Monday Morning Digest: Happy Days for Cowboys and Patriots Quarterbacks

Tom Brady has returned, and it feels like the dawn of a new era of hope and redemption across the NFL.

Maybe that's overstating things a bit, but Brady's return did bring some star power and predictability to a typically unpredictable Sunday of NFL action. Also featured:

• The Falcons find an all-new way to win: a mysterious thing called a "pass rush."

• Dak Prescott gives Tony Romo the full Drew Bledsoe treatment...with Romo loving every minute of it.

• The Ravens and Redskins play sloppy football in a wind tunnel.

• The Vikings embarrass the Texans with the help of their secret weapon: something called a Gjallarhorn.

• The Steelers win big, despite the NFL's new statutes that ban Antonio Brown from providing excitement or joy.

And much more.

As usual, Monday Morning Digest has all the information, analysis and jokes you need to start your week off right!

The Front Page: Cowboys Face a Happy Romo-Prescott Dilemma

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Tony Romo stood on the sideline, wearing a headset and smiling. Sometimes, it was a contented smile, as if he was contemplating a long retirement of golfing, mountain-jogging and doing other Romo things. Sometimes it was a kooky, we're-blowing-out-a-playoff-team smile.

But that doesn't mean the nation's sports-talk shows shouldn't frown on Romo's future: Yes! Romo is irrelevant now that Dak Prescott has led the Cowboys to a 4-1 record. Let's pick on Romo, just like we have for the last decade, but in a slightly different way. Prescott is yet to throw an NFL interception, which means he will never throw an NFL interception, while Romo has thrown 117 of the suckers. The choice is obvious, right?

Not quite. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported early Sunday there was "zero chance" Prescott will keep the starting job when Romo is fully healthy.

Lest this sounds like an irrational Jerry Jones decree based on a combination of financial and sentimental reasons, there are sound football reasons for bringing Romo back.

Prescott doesn't throw downfield much or fit balls into tight spaces to his wide receivers. He has not faced any of the league's better defenses. Prescott has played almost exclusively with a lead for the last three weeks, and nothing makes life easier for an inexperienced quarterback than a lead...except perhaps for a running back on a 412-yards-in-three-weeks binge like Ezekiel Elliott.

Opponents get tougher after the Week 8 bye: The Eagles, Steelers and Vikings are on the midseason slate. You don't beat them with handoffs and rollout passes. You beat them with talent and experience. Throwing Romo off the bus is fun during the "hype the new guy" stage of Prescott's career. But it is not something the Cowboys should do lightly.

Luckily, last year's Broncos provided a template for how to bring Romo back when Peyton Manning replaced Brock Osweiler late in the season: let Romo rehab until he is 100 percent. Watch for evidence that the league has caught up to Prescott. Insert Romo just when the switch will have maximum impact.

Why not let Prescott weather the rookie storm? Because there is no need to, and the Cowboys could win the division and make noise in the playoffs if they handle this situation just right.

Elliott has been amazing. The vaunted offensive line has lived up to its hype despite injuries. The defense is managing. The Cowboys are better than expected. They should use the two-quarterback situation to their advantage instead of making some absolute decision either way.

Romo has plenty of reasons to smile. He's rich, handsome and getting paid to not break a sweat right now, but of course there is more to it than that. He's happy for his teammates, happy for Cowboys fans and the organization. Romo is the veteran leader who has never gotten respect for being a veteran leader. He's genuinely happy to see Prescott succeed.

He also knows the Cowboys will need him again when the weather gets colder and the opponents get tougher. Even if his bashers and the Prescott anointers don't see it coming yet.

Digestible Nuggets

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This week's Digestible Nuggets focus on teams that are wasting money, squandering opportunities and listing sideways when they are supposed to be moving forward.

Jets

They suited up Sunday without Darrelle Revis and Eric Decker and then lost Nick Mangold and David Harris during the game to injuries. According to OverTheCap.com, that's a total of $41.1 million in 2016 cap space that was unavailable to play in the 31-13 loss to the Steelers.

Throw in the $7 million in cap space Ryan Fitzpatrick is eating up, and it is easy to figure out why the Jets look awful.

Dolphins

The Dolphins have $38.6 million invested in their defensive line, the second-highest figure in the NFL behind the Jaguars, but surrendered 235 rushing yards and recorded zero sacks Sunday. Mario Williams and Ndamukong Suh combined for one measly tackle in a 30-17 loss to the Titans.

Meanwhile, Ryan Tannehill got sacked six times. No team spends more money to never solve a single problem than the Dolphins.

