A LITTLE RECAP AND COUNTDOWN TO GAMETIME

Tony Romo- Well, apparently the league hasn't caught up to Tony Romo. It was to be expected that Romo would have a good day against one of the worst pass defenses in football, and that is just what happened. Romo connected on 22 of his 29 passes for 278 yards, 2 TDs, and an INT. A game like this is what I expect on a week to week expectation for Romo. While he is no Peyton Manning at this stage of his career, he is still one of the most reliable QBs you can have in fantasy.

Marion Barber III/Julius Jones- Following his 2 carry performance against the Saints last week, Barber got back on track for another big day. This time Barber had 11 carries which he took for 69 yards and 2 TDs. While he's a risky week to week play because of efforts like his two carry day, Barber is clearly the more desirable Dallas RB. His counterpart, Julius Jones, did have two more carries than Barber, but only 26 yards. The Dallas running game has a good matchup next week against Philadelphia next week.

Terrell Owens- It was probably the most complete game of the year for Owens. Not only did he have 69 yards and 2 TDs in the receiving game, but he also found the time to stir a bit of controversy by spitting in DeAngelo Hall's face. What I love about T.O. is that he and possibly Jerry Porter are the only players I can think of that would actually do something like this and then admit to it when there is absolutely no video evidence of such a thing taking place. On a football note, it was one of Owens' better games of the year, and he'll face a huge game for himself at Philadelphia next week.

Michael Vick- He did line up at RB for one play, but Vick showed the Falcons why his value is clearly at QB for the franchise. Vick finished with 16 completions on 24 attempts for 237 yards and an impressive 4 TDs compared to 1 INT. It's amazing how effective Vick can be when his receivers actually catch his passes when they are wide open. Vick also ran for 56 yards, which in the process set the single season record for rushing yards for a QB. It's games like these that make Vick one of the most enticing and enigmatic players in the NFL.

Now here are some of the headlines leading up to kickoff......

As expected, it appears unlikely that Laurence Maroney will play on Sunday. The Patriots offense suffered without him last week, but a game against the Texans should fix everything. Expect a slight increase in carries for Corey Dillon and more work for Kevin Faulk.

Despite having an incomplete week of practice, Travis Henry appears likely to play on Sunday. His ankle still is a concern, and he will most likely have a reduced number of carries. It wouldn't be a shock if Henry can't finish the game.

There was some speculation that Thomas Jones wouldn't play Sunday, but it appears like he will at least suit up for the Bears on Sunday. As I said earlier in the week, Jones is almost certain to have a reduced load on Sunday. Cedric Benson is clearly the more desirable RB for the Bears this week.

Along with Thomas Jones, Muhsin Muhammed is also active for the Bears. The hand injury was once a major concern, but it looks like it has healed enough for him to play. He's only a good start if he's your third WR considering his health and the play of Rex Grossman.

-David Cassilo
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