Romo returns in loss to Eagles
Several starters rest with playoffs ahead
PHILADELPHIA — Tony Romo shrugged off a successful cameo like it was no big deal.
Romo threw his first touchdown pass in nearly 14 months and the playoff-bound Dallas Cowboys played it safe in a 27-13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
“You expect to go out there and do something well,” Romo said. “It felt normal.”
The Cowboys (13-3) locked up the No. 1 seed and homefield advantage throughout the NFC playoffs when the Eagles (7-9) beat the Giants on Dec. 22. So Dak Prescott played only two series and Ezekiel Elliott watched from the sideline.
Romo finished 3 for 4 for 29 yards in his first regular-season game since Thanksgiving 2015 when he broke his left collarbone for the second time in less than three months.
“It’s enjoyable to have a little success, but I kind of do that at practice each day,” Romo said. “Ultimately, you are going to be defined by what you do on Sunday, but in my experience, if you’re not doing it throughout the week, Sunday is going to be difficult.”
Carson Wentz tossed two TD passes to Zach Ertz to help Philadelphia finish with a two-game winning streak.
Prescott was 4 for 8 for 37 yards before giving way to Romo, the league’s most expensive backup. Romo broke a bone in his back in the third preseason game against Seattle this season, paving the way for Prescott to have one of the best years by a rookie quarterback in NFL history.
“I want the football every possession, but it was fun to watch Tony make it look so easy,” Prescott said.
Romo overthrew Terrance Williams on a deep pass on his first play. His first completion was a 16-yarder to Williams on third-and-12. After Dez Bryant drew a pass interference penalty on a deep pass at the Eagles 3, Romo connected with Williams for his first TD pass since Nov. 22, 2015 against Miami.
“If you’re going to play, might as well be aggressive with the reads,” Romo said.
“You have to have fun out there,” Wentz said. “This is still a kid’s game they are paying us way too much money to play.”
RESTED: Three Cowboys starters were inactive: LT Tyron Smith, CB Morris Claiborne, DE Tyrone Crawford. LB Sean Lee dressed but didn’t play.