Tony Romo, Meet '09 Hot Seat

The Jerry Jones Cowboys are in the midst of an offseason makeover. Assistant coaches have been fired, big-named players have been released, and others have been signed to replace them, all in an effort to put the 2008 debaclement quickly in the rearview.

You might've heard that Dallas hasn't won a playoff game since 1996, and if that doesn't change next season, SI.com's Ross Tucker thinks quarterback Tony Romo should take the fall. Not Wade Phillips or Jason Garrett or Jones -- Jessica Simpson's boyfriend.

[Romo]'s already failed in three seasons as a starter to lead his team to one measly playoff victory, a team with a roster so stacked that it's perennially one of the two or three best in football. How many chances does one guy get? With T.O. gone, there should be no more excuses for Romo. None. No more team chemistry dissertations or distraction discussions. Romo got what he wanted, and now he better make the most of it.

T.O. fell on the proverbial sword this year. Romo should take the fall right around this time next year if the Cowboys don't win a playoff game yet again.

I can't argue with any of that, particularly since Romo played some pretty mediocre football in losses to the Ravens and Eagles in the final two games of the regular season with the playoffs on the line.

The Dallas Morning News' Tim MacMahon does his best to defend Romo: "How long did the Cowboys search for a franchise quarterback after Troy Aikman's career was over? Do you really want to start that process over again? Who would start in 2010? Jon Kitna? A second-year QB drafted with a mid- to late-round pick? A rookie? Romo's reputation will be on the line next season. His job shouldn't be."

I get where MacMahon is coming from, but the phrase, "the soft bigotry of low expectations" immediately comes to mind as I read his words. At some point, you have to make a change, even if it's not popular -- the Broncos were allegedly trying to deal Jay Cutler (statistically, Romo's equal the last two seasons) for Matt Cassel. Maybe that would've proven to be a disastrous move except when you remember that Cutler hasn't gotten Denver to the postseason in his two years as a starter.

For some perspective, Jake Plummer was 3-for-3 in making the the playoffs during his three-year stint with the Broncos. Sometimes, you don't need a Hall of Fame quarterback to play into January.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

3-07-2009 @ 1:41PM

Sports Fan said...

Most of the time your quarterback needs to be a good game manager,not panic under pressure and do no harm.

3-07-2009 @ 2:06PM

billy said...

As a non-Cowboys fan, I can honestly say that Romo is not the problem. Wade Phillips does not have the right attitude to be a head coach. Its like when a parent tries to be their kids' best friend. The players may like you, but that doesn't make you a good coach. If he was a better coach, the T.O. thing wouldn't have mattered. Andy Reid made it to a super bowl with less than a talent pool and T.O. was far more destructive to Philly than Dallas. Romo has the tools to be an elite QB. Hell, the Cowboys had the talent to go all the way last season. The problem was the coaching. If they still had Parcells, they'd be fine.

3-07-2009 @ 2:16PM

armrob2k said...

somehow T.O. will be a distraction again, or they'll find someone else in the locker room to be the scapegoat.
Jerry Jones wants to win so desperately and show off his new stadium, he doesn't know who to cut and who to sign. Dallas will have another mediocre year if not worst. the wade/garrett duo is more to blame than T.O.'s attitude or even Romo's bad plays. so there's no reason why 2009 should be different. Roy Williams was on the team midway through the season, and he wasn't getting the ball either. go figure !

3-07-2009 @ 3:35PM

zigmover21 said...

"With T.O. gone, there should be no more excuses for Romo. None."

Here's a good excuse: he'll miss TO's stats. All this talk about chemistry means nothing if Romo has no receivers. I respect Dallas' decision; Owens wasn't worth the hastle even in his prime. But who else will even come close among the other receivers? Witten's great, but he's still a tight end. After that.....Patrick Crayton? Don't see him drawing double teams and getting someone else open.

I think Dallas made the right decision, but cutting TO will have major consequences for the offense. Don't blame it on Romo when nobody can get open and he's dumping it off to Barber for 2~3 yards per catch.

3-07-2009 @ 4:24PM

ammiezon said...

Blaming Romo and TO for the cowboys " big game problems " isn't the answer. The boys real problem is the offensive line. Saying Romo played some pretty mediocre football in losses to the Ravens and Eagles is ridiculous. It's impossible for a QB to look good when the other teams D line is in the back field on every play and the team has no running game to take some of the heat off. If the O line can't get it done the team losses.

3-07-2009 @ 10:37PM

player1906 said...

