RUMOR: Randy Moss To The Dallas Cowboys?

Imagine being Tony Romo. You look to your left and see the greatest receiver from last season (Randy Moss). Then, you look to your right and see the second best receiver from last season (Terrell Owens). Isn't that a great feeling? Romo can't possibly screw up again.

Since Randy Moss is going to be a free agent, I've heard rumors that the Dallas Cowboys are going to be interested in signing him. He came to the New England Patriots in hopes of getting a Super Bowl Ring, but he is still waiting for his first ring. Likewise, Terrell Owens never won a Super Bowl Ring either. How could the two greatest receivers in football, possibly in history, still not have Super Bowl Rings? It makes sense to combine the two.

Dallas Cowboys Make A Good Move While The Bears A Bad One

Seven-time Pro Bowl inside linebacker Zach Thomas has reached a contract agreement in principle with the Dallas Cowboys, team and league sources told ESPN.com on Saturday morning.

Saturday night, Thomas' agent, Drew Rosenhaus confirmed the deal.

"It is going to be signed in the next couple of days," Rosenhaus was quoted as saying by The Associated Press.

The deal includes a $1 million base salary, a $1 million signing bonus and a $1 million incentive-based bonus based on playing time that Rosenhaus said should be easily attained.

Thomas, 34, who was released by the Miami Dolphins two weeks ago, following a 2007 season in which he was limited to just five appearances, chose the deal from the Cowboys over contract proposals from the New England Patriots and the New Orleans Saints.

A 12-year veteran, and one of only three players in modern NFL history to register 100-plus tackles in each of his first 10 seasons in the league, Thomas was released by the new Miami football regime on Feb. 14 after a celebrated stint with the Dolphins.

Meanwhile, for reasons I have no idea what they were thinking.....

Rex Grossman has signed a one-year deal to remain as the starting quarterback of the Chicago Bears.

Grossman

Grossman wanted to stay with the Bears, and Bears general manager Jerry Angelo and coach Lovie Smith wanted to give him one more chance to stay as their starting quarterback. On Saturday, each side worked out a deal in order for the relationship to continue.

"It's still a great opportunity for him [in Chicago]," his agent, Eugene Parker, told ESPN.com.

Under terms of the deal, Grossman will have a $3 million base salary. He can make close to $2 million in incentives as long as he's the starting quarterback.

Several players on the Bears offense were pushing for Grossman to return as quarterback.

His best season was in 2006 when he started 16 games, passed for 3,193 yards, threw 23 touchdown passes and helped to take the Bears to the Super Bowl. He struggled in 2007 and started only seven games.

During the second half of last season, Smith used Brian Griese and Kyle Orton as starters. Grossman's signing, though, should resolve the Bears quarterback situation.

A first-round choice in the 2003 draft, Grossman has appeared in 32 games, with 30 starts, during his tenure with the Bears. The former Florida star has completed 489 of 900 passes for 5,907 yards, with 31 touchdown passes, 33 interceptions and an efficiency rating of 70.9. Ouch.

Maybe the Bears were thinking about how they could find ways to lose more games than they could win and how they could drive all their fans crazy as they watch Grossman throw interception after interception with an occasional touchdown to make fans believe as if he was the real deal.

Washington Redskins Interested In Chad Johnson?

With a new coach on the Washington Redskins (Jim Zorn), the Redskins are interested in acquiring Chad Johnson from the Cincinnati Bengals, who wants to be traded despite the Bengals' refusal to trade him. One advantage that the Redskins have is Daniel Snyder would be more than willing to dish out the money to pay for a player like Chad Johnson, who is still an excellent receiver and can add height to that already great receiving core consisting of Santana Moss and Antwan Randle El.

Even still, it is going to take a lot of work before the Redskins can overtake both the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants in hopes of making a playoff spot.

Giants, Patriots Defy Laws, Logic

With the Super Bowl next Sunday also comes the two weeks of intensive media coverage and huge anticipation. The Super Bowl is the ultimate decider of which team has had a successful season. It does not matter how many wins or how many records a team has achieved in a season. All that matters is the Big Game.

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And both Super Bowl contenders know this unsettling fact. Both the New York Giants and New England Patriots know that their seasons mean nothing without a Super Bowl win. This knowledge weighs more heavily on the Patriots, who just finished a stellar 16-0 season with numerous records, accolades, and praises.

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This is a historic Super Bowl. Will the Patriots be the second undefeated team ever to win one? Will the Giants pull off a monumental upset and undo all the accomplishments of Tom Brady and Co.?

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This is a Super Bowl of the defiant. Both teams defied what was thought to be possible. The Giants this season broke records for wins as an away team. New York also made three huge upsets in the postseason, beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Green Bay Packers. The Giants proved that they are more than underdogs and should not be underestimated. The Giants also defied common sense. Instead of resting their starting players like any other team would in their last game of the season against the Patriots, New York used all of their starters. These defiant Giants have proved to be more dangerous than sports analysts originally anticipated.

