The Tony Romo Reality Check

[uvaballa]

Let's not worry about Romo teams that failed. We should focus on the current team that has a chance to make some noise.

 

[Zman5]

Tony Romo was an excellent QB for the Dallas Cowboys. I don’t know about you, but despite the Cabo incident and the occasional untimely turnover early in his career, I always loved him as he gave me hope.

However, I’m sick of seeing him brought up in many threads lamenting how he was never given a supporting cast. It’s ridiculous and untrue. In his ten seasons as the starter, Romo went to the playoffs only 4 times despite playing with true super stars at WR, a HOF TE, and Tyron Smith in his prime, along with HOF Demarcus Ware and other pro bowl players. In 6 playoff games, he only threw 8 TD passes.

In his first playoff win, he led the offense to 34 points vs Philly when he passed for only 228, but the team also rushed for 198. Lots of support in that game as the defense held Philly to 14 points and created 4 turnovers.

In his second playoff victory, he led the offense to 24 points vs the Detroit Lions, passing for 242 and 2 TDs. The defense held Detroit to 20 points, so they did not require a high scoring affair.

In his 4 losses, the scores were 20-21 (passed for 189 while team rushed for 116); 17-21 (passed for 201 while team rushed for 154); 3-34 (passed for 156 with an INT while team rushed for 92), 21-26 (passed for 191 while team rushed for 148).

I supported and loved Romo as my QB, but I’m sick of this false narrative that he wasn’t supported. He had a good OL, a good to great running game from time to time, great receivers and TE, and his defense averaged holding teams to 22.6 points per game in his 6 playoff games. Take away the 34 Minnesota scored when Romo’s offense only scored 3, and his defense held the other 5 teams to 20.4 points per game while we went 2-3 In low scoring games. Over six playoff games with that high powered offense, Romo passed for an average of 201 yards per game while the team rushed for an average of 130 per game. So there was balance.

Tony Romo was a great talent who didn’t step it up in his 6 playoff games despite leading teams that were 13-3, 11-5, 12-4 in 3 of his only 4 appearances. The worst year of his 4 appearances in the playoffs was the 9-7 team in 2006 when we had the game won before he fumbled the snap.

It’s fine for us to love Tony Romo, the hope he gave us as Cowboys fans, and the gaudy stats he put up during his seasons as the Cowboys QB. But let’s stop the false narrative that those teams depended only on his arm, that he had no run game, and that the defense didn’t perform in the playoffs for him. The facts do not support that narrative.

I know exactly how you feel about this. I also supported Romo and fought against the Romo bashers. The same way I do against Dak stabbers. But there are so many ridiculous things that are said about teams Romo had it's almost as if either people didn't watch or don't want to admit some of the great players Romo played with.

 

[pitt33]

Romo was a FA

A nice story

That’s it.

 

[pansophy]

There are several younger fans who for some reason believe Tony Romo was a better QB than Staubach and Aikman.

Well Aikman himself said Romo was better than him. Aikman played his best when it counted, perhaps minus the 3 INT game against SF we almost came back and one. Obviously Aikman had the better, more accurate arm. But Romo was clearly better than Aikman at creating once a play broke down and dealing with poor OL play. Also bear in mind that that Romo had the best QBR in the league the year Murray led the league in rushing. Aikman had the benefit of a tremendous running game most of his career.

 

[zrinkill]

Why are we still talking about Romo?

Loved the guy but he has been gone for over half a decade.

 

[NumOneQB]

There are several younger fans who for some reason believe Tony Romo was a better QB than Staubach and Aikman.

Add Danny White to that list. Romo is behind all of 3 of them…

 

[Legend]

Well Aikman himself said Romo was better than him. Aikman played his best when it counted, perhaps minus the 3 INT game against SF we almost came back and one. Obviously Aikman had the better, more accurate arm. But Romo was clearly better than Aikman at creating once a play broke down and dealing with poor OL play. Also bear in mind that that Romo had the best QBR in the league the year Murray led the league in rushing. Aikman had the benefit of a tremendous running game most of his career.

What does Romo have to show? Only 2 wildcard wins.

The 2007 13-3 Cowboys had 13 pro bowlers but went one and done.

QB Tony Romo RB Marion Barber WR Terrell Owens TE Jason Witten T Flozell Adams G Leonard Davis C Andre Gurode LB Greg Ellis LB DeMarcus Ware CB Terence Newman FS Ken Hamlin SS Roy Williams K Nick Folk

 

[Zman5]

Did he EVER have a top 10 defense? I remember having the 32nd ranked defense in 2012 or '13.

Here are some of the good defenses he had in his career.

Year	Points Ranking	Yards Ranking
2007	13	9
2009	2	9
2022 (for comparison)	5	12

 

[Nav22]

Romo never had a great defense in the playoffs. That's usually what it takes to win big.

Will always be a huge fan of his. Cowboys legend.

 

[12+88=7]

The support was about defensive support.

Only in the 2009 season did Dallas have a very good defense. The other years the defensive was bottom third.

If Romo had been more fortunate and had better defenses, he would have had better results.

 

[Legend]

The support was about defensive support.

Only in the 2009 season did Dallas have a very good defense. The other years the defensive was bottom third.

If Romo had been more fortunate and had better defenses, he would have had better results.

Good defense in 2007 with pro bowlers
LB Greg Ellis
LB DeMarcus Ware
CB Terence Newman
FS Ken Hamlin
SS Roy Williams

I guess the Cowboys needed pro bowlers on the DL too

 

[Aven8]

Romo was a Jedi. An awesome talent that was a master in the pocket. Unfortunately he wasn’t a leader and his body couldn’t hold up. JG killed his career.

