By MICKEY SPAGNOLA

* Before anyone starts moaning and groaning about Tony Romo, here’s a few facts you might want to consider. Saw him about 4 p.m. on Monday, and he still was walking around quite gingerly, but this time, unlike after Sunday’s 7-6 victory over the Redskins, he had icepacks attached to his lower backside with yards of elastic wrap around his midsection securing them in place. Romo still was in pain from the knee he took on the Cowboys’ second offensive possession, and said the pain was about the same as it was on Sunday, which is somewhat of a good thing because normally these types of injuries grow worse after sleeping on them. Maybe the shot in the damaged muscle he took after the game is helping. The Cowboys listed him as only “limited” in Monday’s practice, although the practice was no more than a walk-through. He said he was encouraged, but that he feels something every time he moves. Now then about all those high throws . . . .

* There were a couple of roster adjustments on Monday out here at The Ranch. First the Cowboys signed cornerback Cletis Gordon from the practice squad to the 53-man roster, evidently not liking the looks of things on Sunday with Ken Hamlin (ankle) out and then Mike Jenkins getting dinged and on the bench. Suddenly there was starting free safety Alan Ball having to play cornerback when the Redskins went three wide and Pat Watkins coming in at safety. To make room for Gordon, the Cowboys released Allen Rossum, the veteran kick returner who severely pulled his hamstring the first and only time he touched the ball for the Cowboys in his Dallas debut against the Falcons. He never got back on the field. Also, Tampa Bay signed quarterback Rudy Carpenter off the Cowboys’ practice squad and onto their 53-man roster for at least the three-week minimum. This is the second time this season the Bucs have signed a player off the Cowboys practice squad, grabbing cornerback Mike Mickens a few weeks ago – leading to the Cowboys signing of Gordon.

* Four Cowboys players did not participate in Monday’s walk-through practice, including OT Marc Colombo and safety Ken Hamlin, both out for the Thanksgiving Day game against the Raiders. Also out on Monday were CB Mike Jenkins (biceps/head) and TE Jason Witten (foot). Both should play on Thursday but the Cowboys probably thought it best to let those guys rehab on Monday since it was just a walk-through practice. Jenkins, who was walking around with the electric stimulator attached to his left biceps, said he would be good to go on Thursday. Limited on Monday besides Romo were LB Keith Brooking (ankle) and K David Buehler (toe).

* Here is the most troubling statistics going into the Monday night game: Third-down conversions, both offense and defense. The Cowboys offense ranks 17th in the league, converting 38.7 percent of its third-down opportunities into first downs. And while the Cowboys had gotten off to a good start, converting 41.6 percent after eight games, that number has dropped since converting just six of 23 attempts the past two games when they have scored no more than a touchdown in each game. Sense a correlation? Defensively the Cowboys rank 13th, allowing opponents to convert 37.4 percent of their third downs. That, too, is on the downturn, allowing each of the past two opponents to convert seven of 15, meaning 14 of 30, or nearly 50 percent, in the past two games. Ouch. And four of the past five opponents have converted at least 42.9 percent of their third downs.

(Mickey Spagnola will be writing his thoughts on the Cowboys at least three days a week – Monday, Wednesday and Friday – for KTBB.com throughout the season.)