What was the 1 play that symbolized our season?

[Alexander]

I don't think Romo 'being like Brady' got him hurt last year. I think it was our inconsistent offensive line that let free rushers constantly bash our franchise QB, or our OC for calling such long winded pass plays forcing Romo to hang in the pocket longer.

And Tom Brady is the most mechanically sound QB I've seen since Troy Aikman, so I have absolutely no problem with Romo trying to emulate a 3 time Super Bowl winner.

Whomever gave him the advice or if Romo took it upon himself, it was going against his nature. He's not a tall, stand in the pocket passer who can pick apart coverages, i.e. Brady.

Romo is at his best when he is on the move and has a floating pocket. It is not a lot different from McNabb when he stands rigidly in the protection zone. He's at his best moving, that creates mismatches when the defense reacts to it.

Romo is Romo. There is no reason why he should try to emulate Brady and be something he's not. It wasn't just his mechanics. The entire way we approached him last year was just strange. In other words, it wasn't broken and didn't need to be fixed. By tinkering with him and the structure, we did things he couldn't or can't do and we also asked our linemen to do things they weren't prepared to handle. In other words, it wasn't "Romo-Friendly".

Oh, and to answer the question, either the blocked punt or the miscommunicated pass from Romo to Witten that ended the Pittsburgh game. Both were perfect examples of what we had wrong with the team, poor special teams and communication issues on offense.

 

[JVita17]

This play BY FAR was the symbol of last season.
Cowboys Season = Murphys Law

[youtube]fzGRUNJorz8[/youtube]

Second Place

[youtube]qYpUQ81J_ac[/youtube]

 

[Idgit]

Whomever gave him the advice or if Romo took it upon himself, it was going against his nature. He's not a tall, stand in the pocket passer who can pick apart coverages, i.e. Brady.

Romo is at his best when he is on the move and has a floating pocket. It is not a lot different from McNabb when he stands rigidly in the protection zone. He's at his best moving, that creates mismatches when the defense reacts to it.

Romo is Romo. There is no reason why he should try to emulate Brady and be something he's not. It wasn't just his mechanics. The entire way we approached him last year was just strange. In other words, it wasn't broken and didn't need to be fixed. By tinkering with him and the structure, we did things he couldn't or can't do and we also asked our linemen to do things they weren't prepared to handle. In other words, it wasn't "Romo-Friendly".

Oh, and to answer the question, either the blocked punt or the miscommunicated pass from Romo to Witten that ended the Pittsburgh game. Both were perfect examples of what we had wrong with the team, poor special teams and communication issues on offense.

Is there evidence that Romo changing his footwork affected his play negatively? I know he mentioned watching Brady play when he talked about economy with his footwork, but that comment got misconstrued. He watched what Brady did right because there's objectively a right way and a wrong way to manage footwork in the pocket. Not stepping towards the LoS on a pump fake, for example is just smart. It's not evidence of Romo not playing well because he's trying to be someone else.

What really hurt Romo's game last year were the fumbles in the pocket, and I'd wager to say he could learn something from Brady there, as well. The fumbles and the inability to hit open receivers on intermediate routes after the sack in the Giants game were the backbreakers. That and the bad OL play we got most of the season.

 

[JVita17]

The fumbles and the inability to hit open receivers on intermediate routes.

This line here makes it suspect that Romo even watched Brady at all.

 

[Idgit]

This line here makes it suspect that Romo even watched Brady at all.

He had to have had a back or rib injury in that Giant game, because from that point forward, he missed on way too many plays he used to make look routine.

The fumbles are all on Romo. I don't care how bad the line was--and it was pretty bad at times--there's no excuse for turning the ball over in your own backfield. At least the downfield picks you can pick your spot when you want to take risks, and the change of possession occurs farther from the LoS.

 

[JVita17]

He had to have had a back or rib injury in that Giant game, because from that point forward, he missed on way too many plays he used to make look routine.

The fumbles are all on Romo. I don't care how bad the line was--and it was pretty bad at times--there's no excuse for turning the ball over in your own backfield. At least the downfield picks you can pick your spot when you want to take risks, and the change of possession occurs farther from the LoS.

Yes I agree. Fumbles were all Romos. Line was bad at times horrible at others but ball protection should be #1, ah #2 after Jessica I guess to this guy.

 

[Doomsday101]

He had to have had a back or rib injury in that Giant game, because from that point forward, he missed on way too many plays he used to make look routine.

The fumbles are all on Romo. I don't care how bad the line was--and it was pretty bad at times--there's no excuse for turning the ball over in your own backfield. At least the downfield picks you can pick your spot when you want to take risks, and the change of possession occurs farther from the LoS.

I would agree to a certain extent. It should not happen as often but there were some instance where there was little he could have done as his arm was hit in the process of trying to throw it. I do agree he has to do better when moving around to protect the ball as defenders are swiping at the ball

 

[bbgun]

Funny how we had a winning record, yet most people have selected "negative" plays to symbolize the season. I guess that's what comes with high expectations.

 

[Idgit]

I would agree to a certain extent. It should not happen as often but there were some instance where there was little he could have done as his arm was hit in the process of trying to throw it. I do agree he has to do better when moving around to protect the ball as defenders are swiping at the ball

There were plays where he would have fumbled even if he'd been holding the ball properly. And there were a few where he got away using the tuck rule.