On another note pertaining to this game….Purdy is pretty dang similar so far. Very scary for the NFC……

 

[lukemartin79]

I was a Romo fan. I watched him many times single-handedly will them to a win. But I also watched him single-handedly cost us some games. But both came out of the same place - the heart and desire to win. Sometimes he tried to do too much, but I never doubted his desire.
He knows a lot about the game. I think he’s one of the best analysts on tv, he has an almost clairvoyant-like way of knowing what plays teams will call, what penalties were called. I enjoy watching games he’s working.

I loved watching Romo too. He was a different kind of a guy than Aikman. He was a very likable person, not so restrained or stoic as Aikman was. I really wanted the BOYS to win their next Super Bowl with Romo and Witten. Not sure why he gets bashed here so much, he played with so much heart.
I always hope the Cowboys games are on CBS because of Romo. He is so excitable, he is like your buddy calling a game. He isn't buttoned down and reserved like most announcers, you can tell he is on the edge of his seat at times. He sounds like he is having a blast. I like that about him, it makes many say he is not polished or professional. He is so intelligent too, he really does tell you what is going to happen beforehand- then you watch it happen exactly as he said. Him and Nance are the best broadcasting team by far.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

How'd that "free run" at the playoffs work out for us last year playing in the worst division in football? You still have to beat the best in the playoffs. And Brady won it his first season starting.

And the only Cowboys QB Brady lost to was.......Dak

 

[Legend]

I loved watching Romo too. He was a different kind of a guy than Aikman. He was a very likable person, not so restrained or stoic as Aikman was. I really wanted the BOYS to win their next Super Bowl with Romo and Witten. Not sure why he gets bashed here so much, he played with so much heart.
I always hope the Cowboys games are on CBS because of Romo. He is so excitable, he is like your buddy calling a game. He isn't buttoned down and reserved like most announcers, you can tell he is on the edge of his seat at times. He sounds like he is having a blast. I like that about him, it makes many say he is not polished or professional. He is so intelligent too, he really does tell you what is going to happen beforehand- then you watch it happen exactly as he said. Him and Nance are the best broadcasting team by far.

I did not love watching Romo play because he did not have playoff success.

Also, I do not like him as a commentator because he did not get past the divisional round of the playoffs yet he is commentating the divisional round, championship round, and at times the Super Bowl.

 

[jay94]

Romo was underrated and did more with less, Terrance Williams was at best a no 3 receiver likely a no 4, Laurent Robinson, Miles Austin, and Dez Bryant, all helped by Romo immensely. Romo's issue was his last years, he was humpty dumpty.

 

[Legend]

Romo was underrated and did more with less, Terrance Williams was at best a no 3 receiver likely a no 4, Laurent Robinson, Miles Austin, and Dez Bryant, all helped by Romo immensely. Romo's issue was his last years, he was humpty dumpty.

What about T.O. and Witten on the 2006 and 2007 teams?

 

[Zman5]

Romo's problem was he was too nice of a guy. He needed to be more of an a-hole like ARod. He should have gone to the Joneses in 2011 and told them to get rid of JG.
He should have told them JG is going to shorten his career with his long developing crappy plays that's going to get his body broken. By 2011, he had Jerry's ear and had enough clout to suggest to Jerry it's either JG or him. Instead, he took the safe route which costed him in 2016 when JG betrayed him.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

Cowboys have a divisional playoff game in less than 48 hours and some of y'all are rehashing the Romo years?

I'm trying to forget those years.

 

[john van brocklin]

Tony Romo was an excellent QB for the Dallas Cowboys. I don’t know about you, but despite the Cabo incident and the occasional untimely turnover early in his career, I always loved him as he gave me hope.

However, I’m sick of seeing him brought up in many threads lamenting how he was never given a supporting cast. It’s ridiculous and untrue. In his ten seasons as the starter, Romo went to the playoffs only 4 times despite playing with true super stars at WR, a HOF TE, and Tyron Smith in his prime, along with HOF Demarcus Ware and other pro bowl players. In 6 playoff games, he only threw 8 TD passes.

In his first playoff win, he led the offense to 34 points vs Philly when he passed for only 228, but the team also rushed for 198. Lots of support in that game as the defense held Philly to 14 points and created 4 turnovers.

In his second playoff victory, he led the offense to 24 points vs the Detroit Lions, passing for 242 and 2 TDs. The defense held Detroit to 20 points, so they did not require a high scoring affair.

In his 4 losses, the scores were 20-21 (passed for 189 while team rushed for 116); 17-21 (passed for 201 while team rushed for 154); 3-34 (passed for 156 with an INT while team rushed for 92), 21-26 (passed for 191 while team rushed for 148).

I supported and loved Romo as my QB, but I’m sick of this false narrative that he wasn’t supported. He had a good OL, a good to great running game from time to time, great receivers and TE, and his defense averaged holding teams to 22.6 points per game in his 6 playoff games. Take away the 34 Minnesota scored when Romo’s offense only scored 3, and his defense held the other 5 teams to 20.4 points per game while we went 2-3 In low scoring games. Over six playoff games with that high powered offense, Romo passed for an average of 201 yards per game while the team rushed for an average of 130 per game. So there was balance.

Tony Romo was a great talent who didn’t step it up in his 6 playoff games despite leading teams that were 13-3, 11-5, 12-4 in 3 of his only 4 appearances. The worst year of his 4 appearances in the playoffs was the 9-7 team in 2006 when we had the game won before he fumbled the snap.

It’s fine for us to love Tony Romo, the hope he gave us as Cowboys fans, and the gaudy stats he put up during his seasons as the Cowboys QB. But let’s stop the false narrative that those teams depended only on his arm, that he had no run game, and that the defense didn’t perform in the playoffs for him. The facts do not support that narrative.

Just an observation:
Besides Parcells,
Romo had poor Head Coaches in the playoffs, which was a real handicap.