Can We Please Be Done With All the Romo Hype Now?

One day, everyone will suddenly wake up and realize Tony Romo simply isn't very good.  No joke.

That's not to say the guy is terrible either.  Clearly the Cowboys offense is not the same without him, and it's hard to dismiss all those regular season wins he's compiled.

But unless he starts winning some big games and proves me wrong, most notably in the post-season, I am forced by the higher powers to inform you what I've already known for awhile now.

Tony Romo kind of sucks.

If you caught the end of yesterday's huge Steelers victory over the Cowboys, you witnessed Romo in his natural habitat, throwing an interception that cost his team the game.  Believe me, it happens all the time.  In fact, Romo in his short career has thrown more picks (43) than he has games started (36).

I could name at least 10 quarterbacks better than Tony Romo.  Brady and the Mannings are easy.  Favre and Warner throw picks, but they're winners.  Big Ben has a ring.  Hasselbeck has been to the dance.  So has McNabb.  Brees has at least won a playoff game.  One more.  I'll take Rivers.  I'll even take Carson Palmer.  Could you imagine Tony Romo running the Bengals offense?  That would be a complete disaster.

We get it.  Romo's got the best job in the world, starting QB for the Dallas Cowboys.  He dates hot celebrities.  He's cool.  None of that makes him a great football player though.  Winning big games against good teams does, something he hasn't done yet.

As another December and January roll by and Romo and the Cowboys fold once again, and they will, hopefully their fans and the media (same thing I guess) will see what an objective fan can: a frantic QB who is always an interception away from going Plaxico on his own team.

An offensive line with three Pro Bowlers.  The best tight end in the league.  A Hall of Fame caliber wide receiver, and another who is a former top 10 draft choice.  A strong power running game.  All for nothing with a skittish quarterback who is quickly earning a reputation for putting up big numbers and leading his team no place in particular.

Makes McNabb look fantastic.

By the way, try running a Google image search on Tony Romo.  The majority of the pictures aren't even on a football field..

Comments

[DLo34]

I can't stop thinkin about a winner takes the last wild-card spot on the last day of the season against Dallas at the Linc.

[zfg]

But Romo went to the Pro Bowl, the most objective measure of talent out there!

In fairness to Romo, the playoff loss to the Giants last year was by no means his fault (see: Patrick Crayton drops at least 1, maybe 2 touchdowns). Still, he's at most the third best QB in the division -- I'd take Donovan over him any day of the week (especially throwing to Witten).

[Sean]

What ive been saying all along

[Zack]

I am glad that even people on ESPN are finally realizing how many games this guy has blown. Don't worry though...if they win a game and he throws 3 TDs they will be praising him as one of the best QBs in the league. I mean...come on...he scrambles around and makes plays like Brett Favre (and throws probably even more picks)

[K in South Jersey]

I think I enjoyed watching Romo choke and Dallas lose even more than watching the Eagles win

[Scott]

Add Jake Delhomme to that list. No joke. Look at Delhomme playoff numbers and his QB rating.

[ron]

i've never understood the hype.

i love the birds chances on the 28th because he'll be holding the reins on the other side of the field and that game will be win or go home.

[Andy]

As someone who's always thought Tony Romo sucked, I wholeheartedly agree. He's reckless with the football because he thinks he can make any play any time...he's Brett Favre without nearly the accuracy on the deep ball, nowhere near the justification for the arrogance, and small hands which make him fumble all the damn time. A little pressure is all it takes to make Mr. Romo fold like he's got 7-2 off suit pre flop with an all in and a call in front of him. Every day he's at the helm of the Cowboys is a good day for Eagles fans. I truly believe that, and always have.

[Walklett]

I'm pretty sure I willed that last interception for a touchdown. It wasn't all Romo's fault. The score was tied 13-13 with about 2 1/2 minutes left. I needed the Steelers to win by 4 points, so a field goal did me no good. I just kept repeating "pick 6, pick 6, pick 6" and my prayer was answered on the very next play. It was an amazing finish, 17 points in the last 5 minutes... against Dallas.

