Don Pierson

Tony Romo continues to be too good to be true. The Dallas Cowboys can only hope he stays that way.

They have been celebrating Thanksgiving for five games now after Romo threw a team-record five touchdowns Thursday and beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their rookie quarterback, Bruce Gradkowski, who had more game experience than four-year veteran Romo.

Where has this guy been?

That's what people are asking coach Bill Parcells, who hesitated to pull the trigger on Drew Bledsoe until it looked like it was too late. But suddenly, the Cowboys are 7-4, in first place  in the NFC East, and only one NFC team has a better record: the Bears.

"We have played our best football in the last month," Parcells said. "Even though we lost that game to Washington, we have still played our best football this last month. We have six to go, so there is a long way to go, but if we keep playing like this, I think we have a chance to do something."

Maybe Parcells unveiled Romo just at the right time. Maybe instead of wondering whether he should have been playing three years ago, fans should remember the old days, when it took quarterbacks three or four years on the bench to figure things out.

All the Cowboys know now is they just knocked Indianapolis from the unbeaten ranks. They just watched their new quarterback beat Peyton Manning, who happens to be the only quarterback in the NFL with a higher passer rating than Romo.

In his past three games, just when opposing defenses are supposed to start figuring out new starters, Romo has completed 29 of 31 passes in the second half.

All Cowboy fans know is they're in love with the guy whether Jessica Simpson is eyeing him or not. Romo gave a "no comment" when asked about the rumors of a star girlfriend. He has demonstrated similar escapability under pressure in the pocket, which is the biggest obvious difference between what he brings the Cowboys and what Bledsoe couldn't.

"He extends the play. He gets himself out of bad situations," said linebacker Kevin Burnett. "If we go to the Super Bowl, he's going to be the guy who takes us there."

Super Bowl?

Parcells always said the real season doesn't start until Thanksgiving, and the Cowboys are in a position now to write a happy ending. With 10 days rest after their Thanksgiving date with Tampa, they go to New York to face a reeling Giants team that has lost two in a row and plays on Sunday in Tennessee.

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After that, the Cowboys finish with three of their final four games at home, against New Orleans, Philadelphia and Detroit. Their only two trips are to New York on Dec. 3 and Atlanta Dec. 16.

It was against the Giants on Oct. 23 that Romo replaced Bledsoe. He has now completed 68 percent of his passes (103-of-151) for 1,350 yards with eight touchdowns. He's thrown five interceptions, but three came in that first outing against the Giants.

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