The swelling has subsided somewhat and there is nothing to suggest he won’t be making the start. How long he goes in Sunday’s game, whether he re-injures the hand, that’s another matter and only time will tell.
But there’s no way he doesn’t start.
“Today was good. I was able to do some things with the ball that we weren’t sure about, so it was a good start to the week,” Romo told New York reporters following Wednesday’s practice. “We are going to keep working on it and get all the treatment and stuff. We should be good to go for this weekend.”
The key for the Cowboys and Romo is to not overwork the hand during practice, to allow the healing to continue and the swelling to go away.
Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett wasn’t quite as bullish as his quarterback but that comes with his position.
“It seemed like he was able to throw the ball OK, but he still needs to make some progress with that thing, (his) hand is still swollen,” Garrett said. “Typically, he gets a full complement of reps, he didn’t get all the reps.”
And throughout the week he probably won’t and shouldn’t.
“He has progressed since the game, so we’ll see how he responds to the work he got (in practice),” Garrett said. “I thought he had a good day ... He seemed fairly functional with the stuff that he was able to do.”
Tight end Jason Witten said he can’t see Romo sitting this one out.
“I would be hard pressed to see him not playing,” Witten said. “Anyone who knows what he is about, knows he’s going to play.”
Romo will start, not Stephen McGee. You can take that to the bank.
SHOULDERING ON
Quarterbacks have been dropping like the leaves in autumn and the latest QB to seek treatment appears to be glamour boy Tom Brady of the New England Patriots.
Brady injured his left shoulder in last week’s comeback victory over the Miami Dolphins, an injury that caused him to miss practice on Wednesday. However, after initial reports said he was not available Thursday, there he was, with his teammates at the start of the practice.
The word in the Patriots camp is that Brady will play in Sunday’s finale against the Buffalo Bills. The Patriots still have a lot on the line as a victory will cement their No. 1 overall status in the AFC. A loss and a victory by the Baltimore Ravens would vault the Ravens into the coveted No. 1 status and home field advantage.
The Patriots are noted for their secrecy so the full extent of Brady’s injury will probably not be revealed. But there is no way the Patriots would even contemplate playing Brady if he wasn’t ready and risk further damage on Sunday.
Without Brady, the Patriots are the Indianapolis Colts. With him, the Pats are the favourites to be the AFC rep in the Super Bowl,
Stay tuned just in case.
QUICK HITS
Arizona quarterback Kevin Kolb is expected to miss his second consecutive start because of post-concussion symptoms. It is his second concussion in as many years. “(The trainer) thinks with some rest and getting away from the game a little bit, probably within two to three weeks, I’ll feel a lot better,” Kolb told the Arizona Republic. That means that on Sunday, backup John Skelton will start for the seventh time this season against the Seattle Seahawks ... Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson believes he’ll be back in a Bills uniform in 2012. He enters the off-season as a free agent. “I just feel like being here four years and with the coaches that I have here, with the players, with Fitz (quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick) signing his deal, you would think you’d have the one-two punch,” Johnson told the Buffalo News. “When Fitz came on, I came on. So you would think they would keep it together.” In his past two seasons, Johnson has made 154 receptions for 2,037 yards with 16 touchdowns ... Vikings coach Leslie Frazier confirmed Thursday the plan is for Christian Ponder to start the season finale against the Chicago Bears. Ponder left last week’s game with a concussion.
FOOTBALL’S ‘JORDAN RULE’
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Brandon Marshall believes it’s a case of different strokes for different folks.
Nothing new about that in the world of sports.
In Marshall’s case, he is referring to what he believes is the preferential treatment that is afforded New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis by game officials. In short, Marshall believes that Revis gets away with things that would draw flags from other less heralded corners.
In the first meeting between the teams, Revis caught a ball intended for Marshall and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown. On the play, Revis looked as if he pushed off but no flag was thrown.
“You know what, my technique could have been better, but at the same time I think they gave him the ‘Jordan Rule,’” Marshall said. “Michael Jordan, you get a little close to Michael Jordan they are going to call a foul, it works that way in football. Some guys you know they are scared to throw the flag on him and he may be getting that rule.
“I have a little following behind me, I am one of the faces of football, but it’s not as big as Darrelle’s, so when they have to pick, they pick Darrelle.”
Note to Marshall — Revis has earned it.
