NFL Report: Dallas enjoying revival under Romo
By Jim Corbett, USA TODAY
Tony Romo is quickly proving himself to be something more than the quarterback successor Dallas Cowboys fans have been waiting on since Hall of Famer Troy Aikman retired in 2000.
Everything about Romo's 4-1 start suggests the Cowboys' Boy Wonder might be the latest storybook quarterback.
Romo-mania is starting to inspire Dallas Super Bowl dreams and comparisons to other out-of-nowhere quarterback legends — namely Tom Brady and Kurt Warner.
The last quarterback to have a five-touchdown passing performance in one of his first five starts? Warner, who went from stocking supermarket shelves to Super Bowl MVP as he raised the Lombardi Trophy with St. Louis in 2000.
"I thought it was Aikman out there," Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden said after Romo's five-touchdown, 306-yard performance keyed a 38-10 Thanksgiving Day victory.
"Three in a Romo" was the headline on the Cowboys website after Romo's five touchdowns tied the franchise record held by Aikman and four others.
But Romo is still cautious: "I haven't arrived by any means."
Try telling that to rabid Dallas fans.
Romo raised expectations after beating the previously undefeated Colts in Week 11. He's thrown for 10 touchdowns and two interceptions in his five starts for a 115.8 passer rating since replacing Drew Bledsoe at halftime of a Week 7 Monday night loss to the Giants.
It says everything about how high Romo's star has risen that he's not only upstaged Terrell Owens but bonded well with the player infamous for throwing other quarterbacks under the bus.
Romo, a former Eastern Illinois quarterback, was tutored by another former Eastern Illinois quarterback, current Saints head coach (and former Cowboys quarterbacks coach and offensive assistant) Sean Payton.
Romo wears No. 9, not in tribute to any quarterback or because he's the ninth quarterback to start since Aikman retired. It's in tribute to his favorite movie character — Roy Hobbs, the fictional home run-hitting hero played by Robert Redford in The Natural.
Hey, if you're going to dream, why not swing for the fences?
The guy trying to keep his charismatic football version of Roy Hobbs grounded is coach Bill Parcells, who arguably made the move of the season when he promoted Romo after a three-year apprenticeship.
"I'm impressed. But you know a couple of those I could have thrown," Parcells said after the win against Tampa Bay. "We've got a ways to go here. So put the anointing oil away."
Romo makes quick decisions and has made the most of the Cowboys' arsenal of playmakers, getting tight ends Jason Witten and Anthony Fasano involved as receivers instead of Bledsoe protectors.
"We have so many weapons on the outside, I pick out a guy I think is open and get him the ball and they do all the work," Romo says.
"I always had pretty good instincts. I think I see things at a pretty good pace.
"I don't think about it, 'Wow! I'm the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys.' For me, this is my job. This is what I've been preparing to do. And I really want to win badly."
He's a football guy who has hit it off with Parcells, possibly as the winning lottery ticket the Tuna needed in his fourth season in Dallas.
"Me and Bill actually get along real well just because we both want to win," Romo says. "I think he believes in me and trusts me. At the end of the day, we're both trying to do the same thing, win a lot of games.
"We're just football guys 24/7. The more people you have like that on your team, usually the better off your team is."
Tony Romo is quickly proving himself to be something more than the quarterback successor Dallas Cowboys fans have been waiting on since Hall of Famer Troy Aikman retired in 2000.
Everything about Romo's 4-1 start suggests the Cowboys' Boy Wonder might be the latest storybook quarterback.
Romo-mania is starting to inspire Dallas Super Bowl dreams and comparisons to other out-of-nowhere quarterback legends — namely Tom Brady and Kurt Warner.
The last quarterback to have a five-touchdown passing performance in one of his first five starts? Warner, who went from stocking supermarket shelves to Super Bowl MVP as he raised the Lombardi Trophy with St. Louis in 2000.
"I thought it was Aikman out there," Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden said after Romo's five-touchdown, 306-yard performance keyed a 38-10 Thanksgiving Day victory.
"Three in a Romo" was the headline on the Cowboys website after Romo's five touchdowns tied the franchise record held by Aikman and four others.
But Romo is still cautious: "I haven't arrived by any means."
Try telling that to rabid Dallas fans.
Romo raised expectations after beating the previously undefeated Colts in Week 11. He's thrown for 10 touchdowns and two interceptions in his five starts for a 115.8 passer rating since replacing Drew Bledsoe at halftime of a Week 7 Monday night loss to the Giants.
It says everything about how high Romo's star has risen that he's not only upstaged Terrell Owens but bonded well with the player infamous for throwing other quarterbacks under the bus.
Romo, a former Eastern Illinois quarterback, was tutored by another former Eastern Illinois quarterback, current Saints head coach (and former Cowboys quarterbacks coach and offensive assistant) Sean Payton.
Romo wears No. 9, not in tribute to any quarterback or because he's the ninth quarterback to start since Aikman retired. It's in tribute to his favorite movie character — Roy Hobbs, the fictional home run-hitting hero played by Robert Redford in The Natural.
Hey, if you're going to dream, why not swing for the fences?
The guy trying to keep his charismatic football version of Roy Hobbs grounded is coach Bill Parcells, who arguably made the move of the season when he promoted Romo after a three-year apprenticeship.
"I'm impressed. But you know a couple of those I could have thrown," Parcells said after the win against Tampa Bay. "We've got a ways to go here. So put the anointing oil away."
Romo makes quick decisions and has made the most of the Cowboys' arsenal of playmakers, getting tight ends Jason Witten and Anthony Fasano involved as receivers instead of Bledsoe protectors.
"We have so many weapons on the outside, I pick out a guy I think is open and get him the ball and they do all the work," Romo says.
"I always had pretty good instincts. I think I see things at a pretty good pace.
"I don't think about it, 'Wow! I'm the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys.' For me, this is my job. This is what I've been preparing to do. And I really want to win badly."
He's a football guy who has hit it off with Parcells, possibly as the winning lottery ticket the Tuna needed in his fourth season in Dallas.
"Me and Bill actually get along real well just because we both want to win," Romo says. "I think he believes in me and trusts me. At the end of the day, we're both trying to do the same thing, win a lot of games.
"We're just football guys 24/7. The more people you have like that on your team, usually the better off your team is."
posted by The Gryphon at 7:03 PM
<< Home