Desperation Week in NFC East

You don't need a Shakespearean balcony scene to realize the importance of Tony Romo's return to the Dallas Cowboys, perhaps just in time to save a season going wrong. The quarterback whose broken pinkie shelved him for three games returns tonight to face Washington in a huge NFC East game.

Rivalry Week? How about Desperation Week? For both teams, that is. Even though the Redskins (6-3) lead the Cowboys (5-4), the moods in Washington and Texas are similar.

“It's a must win for both teams,” Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell said.

Of course, neither would be in such a fix if it weren't for something else they have in common: The Redskins and Cowboys are the only teams to lose to St. Louis.

The other problem for these teams is the emergence of the NFC South, which could steal both NFC wild-card spots. If Carolina (7-2), Tampa Bay (6-3) and Atlanta (6-3) keep winning, the only sure route to the postseason for Dallas and Washington would be to catch the first-place New York Giants (8-1).

The bye week gave several Cowboys time to heal. In addition to Romo, left guard Kyle Kosier is expected to play after missing the past six games with a right foot injury, as is cornerback Terence Newman after being out five because of a sports hernia.

The Cowboys went 1-2 while Romo was out, but there is unanimous agreement that the team's struggles began before he was hurt. The first cracks in the facade showed during Week4, when Dallas was stunned at home 26-24 by the Redskins.

However, Washington's Clinton Portis, the league's second-leading rusher, was healthy in the first meeting. He has a sprained knee and isn't expected to play tonight.

The Redskins are so nervous about the game, they are taking measures to make sure they have a true home-field advantage. Steelers fans dominated the lower bowl of the stadium Nov.3, so executive vice president of football operations Vinny Cerrato was on the radio last week begging the Washington faithful not to sell tickets to Cowboys fans.

Needless to say, the nail-biting part of the season has arrived.

My 2 Cents

By Charles Chandler

When you think of Mike Singletary, the player, you think of the eyes.

It's difficult to remember anyone who has played the game who could match the intense, focused, ready-to-strike look that was Singletary's trademark during his Hall of Fame career as a Chicago Bears linebacker. It was like he could see everything that was happening and could do whatever he wanted to stop it. His stare was piercing.

Now that Singletary is an interim coach, the eyes are different.

The eyes on the sidelines Monday night when precious seconds were wasting away against Arizona looked bewildered and uncertain.

It was a time-management disaster. The final play call – a run up the middle from the 21/2 – was his responsibility much more than offensive coordinator Mike Martz's. There was no excuse for it, notwithstanding the explanation that officials didn't inform the 49ers that the ball wasn't inside the 1.

The play didn't work. The 49ers lost 29-24, 1 yard shy of the winning touchdown and eons away from looking competent in end-of-game situations. Though he had his team plenty fired up to play a physical game, Singletary looked sophomoric – at best – when the game was on the line.

One week earlier, he had a series of rookie gaffes. Perhaps he can recover. Perhaps he's a quick study and will adapt rapidly to the job.

It sure would be nice, because he's the kind of man you'd love to see succeed.

Right now, however, the eyes just don't have it.

Notes

Harrison's time in Indy almost over?

This very likely will be Marvin Harrison's final season with the Colts. The receiver, 36, has 30 catches for 357 yards this season. With a 2009 salary-cap cost of $13.4million, it's hard to imagine the Colts bringing him back.

The Bengals are 29-5 under Marvin Lewis when they've won the turnover battle, and 5-29 when they've lost it. They're 9-12 in even-turnover games.

Patriots receiver Wes Welker leads the league in yards after the catch (324).

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