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Now for the subplots of the weekend:
• Tony Romo gets the loss in Pittsburgh. Romo and tight end Jason Witten both said the losing interception-returned-for-a-touchdown by DeShea Townsend was their fault. Witten looked like he slipped and read the route the wrong way coming out of his break on a slippery Heinz Field. Whatever. That ball, like so many others on the day by Romo, was thrown way off course, and it was the capper on the Steelers' 17-0 run in the final eight minutes to win.
There's no way Witten, had he broke right, would have been in position to catch this ball. So I put the blame on Romo. I assume it has to be part pinky, part weather, but this is only going to add to the perception Romo's not a big-game quarterback -- 19-of-36, 210 yards, one touchdown, three picks, one fumble -- though one of the picks was more Terrell Owens' laziness than a poor throw.
I don't buy that perception about Romo, by the way; I'm simply making the point that if the Cowboys don't make the playoffs, the thread of two straight playoff-opening losses and this horrible interception will begin to write the book on Romo. My other point is that Romo deserves the criticism, but let's let his career breathe before we label him some sort of A-Rod in the clutch.
This game will be dissected for days in Dallas and celebrated like few other Steelers wins ever -- and I mean that, because in neo-natal units across western Pennsylvania, nurses coo babies to sleep by cursing the Cowboys. But the Cowboys played it a little too safe for me in the fourth quarter.
With a 13-3 lead and 9:28 to play, on third-and-five from the Dallas 19, offensive coordinator Jason Garrett started to bleed the clock -- as it turned out, too soon. Romo handed to Tashard Choice, who was stopped for a loss of one. Within two minutes, the Steelers had a field goal, and Dallas went three-and-out, and Pittsburgh drove 67 yards for a touchdown, and then Romo made his fateful throw to Townsend.
Moral of the story: A 10-point leads on the road shouldn't be sat on with 10 minutes left. That didn't lose Dallas the game, certainly. But it didn't help.
• Wade Phillips sharpens résumé skills. What? Too early for this one? OK. We'll give it a week or two. Am I blaming him? Not at all. But it's not me Phillips has to worry about.
The Fine Fifteen
3. Pittsburgh (10-3). My in-laws are from Pittsburgh, so I know what I'm talking about here: DeShea Townsend will never have to buy a shot and a beer in that town again.
12. Dallas (8-5). There are some serious -- I mean, very serious -- communication issues on the field between Tony Romo and Jason Witten.
Quote of the Week I
"People get too preoccupied with style points. That was a beautiful football game.''
-- Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, after the Steelers scored 17 points in the last eight minutes to shock the Cowboys.
• Tony Romo gets the loss in Pittsburgh. Romo and tight end Jason Witten both said the losing interception-returned-for-a-touchdown by DeShea Townsend was their fault. Witten looked like he slipped and read the route the wrong way coming out of his break on a slippery Heinz Field. Whatever. That ball, like so many others on the day by Romo, was thrown way off course, and it was the capper on the Steelers' 17-0 run in the final eight minutes to win.
There's no way Witten, had he broke right, would have been in position to catch this ball. So I put the blame on Romo. I assume it has to be part pinky, part weather, but this is only going to add to the perception Romo's not a big-game quarterback -- 19-of-36, 210 yards, one touchdown, three picks, one fumble -- though one of the picks was more Terrell Owens' laziness than a poor throw.
I don't buy that perception about Romo, by the way; I'm simply making the point that if the Cowboys don't make the playoffs, the thread of two straight playoff-opening losses and this horrible interception will begin to write the book on Romo. My other point is that Romo deserves the criticism, but let's let his career breathe before we label him some sort of A-Rod in the clutch.
This game will be dissected for days in Dallas and celebrated like few other Steelers wins ever -- and I mean that, because in neo-natal units across western Pennsylvania, nurses coo babies to sleep by cursing the Cowboys. But the Cowboys played it a little too safe for me in the fourth quarter.
With a 13-3 lead and 9:28 to play, on third-and-five from the Dallas 19, offensive coordinator Jason Garrett started to bleed the clock -- as it turned out, too soon. Romo handed to Tashard Choice, who was stopped for a loss of one. Within two minutes, the Steelers had a field goal, and Dallas went three-and-out, and Pittsburgh drove 67 yards for a touchdown, and then Romo made his fateful throw to Townsend.
Moral of the story: A 10-point leads on the road shouldn't be sat on with 10 minutes left. That didn't lose Dallas the game, certainly. But it didn't help.
• Wade Phillips sharpens résumé skills. What? Too early for this one? OK. We'll give it a week or two. Am I blaming him? Not at all. But it's not me Phillips has to worry about.
The Fine Fifteen
3. Pittsburgh (10-3). My in-laws are from Pittsburgh, so I know what I'm talking about here: DeShea Townsend will never have to buy a shot and a beer in that town again.
12. Dallas (8-5). There are some serious -- I mean, very serious -- communication issues on the field between Tony Romo and Jason Witten.
Quote of the Week I
"People get too preoccupied with style points. That was a beautiful football game.''
-- Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, after the Steelers scored 17 points in the last eight minutes to shock the Cowboys.
