My Vastly Different Take on the Romo INT

[GimmeTheBall!]

I assign blame 70 percent to Williams. Routes are made to be busted Romo is just more acutely conscious of INTs. But this was more of a careen than an INT.

But for Romo to be yelling at his receiver . . . when Romo was thowing all them INTs, was any player yelling at Romo? Nope. Not even a coach, so I guess Romo feels he has to yell to be more vindicated and to show the fans it was not his fault. It be human nature.

It's a game and these things happen. By now Romo and Williams are probably OK with each other. Nothing much here to look at. On to KC!!!!!

 

[khiladi]

Man based on that video it sure seem's like we had a lot of receivers in the same area.........maybe they were all running the run routes...

Looks like a total mess up on the inside receivers as well. Miles and another WR or TE (?), it appears ran into each other. I'm wondering if the safety over the top was suppose to be drawn in Miles, which would have given Williams room to run if he caught the slant. Even if Williams makes the catch, the fact that the safety wasn't anywhere pulled in shows it wouldn't have een been successful most probably either way, to get a first or a TD. I'm thinking that the other player next to Miles was maybe Escobar or Hanna.

Seems like more than one guilty party in all of this, Tony Romo not being one of them.

 

[ric]

Go back and watch the play. There is NO way that was Romo's last option on that play. You could tell Romo most likely called the audible for the slant and Williams was his first read (maybe only read) on the play. There was no hesitation at all and Romo forced the ball under no pressure. Also, pre-snap there is no way a QB could look at the way the CB was playing the WR along with other defenders in the area on that particular play and decide on a 5 yd slant on 3rd and 11. Williams would have had to make a catch with the CB draped on him and break two or three tackles to get the additional 6 yards.

It was a horrible play call/audible and bad decision to throw the ball based on the down and distance and location and time of the game. It doesn't absolve Williams from not continuing the route. Like I said, there is a bigger issue with that play than Williams breaking off his route. The best that play could have yielded was a 5 yard gain and 4th down. That's the best that play could have offered. It's not like we needed to get closer for a FG. Bad call by the QB further compounded by bad execution on both the WR and QB.

Romo had pressure right up the middle via Frederick and Leary missing a combo block. Had he not thrown that ball it would have resulted in a sack. Also the audible call seemed to suggest that Williams was meant to run a two yard slant pattern past the line of scrimmage in order win on the route and have Witten and Austin as blocker to gain a 1st down or possibly score.

 

[AsthmaField]

Numbnuts

 

[gimmesix]

Blaming WR Williams is in my opinion missing the big picture and who should shoulder the burden of blame. The more I see this play, the more I look to Romo for blame.

It is 3rd and 11 (basically 3rd and goal since they were so close). The team is in FG range. Don't do anything STUPID should be the philosophy. How does Romo look at that coverage and audible to a 4-5 yard slant on 3rd and 11 into the teeth of the defense is beyond me. The CB is clearly taking away the slant and there are two defenders nearby in the area. The odds of that slant picking up the first are slim to none. Further compounding the problem is Romo seems to audible to the slant to a rookie WR 3-4 seconds before the playclock expires and has to hurry up and beg for the ball to be snapped at 1 second. Romo is in shotgun and takes one or two small steps back and is under no pressure to speak of. Romo then forces the slant even though the WR is clearly not in any position to succeed. This appears to be Romo's first and only read on the play and he stubbornly forced the ball. Romo did not look anywhere else and was under no pressure and decided to force a 5 yard slant on 3rd and 11 with the CB draped on the WR.

Romo is a seasoned vet and should know better. A) It was a horrible play call and/or audible knowing the down and distance and field location from the get-go. B) Forced the pass while under no pressure. C) Romo had plenty of time to see the defense on that play and thought a slant would somehow work.

Sure, Williams is to blame for not running what he was supposed to. However, that play should have never been audibled to (or should have been audibled out if Callahan called it). And the ball definitely should have never left Romo's hand. Seems to me poor overall field management on the QB from the get-go on that play.

