Romo throwing at practice

[Bmurph]

Tony Romo's game-day availability is reportedly up to Cowboys coaches
Is this the week Tony Romo returns to the sidelines?

• by Ryan Wilson
• @ryanwilson_07
• 1h ago • 1 min read

After missing the first two months of the season, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo was cleared to practice this week, and now the question becomes whether he'll be active for Sunday's game in Pittsburgh.

A final determination on Romo's status likely won't come until later in the week, but it's no longer a medical issue. Romo's game day fate "will be a coaching decision,'' a source told ESPN's Ed Werder.

This development comes two days after owner and general manager Jerry Jones pretty much admitted he had no idea who would be under center for the Cowboys once Romo is completely healthy. The team is currently 7-1 with rookie Dak Prescott, but Prescott has also benefitted from the league's best offensive line and a steady diet of Ezekiel Elliott.

"The key thing I want to emphasize is we probably are never going to have this totally sorted out," Jones told CBS Sports Radio affiliate 105.3 the Fan in Dallas. "We're going to play it by ear, play it as it comes. We can do that. To do it really right for the advantage of the team, which we deserve, [Romo's] got to really be ready to go at the top of his game."

So what happens if Prescott remains the No. 1, would Romo be open to backup duty?

"I don't want to really speak for Tony," he said. "Anybody with any sense knows that Tony would like to be playing if they understand what a competitor he is. That's that."

Unlike a year ago, when Romo missed 12 games and the Cowboys had to roll with Brandon Weeden, Matt Cassel and Kellen Moore, having too many quality quarterbacks is a good problem to have.

"We have the luxury of getting him that ready," Jones said. "When we do that, we've got an edge that can carry us a long way. I think what you're going to have is you're going to see Tony really playing well in practice, really being what he can be, which is in my mind, when he's healthy, I don't know that I'd trade him for anybody."

 

[jarntt]

Ain't gonna happen this week. Zero Chance.

 

[ROMOTOOWENS]

Ain't gonna happen this week. Zero Chance.

0 chance to start or 0 chance to dress out??

 

[ROMOTOOWENS]

Ain't gonna happen this week. Zero Chance.

Here is the thing- Garrett is getting ready to have to make a decision. I have no idea what he is gonna do or should do. Feelings are gonna get hurt and people are going to be upset. I really don't think they know what to do. This great problem is not looking so great to me anymore. They have danced around it since week 4.

 

[jarntt]

Here is the thing- Garrett is getting ready to have to make a decision. I have no idea what he is gonna do or should do. Feelings are gonna get hurt and people are going to be upset. I really don't think they know what to do. This great problem is not looking so great to me anymore. They have danced around it since week 4.

It's not going to require an answer THIS week and still is a GREAT problem IMO. Pick the QB you think is better for this team starting. Then look at the other guy and know he is #2. So either Romo or Dak is our backup. How many teams can get their QB injured and Romo or Dak comes off the bench??? That's the kind of depth that Deanpet would kill to have...

 

[Bmurph]

It's not going to require an answer THIS week and still is a GREAT problem IMO. Pick the QB you think is better for this team starting. Then look at the other guy and know he is #2. So either Romo or Dak is our backup. How many teams can get their QB injured and Romo or Dak comes off the bench??? That's the kind of depth that Deanpet would kill to have...

Or any other team in the league would love to have

 

[Manster7588]

Tony Romo looks 'fantastic,' according to Cowboys defenders


Sean Lee on Tony “He looks great,” linebacker Sean Lee said. “I mean he looks like he hasn’t missed a beat. His ability to throw the ball, I always say I’ve been here seven years and I haven’t been near a football when he goes against us just because of how great he is with this eyes, how quick he is with his release. It’s amazing taking the time off, he looks fantastic, like he hasn’t missed any time.”

Brandon Carr on Tony, “You’re getting a real look,” Carr said. “He’s a guy that’s going to look you off. He’s going to change plays at the line of scrimmage, like a real football game. You’re getting as close to a Sunday look as you can with a scout-team quarterback.”

At this point I see two possible reasons as to why Romo isnt on the field.
1. They don't want to fuck up a good thing with Dak
2. They fear Romo CAN'T take a hit.