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And then there's the Patriots. New England defied all reason and modesty by achieving a perfect regular season with numerous touchdown records to boot. Not many people thought that Peyton Manning's old record would be broken by Tom Brady any time soon. New England defied many people's expectations that "Finally, this is the game they're gonna lose".

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With such two defiant teams playing next week, it is impossible and unwise to bet on who will be victorious. New York might defy reason and expectations once again and spoil a perfectly questionable perfect season.

Tiki Barber Needs To Take A Side Or Shut Up

You may remember Tiki Barber as the running back notorious for fumbling the football for the New York Giants early in his career, but then breaking out into being arguably an amazing running back. You may also remember Tiki Barber as being classy, respectful, and having millions of fans. Well, I throw all that out the window.

The Tiki Barber I now know is a guy who walked out on his team, become an analyst, and turned his back on his team. I remember when he criticized Eli Manning, the coaching staff, and the team in general. While criticism is often good because its neccessary to pick out whats bad in a team in order for that team to change for the better, his comments were a bit harsh and disgraceful.

But what makes me dislike Tiki Barber is that now that the New York Giants have actually taken down the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers and made it to the Super Bowl (who would have expected that?), Barber now jumps on the bandwagon and has nothing but praise for the very same team he trashed recently. How am I supposed to take this guy seriously when I don't know what to expect from him.

However, I must admit that there were probably many people, such as myself, who had at one or many points lost faith in the inconsistency of Eli Manning and the Giants. But what matters now is his performance when it counts in the playoffs, which has been flawless.

The Baltimore Ravens Finally Found Their New Head Coach

John Harbaugh was hired Friday as head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, who hope their second choice proves to be a first-rate success.

Harbaugh spent this season as Philadelphia's secondary coach after making a name for himself working with special teams. He has never been a head coach, but has coaching in his genes -- his father, Jack, is former head coach at Western Kentucky and his brother, Jim, is head coach at Stanford and a former quarterback with the Ravens.

The 45-year-old Harbaugh, who received a four-year contract, will be introduced as the third coach in Ravens history at a news conference Saturday. His salary wasn't released, but most first-year NFL head coaches get slightly more than $2 million a season.

Harbaugh arrived at the Ravens training complex around 9:30 a.m. Friday for his second interview with owner Steve Bisciotti, president Dick Cass and general manager Ozzie Newsome. The sides reached an agreement around 5:30 p.m.

Harbaugh then left in a limousine for his home in Philadelphia without talking to the media. Ravens spokesman Kevin Byrne said Harbaugh wanted to first share the news with his wife and parents before expressing his feelings in front of cameras and reporters.

Harbaugh replaces Brian Billick, who was fired on Dec. 31 after a nine-year run. The Ravens were 5-11 this season after going 13-3 in 2006.

The Ravens earlier this week offered the job to Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, who spurned Baltimore on Thursday in favor of staying in Dallas. Garrett rejected the Ravens' job offer after receiving a raise from owner Jerry Jones and a promotion to assistant head coach.

Harbaugh, however, wasn't about to say no. During his first interview, on Jan. 8, he couldn't contain his excitement over the prospect of leading the franchise back into the playoffs.

"Up, down, sideways, from the very top, it's a very impressive place to visit," Harbaugh said at the time. "I knew the Ravens had a great organization. Now, I see why. Good people, from Ozzie and Steve to everybody in the organization. It's been challenging, but it has been fun."

Harbaugh coached in the college ranks at Miami University (Ohio), Western Michigan, Pittsburgh, Morehead State and Cincinnati before joining the Eagles in 1998. He was selected the NFL Special Teams Coach of the Year by his peers in 2001.

He shifted to the secondary this season, working under defensive coordinator Jim Johnson.

Now, I have one obvious question in regards to this hiring. Why would the Ravens hire a defensive coordinator when offense was a major problem with this team last year?

Dallas Cowboy Fans Can Breathe Easy

After looking into two coaching jobs, Jason Garrett decided to remain offensive coordinator of the Cowboys after Dallas made him the highest-paid assistant coach in the NFL. The Cowboys promoted Garrett to assistant head coach and gave him a new contract that will pay him in the ballpark of $3 million per year.

Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips' salary is also in the $3 million range. There is no word on whether the team plans to adjust Phillips' salary.

Garrett went through second interviews in Baltimore and Atlanta earlier this week, then returned to Dallas to meet with team owner Jerry Jones.

This was a good move by Jason Garrett primarily because after looking at his other options, there simply wasn't much room for choice. The Baltimore Ravens had a horrible collapse and they have such a poor offense that I don't think any coach could revive them. As far as the Atlanta Falcons, why would anyone want to try to clean up that mess? Good move sticking with the Cowboys, who will have many more winning seasons.

