In November of 2006, a tenderfoot Tony Romo, making his fourth NFL start, faced he 9-0 Indianapolis Colts. He defeated them completing almost 83% of his passes. Tonight, the Giantslayer returned. A lot of playmakers stepped up tonight, but Romo more than met the challenge I laid out for him yesterday.
 
Before I get into the Cowboys, let me divert to the broadcast team. It was a mystery to everybody but the Ford family why it took so long for the Lions to fire Matt Millen. Now that I can hear his idiocy week to week on TV, I am lost to explain why they hired him in the first place. He represents everything that is wrong with NFL broadcasting. Millen clearly had his commentary written in advance. He was not even watching what was happening on the field. He talks us through a replay of Brees’s brilliance evading the rush on a play where Brees put the ball in Jenkins' hands for what should have been a TD. Brees was terrible in the first half. Romo was brilliant. Millen waxed eloquent about how we were witnessing the best quarterback play in the history of the NFL - Brees is "at the zenith, we saw Manning the other night, and I'll say Phillip Rivers is up there, too." It took his broadcast partner Bob Papa to point out that Romo is okay, too.
 
Look, I am as much a Drew Brees fan as anybody. He is a great quarterback, and seems like a really good guy. But at that point in the game, he was 5 of 8 for 35 yards. Romo had 150 yards and nearly a perfect QB rating. Is it too much to ask that the color commentator watch the game that is happening in front of his face? Good Lord, give him some 3D glasses.
 
In my nightmares, I am watching Browns-Raiders, announced by Niles Crane* and Matt Moron.
 
Okay, for the game, let's take account of who stepped up.
 
Romo did. I should point out that since I challenged Romo to step up, I chose my game-watching gear appropriately. For the first time this year, I wore my Romo jersey, and doubled down with a backwards cap. Yes, my wife and daughter mocked me. Who's laughing now? Romo was brilliant. On a broken play, where Barber was not even looking for the ball, Romo tucked it and ran for ten. On a broken play that looked like a wild throw into coverage, it turns out Austin stopped on his route. Another first down run late. Romo hit Austin in stride for his longest throw of the year for that first TD. (Longest in the air, not counting YAC.) I know I am the Romo apologist, but I don't apologize. Give it up for Tony.
 
Miles Austin made some big plays. Not the TD, where he was wide open by scheme, and scored by a perfect throw. Instead, he got a big first down later where he broke a tackle early. The first time you see that, it's the tackling. The 50th time, it's Miles Austin. He had a big drop, and he gave up on the route I mentioned above, but Miles Austin managed to redeem himself each time.
 
Anthony Spencer was brilliant. He showed a different gear tonight. I know they say he was "unblocked," but this guy has a motor.
 
Tashard Choice was not good. He missed a block that forced Romo to throw early under pressure, then missed another on the fourth down attempt, which was fortunately converted on a penalty. His spike after a first down run was caught by Austin and possibly avoided a penalty. Felix and Barber were both excellent.
 
Roy Williams gave us a mixed performance as usual. He made some clutch catches early, but dropped an enormous first down catch late that Romo put in exactly the right spot. I still just don't know what to make of this guy. He is not a jerk, but he does not deliver.
 
Kevin Ogletree got some extended paying time tonight, and I am not sure what to make of that. He made some nice catches, but I also noticed on a big first down completion to Austin, Ogletree was wide open for what could have been an even bigger play. That is not a criticism of Romo, just an observation that this guy was on the field a lot.
 
All three units were solid. All of them came up short, but none totally broke down. I really don't want to overstate what we saw, but I truly believe this is the best game I have seen this team play in maybe ten years.
 
Tony, you lived up to my expectations and more. The rest of you guys, yeah, you too.
 
* Niles Crane, for the uninitiated, is Joe Buck.