Archer: Jerry Jones - Tony Romo is at his best

[Cotton]

Jerry Jones: Tony Romo is at his best

Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer

OXNARD, Calif. -- Jerry Jones isn't afraid to hide his feelings of what he thinks of Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo's training camp so far.

"What I'm seeing out here is Tony Romo at his best," Jones said. "I can't remember a time when I thought he was playing any better, looked any better, made me feel any better, made our coaches feel any better as far as his execution and what he needs to do for us to win."

In team and seven-on-seven drills, Romo completed 14 of 18 passes. For the first time in full-padded practices he did not have an interception. In one-on-one work he and Dez Bryant were unstoppable with a slant-and-go touchdown, an in-cut touchdown and a back-shoulder touchdown. In the compete period, he threw touchdown passes to Bryant and Jason Witten.

In seven-on-seven drills he hit Terrance Williams for a touchdown on a fade and Gavin Escobar for a score with a high throw in the back of the end zone.

With Bryant out because of sore hamstring, he was able to convert a key third down in situational work with a pass to Cole Beasley and set up a game-winning field goal from Dan Bailey with a corner route throw to undrafted rookie Lucky Whitehead.

"We're running through a lot of stuff so we have some new guys in certain spots, but we've been executing at a pretty high level, the first unit," Romo said. "That's good to see. We have to do a better job each and every day, but I like the start to camp. Guys just have to keep getting better."

Romo's good day came after a day off, his second of camp. He missed one practice after having a sty removed below his left eye. The Cowboys are off today and will work four straight days before traveling to San Diego for the first preseason game.

Romo said he will take another day off before they play the Chargers, and if Jason Garrett's form holds Romo -- and no other starter -- will play in that game.

"That's not because I couldn't but I just don't know that it serves the long run in the best interest of that," Romo said. "We'll see as next week comes but more than likely there will be a day. Just the amount of torque of every day at training camp and having two of them and then meetings, they all add up. You just have to be smart about that."

A year ago Jones did not know for sure how Romo's twice surgically-repaired back would hold up not only in camp but also the regular season. He answered those questions with 34 touchdowns and nine interceptions, while leading the Cowboys to a 12-4 record and NFC East title.

"It feels much better than it did with him nursing injury like his back this time last year," Jones said. "So I feel good about what he's doing. I like what our plans are, what we're doing, how he's practicing, how we're practicing. I think all of that is real good."

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Jerry Jones: Tony Romo is at his best

Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer

OXNARD, Calif. -- Jerry Jones isn't afraid to hide his feelings of what he thinks of Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo's training camp so far.

"What I'm seeing out here is Tony Romo at his best," Jones said. "I can't remember a time when I thought he was playing any better, looked any better, made me feel any better, made our coaches feel any better as far as his execution and what he needs to do for us to win."

In team and seven-on-seven drills, Romo completed 14 of 18 passes. For the first time in full-padded practices he did not have an interception. In one-on-one work he and Dez Bryant were unstoppable with a slant-and-go touchdown, an in-cut touchdown and a back-shoulder touchdown. In the compete period, he threw touchdown passes to Bryant and Jason Witten.

In seven-on-seven drills he hit Terrance Williams for a touchdown on a fade and Gavin Escobar for a score with a high throw in the back of the end zone.

With Bryant out because of sore hamstring, he was able to convert a key third down in situational work with a pass to Cole Beasley and set up a game-winning field goal from Dan Bailey with a corner route throw to undrafted rookie Lucky Whitehead.

"We're running through a lot of stuff so we have some new guys in certain spots, but we've been executing at a pretty high level, the first unit," Romo said. "That's good to see. We have to do a better job each and every day, but I like the start to camp. Guys just have to keep getting better."

Romo's good day came after a day off, his second of camp. He missed one practice after having a sty removed below his left eye. The Cowboys are off today and will work four straight days before traveling to San Diego for the first preseason game.

Romo said he will take another day off before they play the Chargers, and if Jason Garrett's form holds Romo -- and no other starter -- will play in that game.

"That's not because I couldn't but I just don't know that it serves the long run in the best interest of that," Romo said. "We'll see as next week comes but more than likely there will be a day. Just the amount of torque of every day at training camp and having two of them and then meetings, they all add up. You just have to be smart about that."

A year ago Jones did not know for sure how Romo's twice surgically-repaired back would hold up not only in camp but also the regular season. He answered those questions with 34 touchdowns and nine interceptions, while leading the Cowboys to a 12-4 record and NFC East title.

"It feels much better than it did with him nursing injury like his back this time last year," Jones said. "So I feel good about what he's doing. I like what our plans are, what we're doing, how he's practicing, how we're practicing. I think all of that is real good."

When you watch this stuff it's amazing the level Romo is at compared to our other QBs. I know Romo has been knocked for not being the sharpest tool in the shed but when the ball is snapped he processes things just so much faster then any of our other QBs. The rate at which he goes through progressions and throws the ball is just so much quicker then the other guys.

 

[L.T. Fan]

When you watch this stuff it's amazing the level Romo is at compared to our other QBs. I know Romo has been knocked for not being the sharpest tool in the shed but when the ball is snapped he processes things just so much faster then any of our other QBs. The rate at which he goes through progressions and throws the ball is just so much quicker then the other guys.

Tony is finally getting his dues. I have always felt he may be the best overall QB the Cowboys have had. I know he hasn't won SBs and it's blasphemous for Staubach and Aikmen but as a pure position performer he eclipses every one who ever held that position with Dallas.

