Tusan_Homichi
Heisenberg
- Messages
- 11,059
- Reaction score
- 3,485
His personality definitely hasn't changed. 
Romo Seeing Things Clearer
Chad Peters
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
Aug. 9, 2004, 6:16 p.m. (PDT)
OXNARD, Calif. -- Thrust into competition for a backup role last week, quarterback Tony Romo saw the cutthroat nature of football with Quincy Carter's release.
Now he is also starting to see the game on the field the way head coach Bill Parcells expects.
"Romo was telling me after the other day just how good he felt just being in there, even though he was very erratic," Parcells said of the second-year quarterback just before Saturday's standup scrimmage here at training camp. "He said, 'I promise you coach, I'm seeing it. I'm seeing it the way you want me to see it. My timing just isn't there right this minute but I'm seeing it.' I believe that. I believe he is seeing it. But he's just anxious and over anxious and holding the ball when he should throw it and throwing it when he should hold it."
Romo, whose football world changed dramatically with the release of Carter, has gone from potential practice squad prospect to possibly the Cowboys' backup quarterback. And given Vinny Testaverde, 40, may no longer be able to physically endure a 16-game season, it's possible Romo could be called upon sometime this season to take over the reigns.
With such a burden placed on the second-year quarterback's shoulders, it would seem Romo has been situated in quite the pressure cooker.
"Pressure is funny because you only feel pressure when you don't know what the hell you're doing," said the 6-2, 227-pound Romo. "If you know what you're doing and you're confident in your ability, and you're pretty confident you'll go out and perform, then there isn't much pressure."
While Romo's only competition seems to be rookie Drew Henson, who has been out football since his 2000 season at the University of Michigan, he is actually battling every quarterback potentially on the market between now and the start of the season.
The Cowboys are hesitant to sign a veteran backup at this time because they want to get a better feel for what Romo and Henson offer, but it's a possibility they could be forced to explore their options down the road.
They plan on giving their young quarterbacks plenty of opportunities during the preseason to show what they've got, even if it means the Cowboys will have to take a few beatings in the process. They want to have enough information on Romo and Henson by the third preseason game to decide whether or not one of them is capable of handling the backup role.
"If obviously they're not (the answer), then I'll have to try to seek solutions," Parcells said. "This time of year it's hard to dial up one of these guys."
Parcells wants his backup quarterback capable of managing the game above all else, with the ability to convert first downs.
"They don't have to win the game, they've just got to manage it and not screw it up," he said. "And be able to hit a few third downs and first down passes, and know to get the right formations out and know how to get their team moving."
Romo, who made last year's roster as an undrafted free agent from Eastern Illinois, has little playing experience at this level. He was inactive all last season, including the 29-10 playoff loss to the Carolina Panthers, and wasn't even the scout-team quarterback, a duty belonging to Chad Hutchinson.
His only playing time came in the preseason, completing nine of 17 attempts for 134 yards, one touchdown and an interception. The Cowboys know little more about him now than they did when they signed him after the 2003 draft.
"He was pretty efficient in college," Parcells said of Romo, who won the Walter Payton Award, given to the best football player in Division I-AA. "He has a little moxie. He's intelligent. But he's a little bit of a gunslinger-type guy. He's a little indiscriminate. He's going to just sling it once in a while."
Romo was able to get away with that mentality in college, but it has gotten him into some trouble early in training camp, according to Parcells.
"Now I don't want to stifle him," Parcells said. "I don't want to stifle that improvisation, that innate thing that he has that he has confidence in. But by the same token, you can't just be indiscriminately slinging it around.
"Tony has to be more discreet. He has to be. His mind works OK. He can get to his progressions but if he has to get to a couple of them and he knows he's finally going to throw to the third one, sometimes he's a little careless in the final part of the decision."
The Cowboys flirted with the idea of getting Romo some much-needed experience, nearly sending him to NFL Europe this summer. They nixed the idea though, opting instead to keep him in Dallas to work with the coaching staff.
