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{mosimage}Tony Romo started the season with good intentions. He started it by dumping former American Idol winner Carrie Underwood, saying he had to concentrate on his football career and the up coming season. After all, Romo had fumbled away Dallas’ chances in last year’s playoffs, and he need to redeemed himself as the Dallas Cowboy’s starting quarterback. Not that the hook-up between a Dallas quarterback and a country-pop star was anything new, back a few years ago it was Troy Aikman being linked to Lori Morgan. Then again, by the time they were an item, Aikman was a proven winner with a few Super Bowl rings to his credit. Romo still needed to establish himself.

And establish himself he did, taking the Cowboys along for the ride, Romo reeled off wins in 12 out of the first 13 games, his only loss before this past Sunday coming at the hands of the New England Patriots. Along the way Tony was smashing the passing records of his predecessors, and leading the Cowboys on a few come from behind victories ala Roger Staubach. For a while, all was well in Dallas. Then Romo got stupid. He forgot what he set out to do this season. He let the perks of his job get to him and started hanging around a few pop vixens again. There were rumors of Britney and then Thanksgiving dinner with Jessica Simpson. Still, the Cowboys kept winning. Though a one point victory against the Lions in week 13th was cutting it a bit too close.

Then the Eagles came to town, and Jessica Simpson showed up as well. There were the Eagles, eager to repeat the outcome of last year’s late-season meeting with the Cowboys. There was Jessica, sitting pretty in the stands in a pink # 9 jersey. If ever there was an omen, that horrendous pink jersey was probably it. Sixty minutes later, Romo was sitting at the end of his worse performance to date. In a 6-10 loss, that could have been worse had Brian Westbrook not sat down on the one yard line, Romo completed only 36 percent of his passes and was intercepted three times. Unlike the game against the Bills, were Romo was able to shake off a five interception performance, there would be no miracles this time. There were also no touchdowns, as Romo fail to throw one for the first time this season.

But is it fair to blame the QB, much less the girl for what took place Sunday? Maybe, maybe not. Injuries also took a toll on the Cowboys, who lost their Center Andre Gurode and a Defensive End to injuires. Aside from Romo, the rest of the offense was plain flat. Owens dropped some passes that could have gone for big gains. The running game went no where, and Romo was sacked four times. On the other side of the ball, McNabb was running and passing well all day, and Westbrook did his part as well, gaining over 140 yards from scrimmage. If there was a bright spot in Dallas it was once again Tight End Jason Witten who went over the 1,000 yard mark receiving this year. His 113 yard performance coming on the heels of the 15 catches he had last week. Witten was helped along by a Dallas defense that did its best to keep the Cowboys in the game. And while in retrospect it may not have been Jessica’s doing, her presences at Texas Stadium surely doesn’t help. If the season were to fall apart right here and now, the Romo-Simpson romance would always be pointed to in years to come. So Tony, get back to what you started to do this season, which is, win football games. Jessica Simpson can wait, after all, that is what the off-season is for. How this soap opera plays out this season remains to be seen.