Window to Week 6: Romo the key vs. Pats
By Clifton Brown, Sporting News
Posted October 12, 2007
Random thoughts as I head to Dallas for the most-anticipated game of the season thus far.
1. If Tony Romo plays poorly against the Patriots on Sunday, New England wins big. Expect Romo to bounce back from Monday night's five-interception fiasco. Early in his career, resiliency has been one of Romo's strengths. He bounced back from the bobbled snap against Seattle in last year's playoffs. And even Monday night against Buffalo, in the midst of a terrible performance, Romo didn't lose his swagger. He completed decisive passes in the fourth quarter that positioned the Cowboys to win. Like Romo said afterward, you either want the ball at the end of the game, or you don't. Romo wants it.
So what happens Sunday? This will be a superb test for Romo, playing against a Bill Belichick-designed defense for the first time. Belichick defenses can make even the best quarterbacks look bad. The Pats will try to bait Romo into the kind of interceptions he threw against Buffalo, while Romo will play to his strengths: maneuvering in the pocket and improvising to give his receivers more time to get open.
Romo is the key to this game. I expect Tom Brady to play well as usual, which means Randy Moss will make plays, and the Pats will probably score at least 28 points. The Cowboys will have to score big to win, and for that to happen, Romo will have to play well and avoid turnovers.
It'd be more interesting to me if the Cowboys won. The NFC gets no respect when it comes to Super Bowl talk, and we already know the Patriots and Colts are very good. But the Patriots can't afford to lose, because they're in a race with the Colts to secure home field advantage should the two meet in the playoffs. I like the Patriots in a close, high-scoring game. But I'm looking forward to watching the most compelling game of the year so far.
2. Texans at Jaguars is a big game. The AFC South is the NFL's best division: It's the only division with four winning teams, and it wouldn't surprise me to see Indianapolis, Tennessee and Jacksonville all make the playoffs. Every head-to-head battle in this division is huge, like Sunday's game in Houston. The Jaguars lost twice to Houston last season, two losses that probably cost Jacksonville a playoff spot. The Texans are better than they were last season, and if they win in Jacksonville, it'd be further proof coach Gary Kubiak has something good going.
3. Trent Green should retire. Easy for me to say. I know it's a lot harder for a competitive athlete like Green to walk away. But I don't want to see the Dolphins' quarterback take any more shots to the head. I don't want to see him lying on the ground again. With all we know about concussions and their long-term effects, Green should hang them up enjoy his life after football. To me, coming back isn't worth the risk, and it's not like the Dolphins are on the verge of going to the Super Bowl.
4. What's up with the Bengals? Coach Marvin Lewis went ballistic after their loss to the Patriots, and they've had an off-week to regroup. Regardless, this team has too much talent to be 1-3, and if the Bengals lose at home to the Chiefs, things could get ugly in Cincinnati. This isn't the time for Chad Johnson to worry about how he's going to celebrate his next touchdown. It's time for him -- and a lot of his teammates -- to show how serious they are about winning.
Posted October 12, 2007
Random thoughts as I head to Dallas for the most-anticipated game of the season thus far.
1. If Tony Romo plays poorly against the Patriots on Sunday, New England wins big. Expect Romo to bounce back from Monday night's five-interception fiasco. Early in his career, resiliency has been one of Romo's strengths. He bounced back from the bobbled snap against Seattle in last year's playoffs. And even Monday night against Buffalo, in the midst of a terrible performance, Romo didn't lose his swagger. He completed decisive passes in the fourth quarter that positioned the Cowboys to win. Like Romo said afterward, you either want the ball at the end of the game, or you don't. Romo wants it.
So what happens Sunday? This will be a superb test for Romo, playing against a Bill Belichick-designed defense for the first time. Belichick defenses can make even the best quarterbacks look bad. The Pats will try to bait Romo into the kind of interceptions he threw against Buffalo, while Romo will play to his strengths: maneuvering in the pocket and improvising to give his receivers more time to get open.
Romo is the key to this game. I expect Tom Brady to play well as usual, which means Randy Moss will make plays, and the Pats will probably score at least 28 points. The Cowboys will have to score big to win, and for that to happen, Romo will have to play well and avoid turnovers.
It'd be more interesting to me if the Cowboys won. The NFC gets no respect when it comes to Super Bowl talk, and we already know the Patriots and Colts are very good. But the Patriots can't afford to lose, because they're in a race with the Colts to secure home field advantage should the two meet in the playoffs. I like the Patriots in a close, high-scoring game. But I'm looking forward to watching the most compelling game of the year so far.
2. Texans at Jaguars is a big game. The AFC South is the NFL's best division: It's the only division with four winning teams, and it wouldn't surprise me to see Indianapolis, Tennessee and Jacksonville all make the playoffs. Every head-to-head battle in this division is huge, like Sunday's game in Houston. The Jaguars lost twice to Houston last season, two losses that probably cost Jacksonville a playoff spot. The Texans are better than they were last season, and if they win in Jacksonville, it'd be further proof coach Gary Kubiak has something good going.
3. Trent Green should retire. Easy for me to say. I know it's a lot harder for a competitive athlete like Green to walk away. But I don't want to see the Dolphins' quarterback take any more shots to the head. I don't want to see him lying on the ground again. With all we know about concussions and their long-term effects, Green should hang them up enjoy his life after football. To me, coming back isn't worth the risk, and it's not like the Dolphins are on the verge of going to the Super Bowl.
4. What's up with the Bengals? Coach Marvin Lewis went ballistic after their loss to the Patriots, and they've had an off-week to regroup. Regardless, this team has too much talent to be 1-3, and if the Bengals lose at home to the Chiefs, things could get ugly in Cincinnati. This isn't the time for Chad Johnson to worry about how he's going to celebrate his next touchdown. It's time for him -- and a lot of his teammates -- to show how serious they are about winning.
posted by The Gryphon at 7:43 PM
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