Romo vs. The Clutch
by One.Cool.Customer on Jun 28, 2009 12:02 PM CDT
93 comments
I joined this blog about two months ago, enjoy it immensely, and have been checking in almost daily ever since. One thing that has surprised me is the amount of flack Romo is getting on this site, a Cowboys site no less. While often entertaining, and sometimes flat out ridiculous, this love/hate relationship with our Pro Bowl QB made me go back and take an in-depth look at the stats, trying to figure out in my first fanpost which side of the 'argument' has more merit.
Romo vs. the Clutch
First off, how to define Clutch? Well, I looked at four different stats that come close to describing clutch situations in a game, and together add up to a pretty good clutch performance overview. Three of the four rely QB rating, and while that stat is getting a lot of criticism, in is also widely accepted as a valid measure of QB performance
- 4th Quarter QB Rating: How efficient is a QB late in the game?
- 4th Quarter QB rating with the score +/- 7 points: Late game, high pressure situations. If not now, when?
- Red Zone QB rating: How does a QB perform in the Red Zone throughout the game?
- 3rd down conversion: How efficient is the QB at maintaining drives throughout the game?
2008 Regular Season, QBs with most starts per team
| Quarterback | Team | 4th Q. Rating |
Rank | 4th Q: +/- 7 pts Rating | Rank | Red Zone Rating |
Rank | 3rd Down Conversions (Passing) | Rank | AVG | |
| 1 | T. Romo |
DAL | 114.7 | 1 | 114.7 | 4 | 97.7 | 9 | 45.3 | 6 | 5.0 |
| 2 | P. Manning |
IND | 87.3 | 14 | 96.3 | 8 | 110.3 | 3 | 48.9 | 1 | 6.5 |
| 3 | P. Rivers |
SD | 111.7 | 2 | 94.7 | 9 | 99.5 | 8 | 45.1 | 7 | 6.5 |
| 4 | T. Edwards | BUF | 106.3 | 3 | 127.5 | 2 | 100.6 | 7 | 39.4 | 17 | 7.3 |
| 5 | D. Brees | NO | 95.3 | 6 | 78.3 | 20 | 101.3 | 6 | 47.9 | 4 | 9.0 |
| 6 | E. Manning | NXG | 93.8 | 9 | 132.6 | 1 | 90.9 | 16 | 43.7 | 12 | 9.5 |
| 7 | K. Warner | ARI | 84.8 | 16 | 82.6 | 17 | 104.4 | 5 | 47.9 | 3 | 10.3 |
| 8 | A. Rodgers | GB | 87.8 | 13 | 93.7 | 12 | 106.8 | 4 | 42.2 | 13 | 10.5 |
| 9 | S. Hill | SF | 101.3 | 4 | 86.6 | 15 | 82.9 | 27 | 48.7 | 2 | 12.0 |
| 10 | J. Delhomme |
CAR | 97.8 | 5 | 116.1 | 3 | 87.2 | 23 | 38.1 | 18 | 12.3 |
| 11 | S. Wallace | SEA | 95.2 | 7 | 87.0 | 13 | 117.8 | 1 | 27.9 | 32 | 13.3 |
| 12 | K. Collins | TEN | 90.9 | 11 | 86.9 | 14 | 110.3 | 2 | 34.6 | 26 | 13.3 |
| 13 | M. Schaub | HOU | 79.6 | 20 | 99.7 | 6 | 90.9 | 17 | 40.6 | 16 | 14.8 |
| 14 | J. Cutler | DEN | 94.2 | 8 | 86.2 | 16 | 74.1 | 31 | 44.8 | 8 | 15.8 |
| 15 | D. McNabb | PHI | 93.2 | 10 | 72.8 | 24 | 90.7 | 18 | 43.9 | 11 | 15.8 |
| 16 | B.Roethlisberger | PIT | 74.7 | 23 | 77.4 | 22 | 97 | 11 | 44.3 | 10 | 16.5 |
| 17 | J. Campbell | WAS | 84.1 | 19 | 100.4 | 5 | 91.5 | 15 | 33.6 | 28 | 16.8 |
| 18 | M. Cassell | NE | 73.4 | 25 | 94.4 | 11 | 83.2 | 26 | 47.1 | 5 | 16.8 |
