Suck It Haters: Romo Inspires Cowboys Over the Jags

By Stephen Young Mon., Nov. 10 2014 at 12:57 AM

Dallas Cowboys

He played! Yay?

London games, at least from the various couches I've watched them on, are always odd. English fans, to their credit, are always enthusiastic, but their cheers are usually half-a-beat off. The extra quarter-of-a-second they need to process what happens on the field, combined with the generally terrible Wembly Stadium pitch and the fact that, assuming you're watching from the U.S., you're seeing a night game on your TV at noon give the whole thing a distinct exhibition vibe.

And here were the Cowboys, losers of two in a row after a league-best 6-1 start, needing to win in that same goofy environment. Tony Romo, he of the two recent back surgeries and two more recent back fractures, for some reason, made the trip. With two broken bones in his back, it was clear -- despite the protestations of Jason Garrett and Jerry Jones -- Romo was going to start Sunday. He wouldn't have made the flight if anyone thought otherwise.

Sure enough, after a rousing rendition of God Save the Queen and the Jaguars' kickoff, there he was, gingerly trotting out onto the muddy field to carry the Cowboys, just as he's done so many times before. What followed wouldn't have been special most days. Sunday though, it was. Romo's mere competence was inspirational.

Whatever he did, and he was mostly just a distributor, Romo never looked like he was pretending. Pretending is what's burned the Cowboys over the last couple of weeks, and over the last couple of years. Brandon Weedon pretended to play quarterback. Jerry Jones pretended to be a doctor, just like he pretends to be a competent general manager and pretends that Jimmy Johnson wasn't the one who put together the 'Boys three Super Bowl teams in the '90s.

Facing a Jacksonville defense that actually isn't that bad, Romo never pretended that he was 100 percent, never tried to do something he couldn't just like he never looked like he wasn't in pain. He didn't make any big mistakes, just like he didn't make any big plays. He did get the ball to the Cowboys' playmakers early and often, though. DeMarco Murray got back on the 100-yard rushing train and, most important, Dez Bryant got involved.

(OK, that was a decent throw.)

Bryant had all of his 158 receiving yards during the second quarter and basically put the Jaguars out of their misery. He doesn't need much, and Romo gave him just enough.

Assuming Romo, Murray and Bryant, all of whom stayed in the game at least half a quarter too long, have made it back unscathed, Sunday was the salve Dallas needed headed into their bye week. Romo still shouldn't have played, but right now Cowboys fans should be pretty glad that he did.

Odds and Sods

If you really want to be entertained, watch Zack Martin get off the line and wallop someone downfield on a screen pass. He does it consistently and with joy and mischief in his heart.
The NFL's participation in London's Remembrance Day festivities was a nice touch.
The London fans booing of Weeden's kneel downs at the end of the game was unexpected and a delight.
Romo's protective gear under his jersey made him look like the Michelin Man, not that that's a bad thing.
Up next: The Giants in New York two weeks from today, then the huge Thanksgiving afternoon tilt against the Eagles.
Henry Melton, again, was the Cowboys best pass rusher.

We Recommend

ChrisYu

You're a fine writer...on this one you should have just stopped after the headline. love it, thanks Stephen.

Sotiredofitall topcommenter

Was just nice to see a game played outside on a grass field.

dingo

'Facing a Jacksonville defense that actually isn't that bad'

1-9 record and 30 out of 32 in the NFL in points allowed per game.

Michelin Man worn down to bare treads.

wcvemail

First! and first to say that the 20-Cowboys-missed-curfew story may be the one that has legs out of this hop across the puddle. If it were the U.S. where they weren't instantly recognized as being the "Yank players," I'll bet somebody would have gone to jail. Now what if, say, two or three skill players or two or three linemen were all picked up in the same drunken fracas?

Skeeterskier

@Sotiredofitall No doubt...so wish we had a real stadium in Dallas. Love seeing the grass stains and having to dig mud out of the facemasks.

I love my Cowboys, but I'm jealous that Chicago/Green Bay still play in the elements...on REAL turf.

smyoung17 moderator

@dingo Tenth in weighted defense: http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/teamdef. Rough schedule and terrible offense have contributed heavily to the scoring numbers.

G_David

@wcvemail As per the collective bargaining agreement, curfews don't exist except the night before a game. It was suggested they be in by a certain time, but since it was Friday, no curfew. And I doubt adults go to jail just for staying out late, even in England.

ScottsMerkin topcommenter

@wcvemail are we equating missing curfew with getting in trouble with the law, or did I miss the part of the story where the cops were called on the boys?

dingo

@smyoung17 @dingo

Point taken. Nonetheless, your argument is that Romo shouldn't have as easy a time scoring as the other teams had?

A layup game for a spare tire carrying a warning not to exceed 50 mph.

wcvemail

@G_David @wcvemail

You may know more details than I do, but I saw the word "curfew" used in the sports stories, and I know that when even one guy misses a team meeting, it usually makes news. For 20 guys to miss the suggested time suggests to me that they're also willing to put themselves in legally actionable situations. And if they'll do that in London and get away with it, some will do it in Dallas or ...

Put another way, if 20 very large, very rich, mostly uneducated men are loose on a strange town, whether alone, in pairs or small groups, it doesn't take a Las Vegas line to bet that SOMEbody's gonna go to jail. And if, say, the defensive backfield goes to jail or hospital from the same club or same taxi, then the game is threatened much more seriously than being late to beddy-bye.

Finally, as Gary P. Nunn wrote, "'Cause when a Texan fancies, he'll take his chances. Chances will be taken, that's for sure."

wcvemail

I'm saying that 20 players missing curfew, a very high if not record-setting number for the NFL, would almost surely have come with a police report in the U.S.

leftocenter

@wcvemail

Put another way, if 20 very large, very rich, mostly uneducated (racist BTW)men are loose on a strange town, whether alone, in pairs or small groups, it doesn't take a Las Vegas line to bet that SOMEbody's gonna go to jail.

I can't believe we are even talking about a curfew on a non-game night. And because they are out past midnight, you want to BET somebody's going to jail?

That's quite a leap. There are two rules on a road trip, no one goes to jail and no one goes to the hospital. That's a successful road trip. And no, you can't equate staying out late the night before the day before the game to missing a team meeting.

Don't want to party with you...stick. in. the. mud.

ScottsMerkin topcommenter

@wcvemail gotcha

wcvemail

@leftocenter

Not at all racist, it's elitist -- why do you assume I'm talking about black players only? Do you think that only blacks can play NFL football? That's racist.

Talking about team discipline here, not just who did/didn't go to jail.

And, yeah, a learning lesson for me was at the age of 17 when I talked my carload of teens into NOT attending a drag race, then found out later that the police were very accepting of the race in its isolated location.

leftocenter

@wcvemail

I'll give you the racist element -- you make a good point.

Also,good on you for not attending the drag race, which is inherently dangerous. I had a classmate killed by an out-of-control car at a drag race. Staying out after midnight is not.

I still can't believe we are talking about a curfew on a non-game night. Team discipline, sure. But...seriously....