 

[kidd]

Tony is finally getting his dues. I have always felt he may be the best overall QB the Cowboys have had. I know he hasn't won SBs and it's blasphemous for Staubach and Aikmen but as a pure position performer he eclipses every one who ever held that position with Dallas.

Agreed.

You put Romo on any of those teams that Aikman or Staubach played on, and he outperforms them IMO.

 

[L.T. Fan]

Agreed.

You put Romo on any of those teams that Aikman or Staubach played on, and he outperforms them IMO.

Now we will both catch crap. I even misspelled Aikman' s name.

 

[kidd]

Now we will both catch crap. I even misspelled Aikman' s name.

I'm used to it. People here already know I'm a Romo homer.

I've been saying for years that Romo was an elite QB. He just needed the supporting casts that other elite QBs have.

 

[UncleMilti]

Tony is finally getting his dues. I have always felt he may be the best overall QB the Cowboys have had. I know he hasn't won SBs and it's blasphemous for Staubach and Aikmen but as a pure position performer he eclipses every one who ever held that position with Dallas.

I think if you put Romo in Aikmans place, he definitely has a couple SB's to his name. Romo has never had a dominating D, RB or OL and I think that's been the biggest issue.

However..Aikman was almost surgical...I never held my breath when Aikman threw a pass with 2 mins left and down by 3 or 5 or whatever. Romo did much better last season...but I still was ready to let out a WTF TOOOONNNYYYY every time he threw the ball.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Love Tony, think we're incredibly fortunate to have him and always have. But he's not better than Staubach or Aikman.

 

[Clay_Allison]

Agreed.

You put Romo on any of those teams that Aikman or Staubach played on, and he outperforms them IMO.

Just to defend Roger, he retired as the all time leader in passer rating, he just played in the era before the illegal contact rule.

 

[Cotton]

Love Tony, think we're incredibly fortunate to have him and always have. But he's not better than Staubach or Aikman.

Agreed.

 

[L.T. Fan]

Agreed.

Almost half of Aikman' s career was a real struggle for him. He was physically impaired for the last four years he played and the team's personnel had been depleted. I personally sat in the stands and saw his performances. In his first five years he was great but his production was not even close to Romo . Emmitt Smith was to catalyst for the offense. That's not a knock on Aikman it's just the way things were.

 

[Cotton]

Almost half of Aikman' s career was a real struggle for him. He was physically impaired for the last four years he played and the team's personnel had been depleted. I personally sat in the stands and saw his performances. In his first five years he was great but his production was not even close to Romo . Emmitt Smith was to catalyst for the offense. That's not a knock on Aikman it's just the way things were.

Please do not try to use stats to support Aikman being better than Romo. Romo has had shit for a running game for most of his career. Romo is a great QB, and one could argue elite, but with a good team around both of them, Aikman was deadly.

 

[L.T. Fan]

Please do not try to use stats to support Aikman being better than Romo. Romo has had shit for a running game for most of his career. Romo is a great QB, and one could argue elite, but with a good team around both of them, Aikman was deadly.

I thought I was promoting Romo being better than Aikman.

 

[L.T. Fan]

By the way as far as Aikman being deadly, the highest passer rating he ever attained was 99. Most of the time he was in the 80s.

 

[jsmith6919]

By the way as far as Aikman being deadly, the highest passer rating he ever attained was 99. Most of the time he was in the 80s.

That doesn't tell the whole story, modern qbs as a whole have better qbr ratings than their predecessors due to how the game has evolved. For example when Staubach retired he had a then NFL record qbr of 83.4

 

[L.T. Fan]

That doesn't tell the whole story, modern qbs as a whole have better qbr ratings than their predecessors due to how the game has evolved. For example when Staubach retired he had a then NFL record qbr of 83.4

It may not tell the whole story but there is another factor that also has an effect on reputations and that is time. Legacies grow with it. The only barometer that remains the same is statistics.

 

[jsmith6919]

It may not tell the whole story but there is another factor that also has an effect on reputations and that is time. Legacies grow with it. The only barometer that remains the same is statistics.

It's not as black and white as you're making it out to be. Unless you compare the different eras on a curve it's apples and oranges

 

[L.T. Fan]

It's not as black and white as you're making it out to be. Unless you compare the different eras on a curve it's apples and oranges

All I am saying is that as a position comparison Romo has had a more productive career at the quarterback position. Pass attempts, completion percentages., yards per completion, total yards, touch down passes and this type statistic are constant. Romo has better performance numbers. That's not a put down of Aikman it's just a statistical comparison.

 

[jsmith6919]

All I am saying is that as a position comparison Romo has had a more productive career at the quarterback position. Pass attempts, completion percentages., yards per completion, total yards, touch down passes and this type statistic are constant. Romo has better performance numbers. That's not a put down of Aikman it's just a statistical comparison.

Ok fair enough, you might as well be comparing Romo to Babe Ruth though, the game is different now. If you take any of the modern qbs with their 100+ qbr and had them play the game how it used to be they wouldn't have the same results.

 

[L.T. Fan]

Ok fair enough, you might as well be comparing Romo to Babe Ruth though, the game is different now. If you take any of the modern qbs with their 100+ qbr and had them play the game how it used to be they wouldn't have the same results.

Of course they wouldn't. The majority of the game is put on the QBs shoulders these days and it's amazing how some are performing. As I indicated earlier Aikman had Smith to rely on and the offense succeeded to the level he succeeded. Romo has had only one solid year of being able to rely on the running game. It's a tribute to him that he has been able to crank out the numbers he has had. Had he had the benefit of an Enmity Smith who knows what the team would have accomplished.