Don't get me wrong: he was under way too much duress on passing downs against some defenses (AZ, NY, BAL, second PHI). But that can't be an excuse. If the QB is fumbling too much getting hit with his arm in motion, then he needs to do a better job sensing the pressure and taking the sack.

Blown blocking assignments aren't on the QB, but when he's buying time, making the first defender miss and trying to get the ball downfield, he can't let the desire to make a play put him in a position to fumble behind the LoS.

 

[Idgit]

Funny how we had a winning record, yet most people have selected "negative" plays to symbolize the season. I guess that's what comes with high expectations.

Most are picking a loss that could have been a win over the team that ultimately represented the NFC in the Super Bowl. I think that's why the AZ game was the best microcosm of the season. I thought at the time that they just went out and beat us. We blew several assignments and nearly got the win anyway because we had more talent, but we couldn't overcome our mistakes. The flame out at the end of that game was pretty similar to the flame out in PHI at the end of the year. And for a team who's motto was 'Just Finish', to boot.

 

[Doomsday101]

There were plays where he would have fumbled even if he'd been holding the ball properly. And there were a few where he got away using the tuck rule.

Don't get me wrong: he was under way too much duress on passing downs against some defenses (AZ, NY, BAL, second PHI). But that can't be an excuse. If the QB is fumbling too much getting hit with his arm in motion, then he needs to do a better job sensing the pressure and taking the sack.

Blown blocking assignments aren't on the QB, but when he's buying time, making the first defender miss and trying to get the ball downfield, he can't let the desire to make a play put him in a position to fumble behind the LoS.

I agree he has to do a better job of holding on when things around him are starting to break down only pointing out there are certain instance where there is nothing a QB can do to prevent it but for the most part it is on him to protect the ball

 

[theebs]

More than the blocked punt I think it was the third and 18 conversion we allowed on a screen play to the Cardinals. I almost expected the punt to get blocked. But the agonizing screen play typified everything. We had the Cardinals, a good team, right where we wanted them. Third and 18, next play punting to us putting us in good field position, with a chance to take control of the game. And then we just handed the game over. It was all downhill from there.

very good assesment.

I also think the fumble on the kickoff after we made the game 19-17 against the ravens and had all the momentum.....the ball is kicked off and fumbled and we dont recover it.....octavien ripped it out of figurs hand, tra battle almost had it.

If we do, we win that game and who knows what else happens. The team quit after the ravens game. We had all the momentum after the giants game.

after everything that happened during that miserable season, if we recover that we win that game, romo goes out as a hero and a leader for two straight weeks of getting killed on every play and who knows.

oh well.

 

[Big Country]

Lack of heart = the play where Romo heaved the ball up for grabs against the Ravens and TO stood there and watched Ed Reed go up in the air to get it, then he commenced a piss poor effort to just grab at his jersey during his int return.

 

[Undisputed]

As for a "non-negative play" I'd say this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf5oCkJfJFk

How ironic given all their drama. Romo to Witten to TO in a desperate play that had no business working.

 

[Canadian BoyzFan]

Not 1 play in particular but something along these lines...

"Before the snap. False start offense, number XX, 5 yard penalty, still third down".

 

[Doomsday101]

Lack of heart = the play where Romo heaved the ball up for grabs against the Ravens and TO stood there and watched Ed Reed go up in the air to get it, then he commenced a piss poor effort to just grab at his jersey during his int return.

Was he lacking heart when he threw 2 TD passes in the last 6 min of the game vs the Ravens? Only to see the defense give up long runs. I don't excuse the bad judgment of Romo on throwing that pass it was a poor decision by him to make that throw but lack of heart? please

 

[theebs]

Was he lacking heart when he threw 2 TD passes in the last 6 min of the game vs the Ravens? Only to see the defense give up long runs. I don't excuse the bad judgment of Romo on throwing that pass it was a poor decision by him to make that throw but lack of heart? please

He was referring to Buffalo Bill not Romo.

 

[Doomsday101]

He was referring to Buffalo Bill not Romo.

Honestly I don't think TO lacks heart either. I think he has some issues but that in my view is not one of them.

 

[Seven]

When...no not that one. It was....not that one either. Oh yeah....nah. Okay, okay...3rd and......well, there's other's that were worse.


I'm gonna have to crunch some numbers.

 

[DallasEast]

Whomever gave him the advice or if Romo took it upon himself, it was going against his nature. He's not a tall, stand in the pocket passer who can pick apart coverages, i.e. Brady.

Romo is at his best when he is on the move and has a floating pocket. It is not a lot different from McNabb when he stands rigidly in the protection zone. He's at his best moving, that creates mismatches when the defense reacts to it.

Romo is Romo. There is no reason why he should try to emulate Brady and be something he's not. It wasn't just his mechanics. The entire way we approached him last year was just strange. In other words, it wasn't broken and didn't need to be fixed. By tinkering with him and the structure, we did things he couldn't or can't do and we also asked our linemen to do things they weren't prepared to handle. In other words, it wasn't "Romo-Friendly".

Oh, and to answer the question, either the blocked punt or the miscommunicated pass from Romo to Witten that ended the Pittsburgh game. Both were perfect examples of what we had wrong with the team, poor special teams and communication issues on offense.

Bold-->