I could be wrong. Just a little different take on it. I'm not a Romo hater by the way. He played well and managed the game well overall.

I hope it was 3rd and 11 on that play or I make little sense

So receivers slap themselves in the head on the bench when the QB makes a mistake? I hate to see what Williams does to himself when the mistake is on him then.

 

[gimmesix]

I assign blame 70 percent to Williams. Routes are made to be busted Romo is just more acutely conscious of INTs. But this was more of a careen than an INT.

But for Romo to be yelling at his receiver . . . when Romo was thowing all them INTs, was any player yelling at Romo? Nope. Not even a coach, so I guess Romo feels he has to yell to be more vindicated and to show the fans it was not his fault. It be human nature.

It's a game and these things happen. By now Romo and Williams are probably OK with each other. Nothing much here to look at. On to KC!!!!!

I think Romo is trying to be more of an on-field coach, chewing out players when they make mistakes and holding them accountable. Later after the interception, he went over and talked to Williams calmly about it.

 

[iceman117]

I think it was Williams fault but in a way I can see the point he is trying to make, whats the difference between a 5 yard slant and a run play in that position. Its just one of those things where you wish Romo made a better decision about what play he switched to when he audibled. But I thought Tony played/called a good game for the most part so we can't really complain. Also if the pass was completed and TWill ran through the tackle for a TD it would have been a brilliant play call/audible

 

[gimmesix]

How dare anyone even consider anything is Romo's fault. Nothing more disgusting than a die-hard Romo fan boy who is so insecure they have to bash anyone who points out, or in the OP's case, even questions a Romo fault. I get that some of us are tired of the senseless Romo bashing, but there was nothing senseless about the OP.

Good and valid question, OP.

I agree with those that say it's on the coaches. Harris should have started #3. And when I think back to the forced use of Dez in the 2010 opener, I can't help but wonder how much T. Williams was forced on the coaches.

I do think we need to see more of Harris at this stage because Williams showed in the preseason he's just not on the same page with Romo yet. Use Williams some, but mainly bring him in and give him simple assignments, like go deep.

 

[Section446]

I'm as big a critic as anyone when it comes to Romo, but that INT was not his fault in the least.

 

[Idgit]

Numbnuts

I'm assuming you read this post after getting back from a long bicycle ride or something, and that this was not directed at anybody in particular.

 

[BrassCowboy]

Go back and watch the play. There is NO way that was Romo's last option on that play. You could tell Romo most likely called the audible for the slant and Williams was his first read (maybe only read) on the play. There was no hesitation at all and Romo forced the ball under no pressure. Also, pre-snap there is no way a QB could look at the way the CB was playing the WR along with other defenders in the area on that particular play and decide on a 5 yd slant on 3rd and 11. Williams would have had to make a catch with the CB draped on him and break two or three tackles to get the additional 6 yards.

It was a horrible play call/audible and bad decision to throw the ball based on the down and distance and location and time of the game. It doesn't absolve Williams from not continuing the route. Like I said, there is a bigger issue with that play than Williams breaking off his route. The best that play could have yielded was a 5 yard gain and 4th down. That's the best that play could have offered. It's not like we needed to get closer for a FG. Bad call by the QB further compounded by bad execution on both the WR and QB.

so its a conspiracy then? how about simply put, Williams made a bad cut and thats that...

as far as throwing a 5 yard pass needing more like 11, you know how many times we see that on any given sunday by numerous QBs. Sleep it off, you will feel better tomorrow

 

[AsthmaField]

I'm assuming you read this post after getting back from a long bicycle ride or something, and that this was not directed at anybody in particular.

Of course.

And, I mean, it IS printed right below ninja's name... which is purely coincidental, I'm sure.

I hope I'm not outta bounds.

 

[jobberone]

It wasn't a slant. It was a curl. Yes, that's 100% on the WR.

