustled across the street to the consignment store that paid him to occasionally pass out fliers and requested the day off. By the time he got back to the theater, Role Model had already started.

Romo, who confirmed the story but didn’t want to elaborate, waved Doc over to sit by him and his friend. Doc sheepishly mentioned that he hadn’t showered in a few days.

“Don’t worry about that,” Romo said. “I’m used to locker rooms.”

And so the $67 million quarterback and a man who doesn’t have $6.70 to his name sat next to each other and shared laughs for 90 minutes or so.

For Romo – who made news by changing a couple’s tire on a roadside on the way home the night of the season opener – it was just another kind gesture to a random stranger. It meant the world to Doc.

“For me, it was a blessing,” Doc said. “It came at just the right time. It gave me some encouragement and faith in mankind. I just wanted to say thank you.”

Hot ass Jessica Simpson got herself a good one. Call me sentimental, but I think that’s a cool story. It sure beats hearing every couple of days about Larry Johnson spitting and slapping (allegedly) women around.

With their 14-10 victory over division rival Washington on Sunday night, the Dallas Cowboys may have saved their season.

Tony Romo was back in the lineup and while he did provide a boost to the offense, the Cowboys can thank their defense and Marion Barber for this win. Barber rushed for 104 yards (most of it coming in the fourth quarter) and essentially became the Cowboys’ “closer” when they took the lead with just over 10 minutes remaining in the game.

Dallas also got a tremendous effort from its defense, which not only held the Redskins to 10 points, but it also overcame poor field position after two Romo interceptions. (One pick wasn’t his fault – Washington intercepted a deflected pass after Terrell Owens allowed it to bounce off his hands.)

Getting nose tackle Jay Ratliff back was huge for the “Boys. He finished with two sacks on the night, including one that moved Washington back and helped cause a missed field goal.

The Cowboys still have a tough road to travel to make the postseason, but this win was massive. In their six remaining games, four of them are at home and their next two games are against the 49ers and Seahawks – two teams they should beat. If they can build some momentum heading into a rough final stretch of games – at Pittsburgh, vs. the Giants, vs. the Ravens, at Philadelphia – maybe they can grab one of the two Wild Card spots in the NFC.

As for the Redskins, they’re certainly not dead at 6-4, but they’re stumbling after losing their past two games. They have a similar stretch of games, but they do have to travel cross-country next week when they play the Seahawks, and they face tough defenses in the Giants, Ravens and Eagles over the final six games.

The NFC Wild card race is going to be a tight one.

Sunday’s Best: Ravens (6-3) at Giants (8-1), 1:00 PM ET
Who would have thought this game would be the best matchup of the week with the Chargers playing the Steelers and Cowboys taking on the Redskins in the same weekend. The job first-year head coach John Harbaugh and his staff has done with rookie quarterback Joe Flacco has been amazing and the rest of the Baltimore players have really bought into the new regime’s system. They’ll get their biggest challenge this season on Sunday, however, as no team outside of the Titans is playing better than the Giants right now. There are a couple of great matchups within this game, but none bigger than New York’s power running game vs. the stingy Baltimore run defense. One advantage the Giants have is that this will be the Ravens’ fifth road game in six weeks and they might start to wear down. Flacco will face a ton of pressure from a quick Giants’ front seven, but getting Willis McGahee, Ray Rice and Le’Ron McClain going will help neutralize what New York does best defensively. This will be the most physical matchup of the weekend.

Upset Watch: Rams (2-7) at 49ers (2-7), 4:05 PM ET
Everyone is scrambling to be the first to predict the Jaguars to upset the Titans this weekend, but people have been waiting for Tennessee to fall for weeks and still they remain unbeaten. It’s hardly a huge upset to predict one 2-7 team will beat another, but after their strong showing on Monday night, football pundits might assume this game will be an easy victory for the Niners. While there’s nothing to like about the Rams following their abysmal performance last week against the Jets, this is a better team than what they’ve shown and San Fran is a bit dysfunctional right now after their debacle on Monday Night Football. Jim Haslett is still fighting for a head coaching job (as is Mike Singletary) and there’s no doubt he’ll have his team more prepared than they were last week in New York. Of course, a win for the Rams would mean that Marc Bulger has to get his head out of his ass and someone has to find Torry Holt. But as usual with my “Upset Watch”, I won’t predict an outright win for St. Louis, but I say they at least cover the 5.5-point spread.

