Cowboys' offense too Tony Romo-friendly. Romo-reliant

George: Is the Dallas Cowboys' offense too Tony Romo-friendly or too Tony Romo-reliant?

By Brandon George , Staff Writer

IRVING -- The Cowboys' team plane was rerouted from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport to Houston on Sunday night as they returned from their loss at Buffalo.

No, they weren't going to pick up cast-off quarterback Brandon Weeden, who started for Houston on Sunday and led the Texans to a 34-6 win at Tennessee.

Storms near D/FW Airport forced the Cowboys to divert to Houston. They were supposed to land at 8:40 p.m. but didn't get back until after midnight.

That's the kind of season it's been for the 4-11 Cowboys. Whatever can go wrong has.

But at the top of the list has been the Cowboys' inability to win without Tony Romo. Kellen Moore became the fourth Cowboys quarterback to start this season Sunday and met a similar fate as his predecessors Weeden and Matt Cassel.

Cowboys backup quarterbacks are a combined 1-10 this season. The common denominator among the three: They've played in the same offensive system that has been tailored for Romo to maximize his skill set.

Take a step back to February 2009. That's the first time Cowboys owner Jerry Jones uttered the words "Romo-friendly."

For more than five years, the Cowboys have tried to build an offense that is Romo-friendly. Is it too Romo-friendly, or simply too Romo-reliant?

Maybe it's both. For the fourth time this season, the Cowboys failed to score an offensive touchdown in losing to the Bills 16-6.

"I think our offense is flexible enough really to adapt to anybody," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said Monday. "That's what we try to do. We believe in our system of football on offense."

Meanwhile, Weeden was completing 15 of 24 passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns against the Titans. He even ran for a touchdown.

This wasn't check-down Weeden, the quarterback the Cowboys became used to earlier this season before they cut him Nov. 17. Weeden completed eight passes of 10 or more yards down the field, including two for touchdowns.

One of the reasons Weeden was replaced by Cassel was because he was handcuffed in the Cowboys' offense, told not to take chances down the field.

Suddenly, Weeden is flourishing in the Texans' offense, putting Houston in position for a playoff berth.

Cassel finally ended the Cowboys' 0-7 run with backup quarterbacks starting by winning at Washington earlier this month. But he, too, struggled in Garrett's offense with offensive coordinator Scott Linehan calling the plays.

Cassel's run as the Cowboys' quarterback came to a stumbling conclusion 10 days ago against the Jets in a game in which he appeared more lost than ever.
And that was Cassel's seventh start for the Cowboys.

"Basically if you have a quarterback with a skill set, everybody knows you want to adjust your team to the skill set of that particular individual," Jones said recently.

"Then ... you lose that guy to an injury, whether it be temporarily or it be for several games. The next guy has a different skill set, but ... all your blocking and all your receiving and all your timing had a lot to do with that [first quarterback's] skill set.

"It's a challenge. It's our game. To me, it's the life we've chosen."

For whatever reason, the Cowboys haven't figured out how to adjust their Romo-friendly offense to fit the skill set of their backup quarterbacks.

With Romo's body continuing to break down from back surgeries to fractured collarbones, the Cowboys need an offense that is more quarterback-friendly than Romo-friendly.

Linehan said he's never been a part of a season in which a team has struggled so much to score touchdowns.

"It's been an Achilles heel of ours, and there's going to be a time for that evaluation and talking about what we do and what the reasons are," Linehan said after Sunday's loss. "[You're] not going to win enough games if you don't put enough points on the board on offense, that's for sure."

Blame the offensive system if you want, but it's clear Dallas has been cursed with WRs who just can't get open.

DeAndre Hopkins is a monster who can also take the top off a defense. Closest Dallas came to that was one play with Brice Butler.

The main thing that "handcuffed" Weeden in Dallas was the lack of skill talent at WR.

Nobody was complaining about our WR's last year when our offense was one of the best/most efficient in the league. The fact of the matter is that Terrance is nothing but a solid number 2 as long as he has a top flight QB and Dez was not 100% the entire season due to the hold out and then the injuries.

I'd like to upgrade at WR but I wouldn't force it, especially because our short-term window is reliant on Tony, and with Tony our WR's are perfectly fine, especially if Butler continues to improve. People forget that Terrance Williams was absolutely huge in the playoffs last year and in many ways won the Lions game for us with the huge TD right before halftime and of course the game-winner, now people want to throw him to the curb and draft a WR top 10.

