The Dallas Cowboys feel as though Terrell Owens can go today against the New York Giants in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs, but the final call on the battle-worthiness of his high ankle sprain will be a game-time decision.

So that's what? Yes, but maybe not?

The Indianapolis Colts feel as though Marvin Harrison can go today against the San Diego Chargers in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs, just as the Chargers feel as though Antonio Gates can go, although the final call on the battle-worthiness of Gates' big toe will be, again, a game-time decision.

So that's what? A "probably, but you never know" for Harrison, and a firm "we have no idea" for Gates?

Whether these things come down to game-time decisions, nap-time decisions, snack-time decisions, or the ever precarious Miller-time decisions, the one person definitely not ready to go today is Jessica Simpson, celebrated mega-hottie and persistent companion of Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, and who can blame her?

She saw Tony play against the Philadelphia Eagles last month.

Three picks, no touchdowns, and a shriveled passer rating of 22.2 while the Cowboys lost, 10-6.

Right, that's enough of that.

Jessica's a no-go no-show, sending word through a publicist that she's instead working on a new album.

Wait, Jessica Simpson makes albums?

Hmph.

Anyway, when it comes to play-time decisions, Simpson remains Romo's go-to gal, both having spent last weekend in Cabo San Lucas, which sounds like Mexico but could be a taco stand in Uniontown for all I know. Cowboys fans figured that they'd be better served if Romo were locked in a film room and routinely interrogated about Giants defensive tendencies.

The fan base looked to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to be their dungeon master, but were acutely disappointed Thursday when Jones absolved the quarterback on all charges of conduct unbecoming a Super Bowl contender.

"I have no qualms; I have no concerns about Tony's social life and about his relationships," Jones said. "I've had a lot of players in 19 years that I've had concerns in those areas about. So I'm not a novice. There is not one concern with his relationship and how he relaxes and what he does with his time."

But no one who pulls on a helmet today -- not even The Brothers Manning -- will be under more retroactive pressure than Romo, and that would likely be true even had he spent last weekend in Wisconsin driving Aunt Gertie to bingo.

Last seen in the NFL playoffs, Romo was fumblin' and bumblin' the long snap that would have set up the kick that would have prevented an excruciating loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He'll walk onto the Texas Stadium carpet late this afternoon trying not to remember that, or the fact that the No. 1 seed in the NFC has never lost a division-round game since the league went to a 12-team post-season format in 1990, or the fact that those No. 1 seeds typically win by more than 14 points, or the fact that the Giants are the first road team to reach the division round with an 8-1 road record, or the fact that his own head coach, Wade Phillips, never has won a playoff game.

What he'll try to remember is that both times he has played the Giants this season, he has thrown four touchdown passes and that Owens has nearly 1,000 receiving yards against the Giants alone.

On top of all that, a Romo-led victory in Dallas could derail the prospect of an all-Manning Super Bowl, a story line that would bury all others coming out of SBXLII with the possible exception of Britney Spears interrupting the Tom Petty news conference to announce she is having Dr. Phil's baby.

Few expect Eli Manning to successfully navigate the Giants through Texas, and fewer expect Peyton Manning to be anywhere next weekend but in the AFC Championship Game, but Peyton is under some pressure as well today, unless he successfully represses some of his own memories.

Just nine weeks ago in Southern California, Peyton set the franchise record for interceptions, flipping a half dozen, half of those to San Diego cat burglar Antonio Cromartie. That was the day Colts defensive standout Dwight Freeney saw his season ended by injury. That was the day Adam Vinatieri clunked a win-or-lose field goal with 90 seconds left. That was the day Chargers super smurf Darren Sproles ran a kickoff back 89 yards for a touchdown and a punt back 45 yards for a touchdown. In the first quarter.

That's a lot to forget.

If I were Peyton, I'd be thinking the Chargers are little but a 4-4 road team who've won exactly one playoff game in the past 13 years.

Peyton Manning has been rightfully bullet-proof from criticism most of his brilliant career, but if he were to be responsible for taking the Colts out the first exit for the second time in three years (the Steelers helped immensely two years ago), Colts Nation might re-assess.

That, of course, will be a blame-time decision.