TONY ROMO DESERVES BLAME AND PRAISE FOR DALLAS COWBOYS SEASON THUS FAR

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo could only
just hang his head in shame after Sunday's 34-30 loss to the
Detroit Lions. (Photo by Khampha Bouaphanh/Star-Telegram)

Dallas Cowboy fans are all too familiar with this story.

After another epic Tony Romo collapse—a 24-point comeback by the Detroit Lions in a 34-30 loss—the Cowboys are now 2-2 in the 2011 NFL season.

The thing that makes this agonizing is that while Romo deserves most of the blame for both losses this season, he deserves most of the praise for both wins.

NBC’s Bob Costas summed it up best at halftime of the Sunday Night Football game between the New York Jets and the Baltimore Ravens.

“Here is a guy who see-saws between hero’s laurels and goat horns, seemingly from game to game”, Costas said.

The collapses to the Jets and the Lions began with crucial mistakes that gave the opponent life and ended with an interception that allowed the other team to score on the game-winning drive.

However, the wins to the San Francisco 49ers and the Washington Redskins came in gutsy performances where he battled through a broken rib. In both games, Romo led the Cowboys to victory on a clinching drive.

Romo has battled everything this season from criticism to broken ribs.
(Photo from bigleadsports.com)

It is easy to say that with or without Romo, the Cowboys could be anywhere between 4-0 and 0-4 if certain things were played out differently. Yet, the Cowboys are 2-2, and it leaves many fans with a wide range of emotions from frustrated and mad in the losses to relieved and satisfied in the wins.

When Romo plays well, he plays like one of the top ten quarterbacks in the league. A three-time Pro Bowler, he never completed less than 61.3 percent of his passes or had a passer rating below 91.4 in a regular season.

Yet, the focus remains Romo’s more notable performances in the clutch. He is 1-3 in the playoffs and has yet to reach the NFC Championship Game. Plus, in some games he tries to do a bit too much, leading to forced passes for momentum-swinging interceptions.

The only solution for the Cowboys and their fan base? Just stick with him and take the good with the bad. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones shares the same attitude.

“However we go, we go with Tony,” Jones said. “As Tony goes, we’ll go.”

The Cowboys will have two weeks to mentally prepare for a tough road test against the New England Patriots on Oct. 16.

2011 NFL WEEK 1 & 2 RECAPS

ONE MAN(NING) DOESN’T MEAN THAT MUCH, DOESN’T IT?

When it was announced that Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning would not be ready for the opener, Colts fans feared the worst.

Kerry Collins is having a rough time at trying to replace Peyton Manning.

But this is bad. REAL bad.

For the first time since 1998—Manning’s rookie year, the Colts are 0-2.

It began Week 1 in Houston, and after trailing 34-0 to the Texans at halftime, the reality that this could be a lost season set in. Now after a Week 2 loss at home to the Cleveland Browns, the question is how much worse will it get?

Kerry Collins was signed to give the Colts veteran leadership at quarterback but he ranked in the bottom of ESPN’s Total QBR for Week 1, Week 2 and overall up to this point.

The Colts will play Pittsburgh on Sunday Night Football this week. I would suggest that you hide the women and children because this could get ugly.

AS PEYTON SITS, BRADY SHINES

Remember in 2008, when Tom Brady was lost for the season and Peyton won the MVP award? Well, 2011 might provide a complete role reversal.

With their rivals in the Hoosier state down and possibly out for the count, the New England Patriots look like the early favorites to win the Super Bowl, thanks to Brady.

Can Tom Brady be better this year than in 2007? Only time will tell.

Brady threw for 517 yards against the Miami Dolphins in Week 1 and followed that up with a modest 423-yard game against San Diego last week. He now has 940 yards passing, a 128.0 passer rating (the NFL formula) and is tops in ESPN’s Total QBR.

The only big surprise for the Patriots is Chad Ochocinco.

Instead of lighting up the scoreboards and stat books like Randy Moss in 2007, Ocho’s been quiet with just three catches for 59 yards and no touchdowns.

However, with so many weapons, this is really not an issue.

LIGHTS, CAMERON, ACTION…ENCORE

Quick question: Who is No. 2 in NFL passing yards this season? (HINT: He is a Heisman Trophy winner, a first round pick, won two BCS titles and was recruited by Florida.)

Cam Newton (right) is the sixth player ever to record back-to-back
400-yard games. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

No, the answer’s not Tim Tebow!

Cam Newton has 854 passing yards after back to back 400-yard games—and he is only a rookie.

His 421 yards against Arizona were the most ever in a debut and he followed that up with a 433-yard day against the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers.

With a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars and fellow rookie Blaine Gabbert, Newton could get to 400 again, but even if he does not, we are witnessing a good quarterback for the future.

WE DON’T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT FROM TONY ROMO

Sometimes with Tony Romo (9), you have to take the bad...
(Photo by Ron Jenkins/Star-Telegram)

After a week of getting blasted by the media for his fourth quarter against the New York Jets, Tony Romo fought through a broken rib and a punctured lung to defeat the San Francisco 49ers.

As a Dallas Cowboy fan, I understand the love/hate relationship with Tony Romo.

At times he plays well, only to make a crucial game-killing mistake. However, he also has games where he shakes off a bad start only to man up and lead his team to a comeback victory.

It is very frustrating, I know, but I would still rank him as one of my Top 10 quarterbacks (behind Manning, Brady, Brees, Rodgers, Rivers, Vick, Roethlisberger and Ryan) because of the man’s skill set. Romo just needs to learn how to calm down and not try to do too much at times.

...with the good.

WEEK 2 PREDICTIONS
OAKLAND @ Buffalo
Kansas City @ DETROIT
BALTIMORE @ Tennessee
CLEVELAND @ Indianapolis
TAMPA BAY @ Minnesota
Chicago @ NEW ORLEANS
Jacksonville @ N.Y. JETS
Seattle @ PITTSBURGH
ARIZONA @ Washington
GREEN BAY @ Carolina
DALLAS @ San Francisco
Cincinnati @ DENVER
HOUSTON @ Miami
San Diego @ NEW ENGLAND
PHILADELPHIA @ Atlanta
St. Louis @ N.Y. GIANTS

WEEK: 12-4 (.750)

SEASON: 19-13 (.594)

PREDICTIONS FOR WEEK 3
NEW ENGLAND @ Buffalo
SAN FRANCISCO @ Cincinnati
MIAMI @ Cleveland
Denver @ TENNESSEE
DETROIT @ Minnesota
Houston @ NEW ORLEANS
N.Y. Giants @ PHILADELPHIA
Jacksonville @ CAROLINA
N.Y. JETS @ Oakland
BALTIMORE @ St. Louis
Kansas City @ SAN DIEGO
GREEN BAY @ Chicago
ARIZONA @ Seattle
ATLANTA @ Tampa Bay
PITTSBURGH @ Indianapolis
Washington @ DALLAS