This Cowboy QB situation lingers on like a Brett Farve retirement. It's a hangover even Jerry struggles to fight through.
First the realities of Romo. It's a good news/bad news situation.
The good news is, the L1 vertebrae isn't the one that had surgery, nor is it even next to it. It's also not the one that had the transverse fracture two years ago. Essentially, the compression fracture isn't related to the other back issues, and it should heal just fine with no issues, whatever that time frame is.
Romo will be back.
The bad news is, Tony is 36 years old, and that now makes five injuries in less than two years. He ruptured a disc against Washington and required offseason surgery (which involved a cyst, too), then he had the transverse fracture, then he had two broken collar bones (the same bone not yet healed properly), and now this compression fracture to the L1. That's a lot of stuff, but ironically, his shoulder, knees, ankles, etc, are all just fine. No concussions, no hip issues. Romo has golfer's injuries. I wonder if he wished he didn't play so much golf because it obviously wrecked his back.
Now for the realities of Dak Prescott.
We are all giddy about the kid. If he's the "next" one, then glory be, we found him by accident in the fourth round. It's like Romo all over again, coming out of nowhere. You can feel the angst and fist-clenching around the league...those damn Cowboys aren't going into hibernation when Romo's done. They have a future apparently if current form translates.
But let's not kid ourselves. Dak doesn't really know what awaits him just yet. Defensive coordinators stay up all night and break you down, then they implement defensive packages and schemes that young Dak has never seen in his life. If not careful, it could get ugly.
Fortunately, Dak has the best situation a young QB can ask for. A powerful line and a stable of running backs that are the envy of the league. An elite receiver who can go up and get an errant throw. A seasoned tight end to calm the huddle and be a safety valve any time needed. This isn't like what Troy saw as a rookie. Dak has a LOT of help around him. He need not try to do everything himself.
That, and no doubt a little read-option (which I hate) to give him ammo to keep pass rushers at bay even more should make this a workable situation as he learns. Lots of play action and roll-outs. Easy throws to get him in rhythm. Plus, if Zeke can force teams into eight-man fronts, it's harder to disguise coverage. There's plenty of adjustments Linehan can make to get Dak comfortable.
I feel confident Dak can lead this team to at least three wins those first six games before Romo returns. The experience he'll gain will only expedite his progress. The game will slowly slow down.
There's a real QB controversy brewing a year from now. But not yet. And no, the season's hopes are far from over if they can just get Dak settled and comfortable. All the poise on the planet doesn't prepare for the truly unknown.
Meanwhile, as we're accustomed, we wait on Romo. What will he be when he returns? Can that back settle down, and is the collar bone good to go?
At least we know this, and this is HUGE. Romo can play and let it fly because there's finally real hope behind him. I'd rather watch Dak develop live than watch the Weeden/Cassel types flop around like fish in a boat.
