Dallas and Cincinnati had a ho-hum matchup in the Hall of Fame game. T.O. and the Cowboys created more fireworks in the media than on the field, and Ochocinco’s hands were more active on his reality TV dating show, ‘The Ultimate Catch.’

Out of the variety of stars in the game, Tony Romo seemed to show the most sparkle in the one series he played under center, but that wasn’t saying much.

I honestly didn’t expect much from either team considering it was the first exhibition game of the season. Super Bowls aren’t won in the pre-season, but this is when the chatter about it all begins.

Right now there’s some buzz about the Cowboys getting to the big game, which is pretty funny. One thing is for sure: The game will be played in Cowboys Stadium…and the home team won’t be suited up for it.

Don’t get me wrong, Romo will continue to get better this season. However, he won’t be able to lead his squad there.

A lot can happen with injuries and trades between now and Super Bowl Sunday, but at this point New Orleans, Indianapolis, Minnesota (with Brett Favre) and San Diego are the frontrunners, with Tennessee (wild card team) and Baltimore knocking on the door.

Carolina Is Up Next
Speaking of Baltimore, the Carolina Panthers will tangle with the Ravens on the road Thursday (8 p.m. on ESPN). I’ll keep my eye on the Panther quarterbacks (like everyone else), along with how the new revamped defensive line performs.

Overall, this team still has me puzzled based on the moves they made since last season. Are the Panthers in rebuilding mode or did they just make upgrades with all of the young blood that was added to the roster, banking that it will get them back into the postseason?

The Carolina coaches and players would have us believe the later, but we’ll begin to get a glimpse of the real answer starting this week.
***
Damon Ford is a former journalist who is now a public relations professional working in the public and private sectors in Charlotte.
 

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