My logic here is that since our short-term window relies on Tony, and that our WR's with Tony are generally fine, we should use our resources elsewhere to maximize the window that Romo has left unless there is just a slam dunk prospect available that we cannot pass up. Our next QB will likely be relying on a completely different set of WR's, which can be addressed down the road.

Weeden didn't deserve the verbal beating he took from the fans here. He was doing what he was directed to do. It wasn't that he didn't have capabilities, it was ineptitude on the staff for not allowing him to utilize his abilities. It is obvious now in hindsight. Jones deserves to be hammered for not raising questions earlier. He even stated later that he was puzzled that Dallas couldn't win more. Surely he knows why now.

L.T. Fan said:

Weeden didn't deserve the verbal beating he took from the fans here. He was doing what he was directed to do. It wasn't that he didn't have capabilities, it was ineptitude on the staff for not allowing him to utilize his abilities. It is obvious now in hindsight. Jones deserves to be hammered for not raising questions earlier. He even stated later that he was puzzled that Dallas couldn't win more. Surely he knows why now.

Click to expand...

You really want your GM dictating to your coach what he should or shouldn't be doing? Honestly, if you as a GM have lost that much faith in your coach, you get a new one.

Cowboysrock55 said:

You really want your GM dictating to your coach what he should or shouldn't be doing? Honestly, if you as a GM have lost that much faith in your coach, you get a new one.

Click to expand...

There is a difference in dictating and taking action to try to correct a problem. yes I would like for the GM to determine why the coach cannot get the team going the right direction.

p1_ said:

"I think our offense is flexible enough really to adapt to anybody," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said Monday.

Click to expand...

God damn, just fucking die in a fire.

Simpleton said:

Nobody was complaining about our WR's last year when our offense was one of the best/most efficient in the league. The fact of the matter is that Terrance is nothing but a solid number 2 as long as he has a top flight QB and Dez was not 100% the entire season due to the hold out and then the injuries.

I'd like to upgrade at WR but I wouldn't force it, especially because our short-term window is reliant on Tony, and with Tony our WR's are perfectly fine, especially if Butler continues to improve. People forget that Terrance Williams was absolutely huge in the playoffs last year and in many ways won the Lions game for us with the huge TD right before halftime and of course the game-winner, now people want to throw him to the curb and draft a WR top 10.

My logic here is that since our short-term window relies on Tony, and that our WR's with Tony are generally fine, we should use our resources elsewhere to maximize the window that Romo has left unless there is just a slam dunk prospect available that we cannot pass up. Our next QB will likely be relying on a completely different set of WR's, which can be addressed down the road.

Click to expand...

Terrance is not a solid #2 on any other team than this one.

L.T. Fan said:

There is a difference in dictating and taking action to try to correct a problem. yes I would like for the GM to determine why the coach cannot get the team going the right direction.

Click to expand...

What should GM Jerry have done mid season then? Told Garrett what to do? That seems to be the exact thing that people bitch about Jerry doing. I guess we could fire Garrett midseason but that wouldn't have likely ended well either. It's not like Jerry knew how badly Garrett would adapt to the loss of Romo.

Iamtdg said:

Terrance is not a solid #2 on any other team than this one.

Click to expand...

I think he is better then you give him credit for. It's amazing how an offense that makes no attempt to get the ball to the WR's can suddenly make the WR's look worthless.

With that being said, I have no problem replacing him either. I really like the potential of Butler and if I have a shot at a talented WR in the draft I'd take one. If Will Fuller declares for example I would be all over him with our high second round pick.

Cowboysrock55 said:

I think he is better then you give him credit for. It's amazing how an offense that makes no attempt to get the ball to the WR's can suddenly make the WR's look worthless.

With that being said, I have no problem replacing him either. I really like the potential of Butler and if I have a shot at a talented WR in the draft I'd take one. If Will Fuller declares for example I would be all over him with our high second round pick.

Click to expand...

You can't be a solid #2 if you can't catch the fucking ball. Don't sugarcoat that shit. He is what he is. A 3rd at best, and even then I don't want him because you can't rely on him to, you know, catch the ball.

