Quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys is one of the most glamorous positions in all of sports. From Don Meredith to Roger Staubach to Troy Aikman, the spotlight is always on in Dallas. Nowhere is that light any brighter than on the successes & failures of Tony Romo.
A lightning rod for criticism throughout his career, Romo has quietly rebounded from a horrendous 4 interception opening game vs. the 49ers to put up 6 TDs & 1 INT in his last 3 games.
Romo Critics
Despite a career QB passer rating of 95.9 with over 30,000 yards passing & 215 TDs, there are NFL observers who will always find fault with Tony Romo. They’ll overlook any success & instead focus on crucial turnovers at big moments & his inability to lead the Cowboys to a Super Bowl. It’s part of life in Dallas where, if the QB is not winning rings or producing consistent postseason success, then he’s going to be a target for attack.
Texans Respect Romo
Not that the Romo naysayers have affected the opinion of Texans head coach Bill O’Brien.
“I guess he [Romo] gets criticized by all the so-called quarterback experts out there. I mean, this guy is a top-notch quarterback. He’s smart. He’s accurate. He’s played a lot of productive football in this league.”
Texans LB Brian Cushing also does not buy into all the negativity towards Romo, and respects the way he plays the game.
“Over the years, he’s gotten some stuff here & there but I’ve always thought he was a very good quarterback,” Cushing said. “He can make all the throws. He’s very elusive in the pocket. You see him just get away from a ton of sacks & a ton of pressure.”
Back Surgery
Romo’s own head coach, Jason Garrett, understands the commitment Romo has shown to get back to the playing field after his previous season ended in injury.
“Tony is coming off of his back surgery that he had right at the end of last year,” Garrett said. “He’s worked very hard to get himself healthy & back.”
The expectations in Dallas are always going to be lofty for the high profile QB, but Garrett acknowledged Romo wasn’t 100 percent to start the season & he’s still rounding into form.
“I think as the weeks have gone on during the season, he’s gotten more & more healthy, and that’s been a good thing for him.”
Cowboys in High Gear
Since the opening loss, the Cowboys have won 3 straight games & have vaulted to a tie atop the NFC East. A big reason for the success has been less of a reliance on Romo to make everything happen for the offense.
Behind one of the best offensive lines in the game, RB DeMarco Murray is enjoying a hot start to the season leading the league in rushing with 534 yards & a 5.4 per carry average.
“The more balanced you are, the more he’s [Romo’s] going to benefit,” Garrett said. “That’s something that we’ve tried to make a conscience effort to do with the guys we’ve brought in here.”
Though Tony Romo is going to be called on to make big throws at key moments, the offense is not predicated on his gunslinging. He realizes at this stage of his career that having a top runner in Murray, a first-rate offensive line, excellent wide receivers led by Dez Bryant, and a security blanket at tight end in Jason Witten are going to make his job easier, and he is all for it.
“In the NFL, you really need to have other people that play at a level that is comparable for you to show your full ability. I think you’re seeing that with our unit offensively, and that is hopefully going to get better & better.”
Watch out for Watt
Of course in order to move the offense, Romo is going to have to face arguably the NFL’s best defensive player on Sunday, Texans’ defensive lineman J.J. Watt.
“I see a dynamic player that might be the best player that we go against all season. He’s very disruptive. He makes the game changing plays every game I see.”
Romo realizes that it is going to take a collective effort to reduce the impact of J.J. Watt, which is easier said than done.
“It’s going to be a great test for us to somehow find a way—you’re not going to stop him. You just have to hope that you minimize his chances to change the game.”
Whatever the result is for the Texans & Cowboys Sunday, it’s not going to sway the opinions on Romo. The only way that changes for the Dallas QB is a win in the Super Bowl. Romo understands that comes with the territory, but it is his job to go out & perform to the best of his ability by limiting turnovers & spearheading a balanced & productive offense on a weekly basis.
“What you try & find to be a great player in this league, it’s the ability to sustain for long periods of time execution at a high level.”
-R.G. Seal