Ammiezon,
What games we're you watching? Although the O-line needs help, did you norice how long the plays took to develop. That issue is a coaching issue and don't look for it to get any better next year even with a better O-Line. I don't see the recievers breaking open and to top it off without double coverage on TO defenses will crowd the box to stuff the run or use the under over on Witten and come up with more picks on Romo sending him elsewhere for 2010.

3-07-2009 @ 8:05PM

gernjewels24 said...

ammiezon you said the same thing I've been saying...there is know way the cowboys or any other NFL team has a chance in post season without at least a good offensive...and the cowboys O-Line sucks ass!!! I am not a Cowboys Fan, or a Romo fan, but wake up you clowns...nobody can throw a completion with three guys hitting them as soon as they drop back! If they don't start blocking or building an O-Line...Dallas won't even make the playoffs...let alone win a post season game.

3-07-2009 @ 10:20PM

cash4notimback said...

Look! Romo is a choke artist, Cowboys can't win with him Not the big one anyway. When all else fails Blame it on TO. Mc nabb Choke artist also can't and NEVER will win the big one... And yes TO needs to tone it down but it's hard to when you have two CHOKE ARTIST for QB.

3-08-2009 @ 4:56PM

Michael said...

I agree, Romo has always let the Cowboys down when they needed it the most. Cowboys have more problems other than T O, like Jason Garrett. I am a die hard Cowboy fan, and I believe T O was an escape goat.

3-07-2009 @ 11:41PM

gernjewels said...

okay...yeah...good point...Romo is a choke artist...but it is Hilarious!!!I made so much $$$ on that Raven game!!! And the year before, when he blew the hold for the game winning kick!!! I had Seattle with +3 points!!! shoot, Romo's one of my favorites,heh,heh..

3-08-2009 @ 7:18AM

sport1943 said...

Romo needs to step up and be a leader...since the head coach is not a leader...Jerry, you need a strong head coach...how may Super Bowl wins did Jimmy Johnson produce ? If you want a winning team, get a coach who produces winning teams.

3-08-2009 @ 9:20AM

Bubba said...

Quote from Mr. Romo last season:

"If we win that's ok, if we lose that's ok too".

Mr. Romo is no leader, and he throws like a girl (floaters).

3-08-2009 @ 11:00AM

amy said...

He may have the tools, but does he have the head???

3-08-2009 @ 1:31PM

REDD said...

romo is the blamefor sure. now we will see how romo is a overpaid 2nd string quarterback at best. now we have another washed up backup quarterback. how low can we go.

3-08-2009 @ 1:34PM

romo was surrounded by the best players any quarterback could ask for. he is our true problem. romo must go!!!

3-08-2009 @ 2:43PM

CD said...

I'll have to say that being a long time Cowboy's fan, that still roots just as strongly as ever, my honest assessment of the current Cowboy's team and the reason they aren't Super Bowl contenders as of late...is they don't play like a team! If Owens is the culprit we should see something better this year, if not then it will be more of the same. Personally, i like Romo but i'm not sure if he is the next Aikman or not. It's pretty tough to try to live up to someone that won 3 Super Bowls! I think Wade Phillips would be awesome as our "D Co-ord" but is lacking in the motivational dept. for making the grade as a head coach. Sorry Wade but that's how i feel. The problem is Jerry has to have someone that will adjust to his armchair style of ownership(maybe when Steve takes over it will be better). Whatever happens i'm sure it will be interesting and i will be watching...

3-08-2009 @ 4:32PM

ogol3 said...

Lots of you are always complaining about the QB's but it takes 22 guys to play the game. You can score 50 points a game, but if the defense does not help you, what good are those points? How long was Elway playing before he took Denver to a playoff? Can't blame the coach, he only calls the plays, who executes them? So quit your whinning.

3-09-2009 @ 9:57AM

Elsquare said...

Tony Romo is an immature, cap on backward, kid with about a sixtieth percentile arm and about a fortieth percentile standing in NFL quarterback intangibles. Now is not the time to get close with a nickel. Spend the money, do what it takes. How about Derek Anderson? Brady Quinn? Jordan Palmer? Romo is a holdover from the all-time 'drive the bus' QB hater, Bill Parcells. BUT, none of this really matters because Jerry Jones is the problem. Jones is a salesman, not a professional football man. He has destroyed everything that Murchison, Schramm and Landry put together. Sad, but true.

3-09-2009 @ 4:37PM

Dumb Fuck said...

romo has potential hes only been starting for 2 1/2 seasons, and after all we could still have, quincy carter, drew henson, vinnie testeverede, or drew bledsoe starting so quit your bitching at least with romo we get to the playoffs.