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Romo takes show to New York, Giants seek to snap three-game skid

Nov 29, 2006 - 12:47 AM Dallas (7-4) at NY Giants (6-5) Sunday 4:15 pm EST

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Tony Romo has rejuvenated the Dallas Cowboys. The New York Giants need someone to rejuvenate them.

The NFC East rivals meet for the second time this season on Sunday.

It was in the first meeting when Cowboys coach Bill Parcells yanked quarterback Drew Bledsoe at halftime in favor of Romo, but the Giants posted a 36-22 victory.

Since then, the Cowboys have gone 4-1 with Romo as the starter and have moved into first place in the division, one game ahead of the Giants, who have dropped three in a row.

After tying a franchise record with five touchdown passes in a 38-10 win over Tampa Bay on Thanksgiving, Romo became a hot commodity on sports shows across the country and even has been linked romantically with Jessica Simpson.

The new catch phrase in Dallas is "Romomentum." Who could have believed that an undrafted rookie free agent from Division I-AA Eastern Illinois in 2003 could create this kind of stir? His emergence has even made controversial wide receiver Terrell Owens a sideshow.

"I noticed the talent he had before he was a starter," Owens said. "I had a chance to watch him as he played in the preseason and he showed what he could do. He got a chance to step up and take over the position and he has been able to make some things happen."

In his five starts, Romo has completed 111-of-155 passes for 1,429 yards and 11 touchdowns with two interceptions.

"I'm just having a lot of fun out there," Romo said.

The Giants sure aren't having any fun lately. They enter with a three-game losing streak, including an excruciating 24-21 defeat at Tennessee in which they squandered a 21-point lead with less than 10 minutes remaining.

Running back Tiki Barber, injured defensive end Michael Strahan and linebacker Antonio Pierce called a players-only meeting the day after the loss.

"The message was that it's a five-game season and every goal that we want is still reachable," Pierce said.

Yet heading into this matchup, Romo is the quarterback exuding confidence while Giants quarterback Eli Manning, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 draft, appears to have his confidence somewhat shattered.

With the game at Tennessee tied, 21-21, in the final minute, Manning rolled to his right and dreadfully underthrew a pass intended for David Tyree. Cornerback "Pacman" Jones made a leaping interception to set up the game-winning 49-yard field goal by Rob Bironas that completed the Giants' meltdown.

A major factor for the Giants' losing streak has been the absence of Pro Bowl defensive ends Strahan and Osi Umenyiora due to injuries.

With both of them in the lineup for the Monday night game at Dallas on October 23, the Giants recorded six sacks, four interceptions, including one for a touchdown, and a safety. Strahan recorded two of the sacks to tie Lawrence Taylor's franchise record of 132 1/2 career sacks.

The Giants held a 12-7 halftime lead when Parcells decided to make the switch from Bledsoe to Romo. Bledsoe completed 7-of-12 passes for 111 yards in the first half and scored on a one-yard run with 3:51 left in the second quarter. But Bledsoe was also sacked four times and threw an interception on a 2nd-and-goal play from the New York 4 with 1:38 left in the second quarter.

Romo's first pass was swatted by Strahan and intercepted by Pierce, who returned it six yards to the Dallas 14. Three plays later, Manning hit tight end Jeremy Shockey with a 13-yard touchdown.

Romo ended up completing 14-of-25 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns with three interceptions. Owens finished with six catches for 98 yards, including an eight-yard touchdown from Romo early in the fourth quarter.

The Cowboys were also unable to run the ball on the Giants as Julius Jones and Marion Barber combined for 59 yards on 19 carries.

Meanwhile, Barber rushed for 114 yards on 27 carries.