Texans

Brock Osweiler (pictured) looks like the product of an ideal 2015 situation—great defense, quarterback-friendly offense, the late-season element of surprise—who has suddenly been asked to imitate Tom Brady circa 2011 and is completely failing in the task.

Osweiler is shaky under pressure and lacks accuracy and decisiveness on quick timing routes. He needs a fake handoff, a seven-step drop and good protection to set and deliver the ball, but none of those things are major components of Bill O'Brien's wannabe Patriots offense.

Bears

The plan in Chicago is apparently to keep throwing a fourth-preseason-game-caliber lineup led by Brian Hoyer on the field, even when Jay Cutler is healthy.

Hoyer played just well enough (397 yards, two touchdowns) against the jet-lagged/injury-plagued/terrible Colts defense to fool some folks into thinking this is a great idea. Maybe there is something to be said for starting an inferior quarterback to save some bonus money and get a better draft pick—besides saying "we have no respect for our ticket buyers," that is.

The Bears have had one foot out the door on the Cutler era since the day they signed him to a $126.7 million contract of regret in 2014, yet they have never bothered to draft a true quarterback of the future.

Colts

General manager Ryan Grigson complained Friday that it is hard to build a good defense because of Andrew Luck's contract. Luck is eating up $18.4 million in cap space this year. Meanwhile, Grigson signings Gosder Cherilus, Andre Johnson, Antonio Cromartie, Bjoern Werner and four others are eating up $14.2 million in dead money to not play for the Colts anymore.

The problem may be that Grigson is not good at general managing. The Colts won Sunday, but that just had to be brought up.

Bengals

Their window of success may have quietly closed after their rumble in the mud against the Steelers last January. Sustaining playoff success for more than five years is difficult. Free agency and age have slowly depleted the Bengals roster, and recent drafts have not brought any high-impact players to replace the guys who have left or are aging out.

It's not panic time yet, but the Bengals have now lost to the three good teams (Steelers, Broncos, Cowboys) they have played, which is not a streak you want to carry into a trip to Foxborough.

Game Spotlight: Falcons 23, Broncos 16

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What Happened

Remember Vic Beasley? He was a big-time pass-rusher out of Clemson, one of those "Leo" types halfway between an outside linebacker and a defensive end.

The Falcons drafted him eighth overall last year, and Beasley was immediately sucked into the vortex known as the Falcons pass rush, where time stands still for opposing quarterbacks. In one preseason game, Beasley attempted a spin move, stopped halfway and tried to back through his blocker to the quarterback, something Reggie White never attempted. Beasley appeared to be on his way to the Vernon Gholston Warehouse of Pass-Rush Disappointments.

Well, Beasley busted out of the warehouse, escaped the vortex and beat backup Broncos right tackle Ty Sambrailo for 3.5 sacks Sunday.

While Beasley and company provided a rarely seen Falcons pass rush, the backfield one-two punch of Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman caught seven passes for 167 yards and one touchdown as Falcons coordinator Kyle Shanahan found ways to match his speedy backs with Broncos linebackers. An early touchdown gave the Falcons the lead, forcing Broncos rookie quarterback Paxton Lynch to play from behind as soon as he took the field. The Broncos may be able to win with just about anyone at quarterback, but not when playing catch-up with a backup right tackle getting beat constantly.

What It Means

The Falcons silenced some skeptics (like me) and got the breakout game they needed from Beasley while proving they don't need nonstop offensive heroics to win games. If other young defenders start to develop, the Falcons really will be a major factor in the NFC playoff race.

The Broncos discovered they will be happy to get Trevor Siemian back. Right tackle Donald Stephenson (he was a game-time scratch with a calf injury) will also be welcome.

What's Next

The Broncos face the Chargers. Atlanta heads to Seattle. If the Falcons complete a Panthers-Broncos-Seahawks sweep, I'll formally apologize for every bad thing I said about them this year.

Player Spotlight: Tom Brady, Quarterback, Patriots

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What He Did

Returned. Excelled. Dominated. Scrambled. (Scrambled?) Redeemed.

What It Means

Brady said he was rusty after a 33-13 victory in Cleveland, because Brady knows when he was aiming for Rob Gronkowski's index finger and hit him in the ring finger instead. If you distill the game tape looking for mistakes, you can find an errant pass here, a stalled second-half drive there, some occasional evidence of human frailty after the Patriots were in firm control.

