Cowboys in no rush for Romo
ARLINGTON, Texas — Dak Prescott will start against Cleveland after the rookie quarterback did his best Tony Romo inpersonation and Dallas past Philadelphia in the fourth quarter and overtime for his sixth consecutive victory.
That’s what Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said after the 29-23 victory against the Eagles that put Dallas two games up in the NFC East.
Jones wasn’t saying Prescott is taking Romo’s job. The owner simply said Romo, the Cowboys’ 10year starter, won’t be ready Sunday at Cleveland as he works his way back into shape after breaking a bone in his back in the preseason.
“My opinion is that we would want him to have more strength and work done,” Jones said Sunday night. “He’s really doing well, probably as well as anytime last year as far as aspects of strength in his back is concerned, but he’s
got some more to do.”
That means the Cowboys (6-1) can continue to delay the question of what happens when Romo is ready. But with Prescott having a good shot at a seventh consecutive victory against the winless Browns, it’s unlikely that the issue will get any less complicated.
Prescott has won games coming from behind and while comfortably leading. He played in the Cowboys’ only loss, in the season-opener against New York Giants.
Prescott, 23, showed more resiliancy than brilliance.
He bounced multiple throws and tossed an endzone interception — just his second of the season — that ended up putting Dallas behind at halftime.
Yet he found a way to get even with a 22-yard touchdown throw to Dez Bryant late in regulation to cap a 90yard drive, and led a winning 75-yard march to start the extra period, capped by a 5-yard scoring pass to Jason Witten.
All the attributes that have
had his coaches and teammates raving for weeks were on display.
“I’m not going to stop,” said Prescott, who completed all five passes in overtime to finish 19 of 39 for 287 yards. “I don’t care how bad I play early on. I don’t care what I do. I’m not going to give up.”
The Cowboys got their first touchdown against the Eagles on a zone read when Prescott kept and scored untouched from 7 yards. It was his fourth rushing TD, the most for a Dallas quarterback since Danny White had four in 1983. The franchise record for a quarterback is five.
Prescott had a 12-yard scramble on the tying drive in regulation, another example of a play that Romo, 36, likely can’t make anymore.
Jones said Prescott looked like a younger Romo, and that includes on the winning throw to Witten when Prescott spun to his left and created enough confusion for the defense to leave Witten wide open in the end zone.
“All of that reminded me of what we’ve had the luxury with Romo for years and years,” Jones said. “What I did see him do that we’re not used to is tuck that ball in and make some significant gains running the ball. That’s what you get with him.”
Now, it appears Coach Jason Garrett has quarterback controversy, even if he fails to admit as much.
The Cowboys visit Pittsburgh after traveling to Cleveland before hosting consecutive games against Baltimore and Washington. The Redskins visit on Thanksgiving, which will mark a year since Romo’s last game, which ended up as 33-14 Carolina victory.
Romo, playing aginst the Panthers last season in his first game from a broken collarbone, threw three interceptions in the first half, two returned for touchdowns by Carolina. And he broke his left collarbone again in the third quarter of the 33-14 loss.
“We’re a close group of guys,” said rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott, who had a four-game streak of 100yard games snapped, finishing with 96. “We’re not going to let anything come between us.”
But a test is coming in the form of lots of quarterback talk.