Quarterback Tony Romo back in a throwing groove against Seattle

IRVING, TX— Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo was still wearing a splint on his nearly-healed right pinkie.

He was also playing in just his third game since missing four weeks of action. But the Romo that easily chewed apart the Seattle defense in a 34-9 win looked like the early-season Romo. Maybe even Romo of 2007.

Just ask his new receiver Roy Williams. He's been trying to figure out how good this guy was after hearing all the stories and watching all those highlights while suffering in Detroit. Three games together, Williams has a feel for Romo now.

"He's the real deal," Williams said.

Especially the real deal on Thanksgiving Day. He completed 22 of 34 passes for 331 yards, three touchdowns and had a passer rating of 113.7. Romo was intercepted once on a poorly thrown pass to Terrell Owens in double coverage, but for the most part he read and ripped the Seahawks secondary.

All of Romo's turkey day games have been blowouts and he's thrown for 10 touchdowns with one interception in those games. Two of those games were 300-yard performances.

In the past two weeks, Romo's pinkie hasn't been a problem. He has produced consecutive 300-yard passing games and thrown six touchdowns to one interception. Romo's confidence and play have the Cowboys season back on track at 8-4 as they face the final four games of the season against elite defenses.

Romo side-stepped pressure to perfection in the backfield, re-routed receivers and used all his weapons. Together his feet, decisions and right arm looked like Pro Bowl-Romo.

Romo led the Cowboys to 24 points on their first four drives, which included touchdown passes to rookie tight end Martellus Bennett and Pro Bowler Jason Witten.

"I think he's in a groove," Bennett said. "I relate a lot of things to basketball. When you're hot, you're hot. He's really hot right now."

Said Romo: "If you can put your foot on someone's throat when you get to that point, that's what the championship teams do. We've been trying to stress that for a long time now."

Part of Romo's big day was getting Witten re-established after posting just four catches in the past four weeks. Witten had nine catches for 115 yards and worked over mismatches against the Seattle defense.

That was another sign Romo has his magic back. He has been an effective distributor, working his passes around to seven receivers against Seattle.

Next week, Romo faces his biggest test of the season when the Cowboys travel to Pittsburgh on Dec. 7. The Steelers have the No, 1-ranked defense and put heavy pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

While Romo believes he's still not 100 percent, his teammates see something else. Romo has been trying to shed the splint for weeks, but it has remained for protection in the pocket. But he doesn't expect to wear it against Pittsburgh.

"We'll get that splint off. He might throw for 300 yards. …oh, he did," Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said.

Romo led the Cowboys on four scoring drives of 70 or more yards and appears to have his old smile back that fans thought he lost. Maybe Romo is having more fun than he was before he was injured.

rickherrin@star-telegram.com, 817-390-7760