I went back and looked at it and I don't have the coaches film for some reason. Maybe it's not up yet. What I can see of that play at 4:17 in the first looks like he was going to do a slant but it could have been a curl. It's definite he was knocked off his route and just didn't know what to do. He's got to fight on that route.

 

[Idgit]

Of course.

And, I mean, it IS printed right below ninja's name... which is purely coincidental, I'm sure.

I hope I'm not outta bounds.

He's probably a cyclist, too. I'd suggest a new saddle.

 

[TwentyOne]

Blaming WR Williams is in my opinion missing the big picture and who should shoulder the burden of blame. The more I see this play, the more I look to Romo for blame.

It is 3rd and 11 (basically 3rd and goal since they were so close). The team is in FG range. Don't do anything STUPID should be the philosophy. How does Romo look at that coverage and audible to a 4-5 yard slant on 3rd and 11 into the teeth of the defense is beyond me. The CB is clearly taking away the slant and there are two defenders nearby in the area. The odds of that slant picking up the first are slim to none. Further compounding the problem is Romo seems to audible to the slant to a rookie WR 3-4 seconds before the playclock expires and has to hurry up and beg for the ball to be snapped at 1 second. Romo is in shotgun and takes one or two small steps back and is under no pressure to speak of. Romo then forces the slant even though the WR is clearly not in any position to succeed. This appears to be Romo's first and only read on the play and he stubbornly forced the ball. Romo did not look anywhere else and was under no pressure and decided to force a 5 yard slant on 3rd and 11 with the CB draped on the WR.

Romo is a seasoned vet and should know better. A) It was a horrible play call and/or audible knowing the down and distance and field location from the get-go. B) Forced the pass while under no pressure. C) Romo had plenty of time to see the defense on that play and thought a slant would somehow work.

Sure, Williams is to blame for not running what he was supposed to. However, that play should have never been audibled to (or should have been audibled out if Callahan called it). And the ball definitely should have never left Romo's hand. Seems to me poor overall field management on the QB from the get-go on that play.

I could be wrong. Just a little different take on it. I'm not a Romo hater by the way. He played well and managed the game well overall.

I hope it was 3rd and 11 on that play or I make little sense

Dont try to come up with deeper thoughts and good argumentation on this board.
Most people arent able to follow but will bash you with stupid posts anyway.

Really good post. Keep it up!

 

[burmafrd]

Dont try to come up with deeper thoughts and good argumentation on this board.
Most people arent able to follow but will bash you with stupid posts anyway.

Really good post. Keep it up!

all he wants to do is find a way to blame Romo for the int and you praise him. Sad.

 

[Vintage]

Interesting take. About as useful as one ply toilet paper.

 

[Tusan_Homichi]

Interesting take. About as useful as one ply toilet paper.

I dunno. You can fold it over.

 

[sbark]

Agreed. I think the CB physicaled him out of the pattern and that confounded the rookie WR. He has to learn that if the CB jumps the route esp that one he must prevent the INT. At worse he gets offensive PI and maybe even gets the call his way or it's incomplete.

It's quite possible that the CB just made a good play and great read on that play but I've been wondering if our opponents know something. Show a certain look and wait for the Boys to go to that hot read. That's a disturbing thought if we're that predictable.

...that's what I saw happen also...CB jumped the route, rookies eyes or lineup probably hinted strongly at the pattern.

We saw the same thing in the preseason game with Dez in the Oakland game---Romo and him adjusted on the go and made a great play---not gonna happen with a rookie.

 

[bounce]

From a strictly execution perspective, it was all on Williams. But questioning why Williams is the target on that play is legitimate. You've got Dez. You've got Miles. You've got Witten. You've even got DeMarco out of the backfield as an option. Why are you going to a rookie playing his first game in such a crucial situation? In an offense that is timing based when it is imperative that the WR and QB are on the same page?

I guess if it works nobody asks those questions. But it didn't.

Because it's the NFL and you should be able to count on any player at any time. If you can't count on him, he shouldn't be on the field, nor the team.