Jones, who hired Garrett last year before hiring Wade Phillips, apparently convinced him his future was just as bright with the Cowboys, who are coming off a 13-3 regular season with eight of his offensive players going to the Pro Bowl.

Although Jones can't formally promise Garrett he'll be the next coach of the Cowboys, that's been the going theory since he joined the club roughly this time last year. Speculation that Jones would push aside Phillips and promote Garrett rather than risk losing him to another club was so strong last week that Jones held a news conference in part to deny it. He denied it again Sunday, after Dallas' season-ending loss to the New York Giants.

Dolphins Hire Sparano As Head Coach

Tony Sparano, who had been the Dallas Cowboys' assistant head coach, accepted a job offer today as head coach for the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins have repeatedly tapped Dallas talent since the arrival of Bill Parcells. Former Cowboys assistant David Lee was hired as quarterbacks' coach, and on Tuesday, Brian Gaine was hired as assistant director of player personnel after three years as the Cowboys' assistant director of pro scouting. This is just another example of Parcells dismantling the Dolphins so a new and improved team can rise from its ashes. In many sports analysts' eyes, there is too much turnover in Miami's front office and coaching positions. But then again, desperate times call for desperate measures, and the Dolphins are a desperate team. When asked about whether or not he thinks he's up to the challenge of being head coach of the Dolphins, Sparano states, "I'm prepared. I'm confident in myself." I think we all have confidence Sparano can improve one of the worst teams in football history. How can they get any worse?

Firings And Hirings In The NFL

Dallas Cowboys assistant head coach Tony Sparano, the presumptive front-runner to fill the Miami Dolphins' coaching vacancy, was scheduled to fly Tuesday night to Miami on one of owner Wayne Huizenga's private jets, and could be named the club's new head coach by Wednesday. Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland, who most recently worked in the Dallas personnel department as vice president of college and pro scouting, is familiar with Sparano and his coaching style. Ireland left for Dallas on Tuesday afternoon. He is expected to return with Sparano, who interviewed with Ireland for the Miami job on Jan. 5.

Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett has been offered the Baltimore Ravens coaching position, sources told ESPN. According to a league source, there is a "60-40'' chance Garrett will ultimately accept the opportunity to succeed Brian Billick, who was fired after the regular season. However, sources told ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli that Garrett left Baltimore Tuesday afternoon without making any decision about the job. Sources said he was en route to Atlanta for a second interview with Falcons officials. Garrett, who arrived at the Ravens' training complex for the second interview Tuesday morning, was the first candidate to have call-back sessions with the Ravens and Falcons.

The Tennessee Titans fired offensive coordinator Norm Chow on Tuesday after a season of struggling to score points and reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2003. Titans coach Jeff Fisher confirmed the dismissal in a short statement. Chow, who had been on staff for three years, did not immediately return a telephone message left by The Associated Press. But Fisher said the day after his Titans (10-6) lost an AFC wild-card game to San Diego 17-6 that improving the offense was his top priority this offseason. They ranked 21st overall in total offense and became the first team with only nine touchdown passes to reach the playoffs in a 16-game season. After a week of evaluating the team, Fisher told Chow he would not be retained as offensive coordinator.

There's No Crying In Football!

Its ashame to see grown men cry....except Terrell Owens. In response to a comment I received, I decided to post the video of Terrell Owens at his all-time career low.

Also, in this video is Antonio Pierce's comments about Terrell Owens and Patrick Crayton eating popcorn while watching them on television next week.

The New York Giants Advance In The Playoffs

Not one, but two upsets in the same day. Vegas must be rollin in money. Manning advanced, but not Peyton. Rather, hours after Peyton's Colts were stunned by the Chargers in an AFC divisional game, Eli Manning and the Giants ousted the NFC's top-seeded team. It appears that little brother is all grown up.

Tony Romo can go wherever he wants with Jessica Simpson now. Eli Manning and the New York Giants knocked him and the Dallas Cowboys into the offseason Sunday.

Having to wait out long, slow drives by Dallas, Manning made his few chances count, throwing two touchdown passes to Amani Toomer and getting a 1-yard touchdown run from Brandon Jacobs for a 21-17 victory that put New York into the NFC championship game for the first time since the 2000 season.

Cornerback R.W. McQuarters intercepted a pass into the end zone with 9 seconds left, ending the Cowboys' final drive and marking Romo's second straight last-minute goof to cost Dallas a playoff game. His flubbed hold of a short field goal in Seattle ended the Cowboys' season last year.

Manning is heading to his first NFC Championship Game, at Green Bay next Sunday. Manning had a much better day than his brother, Peyton, whose Indianapolis Colts were stunned by the San Diego Chargers.

This loss by the Dallas Cowboys this post-season has arguably one of the worst impacts on a team's legacy. Dallas' failure is huge, much bigger than last season's flop in Seattle when Romo botched the hold on a go-ahead field goal in the final minutes.

