ESPN - The new biggest game of Tony Romo's life

[Coy]

Interesting but true.

Technically, it is not a December game. So win or lose, it will not go on that December record with which everyone's always beating Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo about the head. The NFC East title game between the Cowboys and the New York Giants in MetLife Stadium will be played this Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012 -- a new year and a fresh chance for Romo to maybe get people saying some new things about him.

Romo, you see, is the guy who can't get it done. That's what the unshakable external narrative still says about him. It doesn't matter that he's fourth in the league in passer rating and completion percentage, fifth in touchdown passes or that he's thrown only nine interceptions. Doesn't matter how big a reason he is for the Cowboys' eight wins. All anybody ever seems to talk about with Romo is that he's the reason for two of the seven losses. And that he's still only won one playoff game. That December record. The botched field goal snap from five years ago.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/id/34583/the-new-biggest-game-of-tony-romos-life

[Doomsday101]

Interesting but true.

Technically, it is not a December game. So win or lose, it will not go on that December record with which everyone's always beating Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo about the head. The NFC East title game between the Cowboys and the New York Giants in MetLife Stadium will be played this Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012 -- a new year and a fresh chance for Romo to maybe get people saying some new things about him.

Romo, you see, is the guy who can't get it done. That's what the unshakable external narrative still says about him. It doesn't matter that he's fourth in the league in passer rating and completion percentage, fifth in touchdown passes or that he's thrown only nine interceptions. Doesn't matter how big a reason he is for the Cowboys' eight wins. All anybody ever seems to talk about with Romo is that he's the reason for two of the seven losses. And that he's still only won one playoff game. That December record. The botched field goal snap from five years ago.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/id/34583/the-new-biggest-game-of-tony-romos-life

It is a big game for Romo and it should be a big game for all those players around him. For him to be able to do his job they have to do their as well.

[Coy]

It is a big game for Romo and it should be a big game for all those players around him. For him to be able to do his job they have to do their as well.

No doubt, but like it or not, everything will fall on Romo's shoulders, he could throw for 5 td's, 400 yds and no Int's but if they lose the game we know everybody will say he can't win a big game.

[DFWJC]

Funny how they pick a game where few people other than Dallas fans expect the Cowboys to win. On the road, without Murray, with Felix not 80%, with Romo not 90%, etc. They want to set him up so they can say he failed on the big stage. He could have another near perfect game, but if they lose, it will be "Tony lost the big one" again.
It's sickening.
I wonder how they'll spin it if we win?

[Aikbach]

Feels like 2008 all over agian.

[Gemini Dolly]

And if we win, its not a big deal because he still just has -one- playoff win.

Thats just the way it goes. But, Tony understands it.

[Joe Realist]

no win situation imo. They lose, he is still branded a choker.He wins, Eli had a bad day. He wins and they lose the playoff game? thanks for coming

[AMERICAS_FAN]

And if we win, its not a big deal because he still just has -one- playoff win.

Thats just the way it goes. But, Tony understands it.

If Romo wins, he only beat a non-payoff team, so peole will still ask "can he win the games that matter?"

When he wins his first Super Bowl they'll say he had nothing to do with it and that he still hasn't proven anything unless he wins a few more, which would only indicate he MIGHT have had something to do with some of them.

Then Romo will go on to win the next 2 Super Bowls to three-peat, then he'll retire, and 5 years later he'll be up for a hall of fame bid. At that point they'll debate if he really should be a first ballod hall of famer because, after all, he only won because there was so much parity in the league, and if not for that he wou'd come nowhewre close to winning the big game.

about 20 years after that Romo will finally make it in because there will be a new crop of media people voting who were too young to see Romo play, and they'll vote him in with bewilderment, wondering how he could have possibly gone this long without being inducted.

[Doomsday101]

No doubt, but like it or not, everything will fall on Romo's shoulders, he could throw for 5 td's, 400 yds and no Int's but if they lose the game we know everybody will say he can't win a big game.

That is why I don't listen to others and think for myself. :laugh2:

You are right Romo no matter what numbers he puts up some will put it on him.

[cowboy13]

We shouldn't even have to worry about this game.....the jet game started it all followed by Detroit and so on. Living among all giant fans except for about 20 Dallas fans have us not even showing up.If our defense can have a decent game and put pressure on Sheli we win.Romo should have a good game it isn't a December game.

[Chuck 54]

No excuses for Romo, no excuses about the OL or Murry/Felix, etc. If his hand is well enough for him to play, then the QB has to play a great game; not a good game, but a great game. That's what GREAT QB's do in playoff/key games.

I disagree to some extent though. If Romo plays as well as he did the first time, with no turnovers, and the Cowboys defense implodes, no one will say he can't win the big one. However, he will still be viewed as less that Eli because that will mean Eli also played a great game and made the winning plays against our defense.

Cowboys win, especially if Romo takes us on a winning drive or clock eating drive to hold onto a lead, then his stats won't matter as much as the win.

That's what many of us have been saying all along in these Romo/Eli and Ware/league arguments. Stats are great...but if you don't win games and don't make the playoffs, then maybe your money should be spent somewhere else...it doesn't mean you're not a great player, but sometimes you have to draw up a new diagram and try to win another way.