Archer: Numbers low, but win is key for Tony Romo

[Cotton]

Numbers low, but win is key for Tony Romo

October, 14, 2013

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com


ARLINGTON, Texas -- What could Tony Romo do for an encore from his 506-yard, five-touchdown game against the Denver Broncos last week?

The best thing to say is come out with the win against the Washington Redskins.

“I think that’s all that matters,” said Romo, who completed 18 of 30 passes for 170 yards. “You play the game long enough, that’s all you really care about.”

As Tim MacMahon wrote, Romo did not have to carry the Cowboys to victory, but there was something off about the offense after the opening drive. The Cowboys went 80 yards on 10 plays on their first drive that ended with a DeMarco Murray touchdown.

They finished the game with 213 yards on offense.

It was the fourth lowest passing yard total in games Romo has started and finished. In 2009 he beat the Redskins 7-6 with 156 yards passing. In 2011 against the St. Louis Ramshe needed to pass for only 166 yards as Murray ran for 253 yards in a 34-7 win.

Romo came into the game averaging 305 yards passing per game and completing 72 percent of his passes. He completed just 60 percent of his passes, a season low.

There was, however, a statistical side note to Romo’s game. His two-game total of 676 yards is the 15th most in NFL history over a two-game span following a 500-yard outing.

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It's amazing the difference in the last two games. But I will take 200 yards of offense and a win over 600 yards and a loss any day.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Part of the reason for the low offensive output was because our defense and special teams were repeatedly handing us very short fields. It's hard to rack up yards when your starting at the other teams 10 yard line. Or even better yet your offensive isn't getting the ball at all because your return man just scored a TD. We seemed to get the points when we needed them so I'm not too worried.

 

[Genghis Khan]

This was a pathetic offensive showing and we have to get much better if we want to win on a consistent basis. It's great to get a win but it isn't as simple as a win is a win. The question is, can we duplicate this winning formula? And the answer is no, not very often.

Yes, we had some short fields but Romo threw it 30 times with only 170 yards to showfor it. That is 5-something yards per attempt and we have to be much better than that if we want to win consistently.

 

[ravidubey]

For whatever reason, DeAngelo Hall plays Dez Bryant very well. I think Terrance Williams is going to be great in this offense and the passing game should improve every week.

The running game is a problem. Dallas needs to pick some folks up off the street and ease them in.

 

[Smitty]

The Redskins in general always seem to give us fits.

If that was it, I wouldn't be concerned, but other teams are giving us fits too.

 

[Genghis Khan]

The Redskins in general always seem to give us fits.

If that was it, I wouldn't be concerned, but other teams are giving us fits too.

Right. Exactly.