DMN Blog: Is it worth the risk to make Tony Romo the holder?

[DaBoys4Life]

You mean to say that if you have a bad battery changing keys will not fix it?

Damn.

You can change the battery to find out that the alternator is the problem.

 

[StanleySpadowski]

Usually, you don't care if your holder's hand gets kicked or a finger jammed. That said, it doesn't matter. We need to fix our kicking game if we're going to get through this coming stretch.

This isn't kicking in the backyard or the old style straight on kickers. NFL soccer style kickers do not hit the holder's hand.

He could jam a finger on the snap I suppose but is it likely considering he takes countless snaps a yea?

 

[TheCount]

Usually, you don't care if your holder's hand gets kicked or a finger jammed. That said, it doesn't matter. We need to fix our kicking game if we're going to get through this coming stretch.

Well if Folk ends up kicking Romo's fingers instead of the ball, then we have a real problem anyway.

 

[Aikmaniac]

I'm having trouble finding a risk with Romo as holder. I thought he did a great job as holder before and there's no reason to suspect he won't do a great job now.

Didn't Danny White hold as well?

 

[CowboyDan]

I don't think Romo ever held for Folk. Wasn't Folk drafted in 2007?

That's exactly what I was thinking when I read his comment, too. Anybody wanna confirm this for us?

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Anyone remember Archer criticizing the starting QB holding when Parcells was here?

Me neither.

 

[Dodger]

That's exactly what I was thinking when I read his comment, too. Anybody wanna confirm this for us?

The last person Romo held for in the regular season was Gramatica, so no, he's never held for Folk.

 

[WoodysGirl]

Anyone remember Archer criticizing the starting QB holding when Parcells was here?

Me neither.

The difference is that Romo started off 2006 as the backup and with all the kicking problems the team had throughout the year, no need to disrupt something else.

Things are a little bit different and I can see the arguments for and against Romo holding. I just know that Romo took over holding, I'd feel alot more comfortable with Folk again.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

The difference is that Romo started off 2006 as the backup and with all the kicking problems the team had throughout the year, no need to disrupt something else.

Still.. If it were so bad, the minute Romo became the starter you'd take him off the job.

 

[CowboyDan]

I don't feel comfortable at all. That duck hook by Folk in the Giants game was Vanderjagt-esque. I'd rather see Buehler out there right now.

 

[Idgit]

This isn't kicking in the backyard or the old style straight on kickers. NFL soccer style kickers do not hit the holder's hand.

He could jam a finger on the snap I suppose but is it likely considering he takes countless snaps a yea?

Well, it's not like he'll mistake Romo's hand for the ball, but all sorts of things happen where holders have to reach for snaps and getting the ball set is a lot dicier than it should be. Again, the move needs to be made, I'm just saying there's a reason why coaches don't put their throwing hands in front of kicking legs very often. The two primary are the (limited) risk of injury and the time it takes having your starting QB sitting in on some ST sessions.

 

[WoodysGirl]

Still.. If it were so bad, the minute Romo became the starter you'd take him off the job.

It's all about the circumstances.. This team went through a turnstyle of FG kickers from 2005-2006. Team needed a reliable holder.

What's funny is in 2004, McBriar was dumped as a holder then, too.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

if the only *reason that Romo shouldnt' be holding for field goals and PATs is the shame that he's the only starting QB to have that role

well

it's stupid

*I'm not even getting into the far out scenario where a guy just shoots through the hole looking to take Romo out

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Folk's got the yips. I think more than any other position, kicker is one that is simply about confidence in yourself, and the unit. You go out there, do the exact same motion over and over again, like a savage robot-monkey.

Fact is that Wade could pick any backup on the team to hold. Kitna's done it before. But he didn't. Why? Because he needs to build Folk's confidence back up again, and Folk was most successful with Romo as holder. Whether McBriar is screwing up or not, is irrelevant. Folk clearly doesn't trust him, and it's affecting his monkey-robot motion. Romo at holder is simply a band-aid for the rest of the season that will hopefully resurrect Folk's confidence.

Can Wade tell the media that's why he's doing it? Of course not. It would defeat the whole purpose.

he sucks at it

 

[CowboyDan]

if the only *reason that Romo shouldnt' be holding for field goals and PATs is the shame that he's the only starting QB to have that role

well

it's stupid

*I'm not even getting into the far out scenario where a guy just shoots through the hole looking to take Romo out

It's not that at all. It's the belief that Folk is Folked-Up right now and that the holds are good, he's just awful right now.

 

[CowboyDan]

and this.... :bang2:

 

[Zimmy Lives]

It's not that at all. It's the belief that Folk is Folked-Up right now and that the holds are good, he's just awful right now.

I started to worry about Folk's long-term success when he started sporting a 2-carat diamond stud in his ear. Visions of flaky Vanderwack.

 

[cowboyjoe]

Is it worth the risk to make Tony Romo the holder?
9:33 AM Thu, Dec 10, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Todd Archer/Reporter Bio | E-mail | News tips


I don't know of another starting quarterback in the NFL serving as the holder for point after attempts and field goals, but the Cowboys will apparently make the switch to Tony Romo.

I'm OK with it but it is a risk. You don't want to put the quarterback under any unnecessary risk but this isn't unnecessary.

Nick Folk has missed five of his last seven attempts. Mat McBriar has accepted the blame for at least three of Folk's eight misses this year because of his holds. Wade Phillips has said Folk has a different mentality than most kickers that he has been around, which means he's not as, umm, flaky. But when a kicker doesn't have confidence in the where and the when of the hold, then it's time to try something new.

And why Romo makes the most sense is that he is the only player with experience in games doing it. You can make the argument that all of the experience isn't good (see Seattle playoff game) but it's not time to give Patrick Crayton, Sam Hurd or David Buehler a look a the job when they have never done it in a game, especially games as crucial as these final four will be for the Cowboys.

By the way, Romo has held since that slip in Seattle. It was at the Pro Bowl a few weeks later in Hawaii. Saints coach Sean Payton, also and Eastern Illinois grad and one of Romo's biggest supporters, was coaching the NFC team that year. As he went through some the week's work in a meeting with the players he closed the session with this: "And Romo, you're holding," which busted up the room in some laughter.

Will Romo hold or pass?
9:20 AM Thu, Dec 10, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
David Moore/Reporter Bio | E-mail | News tips


Argue all you want about whether or not it makes sense to have your starting quarterback as the holder. Using Tony Romo in this position has one obvious benefit.

This from special teams coach Joe DeCamillis, who watched Romo hold for the first time in Wednesday's practice.

"He did a good job,'' DeCamillis said. "We will have a better feel (today) with some more reps.

"He definitely gives us some fake possibilities.''

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Anybody know the last time a place holder got hurt holding kicks lol? I'm more worried about the sacks Romo gets than I am about his 1 out of a 100 chance of getting hurt place holding.

 

[Jarv]

Is it worth the risk to make Tony Romo the holder?
9:33 AM Thu, Dec 10, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Todd Archer/Reporter Bio | E-mail | News tips



"He did a good job,'' DeCamillis said. "We will have a better feel (today) with some more reps.

"He definitely gives us some fake possibilities.''

Just saying that will hold back some of the rushing of the kicker, looking for a fake. Good job Joe, keep them thinking.