News: DMN: Dan Le Batard: If I coached the Cowboys, 'I would've gone to Tony Romo four games ago'

[sideon]

Does Prescott see the field as well as Romo? Does he get rid of the ball as fast as Romo? Prescott can run, sure. But how many points has he left out there because he can't read a defense or scan the field as well as Romo? Prescott has also drifted himself into a number of sacks and fumbles this season.

I am THRILLED with the fact that the Cowboys most likely found a hidden gem. But if he struggles for another game or 2 you have to consider seeing what Romo has in the tank.

But with Prescott they're 11-2, we don't know what they'd be with Romo. Prescott got too caught up with staying in the pocket too long instead of just running, and that is why he struggled against the Giants. Look at how much better he played when he used his feet more against the Vikings.

 

[Zordon]

Again, it's the point. You have focused on the team's win-loss record as the end-all, be-all reason why Dak MUST remain the starter. I simply pointed out an example where win-loss records aren't everything and that it is important to look beyond that when evaluating positional play. I mean, if you want to hide your head in the sand and pretend nothing else is important, be my guest. But you're wrong.

Jesus Christ, the rook played poorly the past 2 games. Two road games versus top defenses. For me and others, he's developed enough goodwill from the previous 11 games that we're willing to give the rookie a chance to get out of this funk. Why are you guys unwilling to do this?

 

[tyke1doe]

Nor disproven.

Neither is it disproven that microscopic invisible men dance on the tip of a needle.
But since there's no way to quantify the above, it becomes an irrelevant, meaningless discussion.

Good way to find out -- let the guy play.

I guess that would be a good way to find out. However, it's also a way to destroy the season by putting in a quarterback who got injured on a routine play. Those who want Romo in are willing to take this chance. Those who want Dak in don't.

Fortunately and unfortunately, the decision is out of our hands.

Because what IS known is that Dak's numbers have declined dramatically.

And what we also know IS Dak has lead this team to a 11-2 record.

 

[Clove]

Nonsense.

If you think he'd rather have a rookie 4th round QB over a proven veteran in the playoffs you're smokin' something. That's why the Broncos made the switch to a terrible Peyton Manning and that's why if Dak lays another egg Romo will see the field again.

Dak has earned the right to start one more game but this is it. This team can't afford to see their QB play plummet right before the playoffs.

We also can't afford another playoff choke job.

 

[fifaguy]

Wonder if a battle may be brewing between Garrett and Jerry on this one...

 

[cowboys2233]

Jesus Christ, the rook played poorly the past 2 games. Two road games versus top defenses. For me and others, he's developed enough goodwill from the previous 11 games that we're willing to give the rookie a chance to get out of this funk. Why are you guys unwilling to do this?

I dunno, I think Romo developed a lot of goodwill in 2014. Look at these 2014 playoff stats for a second..

In the wild card round of the playoffs, Romo led the Cowboys to a 24–20 comeback victory over the Detroit Lions after being down 17–7 at halftime. Romo was 19-31 for 293 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.

In the divisional round of the playoffs, Romo and the Cowboys were defeated by the Green Bay Packers, 26–21. Romo was 15-19 for 191 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.


Explain to me how it gets any better than this? And explain to me how the loss to the Packers was Romo's fault in any way, shape or form? He was virtually perfect when the games mattered most.

 

[tyke1doe]

That's funny because I've been reading nothing but excuses for Dak over the past few weeks.

And this somehow is a valid comparison to you?

Dak is a ROOKIE!!! Romo is a 10-year veteran!!!
This is Dak's first season. He's doing well all things considered. Romo is a seasoned veteran with plenty of opportunities to get to the post-season and lead his team to the Super Bowl.

Of COURSE, Dak is going to get much more of the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Doc50]

I agree with that but have a different punch line. Romo is the better QB but the team decided to stay with the hot hand, who is also the future at QB. Once that was the decision, I wouldn't go back on it. I wouldn't make a switch unless Dak has multiple games as bad as this last one, Romo or no Romo.

Agreed, and the other factor is that playing Tony now may get him re-injured and lost for the playoffs.

There will be no other team in the postseason with such a great QB able to come off the bench.

Could be a storybook ending.

 

[kevm3]

Wasn't he like 5-0 in his last 5 games against them?

Giants invested 100 million in their defense, so its not the same giant team

 

[dogunwo]

Why this moron, his dad, and Bomani STILL have a show on ESPN is beyond me. But it's ESPN.

Because they are very entertaining, and don't prescribe to group-think and sports clichés. I find that their ability to explore the psychology of sports issues and not just rehashed hot takes refreshing. I don't always agree with them, but they provide a different angle that isn't typically brought up by the majority.

 

[CowboyStar88]

Romo needs to be moved this off-season.... for his sake, and for my sanity's sake...

Or you could easily find a different team to root for... Problem Solved

 

[tyke1doe]

Yes, that would be very convenient for those who just want to hand Dak the job without actually competing for it.

Unfortunately, posters are trying to make a "one size fits all" argument.
Yes, it would be preferable if Romo and Dak had to compete for the job.

