Dallas Cowboys Difficult Decision: Dak Prescott or Tony Romo?
When Tony Romo is cleared to play in a few weeks, the Dallas Cowboys are going to have one of the toughest decisions they have had to make in decades.
Aug 19, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) and quarterback Tony Romo (9) talk during the pregame warmups against the Miami Dolphins at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Dak Prescott is not your usual rookie quarterback in the NFL. He just seems to do everything right. Not only that, but he just keeps winning. The rookie signal caller is a few seconds – or a Terrence Williams run out of bounds – away form perhaps being undefeated during his rookie campaign. You can credit that to an overall team effort, but the majority of this praise goes to Dak and who he is as a player.
Prescott again showed maturation and brilliance against the Cincinnati Bengals as the Cowboys rolled to what appeared to be an easy 28-14 victory. Prescott completed 75% of his passes, and had his fourth straight game with a quarterback rating over 100 coming in at 117.9. These sound like quarterback Tony Romo numbers. Rookies are not supposed to play this well!
Yet, Prescott not only is playing this well, but he has the entire team believing not only in him, but themselves. Hence the 4-1 record and what has fans starting to salivate at what could be. This has 2014 written all over it again, and what a treat it is of Cowboys fans!
They are dominating the ground game – even when teams know it is coming they can’t stop it – and the quarterback is executing the game plan perfectly while only throwing on average of 31 times per game.
With Dallas clicking on all cylinders it is hard to fathom that they would have a quarterback controversy brewing in just three short weeks. But, they do. Why? Because they have a quarterback named Tony Romo that is almost back to health.
Aug 25, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) comes out of the tunnel for pre game warmups against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Romo isn’t just any other veteran quarterback. He is arguably the best quarterback to ever play for the Dallas Cowboys. He holds most of the major passing records in team history, and is beloved by a huge majority of the fan base.
Romo has done things for this team in the past with very few pieces around him that make you wonder just how bad Dallas would have fared without him. Simply put, Tony Romo has been the only consistent threat the Cowboys have had the past 10 years.
I could go into so much depth with how much Romo has meant to not only this team, but the city and its fan base as well. I wont do that though, as Romo has left enough on the stat sheet alone for even the most average fan to see why this is called “his” team once he is healthy. With everything that Romo has done for this franchise, it is truly amazing we are having a conversation if he should start for this team when he returns healthy.
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Yet, here we are having this conversation. We are having it strictly because of how amazing Prescott has played over the first 5 games of the season. He has set several records for rookie quarterbacks – including most pass attempts without an interception in league history – as well as team records for rookie throwers.
If he keeps playing this way he may own the NFL record for most pass attempts without an interception. Impressive, to say the least. Not only is he protecting the ball, but he’s playing efficient as you could dream. He has had a quarterback rating over 100 every game except the opener against the Giants. Amazing.
I personally have not been as excited for a young starting quarterback like I am for Dak since Romo took over for Drew Bledsoe in 2006. The crazy thing is, Dak looks this good as a rookie! Many ball clubs in the NFL pay scouts a lot of money and spend countless hours looking for players like this.
Oct 9, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) walks back to the locker room after the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at AT&T Stadium. Dallas won 28-14. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Some ball clubs give up a multitude of draft picks in hopes that have found that quarterback of the future that can be the face of the franchise – such as the Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles this past draft. Yet, the Cowboys found their guy in the later part of the fourth round!
When you hit gold like that in the draft sometimes it is best to run with it. Look at the New England Patriots back when a young Tom Brady took over for an injured Drew Bledsoe. They never looked back and have never regretted that decision.
I am not saying the Cowboys have that same situation on their hand. But, what if they do?! From a money-ball perspective it makes a lot of sense to roll with a young quarterback who is performing at such a high level while he is on that cheap rookie contract. You can build a dynasty with that formula.
On the other hand, you have a guy who has literally broken his back for this team and has put his blood, sweat, and tears into helping this team win it’s sixth Super Bowl under his tutelage. That kind of sacrifice and loyalty doesn’t fall upon deaf ears with me.
I relate with Romo and even sympathize with him. I have felt his pain as a fan throughout the years and would love nothing more than for him to ride off into the sunset with a World Championship.
The NFL can be a cruel world, and rarely do players get to go out on their terms and on top. It is just too difficult to win a Super Bowl and with the salary cap restrictions these days, it’s even more difficult after paying a quarterback top dollar. The pressure is mounted solely on their shoulders and it becomes an Everest-like mountain to climb as an aging quarterback to win a Super Bowl on the down-slope of their careers.
We still have a few weeks until the decision has to be made, but boy am I glad I don’t have to make the decision between starting Romo and Prescott. It’s easy to say that Romo can play just as well as Prescott, but the fact remains that the rookie is 4-1 and brings a versatility to the team that Romo doesn’t possess anymore.
Add in the fact that fans don’t have to hold their breath every time Prescott takes a hit and the team has a very, very difficult decision on their hands. What a problem to have!
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