MacMahon: Jaws ranks Tony Romo as No. 15 QB

[boozeman]

Jaws ranks Tony Romo as No. 15 QB

July, 8, 2013


By Tim MacMahon | ESPNDallas.com


Tony Romo insists that he isn’t an 8-8 quarterback. But one prominent quarterback expert considers Romo to be just an average starter at this point of his career.

Romo came in at No. 15 in ESPN analyst Ron Jaworksi’s quarterback rankings, having fallen five spots since last summer. A handful of quarterbacks with only one season of starting experience – Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick – are among those whose names have yet to be balled as Jaws works his way from No. 32 to No. 1.

Why does Jaworski sees Romo as a middle-of-the-pack starter?

“I have always liked Romo, but his play in the final regular season game of the 2012 season with the NFC East title on the line still bothers me,” Jaworski said. “You just can’t make mistakes, regardless of whose fault it is.

“It was the fourth-quarter interception with three-and-one-half minutes remaining and the Cowboys trailing by three. That I just can’t forget. You can’t make a throw with no definition in that particular situation, regardless of the pressure.

“Then I look at Romo one week earlier. Two big-time drives in the final five minutes against the Saints, tying the game with 21 seconds remaining.

“Back-to-back weeks, two different Romos. Those kinds of peaks and valleys is why Romo is No. 15 on my board. I love his talent, and there’s no doubt perception has overtaken reality in the negative world view of Romo, but I would like to see more overall consistency in his play. He’s capable of it.”

 

[Bob Roberts]

Eh, maybe 12th is as high as I would go. That last game really lowered my opinion of him. He had the yips, no doubt about it.

 

[boozeman]

I can't say I disagree with Jaworski. That lasting impression of him just farting away the game in Washington is going to stick for a while. Even his other gaffes in win or go home games weren't that obvious. That was all on him. A ham and egger like Rob Jackson just flat out fooled him in one of the biggest games of Romo's career. It is too bad because his 2011 season really seemed to show he had grown a bit.

 

[Cotton]

This should be fun. Anyone seen Kidd lately?

 

[Bluestar71]

The bottom line with Romo is you can't count on him when everything is on the line. He's had more than enough chances to prove otherwise in his career and has yet to do so in a meaningful way. He's not awful, but he's never going to be anything but a tease that often looks great on paper but never really carries a team where it needs to go.

 

[boozeman]

The bottom line with Romo is you can't count on him when everything is on the line. He's had more than enough chances to prove otherwise in his career and has yet to do so in a meaningful way. He's not awful, but he's never going to be anything but a tease that often looks great on paper but never really carries a team where it needs to go.

He's capable of going on some hellacious tears. He was on fire late last year then just comes up small in Washington.

But when it comes to finally crossing that last bridge, he gets weak knees.

 

[ravidubey]

It's fashionable to over-rank the three rookie QB's and under-rank Romo. I get it, Romo needed to throw that one away or just take the sack.

Center and left guard completely blew protection there. It makes me wonder if Romo just doesn't have enough leadership in him to get his linemen to hate blowing their assignments or whether the systemic issues of the team (bad talent, inability to adjust to the blitz, undermined coaches, unaccountability) make it impossible.

You don't see Tom Brady get bumrushed like that in a do-or-die game. Is it because his linemen would rather die than let him get hit or because they are well-coached and very talented?

I remember Peyton Manning in a playoff game vs. the Steelers (at home no less) get destroyed on 3rd (4th?) and very long to lose the game because the Steelers knew all they had to do was blitz heavy right up the gut. Manning straight-up called out his pass protection in the media after the game. I don't know if Romo would never do that, even if it was the right thing to do.

 

[Cujo]

Don't agree with 15 but it's not far from where he should be. WGAS, really.

 

[Genghis Khan]

It's fashionable to over-rank the three rookie QB's and under-rank Romo. I get it, Romo needed to throw that one away or just take the sack.

Center and left guard completely blew protection there. It makes me wonder if Romo just doesn't have enough leadership in him to get his linemen to hate blowing their assignments or whether the systemic issues of the team (bad talent, inability to adjust to the blitz, undermined coaches, unaccountability) make it impossible.

You don't see Tom Brady get bumrushed like that in a do-or-die game. Is it because his linemen would rather die than let him get hit or because they are well-coached and very talented?