| 19 | C. Pennington | MIA | 84.2 | 17 | 79.1 | 19 | 97.6 | 10 | 37.2 | 23 | 17.3 |
| 20 | J. Flacco | BAL | 89.8 | 12 | 94.7 | 10 | 77.7 | 29 | 37.8 | 20 | 17.8 |
| 21 | G. Frerotte | MIN | 86.8 | 15 | 77.8 | 21 | 95.8 | 13 | 37.5 | 22 | 17.8 |
| 22 | M. Ryan |
ATL | 84.1 | 18 | 82.5 | 18 | 83.7 | 25 | 41.9 | 14 | 18.8 |
| 23 | B. Favre | NYJ | 75.0 | 22 | 56.4 | 29 | 85.0 | 24 | 44.5 | 9 | 21.0 |
| 24 | JaM. Russell | OAK | 78.9 | 21 | 97.7 | 7 | 80.0 | 28 | 29.1 | 31 | 21.8 |
| 25 | J. Garcia | TB | 63.9 | 28 | 40.8 | 31 | 94.9 | 14 | 40.6 | 15 | 22.0 |
| 26 | K. Orton | CHI | 65.7 | 27 | 68.2 | 27 | 96.0 | 12 | 36.3 | 25 | 22.8 |
| 27 | R. Fitzpatrick | CIN | 50.9 | 32 | 74.1 | 23 | 89.7 | 20 | 37.7 | 21 | 24.0 |
| 28 | T. Thigpen |
KC | 62.6 | 29 | 58.5 | 28 | 90.2 | 19 | 36.4 | 24 | 25.0 |
| 29 | D. Garrard | JAC | 74.3 | 24 | 68.5 | 26 | 66.8 | 32 | 37.9 | 19 | 25.3 |
| 30 | D. Anderson | CLE | 56.6. | 30 | 68.9 | 25 | 88.2 | 22 | 34.4 | 27 | 26.0 |
| 31 | D. Orlovsky | DET | 73.2 | 26 | 53.9 | 30 | 89.0 | 21 | 30.3 | 30 | 26.8 |
| 32 | M. Bulger | STL | 52.6 | 31 | 33.8 | 32 | 75.8 | 30 | 31.9 | 29 | 30.5 |
Stats from iWon-sports and ESPN.
The stats show that Romo has performed exceedingly well in "clutch" situations. And 2008 is no fluke. He has similar stats for both 06 & 07. So why is he being called out by fans and media alike as a choker? Geth13 provided some insightful comments in response to a recent fanshot, showing that much of the criticism is based on 'circumstantial' evidence like a bobbled hold, a dropped pass or a stumbling tight end.
One of my favorite 'circumstantial' football stats is the so-called 'fourth-quarter comeback' which is often taken as a mark of true greatness for QBs. Puuhleease! Has anyone ever considered that in order to make a fourth-quarter comeback, you have to be behind?
Arguably, most quarterbacks are not much affected by clutch situations. Are you really surprised at the names you see in the Top 7 or the Bottom 7 on the list? Top QBs (and Brady would be right up there) play at a very high level in both normal situations and clutch situations. The same is usually found on the bottom of the list. Most mediocre quarterbacks remain that way in the clutch. They don't become good, nor do they shrink and become terrible.
So what gives with the Romo bashing?
Rightly or wrongly, the QB gets way too much credit for winning, and blame for losing, games. Credit that, either way, properly belongs to the whole team - and the impact of chance, injuries and contingency are also greatly underestimated.
Romo may not (yet) be Staubach or Aikman reincarnated, but he's a lot better than anything we've had since - or does anybody want to talk about Bledsoe, Testaverde, Carter …. He's winning games for us, and in my book that beats 3 consecutive 5-11 seasons hands down.