[DLo34]

I am having visions:

Eagles are up 24-20

Less than a minute left in the 4th quarter

Dallas ball at the Eagles 5 yard line

3rd and goal

Romo drops back, he's looking, he's firing to Witten over the middle AND IT IS INTERCEPTED BY LITO SHEPPARD! LITO RUNNING CUTS TO HIS LEFT AND IS HEADED DOWN THE SIDELINES! HE BREAKS ROMO'S TACKLE AND HE'S GONNA GO!!! LITO SHEPPARD!!!! 102 YARDS!!! AND THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES ARE HEADED TO THE PLAYOFFS!!!

Litttooooooo woah ohhhhh ohhhh ohhhh ohhhh!

[Tartan69]

No offense to Kulp and everyone on here who is bashing Romo, but that pick was ENTIRELY Witten's fault. He even acknowledged as much. I actually think Romo had a decent game given the windy conditions. He certainly had a better game than Big Ben, even though his passer rating wasn't as good (both ratings were horrible)

/Steelers fan

[Mike L.]

DLo. I think i remember that from somewhere... FUCK DALLAS.(i wont bother with the f romo because we know he sucks already)

[Lenny]

Pro tip for Romo - throw to Witten every single down. I would.

[doc]

i think romo is overrated, but the last touchdown was clearly witten's fault. and witten was cleary running the wrong route on the 4th down passing play as well....

[Blues]

Don't forget that he changes old ladies' tires and takes homeless men out to movies.

[will]

"and the legend of tony romo continues."

[Michael C]

That last game will not be win and in, at least not for the Cowgirls. They are going to lose to a pissed off Giants team next week, and then get eaten alive by the Ravens the week after. The 'team' from Dallas will be finishing this year a beautiful 8-8.

[mike c]

@Kulp

When I did a google image search of tony romo, at the top of the page it said..."related searches tony romo and carrie underwood". He's a celebrity not a football player, let alone a good football player.

[Kulp]

@ Tartan, doc

This isn't specifically about that last interception, but it's not like he didn't throw two more.

If you judge Romo's entire body of work, which obviously is unfinished, he is a turnover machine. Can he turn it around and become a winner? Eli Manning did it. Tony Romo isn't exactly Eli Manning though.

[Bryan]

Does anyone have the clip of Dawk going nuts on Boss (i think) from yesterday?

[Tartan69]

@Kulp: Yes agreed, he does turn the ball over a bit much. But he also makes plays (as opposed to being a "game manager")...Favre is the obvious comparison. You will have those kinds of QBs in the league every once in awhile...the coach just has to work his offense and playcalling around that fact. Not every team can have a Brady or Peyton Manning to be both a good playmaker AND a good game manager.

Even as a lifelong Cowboys hater, I'd rank Romo in the top 10 QBs in the league right now, if not the top 5. Definitely above DNabb...and that's tough to say as I've been a fan of Super 5 for awhile now.

[hennessey]

romo owns you all

[will]

mcnabb has been throwing to shlubs for a decade.. romo throws to professionals. i dont think its clear that romo is or ever has been better than mcnabb. donovan is the only passer to throw for more than 30 tds and under 10 ints in nfl history.. while hes not the same guy, he is definitely not light years away from it. the only thing romo has over mcnabb is a brighter future.

[JD]

@bryan-
if you find it, please forward. bdawk is the heart of the team.

i was actually going to recant the romo/unclutch issue yesterday after his 1rst td pass, which admittedly was pretty incredible. then the game exploded in his face. which was nice.

[will]

haha, hennessy, your insight is weak. please share more? how and why is that true?

[Shteek]

Even though they lost in Pittsburgh, you know that somehow the Cowboys will slither on in the playoffs. Now if it comes down to the last game against the Eagles, then you have to add in how Andy controls the clock because even though I feel they can win outright, I still have a nervous feeling about what type of "hat" Andy will be wearing that game. Lets hope it isn't a "dunce" hat!!

[DLo34]

Bobby Hebert bitches.

I have no insight, I just felt like typing that name.

