Florio: Some say Cowboys are better off with Orton

boozeman

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Some say Cowboys are better off with Orton

Posted by Mike Florio on December 28, 2013, 11:17 AM EST



Many believe that the Cowboys have no chance to beat the Eagles without Tony Romo at quarterback. Many think that Cowboys have what quickly has become the most overused NFL-related cliche’ — “a puncher’s chance.”

Some actually believe that the Cowboys have a better chance to win with Kyle Orton in and Tony Romo out. Some of those have past connections to the Cowboys.

Count former Cowboys (and 49ers and Eagles and Bills and Bengals) receiver Terrell Owens among those who think Dallas can reverse its recent fate in NFC East title games with Orton under center.

“I do,” Owens told NFL Network, via the Dallas Morning News. “If you look at the situation, if it shakes out and it’s a shootout, late in the game everybody is expecting Tony Romo to throw some interceptions. Again, not to take away anything from what he’s done this year. He’s played spectacular. But going into situations like this, everybody expects the obvious, and that’s for him to make a mistake, a huge mistake.”

In all fairness, Owens isn’t exactly unbiased. Despite his passive-aggressive “that’s my quarterback” nonsense after a bye-week Mexican vacation potentially undermined Romo’s preparation for an early 2008 playoff game against the Giants, Owens reportedly believed at one point that Romo and tight end Jason Witten were conspiring to get the ball more to Witten and less to the receivers.

Owens isn’t the only former Cowboys player who believes Orton could help the team win. Quarterback Danny White, who served both as backup and starter in Dallas, told The FnA Podcast on AM570 FOX Sports LA that the Cowboys will have a better chance of winning with Romo out and Orton in.

“As crazy as this may sound, I think their chances of winning the game just got better,” White said. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen backup quarterbacks come in and it just raises the level of intensity, their level of concentration. They’ll either crater and go right in the tank, or they’ll rise to the occasion. Every guy will play just a little bit better.”

While fellow former Cowboys quarterback Babe Laufenberg stopped short of saying the team is better off sans Romo, Laufenberg thinks the offense will be in good hands.

“I really do have great confidence in Orton,” Laufenberg told Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News. “When the Cowboys signed him they thought he was the best guy out there. He has gone from the 45th most important player on the roster to No. 1.”

The Cowboys are hoping to finish No. 1 in the NFC East for the first time since 2009, after losing a chance to do so in 2011 and 2012. If that happens, both the Cowboys (since 1997) and Orton (for his career) will move more than No. 1 game above .500 in the win-loss column.
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Dismiss Owens if you want but I think Danny White had a great point.

The team will have to respond differently, they really have no choice.

Romo is not going to save the day, which he is often asked to do or even takes upon himself to try.
 

Cotton

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The only way they are better off is because they have a bulletin board piece. #winitforromo
 

data

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Media will be in a frenzy if Orton does what Romo couldn't the last two years.

White vs pelleur, part II
 

Cotton

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Texas Ace

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Media will be in a frenzy if Orton does what Romo couldn't the last two years.

White vs pelleur, part II
I suggested this same thing last Monday when Romo's injury was first announced.

If we win this game behind a solid Orton performance, the media is going to use it to start a ton of Romo debates on Monday.
 

Donpingon

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This is either going to go really well tomorrow or be an absolute bloodbath
 

BipolarFuk

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Romo is like a 90 in Madden 25 and Orton is a 74. So I don't know WTF these guys are smoking.
 

Genghis Khan

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This is correct. Orton is actually pretty solid, and among the better backups in the league. But Romo is borderline top 5.

The only way the Cowboys may be better off is it forces the coaches to call a better game plan and have more balance because they don't have Romo. This offense should be running through Murray anyway and building everything else off of that. If they did that consistently with Romo they'd have already clinched and wouldn't even have needed this game.
 

Clay_Allison

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If Philly scores early and goes up by 10 you can guarantee Carrot Top will abandon the run and let the game get completely out of hand.
 

Bob Roberts

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Opie usually does the opposite of what he should, so he'll probably keep running if down by 20
 

ravidubey

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Bloodbath. The offense will put up a reasonable amount of points but won't be able to keep up with Philly.
That's not true. Dallas needs to stay committed to the run and it will keep them in the game with a chance to win in the 4th quarter. Nick Foles is nowhere near as good as his stats would tell.
 

L.T. Fan

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Question. If a wealthy friend invited you to join hm in his box at ATT stadium would you go?
 

Angrymesscan

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This is correct. Orton is actually pretty solid, and among the better backups in the league. But Romo is borderline top 5.

The only way the Cowboys may be better off is it forces the coaches to call a better game plan and have more balance because they don't have Romo. This offense should be running through Murray anyway and building everything else off of that. If they did that consistently with Romo they'd have already clinched and wouldn't even have needed this game.
This. It's not that Orton is a better player, it's that it might force the coaches into a more "conservative" play calling.
 

1bigfan13

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This is correct. Orton is actually pretty solid, and among the better backups in the league. But Romo is borderline top 5.

The only way the Cowboys may be better off is it forces the coaches to call a better game plan and have more balance because they don't have Romo. This offense should be running through Murray anyway and building everything else off of that. If they did that consistently with Romo they'd have already clinched and wouldn't even have needed this game.
That's one of the reasons I like our chances better with Orton than Romo. I doubt we get the out of whack 47 to 15 pass:run ratio that we often get with Romo at the line constantly calling pass plays.

Also, you have to consider the mental makeup of Romo coming into games like this. Romo is a very good QB but I think there is a mental block that he has that Orton doesn't. Romo constantly has to hear about his late game and late season gaffs and despite what he says in the media I think self-doubt creeps into his mind in games like today's. And as a result, I think there is an expectation for something bad to happen.

Orton doesn't have that mental block.
 
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boozeman

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Question. If a wealthy friend invited you to join hm in his box at ATT stadium would you go?
As long as he/she was not a Jones, probably. Just for the free food/beer.
 
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