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October-1st-2008, 12:02 AM
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/football/cowboys/stories/100108dnspoinsidecowboys.1acc1c7.html
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Romo the quarterback needs to become better game manager
Tony Romo has been good this season. To characterize it any other way would be silly.
But he needs to be better, if the Cowboys are going to reach their lofty goals.
Romo has to do more than compile gaudy stats and make the occasional play that winds up on SportsCenter because he's turned chaos into yet another big play.
He needs to do a better job of managing the game and making decisions. Although the game plan calls for him to audible out a running play, when there are eight men near the line of scrimmage, he has to be astute enough to know the Cowboys are good enough to run the ball against eight-man fronts.
Emmitt Smith did it all of the time. So does any other running back that's any good. He has to know during the course of the game that passing every down is not the key to success – not when the NFL's most physical running back resides in his backfield.
He must also be astute enough not to force the ball to Terrell Owens. No matter what Romo said, that's what he did Sunday.
It doesn't matter whether he felt T.O. had a matchup he could exploit. Or whether the petulant receiver convinced him to direct seemingly every pass his way. We all know the offense runs best when Romo goes through his progression of reads and makes the right throw because that ensures all of the Cowboys' offensive weapons get involved in the offense.
That said, we can't forget Romo has started only 31 games – not yet two full seasons. He's still learning. He's going to make mistakes.
But he's still one of the league's best quarterbacks. He just needs to do all of the little things it takes to play like one of the best every week.
COWBOYS Q&A
Q: I know Miles Austin has gotten a lot of good press, but do you think he is better than Isaiah Stanback? On the kickoff return for a TD by Felix Jones, Stanback showed some big-time speed and Stanback has better hands than Miles. I just can't forget the skinny post he dropped against the Skins last year. Stanback or Austin, who is better?
Ami Heda, Maplewood, N.J.
TAYLOR: I don't think there's any doubt, right now, that Austin is significantly better than Stanback. Austin played receiver throughout college and has been in the NFL three years. He's just now showing flashes, which began in training camp, that he can be a good player in this league. Stanback has yet to show it. He hasn't had many opportunities, but he played quarterback in college and is still really learning the position. Plus, he essentially missed last year with his foot and shoulder issues. This is his first real year. He'll get better, but Austin is much better right now.
•••
Q: I can't recall Romo scrambling forward this year, even though it seems he could have done it many times. He's probably being coached to do that as an absolute last resort, but I'd rather him run and slide for 8-10 yards for a first down than throw something on the run. Keeping drives alive is the name of the game. What do you think?
Brian R. Bauer, Alexandria Va.
TAYLOR: Romo has never been a runner, though he's athletic enough to pull the ball down and run it, if he needs to do it. He prefers to slide in the pocket and move around in hopes of finding a receiver for a big play. He did run once Sunday for a seven-yard gain.
Click link for entire article
Romo the quarterback needs to become better game manager
Tony Romo has been good this season. To characterize it any other way would be silly.
But he needs to be better, if the Cowboys are going to reach their lofty goals.
Romo has to do more than compile gaudy stats and make the occasional play that winds up on SportsCenter because he's turned chaos into yet another big play.
He needs to do a better job of managing the game and making decisions. Although the game plan calls for him to audible out a running play, when there are eight men near the line of scrimmage, he has to be astute enough to know the Cowboys are good enough to run the ball against eight-man fronts.
Emmitt Smith did it all of the time. So does any other running back that's any good. He has to know during the course of the game that passing every down is not the key to success – not when the NFL's most physical running back resides in his backfield.
He must also be astute enough not to force the ball to Terrell Owens. No matter what Romo said, that's what he did Sunday.
It doesn't matter whether he felt T.O. had a matchup he could exploit. Or whether the petulant receiver convinced him to direct seemingly every pass his way. We all know the offense runs best when Romo goes through his progression of reads and makes the right throw because that ensures all of the Cowboys' offensive weapons get involved in the offense.
That said, we can't forget Romo has started only 31 games – not yet two full seasons. He's still learning. He's going to make mistakes.
But he's still one of the league's best quarterbacks. He just needs to do all of the little things it takes to play like one of the best every week.
COWBOYS Q&A
Q: I know Miles Austin has gotten a lot of good press, but do you think he is better than Isaiah Stanback? On the kickoff return for a TD by Felix Jones, Stanback showed some big-time speed and Stanback has better hands than Miles. I just can't forget the skinny post he dropped against the Skins last year. Stanback or Austin, who is better?
Ami Heda, Maplewood, N.J.
TAYLOR: I don't think there's any doubt, right now, that Austin is significantly better than Stanback. Austin played receiver throughout college and has been in the NFL three years. He's just now showing flashes, which began in training camp, that he can be a good player in this league. Stanback has yet to show it. He hasn't had many opportunities, but he played quarterback in college and is still really learning the position. Plus, he essentially missed last year with his foot and shoulder issues. This is his first real year. He'll get better, but Austin is much better right now.
•••
Q: I can't recall Romo scrambling forward this year, even though it seems he could have done it many times. He's probably being coached to do that as an absolute last resort, but I'd rather him run and slide for 8-10 yards for a first down than throw something on the run. Keeping drives alive is the name of the game. What do you think?
Brian R. Bauer, Alexandria Va.
TAYLOR: Romo has never been a runner, though he's athletic enough to pull the ball down and run it, if he needs to do it. He prefers to slide in the pocket and move around in hopes of finding a receiver for a big play. He did run once Sunday for a seven-yard gain.