The Cowboys just wasted a 13-3 season, which matched the best in team history. They're the first No. 1 seed in the NFC to lose in this round since the NFL went to the 12-team playoff format in 1990. They also became the seventh team to lose a playoff game against a team they'd beaten twice in the regular season -- joining Dallas' 1998 club.

Worst of all is the extension of all the skids: Romo now 0-2 in the playoffs, coach Wade Phillips 0-4 and the team 0-for-the-postseason since winning a wild-card game in 1996. The Cowboys have dropped five games since then.

Even worse, the Cowboys might be headed into a potentially stormy offseason in the near future. Team owner Jerry Jones said Thursday he would keep Phillips regardless of what happened in the playoffs. Now that will be tested, especially with highly valued assistant coaches Jason Garrett and Tony Sparano interviewing for jobs elsewhere.

And people better not dare point to Romo's trip to Mexico last weekend with his latest celebrity girlfriend as a disruption. The Cowboys' problems this game ran a lot deeper. There were all kinds of penalties that hurt Dallas drives and helped New York's, sloppy tackling on defense and special teams, dropped passes and wasted timeouts.

Injury Update: Antonio Gates Will Play Against The Colts

Chargers tight end Antonio Gates was on the field Sunday before San Diego's playoff game against Indianapolis and will play, according to head coach Norv Turner.

However, Chargers fullback Lorenzo Neal, who is recovering from a broken leg, is inactive for the game.

"It's pretty sore," Gates told the San Diego Tribune on Friday. "It felt good Tuesday, but it doesn't feel as good today [Friday]. It's a tricky situation, it really it is."

Gates dislocated his left big toe late in the second quarter of Sunday's 17-6 wild-card win against Tennessee and didn't return. He has been undergoing intensive therapy on the injury in the hope of being available to help San Diego in its difficult away game in Indianapolis.

Brandon Manumaleuna was slated to take Gates' starting spot if he wasn't able to play.

"Right now, keeping pressure off of it is the best thing for it," Gates said. "It's just imperative that I keep the swelling out and I keep pressure off of it."

Gates was San Diego's leading receiver for the fourth straight season, with 75 catches for 984 yards and nine touchdowns.

Even with Antonio Gates playing, I don't think he'll be as big a factor this game as everyone is making him out to be, especially if he plays hurt. The Colts should roll in this one.

However, the interesting thing to note is that yesterday both the home-team favorites won. Will that happen again today? My guess is yea, but there is more speculation about the Giants upsetting the Cowboys than the Chargers upsetting the Colts.

The Green Bay Packers Advance In The Playoffs

This game was by far one of the more memorable ones of the playoffs thus far. I picked the Green Bay Packers to win AND cover the spread....and at first they were such a big disappoint. Two fumbles by Ryan Grant led to two quick TDs for Seattle. At this point I was screaming at the television for Favre to start passing. Why stop doing what was working all year? Luckily, he must have heard me.

Brett Favre somehow spun free from the Seahawks' clutches and stumbled ahead in the snow. Ever the gambler, he flipped a wobbly, underhanded pass that he had no business trying, let alone completing.

Green Bay ended up destroying the Seahawks 42-20 because the Packers resorted to the passing game in the second half and Ryan Grant started running like a beast. He just couldn't be tackled.

With Lambeau Field looking like a snow globe, Favre frolicked in the flurries, throwing three touchdown passes as the Packers beat Seattle 42-20 Saturday, the highest-scoring postseason game in Packers' history.

Ryan Grant made history, too, recovering from two fumbles that put the Packers down 14-0 after only four minutes to set a Packers' postseason record with 201 yards rushing. He scored three times; Greg Jennings caught a pair of TD tosses; and Favre tied his personal best for touchdown strikes in a postseason game.

Perhaps the biggest factor in this game was the amount of snow falling. In the first half the screen on my television showed a mint like greenish-white field. In the second half, however, my television screen just showed one big white mess. The Green Bay Packers took advantage of their home field by getting off to an early lead and running the ball most of the second half. It was impossible for the Seattle Seahawks to come back in that weather.

The Packers (14-3) will take on the winner of Sunday's game between the New York Giants and Dallas. If the Cowboys win, they'll host Green Bay; if the Giants win, they'll visit Lambeau. After watching the Packers in this game, I believe they have a great shot at defeating the Cowboys no matter what stadium they play in. They would certainly destroy the Giants. Anyway, we'll just have to wait and see.....

Bad News For The New York Giants

Remember in a previous article I wrote that if Terrell Owens plays this Sunday, the New York Giants have no chance of beating the Dallas Cowboys? Remember my whole rant about how much of a playmaker and difference maker Terrell Owens is? Well, Terrell Owens warmed up for practice Friday, then went to see a trainer about his injured ankle.

Owens felt so good he wanted the protective tape he'd been wearing cut off. Then he ran to join his teammates who were lined up to stretch, slapping hands and practically doing a victory lap on his way to his spot, complete with waving his right index finger.

