DMN: Romo waiting ... and watching

[WoodysGirl]

Cowboys' backup quarterback familiar with Bledsoe's plight

12:36 AM CDT on Wednesday, September 13, 2006


By TODD ARCHER / The Dallas Morning News


IRVING – Tony Romo has been the quarterback fans wanted replaced.
It came during his sophomore year at Eastern Illinois, when Julius Davis was the big recruit. Davis had a big spring game, running and throwing for a touchdown.

"He was good, too," Romo said. "Ran around, had a good arm, made a lot of plays. I kind of knew they were thinking as soon as I don't play well, they'll go to this guy because he has the bigger upside."

Romo never lost his starting job and was named Ohio Valley Conference player of the year that season.

Now Romo is the quarterback some fans are calling for after starter Drew Bledsoe threw three interceptions in the Cowboys' season-opening loss at Jacksonville.

After a preseason in which he led the NFL in passing with 833 yards and threw three touchdown passes, Romo is taking his place in a long list of Cowboys quarterbacks fans wanted to see – Steve Walsh, Steve Beuerlein, Jason Garrett, Clint Stoerner. But in the preseason, Romo also was intercepted three times and fumbled four times, losing one.

Romo, who signed a two-year extension worth $3.9 million, including a $2 million signing bonus Aug. 3, patiently waits to see if coach Bill Parcells will make a move.

"I just want to get on the field, but you never want it to be because somebody got hurt or something was going wrong," Romo said. "You want it to be because you're a talented enough player."

The Cowboys' approach with Romo has been similar to how quarterbacks were groomed years ago. They had Danny White for four years before he started. Parcells had Jeff Hostetler with the New York Giants for four seasons before Hostetler threw a pass.

"I feel like I've always prepared really hard, and I think I'm more consistent as a player now," Romo said. "Whenever that time comes for me to play, you all will be able to tell if I'm any good or not."

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[lspain1]

Romo's SILENCE IS DEAFENING...wait he's not silent....nevermind.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

This is a no win situation.........

 

[Stautner]

I read an article this morning that said Parcells should just commit to getting Romo some playing time and stick to it no matter what. By "commiting" the writer suggested that Parcells make a decision to put Romo in at certain times no matter how the game is going - for example commit to playing Romo in the first posession of the 2nd quarter, then maybe have a certain possession in the 2nd half slotted for Romo if he plays well the first time.

The article further said that Parcells should do this no matter what the players think, including Bledsoe, and assert himself as "Bill Parcells" rather than Chan Gailey or any of the other weak coaches the team has tried out.

While I agree that it is vital to get Romo some playing time, and while I agree that Parcells should make the necessary decisions without worrying too much about ruffling feathers, the plan the writer came up is idiotic. If the team has some momentum and is playing well you just can't risk killing the momentum by throwing in a new QB come hell or high water.

The commitment Parcells needs to make is to let Romo play EVERY time we get a comfortable lead or are out of a game (hopefully the comfortable lead happens more often), and perhaps even to give Romo some snaps anytime the offense struggles for an extended part of a game.