►QUICK HITS

(On Cincinnati and Buffalo)

BILL COWHER: We talk about great turn-around stories, talk about the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals.  Cincinnati plays Pittsburgh today, then at Baltimore next week, and the Buffalo Bills, the first of three road games start today in Dallas.  Listen, this is the defining weekend in my opinion for these two teams.  Because despite this great start, they need wins today to validate the start that they've had. 

(On Buffalo-Dallas)

PHIL SIMMS: When I talk about who is going to make the playoffs I think the winner of today's game will go to the playoffs, the one that loses will not. 

(On Denver adapting a new style offense for QB Tim Tebow)

COWHER: This is a short term fix, but not a long‑term answer…You don't have a back‑up quarterback that can run that offense like Tebow can.  Like any offense, if he's the running back, you need more than one running back.  Secondly, if they get behind it's not an offense built to play catch‑up.

(On Philadelphia Eagles)

SHANNON SHARPE: When you accumulate this kind of talent, you want to see how well it's going to mesh together and how soon it's going to mesh together.  But I knew there would be a problem with DeSean Jackson.  He held out wanting a new contract.  He didn’t get it.  I knew he wouldn't be professional enough to come in, do his job, keep his mouth shut and play like he was supposed to play.  Rumor has it, or sources say, he showed up late for a team meeting.  He's going to be inactive today.  But that's not their biggest problem.  Their biggest problem is on the other side of the football.  Andy Reid did this team a huge disservice.  He opened a five‑star restaurant, he hired his home boy to cook for him, and he can't cook a lick. 

►“INSIDE THE NFL” WITH CHARLEY CASSERLY

(On NFLPA not going ahead with HGH testing saying it wants to establish a test standard)

CASSERLY:  The NFL sent a memo to all 32 clubs this week saying that they did not find this latest proposal acceptable.  One of their biggest problems they had with it is in the proposal the NFLPA wanted testing to be done in the off‑season and preseason, not during the season.  I checked in with Capitol Hill yesterday.  They told me this proposal was not acceptable to them.  They're going to go forward on their course to begin inquiries in the future.  They also told me there are scientists who severely questioned whether you could establish a test standard of current NFL players because how many of these players have tainted samples that you'd be looking at? 

Click to view report: http://bit.ly/sPto3Q

► SHANNON SHARPE SAT DOWN WITH DALLAS QB TONY ROMO

THE NFL TODAY’s Shannon Sharpe sat down with Dallas quarterback Tony Romo to talk about why his team has been so consistently inconsistent, and if he has what it takes to lead them to a Super Bowl.

SHARPE:  You mentioned elite quarterbacks.  Some quarterbacks mention I'm in the class with Tom Brady.  I'm in the class with Aaron Rodgers and some of these great quarterbacks.  Do you ever sit back and think I'm just as good as those guys.

ROMO: When you talk about the elite quarterbacks, 99.9% of them have all won.  And until you do, I don't think you belong in that class.  It's that important.  It's what we're judged by.  It's how I judge others by.  It's the way it should be.

Click to view: http://bit.ly/sYGmNL

► REACTION TO ROMO

SHARPE: Tony Romo understands one thing, guys.  Ultimately how he's going to be judged is on wins and losses and whether or not he can bring another Lombardi to that organization.  You're right.  The quarterback position is the only position that's judged by how many Lombardi Trophies you add to the equation because nobody asked can Darrelle Revis lead the New York yet Jets to the Super Bowl.  Nobody asks can Ndamukong Suh lead the Lions to a Super Bowl?  Ultimately this is how he is judged…there is a lot of pressure on this guy because can they run the football enough? 

DAN MARINO:  I was an elite quarterback and I didn't win a Super Bowl.  You look at Tony Romo, it’s about consistency.  He is a very good quarterback.  He can win Super Bowls.  The issue comes down to games where he's has to make a play to keep drives going or he'll make a mistake where he's thrown some interceptions late in games this year.  So it comes down to consistency and his decision-making.  That's why people question his ability because of decision-making at certain times of the game where he makes mistakes.  Talking about when he's 31 now.  The time is now for him to kick this team and get them going.