I have wrestled with this since it happened. I have been an open critic of Romo when he was the starter. Let me qualify that. I cheered his successes, but did not ignore his failures. And said so.
During 2016 I, like so many, were surprised at the success of the team. Thirteen and three was a tremendous ride. I leaned toward staying with the streak and not putting Romo back in when he was healthy. Hindsight is always correct, so my changing my opinion on that decision by the team and what they should have done doesn't make me right back then. Some will say it doesn't make me right now.
Garrett should have had the guts to put Romo in week 14 against the Giants and let him play the string out. I think a case could be made the team would have won out in the regular season. Romo brought something Dak did not and that was the long game.
I very much would like to have seen that offense with the potential of the long ball and how that would have affected the Green Bay defense in the play-off game. Especially how it would have freed up Zeke to run wild.
This is not a knock on Dak as much as it is an admission Romo would have been so hyper focused to take the team all the way.
People will argue. That is the nature of this board. But I believe, as special as the team was in '16, Garrett made a huge mistake, either allowing Jerry to make that decision, or not having the guts to make one himself.
With the impetus of sitting throughout most of the season, Romo and his pride would have pushed him to show the team and the world he was still a top notch QB.
The argument is Romo would have gotten hurt.
Then put Dak back in. Duh!
Surely I could be wrong.
But I damn sure would have liked to see an amped up Romo with Zeke's running game and that offensive line, motivated and focused in a rematch against Green Bay playing in Dallas.
I had my doubts about Romo in big games. Too many times he threw critical interceptions. This board was vehement it was always the defense. It was not.
I cannot help but think Dallas would have put Green Bay away in the play-off game and walk through to the championship game. Just my opinion, from a guy who was critical of Romo when he failed.
Hindsight has a component of regret. In this instance it also contains the sadness of that last second loss to Rodgers.