Can Clausen claim Trophy?

Each Saturday, the Star-Telegram’s Charean Williams and Ray Buck go point-counterpoint on upcoming games and some of the hot topics in sports. Combined, they’ve covered more than 40 Super Bowls. Charean is also president of the Pro Football Writers of America.

Can Jimmy Clausen win the Heisman Trophy out from under Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy?

CHAREAN: His numbers are impressive all right -- 68 percent completion percentage, 12 touchdowns -- and he does have the Irish off to a 4-1 start. But those five opponents are 10-16. Get back to me if he beats USC.

BUCK: OK, I will. But Heisman voters historically migrate toward Notre Dame quarterbacks like mice toward cheese. There isn’t a maze too difficult in trying get to one. Paul Hornung won the 1956 Heisman after "leading" the Irish to a 2-8 season. But thankfully the Notre Dame mystique involving this particular piece of hardware has cooled (almost as much so as the phrase "Charlie Weis, offensive genius." But here’s what I think: Either Tebow or McCoy should win the 2009 Heisman, although both, so far, have left the door ajar. Reigning Heisman winner Sam Bradford is even now coming back (shoulder) today for OU vs. Baylor. But if anyone can crash the party and create a new world order in a Heisman race, it’s a Notre Dame QB.

Does Tony Romo get too much of the blame for the Cowboys’ inconsistencies on offense?

CHAREAN: No. He has not been accurate enough so far this season. Until he plays better, and stops turning the ball over in crucial situations, the Cowboys aren’t going to be consistent on offense. But, having said that, I think Jason Garrett has to share in the blame. When your starting receiver -- Patrick Crayton -- is saying you need to run the ball more, you probably need to run the ball more. The Cowboys did not run it enough in the second half. The running backs had only seven second-half carries against the Broncos.

BUCK: Heck no, but NFL teams rebound all the time, so I suspect this to be a dead issue by mid-afternoon Sunday at Kansas City (and if not, then Armageddon really is upon us). We in the media can’t find enough wrong with Romo -- and he clearly wasn’t sharp at Denver -- but expecting him to absorb all the blame for that debacle … well, I just want to see Jason Garrett a little more red-faced because of total embarrassment, not genetics.

Is Giants WR Steve Smith the poster child for the difference between the Cowboys and G-Men right now?

CHAREAN: Eli Manning, Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck.... There’s a lot different between the Cowboys and the Giants right now. The Giants are making the plays they need to make to win games; the Cowboys have made enough to beat two winless teams. But, I get your point, Ray. The Giants were supposed to be missing a big-play receiver without Plaxico Burress. Instead, Steve Smith leads the league in receiving. The Cowboys have gotten next to nothing from their receiving corps since the season opener. The Giants have had players step up when they’ve needed them to. At cornerback, Bruce Johnson has stepped in for Aaron Ross, who has been out with a hamstring injury, and Johnson had an interception return for a touchdown against the Cowboys.

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