Foxsports: Romo is no one-year wonder
by Adam Schein
Tony Romo is a really good quarterback who is on the cusp of becoming great.
Romo is the guy who can finally lead the Cowboys back to the Super Bowl.
Is it OK to say that now after watching the first three weeks of the season, highlighted by a sensational Week 3 performance in Chicago?
As if it was wrong to say that in the off-season.
It seems like everyone else wanted to take a wait-and-see approach with Romo, even after he burst onto the scene and led the 2006 Cowboys to the playoffs. Folks wanted to wait even after he proved to Bill Parcells in practice that he had all the tools to be a winner over the years.
He's been nothing short of phenomenal and clutch in the 3-0 start. It's the main reason why the Cowboys are the team to beat in the NFC. Romo has eight touchdowns against just two picks and has thrown for 860 yards already.
Romo worked incredibly hard this off-season to improve his game and confirm he wasn't a flash in the pan. He did have critics and doubters, including foolish thoughts from some quarters that he got a bit too "Hollywood" on everyone.
Terrell Owens and Tony Romo are on the same page. "I know he wants the ball," Romo says. "He knows I want to get him the ball. If he's open, he gets it. If someone else is open, they get it. He understands that with me." ( / Getty Images)
In catching up with Romo for a while on Tuesday, the quarterback admitted he hears chatter and gets fueled by it.
"I am a very competitive guy," Romo said "I learned a long time ago that I love to compete and be out there and to win. I enjoy working hard and trying to be the best you can be. I really enjoy that aspect of it. People say a lot of things. And at the time, sure, you want to prove them wrong. I really, you know, don't even think about that stuff.
"Going into the Chicago game, everyone talked about the Bears defense, how we hadn't played a defense like that. And maybe they were right in some ways. It makes you want to go out and win games and play football and have fun doing it."
A huge reason why Romo and the Cowboys offense have been so successful is the incredible rapport between the quarterback and Terrell Owens.
Romo has supported T.O. since the day he arrived in Dallas, even while serving as the back-up to Drew Bledsoe, and the quarterback seems to "get" Owens.
"He's a guy who wants nothing more than to win deep down inside," Romo said. "He wants to be a great player. He wants to be successful and he knows that I want him to be successful. There is never a personal issue or vendetta with us. I know he wants the ball. He knows I want to get him the ball. If he's open, he gets it. If someone else is open, they get it. He understands that with me.
"He's a big guy who can do what a 180-pound guy can do. But he's 225 pounds. It's part of what makes him special. And the other part you guys don't see. He is so committed during the week in practice. He wears this vest to put more weight on himself. He is out there running and working."
The quarterback was understandably down after he muffed a hold for a field goal in Seattle with the playoffs on the line. One Cowboy who consistently called to get him out the funk, surprisingly, was Owens.
"It was a very difficult time for me," Romo said. "And you learn a lot about people during a time like that. He made it a lot easier. It made me appreciate having a guy like that on my side. I know he has been difficult for others but he's been great for me."
Thanks to Romo, Owens is once again an upper-echelon receiver, with 16 catches for 329 yards.
In addition to the work ethic, Romo finds other reasons why it is clicking, starting with his stated off-season goal of involving Jason Witten more in the attack.
"Jason is a phenomenal player and I feel really lucky to have him as my tight end," Romo said. "He is a guy who you can't take out of a game because you have to account for Owens as well. If you play Cover 2 (defense) it is impossible to double-team both of them."
Witten, second on the Cowboys with 14 catches for 233 yards, has been a favorite target for Romo in the red zone and on third downs.
And the quarterback is in sync with new offensive coordinator Jason Garrett.
"He has a good feel for the game," Romo said. "He has a really good handle on how a game is going and how to make adjustments. I am always in step with him. I just have to go out and execute for him.
"There is no secret to this game. You put players in good positions to try to make plays. Jason does a good job with that. That's all it comes down to."
The signature move the Cowboys made this off-season was replacing Bill Parcells with Wade Phillips. Romo always strived to be a Parcells guy. And without question, he was. But the quarterback appreciates what Phillips brings to Dallas.
"He is a calming influence on everyone," Romo said. "He and Bill go about it very differently but they are both very successful at what they do. You can win with either guy. I feel bad for Bill in some ways because I feel like I am a better player now for Wade than I was for Bill. Wade really has a great approach to the game. He wants to win while having fun at the same time. It's a really neat experience to be around him."
John Madden told a story on Sunday Night Football this week. Romo walked into a hot tub at the Dallas facility and saw Parcells in the water. While the coach and player soaked, Parcells told Romo, "Never let good enough be enough."
It's something that rings in Romo's head constantly, every single day. And it actually reminds him of a great story he once heard.
"I heard Bob Costas once say that the greatest overachiever in sports is Michael Jordan," Romo said. "People thought he was nuts. I got it. He was dead on. Michael Jordan never let 'good enough' be good enough. He worked on his jumper. He worked on his defense. Not letting 'good enough' be good enough is all I'm trying to do."
Romo is a free agent at the end of the year and has earned a long-term, mega-buck extension. "Matt Schaub money" or "Marc Bulger money" is the area to discuss.
Jerry Jones has been a little lackadaisical in getting Romo his money.
"I let my agents and the Jones' handle that," Romo said. "I tell them to let me know if something is getting close. There hasn't been much there yet. I'm just playing football. I guess they wanted to see if I am really a good player. That's fine. They want to invest money wisely."
Meanwhile, though, the meter -- and the eventual payday -- swings towards Romo.
He isn't sweating it. Romo knows he'll get his money. It's actually kind of wonderful and refreshing watching this undrafted free agent enjoy every single minute of life in the NFL.