I remember Peyton Manning in a playoff game vs. the Steelers (at home no less) get destroyed on 3rd (4th?) and very long to lose the game because the Steelers knew all they had to do was blitz heavy right up the gut. Manning straight-up called out his pass protection in the media after the game. I don't know if Romo would never do that, even if it was the right thing to do.

Pretty much how I feel. Well said.

 

[Texas Ace]

It's fashionable to over-rank the three rookie QB's and under-rank Romo. I get it, Romo needed to throw that one away or just take the sack.

Center and left guard completely blew protection there. It makes me wonder if Romo just doesn't have enough leadership in him to get his linemen to hate blowing their assignments or whether the systemic issues of the team (bad talent, inability to adjust to the blitz, undermined coaches, unaccountability) make it impossible.

But it's like Jaws says - regardless of the pressure it was a horrible mistake and one he cannot make under any circumstances.

The worst part is that it is the exact same INT he threw under pressure to JPP in the 2nd meeting vs the Giants. That's about as clear an indicator as any that there are certain things the guy is prone to when he feels the heat.

That's a flaw that no O-line can fix.

 

[Bob Roberts]

What has that douche Jay Cutler done to be ranked ahead of Romo?

 

[1bigfan13]

It's fashionable to over-rank the three rookie QB's and under-rank Romo. I get it, Romo needed to throw that one away or just take the sack.

Center and left guard completely blew protection there. It makes me wonder if Romo just doesn't have enough leadership in him to get his linemen to hate blowing their assignments or whether the systemic issues of the team (bad talent, inability to adjust to the blitz, undermined coaches, unaccountability) make it impossible.

There's a lot to that statement. I was watching 'America's Game: 1992 Cowboys' over the weekend and Irvin was explaining how uncomfortable Jimmy made it for the team after they lost a game or played sloppy.

Of course they brought up the Curvin Richards' fumbles as an example.

It doesn't have to be as extreme as cutting a player who continually screws up. Team captains should make those guys hate life if they continually run the wrong route, jump off-sides, commit penalties, etc.

These days it seems as if everyone's too comfortable. These guys lose a game and it rolls off their back like water off a duck's back. Because hey, if something that happens to you on the football field is the worst thing that happens in your life......

 

[ravidubey]

There's a lot to that statement. I was watching 'America's Game: 1992 Cowboys' over the weekend and Irvin was explaining how uncomfortable Jimmy made it for the team after they lost a game or played sloppy.

Of course they brought up the Curvin Richards' fumbles as an example.

It doesn't have to be as extreme as cutting a player who continually screws up. Team captains should make those guys hate life if they continually run the wrong route, jump off-sides, commit penalties, etc.

These days it seems as if everyone's too comfortable. These guys lose a game and it rolls off their back like water off a duck's back. Because hey, if something that happens to you on the football field is the worst thing that happens in your life......

No one ever mentions whether Troy had to whip his OL into shape because the early 90's Cowboys had Jimmy.

I remember in 1996 though when the protection just broke down several times in the season opener with Novacek and Irvin out and Troy kept taking time outs exhibiting a frustrated sulk as he stalked off the field. It seemed more petulant than leaderlike. I think Troy was just used to leading with his practice habits and play, and when the players around him failed him he had absolutely no answer. Troy executed the offense perfectly, he wasn't a creator, so when the support fell off so did he, and big time.

Dallas counts on Romo to be that creator, and there's a limit to what he, or anyone, can do when under constant pressure. Manning, Brees, Rodgers, Brady... none of them are asked to pull shit out of their ass like the Cowboys demand of Romo. They have competent receiving corps that lineup and run the routes they are supposed to. None of them, not even the Packers, have the shit awful blocking Romo is asked to deal with.

I wish Romo didn't have to scream at his fellow supposed professionals about where to line the fuck up, but he does. I wish he'd just throw his incompetent blockers under a bus when they keep fucking up but he doesn't. He stays the good teammate when many of the people around him, especially the GM who put them there, need a good kick in the teeth.

But he's not a leader, and the Cowboys lines are so piss poor bad it probably wouldn't matter if he was. I mean, suppose they grew a pair and actually blocked for him down the stretch in Washington, does anyone think Dallas wouldn't have been destroyed by Seattle the following week?

