The Cowboys had hoped that QB Tony Romo would be able to return from a fractured collarbone at the end of the year, but according to the Dallas Morning News, that appears unlikely.

Romo hasn't yet to even practice much with the team, who has been playing well under Jon Kitna since Romo's injury in Week Seven. Owner Jerry Jones told the newspaper that it appears Romo will be on the bench the final two weeks of the year.

"As I stand here, he's not ready to play," Jones said on Sunday.

The Cowboys play at Arizona on Christmas night and then travel to Philadelphia in Week 17. Since taking over, Kitna has thrown 15 touchdowns and led Dallas to four wins in the past six weeks.

The way we see it
While the team obviously would like to have him back, the smartest thing for Romo and the Cowboys is to let the injury heal completely and have the Pro Bowl QB ready for the 2011 season. Dallas has shown they can win under new head coach Jason Garrett, which may give them positive momentum heading into next year.