Cowboys Defense Is Only A Part Of The Problem, Romo Is The Rest
DALLAS (105.3 THE FAN) - Please understand I am a giant Tony Romo fan. The Cowboys winning is the thing I most want to see in the entire sports world. The Cowboys are our business partner and it would make everybody at CBS Radio Dallas very happy.
It just isn't there.
Last year's week 17 meltdown was the straw that broke the camel's back but I refused to believe it. I can't put up the fight anymore. Take the baton if you will...but it's exhausting.
The truth will set you free.
After blogging and debating the merits of Tony Romo's fourth quarter stats on 105.3 The Fan with many of you today, I was interested in testing my theory further.
Previously, I looked at all 16 games from the 2012 season.
What I believe we found is that when trailing Romo is great. The bigger the deficit the more brilliant.
When the game becomes tied or the Cowboys are up less than a TD in crunch time, the pressure mounts, and we see the reason he was not a true division 1 player in college or drafted in the NFL.
To review the stats from yesterday (because Romo apologists love stats), Romo's Total QBR in the first 12 mintues of the fourth quarter is 80, in the final 3 minutes it's 44.
Tony has thrown more picks with the game tied or leading by a TD or less than any other QB since 2006.
If you refuse to believe Tony isn't the problem it might be best that you just stop reading now because this is just going to make you mad.
Here we go! Let's look at the 5 2013 games to date:
Week 1 vs. NY Giants
Going to the final quarter the Cowboys were up 23-17.
As the quarter started Dallas was already at midfield and they finished off the drive and go up by 13 points. 30-17.
Giants get the ball and score a TD. 30-24.
The Cowboys get the ball back with 8:47 to go and fail to put away one of the worst teams in division history.
Inside the possession, Tony Romo was sacked twice, had one incompletion, and one short pass to Dwayne Harris for no gain on a bubble screen he no doubt checked down to.
Because the Cowboys lost a bunch of yards, the Giants got the ball back at midfield.
Luckily, the Dallas defense held and forced a punt.
Cowboys get the ball at their 16 yard line with 5:07 to play. Surely Tony put it away against the pathetic Giants right?
Wrong. Another punt.
Luckily Brandon Carr picked off Eli and took it to the house or Romo's historical lack of killer instinct would have cost Dallas a win against a terrible team.
Oh BTW, the 31 points Tony and the Cowboys put up on the Giants is tied with Kansas City for the fewest points given up by the Giants this year.
Damn defense.
Cowboys win 36-31
Week 2 at Kansas City
The Cowboys go to 4th down 14-13.
Kansas City finished a drive with a FG to go up 17-13.
With 14:06 to play the Cowboys get the ball on the 20. 3 and out.
D holds.
With 9:12 to go the Cowboys get the ball back and go 3 and out again. Damn defense is killing Romo right?
31 seconds later the Cowboys get the ball back thanks to a K.C. punt. Boys now take over with 6:43 to go.
After completing a few short passes Romo threw a pick but a defensive holding call in the backfield turns the play into a first down in Kansas City territory.
The Cowboys get 5 more yards and Bailey booms a 53 yard FG to make it 17-16 Chiefs.
The Chiefs get the ball back with 3:50 to go and the defense can't get off the field.
Damn defense screwed Romo big time right?
Cowboys lose 17-16
Week 3 vs St. Louis Rams
Cowboys were up 24-7 going into the fourth.
Rams never threatened and Romo had a mistake free fourth quarter. Imagine that.
St. Louis has averaged 24 points in their four other games but Dallas held them to 7.
Had the Rams scored 24, the Cowboys could have easily found themselves in a tie game that if history had repeated itself, Romo would have lost for them.
Damn defense.
Cowboys win 31-7
Week 4 at San Diego
Start of the final period, the Chargers were completing their comeback to go up 23-21 with a FG from Novak.
Cowboys get the ball back with 14:46 and drive to the San Diego 44 before stalling out.
Once again Romo had the team on the doorstep of taking a lead in a must score spot.
Fail.
The Chargers get the ball back up 2, and Rivers throws over the top to Gates for a long TD.
Cowboys go down 9 at 30-21.
With 6:54 to play, The Cowboys get the ball back, drive the length of the field, and Terrance Williams fumbles.
Down 2, the Cowboys couldn't get in FG range. Down 9 here comes the gun show. Romo has them driving until the Rookie Terrance Wiliams fumbled. I guess it's all his fault.
And the damn defense. But not Tony.
Cowboys lose 30-21
Week 5 vs. Broncos
The fascinating thing about this fourth quarter to me is Tony was great up until the moment he could absolutely win the game.
Down 35-20 in the 3rd. Brilliant.
Down 38-27 in the 3rd. Brilliant.
Down 38-33 late in the third, brilliant.
Romo remained brilliant as the Cowboys took the lead ealry in the fourth with a TD and scored a 2 point conversion to make it 41-38.
They took the lead again at 48-41 with 7:19 to play.
But the next time they got the ball back, there was 2:39 to play, and Tony knew a quality drive would ice the game. History repeated itself again.
When there is something to lose and the game is truly on the line Romo fails.
It didn't take long for Tony to give the game away either.
After 187 straight passes without making a bad decision he suddenly made a terrible decision to throw under durress after stepping on his LT's foot (before throwing motion started). His own coach even said he should have come down to the RB during his postgame press conference.
With 1:59 on the clock, under pressure, footwork is all out of wack, with three timeouts remaining, he threw it from his own 14 yard line.
Denver didn't have to advance the ball any further, they did anyway because of that damn defense.
Cowboys lose 51-48.
If this way of thinking about the Cowboys problems is new to you, don't be alarmed. It's new to me too. Go ahead and relax your shoulders, unfurl your brow, and open your mind to an alternate possibility and I believe you will enjoy the peace of mind that comes with true understanding of the dynamics in play.
You know it makes no sense that this team isn't good if Romo is really one of the best fourth quarterbacks in league history. Trust your instincts, stop drinking the silver and blue kool aid, let's enjoy some Cowboys football without the frustration, and we can all hope that one day soon he figures it out.
See me Beer me
Email: gbagnation@gmail.com
Twitter @gavindawson
(©2013 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
Latest News:
Top Trending:
- Sasquatch Genome Project Reveals Bigfoot Photos
- Tricks To Using The New iPhone Software
- Enter The "Show Your Spirit' Sweepstakes
- Mexican Monster Truck Wreck Kills 8, Hurts Dozens
- Nolan, Daniels Involved In Heated Confrontation
- PHOTOS: Your Pet Pictures
