The problem with Tony Romo

[Tailback U]

I posted this in the Cowboys/Packers gameday thread but feel that it is thread worthy because it makes for good discussion and I spent 20 god damn minutes on it.

Romo still has a serious problem with staring down his receivers from the snap of the ball. He did it on the pick to Witten and he did it time and time again throughout the course of the game.

Miles Austin is the only reason why Romo was seemingly improving. Romo, and the Cowboys offense, drastically improved once they realized that Miles Austin is a threat every time he touches the ball. He was making Romo look good by flat out beating DB's who tried to man up with him or breaking tackles underneath for huge gains.

In the past two weeks, the Eagles and Packers rolled coverage towards Austin's side or even doubled up on him with over/under coverage which is why Romo has been looking to Williams and Witten a lot more. Even still, he threw balls into 2 man coverage more than a few times yesterday because he doesn't consistently go through his progressions.

I've said it numerous times this season already and Romo really hasn't gotten any better at it. Pay attention to how he locks on to his primary target and often forces passes into coverage even after buying time to avoid pressure.

The Cowboys have a running game, an elite TE, an elite WR and a solid WR2 yet Romo still struggles against every decent defense he goes up against.

He hasn't played awful this year and I don't think he cost the Cowboys the game yesterday but his numbers are seriously inflated because of the success he's had against bad teams this season:

Teams below .500:
W @ TB - 16/27, 353 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INT, 140.6.
W Vs. CAR - 22/33, 255 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 89.6.
W @ KAN - 20/34, 351 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 113.7.
W Vs. SEA - 21/36, 256 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT, 108.1.

Totals = 79/130 (60%), 1215 yards (303ypg), 8 TD, 0 INT, 113.0 QBR.

Teams above .500:
L Vs. NYG - 13/29, 127 yards, 3 INT, 1 TD, 29.6.
L @ DEN - 25/42, 252, 1 INT, 0 TD, 67.1.
* W Vs. ATL - 21/29, 311 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT, 141.6.
W @ PHI - 21/34, 307 yards, 1 INT, 1 TD, 88.7.
L @ GNB - 24/39, 251 yards, 1 INT, 1 TD. 78.0.

*Totals = 83/144 (57%), 937 yards (234ypg), 6 INT, 3 TD, 65.85.

* Romo's stats Vs. ATL weren't included in totals because I wanted to strengthen my point and Romo's numbers in that game are so good that they made it look like Romo is doing alright against teams above .500 when he has actually struggled drastically in comparison to his play vs. teams above .500. Not to mention Atlanta has one of the worst pass defenses in the league, anyway.

I'm not blaming Romo specifically for any losses but the point here is that Romo needs to be much more consistent and stop turning the ball over so much against good teams or the Cowboys are not going to be much better than a .500 ball club.

The NFC East is a mess and up for grabs with the Cowboys leading the race as of right now, but how can the Cowboys expect to win a playoff game if Romo is proven to be mediocre at best against nearly every good team he faces?

He has played great against shitty teams and average or below against decent teams and the bottom line is that championship teams have big game QBs and/or elite defenses and right now Romo is not a big game quarterback and the Cowboys defense is not playing at an elite level.

[bringbackjimmy]

I am not counting the Atlanta game, because i want to strengthen my point of view... At least you a honest hater...

He has 1 good WR 1 avg WR(crayton) and 3 scrubs(one thats making a shit load of cash). how bout you take out the Giants game and put the falcons game? If you take out his best you have to take out his worst. Blind Hate

Teams above .500:
L Vs. NYG - 13/29, 127 yards, 3 INT, 1 TD, 29.6.
L @ DEN - 25/42, 252, 1 INT, 0 TD, 67.1.
W Vs. ATL - 21/29, 311 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT, 141.6.
W @ PHI - 21/34, 307 yards, 1 INT, 1 TD, 88.7.
L @ GNB - 24/39, 251 yards, 1 INT, 1 TD. 78.0.
104/173(60%), 1248(250), 6TD, 6INT,79.3
not counting NYG :91/144(63%),1121(280),5TD,3INT,90.0
not counting both NYG and ATL:70/115(61%),810(270),2TD, 3Int, 77.1

Haters are haters and they will bend the facts untill they look right...How bout every good game Romo has ever had get thrown out so you guys can actaully say he sucks.... remember it's only a big game if tony loses. Not once did i hear people saying tony won a big game when we beat the eagles last week, but if he lost it would have been all over SC why can't Romo win the big games. How bout Tony winning 13 straight games in November? How bout Tony being the only cowboys QB to win in Lambeau...