[theKrisheim]

i blame fantasy football

it only increases the hype on mediocre stat machine type guys who dont win the big one

and he is nothing without his TE, he didnt even look Owens Or William's way on those last two pass places, Whitten is his crutch to a fault these days

[Dopefish]

http://www.americasteamsucks.com/images/2006/010607_10.jpg

Larger version of the pic you have here.

[Tartan69]

Krisheim does have a point. Upon further contemplation, the WRs are FAR too under-utilized in the Dallas offense given their talents.

I enjoy watching TO scream at other players and coaches though. Just a huge cancer of a player...even Dallas apologists can't ignore that aspect.

[Dopefish]

Tartan69...

http://www.americasteamsucks.com/images/to_wesuck.jpg

[cig]

I really hope you're not claiming to be an objective sports fan....

[PhiPhan5648]

Anybody who says it was totally Witten's fault, did you see how far that pass was from Witten. Yeah Witten ran the wrong route, but that doesn't fogive Romo for throwing it where Witten clearly wasn't. I mean, The only person in that area was Polamalu... did Romo even look before he threw, I say no.

So the blame goes to Romo... he threw the ball away, hoping Witten was there, without even looking for a second, and it cost them the game.

Romo consistently loses big games for the Cowboys, and come the last game of the season, I hope he loses the playoffs for the Cowgirls.

[Kulp]

@ cig

I may be an Eagles fan, but I use the same set of standards to evaluate every player.

[VYS]

@doc

"the last touchdown was clearly witten's fault. and witten was cleary running the wrong route on the 4th down passing play" Huh? What, Jason Garrett called you up before the play and tipped you off to Witten's intended route? Or do you just intercept the in-helmet radio signals" Witten may have run the wrong route, but a TE running a wrong route does not automatically mean a 25yd pick-six.

Romo is a good QB, but not great. Big plays and big turnovers. He's like a Wal-Mart Made-in-China pirated version of Brett Favre.

[PhiPhan5648]

@VYS

"Romo is a good QB, but not great. Big plays and big turnovers. He's like a Wal-Mart Made-in-China pirated version of Brett Favre."

THAT WAS FUCKING HILARIOUS!

[SHough610]

I wonder if Donovan McNabb looks at what Romo has and just punches a wall? Say what you will, but if you gave #5 one of the three things that Romo has (a great tight end, a great offensive line, or a great wide receiver) we're winning this division.

[SHough610]

Also, I never thought I'd find a coach who made me appreciate Andy Reid, but hello Wade Phillips. Say what you will about Big Red, but at least he's WON A PLAYOFF GAME.

[WanderingMoses]

Didn't you know, Romo is a 'playmaker' (which is still hard to define). The pick-six may have been Witten's bad route, but it was still a bad throw. As others have said, Romo is a Favre-wannabe, without the winning or the accuracy.

@ will

Brady and Peyton Manning also have 30 TD and less than 10 INT. Manning in '06 and Brady last year. We'll have to settle with #5 being the first to do so.

[tsharpe2]

2. Romo gets attention - probably too much - because of his position. It's like being the Yankees SS or the Canadians G, some players are going to get it no matter what. Remember, he's played only 2.5 full seasons, developmentally he's got a ways to go. Maddening inconsistency is the hallmark of a less-than-fully-developed QB - he may never get there, but ~40 games won't make you Favre, Elway, or even McNabb.

[tsharpe2]

sorry - my #1 got cut off from above, stupid work web filter. see below:
1. The INT was Witten's fault, but because he slipped on that quagmire turf at Heinz Field. It was still a rushed throw, but it wasn't "choking" - his WR lost his footing and wasn't where he was supposed to be. Fumbled FG hold? Yea, that's shaky... the TE falling down (or like zfg said, crayton pulling a Braylon Edwards) isn't choking. The guy tries to make plays, he's just not there (yet - and maybe never). Same stuff was said about Elway, Kelly, Manning, and hosts of other QBs until they won the big game. (well, sorry Bills fans...)

Full disclosure - I'm prob the only Dallas fan who reads this board regularly

[BrianS]

From ESPN Page 2

http://assets.espn.go.com/photo/2008/1208/pg2_romo_300.jpg