Iamtdg said:

You can't be a solid #2 if you can't catch the fucking ball. Don't sugarcoat that shit. He is what he is. A 3rd at best, and even then I don't want him because you can't rely on him to, you know, catch the ball.

Click to expand...

His hands are only magnified this year because our offense can't do shit and has to be perfect to score 20 points, so any mistake is overexaggerated, hell, Dez had a bunch of drops this year too, is he only a number 2 now?

He more or less won the Lions playoff game last year and now some people want him cut?

I have no problem upgrading him and I wouldn't even be shocked if Butler cut into his snaps next season, but the guy is adequate enough next to Dez and Witten with Romo throwing the ball.

Iamtdg said:

You can't be a solid #2 if you can't catch the fucking ball. Don't sugarcoat that shit. He is what he is. A 3rd at best, and even then I don't want him because you can't rely on him to, you know, catch the ball.

Click to expand...

His drop rate wasn't significantly high until this year that I am aware of.

Simpleton said:

His hands are only magnified this year because our offense can't do shit and has to be perfect to score 20 points, so any mistake is overexaggerated, hell, Dez had a bunch of drops this year too, is he only a number 2 now?

He more or less won the Lions playoff game last year and now some people want him cut?

I have no problem upgrading him and I wouldn't even be shocked if Butler cut into his snaps next season, but the guy is adequate enough next to Dez and Witten with Romo throwing the ball.

Click to expand...

If it were an anomaly like Dez then I would be more forgiving, but he has had problems with drops his entire time here. As far as I'm concerned he should be replaced and sent on his way.

T. Williams needs to be more consistent to be a #2 WR. We basically have a #1 with Dez, a couple of #3's and a 4. Look at a team like Pittsburgh. With the exception of this past weekend they have Martavious Bryant and Wheaton along with their #1 Antonio Brown who make plays all over the field.

I don't think we need to spend a 1st or 2nd on a WR, but I wouldn't mind finding another guy in the 3rd or 4th who can come in and replace Williams as the #2.

ravidubey said:

Blame the offensive system if you want, but it's clear Dallas has been cursed with WRs who just can't get open.

DeAndre Hopkins is a monster who can also take the top off a defense. Closest Dallas came to that was one play with Brice Butler.

The main thing that "handcuffed" Weeden in Dallas was the lack of skill talent at WR.

Click to expand...

Also doesn't help that Weeden could not throw to his left.

Cowboysrock55 said:

What should GM Jerry have done mid season then? Told Garrett what to do? That seems to be the exact thing that people bitch about Jerry doing. I guess we could fire Garrett midseason but that wouldn't have likely ended well either. It's not like Jerry knew how badly Garrett would adapt to the loss of Romo.

Click to expand...

So you think there was nothing anyone could discusse as to why the team structure couldn't be utilized to better suit the remaining players? I think it is the duty of the GM to put the coach on the spot at the earliest possible time to encourage them to react to fix the problems that were apparent to most. The system was not producing so to just sit back and allow it to continue is a dereliction of duty in my opinion. In addition it is more difficult to take corrective action at the appropriate time if the circumstances have not been touched on before.

Iamtdg said:

Terrance is not a solid #2 on any other team than this one.

Click to expand...

Nonsense. Just because he couldn't carry the load with the two best players on the offense gone and a terrible coaching staff incapable to adapt doesn't mean he's not a solid #2 with the potential to become more than that.

shane said:

Nonsense. Just because he couldn't carry the load with the two best players on the offense gone and a terrible coaching staff incapable to adapt doesn't mean he's not a solid #2 with the potential to become more than that.

Click to expand...

Again, he can't catch the damn ball consistently enough. Even when it hits him in the chest (which is his biggest problem, BTW). So, no, he's not a solid #2. Not even close.

The real question is do we direly need to upgrade from Terrance Williams in order to win, not whether or not he is a "2", with that meaning different things to different people.

Is he as good as Martavis Bryant?

No.

Is he generally as good as the 2nd WR on the Chiefs, Vikings, Seahawks, Bengals, Panthers or Patriots?

Yes, and did he make huge plays for us last year? Season defining plays at times?

Yes.

To me that means we aren't in dire need of upgrading from him. If the BPA at the top of round 3 is a WR I'd be happy to take them, but I don't think we need to go forcing Laquon Treadwell at 4 or anything either.