"I wanted to keep Tony here for a specific reason and I'm very glad that I did," Parcells said. "I thought that Tony needed physical development first, more than experience. Actually I thought if you just threw him to the wolves, I thought he'd get hurt. You put him in there, he's going to be alright for a game or two and then he's not going to be able to take it. I had to get him physically ready for what I think he's going to get into."
Romo spent the off-season training at Valley Ranch, working with quarterbacks coach Sean Payton on fundamentals. Romo said his footwork and mental approach to the game have significantly improved, but there is a lot more involved in becoming a successful quarterback.
"The bottom line is you've just got to go out and make the right decisions at the right time," said Romo, who completed 10 of 20 passes for one touchdown in Saturday's standup scrimmage. "You don't give away points in the red zone. You don't do the little things that'll hurt your team. You've got to make plays, and you've got to play well, but you go with the system and how the system does it. If you can perform with the system you have, you'll be fine.
"You want to be able to not get surprised anymore. So much of your development is based on the way that you're able to comprehend information, process it quickly and then make the decision. When things surprise you, that's when you make bad decisions, or that's when you make quick decisions."
Romo's inexperience is the root of many of his rushed decisions, as he hasn't been around long enough to recognize certain defensive schemes and coverages.
Testaverde has been helping Romo improve in these areas, serving as a mentor and sounding board for the young quarterback. An 18-year veteran, Testaverde has been where players like Romo want to go.
"The one thing you can take away from Vinny is the 85 years of experience he's got," said Romo, only seven years old when Testaverde won the Heisman Trophy in 1987. "He doesn't act like he's 40 years old, or at least some of the 40 year olds I know. We've got Jeff Robinson, who's 34, and acts like he's 65. He's got one leg in the grave already. It's one of those things where Vinny does a good job staying young, hanging around with the guys."
Last Wednesday was a good wakeup call for Romo. He knows he'll only be given so long to perform before being shown the door for someone better.
"You guys say it's early, but I'm into my second season now and you only get such a grace period in the NFL before you've got to produce," Romo said. "For me, I feel like I've gotten quite a bit better since last year. I've come a long ways, and hopefully I can show it on the field.
"This is a business of a revolving door. While you're here, you want to make a statement that you were pretty good."
One injury away from possibly playing, Romo might get to make that statement this season.
Romo Seeing Things Clearer
Chad Peters
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
Aug. 9, 2004, 6:16 p.m. (PDT)
OXNARD, Calif. -- Thrust into competition for a backup role last week, quarterback Tony Romo saw the cutthroat nature of football with Quincy Carter's release.
Now he is also starting to see the game on the field the way head coach Bill Parcells expects.
"Romo was telling me after the other day just how good he felt just being in there, even though he was very erratic," Parcells said of the second-year quarterback just before Saturday's standup scrimmage here at training camp. "He said, 'I promise you coach, I'm seeing it. I'm seeing it the way you want me to see it. My timing just isn't there right this minute but I'm seeing it.' I believe that. I believe he is seeing it. But he's just anxious and over anxious and holding the ball when he should throw it and throwing it when he should hold it."
Romo, whose football world changed dramatically with the release of Carter, has gone from potential practice squad prospect to possibly the Cowboys' backup quarterback. And given Vinny Testaverde, 40, may no longer be able to physically endure a 16-game season, it's possible Romo could be called upon sometime this season to take over the reigns.
With such a burden placed on the second-year quarterback's shoulders, it would seem Romo has been situated in quite the pressure cooker.
"Pressure is funny because you only feel pressure when you don't know what the hell you're doing," said the 6-2, 227-pound Romo. "If you know what you're doing and you're confident in your ability, and you're pretty confident you'll go out and perform, then there isn't much pressure."
While Romo's only competition seems to be rookie Drew Henson, who has been out football since his 2000 season at the University of Michigan, he is actually battling every quarterback potentially on the market between now and the start of the season.
The Cowboys are hesitant to sign a veteran backup at this time because they want to get a better feel for what Romo and Henson offer, but it's a possibility they could be forced to explore their options down the road.
They plan on giving their young quarterbacks plenty of opportunities during the preseason to show what they've got, even if it means the Cowboys will have to take a few beatings in the process. They want to have enough information on Romo and Henson by the third preseason game to decide whether or not one of them is capable of handling the backup role.
