Tony Romo Injury: A Healthy Romo Won't Be Enough to Beat Giants

Healthy Tony Romo or not, the Cowboys are going to lose to the Giants and miss out on the playoffs.

Early in the Cowboys loss to the Eagles, Romo threw his passing hand into the helmet of an on-rushing Eagles defender. He left the game and did not return.

There was little reason for the QB to return to the game. The Giants had already beaten the Jets earlier in the day, and that meant no matter what the Cowboys did, their Week 17 contest against the Giants was going to decide the NFC East.

Romo went to the locker room momentarily. He returned, and his hand was visibly swollen.

Injury News

There was good news on the injury.

The fact that there was no structural damage is excellent news for the Cowboys. The massive swelling should be long gone by the pivotal Week 17 contest, and Romo should be good to go.

The bad news for the Cowboys is that they are going to lose anyway.

Why the Cowboys Will Fall to the Giants

The Cowboys pass defense was full of holes on Sunday. Michael Vick shredded the secondary for 293 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.

This is a bad sign as they prepare to take on the potent Giants' passing attack.

It was the Cowboys' poor pass defense that cost them the first matchup with the Giants when they fell 37-34.

Manning finished that game with 400 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. It is going to be more of the same next week, and the Cowboys will not be able to keep up. 

The Cowboys used a strong rushing attack to help them post 34 points in the first matchup. They ran for 139 yards on 24 carries. However, they will not have similar production this time around.

The Cowboys lost DeMarco Murray for the season in that game, and Felix Jones has had to take on a bigger workload. This has worn Jones down.

Jones was limited with a hamstring injury, and had just four carries against the Eagles. With no Murray and a less than 100 percent Jones, the Cowboys are going to be doomed, as they play in the cold weather and hostile environment of New York.

The Giants will win, 31-24.