Texas NFL Capsules: Romo's back for Cowboys must-win game vs Redskins

LANDOVER, Md. - O, Romo, Romo, how for art thou, Romo?

"I'm confident that I'll feel pretty good for the game," the Dallas Cowboys hero replied.

You don't need a Shakespearean balcony scene to realize the importance of Tony Romo's return to the Cowboys, perhaps just in time to save a season going wrong. The quarterback whose broken pinkie sidelined him for three games returns tonight to face the Washington Redskins in a game Dallas is calling a must win in everything but name.

"I wouldn't say it's a must game," receiver Terrell Owens said, "but we need to win the game."

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

"It's a must win for both teams - and something has to give," 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 two teams to lose to the St. Louis Rams this year.

"We saw when we played St. Louis - you can't take anyone for granted," Dallas tight end Jason Witten said.

The other problem for these teams is the emergence of the NFC South, which could snag one or both of the wild-card spots that had been expected to go to the East. If Carolina (7-2), Tampa Bay (6-3) and Atlanta (6-3) keep winning, the only sure route to the postseason for the Cowboys and Redskins would be to catch the first-place New York Giants (8-1), who are threatening to run away and hide.

"The Giants are definitely trying to distance themselves from everybody else, and we've got to keep pace," Redskins right tackle Jon Jansen said. "If we don't keep pace, then we'll be looking at a wild-card game and then you're looking all the way across the board, how we match up (in the standings). We've got to win some ballgames."

The NFL thought enough of the NFC East to feature the division on back-to-back Sunday nights. Redskins coach Jim Zorn was a no-win spectator as he watched the Giants beat the Philadelphia Eagles last week.

"It was tough to know who to root for," Zorn said. "And because of what happened, we have to have a little help if we're going to achieve one of our goals."

The bye week gave several Cowboys time to heal. In addition to Romo, left guard Kyle Kosier is expected to play after missing the last 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 sidelined, but there is unanimous agreement that the team's struggles began before he was hurt. The first cracks in the facade showed in Week 4, with Dallas was stunned at home 26-24 by the Redskins. His return might not be an instant salve.

"I don't know if it's that simple," Witten said. "I mean, even before that we weren't playing our best football. I think that just collectively understanding you have to win your own battle, one-on-one, within the team concept. Obviously not having your quarterback out there puts you in a bad spot. I think we're kind of rallying behind everybody being healthy and making a big push here."

The Redskins are thinking more highly of Romo's potential impact. Exhibit A: Dallas averaged only 140 yards passing in three games with Brad Johnson and Brooks Bollinger.

"When they get Romo back in, they're at full power," Redskins defensive coordinator Greg Blache said. "It's like an automobile getting its engine back in."

As one engine returns, another will likely watch from the sideline. Clinton Portis, the league's second-leading rusher, sprained his knee in Washington's 23-6 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers before the bye and isn't expected to play.

The Redskins are so nervous about the game that they are taking extra measures to make sure they have a true home-field advantage. Steelers fans dominated the lower bowl of the stadium two weeks ago, so executive vice president of football operations Vinny Cerrato was on the radio this week practically begging the Washington faithful not to sell tickets to Cowboys fans. The team-affiliated radio station is distributing 50,000 "Redskins Rally Rags," a response to the Terrible Towels waved by those Pittsburgh infiltrators.

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

"In this next three weeks, you'll really see some teams stay up in the playoff race and other teams will fall behind," Jansen said. "The third quarter of the season is really where it gets tough, and you've got to be mentally tough to win at this time."

Texans' Rosenfels ready for second chance at Colts

INDIANAPOLIS - Houston's Sage Rosenfels insists he's tossed out the painful memories from his last start against Indianapolis.

That foolish attempt to go airborne, only to see Gary Brackett scoop up his fumble and score? Forgotten.

The thought of Robert Mathis stripping him for another fumble? Gone.

And the interception that ended Houston's last-gasp chance? History.

For Rosenfels, those infamous final five minutes from Oct. 5 may be interminably replayed forever. It doesn't mean anything to the Texans.

"That game is over, it was over a long time ago," Rosenfels said. "I've put that out of my mind."

Maybe not entirely.

While the Texans (3-6) recovered quickly after the October debacle, Rosenfels finds himself back in the starring role for this week's sequel.

In the original, starting quarterback Matt Schaub couldn't play because he was ill, Indianapolis was fighting to save its season, and the winless Texans thought they had finally knocked out their old nemesis.

Now the Colts are trying to save their playoff hopes, the Texans are trying to recover from two straight losses and Schaub is out with a left knee injury, meaning Rosenfels has a shot at redemption today.

"What that game does is give me confidence," Rosenfels said. "I feel like I played, for the most part, pretty well against these guys and that gives me confidence to go out there and try to do that again, but just finish the game. Hopefully, the outcome will be reversed."

It's Rosenfels best hope to make everyone else forget the most painful chapter in the Texans' most frustrating series.

In 13 games, the Texans own just one victory, courtesy of Kris Brown's 48-yard field goal as time expired in 2006. They have never won in Indianapolis, have been outscored 399-226, and Peyton Manning has 31 touchdowns and just five interceptions against Houston.

The most recent game, however, will go down as the most disheartening for Houston. With a seemingly safe 17-point lead, Rosenfels' impeccably bad timing allowed the Colts (5-4) to make a record-setting comeback.

And now, the Texans must come to Lucas Oil Stadium and face a resurgent Colts team that won its last two against New England and Pittsburgh. A third straight win would seem to right everything that has gone so wrong all season.

"If we were in any stages of complacency, I think our players looking at that (first Houston) game should take care of that," Colts coach Tony Dungy said. "We have to continue to work and see if we can play better than we have the last couple of weeks and defend our home turf. It's obviously a big game for us."

Complacency is a word that hasn't entered the Colts' lexicon all season.

The five-time defending AFC South champions are four games behind unbeaten Tennessee in the division race, have already lost two home games and are well off their usual scoring pace. Manning, who has looked much better of late, is still trying to find a running game, and the defense, which is improving, is still allowing 133.8 yards on the ground.

Clearly, Indy expects better.

And, like Rosenfels, today's game provides Indianapolis with a second chance. The Colts don't face another opponent with a winning record until the regular-season finale against Tennessee.

So taking care of Houston is a must.

"Somebody asked me if I thought we were turning the corner," Manning said. "I think when you're 5-4, there really aren't corners out there. Hopefully, we can keep finding a way to win games. That's all we're trying to do at this point."

The problems are far worse in Houston.

It hasn't won a road game since Nov. 4, 2007 at Oakland, is allowing 130.7 yards rushing and is minus-12 in turnover differential. Coach Gary Kubiak, now in his third season, has come under harsher scrutiny, and then there is Rosenfels, who threw four more interceptions in last week's 41-13 loss to Baltimore.

Manning understands the predicament.

"It's one of those things where you make the play, and they say, ‘That's what he had to do, he had to make a play,' " Manning said. "When you don't make it, they say ‘That was wrong to do.' That's part of playing quarterback."

The timing, again, couldn't be worse.

This week's rematch and Rosenfels' third start of the season almost certainly rekindle all those ugly images - even if those around the Texans have cleared it from the memory bank.

"Sage will be fine," Houston guard Chester Pitts said. "You move on and get ready for the next one. I promise you he'll bounce back. He'll play extremely well this weekend. I have the utmost confidence in that."

-- Michael Marot