"I'm good,'' Owens said later, at his locker. "See you Sunday.''

The team's official report listed his participation in practice as limited and his game status as questionable. Coach Wade Phillips was more hopeful about having his All-Pro receiver in the lineup Sunday against the New York Giants. Phillips added that if Owens can play, he'll start.

"Terrell said he's going to play and I believe him. I think he will attempt to play and we will let him,'' Phillips said. "To what degree, at what level, remains to be seen in the game. Unless something unforeseen happens, I think he probably will [play].''

Owens was the last player out of the locker room and onto the practice field, then did some warm-up steps going forward and sideways. Once he felt comfortable, he joined the receivers catching lobs. He was striding slowly and without a hitch before stopping for the tape removal.

After stretching, Owens moved as quickly as anyone on his way back to join the receivers. Reporters weren't allowed to watch anything after that.

"He did good, he looked good -- he's ready to go Sunday,'' fellow receiver Sam Hurd said. "Especially when running, he looked good.''

My Analysis For This Weekend's NFL Divisional Playoff Games

Seattle At Green Bay (4:30 p.m.) - Brett Favre has learned to relax and trust his teammates, particularly a receiving corps that excels after the catch. The Packers running game has also improved with the addition of Grant. However, Seattle has been to the Super Bowl before with this same team and has five players named to the All-Pro team. Let's look at some statistics:

TEAM OFFENSE	TM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Total Yards	SEA	349.0
	GNB	371.0
Yards Passing	SEA	247.8
	GNB	270.9
Yards Rushing	SEA	101.2
	GNB	99.8
TEAM DEFENSE	TM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Yards Allowed	SEA	321.8
	GNB	313.3
Pass Yds Allowed	SEA	219.1
	GNB	210.4
Rush Yds Allowed	SEA	102.8
	GNB	102.

Gameday Matchup

	W	L	T	PF	PA	DIV	CON
SEA	10	6	0	24.6	18	5-1-0	8-4-0
GNB	13	3	0	27.2	18	4-2-0	9-3-0

As you can see, the Packers are better in just about every statistical category. Yes, I know they are in an easy division, but a win is a win. This is Favre's year and I see no reason the Packers should lose unless some odd, freaky stuff happens.

Jacksonville At New England (8:00 p.m.) - Just in case anyone hasn't heard, the Patriots haven't lost a game this season. However, I wonder if now that the Patriots have completed their undefeated season, will the NFL and the refs continue to favor them? Will Randy Moss continue to push off receivers to catch touchdown passes and the refs won't call it?

I don't even need to examine statistics for this game. However, the Jaguars were the hottest team coming into the playoffs. They have an insanely good running game, which is very important when playing the Patriots, who have trouble stopping the run. If the Jags can run the ball well, control the clock, and keep Tom Brady off the field, then they have a very good chance of winning. Even with that said, the Patriots always find a way to turn up the gears and come away with a victory. Therefore, I just can not go against the Patriots, but it wouldn't surprise me if the Jags pull an upset. Don't forget, David Garrard can also randomly take off running too when they need crucial yards, as proven last week.

San Diego At Indianapolis (1:00 p.m) - First, some injury updates. While Pro Bowler Antonio Gates rehabbed his dislocated left big toe, All-Pro fullback Lorenzo Neal returned to practice for the San Diego Chargers exactly one month after breaking his lower left leg. Gates dislocated his left big toe late in the second quarter of Sunday's 17-6 wild-card win against Tennessee and didn't return. He wasn't available to the media after practice.

"We're getting Antonio ready to play," coach Norv Turner said. "He's making progress, he's going through all his treatments and all those things. We'll see where he's at later in the week. He's making good progress. I have hope that he'll be able to play."

After hearing much speculation, however, Gates is doubtful for Sunday's game.

Meanwhile, Tony Dungy said Marvin Harrison was supposed to play in the final game of the season, but in the last second decided it would be better if he didn't. Now, Harrison has participated in practices all week and is most likely to play on Sunday, which is bad news for the Chargers.

At first, I liked the Chargers chances of winning just because the Colts are known as a team to choke at odd times. However, I no longer have that feeling. Why? Because if it took the Chargers 3 quarters to get their offense going against the Titans, then how do they expect to keep up with the Colts' offense? Also, the Colts' defense is better (Bob Sanders defensive player of the year) than the Titans.

Yes, I know the Chargers beat the Colts in the regular season and Peyton Manning threw a career high 6 interceptions that game, but I truly believe Manning and Dungy are the types of people who would look over the tapes of that game and make sure that doesn't happen again. Peyton Manning is too smart of a quarterback to let that happen again and I have full faith in him. Therefore, the Colts should win over the Chargers this Sunday.

New York Giants At Dallas (4:30 p.m.) - First, some injury updates. The good news for the Cowboys was that Terry Glenn went through his most rigorous practice since coming back from two knee operations. Glenn saw limited action in the season finale against Washington, but didn't catch a pass. On Wednesday, he went through an entire team workout for the first time since training camp.