Tony Romo is a really good quarterback who is on the cusp of becoming great.
Romo is the guy who can finally lead the Cowboys back to the Super Bowl.
Is it OK to say that now after watching the first three weeks of the season, highlighted by a sensational Week 3 performance in Chicago?
As if it was wrong to say that in the off-season.
It seems like everyone else wanted to take a wait-and-see approach with Romo, even after he burst onto the scene and led the 2006 Cowboys to the playoffs. Folks wanted to wait even after he proved to Bill Parcells in practice that he had all the tools to be a winner over the years.
He's been nothing short of phenomenal and clutch in the 3-0 start. It's the main reason why the Cowboys are the team to beat in the NFC. Romo has eight touchdowns against just two picks and has thrown for 860 yards already.
Romo worked incredibly hard this off-season to improve his game and confirm he wasn't a flash in the pan. He did have critics and doubters, including foolish thoughts from some quarters that he got a bit too "Hollywood" on everyone.
Terrell Owens and Tony Romo are on the same page. "I know he wants the ball," Romo says. "He knows I want to get him the ball. If he's open, he gets it. If someone else is open, they get it. He understands that with me." ( / Getty Images)
In catching up with Romo for a while on Tuesday, the quarterback admitted he hears chatter and gets fueled by it.
"I am a very competitive guy," Romo said "I learned a long time ago that I love to compete and be out there and to win. I enjoy working hard and trying to be the best you can be. I really enjoy that aspect of it. People say a lot of things. And at the time, sure, you want to prove them wrong. I really, you know, don't even think about that stuff.
"Going into the Chicago game, everyone talked about the Bears defense, how we hadn't played a defense like that. And maybe they were right in some ways. It makes you want to go out and win games and play football and have fun doing it."
A huge reason why Romo and the Cowboys offense have been so successful is the incredible rapport between the quarterback and Terrell Owens.
Romo has supported T.O. since the day he arrived in Dallas, even while serving as the back-up to Drew Bledsoe, and the quarterback seems to "get" Owens.
"He's a guy who wants nothing more than to win deep down inside," Romo said. "He wants to be a great player. He wants to be successful and he knows that I want him to be successful. There is never a personal issue or vendetta with us. I know he wants the ball. He knows I want to get him the ball. If he's open, he gets it. If someone else is open, they get it. He understands that with me.
"He's a big guy who can do what a 180-pound guy can do. But he's 225 pounds. It's part of what makes him special. And the other part you guys don't see. He is so committed during the week in practice. He wears this vest to put more weight on himself. He is out there running and working."
The quarterback was understandably down after he muffed a hold for a field goal in Seattle with the playoffs on the line. One Cowboy who consistently called to get him out the funk, surprisingly, was Owens.
"It was a very difficult time for me," Romo said. "And you learn a lot about people during a time like that. He made it a lot easier. It made me appreciate having a guy like that on my side. I know he has been difficult for others but he's been great for me."
Thanks to Romo, Owens is once again an upper-echelon receiver, with 16 catches for 329 yards.
In addition to the work ethic, Romo finds other reasons why it is clicking, starting with his stated off-season goal of involving Jason Witten more in the attack.
"Jason is a phenomenal player and I feel really lucky to have him as my tight end," Romo said. "He is a guy who you can't take out of a game because you have to account for Owens as well. If you play Cover 2 (defense) it is impossible to double-team both of them."
Witten, second on the Cowboys with 14 catches for 233 yards, has been a favorite target for Romo in the red zone and on third downs.
And the quarterback is in sync with new offensive coordinator Jason Garrett.
"He has a good feel for the game," Romo said. "He has a really good handle on how a game is going and how to make adjustments. I am always in step with him. I just have to go out and execute for him.
"There is no secret to this game. You put players in good positions to try to make plays. Jason does a good job with that. That's all it comes down to."
The signature move the Cowboys made this off-season was replacing Bill Parcells with Wade Phillips. Romo always strived to be a Parcells guy. And without question, he was. But the quarterback appreciates what Phillips brings to Dallas.
"He is a calming influence on everyone," Romo said. "He and Bill go about it very differently but they are both very successful at what they do. You can win with either guy. I feel bad for Bill in some ways because I feel like I am a better player now for Wade than I was for Bill. Wade really has a great approach to the game. He wants to win while having fun at the same time. It's a really neat experience to be around him."
John Madden told a story on Sunday Night Football this week. Romo walked into a hot tub at the Dallas facility and saw Parcells in the water. While the coach and player soaked, Parcells told Romo, "Never let good enough be enough."
It's something that rings in Romo's head constantly, every single day. And it actually reminds him of a great story he once heard.
"I heard Bob Costas once say that the greatest overachiever in sports is Michael Jordan," Romo said. "People thought he was nuts. I got it. He was dead on. Michael Jordan never let 'good enough' be good enough. He worked on his jumper. He worked on his defense. Not letting 'good enough' be good enough is all I'm trying to do."
Romo is a free agent at the end of the year and has earned a long-term, mega-buck extension. "Matt Schaub money" or "Marc Bulger money" is the area to discuss.
Jerry Jones has been a little lackadaisical in getting Romo his money.
"I let my agents and the Jones' handle that," Romo said. "I tell them to let me know if something is getting close. There hasn't been much there yet. I'm just playing football. I guess they wanted to see if I am really a good player. That's fine. They want to invest money wisely."
Meanwhile, though, the meter -- and the eventual payday -- swings towards Romo.
He isn't sweating it. Romo knows he'll get his money. It's actually kind of wonderful and refreshing watching this undrafted free agent enjoy every single minute of life in the NFL.
posted by The Gryphon at 10:22 PM
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