[Woy]

LOL @ Tailback's sig and LOL @ at who ended up responding at this first.

[bringbackjimmy]

Raiders are 26-79(25%) and of their 26 wins 9 have come against teams with a winning record. Of those 9 wins only 3 of those teams have gone on to make the playoffs. The combined record of those teams are 173-229(43%). this puts the raiders as on of the worst teams in history right along those bucc teams

Now i am going to make a post like TailbackU:

Raiders are 26-79(25%) and of their 26 wins 9 have come against teams with a winning record. Of those 9 wins only 3 of those teams have gone on to make the playoffs. Now i am not going to count the record against winning teams just to further my point on how the Raiders suck The combined record of those teams are 83-166(33%).

[Cryolemon]

If you don't count the best game he had, at least discount the worst as well to balance it out.

[Prodigal Son]

When did Heisman become a cowboy fan?

[GoChargers]

I am by no means a Tony Romo fan but I will defend him here, only because I have nothing better to do right now. Except, in my argument, I will include the Atlanta game, it is unfair to ignore his best game to suit your argument.

Teams below .500
Totals = 79/130 (60%), 1215 yards (303ypg), 8 TD, 0 INT, 113.0 QBR.
4-0 record


Teams above .500
Totals = 104/173 (60%), 1248 yards (250ypg), 6 INT, 6 TD, 79.35 QBR.
2-3 record


Now, how is that much different to any other 'decent' quarterback? For the sake of argument, I will compare him to a QB that may be similarly valued, Matt Ryan.


Matt Ryan
Teams below .500
Totals = 123/193 (64%), 1322 yards (220ypg), 11 TD, 7 INT, 87.60 QBR
5-1 record

Teams above .500
Totals = 55/105 (52%), 686 yards (229ypg), 3 TD, 5 INT, 62.65 QBR
0-3 record



Look at other QB's with similar expectations..

McNabb; 3-1 against teams below .500
1-2 against teams above .500


Rodgers; 4-1 against teams below .500
1-3 against teams above .500

E.Manning; 4-0 against teams below .500
1-4 against teams above .500

Flacco; 3-0 against teams below .500
2-4 against teams above .500

Rivers; 4-0 against teams below .500
2-3 against teams above .500

[Senser81]

The three best players Dallas has on offense are Romo, Witten, and Marion Barber. This year, a typical Dallas game features 1 or 2 passes to Witten, 8 or 9 carries by Barber with no passes to him, and a lot of plays for Crayton, Austin, Williams, and Choice. Its beyond comprehension. I really don't think that Romo is the problem.

[KINGOFOOTBALL]

The three best players Dallas has on offense are Romo, Witten, and Marion Barber. This year, a typical Dallas game features 1 or 2 passes to Witten, 8 or 9 carries by Barber with no passes to him, and a lot of plays for Crayton, Austin, Williams, and Choice. Its beyond comprehension. I really don't think that Romo is the problem.

Bout time a Cowboy hater realizes whats going on.


Also once again how interesting when Romo loses to NYG its all Romo sucks talk... they go on a winning streak...not a peep. He loses another game over a month later right back to Romo's overrated.

[Tailback U]

I am not counting the Atlanta game, because i want to strengthen my point of view... At least you a honest hater...

He has 1 good WR 1 avg WR(crayton) and 3 scrubs(one thats making a shit load of cash). how bout you take out the Giants game and put the falcons game? If you take out his best you have to take out his worst. Blind Hate

Teams above .500:
L Vs. NYG - 13/29, 127 yards, 3 INT, 1 TD, 29.6.
L @ DEN - 25/42, 252, 1 INT, 0 TD, 67.1.
W Vs. ATL - 21/29, 311 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT, 141.6.
W @ PHI - 21/34, 307 yards, 1 INT, 1 TD, 88.7.
L @ GNB - 24/39, 251 yards, 1 INT, 1 TD. 78.0.
104/173(60%), 1248(250), 6TD, 6INT,79.3
not counting NYG :91/144(63%),1121(280),5TD,3INT,90.0
not counting both NYG and ATL:70/115(61%),810(270),2TD, 3Int, 77.1

Haters are haters and they will bend the facts untill they look right...How bout every good game Romo has ever had get thrown out so you guys can actaully say he sucks.... remember it's only a big game if tony loses. Not once did i hear people saying tony won a big game when we beat the eagles last week, but if he lost it would have been all over SC why can't Romo win the big games. How bout Tony winning 13 straight games in November? How bout Tony being the only cowboys QB to win in Lambeau...

