Why The Injury To Tony Romo Might Save the Cowboys Season

I had a bad feeling going into the Dallas/Arizona game. As a lifelong Cowboys fan, I have almost developed a sixth sense when it comes to the Cowboys. After beginning the season with a bang, for the last few weeks I have slowly watched a team quickly lose its fire.

There are many reasons for the Cowboys rapid decline. First, the secondary has been mediocre at best. Injuries have definitely played a factor, but the truth is Dallas simply is not aggressive. Far too many times this season, I have watched the Cowboys get picked apart because of soft coverage.

However, the secondary isn't the only problem Dallas has on defense. With the exception of yesterday's game against an immobile Kurt Warner, the Dallas pass rush has been basically non-existent. Any team that cannot cover receivers or manage a pass rush probably is going to have trouble stopping people.

There have been other problems as well. Jason Garrett, who is considered one of the finest coordinators in the league, made the decision to only allow Marion Barber eight carries in the game against Washington and I would be remiss without mentioning Adam "Don't Call me Pacman" Jones. I could comment further on Mr. Jones, but the truth is he should have never been signed to begin with.

That brings to an area that few people seem to want to address, the quarterback position. Let me begin by saying I love Tony Romo. There is no question he is one of the most exciting players in the league. With guys like Brett Favre pushing 40 years old, the NFL needed another charismatic quarterback who happens to also be a gunslinger.

Make no bones about it, Romo is good and he will continue to get better. Even though Romo, has only started roughly two full season of games, he already holds the Cowboys record for the most career three hundred yard games. Romo's style of play always makes for great television and always leaves Cowboys fans hopeful that we can come from behind at any moment. His style of play also is part of the reason why the Cowboys are struggling.

The fact is Tony Romo turns the ball over way too much. Until yesterday's game with Arizona, Romo had been intercepted in eight straight games. Even in Dallas wins, his gunslinger mentality often put the Cowboys in jeopardy. Far too many times, we allowed teams to hang around because Tony just can't seem to help himself. Another problem, Romo has is with protecting the ball.

Besides throwing too many interceptions, it seems like he fumbles every week. That is not always his fault. Against the Cardinals, Romo was hammered all day eventually leading to Tony breaking his finger, which would explain why he threw so poorly in overtime. When your pass protection is not very good and you have a quarterback who refuses to throw the ball away when under pressure, you tend to have a lot of turnovers.

I also can't help but notice T.O. is growing increasingly frustrated which means a major blowup is coming and coming soon. Despite claiming "that's my quarterback" at the end of last season, I somehow suspect T.O. is beginning to think about a divorce. All of this is why I contend the Cowboys may be better off with Brad Johnson for a few weeks.

I must admit I have never found Brad Johnson to be a particularly exciting player. His  short and intermediate passes just don't have the same flair as a Romo to T.O. bomb, but maybe his style is what Dallas needs in the short run. Johnson has never made a lot of mistakes and he understands the game of football. Unlike Romo, he never tries to win a game with his arm and his demeanor rarely changes whether he is winning or losing.

When you look at the Cowboys roster, there is no question that Dallas is one of the most talented teams in the league. Once the secondary gets healthy again and the Cowboys start rushing the passer, the defense should be fine.

Anytime you have receivers like Owens, Patrick Crayton, and an improving Miles Austin, you have a solid receiving core. Not to mention the fact, Jason Witten and Marion Barber are two of the most explosive players in the league.

In other words, there is no reason to think the Cowboys cannot fix what is ailing them. The only real concern I have is leadership. Romo is a fun guy and I think he has a bright future ahead of him, but right now he is not what the Cowboys need in the short term.

Perhaps sitting and watching Brad Johnson play for a few weeks, will show Tony Romo and the rest of the Cowboys someone needs to step up and become a leader on this team. The Cowboys are simply too good to let this season slip away.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?