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Cowboys owner/coach/spokesman/G.M. Jerry Jones was asked Monday at the Senior Bowl about the success of the Super Bowl-bound New York Giants.

In Jones’ estimation, the biggest difference between the Cowboys and the Giants is simple: Eli Manning. Ouch.

Calvin Watkins on ESPNDallas.com reports that Jones subsequently offered praise for Tony Romo, possibly in an effort to put the toothpaste back in the tube. But the point seems clear. Jones essentially said that the 31-year-old quarterback of his division rival has a big edge over his own 31-year-old quarterback.

Perhaps this was Jones’ way of sending a message to Romo that he won’t be coddled any more. Even if that’s true, I fully expect Jones to later “clarify” these words and make a show of support for Romo.

It’s also worth wondering if Jones takes an overly simplistic view of what separates the two teams. We’d give the Giants the edge in terms of their pass rush, their coaching continuity, and their ability to make the right front-office decisions.