Miles Austin Passes "Hot Check" for Dallas Cowboys

No. Miles Austin isn't in trouble with the law. A "hot check", sometimes known as a "heat check", is a test of sorts. Let's take a look at what it means.

Here, a hot check is a way to determine if a player is...well...hot.   

Every quarterback that has ever been enshrined in the Hall of Fame had one. Any active quarterback worth his salt has one too.  He's that ultimate go-to guy, you know, the one that makes the "how in the heck did he catch that" play in the clutch. Every team wants one. Every team needs one to win it all. He is, simply, the playmaker. 

During his tenure as starting quarterback for the Cowboys, Tony Romo has never had his go-to guy as far as wide receivers go.  Sure Romo has tight end Jason Witten, and they have earned a decent living as the Cowboys main "Dynamic Duo."  The problem is opposing teams are learning how to deny Witten as Romo first passing choice. 

Who will step up in his place? Is there anyone hot enough?

So what are the Cowboys gonna do?  

The Cowboys need to find Romo a receiver that has the same on-field unspoken chemistry as Romo has with Witten.  Sure they tried with wide receiver Terrell Owens, and I'm not going to waste keystrokes here repeating what has already been said about T.O., so let's move on. 

Wide receiver Roy Williams sounded off at Valley Ranch this week. Some though he sounded stupid, but there was truth to what Williams has said. We have all seen the evidence every Sunday.  The fact is Romo and Williams are not connecting in games. 

Williams, who claims to be the No. 1 receiver, also added that everything is going the No. 2's (Austin's) way.  Williams' final chime was about how Romo throws to him differently than Austin, causing him to twist and contort himself to catch the ball. 

Yep I agree with you Roy! 

But the fact of the matter is, somewhere, somehow in the Week Five game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Romo and Austin found their groove.  

Everyone is now asking if Austin is for real? Is he a playmaker?  Is he the heir to Michael Irvin and other Cowboys receiver greats of the past?  

Austin fits the bill  

Austin filled his stat line against the Chiefs a few weeks ago with 10 receptions, 250 yards and two touchdowns.  But wait. Let's check this. After all, one game does not a playmaker make. 

The next game had the Cowboys at home hosting the Atlanta Falcons. Austin came through again with a line of six receptions, 171 yards, and two touchdowns in the win.

Again, wait. The Cowboys had the bye week so everyone on the team should have been rested and ready to play at top speed.  Can't say playmaker yet. 

Last Sunday the Cowboys had the noon game with the Seattle Seahawks and won their third game in a row.  Austin's numbers were not as big as the previous two weeks he had five receptions, 61 yards, and one touchdown but finally, a consistent passing option is found for Romo. 

After three straight unfailing performances we can safely say Miles Austin is the Dallas Cowboys newest in a long historic line of playmakers.  My he wear the crown well!