Dallas Cowboys: 5 Reasons Tony Romo Is on His Last Chance on America's Team

Tony Romo is strolling around in the Last Chance Saloon, in desperate need of a career season to prove his pedigree and persuade everyone he is the man to lead Dallas Cowboys to the Super Bowl.

The vultures are circling at Cowboys Stadium, and should Romo slip up, he will be quickly moved out as the Cowboys look to start putting in performances as impressive as their stadium.

But just why is this the last chance for a man with a career passer rating of 95.5?

5. Schedule

Looking through the rest of the NFL schedule, the Cowboys have a favorable schedule for the rest of the year and should have no trouble making it into the playoffs, especially as one of their divisional rivals, the Giants, have a more demanding run-in.

The Cowboys fans and the media will be expecting nothing less than a divisional win from that run-in, and it will be up to Romo to provide it.

If he performs well, then things will go as planned. The only way Dallas will struggle is if Romo is playing badly. If they can’t make a go of it this season, then it’s not likely we’ll be seeing a lot more of Romo on the Cowboys.

4. NFC East

The Cowboys are part of the NFC East, a division they should be able to comfortably win, especially given the apparent lack of challenge from the Eagles this season.  No team sticks out from the division as a clear winner, and so the Cowboys should be the ones to step up.

Romo will be expected to lead the Cowboys through this season, a club with the size and history of Dallas should not be facing too many problems getting out of that division and into the postseason, even with the Giants and Eagles in there.

If Romo cannot lead the Cowboys to at least a divisional title this year, then it will almost certainly be seen as a failure and Romo will be the starter no more.

3. Tight Battles

Football is a game filled with small gains and vital battles, and the team that comes out victorious is the one that wins these battles when it matters most.

Up until its bye week, Dallas had been involved in some very tight games and are likely to be in a similar position for the rest of the season, and it is Tony Romo’s job to make sure the Cowboys win the crucial battles.

His season could be defined by either missed opportunity or glorious victory.

The Cowboys need Romo to take charge and lead from the front, making good calls and great plays. Otherwise the team won’t prosper and he’ll be out of the team.  Quarterbacks are entitled to make mistakes, but Romo can’t afford to make crucial mistakes in such a close division.

2. Trust

Tony Romo does not inspire a huge amount of confidence, and despite some great career stats, fans and the media are not loyal enough to put up with a run of poor performances.

Even coach Jason Garrett seems to be losing his trust in Romo, and he is the man that matters most.

Romo does not have past glory on his side, and this season looks like being his final chance to prove he has what it takes to lead a team to the Super Bowl.  With every bad call and every defeat, Romo is getting closer to the door as the press, fans, past players and even his coach start to lose trust in the quarterback.

The Cowboys need success, Texas demands it (maybe apart from Texans fans), and their magnificent stadium deserves to be home to a great team.  If Romo fails this season it will be time to bring in someone who can lead the Cowboys to glory.

1. Franchise Face

Tony Romo was brought into the Cowboys having not even played Division I football at college, being picked up as an undrafted player back in 2003.

Now as the face of the Dallas Cowboys, Romo needs to produce some results that warrant his position.  His past leaves him far more vulnerable to criticism and should the Cowboys fail to make some good postseason progress this year, Romo could find himself on the way out as starter.

The Cowboys are a huge team and as such they really need a huge leader and some big superstars to lead the club. Fact is, Romo has not become that guy. This is his last chance.