Romo: Cowboys can't afford to be 0-2 after Bears game

Tony Romo didn't celebrate quite as much as Calvin Johnson, but both suffered the same measure of despair in Week 1.

Both had a hand in last-second, game-winning touchdown passes in the right corner of an end zone - only to have them erased by an official's ruling.

In the Dallas quarterback's case, backup right tackle Alex Barron was flagged for holding on the game's final play

Deservedly so, by the way.

"I ran for about 10 yards or so, 15 yards, thinking we'd won," Romo said. "Obviously I turned around. Tough, tough thing when you think you've won and then you realize you lost."

That Sunday night loss at Washington puts Romo's squad into a must-win situation when the Bears hit town Sunday (noon, Ch. 32).

"You can't get started 0-2," Romo said. "It's a very deep hole to get into."

One the Cowboys rarely visit.

Dallas hasn't lost its first two games since 2001, the franchise's first year without Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman.

The Cowboys trotted out a variety of youthful punchlines at quarterback that year - Quincy Carter, Ryan Leaf, Anthony Wright and Clint Stoerner - on their way to a 5-11 record.

The franchise went through several stop-gap quarterbacks (Drew Bledsoe, Vinny Testaverde, etc.) before settling on Romo in 2006.

The Eastern Illinois graduate has directed the Cowboys to three playoff appearances in the last four years, though some ominous issues began to appear last year.

Dallas went 11-5 and reached the NFC semifinals, but the numbers showed the offense ranked as the NFL's No. 2 team in yards - but No. 14 in points.

In Week 1 against Washington, the Cowboys stacked up the fifth-most total yards in the league (380) yet finished with 7 points. Only the 49ers fared worse.

"It's such a team game," Romo said. "One mistake by an individual can end a drive. When you look back, we moved the ball up and down the field.

"We just would have a mistake that would end that drive at that time. It's frustrating and we're going to work on that this week and we'll be better because of it."

Or, more likely, the Cowboys will be better because they regain the services of some injured linemen.

Coach Wade Phillips indicated that right tackle Marc Columbo, the Bears' 2002 first-round pick, returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since injuring his knee in camp. Left guard Kyle Kosier (knee) also returned to the practice field.

"We'll see what happens from there, see how much they can practice," Phillips said.

Neither is guaranteed to play Sunday, but any help would be an upgrade.

Their returns also would inadvertently turn the spotlight away from Barron's struggles and shift them to left tackle Doug Free.

The former Northern Illinois standout made his first career start at left tackle last week. Now he gets to deal primarily with Bears defensive end Julius Peppers, who knocked out Detroit quarterback Matt Stafford out of last week's opener.

"Doug Free has played well throughout the preseason and also the first game," Phillips said.

"You go out and play well and nobody's talking," Free told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram last week. "You play bad anywhere and people are talking."