Romo Returns as Washington Redskins visit Dallas Cowboys

Frank Doyle previews tonight’s Monday Night Football game as Washington visits Dallas!

It took all week for an NFL betting line to appear for this game as the world waited on news of Tony Romo. The news has finally arrived – Dallas will be a three point home favorite with Romo under center when Washington arrives at Irving to take on the Cowboys.

Will it be the full Romo though? Boomer Esiason questioned the Dallas doctors over the weekend, wondering just how fit to play Romo can be with a fractured rib and a “tiny tear” in his lung.

It’s a tricky question for the League. Player safety is of greater concern to the NFL than it has been but the sport’s ethos is still about tough guys playing through pain. Sir Charles Barkley crossed sports during the week to say he thought Romo had to return to the field against San Francisco, because he would never be forgiven if he didn’t.

Whatever. Tony Romo will start tonight with some sort of flak jacket protection to defend against DeAngelo Hall placing a mental bulls-eye on Romo’s ribcage and looking forward to taking a good shot at him at some stage during the hour.

After so many seasons of disappointment since the glory days of the first Joe Gibbs Era, there’s a giddy atmosphere about Washington right now. A ball control offense and good defense sees the Redskins off to a 2-0, 1-1-0 ATS start and a popular bet to spring a surprise on Dallas tonight.

It’s not just Tony Romo who’s hurt. Miles Austin is on the IR with a hamstring, Dez Bryant is questionable and Felix Jones has a separated shoulder. There’s a case to be made for substituting the Cowboys’ famous helmet star with a band-aid for tonight’s game.

Washington is bringing a lot of attitude this year. DeAngelo Hall’s comments about targeting Romo follow a trend set by Rex Grossman when he said that Washington would win the NFC East. But for all their trash-talking, the truth is that the Redskins had to come from behind against both Minnesota and Arizona to get their 2-0 start. One of these days, the wind will change and they’ll be caught like that.

Romo and Grossman are the stars, but this a game that defenses are likely to dominate. The Washington defense is good and Dallas’ DeMarcus Ware lead the league in sacks last year. The over/under for the game is set at 45. Under could the smartest play of all this Monday Night.