It's been all talk and headlines since T.O. migrated to the Dallas Cowboys, but finally, in Week Six, his actions spoke larger than his words.
Owens' 3-2 Cowboys demolished their instate rivals, the Houston Texans, 34-6, and his three-touchdown performance certainly helped his appeal for fans in the Lone Star State. With a halftime score of 6-3 in favor of the Texans, Owens' catches aroused a sluggish offense in the second half. Quarterback Drew Bledsoe looked crisp on 17-for-28 passing attempts for 168 yards and two touchdowns, and running back Julius Jones rushed for 106 yards, his third straight 100-yard game.
Texans' quarterback David Carr looked promising on the game's opening drive, marching his team to the Dallas one-yard line, but the team had to settle for a field goal. And back-to-back interceptions by Carr in the second half ruined any chances of a win.
This week's performance was certainly a relief for head coach Bill Parcells, who has had to deal with nothing but problems from his volatile wide receiver. From a hamstring injury in the preseason to a speculated suicide attempt to last week's shouting match between Owens and passing game coordinator Todd Haley, the Tuna has been in hot water.
Despite Owens and Bledsoe seeming to finally being in synch (a conciliatory Owens explained to the press after the game that he told Bledsoe to just put the ball in the air and he'd "know how to get it") a tough schedule remains for the Cowboys against the NY Giants, the Carolina Panthers and Indianapolis Colts. Owens will have a chance to prove that he can really turn some of those Bledsoe interceptions into touchdowns.
While T.O. and the other loudmouths of the league have stolen most of this season's thunder, the Panthers and the St. Louis Rams have flown under the radar, amassing impressive records.
The Panthers are 4-0 since Steve Smith returned to the lineup after missing the first two games of the season with a thigh injury. Smith had eight receptions for 189 yards and a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, and helped quarterback Jake Delhomme to a career day, throwing for 365 yards with a pair of touchdowns and interceptions. The Panthers held the Ravens off with a 23-21 victory. Ravens quarterback Steve McNair only made four passing attempts before leaving the game with a concussion and sprained neck in the first quarter.
The Panthers handed the Ravens their second straight loss, and for Carolina, this win, along with their Week Four victory over the New Orleans Saints, puts them in a contending position in the NFC South.
While they may no longer be the Greatest Show on Turf, the Rams have quietly moved to a 4-2 record. While most of their wins have not been overly impressive, with victories over Arizona, Detroit and Green Bay, an opening day 18-10 win over Denver and a tight 30-28 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday all bode well for the Rams, who have they have a relatively light schedule ahead.
While the team has relied on luck for the majority of the season, it has still managed to find ways to win, and just nearly repeated its good fortune against a Seahawks team with which it had no right contending. Rams quarterback Marc Bulger threw for 360 yards and three touchdowns, along with his first interception in 204 attempts this season. Torry Holt turned in an impressive day with eight receptions for 154 yards and three touchdowns. And while they may not be the best, the Rams could be a spoiler for teams on the playoff cusp, if they aren't themselves in the mix for a postseason appearance.
The New England Patriots had a bye this weekend, but will resume action next week against an abysmal Buffalo Bills team at Buffalo. The Giants take on Dallas next Monday night in an important game for the NFC East standings.
