Cowboys' Romo may be ready to face Giants

All indications are that Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo isn't in danger of missing Sunday night's game at the New York Giants to determine who wins the NFC East and goes to the playoffs.

Reports out of Texas said that the swelling has subsided on Romo's bruised throwing hand and he could be ready to practice Wednesday.

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said a number of tests confirmed the original diagnosis of nothing being broken in the QB's right hand.

Asked if Romo can grip a football, Garrett said that the player has a relatively firm handshake. (Gee, what was the other test - rub some dirt on it?)

Meanwhile, it turns out the spiky outward demeanor of New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin wasn't hiding a squishy soft interior, after all. The gruff guy is tough as rawhide all the way through.

Coughlin's left knee was sent the wrong way Sunday when 225-pound Giants running back D.J. Ware collided on the sideline with the coach in a 29-14 win over the Jets. One day later, the 65-year-old limped into his news conference and said he felt fine (maybe he did rub some dirt on it).

He said he had no intention of coaching from the press box in the Giants' showdown with Dallas in North Jersey. He did say, however, that Ware was off the team (he was joking - we think).

Defensive end Justin Tuck says the players are inspired by the coach's example, saying, "We are all all-in." (Maybe you should try a different phrase, Justin; that one didn't work out well for the Eagles.)

Following Saturday's 27-0 drubbing by the Pittsburgh Steelers, the St. Louis Rams are 2-13 and tied with the Indianapolis Colts for the NFL's worst record heading into the final week of the season.

On New Year's Day, St. Louis hosts the San Francisco 49ers and Indianapolis visits Jacksonville. The Niners (12-3) have clinched the NFC West. The Jaguars (4-11) lead the league in season-ending injuries this season, and have placed 31 players on injured reserve.

If the Colts beat the battered Jags and the Rams drop their seventh in a row, St. Louis gets the top pick.

Think Andrew Luck might be giving his TV remote a work-out, flipping between games?

Speaking of flipping, we're still astounded by the leap Cincinnati receiver Jerome Simpson took to somersault Arizona linebacker Daryl Washington and stick the end-zone landing in the Bengals' 23-16 victory over the Cardinals.

Count Simpson among those amazed. "To tell you the truth, it was just instinct," he said. "I just saw the guy. It seemed like he was going to hit me, and I didn't want to get hit. . . . I've jumped over a guy before, but never did a flip and landed it."

Now that they've gained only their third winning record in the last 21 years, the 9-6 Bengals next face the Baltimore Ravens at home with a chance for a wild-card berth. It's possible: The Ravens are 3-4 on the road, with two straight losses in Cincy and five in their last six.

He's coming off two losses, the second a dismal, four-interception, 40-14 stinker against Buffalo. But Denver's Tim Tebow is keeping the faith, saying his confidence is "just fine."

He'll need it as the Broncos face Kansas City on Sunday. In a twist wrestling mogul Vince McMahon might have scripted, the Chiefs QB will be Kyle Orton, the guy Tebow couldn't beat out in training camp.

Think Orton might like being the playoff-spoiler of the team that tossed him aside?