Cowboys done with Tony Romo due to Dak Prescott’s rise?
With quarterback Dak Prescott impressing the Dallas Cowboys, Tony Romo’s return to the QB one spot is cloudy due to rookie’s power play.
Owner and general manager Jerry Jones says the Dallas Cowboys squad belongs to injured quarterback Tony Romo.
He also said the 36-year-old was fine after the Seattle Seahawks preseason game.
Don’t bite the bait. I won’t.
Because as long as rookie quarterback Dak Prescott — who is 13 years younger than his predecessor — continues to play well and win football games, there’s no way the Cowboys brass is stepping in a DeLorean DMC-12 to fix old timelines, Back to the Future style.
It’s just not going to happen. The media and the Jones family can hype up the multi-million dollar quarterback’s return storyline all they want. This is not a knock on Romo. This is about identifying with the truth: The future is now and that future is Dak Prescott, who is playing at a high level despite carrying around the rookie label.
Dak was asked about a potential quarterback controversy ... "yeah, this is Romo's team."
— Nick Eatman (@nickeatman) September 19, 2016
In two starts as a rookie, Prescott owns a 83.1 quarterback rating. Sure he hasn’t tossed a touchdown pass. But he hasn’t got an interception either (or a turnover for that matter). He does have one rushing touchdown, which helped the Boys leap over a division rival and last year’s NFC East winner in the Washington Redskins.
But what impresses most about the former Mississippi State QB is his resolve. He was composed in first away game at FedEXField, going for a 103.8 quarterback rating and completing 73.3 of his passes. Only eight passes were recorded as incomplete. He was just eight passing yards from his first 300-yard ball game.
This kid has the right moves.
Let’s not forget that it was Prescott, the eighth quarterback taken in last year’s NFL Draft, who boiled over the other rookie quarterbacks this preseason, which many analysts have said was just a fake audition.
I’ll give you a friendly statistical reminder about his preseason numbers.
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In three games, Prescott went 39 for 50, completing 78 percent of his passes, tossed five touchdowns against zero interceptions with a final rating of 137.8. He ran the ball seven times for 53 yards and two scores.
In terms of preseason rank, he had the best passer rating as a rookie and finished second overall. His five touchdown passes was first overall.
Now, in contrast, to plug-in an aging quarterback whose needle is closer to retirement is a mistake. Jerry Jones says with Romo in the playbook is more open, and that defenses will be attacked more.
Jones might be right.
But let’s not forget, the current starting quarterback isn’t exactly Brandon Weeden or Matt Cassel — both quarterbacks who presumably have already been surpassed by Mr. Prescott.
Number four has the feet and arm in his attack. His brain is still turning north, his upside not even near reached in NFL Pro terms.
I’d love nothing more than to get Romo back in and playing well. But that storyline might be dead. There’s no telling how long his body will last, or how many shots he is away from the final kill shot that knocks him out for good.
Questions about his functionality and health will always be a topic of conversation from here on out.
To me, there’s just no storyline to top Dak Prescott right now, especially if he continues to grow, learn, and of course, win.
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Jerry Jones can manufacture his dreams of a Jones/Garrett/Romo Super Bowl victory all he wants, but the reality is that type of lottery isn’t part of the new agenda.
Unless Mr. Jones drives a DeLorean like Michael J. Fox, the current storyline of Dak Prescott as the leading star in Dallas is the movie flick that will stick if you ask me.