Intriguing Matchup: Cowboys (5-4) at Redskins (6-3), 8:15 PM ET
Tony Romo will be back in action this week, but will he need a game or two to shake off the rust? Unfortunately for him, Dallas can’t afford to lose any more ground in a stacked NFC East. The Redskins are also fighting to keep pace in the division and will look to avenge their ugly loss to the Steelers on Monday Night Football two weeks ago. They’ll have to do it without Clinton Portis, however, as he currently is sidelined with a MCL injury. Jason Campbell has been solid this season, but he’ll need to make plays without Portis in the backfield. If the Cowboys are going to walk away with a win, they’ll do so because of a strong defensive effort – not the play of Romo.

Other Notable Games:
Titans (9-0) at Jaguars (4-5), 4:15 PM ET
As previously noted, everyone is waiting for the Titans to slip and this very well could be the weekend they do. But they don’t seem like the team that gets ahead of themselves and every one of their wins has been a dogfight. The Jaguars rebounded with an impressive win over the Lions last week, but let’s not forget that they lost to the Bengals and Browns in two games prior to that.

Bears (5-4) at Packers (4-5), 1:00 PM ET
This is a must win for both teams because the Vikings are right back in the division hunt again. If the Packers lose, they might be able to kiss the playoffs goodbye. Kyle Orton is expected to play for the Bears.

Vikings (5-4) at Bucs (6-3), 1:00 PM ET
We’ll find out a lot about Minnesota this Sunday and whether or not they’ve returned from the grave. A win over a solid Tampa team would go a long way in proving they’ve rebounded from earlier seasons struggles.

Broncos (5-4) at Falcons (6-3), 1:00 PM ET
The legend of Matt Ryan continues this week in the Georgia Dome. Ryan is 4-0 at home this year and will have plenty of opportunities to make big plays against a horrible Denver defense. But Jay Cutler as lit opposing defenses up this year and there could be a wild finish to this game in the making.

South Carolina vs. Florida
Florida is considered one of the hottest teams in college football, as they have won their last five games by an average of 39 points. South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier would love to knock off his alma mater out of this year’s BCS championship title hunt. And he will try to defeat the Gators by rotating quarterbacks (Stephen Garcia and Chris Smelley) on every offensive play. The rotation system did not seem to bother either quarterback in last week’s 34-21 victory over Arkansas; they combined to throw for 219 yards with two touchdown passes and only one interception. It will not matter how well the QB duo performs if the Gamecocks defense cannot contain Tim Tebow, he accounted for seven touchdowns in a 51-31 victory at South Carolina last season. National coverage will begin Saturday at 3:30 PM on CBS.

UFC 91: Randy Couture vs. Brock Lesnar for the UFC Heavyweight Championship Title
The main event of UFC-91 is a classic example of two contradictory styles going against one another, as Randy Couture puts up his heavyweight title against Brock Lesnar at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Lesnar is still untested as a fighter, as he going into only his fourth MMA fight this Saturday night. Couture is unstoppable coming into matches where he is an underdog with a 9-1 record. Lesnar is bigger, stronger, faster and hopes to neutralized Couture’s Greco-Roman wrestling style being a former NCAA wrestling champion himself. Couture has out-muscled larger opponents in his career and expects his experience to come into play in this fight. He hopes to avoid the takedown by moving side-to-side and using his hand speed and quick legwork to neutralize his opponent’s superior strength. If Lesnar can take Couture off his feet, the question will become: Can he keep him on the mat? Pay-per-view coverage will begin Saturday at 10:00 PM

Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Redskins
The Dallas Cowboys hope the return of quarterback Tony Romo to the starting lineup will provide a spark and help them get a “W” in the win column this Sunday night in Washington. Since winning their first three games, the Cowboys have dropped four of their last six games and likely will need to win at least five of their final seven games to hopefully be considered for a playoff spot. Injuries could have a large role in determining if the Washington Redskins make the playoffs. They may have to go the rest of the season without running back Clinton Portis, who is second in the NFL in rushing with 995 yards. He injured his knee at the end of the first quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers two weeks ago and has not returned to the lineup. National coverage will begin Sunday at 8:15 PM on NBC.

