Romo To Austin Stew Boiling

After the Bronco game I was a bit concerned that Tony Romo lost some accuracy. He missed some open receivers, a couple over the middle of the field, an area where Romo throws some of his best balls.

We were four games into the season with Romo being bad in the two losses. I tried to look for some inconsistencies in his mechanics and couldn’t find many other than not stepping up in the pocket and other lazy footwork. I was worried that Romo was over-coached in the offseason, resulting in inconsistency from game to game due to a quarterback just thinking a little too much while dropping back to pass.

Well, after the Falcon game, my worries have been put aside. Just look at his connections with Miles Austin and you will be impressed. These throws were right on the money. They had the right velocity, the right touch, the right height, and most importantly the right timing.

We have just witnessed a game where Romo looked like the Romo of November of 2007, a month where just absolutely went off connecting with TO for touchdown after touchdown. Now, Romo has made Austin his new favorite target and this is great news for the Cowboys heading into the meat of the NFL season.

Here is a look at the big throws Romo delivered to Austin. At first glance, it almost looks too easy. But that’s how good Romo is. He can make tough throws look easy.

Play 1: Touchdown bomb to Austin

This play looked the easiest. It was a 7-step drop from under center. The pocket was absolutely perfect (thanks to the big men up front). Romo did something very subtle that allowed him to nail this pass.

Right after he finishes his 7th step he shuffles ever-so-slightly forward and to his left. This enables him to put the ball enough toward the sideline and away from the defender so Austin can get this ball in stride and go to the house.

Again, the timing was great. If Romo throws this ball too late, at best Austin makes a tip-toe catch on the sideline for a 30-gain. If it’s too early, then the defender might get a read on it and break up the pass. 

I also noticed how quick Romo’s feet are on this seven-step drop. If Romo was sluggish with his feet, then Austin may have been too close to the sideline by the time Romo got set to throw. If this was the case, there is no way they connect. 

Play 2: Pass to Austin during 2-minute drill

The Cowboys have the ball at the Atlanta 26 with less than 30 seconds. It’s 2nd-and-9. Again, we have another clean pocket. Patrick Crayton runs a simple five-yard stop route and Romo stares at him just long enough for the defender to freeze. Austin then sneaks behind this same Falcon defensive back and Romo drops a perfect pass at around the 12-yard line.

This was an NFL throw and the reason why you shouldn’t call for a Romo benching every time he makes a boneheaded decision. He dropped this pass right over the defender and high enough for Austin to make the grab to move the chains. Two plays later Romo goes Jedi on the Falcon pass rush and throws a touchdown to Crayton.

Play 3: 30-yard pass to Austin down the left sideline

Dallas ball, 1st-and-10 at their own 20 up 17-14.  Romo does a nice job faking the delayed handoff to Marion Barber. Again, the protection is unbelievable. Romo sets at about the 12 and launches a beautiful pass to Austin running a corner route.

This kind of accuracy is hard to find. These are the kinds of passes Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees make. Austin didn’t have much separation. In fact, the defender was flagged for pass interference so you have an idea how much contact there was between him and the defender.

In addition, this was a corner route, so there is only so much room for Romo to squeeze in this pass. Despite the difficulty, Romo throws a strike. Also give credit to Austin for tapping both feet in bounds.

Over the years I have noticed that Romo tends to lose accuracy when throwing balls more than 30 yards down the field and toward the sideline. Here he threw a perfect ball that traveled 37 yards in the air right at the sideline.  

Play 4: Austin’s 2nd Touchdown

This was the route Austin was supposed to run in Denver when Champ Bailey picked the pass off inside the red zone in the 3rd quarter of that game. Here, Romo and Austin were on the same page.

In the Denver game it looked like Romo just flung the ball before Austin came out of his break, which is bad on his part. If he waited for Austin, he would have seen that Miles would have been open for a touchdown despite running the wrong route, which is bad on the receiver’s part.  On this play against the Falcons there were no mistakes by the quarterback or the young receiver.

There was man-coverage on the right side and Romo read this well. He drops back, waits for Austin to make his break, and zings a strike to his target. This pass was perfection. The corner chucked Austin drawing a flag, but Romo had the right velocity and location on this pass where it didn’t matter. Austin makes the grab and walks in for six points.

Play 5: 3rd-and-8 conversion

This play demonstrates why it can be ok to be a gunslinger. Cowboys have the ball at their own 45 and they are in shotgun formation. Romo had Jason Witten wide open in the flat five yards down the field. He could have easily checked down to Witten, who would have converted the first down after a simple five yard catch.

However, Romo again had great protection and didn’t give up on his first read. Austin comes out of his break quickly and Romo throws a dart right into the hands of his receiver, who was standing right on the numbers of the 40-yard line. That is timing, precision, and velocity all in one.

Austin got right to his spot 15 yards down the field and Romo slung a ball perfectly with three defenders in the area, trusting his guy to make the catch. Romo could have easily shied away and gone to Witten, who would have got a nice 10 or 12 yard gain. Instead, they get 28 with a catch and run.

The development in the rapport between Romo and Austin has been pleasant to watch over the last two games. They have connected on several different kinds of routes, with that intermediate comeback pattern becoming a routine after it won the game in Kansas City. 

It's also appropriate that this Romo to Austin stew is boiling just in time for Halloween. I can see Jason Garrett in a witch costume stirring up new plays for this passing tandem in his pot.