Is this the game where Romo...

[thekavorka]

if he "comes back down to earth" this weekend, this is the best week for it. we'd probably lose either way to the colts.

 

[JohnsKey19]

This Indy defense did force Tom Brady into 4 INTs just a few weeks ago. So they are capable of making plays. With their pass rushers up front and a lot of speed at LB and CB/S playing that Tampa 2 zone, they can be a problem, particularly if we get into predictable passing situations.

The key to this game will be pounding the ball at them with the running game and Romo being efficient in the passing game. If we do that, we'll be fine offensively. The Cowboys defense needs to do their part, especially in the 2nd half of the game.

 

[Rampage]

This Indy defense did force Tom Brady into 4 INTs just a few weeks ago. So they are capable of making plays. With their pass rushers up front and a lot of speed at LB and CB/S playing that Tampa 2 zone, they can be a problem, particularly if we get into predictable passing situations.

The key to this game will be pounding the ball at them with the running game and Romo being efficient in the passing game. If we do that, we'll be fine offensively. The Cowboys defense needs to do their part, especially in the 2nd half of the game.

2 of those brady picks were lazy deep balls thrown with no pressure. the last one was off faulks hands.

 

[Doomsday101]

This Indy defense did force Tom Brady into 4 INTs just a few weeks ago. So they are capable of making plays. With their pass rushers up front and a lot of speed at LB and CB/S playing that Tampa 2 zone, they can be a problem, particularly if we get into predictable passing situations.

The key to this game will be pounding the ball at them with the running game and Romo being efficient in the passing game. If we do that, we'll be fine offensively. The Cowboys defense needs to do their part, especially in the 2nd half of the game.

Totally agree. Colts are not the team you want to get into a passing war with. Pats made a big mistake doing just that. Run the ball and be efficient in the passing game. If Dallas can run consistantly on the Colts that will set us up for some play action to take some shots down field but to have a good chance in this game we need to run and control the ball and the clock. Longer Manning is standing on the sideline the better off we are. Defensively Dallas has to make some plays I don't think we are going to shut them down but if we can create a couple of turnovers that may be enough to come out of this game with a win

 

[DC Cowboy]

My only concern is that he'll try to out-Manning Peyton Manning, which is a fool's errand.

Coaches job to implement balanced offense!

 

[Billy Bullocks]

comes back to Earth? I say that for several reasons:

1) So far, he hasn't been forced into a serious, come from behiind situation where everyone knew he had to pass. The closest to this was in the Giants game during the 2nd half and we know how well he did then. I know it was his first game, but the Giants were squatting on the routes.

2) He is getting a little "cocky" and brimming with confidence; making fun jabs at Jerry and reporters. He's been hearing the praise heaped on him by nearly every pundit, mediot, and fan. Everything has come relatively easy so far, but time for reality check is near.

3) The Colts have the speed and quickness to not only bring pressure, but linebackers can make plays in the passing game as well.

I'm hoping that when that time comes, we are either in a no win situation anyway, or playing a horrible team that we can overcome in spite of his coming struggles.

Um, his first appearance was a come from behind situation. He also lead a comeback against Carolina on the road. He played lights out against Washington. He was away at Arizona and played well again.

Yes the Colts have speed on defense, but they also can't stop the run. They have a good pass defense, but haven't produced many sacks, and are average at generating INT's. Their pass defense looks so good on paper because they face a league low 26.3 Pass Attempts/Game. That affects how much yardage a team is going to generate. And that number of passes faced has everything to do with how bad their run D is.

Indy faces the 4th most rushes in the league. They give up 5.1YPC. That's not a typo. That defense cannot stop the run.

Peyton Manning is 2-7 v.s. New England in the last couple years. Hes got a 9TD/17INT ratio going for himself. If there's a blueprint out there to beat Indy, New England has it.

Essentially, from what I remember in those games, New England was overly physical against Indy. Indy is a team geared for the track surface at the RCA Dome. They are small and fast. You can overpower them.

 

[Clove]

I'm more concerned about our secondary than Romo, honestly.

 

[gollum]

So I guess coming back from a 14 point deficit in hostile Carolina in a nationally televised game is not considered a "come from behind" situation??

Every QB goes through some tough times. But the difference is that Romo has been developed for 4 years with the Cowboys. He is not your ordinary 4th year "rookie" starter.