However, Terrell Owens still wasn't able to practice Wednesday because of a high ankle sprain, continuing the drama of whether the Dallas Cowboys will have their newest All-Pro receiver for the playoff game Sunday against the New York Giants. Coach Wade Phillips didn't even see Owens on Wednesday, but knew he was doing all he could to get healthy. And if T.O. says he's ready to go at game time, Phillips will let him play.

If Terrell Owens plays, the Giants are going to lose. Its that simple. Terrell Owens creates such a distraction out there and is Tony Romo's favorite target. If not Owens, Romo has Glenn, Witten, and Crayton out there to throw too. The Cowboys have too much offense for the Giants to handle. Oh yea, and they have two decent running backs handy that they could switch in and out so they both can rest. Yes, I know the Cowboys have been slacking off lately, but they didn't care about that last game of the season.

If Terrell Owens doesn't play, the Giants have a very good chance of winning and things will be radically different. If you remove Terrell Owens, you are removing the second best receiver in football and the other receivers become covered because the defenders won't have to worry about what Terrell Owens is doing. The Giants are playing on the road, where they are 8-1, and they have been playing better than the Cowboys as of late in this season. Though things are starting to shift in the Giants favor, I believe Terrell Owens will play and the Cowboys will earn this win. However, if Terrell Owens doesn't play, it wouldn't surprise me if the Giants pulled off an upset.

And the issue with Jessica Simpson is not a distraction. Actually, its such a joke that the joke is becoming a distraction. Tony Romo is a professional football player and professional football players don't blame their private lives off the field for blowing the game on the field. If anything, the thought of Jessica Simpson should push Tony Romo to do better. Think of the reward she'll give him if he wins...

More Good News For Giants: TO Game-time Decision

Terrell Owens was limping on his sprained ankle today and his status for the Dallas Cowboys' playoff game against the New York Giants next weekend is uncertain. Coach Wade Phillips stated, "It looks to me that it's going to be a game-time decision on him...He probably couldn't have played today." Owens has a high ankle sprain and was limited in a light workout earlier today. This is good news for the Giants since Owens has an NFC-high 15 touchdowns with 81 catches for 1,355 yards. If he proves to be unable to play next weekend, the Cowboys' offense will be short a key weapon for quarterback Tony Romo. This will be a huge advantage for the Giants who have a relatively weak secondary. If TO sits out, expect the Giants to blitz early in the game to force Romo to make passes to less spectacular backup receivers. This places the Giants in a strong position defensively against the offensive-powerhouse Cowboys. And if Eli Manning continues to play like he has for the last two games, expect the Giants to pull off a major upset.

Is Vinny Testaverde Finally Ready To Call It Quits?

The answer is yes. After 21 seasons, Vinny Testaverde has had enough. Sunday will be the public's last chance to see this soon-to-be historic figure in action. The 44-year-old quarterback said Saturday that he'll retire after Carolina's season finale at Tampa Bay on Sunday.

Testaverde

"I just feel like it's time," Testaverde told The Associated Press before boarding the team bus for the airport. "Obviously at 44 it does get a little bit tougher as the weeks go by. I'm glad I'm able to do it on my own terms and walk away from the game not only healthy, but to experience some of the things I've been through."

Testaverde was out of the league until the Panthers, desperate for quarterback help after injuries to Jake Delhomme and David Carr, signed him on Oct. 10. Four days and only three practices later, Testaverde became the oldest starting QB to win a game when he led the Panthers to a victory at Arizona.

"It's going to be, for me, one of my special moments in the NFL," Testaverde said. "To come in with three days of preparation and go out and help a team win a football game and contribute, I'm proud of the fact I was able to do that."

Vinny is just too old to be in the quarterback position in football. His body wore down late in this season, and he was sidelined by back pain and a right Achilles tendon injury that kept him out of games and practices the past month. Testaverde's final game will come where his pro career started.

Testaverde had a remarkable career. As the 1986 Heisman Trophy winner at Miami, Testaverde was the No. 1 overall pick by Tampa Bay in the 1987 draft. He got off to rocky start, throwing 13 touchdown passes and 35 interceptions in his second season with the Buccaneers, his first as the full-time starter.

Testaverde weathered the criticism for three more seasons before moving to Cleveland. After the franchise moved to Baltimore, Testaverde made his first Pro Bowl in 1996.

Testaverde made the Pro Bowl two years later with the New York Jets, when he had 29 touchdown passes and only seven interceptions. He was the New York Jets savior who came in under Bill Parcells and led his team to the NFC Championship 1 year after a horrible season. They were winning that game at half and if it wasn't for John Elway and the Broncos they would have been in the Super Bowl that year. Late in his career he played with Dallas and New England.

Testaverde ranks sixth in the league for career attempts (6,701), completions (3,787) and yards passing (45,233). Testaverde has thrown 275 touchdown passes and 267 interceptions.