In his latest edition of “Monday Morning Quarterback,” Peter King of SI.com discussed Tony Romo’s health status for Week 11.

I think this is Romo’s health status as of this morning: Talked to Romo on Saturday, while he was on his final two days off of a bye week, and he told me, naturally, that he would definitely play against Washington on Sunday night at FedEx Field. But it sounded like he’d be affected by his partially healed broken right pinky finger. The break is just below the top knuckle on his right little finger, and he’ll play with a splint on it.

“It won’t be all the way healed,” he said. “It’s still probably a good two or three weeks away from that. I don’t know where it’s exactly going to be, healing-wise, in Washington, but my timing will be fine.”

The key is whether Romo will be able to throw a hard 15-yard out. Any quarterback who can’t throw a liner to the sidelines is going to be a detriment. “I had to throw one of those this week,” he said. “I’m not going to lie to you. There was pain when I threw it. But I can take the pain. If I’ve done it once, I can do it again.” Romo also told me the finger “has gotten healthy enough so I could take a hit on it.”

We’ll see.

Dallas-Washington, with huge playoff implications, is a pretty big game. Dallas-Washington, with a marquee quarterback an injury risk, with the eyes of the nation on him, makes it a compelling watch.

I think expecting Romo to light up on Sunday night would be unrealistic. He’s going to struggle and I think the Cowboys will too, although they need him to play. Brad Bollinger (that’s not a mistake) is/are awful and if Dallas has any hope in turning around their season they need Romo on the field.

Just don’t expect that the Cowboys’ offense will run like it did before he was hurt. If Dallas is going to turn around its season, it will need the defense to step up big time.

Florida vs. Georgia
The winner of this game should become the SEC East representative against Alabama in the conference’s title game, while the loser will probably not play in a BCS bowl game. Florida has revenge on their mind; they remember Georgia’s end-zone celebration from a year ago. Bulldogs coach Mark Richt ordered the entire bench on to the field after scoring their first touchdown in a 42-30 victory. Gators coach Urban Meyer was upset by the antics but has downplayed the animosity between the schools this week. You can expect fireworks on the field this Saturday at the Gator Bowl. National coverage will begin at 3:30 PM ET on CBS. Click here for the official Florida vs. Georgia smack thread.

Texas vs. Texas Tech
Texas is completing the final leg of their gauntlet schedule; they defeated: then-No.1 Oklahoma on Oct. 11, then-No. 11 Missouri on Oct. 18, then-No.7 Oklahoma State last week, and now face No. 6 Texas Tech in Lubbock on Saturday evening. Another week, another Heisman Trophy candidate will line up against the Longhorn defense. Red Raiders quarterback Graham Harrell has thrown for 3147 yards with 28 touchdown passes on the season. The winner of this contest will have the inside track to win the Big 12 South title, a division that features four teams ranked in the top nine of this week’s BCS bowl standings. National coverage will begin at 8PM ET on ABC. Click here for the official Texas vs. Texas Tech smack thread.

Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants
Dallas Cowboys had home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs last season, thanks in large part to a pair of victories over the New York Giants that propelled them to a NFC East title. But the Cowboys postseason run came to a quick end, as the Giants defeated them during their improbable run to a Super Bowl title. The Cowboys are hurting coming into this week’s game, with quarterback Tony Romo missing his third straight game because of a broken right pinkie and tight end Jason Witten will be a game-time playing decision due to his broken ribs. 40-year-old Brad Johnson will be in charge of the Cowboys offense, and he has looked his age at times on the field. He has been sacked six times in two weeks, and against a Giant defense that leads the NFL with 26 sacks, Johnson’s lack of mobility will be a major concern for the Dallas coaching staff. Regional coverage will begin at 4:15 PM ET on Fox.