"If obviously they're not (the answer), then I'll have to try to seek solutions," Parcells said. "This time of year it's hard to dial up one of these guys."
Parcells wants his backup quarterback capable of managing the game above all else, with the ability to convert first downs.
"They don't have to win the game, they've just got to manage it and not screw it up," he said. "And be able to hit a few third downs and first down passes, and know to get the right formations out and know how to get their team moving."
Romo, who made last year's roster as an undrafted free agent from Eastern Illinois, has little playing experience at this level. He was inactive all last season, including the 29-10 playoff loss to the Carolina Panthers, and wasn't even the scout-team quarterback, a duty belonging to Chad Hutchinson.
His only playing time came in the preseason, completing nine of 17 attempts for 134 yards, one touchdown and an interception. The Cowboys know little more about him now than they did when they signed him after the 2003 draft.
"He was pretty efficient in college," Parcells said of Romo, who won the Walter Payton Award, given to the best football player in Division I-AA. "He has a little moxie. He's intelligent. But he's a little bit of a gunslinger-type guy. He's a little indiscriminate. He's going to just sling it once in a while."
Romo was able to get away with that mentality in college, but it has gotten him into some trouble early in training camp, according to Parcells.
"Now I don't want to stifle him," Parcells said. "I don't want to stifle that improvisation, that innate thing that he has that he has confidence in. But by the same token, you can't just be indiscriminately slinging it around.
"Tony has to be more discreet. He has to be. His mind works OK. He can get to his progressions but if he has to get to a couple of them and he knows he's finally going to throw to the third one, sometimes he's a little careless in the final part of the decision."
The Cowboys flirted with the idea of getting Romo some much-needed experience, nearly sending him to NFL Europe this summer. They nixed the idea though, opting instead to keep him in Dallas to work with the coaching staff.
"I wanted to keep Tony here for a specific reason and I'm very glad that I did," Parcells said. "I thought that Tony needed physical development first, more than experience. Actually I thought if you just threw him to the wolves, I thought he'd get hurt. You put him in there, he's going to be alright for a game or two and then he's not going to be able to take it. I had to get him physically ready for what I think he's going to get into."
Romo spent the off-season training at Valley Ranch, working with quarterbacks coach Sean Payton on fundamentals. Romo said his footwork and mental approach to the game have significantly improved, but there is a lot more involved in becoming a successful quarterback.
"The bottom line is you've just got to go out and make the right decisions at the right time," said Romo, who completed 10 of 20 passes for one touchdown in Saturday's standup scrimmage. "You don't give away points in the red zone. You don't do the little things that'll hurt your team. You've got to make plays, and you've got to play well, but you go with the system and how the system does it. If you can perform with the system you have, you'll be fine.
"You want to be able to not get surprised anymore. So much of your development is based on the way that you're able to comprehend information, process it quickly and then make the decision. When things surprise you, that's when you make bad decisions, or that's when you make quick decisions."
Romo's inexperience is the root of many of his rushed decisions, as he hasn't been around long enough to recognize certain defensive schemes and coverages.
Testaverde has been helping Romo improve in these areas, serving as a mentor and sounding board for the young quarterback. An 18-year veteran, Testaverde has been where players like Romo want to go.
"The one thing you can take away from Vinny is the 85 years of experience he's got," said Romo, only seven years old when Testaverde won the Heisman Trophy in 1987. "He doesn't act like he's 40 years old, or at least some of the 40 year olds I know. We've got Jeff Robinson, who's 34, and acts like he's 65. He's got one leg in the grave already. It's one of those things where Vinny does a good job staying young, hanging around with the guys."
Last Wednesday was a good wakeup call for Romo. He knows he'll only be given so long to perform before being shown the door for someone better.
"You guys say it's early, but I'm into my second season now and you only get such a grace period in the NFL before you've got to produce," Romo said. "For me, I feel like I've gotten quite a bit better since last year. I've come a long ways, and hopefully I can show it on the field.
"This is a business of a revolving door. While you're here, you want to make a statement that you were pretty good."
One injury away from possibly playing, Romo might get to make that statement this season.
