Nov 24, 2011; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys fan cheers while being held up during the game against the Miami Dolphins on Thanksgiving day at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

First off I would like all the readers to know that I am a diehard Cowboys fan. I will always have faith in my team and believe that the ‘Boys could very well win the next 5 super Bowls. I know it is very unlikely for them or any team to win the next 5 Super Bowls but that is the fan in me speaking. I could never agree with any negativity against my team that’s in the media. Also I want to object to Colin Cowherd’s opinion of fans like me being the fourth most delusional fan base. Being a delusional fan just means we are loyal to our team. Since the Dallas Cowboys have the most loyal fan base in the world, don’t insult us with number 4 Colin, go ahead and put us at number 1.

This year I have heard a lot of talk about this window the Dallas Cowboys have and how it closing if not already shut. I don’t buy in to it at all. Most of the opinions are from retired football players that think they know best. First of all if a full career of football is causing enough brain traumas for ex-players to kill themselves, why should any of us believe they know what they are talking about?

They simply base the idea of this so called window on the fact that the teams three biggest stars are walking on the field in 2012 in their 30’s. Tony Romo just recently turned 32, Jason Witten just turned 30, and DeMarcus Ware is turning 30 in July. Is 30 plus a bad age for a QB? Look at the ages of Hall of Fame QB’s that won a Super Bowl at 30 plus.

Steve Young won his Super Bowl at age 33, Roger Staubach won two super bowls just days before his 30^th, and 36^th birthday, Joe Montana won 2 Super Bowls in his 30’s,  Terry Bradshaw won a title at 31,  John Elway won at 37 and 38, and also Peyton and Eli got one at 30 and 31. These are most the QB’s that all others want to be in their careers.

Jan 16, 1972; New Orleans, LA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Dallas Cowboys tight end (89) Mike Ditka looks for running room against Miami Dolphins safety (40) Dick Anderson during Super Bowl VI at Tulane Stadium. The Cowboys defeated the Dolphins 24-3. Mandatory Credit: Photo By Manny Rubio-US PRESSWIRE Copyright Manny Rubio

If the age game is going to be played than they better leave Tony Romo out of it. What about newly thirtied Jason Witten? Well let’s see, Mike Ditka was 32 in Super Bowl VI and John Mackey was 30 in Super Bowl V. What about Shannon Sharpe He won 3 Super Bowls in his career and the first one came at the age of 29. If you look at all the Super Bowl victories by a Hall of Fame TE the majority of them came at 30 plus. I guess Jason Witten should be ineligible for the age game as well.

Now that leaves soon to be thirtied DeMarcus Ware. Compare his age to the all-time greats. We have Lawrence Taylor that won a Super Bowl at the too old age of 31, Ray Nitschke was 30 in a Super Bowl, Nick Buoniconti was 32 in his first, and Harry Carson was 33. Once again these are Hall Of Fame linebackers.

This, in my opinion, tells me that Romo, Witten and Ware are just getting into the best age of a Hall Of Fame career. Romo is still getting better each year and hasn’t shown any signs of that changing anytime soon. Witten still is a huge threat to any defense and considering he hasn’t suffered an injury since his rookie year he has some good years left in him.  Ware, the biggest beast in the in the NFC east, his sack count was so great last year that if it would take someone with brain trauma to think he is slowing down.

Sep 26, 2011; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) celebrates with linebacker DeMarcus Ware (94) in the fourth quarter against the Washington Redskins at Cowboys Stadium. The Cowboys beat the Redskins 18-16. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

The age of thirty being too old to win a Super Bowl is somewhat ridiculous but it depends on the position. Football is a physical sport and the human body can only sustain so much abuse. QB’s are hit about 80 times a season and with rules protecting them the hits they receive aren’t as brutal as hits on others. TE’s on the other hand get hit about the same but the hits are brutal and untamed. I remember Jason Witten getting hit by members of the Eagles defense and the force of the hit took his helmet off. Witten being the stud he is stayed on his feet and ran another 30 yards or so. LB’s take a lot of abuse and are involved in roughly 100 hits a year but for the most part being the hitter isn’t as bad as being the hittee. RB’s on the other hand have been hit up to 3,000 times by the time they hit 30 that’s just on an average of 24 combined hits after runs and receptions per game in an 8 year period.