But unless you go looking for trouble, it was marvelous. It was great to see vintage Brady again: the shoulder fakes to free up receivers, the perfectly timed checkdown passes, the throws so perfectly in stride that they propelled receivers further down the field, the decision-making, the gutsy 3rd-and-4 scrambles for first downs followed by pop-up celebrations.

OK, so the scrambling part is only "vintage" Brady if we are going back to 2001 or 2002. Brady (406 yards, three touchdowns, 14 rushing yards) was a welcome sight for anyone but the most inveterate Cheatriots screamer. The NFL forced the Patriots to put on a show with one hand tied behind their backs and then shoved that show down the throat of a prime-time audience twice in four weeks. The Patriots won three games. The NFL lost significant ratings. All of us were subjected to some brutally ugly football.

Brady's back, America. You can tune back in if you want to see football played as well as it can possibly be played.

What Happens Next

The Patriots face the Bengals and Steelers over the next two weeks. Classic AFC football at its best. Alleluia.

Game Spotlight: Packers 23, Giants 16

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What Happened

Odell Beckham Jr. avoided a major meltdown, looking more stable and focused than he has in weeks, and he made things tough on the Packers with a late touchdown. But that didn't translate into victory on an often messy, unpleasant-to-watch Sunday evening of television.

Beckham (pictured) got little support from his Giants teammates. Eli Manning was particularly shaky, throwing some passes behind targets and having others batted down at the line. Manning and Beckham did not appear to be on the same page until late in the game. The Giants also lack a traditional ground game right now due to injuries, which may plague them in the weeks to come.

Only weaknesses on the other side of the field kept the Giants from getting blown out. Aaron Rodgers answered few questions about his prolonged slump. One of his two interceptions bounced off Jordy Nelson's hands, but the other (Janoris Jenkins picked off both of them) was just a misfire. The Packers' strategy was also debatable: Eddie Lacy (11 carries, 81 yards) ran well but sparingly before getting hurt, and the Packers offense wasn't as innovative or dynamic as the one we saw two weeks ago.

Ultimately, the Packers win was harrowing, due to an exquisite late touchdown by Beckham. James Starks nearly lost the game on a late fumble (he recovered), Randall Cobb took a scary late hit diving to secure a first down needed to run the clock, and the Packers escaped with a victory that made them look solid but not invulnerable.

What It Means

OK, rereading those four paragraphs, I realize I may have been distracted by other televised events.

But the Giants offensive line is awful, particularly left tackle Ereck Flowers. The Packers are in big trouble if Cobb is seriously hurt. (He said he passed concussion tests, according to ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky.) Any lingering problems for Lacy would add to the trouble for a team that doesn't have the skill-position depth to handle injuries to two key starters.

Beckham returned punts when Dwayne Harris was temporarily out of action. He ran an ill-fated end-around. He lined up in the backfield for swing passes. Finding creative ways to get Beckham the ball is a great idea. Seeing him kiss and make up with the kicking net he lost a fight with two weeks ago was an inspiration in these fractured times.

But it's not all about one individual, whether his name is "Beckham" or "Rodgers." Both teams must get better if they hope to survive the shifting balance of NFC power.

What's Next

The Giants face the Ravens. More interestingly, the Packers host the Cowboys in a game that could shift NFC power a little more.

Player Spotlight: Marcus Mariota, Quarterback, Titans

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What He Did

Marcus Mariota played mistake-free football for the first time all season, completing 20 of 29 passes for 163 yards and three touchdowns, with no interceptions, turnovers or sacks. Mariota also rushed for 60 yards and a touchdown, scoring on a rollout while scrambling to convert a key first down in a 30-17 Titans victory over the Dolphins.

What It Means

Mariota threw five interceptions and lost two fumbles in his first four games. The Titans had other problems (their special teams remain miserable, their defense is nothing special, Mike Mularkey's game plans remind no one of Mike Martz), but Mariota exacerbated the problems of the first month of the year with poor decisions, like throwing across his body into the middle of the field when scrambling.

Mariota is supported by a solid DeMarco Murray-Derrick Henry running game and an offensive line that is starting to get the right kind of attention. If he can play efficiently like he did Sunday, the 2-3 Titans can go on a run.

What's Next

The upcoming schedule features the Browns, Colts, Jaguars and Chargers, who are a combined 4-15. A sweep to get the Titans to 6-3 is possible, and it is just the kind of thing a second-year franchise quarterback should be capable of, assuming the special teams stop allowing touchdowns.

