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LONDON — Sure, the Jacksonville Jaguars are a hapless lot at 1-8. The Dallas Cowboys (6-3) should be able to handle Jacksonville, which is a glorified college all-star team at this point, with or without Tony Romo.
And given that Romo has a two fractured transverse processes in his back, there are many people who think the Cowboys should rest him for a second straight week.
With the bye coming, it would give him four weeks off before the Nov. 23 battle against the New York Giants and the start of the final push to the playoffs.
That sounds logical and reasonable.
The Cowboys, however, aren’t hearing that noise.
Riding a two-game losing streak after last week's loss to the Arizona Cardinals with inept backup Brandon Weeden filling in for an injured Romo, the Cowboy aren't taking any chances.
If Romo, who practiced Thursday for the first time since suffering the injury against the Commanders Oct. 27, can get on the field, he is going to play against the Jaguars Sunday at Wembley Stadium.
There will be no ifs, ands or buts about it.
And this comes straight from the top.
"No," owner Jerry Jones said when asked if the Cowboys would have held Romo out if they had won at least one or both of the previous two games. "I don't think under any circumstances. If he could play we would have played him because we need the win. It's a question of the win right now and numbers. We should feel that way cause the numbers have torn us up. The numbers have created an 8-8 situation for us over the last three years. So we should understand every one of these games could end up being the one that keeps us out."
Romo acknowledged that the bye is part of the discussion he and the team doctors are having about his situation; but he said it mainly comes down to if he's healthy enough to play.
If he is, then there is no discussion.
"I’m a football player," Romo said. "This is what I do for my life’s work. It’s important to me. I care about playing and competing and helping this football team win. You only are afforded so many opportunities at that, so you want to take advantage of that when you have that opportunity. I think if you love the game, you’ll always try and get on the field."
The Cowboys need Romo on the field to be at their best.
As Jones pointed out, the Cowboys have finished a mediocre 8-8 in each of the last three years and missed the playoffs the last four years.
They have actually gone into the last game the last three years with a chance to make the playoffs with a win.
The Cowboys did not get it done each time.
What that also means to the Cowboys is that they didn't take care of business early enough to give themselves some wiggle room late.
One more win in September, October or November and the final game in the December wouldn't have mattered.
The Cowboys have gotten off to a solid start in 2014 and have no plans of letting it go to waste.
They want to stack up as many wins as possible.
"If you don't get it after three years of these you need to start paying better attention," Jones said. "Any one of these games could make that difference. I see that was the difference going 9-7 rather than 8-8. Really you need 10 wins by the time it's over this year."
What's also not lost on Jones and the Cowboys is the tough schedule they face over the final two months of the season.
Beginning Sunday against Jacksonville, five of the last seven games are on the road, including three of the last four in December.
The Cowboys really need to get to 7-3 before the bye and have no interest in playing it safe against the lowly Jaguars.
Jones is still hurting over the past two losses, which came on the heels of a six-game win streak.
He sure isn’t taking any chances of losing three in row and seeing momentum go the other way.
If Romo is cleared to play, he will be on the field on Sunday.
"We have a tough schedule ahead of us," Jones said. "We have more games that we will be playing away from our home field which will acquire travel. We have more games away than we do at home and certainly just from the standpoint of the tally, just from the standpoint of the numbers we need a win. But we also need a [win] from the standpoint of the psyche of the team. This has been disappointing to have lost the last two games. Just as we were building. We don't want to build in the wrong direction. So in every respect this game is important and consequently it's very important that Romo play in the game if he is able to play."
The Cowboys are taking no chances with the lowly Jaguars. Romo is playing on Sunday.
You can take that to the bank.
Clarence Hill covers the Cowboys for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. All quotations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
Read more Dallas Cowboys news on BleacherReport.com
Continue reading...
And given that Romo has a two fractured transverse processes in his back, there are many people who think the Cowboys should rest him for a second straight week.
With the bye coming, it would give him four weeks off before the Nov. 23 battle against the New York Giants and the start of the final push to the playoffs.
That sounds logical and reasonable.
The Cowboys, however, aren’t hearing that noise.
Riding a two-game losing streak after last week's loss to the Arizona Cardinals with inept backup Brandon Weeden filling in for an injured Romo, the Cowboy aren't taking any chances.
If Romo, who practiced Thursday for the first time since suffering the injury against the Commanders Oct. 27, can get on the field, he is going to play against the Jaguars Sunday at Wembley Stadium.
There will be no ifs, ands or buts about it.
And this comes straight from the top.
"No," owner Jerry Jones said when asked if the Cowboys would have held Romo out if they had won at least one or both of the previous two games. "I don't think under any circumstances. If he could play we would have played him because we need the win. It's a question of the win right now and numbers. We should feel that way cause the numbers have torn us up. The numbers have created an 8-8 situation for us over the last three years. So we should understand every one of these games could end up being the one that keeps us out."
Romo acknowledged that the bye is part of the discussion he and the team doctors are having about his situation; but he said it mainly comes down to if he's healthy enough to play.
If he is, then there is no discussion.
"I’m a football player," Romo said. "This is what I do for my life’s work. It’s important to me. I care about playing and competing and helping this football team win. You only are afforded so many opportunities at that, so you want to take advantage of that when you have that opportunity. I think if you love the game, you’ll always try and get on the field."
The Cowboys need Romo on the field to be at their best.
As Jones pointed out, the Cowboys have finished a mediocre 8-8 in each of the last three years and missed the playoffs the last four years.
They have actually gone into the last game the last three years with a chance to make the playoffs with a win.
The Cowboys did not get it done each time.
What that also means to the Cowboys is that they didn't take care of business early enough to give themselves some wiggle room late.
One more win in September, October or November and the final game in the December wouldn't have mattered.
The Cowboys have gotten off to a solid start in 2014 and have no plans of letting it go to waste.
They want to stack up as many wins as possible.
"If you don't get it after three years of these you need to start paying better attention," Jones said. "Any one of these games could make that difference. I see that was the difference going 9-7 rather than 8-8. Really you need 10 wins by the time it's over this year."
What's also not lost on Jones and the Cowboys is the tough schedule they face over the final two months of the season.
Beginning Sunday against Jacksonville, five of the last seven games are on the road, including three of the last four in December.
The Cowboys really need to get to 7-3 before the bye and have no interest in playing it safe against the lowly Jaguars.
Jones is still hurting over the past two losses, which came on the heels of a six-game win streak.
He sure isn’t taking any chances of losing three in row and seeing momentum go the other way.
If Romo is cleared to play, he will be on the field on Sunday.
"We have a tough schedule ahead of us," Jones said. "We have more games that we will be playing away from our home field which will acquire travel. We have more games away than we do at home and certainly just from the standpoint of the tally, just from the standpoint of the numbers we need a win. But we also need a [win] from the standpoint of the psyche of the team. This has been disappointing to have lost the last two games. Just as we were building. We don't want to build in the wrong direction. So in every respect this game is important and consequently it's very important that Romo play in the game if he is able to play."
The Cowboys are taking no chances with the lowly Jaguars. Romo is playing on Sunday.
You can take that to the bank.
Clarence Hill covers the Cowboys for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. All quotations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
Read more Dallas Cowboys news on BleacherReport.com
Continue reading...