Testaverde also holds the NFL record by throwing at least one touchdown pass in 21 straight seasons.

My Interpretation Of Week 16 In The NFL

This week was so important that instead of going through each game, I'm only going to write about the games that are meaningful in some way. There's great debate over which teams played hard and which teams didn't because they either locked up a seed in the playoffs and don't want to hurt their starters or they have nothing to play for anymore.

New York Giants 38 beat Buffalo 21 - This win was incredibly important for the Giants. If they would have lost, they would have lost to the Patriots next week and their chances of making a Wild Card would have been very slim. However, because of this win, they clinched the fifth seed. Neither rain, sleet nor snow -- and not even Bills tight end Kevin Everett's inspirational return to Buffalo -- could prevent the New York Giants from clinching a playoff berth Sunday. A rediscovered running attack and an opportunistic defense carried the Giants past the Bills and the elements in a 38-21 win. I notivced how the Giants, at least for this important game, didn't put their trust in Eli Manning, who only threw for 15 passes and 2 interceptions. He was terrible again. He can't play in cold weather. If the Giants are going to advance in the playoffs, they need to do it through the ground game, which was amazing today. Now, will the Giants play lights out football against the Patriots to try to be the only team to stop them in their final week or will they rest? They should play their hardest and consider next week a trial run for the playoffs.

Chicago 35 beat Green Bay 7 - This was totally unexpected and surprising. The three-time MVP, Brett Favre, was at his worst, and now, Green Bay can forget about the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Brian Urlacher returned an interception for a touchdown for the first time in his career, Adrian Peterson ran for 102 yards, and the Chicago Bears beat the Packers 35-7 on a frigid Sunday afternoon. The loss wiped out the Packers' shot at home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Packers needed to win this game, beat Detroit next week and have Dallas lose to Washington to capture the No. 1 seed. Instead, it goes to the Cowboys, with Green Bay locked in at No. 2. Here's what Favre had to say: "I've been playing 17 years, and that was the worst condition I've ever played in." THATS A TERRIBLE Excuse. He's been playing in one of those harshest weather-conditioned stadiums of all time. He should be used to poor weather.

Cincinnati 19 beat Cleveland 14 - Again, this was a shocker to me. What happened to the amazing Browns offense? Anderson threw four interceptions Sunday, two of them setting up rapid-fire touchdowns in a 19-14 victory by the Cincinnati Bengals that left the upstart Browns scrambling for a playoff spot instead of celebrating one. The bottom line is that if the Titans pull off a win against the Colts, who will probably rest their starters most of the game, then the Browns are out regardless if they win.

Indianapolis 38 beat Houston 15 - This was a breeze as the Colts scored 38 unanswered points. Peyton Manning looked sharp, Indy's running game was efficient, the defense forced three turnovers and there was no letdown Sunday in what's likely to be the Colts final postseason tuneup. They are ready for the playoffs, with or without Marvin Harrison. What's wrong with that guy's knee anyway? Is it decapitated or something?

San Fransisco 21 beat Tampa Bay 19 - The only reason why I mention this game is because Tampa Bay is an example of a team who already clinched and could care less if they lose to a less than par team like the 49ers. By resting most of its playmakers, Tampa Bay also got everything it wanted out of a game that only held real meaning for Bryant Young, the 49ers' stalwart defensive tackle.

Tennessee 10 beat New York Jets 6 - The Tennessee Titans have a chance to win their way into their first playoff berth since 2003, thanks to help from Cincinnati. Pro Bowler Kyle Vanden Bosch had three of Tennessee's six sacks and Chris Brown ran for a touchdown as the Titans beat the New York Jets 10-6 on Sunday for their third victory in four games and their first winning season since 2003. The Titans (9-6) knew the Bengals defeated the Cleveland Browns 19-14, giving them the edge in tiebreakers if tied at 10-6 for the AFC's final wild-card berth once the regular season ends. It gave them a boost, but they still had to beat the Jets (3-12), which they did. Now, if they beat the Colts next week, they are automatically in. Now, if I was the Colts I would be asking myself whether I would let the Titans win or have the Browns in the playoffs. Since the Colts own the Titans and beat them all the time, I'd let them win and beat them in the playoffs.

New England 28 beat Miami 7 - Bill Belichick and the Patriots are complete liars when they say they don't care about the records. You know they want to break every record they can. They already have 3 Super Bowl wins, so now they want the records too.

Washington 32 beat Minnesota 21 - Playing the kind of hard-nosed, harder-hitting defense that fallen teammate Sean Taylor was famous for, the Washington Redskins shut down Adrian Peterson and set up two early touchdowns with interceptions to take control of their playoff fate with a 32-21 victory over the sloppy Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night. Peterson had nowhere to go all night, gaining just 27 yards on nine carries. Tarvaris Jackson's rebound from a disastrous start came too little, too late for the Vikings (8-7), who could have clinched a playoff berth with a win. The Vikings don't impressive me anymore and they are simple to beat. If you shut down the running game, which hasn't been so hard lately, they have nothing else going for them. Now, if Minnesota and Washington lose next week, and the Saints win next week, the Saints are automatically in. Right now, the Vikings and Redskins are tied for the last seed.

