Tony Romo Must Win Division to Remain Dallas Cowboys' Signal-Caller

Being a fantasy football hero is no longer enough to legitimize Tony Romo's reign as the Dallas Cowboys' franchise quarterback.

Romo is one of the most polarizing in the entire NFL, and is once again taking heat for buckling in the clutch. With legends from inside the organization voicing their concerns about Romo, it's clear that he has to do something drastic to convince naysayers that he can not only take the Cowboys to the playoffs, there is hope that he can bring a Super Bowl to Big "D."

Romo has to win the division this year. The Eagles were projected to run away with the division, but it truly is anyone's for the taking. The Giants lead the way after getting off to a 5-2 start, but by no means are the Cowboys out of it.

The problem is that Romo's inconsistent play makes them a liability. He's here one game and gone the next, which isn't a recipe for success in the postseason. In his last four games, Romo has thrown more picks than touchdowns only once.

At his best, Romo is an elite quarterback. We saw his heroics on full display in Week 2, when he mustered a comeback win against the 49ers with a broken rib and a punctured lung.

We've also seen how awful he's capable of being. He literally threw away the game against the Lions and proved once again that he is prone to bailing when his team needs him the most.

The Cowboys need a home playoff game. Romo has to instill some confidence in Jerry Jones, the organization, his team and most of all, himself. He's running out of time to prove himself. How long are the Cowboys expected to wait around for Romo to come into his own?

Some quarterbacks have "it." Some quarterbacks just don't. If the Cowboys are held out of the playoffs, you can expect them to start grooming the quarterback of the future, as Romo simply is not it.

By drafting a quarterback with the moxy Romo is lacking, they at least have a quarterback on roster who may one day lead them to the playoffs. Kellen Moore is an example of a guy with all the intangibles Romo is lacking who may not be ready to take over today, but can develop into the quarterback of the future.

This is Romo's last chance to prove himself. He's 31. The constant excuses are wearing thin with everyone involved. It's time to put up or shut up. If history is indicative of things to come, you can expect Romo to check out prematurely, proving once and for all that he isn't "the guy" for the Cowboys.