We can win without Romo

[Diehardblues]

For the first time since Kitna in 2010 the Cowboys have won multiple games without Romo in a season.

The season is on!!

We don't have to fold our tents , shrug our shoulders pouting what a poorly built no depth team we have while accepting its an excuse to lose. Last year I've never seen a team, franchise and fans so comfortable with losing.

Accolades need to go out to Jerry, the front office or Garrett... whoever is responsible for this years draft. Not only has Dak provided hope for the future he and Zeke can win now.

It's still yet to be determined if our defense will still cost us as it could have with Romo. 22nd ranked is about where we thought it would be even though our schedule has been fairly week so far with the meat of it coming up.

The good news is we have now placed ourselves in position to where a couple of tough losses to tougher opponents won't end the season. We are winning the games we should be and could have won them all.

 

[Eddie]

Here's what I'm seeing on the field ...

- the team is playing as a cohesive unit because they don't have Romo to fall back on
- previous squads always knew that Romo would perform some magic and bail them out
- D is playing tighter knowing that there's no Romo to pull it out for them

It's all about the team.

 

[eternaljester81]

Here's what I'm seeing on the field ...

- the team is playing as a cohesive unit because they don't have Romo to fall back on
- previous squads always knew that Romo would perform some magic and bail them out
- D is playing tighter knowing that there's no Romo to pull it out for them

It's all about the team.

Which is ridiculous if at all true. If any one of those guys has a mentallity of "I don't have to work as hard because Romo will bail me out", he should be shown the door. That sort of behavior would be a disservice, and a slap-in-the-face, to Romo, the coaching staff, the front office, and the fans.

 

[CouchCoach]

We have won 2 games, the last against one of the worst teams in the league. It is still a small sample size to evaluate the team with Dak at the trigger. Let's see how the team performs against CIN and GB and that doesn't mean they have to win because they are most likely better teams.

If Dak gets into what Brees did last night, that will tell us a lot. Man, that defense wasn't good with all of their starters but that was just awful and Brees had no wiggle room. He was 36-54-364-3 scored 32 points and lost by 13. I could see that kind of game down the road when we play a high octane offense.

The problem is that so many attach the actual outcome of the game to the QB, like a starting pitcher, and do not take into consideration that the team we play may just be better. Brees puts up those numbers, 80% of the time they win. 20%, he's playing a better team and the Falcons' D was only marginally better than the Saints.

As a rookie QB, the team's record should not be what is monitored and used as a ranking. He's in an unusual situation and should be evaluated to how he reads and responds to different situations. We are going to have some games where the D will be the Achilles and he will have to attempt to overcome them. That's when we get to see where he is in his development.

Dak is like that kid that brings home a test that he aced and now his parents expect that on every test. We are those parents and need to curb our expectations because the kid is in the most difficult position in all sports because of the spotlight and it's already too bright.

 

[theebs]

Which is ridiculous if at all true. If any one of those guys has a mentallity of "I don't have to work as hard because Romo will bail me out", he should be shown the door. That sort of behavior would be a disservice, and a slap-in-the-face, to Romo, the coaching staff, the front office, and the fans.

they don't and they haven't.

 

[hornitosmonster]

1 week at a time. 2-1 is great right now

 

[Doomsday101]

After being told that it is all Romo and coaches offensive system plays no part, it was just Romo improvising that moved the offense seems a bit far fetched now that Dak, a rookie QB has come in and using the same offensive system is having very good success. So I guess it was not just Romo that makes this offensive system go.

of course the coaching staff somehow will get no credit for any of this in the eyes of some.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

It is nice to have won a couple with a rookie QB and bought some time for Romo. However, if we drop 2-3 in a row, the pressue is right back on Romo to be a savior. The thing is, I am not sure how much better Romo can be, especially since he will be coming in maybe rusty. Dak has been moving the team on long drives time after time. It has been really impressive. I do think with Romo we might find some more big plays down the field but at the same time we might miss some of the move the chains throws that Dak has been really good at.

I am and have always been a Romo guy. I hope he finishes his career here, but Dak is definitely become a guy that will be hard to take out of the lineup.

 

[CATCH17]

After being told that it is all Romo and coaches offensive system plays no part, it was just Romo improvising that moved the offense seems a bit far fetched now that Dak, a rookie QB has come in and using the same offensive system is having very good success. So I guess it was not just Romo that makes this offensive system go.

of course the coaching staff somehow will get no credit for any of this in the eyes of some.

Playing bad teams helps.

 

[Seven]

All I know is that this offense is a pleasure to watch, finally.

They move the chains and they do it with confidence.

 

[Bullflop]

To be totally realistic, Dak has done magnificently with the teams we've played thus far but it'll get tougher with some of the more elite teams that remain to be played just before Romo is slated to return. I'm as excited about Dak as anyone on this forum but there are still hurdles to overcome before we know for sure that he's the answer with or without Romo. He'll be obliged to show far more conclusive evidence before Jerry is ready to relent and promote him to replace Romo at mid season. Even then, Jerry The Fan may be likely to opt in favor of his guy known as Romo.