 

[Plan9Misfit]

What has that douche Jay Cutler done to be ranked ahead of Romo?

Made it to the NFC Championship Game.

 

[boozeman]

Made it to the NFC Championship Game.

But it is a team game and blah blah blah. A QB needs help!

 

[boozeman]

There's a lot to that statement. I was watching 'America's Game: 1992 Cowboys' over the weekend and Irvin was explaining how uncomfortable Jimmy made it for the team after they lost a game or played sloppy.

Of course they brought up the Curvin Richards' fumbles as an example.

It doesn't have to be as extreme as cutting a player who continually screws up. Team captains should make those guys hate life if they continually run the wrong route, jump off-sides, commit penalties, etc.

These days it seems as if everyone's too comfortable. These guys lose a game and it rolls off their back like water off a duck's back. Because hey, if something that happens to you on the football field is the worst thing that happens in your life......

It makes you wonder what Romo would have been like had Parcells stuck around.

He sure as shit would not had the trip to Cabo and the "I have led a pretty good life" comment.

Hell he was more sick about the fumbled snap in Seattle than he was the Rob Jackson INT. And the snap had nothing to do with doing his job as a QB.

 

[Simpleton]

It makes you wonder what Romo would have been like had Parcells stuck around.

He sure as shit would not had the trip to Cabo and the "I have led a pretty good life" comment.

Hell he was more sick about the fumbled snap in Seattle than he was the Rob Jackson INT. And the snap had nothing to do with doing his job as a QB.

He, like the team, would have been much better.

I think Phillips was like a breath of fresh air to the team in alot of ways in 2007 and that's one of the reasons that team responded so positively to him but as soon as that 2008 fiasco happened he should have been fired. Of course he wasn't, we screwed around for 2 more years even though we finally managed to win a playoff game and then replaced him with the underqualified coach we currently have, wasting even more years.

We are about 2-3 years away from literally wasting the careers of 2 HOF'ers in Ware/Witten and another who could have potentially been a HOF'er under different circumstances in Romo. Hopefully this team sinking back into the 5-11 shit hole of the early 2000's once this group retires is enough to push Jerry closer to the cliff/death.

 

[1bigfan13]

One of the things I'm looking forward to the most this year is to see how Callahan manages the offense when Romo's having an off week.

I've said several times that Garrett has had some responsibility in the Romo clunkers. As Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator it's his responsibility to reel in the QB when the QB doesn't have his best stuff. I can't recall a single time where Garrett has dialed back the offense during a Romo choke-fest.

I want to see if Callahan balances things out and calls more of a conservative game plan when Romo struggles.

 

[Genghis Khan]

One of the things I'm looking forward to the most this year is to see how Callahan manages the offense when Romo's having an off week.

I've said several times that Garrett has had some responsibility in the Romo clunkers. As Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator it's his responsibility to reel in the QB when the QB doesn't have his best stuff. I can't recall a single time where Garrett has dialed back the offense during a Romo choke-fest.

I want to see if Callahan balances things out and calls more of a conservative game plan when Romo struggles.

I feel the same way and the last Washington game is a good case in point. It was clear immediately that we had bad Tony that game. I would have liked to see a more grind it out offense and not put the game in Romo's hands unless absolutely necessary.

 

[Texas Ace]

I've said several times that Garrett has had some responsibility in the Romo clunkers. As Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator it's his responsibility to reel in the QB when the QB doesn't have his best stuff. I can't recall a single time where Garrett has dialed back the offense during a Romo choke-fest.

I agree.

Not only does he put too much on his shoulders, I also think that he has no feel whatsoever when Romo is having a bad day or is in the type of situation where he is prone to make mistakes.

Pefect example - I remember the Giants game to open up Cowboys stadium in 2009. After trailing most of the game (with Romo's turnovers being a big reason for it), we finally went up in that game in the 3rd quarter and got a turnover on the ensuing Giants drive to boot. We started that drive in Giants territory with a chance to take a double digit lead. I said on this board right then and there that it had Garrett big play written all over it, and that it would be a mistake to take a shot there due to how shaky Romo had been in that game.

Well, in typical Garrett fashion, he calls the playaction deep ball and Romo like the dumbass he is just throws a floater into double coverage which Kenny Phillips picks off. We never held the momentum in that game again.