Unsung Heroes of the Week: Vikings Fans

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What They Did

Made noise. Lots of noise. For the second time in six days, opposing quarterbacks had difficulty calling plays and making adjustments. The Texans had to burn an early timeout because of crowd noise and looked rattled on offense for the entire first half of their 31-13 loss to the Vikings.

It was a repeat of the Vikings' Monday night win over the Giants, when Eli Manning had to run around delivering audibles personally to all 10 teammates because no one could hear him and the Giants offense played slow and out of kilter for the whole game.

What It Means

Yes, the Vikings defense is excellent. But when Brock Osweiler bounces short passes to wide-open receivers on third down, it's the sign of a rattled, rhythm-less offense. (And also a sign that Osweiler is not good.)

The new U.S. Bank Stadium has its idiosyncrasies. Pregame footage of the Vikings' taking the field confirmed what we learned when Adrian Peterson was injured: The direct route for players to and from the field goes directly through a sports bar. The designers included a giant Norse "Gjallarhorn" (1980s Vikings quarterback Tommy Kramer blew it Sunday before rushing off to Cleveland for a tryout) but no efficient tunnels.

It's like a bad idea from a forgotten afternoon playing RollerCoaster Tycoon. But maybe the weird subterranean layout coupled with that giant Horn of Thor and all of that beautiful glass turns the stadium into a giant stack of Marshall guitar amplifiers aimed directly at the opposing quarterback.

The fundamental source of the noise remains the fans, who spent years paying NFL prices for college accommodations but have now made their voices heard in three huge home victories.

What's Next

A bye week and then an Eagles-Bears road trip. Drink lots of lemon tea, Vikings fans.

Fantasy Digest

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Winner

Theo Riddick (6-33-2 receiving, 11-49-0 rushing) won't produce many two-touchdown games. But he has the Lions' featured role to himself right now, with Zach Zenner (seven carries for nine yards, 23 receiving yards) in a strict change-up role. Riddick (pictured) caught 80 passes last year, so gamers in points-per-reception leagues know he can get you through an injury crunch. This year he should be able to do more.

Riddick's most impressive play of the day was not a touchdown catch but a 4th-and-1 conversion that sent him surfing through waves of Eagles defenders to gain two yards on about four efforts. That kind of determination gets you goal-line carries.

Losers

Jeremy Hill and Gio Bernard are causing fantasy fits. Hill (four carries, 12 yards) is making owners pay for that two-touchdown game in Week 3. Bernard produced 96 scrimmage yards this week but has not scored since Week 2. The Bengals offense is not what it used to be, and you may want to avoid these two for a while, except when they face the Browns in two weeks.

Fluke

Cameron Meredith climbed up from the bottom of the bench to catch nine passes for 130 yards and a touchdown and rush for six yards for Chicago. The Bears reach this point every year: Three or four receivers get hurt (Kevin White and Eddie Royal usually among them), so they pull some high-effort guys off the bench and get just enough out of them to lose with dignity. Even if Meredith is an undiscovered superstar, Brian Hoyer will probably remain his quarterback.

Rotation

The Ravens released Justin Forsett and then made a big deal about getting rookie Kenneth Dixon involved, only to give Terrance West the vast majority of the carries Sunday. The key words here are "vast majority": West gained 95 yards on just 11 carries, while Dixon lost one yard on three carries. Offensive coordinator Marc Trestman found himself in a close game in a howling crosswind and decided, "Yep, this is a golden opportunity to abandon the run completely, even though it is working!" Trestman and Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly must watch film together.

Leeches

Mike Gillislee, Marquise Goodwin and Justin Hunter scored goal-to-go touchdowns for the Bills, ruining LeSean McCoy's fantasy afternoon. Yes, Justin Hunter is still in the NFL. And you thought receivers who washed out of the Titans organization ended up living in caves or something.

Awards Digest

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Defensive Player of the Week

Vic Beasley got some love earlier, so let's give the award to Bills linebacker Lorenzo Alexander: three sacks, a red-zone stuff of Todd Gurley for a loss of five that eventually forced the Rams to settle for a field goal and a third-down pass defensed late in the fourth quarter to help the Bills defeat the Rams 30-19. The Bills defense has been on a tear for two weeks, and it will be fun to see how the unit looks when it faces a real NFL quarterback.

Offensive Line of the Week

The Cowboys rushed for 180 yards. Dak Prescott endured just one sack. So this award goes to Tyron Smith (just returning from a back from injury), Ronald Leary (subbing for La'el Collins), Travis Frederick, Zack Martin and Doug Free. There has been a lot of chatter, particularly along the I-95 corridor, about the Cowboys line being overrated. We won't be hearing that chatter this week.

