Mark Craig: Whatever 'it' is, Cowboys' Romo has it
By Mark Craig, Star Tribune
Last update: October 16, 2007 – 12:41 AM
When it comes to NFL matchups, Vikings running back Adrian Peterson vs. the Chicago Bears run defense wasn't all that difficult to figure out. And neither is this week's key matchup: Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo vs. the Vikings pass defense ... or lack thereof.
Romo just completed the best career-opening 16 starts by an NFL quarterback this side of Kurt Warner, 1999. The Vikings pass defense just gave up 375 yards and three touchdowns to an offense belonging to the Chicago Stinking Bears!
Romo has 4,348 yards passing in his first 16 regular-season starts. That's five fewer than Warner threw for in 1999, the year he won his first league MVP trophy and led the St. Louis Rams to victory in Super Bowl XXXIV.
The Vikings pass defense was torched Sunday by Brian Griese in the best performance by a Bears quarterback since Jim Miller passed for 422 yards eight years ago. Yeah, the Vikings won 34-31, but isn't it time to start worrying about a pass defense that ranked tied for last in 2006 and now anchors the bottom of the league all by itself (288.4 yards allowed per game)?
Um, yes.
The Cowboys have the third-ranked passing offense (274.7) heading into Sunday's game against the Vikings at Texas Stadium. And, besides, there's just something special about Romo.
"He kind of has that whole, quote unquote 'it' factor as far as quarterbacks go," Vikings outside linebacker Ben Leber said. "Maybe he doesn't throw the ball the hardest, or he isn't the fastest, but he gets it done. And he wins."
Romo is 11-5 as a starter, completing 63.3 percent of his passes for 4,348 yards and 31 touchdowns with 19 interceptions. In Warner's first MVP season, he completed 65.1 percent of his passes with 41 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
Yes, Romo and the Cowboys just got smoked by New England 48-27 in a battle of 5-0 teams. But considering the Cowboys were down 14-0 before they got their initial first down, it's a credit to Romo's leadership that they actually came back and led Tom Brady and the three-time Super Bowl champions 24-21 midway through the third quarter.
The week before, at Buffalo on Monday Night Football, Romo posted one of the worst individual statistical lines in Cowboys history: five interceptions and one lost fumble. Yet there he was at the end of the game, completing passes and moving the Cowboys in position for a last-second, game-winning field goal.
"He plays a little bit like Brett Favre," Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield said. "No matter what has happened to him, he's always scrambling around, looking downfield for a receiver, looking to make plays. And making plays."
Vikings coach Brad Childress remembered then-Cowboys coach Bill Parcells telling him about Romo before their preseason meeting last season. Romo ended up playing and impressing Childress for about three quarters that night.
"You could see that he had 'it,'" Childress said. "He knew exactly what he needed to do with the football, when he needed to do it. He understands situational football forward and backward. He can work you with his eyes. He's not overpowering arm-wise. He throws early, he doesn't throw hard. He's a great anticipatory thrower from that standpoint. I think that's what makes him good."
Romo's stats this year are a bit skewed because of the Bills game. Heading into Monday night's Giants-Falcons game, he was tied with New Orleans' Drew Brees for the most interceptions (nine).
"Yeah, but I think part of that 'it' factor for a quarterback is just being a guy who understands that if you make a mistake, you get back up and keep rolling on," Leber said. "When you have 'it,' there's a bunch of aspects that you can't look at on paper and point to. You just have 'it.' And Tony Romo has it."
Last update: October 16, 2007 – 12:41 AM
When it comes to NFL matchups, Vikings running back Adrian Peterson vs. the Chicago Bears run defense wasn't all that difficult to figure out. And neither is this week's key matchup: Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo vs. the Vikings pass defense ... or lack thereof.
Romo just completed the best career-opening 16 starts by an NFL quarterback this side of Kurt Warner, 1999. The Vikings pass defense just gave up 375 yards and three touchdowns to an offense belonging to the Chicago Stinking Bears!
Romo has 4,348 yards passing in his first 16 regular-season starts. That's five fewer than Warner threw for in 1999, the year he won his first league MVP trophy and led the St. Louis Rams to victory in Super Bowl XXXIV.
The Vikings pass defense was torched Sunday by Brian Griese in the best performance by a Bears quarterback since Jim Miller passed for 422 yards eight years ago. Yeah, the Vikings won 34-31, but isn't it time to start worrying about a pass defense that ranked tied for last in 2006 and now anchors the bottom of the league all by itself (288.4 yards allowed per game)?
Um, yes.
The Cowboys have the third-ranked passing offense (274.7) heading into Sunday's game against the Vikings at Texas Stadium. And, besides, there's just something special about Romo.
"He kind of has that whole, quote unquote 'it' factor as far as quarterbacks go," Vikings outside linebacker Ben Leber said. "Maybe he doesn't throw the ball the hardest, or he isn't the fastest, but he gets it done. And he wins."
Romo is 11-5 as a starter, completing 63.3 percent of his passes for 4,348 yards and 31 touchdowns with 19 interceptions. In Warner's first MVP season, he completed 65.1 percent of his passes with 41 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
Yes, Romo and the Cowboys just got smoked by New England 48-27 in a battle of 5-0 teams. But considering the Cowboys were down 14-0 before they got their initial first down, it's a credit to Romo's leadership that they actually came back and led Tom Brady and the three-time Super Bowl champions 24-21 midway through the third quarter.
The week before, at Buffalo on Monday Night Football, Romo posted one of the worst individual statistical lines in Cowboys history: five interceptions and one lost fumble. Yet there he was at the end of the game, completing passes and moving the Cowboys in position for a last-second, game-winning field goal.
"He plays a little bit like Brett Favre," Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield said. "No matter what has happened to him, he's always scrambling around, looking downfield for a receiver, looking to make plays. And making plays."
Vikings coach Brad Childress remembered then-Cowboys coach Bill Parcells telling him about Romo before their preseason meeting last season. Romo ended up playing and impressing Childress for about three quarters that night.
"You could see that he had 'it,'" Childress said. "He knew exactly what he needed to do with the football, when he needed to do it. He understands situational football forward and backward. He can work you with his eyes. He's not overpowering arm-wise. He throws early, he doesn't throw hard. He's a great anticipatory thrower from that standpoint. I think that's what makes him good."
Romo's stats this year are a bit skewed because of the Bills game. Heading into Monday night's Giants-Falcons game, he was tied with New Orleans' Drew Brees for the most interceptions (nine).
"Yeah, but I think part of that 'it' factor for a quarterback is just being a guy who understands that if you make a mistake, you get back up and keep rolling on," Leber said. "When you have 'it,' there's a bunch of aspects that you can't look at on paper and point to. You just have 'it.' And Tony Romo has it."
posted by The Gryphon at 5:40 AM
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