Romo is clearly one of the best in the league when he has protection and/or is able to move outside the pocket. The key to getting the most out of Romo this year will be improved playcalling and passblocking. The team has improved in several areas vs. who we had last year, and yes that explicitly includes our WR’s. From what I can see right now, if Romo doesn't have to force the ball to any particular receiver (*coughterrellowenscough*), Garrett finds ways to exploit the run game a bit more and Wade keeps running the D all season long to live up to the recent OTA hype, this team looks dangerously good. If we can stay moderately healthy at the key spots, especially on the OL, then I see a minimum 11-5 easily, and playoff glory beckoning.
Another user-created commentary provided by a BTB reader.
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I like it.
The Romo bashing is a bit unwarranted. Granted he has things he needs to improve, but what qb’s don’t. Majority of quaterbacks in the league aren’t peyton manning or tom brady so they’re all dealing with the same situation except our quarterback is a pro-bowl one and one that can actually win a game for us. Imagine how the redkins feel with jason campbell under center every game. He’s a top 10 qb easy, and if he plays to 07 form this season he could be in top 5 easy.
"Aw Shucks" - Wade Phillips
by MrMinority on Jun 28, 2009 12:09 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
great read
i still feel romo can lead us to the promised land, but the team as a whole needs to work together and play hard together (including the coaches)
by CowboysFan4Life on Jun 28, 2009 12:47 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
My only beef w/Romo is he needs to remember to pat his other hand on the ball when being rushed.
Although, he uses that left arm for balance when a defender is trying to drag him down or when he’s about to launch something downfield.
I, too, have felt that the Romo-bashing has been pretty crazy lately for a Cowboys’ site. That he is ranked #6 in 3rd-down rating is impressive. Ever since he’s taken over, I feel like the Cowboys can get a first down any time they want—even if it’s 3rd and 15. Being #6 also shows he has some room to improve, which is always a good thing.
Cool writeup, Cool Customer!
"Grow where you are planted."
by Aaron Novinger on Jun 28, 2009 1:00 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I think you hit the other nail on the head.
We always expect him to be able to make the play and when he doesnt we are pissed. We quickly forget the ones he does make because of course they are expected.
I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the goverment from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.
by squidlo97 on Jun 28, 2009 1:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's my biggest complaint as well
Interceptions are a little high, but not crazy, and certainly balanced out by the TDs and “saved plays” when things break down. But the fumbles are way off the reservation and he needs to fix that.
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.
by dunkman on Jun 28, 2009 3:34 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
WRs dont agree with you though, lol
WRs love for QB’s to have enough faith to put it up for them
You can’t be a big star like Romo without having risks … its why people love Favre
by fuji1232 on Jun 29, 2009 1:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Great writeup, mate
I concur with your points and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.
Kanye, you want to be the voice of this generation? Get in line! It goes me, Obamagirl, the Freecreditreport.com guys, then It's a tie between you-and Crocs.
-Stephen Colbert
by Conjunction on Jun 28, 2009 1:08 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Nice!
I agree there is too much Romo-bashing on this site, a Cowboy site at that. We ALL know that the Cowboys have to do better in order to get over that Dec/Playoff slump, I have never understood why Romo is really the only one getting bashed locally & nationally. I do understand as stated that the QB gets all the credit and all the blame but it is just getting tiresome with all the bashing. I DO remember all the QBs we have had here since Aikman and he is by far the best QB and he will only get better. When will everyone agree that this TEAM needs to improve, not just Romo? Probably not anytime soon.
I remember the ‘ol saying "You never know what you have until it’s gone". If something happens to Romo, there will be plenty more bashing with the new QB, no matter who it is; and they would be wishing they still had Romo.
by Boyz4Life on Jun 28, 2009 1:20 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Great write up. I would be lying if i said I knew he ranked that high.
Hell, he might even be a little better than I thought. I expected some of those numbers to be a little lower.
