Cowboys' Owner: Don't Count Out Injured Romo

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said yesterday that quarterback Tony Romo is likely to be able to play tomorrow at St. Louis with a broken finger on his throwing hand.

"He threw the ball well so it's very likely that he will be able to play," Jones said on his weekly radio appearance on KTCK. "Again, the question is: Can he handle the pain? . . . It looks like that he'll be able to play."

Romo broke his right pinkie during last Sunday's overtime loss at Arizona. The initial indication was Romo could be sidelined for as long as four weeks. But he did some throwing Wednesday and participated in portions of Thursday's practice.

Romo was on the practice field yesterday but reportedly did little during the portion that was open to media members while backup Brad Johnson took the snaps with the starting offense.

Coach Wade Phillips said during his news conference yesterday the club is prepared to go with Johnson and is confident in him as the potential starter. Phillips called Romo "the bonus guy in this situation." Phillips said several scenarios remained under consideration, but a final decision hadn't been made.

The Cowboys, meantime, will pay the league office more than $80,000 of the salary they will withhold from cornerback Adam Jones during his suspension. The figure could end up being as much as $200,000.

Under a policy implemented by the NFL in the summer, the Cowboys owe the league a portion of the pay they withhold from Jones during his suspension because he is the team's second player to be suspended this season.

On Tuesday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Jones indefinitely for violating the league's personal conduct policy. Jones is to miss at least four games without pay, and Goodell left open the possibility the suspension could become a permanent ban from the league if Jones does not demonstrate to Goodell and other NFL officials that his off-field misbehavior will cease.

Winslow May Play

Tight end Kellen Winslow participated in the Cleveland Browns' practice yesterday and might return to the lineup tomorrow against the Washington Redskins. Winslow missed the Browns' triumph over the New York Giants on Monday night. He was released from the Cleveland Clinic last Sunday after being hospitalized for three nights. He and Browns officials have refused to discuss details of the illness that caused him to be hospitalized. . . .

Injured New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady reportedly underwent a second surgery on his left knee this week. The Boston Globe reported the procedure took place Wednesday because of an infection.