Tony Romo's a no-go, but Cowboys aren't gone
SAM FARMER / ON THE NFL
Dallas just might be able to survive the loss of its starting quarterback for at least a month. Veterans like Brad Johnson often thrive in these circumstances.
Consider this a quiz: Name the top two teams in the NFL.
There are the undefeated Tennessee Titans, and . . . and . . .
It gets a little tricky after that, with teams fluctuating from week to week with all the stability and predictability of the stock market.
The latest collapse: The one-win Cleveland Browns stunned the defending Super Bowl champions Monday night, handing the New York Giants their first loss since December.
So through the first six weeks of the season, the NFL is still the great wide open. Some thoughts and observations heading into Week 7:
Hurt hand vs. old hand
At first blush, it looks like a devastating blow to the Dallas Cowboys that they're losing quarterback Tony Romo for at least a month because of a broken pinkie on his throwing hand. They're giving the starting job to 40-year-old Brad Johnson, who hasn't started a game since 2006, so that has to be unnerving for them.
But the Cowboys actually might be OK. Sometimes, older quarterbacks thrive when surrounded by a talented supporting cast. Consider what Jeff Garcia did with Philadelphia two years ago, or what Kerry Collins is doing in Tennessee now.
Johnson is a plodder, but a smart one. Don't immediately assume Big D stands for doomed.
Trading places
Today is the NFL trade deadline, and there probably won't be a flurry of activity. The Cowboys could be wheeling and dealing, though, because they'll need another quarterback whether or not Johnson pans out, plus a punter to replace Mat McBriar, who, according to the Dallas Morning News, suffered a broken foot when his punt was blocked in overtime and is expected to miss six to eight weeks.
Other players who could be on the trading block are Oakland running backs Justin Fargas and Michael Bush -- more expendable with the emergence of rookie Darren McFadden -- and the biggie, Kansas City tight end Tony Gonzalez.
Davis doctrine
Explaining why he fired Lane Kiffin, Raiders owner Al Davis talked about how the coach didn't believe in JaMarcus Russell and didn't let the young quarterback show what he could do with his arm.
So, how are Al's new-and-improved Raiders working out?
Well, Russell had by far his worst game of the season Sunday, completing 37.1% of his passes for 159 yards, with two sacks, an interception and a fumble in a 34-3 loss at New Orleans.
