It's been a rough few weeks for Jessica Simpson, what with her home state of Texas just a few blond wigs and some lighter fluid away from burning her in effigy over quarterback-boyfriend Tony Romo's failure to lead the Dallas Cowboys to the Super Bowl.

"She definitely isn't heading back to Texas for a while," an insider tells OK!.

On the plus side, the beleaguered starlet received some support this week from a surprising source -- her newly single ex, John Mayer, whom she split with in June.

The crooner, who appears to have some time to spare now that he has parted ways with Minka Kelly, has once again taken to his blog, this time to defend Simpson against those who have labeled her a jinx and a distraction.

Jessica and John in 2007

"I have never known anyone to have more pride in their home state and their upbringing in it than Jessica Simpson has in Texas," he writes in a post addressed to the people of Dallas and its environs. "... That girl loves Texas more than you know. It's one of her most defining traits as a person. So please don't try and take that away from her. (You probably wouldn't be able to, but it's less work for all involved.)"

Concludes Mayer, "I just thought it would mean something coming from the guy who has the absolute least to gain from this. And if I'm out of line in having written it, too bad. I can spare a Wednesday's worth of bad press if it means sticking up for a good soul."

(Still, he does have a little bit to gain from his gentlemanly move, including the wistful sigh-filled goodwill of his onetime squeeze and the positive reaction from fans and non-fans impressed with his chivalry.)

In the meantime, the fury of her fellow football fans isn't the only problem Jessica is dealing with in regard to her love life. There's also some rumored fallout over the photos of the pre-playoff trip she took to Los Cabos, Mexico, with Romo, a few of his teammates and her parents.

A snitch tells the New York Daily News that certain suspicious types believe Simpson's dad-manager-shadow Joe may have clued the paparazzi in on the getaway, "causing Tony this huge headache" (seems some gridiron fans thought his time could have been better spent).

Not so, says Papa Joe's rep, who adamantly denies the insinuation, calling it "categorically false" and insisting he "would never sell out his daughter to the media ..."

But has the photo kerfuffle resulted in some bad blood between Joe and Tony?

That's the word from the Chicago Sun-Times, which claims the "usually even-tempered QB hit the roof" when the tip-off rumblings surfaced. When Romo confronted the innocence-professing Joe, alleges the paper, Jessica took her beau's side.

Meanwhile, OK! is convinced there's still dirty weather ahead for the lovebirds, despite Tony's now open schedule.

"She needs so much attention," a so-called "Simpson pal" snipes to the magazine, "that it's impossible to date her."

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