Cowboys Jerry: Basking In The Romo Balance
Mike Fisher | @FishSports
IRVING, Texas (105.3 THE FAN) - If you want to a) attempt to do the impossible with 'retro-math,' b) drive yourself nuts, and c) come across as a spoiled Cowboys fan, by all means focus your takeaway from Dallas' 26-10 win at Tennessee on all the money being "wasted'' so Tony Romo could drive that run-first bus.
"The way that we (used) Romo the other day fits me just fine and fits him just fine,'' Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones tells 105.3 The Fan. "It's called 'winning,' and that's what we're here for."
Romo is in possession of a $108 million contract extension (and $55 million "real'' dollars in guarantees) to, when necessary, do much more than compete 19 of 27 passes for 176 yards, as was the case in Nashville.
But in Week 2? It wasn't necessary. So why not savor that?
If Romo's relative ineffectiveness was due to carryover from back surgery, from rust, or from the possibility that he was dinged early in the game in some fashion but played through it - all of which are denied by Romo himself - those mark different concerns. But for years, Dallas has asked Romo to be the franchise's Houdini...and it has asked too much.
As Jason Witten says, "It's a compliment to your football team when your star quarterback can be a secondary option.''
Indeed, in Tennessee, the running game was the "star of the game.'' It was DeMarco Murray, of course, with the stellar numbers, the centerpiece of a ground game that gobbled up 220 rushing yards. But the run-first strategy best plays into the strength of the club, the trio of 23-year-old first-round draftees that anchor the line, Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick and Zach Martin.
If all those people - who also earn relatively healthy paychecks - can carry the team...what's the problem?
"I'm probably the one that's standing right behind Tony and saying, 'Yes, we like seeing that,'" Jones says. "When you can have that balance ... we'll take it. That offensive line played lights-out for us. When you can have more of a balance ... then I think we're seeing you have a better chance for your defense to be more effective, play less plays, better field position. All of it works together.''
There will be other days when Romo will be asked to be more than an NFL "bus driver.'' Cowboys fans should be basking in a movement towards Dallas winning without him not having to be so.
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