Tony Romo Injury: Why It's the Official End To Cowboys' Playoff Hopes
Tony Romo was injured Monday night and could miss significant time for the Cowboys. The injury could not have come at a worse time. For a change, the game was going their way.
Then came Giants linebacker Michael Boley to ruin it all. He got free on a blitz and lit up Romo. The injury looks to be a fracture of the left clavicle. As Romo exited the game, so did the lead. Jon Kitna was forced to hold down the fort and the Giants took advantage of a bad situation.
If the Cowboys do indeed lose Romo for an extended period of time, it will kill an already moribund season.
Here are the reasons this injury ends playoff hopes in Dallas.
10: Jason Witten
1 of 10
The Cowboys have not had too much in the way of consistency this season. But they have always had the special chemistry that lives between Tony Romo and Jason Witten. Witten is Romo’s go-to guy and the one player you can count on in this offense.
With Romo out, Witten’s production may falter, eliminating a big weapon.
9: No Leader
2 of 10
When you lose Tony Romo, you lose a leader on the field and in the locker room. This has been a tumultuous season so far for the Cowboys and Romo is one of the few people holding it together.
The Boys need reassurance every once in a while. Romo gives them a clear blue-print and a loud voice to heed.
8: No Quarterback
3 of 10
Teams cannot assume they will the playoffs without a clear number one quarterback, but that's exactly what the Cowboys may be forced to do. Not having fidelity behind center can ruin a team.
With no viable man throwing the ball and calling plays, defenses will excel. That is exactly what is happening tonight.
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7: Jon Kitna
4 of 10
Jon Kitna was a serviceable quarterback—in 2008 in Detroit. That's the last time he took live snapps.
What I see tonight is a lot of rust on an old arm. The Cowboys are running short yardage plays for him, which is not working as the Giants stack the box against the run. All hell is breaking loose.
6: Comfort
5 of 10
To turn around a chaotic season, a team needs to walk a fine line. They need to understand the pertinence of winning while playing with some level of comfort. Too many players can't grip when they are in a situation like the one Dallas finds themselves in.
As Romo walked off the field, the tension amongst the Cowboys was palpable. Their 20-7 lead quickly vanished.
5: Running Game
6 of 10
As I mentioned, the Giants started stacking the box. Thus, the Cowboys have just 41 rushing yards at the time of this writing.
With Kitna at the helm, it is much easier to limit the production of Marion Barber and Felix Jones.
4: Momentum
7 of 10
Good Ol' Uncle Mo. A struggling team will get momentum anywhere it can. The Cowboys seemed to have found that early on Monday night. They mounted a couple of successful drives and then fate struck.
Michael Boley may have hit Tony Romo, but he hurt the entire Dallas Cowboys organization. The lead quickly left them and it looks like it is not coming back.
3: No Coach
8 of 10
Their loss of Tony Romo as a leader is only accentuated with their lack of a leader at head coach. Wade Phillips leads with a calm presence. That is exactly what the Cowboys don't need. They need someone to light a fire under them.
They won't get that from Phillips, who is more corpse than live human these days.
2: Chemistry
9 of 10
If there have not been rumors of infighting yet, wait until tomorrow. One obvious truth in any sport is that losing breeds discontent.
The Cowboys came into the season feeling good about meeting the lofty expectations that were bestowed upon them. As the media fires at their lackluster season, players may take it to heart. Felling that blame was assigned too quickly, they will in turn fire back. The laughter and good nature will turn to blame. It is only a matter of time.
1: 1-5
10 of 10
The numbers that will most likely tell the tale at the end of the day are 1-5. That will be the record for a team that was a legitimate contender to not only make the playoffs but to get to the Super Bowl.
It does not help that they are in one of the tougher divisions in the NFL. They must pass the Eagles, Redskins and Giants, all of which are playing better football.
A look at their schedule does not breed hope either. They still play at the Giants and have to play the Eagles twice. They also face powerhouses in the Saints and Colts. It looks like they will need a lot of help just to get a wild card berth.
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