Considering the ages of Romo, Witten, and Ware there is no problem with what history has shown us for those positions. With the roster still having young talent at RB and WR the Dallas Cowboys are in pretty good shape, and if they do have a window history would suggest that it is just opening.

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March 20 2012; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) holds his jersey after a press conference at Broncos headquarters. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-US PRESSWIRE

That statement got me thinking. Why is the former Colt being praised for his superior regular season statistics while Dallas Cowboys ‘quarterback Tony Romo is ridiculed and criticized weekly by the media? (both  in and out of Dallas) Particularly by one NFL Network Analyst and former Cowboys CB Deion “Primetime” Sanders for basically putting up the same numbers.

I decided to research and display the below statistics, so Cowboy fans could see just how favorable Romo’s statistics compare to the future Hall of Fame Quarterback and newest $96 million Bronco.

(Stats from pro-football-reference.com)

Tony Romo – #9 – Quarterback – 6’2” 228lbs
Born: April 21, 1980 in San Diego, CA
Undrafted 2003 NFL Draft – Eastern Illinois University

    Comp       Att        Cmp %       Yards        TD’s     Int’s    QB rating        
2011          346         522        66.3          4,184           31        10            102.5          
Career    1,672      2,592       64.5        20,834         149        72             96.9             

1 win -3 loss   –  25.0% -  playoff win %  (2006-2011)

Peyton Manning -  #18 – Quarterback – 6’5” 235lbs
Born: March 24, 1976 in New Orleans, LA
1st Pick – 1st Round 1998 NFL Draft – University of Tennessee

                  Comp       Att        Cmp %       Yards        TD’s     Int’s     QB rating
2010          450         679        66.3          4,700           33        17              91.9          
Career    4,682      7,210       64.9        54,828         198        86             94.9          

9 wins -10 loss -47.3%  playoff win % (1999- 2010)            

Now, many Cowboy fans and haters will argue that Manning has a Super Bowl ring and a better playoff record. HOWEVER, I must argue that Manning’s first Super bowl win did not take place until February of 2007, some 9 years after his first NFL start in 1998.

Dec 17, 2011; Tampa, FL, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) throws a pass during the second quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Douglas Jones-US PRESSWIRE

In fact, you can also argue that the same also ironically applies to yet another Hall Of Fame legend and former Denver Bronco quarterback, John Elway.  Elway was drafted in 1983 and didn’t win his first Superbowl until 15 years after his first NFL start. Romo was signed as a free agent after he went undrafted in 2003, and did not officially replace Drew Bledsoe until his first full NFL start on Sunday Night Football on 10/29/06. Thus giving him less than 6 years as a starting NFL QB.

Therefore, to conclude my point, the next time you hear one of these so called NFL experts state that the Dallas Cowboys will never win a Super bowl with Romo at quarterback and that they should replace him immediately with Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Tim Tebow, or even Peyton Manning, remember one important #, mentioned in this article: that of Romo’s jersey #, The #9.  Which coincidentally is half of Peyton Manning’s jersey #18.

The #9 is relevant because as the above information clearly shows Romo, not only compares favorably to future Hall of Fame QB Manning having played only roughly half the amount of time, but also he still has 9 years left to get his first Super bowl win.  Just as Manning accomplished exactly 9 years after his first NFL start and Elway did also did late in his career in his 15th NFL season as a starting QB.

As Cowboy fans, we all just have to remember to remain patient and supportive with Romo, and we should all follow the previous example set by both the Colt and Bronco fans before us. You can argue that the way that his early career statistics compare to some of the all-time NFL great QB’s, Romo definitely has displayed both the talent and drive to not only win a Super bowl but to also one day reach the NFL Hall of Fame. He just needs the positive support of us as Cowboy fans, and the patience to give him the required time prove it. I believe # 9 has already earned it.