Special Teamer of the Week

Jamison Crowder (pictured) scored the first Redskins punt-return touchdown since Santana Moss returned one against the Lions on October 26, 2008. How long ago was that? Jim Zorn was Washington's coach; Jason Campbell was the quarterback.

Honorable Mention Special Teamer of the Week

Jakeem Grant returned a punt 74 yards for a touchdown for the Dolphins. He gets honorable mention because (a) at 5'7", 172 pounds, Grant is the same size of my eighth-grade son, though slightly faster; and (b) the Dolphins need a self-esteem boost!

Mystery Touch of the Week

Ravens kicker Justin Tucker attempted a pass on a fake 34-yard field goal. The wobbly throw bounced off the helmet of defender Duke Ihenacho and fell incomplete. Gusty winds made special teams difficult, even for one of the NFL's most dependable kickers. So of course it made perfect sense to ask that kicker to throw the ball instead.

Meaningless Touchdown of the Week

Brock Osweiler hit DeAndre Hopkins for a one-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter to cut the Texans' deficit against the Vikings to 31-13. Not only did the touchdown help fantasy gamers, but the over-under for the game was 39, according to Odds Shark, so the touchdown made some wagerers happy. Hey, Al Michaels isn't the only one who can keep an eye on the spread at the end of a bad game!

Jeff Fisher Moment of Unclarity of the Week

Say you coach a team with a great defense and an outstanding punter. You have stopped your opponent consistently for the second half of the game. You are trailing by four late in the fourth quarter deep in your own territory but have all three of your timeouts. Do you punt? Take a chance with your offense?

If you are Fisher, the only answer is Fisher's favorite play in the whole playbook: a fake punt!

And not just any fake punt. A fake punt with receiver Bradley Marquez suspiciously in the backfield and a receiver going in motion, one that has Bills special teamers pointing and clarifying assignments well before the fake.

Wouldn't you know it: Marquez was stopped short of the first down, and the Bills scored a game-clinching touchdown.

Don't worry, Coach: You will fool them with the fake punt next time. Maybe even next week.

Final Thoughts

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Antonio Brown caught a fourth-quarter touchdown pass on a beautifully designed play to give the Steelers a commanding lead over the Jets. The NFL's most dynamic playmaker celebrated by doing...nothing. Brown has been fined and flagged for too many twerky touchdown celebrations this year to make an expression of joy worth the hassle.

Brown wore a gorgeous pair of commemorative Muhammad Ali cleats onto the field. The NFL threatened to bench him if he did not change into regulation footwear, according to CBSSports.com's Evan Washburn.

The NFL ordered teams to stop releasing in-game, unapproved GIFs and highlights on their social-networking feeds, according to Sam Laird at Mashable. Violations for teams trying to promote their own product in 21st-century fashion can range as high as $100,000.

So much effort to stop so little fun. It reminds me of a story.

Once upon a time, there was a sport called "boxing." It was one of the most popular sports in America. But boxing was afraid that television would dilute the value of its most exciting fights. So the lords of boxing purposely scheduled bouts late at night on the East Coast, restricted access to highlights so even the nightly news could only show photographs of knockout blows and limited television exposure to expensive closed-circuit or pay-per-view events.

For a while, all was well: Ali would fight Joe Frazier, the newspaper provided the result, and Howard Cosell narrated the highlights a week or two later on Wide World of Sports. But satellite television made viewers demand live sports and steady highlights, so a whole generation (mine) grew up rarely watching boxing while touchdowns and slam dunks filled our afternoons.

Fast-forward a few decades, and boxing's American audience is a tiny fraction of what it once was, even as similar sports such as MMA have enjoyed growth in popularity.

There is an entire generation of sports fans growing up right now that (a) turns to social networking to see highlight clips the way we once went to cable networks, (b) buys footwear to represent their favorite teams or players and (c) generally thinks end-zone celebrations are fun, not a sign of the downfall of civilization.

The NFL is actually getting more fuddy-duddy about its product, even as the old folks it's probably trying to cater to by making sure we aren't exposed to any flagrant twerking age out of the demographic that advertisers really want. Television ratings have dipped, yet the NFL is going out of its way to limit easy outreach and engagement to younger fans.

There is nothing wrong with limiting celebrations, cleats and GIFs. Unless you want to turn out like boxing. Presumably, the NFL doesn't want that. Loosen up, guys.