Tony Romo's Injury Might Help Struggling Cowboys

When I read this morning that Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo had broken his pinky finger, I wasn't very sad.

Don't get me wrong, I think he's a great quarterback, and I enjoy watching him play...well, used to, anyway.

Last year, he was youthful, reckless, and the Tiger Woods of football.  I didn't want to miss a play, because you never knew what he would come up with. He was turning short passes into long ones, turning broken plays into big plays, and giving an old franchise new life with his carefree spirit and his keen ability to avoid a sack.  

This year is different.

For some reason, ever since the first game, Romo seems to have lost the passion to play the game.  He became a better quarterback in the pocket, that's true.  He's more patient and stands tall, taking cues from Tom Brady.  But the smile is gone.  The improvisation is terrible, and he looks as though he's forcing every pass.  

Brad Johnson is 40 years old. He's not very agile and his arm is decent.  But what the Cowboys need is some life!

They need someone to get in their face when they screw up; someone to give them a reason to play.

I'm not saying Johnson is that man, but he's new to the huddle, if nothing else. The St. Louis Rams game next week looked like an easy win, but so did the Bengals and Cardinals, and both of those were awful games for the Cowboys.  I hope that Johnson can bring a spark to the team that is just something new besides the blank look Romo seems to be wearing. 

Maybe other teams have figured Romo out.  Maybe it's not all his fault.  The offensive line is getting old and wearing out, but they are still among the best in the league.

Maybe the talk from Terrell Owens, and unseen issues with the coaching staff are causing some turmoil within the Cowboys organization...I don't know.  

What I see is a team that has no passion to play the game of football, and a new quarterback—who wants to prove to the world that he can still play—just might be the ticket.