Cowboys vs. Jets: Cowboys Loss Proves Some Things Never Change

After Sunday's disheartening 27-24 loss to the New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo came out and spoke the truth.

He said the words that most of us, particularly Cowboys fans, have already uttered under our breath.

Said Romo, via the Fort Worth Star Telegram: "I cost us the game. I've got to do a better job right now."

It always seems unfair to blame the game entirely on Romo, simply because a lot of factors determine a game's final outcome. However, the only thing that is remembered is that final play that either makes or breaks a team.

The reality is that if the Cowboys defense didn't allow the Jets to come back from a 14-point deficit, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

Even so, this discussion must be had.

Romo—the same Romo who has gone 1-3 in the playoffs and sparked debates as to whether he folds under pressure—fumbled on third-and-two on the Jets' two-yard line. He fumbled with the Cowboys up 24-10 at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

The fumble eradicated what was an otherwise solid performance against one of the league's best defenses. For the night, Romo finished 23-of-36 for 352 yards, two touchdowns, an interception and one big fumble.

As maddening as the Tony Romo saga has been for Cowboys fans, it must be exponentially more maddening for Romo himself. He's like the LeBron James of football. He is a player who excels for most of the game. However, right when you're about to call him a great quarterback, he throws a pick or botches a snap or fumbles the ball.

At this point, I wonder if Romo wishes he wasn't so close to greatness all the time. It's like getting an inch (or two yards) away from your goal and seeing it disintegrate instantly before your eyes.

Several experts, including ESPN's John Clayton, have called Romo an elite quarterback.

The fact is, he knows as well as anyone that if he can't excel in crunch-time then he will never be the elite quarterback that he's capable of becoming.