But ... Romo was injured starting the season. Dak was healthy and was able to start. Dak kept winning.
Romo is 36 and has shown himself to be injury prone. Dak is a rookie and exceeded expectations so much so that the Cowboys are now looking forward to his future (and theirs) as starter for the franchise. I think Garrett and company aren't just looking at this year but next year and years down the road. And the experience Dak is getting now and will get in the playoffs will be invaluable for his development and the advancement of this franchise. If Romo were younger and if he didn't have his injury setbacks, this isn't even a discussion. Romo returns when healthy. But that's not the case here. Romo has maybe two years left, providing he can stay healthy, and that's a big if.
If Dak were merely a backup type quarterback, returning him to the bench would be no problem. But we've seen what he can do. There's no turning back.

Sometimes unique circumstances forces your hand, and you can't merely resort to conventional wisdom.

It seems to be Tony's luck (or lack thereof) that he finds himself in this situations, i.e., a backup thought to be warming his seat until he returns actually performs so well he actually takes his seat.

 

[kevm3]

That's funny because I've been reading nothing but excuses for Dak over the past few weeks.

You mean the past few weeks where we've been winning aside from the ny game? why does winning need to be defended?

 

[CowboyStar88]

Wonder if a battle may be brewing between Garrett and Jerry on this one...

Doubtful

 

[Idgit]

I refuse to have this game-by-game debate with a bunch of people who only view Romo through the 2014 lense and refuse to accept his durability deficiencies. The man couldn't even survive one quarter...one drive in a preseason game yet here you guys are in December trying to sell to us how he would not only have played a full season, he would also surpassed Dak's 11-2 record. Stuff like this is why other fanbases laugh at us.

Lol. This gets back to the 36 year old brittle skeleton theory. To be fair, he did qualify with 'if healthy' and then said it was a big if.

That said, fans thinking Tony Romo's not necessarily at an elevated risk for breaking bones is about the last thing other fanbases laugh at Cowboys fans for. Other fanbases, from my experience, generally have more respect for Tony than our own fans do. Other fan bases laugh at us for being a bunch of thin-skinned whiney entitled cry babies who go into tailspins wanting to bench QBs after the 2nd loss of the season in week 14.

And it's about time we stop being so thin-skinned about what other fanbases think, anyway. The fact that we have a subset of our fans who are so browbeaten by Eagles fans, of all teams, for example, I find 100% mystifying. Why Cowboys fans think they have to take crap from a bunch of bad-beer swilling hairy armpitted knuckle-dragging know-nothings and choking never-weres is beyond me. We've got two very good legit starting QBs on the roster right now. If other fans don't like it, they can go suck a candy cane for all we ought to care.

 

[kevm3]

Nonsense.

If you think he'd rather have a rookie 4th round QB over a proven veteran in the playoffs you're smokin' something. That's why the Broncos made the switch to a terrible Peyton Manning and that's why if Dak lays another egg Romo will see the field again.

Dak has earned the right to start one more game but this is it. This team can't afford to see their QB play plummet right before the playoffs.

Time to put sanchez in then. He has been the deepest in the playoffs

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

Agreed, and the other factor is that playing Tony now may get him re-injured and lost for the playoffs.

There will be no other team in the postseason with such a great QB able to come off the bench.

Could be a storybook ending.

And that's another thing. Do you risk an injury on meaningless games. I understand about rust but you are taking a chance. In the playoffs he only has to win a couple of games.

 

[Maverick84]

Or you could easily find a different team to root for... Problem Solved

 

[Ranching]

While the Cowboys are doing their best to tamp down any idea of another quarterback controversy in Dallas, the radio guys are having a field day speculating on when Tony Romo could or should take the starting job back from Dak Prescott.
Over at ESPN, Dan Le Batard says it should have already happened.

"I would've gone to Romo four games ago, or whenever it was that he was healthy," he said on his radio show. "I would've said bleep the winning streak. Dak Prescott did his job. Thank you very much. Tony Romo's my better quarterback. And I'm super happy that if something happens to Tony again that I will be able to bring Dak in and maybe we'll have a chance."

Le Batard maintains that Romo is the better quarterback no matter how you stack it up, unless you look at the team's wins this season, which he seems to suggest is merely and inconvenience to his point.

"The better quarterback is on the bench. There's no argument. You can't make a statistical argument that makes Dak Prescott the better quarterback," Le Batard said. "The only thing you can point at is winning, which is a pretty important thing, but it presupposes that Tony Romo wouldn't be winning like this with that running back behind him."

Le Batard says that the Cowboys have erred in getting caught up in the fun of winning football games, a key ingredient to making the playoffs.

At this point, we're giving up on trying to contextualize his arguments, so here's the rest of what he said:

"What's been happening with the Cowboys is the kind of stuff that we usually talks about when a team is undefeated and we talk about resting players, and do you want to rest them for two or three weeks to get health, but now they're going to be rusty? Rusty or rested? If you're viewing the macro instead of the micro, you don't get swept up in all that winning with Dak Prescott. Because it's not about regular-season winning. You just lost to the team that twice has gone on the road as the sixth seed to win the Super Bowl. You just lost last night to the team that has done that twice. Gone on the road and won the Super Bowl with Eli Manning. It's not about the regular season. The regular season hardly matters. First of all, Dallas doesn't have any time of home-field advantage. It's not real. Secondarily, the regular season, all you need to do in the regular season is get to the end of it with Earl Thomas healthy, with Derek Carr not having a broken fingers. You need to get to the end of the regular season with your parts functioning without losing major components."

Continue reading...

Yeah, but what does his Papi think?

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

You don't get the show.

Stugotz is the dumb one on the show