Dallas Cowboys: What Is Everyone's Beef with Tony Romo?

Not a leader.  Plays golf in the offseason when he should be concentrating on football.  Loses games week in and week out.  Spends more time in Hollywood when he should be winning back the support of his teammates.

Those are just some of the excuses that hardcore Cowboys fans and "experts" everywhere use in criticism of the Cowboys' franchise quarterback.

Yes, some of the criticism is warranted.  He has lost two playoff games because of a botched hold on a game-winning field goal in Seattle, and a last-second interception against the eventual Super Bowl champion Giants in 2007.

Tony has been involved in some controversy as well, some that many of these so-called "experts" have blamed for some of his biggest failures since taking over as the Cowboys' starting quarterback in 2006.

From the trip to Cabo and the subsequent appearance by Jessica Simpson at a Eagles game, to the recent marriage to Candice Crawford, critics have alot of ammunition to use against him.

Here are five arguments that Romo gives the Cowboys the best chance to win on Sunday:

1. Long Quarterback Carousel After Aikman and Before Romo

Chad Hutchinson, Ryan Leaf, Vinny Testaverde, Anthony Wright and Drew Bledsoe.  Those are some of the starting quarterbacks that took the snaps under center after Troy Aikman retired in 2000.

The starting quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys is a position not for the weak.  Everything is magnified when you are the face of America's Team.

Alot of guys tried to man the position, but they failed.  

When Tony Romo took over in 2006 after replacing a long-past-his-prime Drew Bledsoe, Bill Parcells took a chance.

Alot of Cowboys fans were unsure of what they had in a one Antonio Ramiro Romo. 

When he led the team to within a field goal of a playoff win in 2006, and to within a score to secure a trip to the NFC title game in 2007, people began to realize that he was the best quarterback seen in Dallas since Aikman.

2. Who Else Would the Cowboys Have?

Alot of people have said that if Romo does not win the Super Bowl in 2011, that his time in Dallas may be over.  The question is, if you cut him who will step into his place?

Jon Kitna was a pleasant surprise during last season.  He took a team that had sleepwalked through the first half of the season with a record of 1-7, and he guided them to a second-half record of 5-3.

Martellus Bennett had suggested that there be "open competition" between Romo and Kitna.  I'm sorry, but in my opinion Jon Kitna is a guy who can come in and win some games to cover an injury.  He's not a starter anymore. 

Bleacher Report's own Jason Henry suggested in his article that the clock is ticking in 2011 for Romo:

"But the 2011 season will mark the 16th consecutive season that the Cowboys haven’t reached the Super Bowl. The team hasn’t been close enough to even sniff the NFL’s pinnacle, and Romo has been blamed for both of their playoff loses since he’s taken over as starter......... But if the Cowboys fall short of that goal again this year, maybe next his time in Dallas will be cut short."

If the Cowboys were to cut or trade Romo, who would start in his place?  The answer is definitely NOT on the roster.  You hear that Marty B?

Tony Romo would start for a QB needy team, plain and simple.

3. Modern Danny White?

Alot of people have compared Romo to another Cowboys' quarterback that puts up alot of great statistics and break alot of records but not win when it counts.

Danny White took over for Roger Staubach in 1979 and immediately was the flashpoint of criticism.  He led the Cowboys to three consecutive NFC Championship games from 1980-1982, but unfortunately lost them all.

Tony Romo has passed for over 16,000 yards and is in elite company for having a career QB rating of 95, whicj ranks #4 all-time. 

He has completely re-written the Cowboys' record-books in categories such as passing touchdowns in a season, yards per completion and most 300-yard passing games.

In 2009, he led the Cowboys to their first playoff victory in over 13 years, which was a profound accomplishment that got one monkey off his back, but one still remains.

In Dallas, success is measured by how many Super Bowl championships you win.  I believe that Tony has the talent and the supporting cast around him to do just that.

4. Poor Coaching?

Some critics have blamed Romo and the Cowboys' troubles on the poor coaching of the now-fired Wade Phillips.

The head coach is responsible for getting the entire team ready to play each and every Sunday.  Football is a team sport and whether a team wins or loses, it is on the entire team and not just one person.

Expectations are always high in Dallas and when the team fails to reach them, as was the case in 2008 and in 2010, people always point fingers and find someone to blame.

To me, it's not just Tony Romo's fault.  What about Patrick Crayton's drop in the loss to the Giants in 2007?  What about Terry Glenn not fighting for the ball on that last-minute interception?

Football is a team sport. Period.

5. Tony Romo Is the Least of the Cowboys' Concerns

Tony Romo is the least of the Cowboys' concerns.

If he were to be cut or traded, he would go elsewhere and start for a team right away.  The problem is Cowboys fans are spoiled and want success now.

Tony Romo has been controversial but at the same time, he has been PRODUCTIVE.  How long did it take the man who all NFL quarterbacks are compared with in Peyton Manning to win a Super Bowl?

This season, Romo will be fully recovered from shoulder surgery and will have all of his supporting cast in Miles Austin, Dez Bryant and Felix Jones along with third-round speedster DeMarco Murray at his disposal to prove to critics once and for all that he is worthy of being a Top 10 NFL quarterback.