Romo A No-Go Sunday vs Eagles

Tony Romo 

Tony Romo won't be playing against the Philadelphia Eagles after all.

The Dallas Cowboys announced Friday morning that Romo underwent back surgery and was place on IR ending his 2013 season.

“Kyle Orton will be our starter in the ballgame [against the Philadelphia Eagles]." Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said.  "We spent the week exhausting all options in regards to Tony’s situation – treatment, rehab, all the different things, consulted a lot of different people on this. We just felt like as we discussed it, as yesterday wore on, that this was the best decision for him and for our organization moving forward.”

How comforted are Cowboy fans now.  The entire season resting on a winner-take-all game Sunday against the Eagles to reach the playoffs and the back up quarterback must go.

Kyle Orton has thrown five passes this year and completed 3 of them. 

Look on the bright side Cowboy fans, maybe Orton won't throw a season ending fourth quarter interception against Philly.  

DEVELOPING: Romo Not Out Completely, for Now...

((HT: ESPN))

Possibly a herniated disk... no one, except the Cowboys really know right now...

And dead-man-walking Jason Garrett says that they're not ruling him out for the game against the Eagles- for now...even as everyone else on the planet is saying Romo is out for the season...

Which means Kyle Orton, who hasn't had any real snaps in three years, will be getting the majority of the practice work and the Cowboys will be looking for a third QB for the roster for Sunday...

Here's the early returns on Big D...



A couple of early thoughts... Nick Florence comes to mind... and the running game will get a whole lot of work to keep the Eagles offense off the field in the winner-take-all game for the playoffs next weekend...

Dez Bryant Apologizes For 3rd Time, Does Anyone Care...?

((HT: ESPN))

Short answer coming from the HQ, short of Cowboys apologists is "No..."

Here's what happened...
((HT: NFL on FOX))


And here Dez is shortly afterwards in front of his locker...


Here's the prevailing opinion (from Brian Billick speaking for the majority)


And what is the message from Bryant to his teammates in the heat of the moment...???
Ask Randy Moss...


The HQ is in agreement with Cowboys play-by-play guy Brad Sham...
He's a petulant child...

Until further notice...

ICYMI: An Exciting, Imploding Week In The NFC Least...

((HT: NFL on FOX/NFL on CBS))

The Washington Redskins, inexplicably, went for two after scoring a touchdown with less than 20 seconds to go in regulation and pulled defeat from the jaws of overtime- losing in Atlanta 27-26...

QB Kirk Cousins did the team thing and fell on the sword for not getting the two-point conversion done...

“We just didn’t do enough to win,” Cousins said postgame. “Two interceptions that were on me. A fumble that you don’t want to have. The failed two-point conversion. That was on me. Those are four plays right there, that if they go differently, it’s probably a much better result.”

Dead head coach walking Mike Shanahan, decided he had had enough very quickly...
((HT: CSN Washington))


But that doesn't even to cover it...

Dallas was up 24-3 at the half and lost 37-36- the most prolific scorer on the day for the Cowboys was kicker Dan Bailey.

The biggest mistake of all the mistakes the Cowboys made in the second half was also the last mistake when Romo threw a pick that caused Dez Bryant to leave the field with 1:21 left in the game...

See...???


Dead head coach walking Jason Garrett threw his QB under the bus:

"The idea was to run the ball and make them use the clock; run it and if we throw it, throw high percentage passes, keep the clock going, and make them use their time outs," Garrett explained.

Romo changed the play...

"It's a run call that we have," Romo said. "We'll have it up three to five or six times a game. That specific time, obviously when I look back now, you should run the ball, because you throw an interception. You should never give them a chance to have the ball."

"It's something we have accompanying some runs if he gets a bad look; that's what happened on the interception," Garrett said. "It was run call, though, that he threw the ball on."

The fans had a meltdown of biblical proportions...
((HT: WFAA-TV))

Now, all that missing is Shea in Irving...

Seat gets hotter for Jason Garrett

Jones (left) and Garrett (Photo courtesy ESPN)

VALLEY RANCH - The circus that is the Dallas Cowboys continues to enjoy the 3-ring spotlight.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen is reporting that Dallas Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones is putting a lot of pressure on head coach Jason Garrett. After the firing of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan and the hiring of 4-3 Monte Kiffin, Jones now wants Garrett to relinquish all play calling duties on the Cowboy sideline.

To top that, word out of Valley Ranch is that Jones also wants Garrett to fire his brother - tight ends coach John Garrett.

PFT's Mike Florio has an interesting take on this situation, thinking Jones is wanting to make Garrett so uncomfortable so that he leaves on his own so Jones doesn't have to fire him. He does have a point.

I think Jones is stuck with Garrett, because he hired his golden boy while undercutting Wade Phillips - leaving Garrett to be the heir apparent of America's Team. If Jones fires Garrett, the volatile owner will end up with egg on his face - even more than he normally has.

If Jones forces Garrett to fire his brother, and Jason refuses, then Jones can fire him for conduct unbecoming, etc. etc...apparently J.R. Ewing isn't a part of the only soap opera in Dallas...

Here's what I think. Jones is setting up Garrett to give up all play-calling duties (which wouldn't be a bad thing), and Jones will hire a former/future head coach in waiting as offensive coordinator.

Either way, Garrett's on the way out - whether it's his call or not.

Josh Brent Now Wears A Bracelet

((HT: WFAA-TV))

In addition to the shock and surprise by the head coach at seeing Josh Brent on the sidelines last Sunday- despite it being voted on by his players, now the Dallas Cowboys player charged in the death of a teammate now wears a bracelet that determines his alcohol intake...

Interesting to see if it will work on a 6-4, 320 pounder...

Rebecca Lopez has the details...
Brent is now barred from the sidelines for the forseeable future, and the quote from his attorney, George Milner, is priceless: “I don't understand why anyone cares about that," he said...

Really... that's what he said...

And, for those of you who care, Brent's bond was lowered to $100,000...