 

[Bmurph]

Cowboys reportedly make decision on Tony Romo's Week 10 status
The Cowboys veteran quarterback was fully cleared to play earlier this week

• by John Breech
• @johnbreech
• 1h ago • 2 min read

It looks like the Dallas Cowboys aren't quite ready to see Tony Romo suit up for a regular season game. According to NFL.com, Romo isn't expected to be active for the Cowboys game in Pittsburgh on Sunday vs. the Steelers.

The decision to make Romo a healthy scratch means the quarterback will miss his ninth game of the year. Romo has been sidelined since Aug. 25when he injured his back in a preseason game against the Seahawks.

The veteran quarterback, who was just fully cleared to practice this week, was on the field as a full participant for the Cowboys' practices on both Wednesday and Thursday.

Tony Romo isn't expected to suit up on Sunday. USATSI
The reason the Cowboys have decided to keep Romo sidelined this week is because he's still technically rehabbing, even though he's been cleared to play. According to NFL.com, Romo will have completed his rehab if he makes it through this week of practice, which means he just has to make it through Friday's session.

Since Romo has been medically cleared, that means the decision to make him inactive this week came from the coaching staff.

Before Wednesday's practice, Cowboys coach Jason Garrett made it clear that they weren't going to rush things with Romo even though he's healthy.

"We just have to see where he is," Garrett said. "Tony's practiced four days over the last couple of weeks and has been involved in part of practices on each of those days. We'll do something similar with him today. He'll start in individuals and see how he does. He'll be working some scout-team reps like he did last week."

Since Romo won't be suiting up this week, the means the Cowboys can put off their quarterback quandary for at least one more week. Once Romo is able to suit up, it's not clear who's going to be the starter in Dallas.


Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said on Tuesday that the decision is still up in the air.

"The key thing I want to emphasize is we probably are never going to have this totally sorted out," Jones said, via the Dallas Morning News. "We're going to play it by ear, play it as it comes. We can do that. To do it really right for the advantage of the team, which we deserve, [Romo's] got to really be ready to go at the top of his game."

Jones also admitted he wasn't sure if Romo was open to the idea of being Dak Prescott's backup.

"I don't want to really speak for Tony," Jones said. "Anybody with any sense knows that Tony would like to be playing if they understand what a competitor he is. That's that."

In Romo's absence, Prescott has led the Cowboys to a 7-1 record, a total that includes seven straight wins. That's the longest streak in Dallas since 2007, when the team finished 13-3.

 

[jarntt]

Tony Romo looks 'fantastic,' according to Cowboys defenders


Sean Lee on Tony “He looks great,” linebacker Sean Lee said. “I mean he looks like he hasn’t missed a beat. His ability to throw the ball, I always say I’ve been here seven years and I haven’t been near a football when he goes against us just because of how great he is with this eyes, how quick he is with his release. It’s amazing taking the time off, he looks fantastic, like he hasn’t missed any time.”

Brandon Carr on Tony, “You’re getting a real look,” Carr said. “He’s a guy that’s going to look you off. He’s going to change plays at the line of scrimmage, like a real football game. You’re getting as close to a Sunday look as you can with a scout-team quarterback.”

At this point I see two possible reasons as to why Romo isnt on the field.
1. They don't want to fuck up a good thing with Dak
2. They fear Romo CAN'T take a hit.

No chance he was going to start this week unless the season was on the line. I don't know about #1, but #2 is absolutely part of the picture IMO. The concern coming back from this injury, even before Dak, was him taking a hit, not throwing the ball or moving around. They stated he will be able to throw long before he can take a hit. So he's been throwing for a few weeks? He may just be getting to the point where he can take a hit or maybe not yet.

So it could be #1 as well, but I just don't think we are there yet. I think the first time the coaching staff even discusses who will be the starting QB will be next week and even then I still think they have the benefit of saying let's be careful and wait another week. So the earliest we see a switch IMO, if we ever see it, will be the Redskins game. By then Dak could be hurt, dead, coming off an atrocious game or coming off a 7 TD game...so I still say when the time comes to make the decision it may be a lot easier than everyone is assuming

 

[PDay8810]

coaches decision or so they are saying now....lol, that jerry!!

2 games in 10 days seems like a good time to assure Romo gets snaps in game situations. Way to much talent not to phase him in the mix. I don't think Dak just picks up a clipboard for the rest of the season.

after the last 10 years....I have zero problem with this media driven so called problem brewing in Dallas.

 

[Manster7588]

I see a lot of good Romo info from the players, so I take that as if Romo plays it won't piss off the team like the talking heads keep suggesting.

