Finally, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is back to his old self again

OK, we all knew Cowboys QB Tony Romo was returning against Washington.

What we did not know, not for sure, was which Romo?

Would it be the Romo with his big grin, unafraid and undaunted, who had invigorated Dallas since first being named starter two years ago? Or that player we saw in the games before he broke his pinkie, looking unemotional and unhappy on the sideline?

What we learned Sunday was Romo is back. Really back.

Watching him after his touchdown pass to Martellus Bennett, he looked like Romo. With a huge smile, he jumped and pumped his fist And just like always his teammates fed off his chutzpah.

“We were a lot more confident as a group,” wide receiver Roy Williams admitted.

Because, even rusty, even with a few longer throws that looked hard for him, Romo has a way of infusing a team with confidence. They get the feeling that he will find a way and he usually does.

It was weird talking to Romo the week of the bye, just the confidence he was talking with and how he kept alluding to how he knew things were going to be different. I had a feeling then this was the Romo we’d see on Sunday. That said, he was better than I expected.

It felt as if we were watching the same kid from the Buffalo comeback, whose game was all about fun and heart. It certainly looked like it. And this change in Romo, more than anything else, is why it is not too big of a stretch to imagine the victory against Washington as a real bridge to bigger and better, and possibly even a longer playoff stay.

Coach Wade was technically right when he said this was not Romo at his best, especially early. But it was him at his best, finding a way anyway.

So, yes, Romo is back. His pinkie healed.

More important, though, it looks as if whatever was wrong is no longer, and he is back to being him.

So while I try to figure if Jay Ratliff has supplanted DeMarcus Ware as MVP of this defense, let's chow down on a helping of Monday Musings:

1. Calling all Terence Newman haters, and you know who you are and what you said about him. Please e-mail your apologies by noon CST Wednesday. I'll try to pass them along to him.

Because I'm guessing he probably tired of hearing how Owner Jones misjudged by paying him this off-season. Criticisms usually focused on him being too often injured and not a shutdown corner when healthy, with Redskins as proof. Except Newman had been trying to play through injury and thus was ineffective. What we saw Sunday was what Newman is capable of when healthy — his interception and that huge pass defense on fourth down late in the fourth that gave the ball back to the Cowboys for good and, of course, how he turned Santana Moss into a non-factor.

2. Just say no to bringing Pacman back.

Do not bring that train wreck into a team that finally seems to be re-tracked, Jerry, if NFL commish Roger Goodell goes stupid and decides to reinstate him.

3. What I love about NBC analyst John Madden is his love for players like Cowboys defensive tackle Jay Ratliff.

Madden has been a big fan since before Ratliff became big time. He loves how this kid played probably because he plays in such a way that probably elicits Madden telestrator sound effects.

And I stand by my assertion that right now with what he's doing from where he’s doing it, he may be Dallas’ defensive MVP.

4. Let's just say two games against T.O. has left Redskins cornerback Carlos Rogers unimpressed.

OK, downright disappointed.

“They talk a lot about their receivers, but they didn’t do anything,” he said, which is not exactly true since T.O. had a big catch leading to the Cowboys’ first touchdown.

Rogers’ impressions probably remember hitting T.O. midway through the second quarter, thus causing him to drop a very catchable ball, resulting in a Redskins interception. And T.O.’s very pedestrian five catches for 38 yards.

What Rogers obviously forgot was Miles Austin also is included in “their receivers” and he had two huge catches to extend drives, including catching that flip pass.