Dallas 20 beat Carolina 13 - Its official now. The Cowboys are statistically the #1 team in the NFC.

Terrell Owens' Injury Is Hopefully Not As Bad As It Sounds

With Terrell Owens watching the second half from the locker room, the Dallas Cowboys had to depend on their running game and their defense to avoid a second straight upset loss.

Tony Romo threw for 257 yards and a touchdown and the Cowboys overcame the loss of Owens to a left ankle injury in a 20-13 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Saturday night.

While Dallas (13-2) moved a step closer to clinching home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, the Cowboys were dealing with another injury to a key offensive player.

Last week it was Romo, who bruised his right thumb and was ineffective in a loss to Philadelphia. Now it's Owens, who left in the second quarter after his left leg got caught underneath him after a catch.

The Cowboys made it 14-0 a play after Owens left, but failed to score another touchdown.

Dallas receiver Terrell Owens left the Cowboys' game Saturday night against Carolina because of a left ankle injury.

The team said at halftime that he would miss the rest of the game.

Owens' leg got caught underneath him when he was tackled by Jon Beason on a 4-yard catch in the second quarter. After limping around on the sideline for several minutes, Owens walked to the locker room.

A television camera later caught Owens walking near the locker room without a shoe on his left foot, accompanied by a trainer and agent Drew Rosenhaus.

Owens had five catches for 48 yards, including a 10-yard touchdown catch, before he was injured. The TD was Owens' team record 15th of the season.

I can not confirm how badly he was injured or what the estimated time of injury will be, but the commentators played it off as if it won't be severe. X-Rays were negative and its only a sprain. If Green Bay loses tom, then Dallas can rest in their final week. They will automatically have a first round bye, so Terrell Owens can rest for another week. Hopefully, its only a sprain and nothing broke and he will return in time for the start of the Cowboys' first playoff game.

Cowboys At Panthers: Where's Jessica Simpson When You Need Her?

Milwaukeeworld Publishing, http://www.milwaukeeworld.com, is currently offering a free Jessica Simpson cutout mask, for Panthers and Packers fans alike. This Saturday, December 22nd at 8 p.m. (EST) the 12-2 Dallas cowboys travel to the Bank of America stadium in Charlotte, N.C. to take on the 6-8 Carolina Panthers. The game will be aired on the NFL Network.

"After Tony Romo's dismal display in Dallas' loss to the Philadelphia Eagles last week, Terrell Owens seemingly blamed his quarterback's 22.2 passer rating on a particular blonde in the crowd. Now Milwaukeeworld Publishing is giving people the chance to be that blonde at the Cowboys next game against the Carolina Panthers this weekend," said Craig Peterson, owner and founder of Milwaukeeworld Publishing.

Visit Milwaukeeworld.com to print, snip and sport a Jessica face when the game starts this Saturday at 8 p.m. (EST).

Milwaukeeworld created the mask after the Cowboys second defeat of the season this past Sunday at Texas Stadium, which was surrounded in controversy by Simpson's appearance at the game. Outspoken wide receiver Terrell Owens said, "Right now Jessica Simpson is not a fan favorite in this locker room or in Texas Stadium."

"Romo has a recent history of going down in front of blondes. In the 2006/07 NFL season, the Dallas Cowboys lost to Philadelphia at home 23-7, resulting in Romo's second worst game to date. At that game was then-girlfriend and American Idol winner Carrie Underwood," said Peterson.

Coincidentally, Romo's first ever start in the NFL was at the Panthers on October 29th, 2006, with Dallas recording a 35-14 victory. The 6-8 Panthers need a win this time around to keep its playoff hopes alive, so if you are a Carolina fan, why not visit Milwaukeeworld.com and obtain your free Jessica Simpson mask.

Also......

A new website is taking aim at Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. RuinRomo.com is a site, where fans of opponents playing the Cowboys, can download and print out a stick mask of Romo’s love interest Jessica Simpson.

There are numerous other sites offering free heads of Jessica Simpson as well. So, apparently this issue of Romo and Simpson is not dying down. In fact, its only going to get worse. The Cowboys really need home field advantage throughout the playoffs now. I guarantee that in any away games they play, there will be waves of thousands of Jessica Simpson faces in the crowds. Its rather annoying, especially since she isn't responsible for Romo's poor performance and Terrell Owens wanted attention by making a joke like that. Also, their are better looking girls than Jessica Simpson I'd rather see the faces of multiplied in the crowds.

After the remarks Terrell Owens made about Jessica Simpson in which he later said he was joking, I wonder how many times Tony Romo is going to throw the ball to him this week.