Archer: Rested Tony Romo able to attack downfield

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Rested Tony Romo able to attack downfield
December, 16, 2014

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com

IRVING, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys and Tony Romo did not want to use the short week leading into the Thanksgiving game against the Philadelphia Eagles as an excuse for not playing well.

It is a thin line between "excuse" and "reason." On Thanksgiving, Romo completed 18 of 29 passes for 199 yards and did not throw a touchdown pass for the first time in 39 games. He was also intercepted twice, which was his first multi-pick game since the season opener.

With 10 days of rest going into Sunday's game against the Eagles, Romo was much sharper. He completed 22 of 31 passes for 265 yards and had three touchdown passes and no interceptions. The result was a 38-27 win.

"He moved a lot better," Eagles outside linebacker Connor Barwin said, "and you could tell the rest helped him."

Romo was at his best getting the ball down the field. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Romo was six of eight on passes traveling more than 10 yards down the field. He was four-of-four on those throws to Dez Bryant.

On Thanksgiving, Romo completed three of 12 passes on throws 10 yards down the field and was intercepted twice.

But it was the under-the-radar plays Romo made that had coach Jason Garrett impressed.

"I thought he did a really good job with his decision-making throughout the game," Garrett said. "You saw early on in the game when things weren't there or he had some pressure, he threw the ball away. Thought he checked the ball down at different times in the game. I thought he got out of trouble at different times in the game and then when he had chances to make big plays, he really delivered. The throws to Dez were big-time. Saw the matchup, knew what he wanted to do, threw great balls, Dez ran really good routes, made the play on the ball, but the ball was right there.

"Again, I thought he did a really good job. He made a lot of little plays in the game, too. The long third down at the end of the game when we had the ball on the 35, he moves in the pocket and kind of shovels it ahead to (Jason) Witten and we make 4 yards before we kick the field goal. Those are a big 4 yards. It's a 49-yard field goal instead of a 54- or 55-yard field goal. He did a lot of really good things in the game. The one blemish obviously was the sack fumble. But for the most part he handled himself really, really well."
 
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