You're missing the point. First of all, I said in the OP that I don't think Romo is to blame for any of the Cowboys losses. Secondly, I didn't include Romo's stats vs. the Falcons for two reasons:

1) The Falcons have a really shitty pass defense, even if they are 1 game above .500 (and I doubt they will stay above .500 with the way they've been playing as of late and if Turner is out for a few games).

2) Romo's stats against the Falcons were great, by far his best game of the season, but throwing them in with the other 4 games vs. +.500 teams would have made his performances against those teams look much better than they actually were.

He had 1 great game and 4 [below] average games, so the odds of Romo having a great game vs. teams above .500 is 4:1. Romo's performance against Atl was the exception, not the rule, and that's why I left it out.

I'm not a Romo hater or even a Cowboys hater, I was just stating my opinion on why I think Romo is struggling and used statistics to support my argument.

Based on the statistics I provided and previous performances over the last 5 seasons, Romo hasn't once proven that he is capable of playing at an elite level in big games. I fully believe that he has the ability to be an elite QB but I don't see how anyone can honestly think that he is going to reach that level until he shows it.

Romo is in his 5th season. He's a good quarterback right now with great skill and talent. How long/What is it gonna take for him to go from good to great? That's all I'm saying.

And just so you know - if the Raiders lose 11 games this year it will be the 7th straight year they have lost 10+ games and that will be an NFL worst over a 7 year span.

[Tailback U]

Bout time a Cowboy hater realizes whats going on.


Also once again how interesting when Romo loses to NYG its all Romo sucks talk... they go on a winning streak...not a peep. He loses another game over a month later right back to Romo's overrated.

I'm not saying Romo is overrated. I think he is a tier 2 NFL QB and that's something I can only dream of having in Oakland.

I just think that he has the talent and has/had the weapons to be a great QB in this league but isn't quite there yet in his 5th season and I'm starting to wonder if he ever will get there.

You guys are too sensitive. I'm just breaking down and analyzing a football player on a football message board. I don't know why you guys are so sensitive when it comes to Tony Romo.

[Senser81]

Bout time a Cowboy hater realizes whats going on.

LOL. I don't hate the Cowboys, just you.

[Senser81]

I just think that he has the talent and has/had the weapons to be a great QB in this league

Miles Austin, Roy Williams, Patrick Crayton, Tashard Choice = weapons


:2star:

[Tailback U]

The three best players Dallas has on offense are Romo, Witten, and Marion Barber. This year, a typical Dallas game features 1 or 2 passes to Witten, 8 or 9 carries by Barber with no passes to him, and a lot of plays for Crayton, Austin, Williams, and Choice. Its beyond comprehension. I really don't think that Romo is the problem.

I agree that the Cowboys gameplanning and playcalling could be much better, but I also think that the Cowboys have one of the most talented offenses in the league and that you are not giving them enough credit.

OLine - had what, 4 or 5 pro-bowlers on it just a couple seasons ago? did they lose any OL from that squad that boasted all those pro-bowlers?

Miles Austin - Breakout year and is extremely talented. Anyone that has watched this guy since he started getting balls thrown his way can easily see the speed and strength that he possesses. He has drastically improved his route running and hands since the last couple of seasons and is now a complete WR and an explosive one to boot.

Roy Williams - Solid #2. Everyone loves to hate on him, including me, because he celebrates every single fucking time he makes a 1st down but let's not kid ourselves - the dude is a physical specimen and was a pro-bowler just 3 seasons ago in 2006 on the Detroit Lions. Hell, I don't even know who the hell played QB for the Lions in 2006 but whoever did was able to get him 1300 yards and 8 TDs that year. His play has declined but as I said, he is still a solid #2 and definitely capable of starting on any team in the league.

Jason Witten - all-pro tight end, think everyone agrees on this. he's been helping out in pass protection much more this season so his numbers are down, but i guess that's what Dallas needs him to do since all the Cowboys fans are blaming the OL for most of Romo's struggles.

Marion Barber/Felix Jones/Tashard Choice - They're all good so they are all used, especially since Barber and Jones seem pretty fragile.

The Cowboys are 6-3 and 1st in their division so they are doing fine right now. I'm really interested in seeing what their record ends up being, though, because of all the questions surrounding the Cowboys in December.

[Tailback U]

Miles Austin, Roy Williams, Patrick Crayton, Tashard Choice = weapons


:2star:

And you chose to leave out Witten, Barber, and Felix Jones because..?

Please name some offenses that you think have hands down more overall talent at each skill position than the Cowboys. There are definitely a few teams that are stronger at certain positions but I still think the Cowboys are in the top 5 in terms of overall offensive talent because they have more balance than most teams at each skills position: WR, WR, TE, HB, QB.