 

[Animosity]

We havent won with Romo.

No one has given me a good reason why we should go back to a broken down and washed up 36 year old QB. No logical explanation. Look where the Saints are with Drew Brees. We shouldnt make the same mistake... well, we sort of did by giving Romo a giant contract.

 

[CouchCoach]

Which is ridiculous if at all true. If any one of those guys has a mentallity of "I don't have to work as hard because Romo will bail me out", he should be shown the door. That sort of behavior would be a disservice, and a slap-in-the-face, to Romo, the coaching staff, the front office, and the fans.

This was a popular theory with the old OL and even Booger's son said they'd not done enough to help Romo. The old OL was known as The Five Matadors and they did way too many "look out" blocks but whether that was for lack of effort or talent was open to debate. But, if we were to evaluate all of the OL's that blocked for "escape" QB's, we'd see they weren't as diligent because they knew what they had behind them, that's just human nature and they're not going 100% 100% of the time. The other issue is with an "escape" QB, they're not easy to block for because the OL cannot see him and the rusher can and sometimes the QB can lead the rusher to the tackle. Just like a RB can.

 

[Doomsday101]

Playing bad teams helps.

Of course that is what it is. lol

 

[aikemirv]

I think the team has confidence in a backup for the first time since Kitna honestly. Dak's preseason, while it was preseason put the team in the right mental framework when Romo went down.

And truly the key is converting 3rd downs which our other backups could not do. Dak's poise takes that 3rd down pressure and just makes it another opportunity. When the QB puts the ball on the money and makes the right decision on 3rd downs the team takes notice and confidence spikes.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

It is nice to have won a couple with a rookie QB and bought some time for Romo. However, if we drop 2-3 in a row, the pressue is right back on Romo to be a savior. The thing is, I am not sure how much better Romo can be, especially since he will be coming in maybe rusty. Dak has been moving the team on long drives time after time. It has been really impressive. I do think with Romo we might find some more big plays down the field but at the same time we might miss some of the move the chains throws that Dak has been really good at.

I am and have always been a Romo guy. I hope he finishes his career here, but Dak is definitely become a guy that will be hard to take out of the lineup.

Look I'm as excited about Dak as the beat of em. But he has one passing touchdown in 3 weeks against bad competition. This is proof positive that the kid still has his training wheels on. And rightfully so mind you.

But taking him out of the lineup for one of the very best qbs in the league is actually a very easy decision to make.

 

[CouchCoach]

We havent won with Romo.

No one has given me a good reason why we should go back to a broken down and washed up 36 year old QB. No logical explanation. Look where the Saints are with Drew Brees. We shouldnt make the same mistake... well, we sort of did by giving Romo a giant contract.

Brees? They lost that game last night because of Brees? He's the only reason they've done as well as they have, just ask Payton. Any QB that puts up 36-54-364-3 and 32 points and loses by 13 has some other factors other than QBing.

Romo might have broken down but washed up is a little premature. We don't know how he's going to play when he comes back. And it could backfire on us starting him over Dak but we don't know what we're going to look like when Romo is ready to return or even when he'll really be ready to return. Last season they rushed him back in; I think this time he's rushing them. The old lion doesn't want to let the young challenger hang around the pride too long.

 

[JackOfNoTrades]

Here's what I'm seeing on the field ...

- the team is playing as a cohesive unit because they don't have Romo to fall back on
- previous squads always knew that Romo would perform some magic and bail them out
- D is playing tighter knowing that there's no Romo to pull it out for them

It's all about the team.

exactly....I was always a do it with Romo or bust fan until I saw Cowboys life w/o him and having a more than capable QB in his place. My Romo position and his overall impact on the team has changed. And now in retrospect, Romo always having to be the hero is not a good reflection on him or the team as a whole.

 

[CouchCoach]

I think the team has confidence in a backup for the first time since Kitna honestly. Dak's preseason, while it was preseason put the team in the right mental framework when Romo went down.

And truly the key is converting 3rd downs which our other backups could not do. Dak's poise takes that 3rd down pressure and just makes it another opportunity. When the QB puts the ball on the money and makes the right decision on 3rd downs the team takes notice and confidence spikes.

The major difference is confidence that the offense has in Dak making the right decisions. They do their jobs, he'll do his and that was not present last season.

 

[aikemirv]

Look I'm as excited about Dak as the beat of em. But he has one passing touchdown in 3 weeks against bad competition. This is proof positive that the kid still has his training wheels on. And rightfully so mind you.

But taking him out of the lineup for one of the very best qbs in the league is actually a very easy decision to make.

I am all for Romo being put back in when he is ready but I do think that Dak's lack of TDs is more to do with chance than training wheels. Cole Beasley drops an easy TD, is 1/2 yard short on another and Dez drops one as well. Witten comes up 1/2 yard short as well.