Future vs Pastime
Before the season started, Tony Romo injured his back...again. But this time it was before the season started. So the Dallas Cowboys looked to their rookie quarterback Dak Prescott to lead them. A quarterback that owner Jerry Jones admitted wasn't his fist quarterback choice in this draft. According to FOX sports writer Andre Vergara, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys attempted to trade for Paxton Lynch on draft day, but couldn't get the deal done. That is the first red flag of this situation. The second red flag happened when Jerry told the media once Tony Romo is healthy, he is starting for the Dallas Cowboys. Would that be the best decision for the team?
[8.28.16 - The 7th Report - Episode 12 by The 7th Report]The day that Tony got hurt, we did a podcast (see above link) where I said Tony Romo will never play another snap in a Dallas Cowboy uniform. I was the first person officially on record saying this. Don't believe me, check the dates. I believe the Cowboys SHOULD continue to roll with Dak, but it would appear that once Romo is healthy they won't. To decide who should play or when (if) Romo should play, let's look at the teams the Cowboys have beat this season as well as looking into the future to their upcoming schedule.
The Cowboys should be 5-0 at this point in the season if it wasn't for a situational error by Terrance Williams against the New York "football" Giants. They've had a fairly easy schedule up to this point playing the Redskins, Bears, 49ers, and the Bengals and going 4-1. Although Dak Prescott has looked extremely valuable in these games (as has Ezekiel Elliott), most would argue Tony would have led the team to a similar record, if not 5-0. The next few games for the Cowboys look to be a GREAT test for the rookie and "The Boys". This week they go to Green Bay, the following week at home against the Eagles, then on the road against the Browns and Steelers. The only relatively easy game (there aren't many in this league) is against Cleveland, but even they have been in every game so far this year. This four game stretch seems to be a fantastic test for Dak. How well is he going to play against playoff-contending teams (3 of the next 4)? So if you were the Cowboys, wouldn't you want to see how the rookie fares? How well he responds to pressure? What he looks like leading the team against playoff defenses?
I certainly do. Why would you bring Tony in before then? What added benefit would that bring? By playing Dak during these games, you can evaluate him against playoff-contending teams. If he does well, (3-1, 4-0) why bring Tony back? But it does beg the question: "When would be the optimal time to bring in Tony Romo?" If you are going to bring him back regardless of how Dak plays, I would say either at home against Baltimore or Washington. The added benefit of waiting is Tony stays rested and healthy for most of the season and you ease him in against middle of the pack teams to get him some reps before they go to Minnesota.
However, like I said, if Dak leads the Cowboys to 3-1 or 4-0 over the next four games I wouldn't bring Romo back if I didn't have to. I know Romo's big play ability and upside are high, but the team looks great now. The team clearly is behind him and supports him, and soon (if not already) the fans will be too.
