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Over the next several weeks before training camp, let's relive some of Tony Romo's best comeback stories. I have a feeling that this one is going to be a great memory for everyone.
[In the ten seasons that Tony Romo has been the starting quarterback, he's engineered some great fourth-quarter heroics to bring the Cowboys to victories. Since 2006, no quarterback has had more fourth-quarter comeback victories, 25 to be exact, than Tony Romo. His passer rating in the final quarter of football is an astounding 102.9, five points higher than the number two guy (Aaron Rodgers). Romo also holds the mantle of most game-winning drives among active quarterbacks (29) as well as passer rating in the final two minutes (93.1).
Over the next several weeks before the team heads out to Oxnard and starts it all up again, I thought we could take some time to look back at Mr. Clutch Quarterback himself. We're going to rank all of his comeback tales from good to great, from awesome to completely amazing. Here's looking at you, Mr. Romo.]
5.) Knocking Off The Defending World Champions (Oct. 12, 2014)
This game is going to be particularly a favorite one to recap because the Cowboys walked into perhaps the hardest place to play and completely dismantled the defending world champions. The score will say it was closer than it actually was, this was a game where the Cowboys physically were superior to the Seahawks and it felt so good and you got the chance to shut every troll up that was out waiting to pounce. For me, I absolutely loved how sports radio was turned upside down that Monday as everyone had to submit to the Cowboys' figure-four leglock they placed on the champs.
The contet started like a lot of Cowboys' games, sloppy with a capital S. They had Seattle off their game after sacking Russell Wilson on 2nd down but then gave up a 53-yard reception to Jermain Kearse on third. Fortunately, they were able to clamp down on the Seahawks in the red zone and force the Steve Hauschka field goal. Seattle scores first in this one, 3-0.
Just as the Cowboys and Romo were getting in rhythm after finding Cole Beasley on a 3rd and 10 for 11 yards, Romo can't find Jason Witten on a 3rd and 3 and the 'Boys are forced to punt. To make matters worse, Chris Jones' punt is blocked by Doug Baldwin and returned for a touchdown by Seattle as the whole arena erupts, it's 10-0 Seahawks.
On the ensuing Cowboys' drive, DeMarco Murray is running the show with Romo cleaning up on third downs. The Cowboys make their march as Joseph Randle rushes for 38 yards off the left side and the Cowboys offensive line smack the Seattle defense right in the mouth. Romo, on 2nd and 7 from the Seatlle 26, finds Witten, this time, it's deep over the middle for 21 yards. Facing 3rd and 2 at the Seattle 2, Romo connects with Gavin Escobar on a two-yard touchdown pass, Seattle still leads 10-7.
The Seahawks' next drive never gets started after Anthony Spencer sacked Russell Wilson on first down. The Cowboys start driving again with big holes opening up on the ground for Murray and Randle. However, on 3rd and 4, Seattle's Legion of Boom keep Romo from completing the pass to Dez Bryant. Dan Bailey comes out and evens the score with a 42-yarder, 10-10.
Seattle goes three and out giving the Cowboys the ball back before the half with just over three minutes left. We've seen this show before. Romo to Murray for two yards, Romo to Lance Dunbar for 21 yards then again to Dunbar for 18 more. Then one of my favorite plays, Romo to Dez who leaps over Richard Sherman to show his dominance for 23 yards. Sherman is called for tripping as well, Murray picks up a few more yards to give the Cowboys the ball inside Seattle's 5-yard line. On 3rd and 3 from the 3, Romo to Witten...Touchdown Cowboys. It's 17-10 Dallas at the half.
After the half, the Cowboys' seemed to have lost some momentum as Romo is sacked on 2nd and 6 for -11 and is three yards short on third down. Chris Jones punts it back to Seattle and they take no time in trying to even up the score. In two plays, Marshawn Lynch eats up 36 yards on the ground as he runs right by George Selvie. The Cowboys' defense does hold and Seattle punts on fourth down but Dwayne Harris muffs the catch, two plays later Wilson runs it to the left nine yards for the score and Seattle has evened the odds, 17 all.
As if the football gods wanted some more drama, they get their wish after two plays into the Cowboys' next drive, Romo fumbles, and the Seahawks recover. Again the red zone defense steps up and hold the home team to another Hauschka field goal, Seattle leads it 20-17 with 3:13 to play in the third.
On 1st and 10 for the Cowboys, Romo finds Terrance Williams deep for 47 yards and Williams is called for a delay of game, three plays later Bailey nails a 56-yard field goal to even the score again, 20-20. Inside the fourth quarter, the game slows as neither team can make much of their next possessions.
Seattle is back on offense and they have the ball at the Dallas 42, Wilson is trying to make something happen but the routes aren't there. They do manage to get just inside Hauschka's range as he drills another to take the lead 23-20 over the Cowboys.
Romo is about that business with now under seven minutes to play, he hits a wide-open Dez for 16 yards on 3rd and 5 over Mr. Sherman once more. After a mind-numbing penalty by Travis Frederick, the Cowboys are looking at 3rd and 20 from their own 31, then it happens. Romo rolls out to the right to find Terrance Williams on the sidelines with his twinkle toes for 23 yards and the first. Seattle challenges that Williams was out of bounds but the review shows Terrance dragging his toes in-bounds for the first down and one of the best plays I've ever seen.
Murray then hits the right side three more times for 25, 6, and 15 yards for a touchdown, walk that dog! Cowboys lead 27-23. Seattle gets another great return out of Percy Harvin but can't make anything out of that drive after Pete Carroll gambles on 4th down and loses big time for taking his final timeout. On the Seattle 23, Murray runs the ball three straight times, takes a timeout of their own, then Dan "Split-Em" Bailey knocks another one through as the Cowboys lead grows to 7 with 1:12 left to play.
Wilson comes back out for one last-ditch effort to send this game to overtime but instead finds Rolando McClain who leaps up to pull down the game-sealing interception. Cowboys win 30-23 and improve to 5-1 on the season, Seattle falls to 3-2 as they are stunned at home.
Living in Austin, the annual ACL festival was going on and I volunteered to pick my significant other up from the event after the game. She could see it in my eyes as she said: "we won, didn't we?" At that moment I turned up the postgame show and we headed to a downtown bar. Though she had to work early on Monday and Sundays were usually date night, she knew that wasn't happening. Victory Monday was oh, so sweet.
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