 

[ArlingtonCowboys100]

You can bet Romo would have played last week and probably taken off on a cart if we had not drafted Prescott. We need to keep riding the wave and see where it leads. Dak is certainly not as reckless with the football as Romo is. Cowboys are loaded on offense and the reason the Cowboys are 7-1 is because Dak is playing smart football.

 

[jarntt]

I see a lot of good Romo info from the players, so I take that as if Romo plays it won't piss off the team like the talking heads keep suggesting.

The players are going to INITIALLY be absolutely fine with whomever the team starts when the time comes. Dak has obviously earned the right this year and Romo has earned the right by showing us all he is a great QB over and over again. Where the players, fans and everyone else are not going to be fine is if both are dressed and the one playing is not playing as well as they perceive the other would and that day usually comes during the ups and downs of an NFL season...

Still a great problem to have and still not an issue as Romo is still not ready to play...rinse, repeat...

 

[Bmurph]

The Cowboys believe Tony Romo would be perfectly happy as a backup quarterback
Stephen Jones doesn't think sitting would bother Romo

• by Will Brinson
• @WillBrinson
• 2h ago • 1 min read

There is no bigger storyline in the NFL this season than the Cowboys' quarterback situation. Dallas has Dak Prescott playing very well as a rookie and Tony Romo getting healthy and lurking on the depth chart.

Romo is closer than ever to being ready to play, with his status for Sunday up in the air and the pressure firmly shifted onto Prescott. In an attempt to alleviate some of that pressure, Cowboys VP Stephen Jones said on 105.3 the Fan, a CBS Sports Radio station, Friday (via NFL.com) that he believes Romo would be fine as a backup if that's what the Cowboys wanted.

"Well, first of all Tony's a competitor and obviously all competitors want to be the very best they can be, they want to play, they want to start," Jones said. "Any athlete who's played a sport they want to contribute and certainly he does.

"At the same time Tony's the consummate team player and I think if it meant as part of the process with Tony going into games as a backup then, I don't want to speak for him, but my guess would be that he would."

There is probably some truth to this. If Romo was asked to be the backup for Dallas, he wouldn't cause a stink on the sideline or the locker room and he would likely play the role of good soldier.

Romo, like Jerry Jones and his family, just wants to win a Super Bowl. Disrupting the locker room or causing a stink just isn't a Romo move.

But it's not hard to imagine Romo being disappointed -- tremendously disappointed, even -- at the idea of the Cowboys continuing to roll with Prescott even when Romo is healthy. We heard how the Cowboys were Romo's team for quite a while, right up until Jerry Jones started backpeddling faster than Deion Sanders in his prime, talking up the idea of Prescott as the team's starter moving forward.

Romo wants to play for the Cowboys. He wants to be the guy running the offense in Dallas.

It's probably best described as a "fluid situation" really. If Prescott plays well on Sunday against the Steelers and the Cowboys win, Romo will keep being "questionable" moving forward. But a stumble from the rookie and an ugly Cowboys loss would very much open things up to the possibility of returning to Romo.

I don't think this is necessarily the case but it sounds good to Stephen I guess

 

[CarlSr]

I think Tony is a team guy, but I have a hard time believing he'd be happy as a backup. The only way I'll buy that is if he secretly believes his body just can't take it anymore. I don't think he wants Dak to be injured or for the team to lose games, but I'm sure he wants to get out there and help them on the field.

 

[ROMOTOOWENS]

That's funny Stevie

 

[R.J. MacReady]

I think Tony is a team guy, but I have a hard time believing he'd be happy as a backup. The only way I'll buy that is if he secretly believes his body just can't take it anymore. I don't think he wants Dak to be injured or for the team to lose games, but I'm sure he wants to get out there and help them on the field.

Tony was, is and will always be a team guy.

But the true DNA of a team guy is they do things "especially" when they don't like because it's best for the team.
And that is in no way to suggest that a healthy Romo on the sideline is best for the team.

I myself can't help this feeling that this all works out and Romo & Dak both end up heroes.


...."it is a dream I have"



.

 

[R.J. MacReady]

Tony was, is and will always be a team guy.

But the true DNA of a team guy is they do things "especially" when they don't like because it's best for the team.
And that is in no way to suggest that a healthy Romo on the sideline is not best for the team.

I myself can't help this feeling that this all works out and Romo & Dak both end up heroes.


...."it is a dream I have"



.

Corrected.