You do sound a bit envious.

Don't get me wrong, I am absolutely thrilled that Romo is playing lights out. I hope it continues. I think he has excited the Cowboy Nation like it hasn't been in a very long time. I couldn't really ask for more from him, but...I'm also a realist. I don't look at our team through blue-tinted glasses no matter how much I love them.

As far as how he's acting...I like it that he's having fun. I just hope he doesn't ever take the game lightly the way so many before him who have tasted a little success "early" in their careers have. He seems down to earth; he's obviously intelligent, so I don't think the odds of that happening are great, especially with Parcells around to keep him humble. I wasn't real fond of him flying out to L.A. in the middle of the week to do BDSS and have dinner with(as rumor has it) with a Miss Simpson. I think he needs to be concentrating on the next opponent, although I admit those engagements would be tempting, particularly the latter. Envious??? Let's see, making $1+ milliion to play a game, be the starting QB for the Dallas Cowboys, and have Jessica Simpson interested in you...nah...not interested at all

As far as the comeback at Carolina...first of all, I was thrilled at the outcome of the game. His play exceeded mine and most people's expectations...in your first NFL start, to go 24/36, 270 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT, 86.6 Rating, rush 4 times for 18 yds(picking up 2 1st downs in the process), on third downs where he had a hand in converting, he was 5 of 12 opportunities, so 3 of 10 success rate when he passed...that's not too bad, especially on the road.

Now Carolina was predicted to be a Super Bowl contender, but they were 4-3(now 5-4), so they have not shown themselves(at least to this point) to anything more than an average to slightly better than average team. You are what your record says you are. But to say it was all Romo, that's misleading. Carolina was up 14-0 in the 1st Qtr thanks to help from a 20 yd pass interference on Henry and starting on the next drive at our 24 yard line due to an interception he threw. Romo was 4/5 for 46 yards, 1 pick, and had two completions for 1st downs nullified due to offensive penalities, so it wasn't entirely his fault we were behind.

But from there on out, he was definitely the beneficiary of some other factors:
1) Instead of starting the next drive at the DAL38, we started at the CAR47 due to a late hit out of bounds. He finishes off that drive nicely to cut the margin in half.
2) Their next drive, he did an excellent job of leading the team from it's own 12 with 6:23 left in the half to a 38 yd FG by Vanderjagt with 0:27 seconds left to make it a 14-10 game at the half. Much of the 3rd Qtr was a stalemate with neither team seriously threatening except when Keyshawn drops and easy TD that would have put them up by 11.
3) Romo leads a nice drive beginning the 4th Qtr, going 71 yds in 14 plays ending in another Vanderjagt FG from 24 yds to cut the deficit to 1 with 9:52 remaining in the game.
4) Carolina fumbles the ensuing kickoff, giving Dallas possession at the CAR14...one Julius running play later, and a 2 pt conversion pass to TO and we lead by 7.
5) Delhomme throws 3 consecutive incompletions on the Panthers next possession.
6) Romo makes a nice deep throw to TO for 28 yds to change the field possession, but the drive stalls.
7) Delhomme is picked by Roy Williams at the CAR32 with 4:47 left in the game.
8) Five consecutive runs later, helped by a personal foul facemask(not the DC variety) and a short field, Dallas takes a 28-14 lead with only 2:17 left to go.
9) Delhomme is sacked and fumbles on the Panthers 2nd play from scrimmage, giving Dallas the ball at the CAR19 with 1:54 to go.
10) Two consecutive runs and Dallas extends the lead to 35-14 with 1:37 left...game over.

We ran the ball 38 times to 17 for Carolina for a margin of 156 to 76(24 of which came on Steve Smith's end around TD). Delhomme was only 17/31, 149 yds, 0 TD, 1 INT and a rating of 54.4 and sacked 3 times. The Panthers handed us the ball three times inside their 32 yard line.

I point these things, not to diminish the nice game Romo had, but just to point out that he definitely had help from not only the defense, but the running game and the Panthers charitable spirit. It was a much closer game than the score indicates and the fact that we won by 21 really isn't indicative only of the impact Romo really had on the game. Our final 3 touchdowns were scored on "drives" of nothing but handoffs.

Not raining on anyone's parade as I am stoked, albeit cautiously, about the new firepower we now have comandeering the ship...let's hope he brings us to the Motherland.