I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the goverment from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.
by squidlo97 on Jun 28, 2009 1:39 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
There have also been several games
over the last 2.5 years that Romo has brought the team from behind, including a handful of last minute wins.
by DavidH22 on Jun 28, 2009 1:52 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Nice write up
let’s try one in regards to Romo’s performance in big/meaningful games.
by bryangene on Jun 28, 2009 3:33 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Assuming you are taking a shot at Romo’s performance in big games, I have to ask what constitutes a big game? Obviously playoff games count as big games and we all know that Romo is 0-2 in the playoffs (although 0-3 is more accurate since that Eagles catastrophe was essentially a playoff game). However, when you examine those games, I don’t think anyone would agree that Romo was purely at fault for those losses. In the Eagles game, he played badly but anyone would have with the offensive line’s performance. In the New York game, Romo played a mediocre game by his standards (going by QB rating) but actually had many of his opportunities for stats ruined by dropped balls and stopped routes (not to mention another bad O-line performance). And finally in Seattle, I think we can all agree that Romo actually played pretty well as a QB but simply faltered as a holder. So honestly, I don’t think his three losses in win or go home games are as indicative of his play in big games as many seem to think.
What other games are big? Personally, I would single out division games next in line since they are the games that can most quickly propel you towards the playoffs. And counting these games since he became a starter (excluding the last Eagles game and the last Washington game from 2007), Romo is 8-4. So in this respect, Romo has proven to be pretty good with huge games against the Giants in 2007 (once again this does not include the playoff Giants game) , the first Eagles game of 2008, and a very clutch game in the second Giants game of 2006. So for my money, Romo has been pretty solid in big division games.
The last category of big games would be games for playoff position down the stretch. For my money, the Cowboys have had several of these since Romo took over, and excluding overlapping division games, the Cowboys have played the Falcons in 2006, the Panthers and Packers in 2007, and the Steelers and Ravens in 2008. In these games, the Cowboys are 3-2 with huge performances from Romo against the Falcons (113.9) and the Packers (123.5). As for the other three, Romo had a decent game against the Panthers with an 81.2 QB rating minus T.O., and two bad games against the Steelers (44.9) and Ravens (66.2). So once again, while Romo hasn’t been spectacularly great in these games, but he has managed to put up decent numbers on average (85.94) in these non-division and non-playoff “big” games.
In conclusion, I think these numbers once again show that this perception of Romo as doing terrible in big games is overblown and unwarranted. By my count Romo is 11-9 in what I would call big games and many of those big game losses can be attributed to letdowns by other areas of the Cowboys (aka run defense in Baltimore and pass blocking in numerous games).
If I had a nickel for every Super Bowl the Eagles have won, I would have zero nickels.
by Cowboyfan729 on Jun 28, 2009 8:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I meant against Baltimore at the end
If I had a nickel for every Super Bowl the Eagles have won, I would have zero nickels.
by Cowboyfan729 on Jun 28, 2009 8:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wait, why are you excluding games?
If you’re going to do a count, then count them all. All you have to do is examine his QB rating in December vs. the rest of the season to see that his play falters as the season goes on. In contrast, look at Donovan McNabb the last 2 years, whose play has gotten better in December over the last 2 years.
The question was asked about why there seems to be Romo bashing, and I think it is somewhat in response to posts that exonerate him for poor play by blaming the rest of the team. Given the importance of the QB position and the fact that Romo has had a QB rating below 70 in 8 of 13 December games, perhaps he is at fault for the rest of the team’s poor play rather than the other way around. I think they are all at fault, but he definitely deserves his large share of the criticism, given his position, contract, and level of play. He is brilliant through the first 3 months of the season and then inconsistent at best in the final month.
by Baked Potato Soup on Jun 28, 2009 9:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
To avoid counting them twice and to avoid counting games that Romo didn’t play in (the first NYG this year and the 2nd WAS game in 2007).
If I had a nickel for every Super Bowl the Eagles have won, I would have zero nickels.
by Cowboyfan729 on Jun 28, 2009 9:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I disagree
I don’t believe anyone is “exonerating” Romo from blame, just stating that the TEAM needs to play better not just Romo. I have not read one post that stated that Romo doesn’t have any problems and it is the rest of the team that needs to play better. The problem is that the Romo-bashing seems to only blame Romo and “exonerate” the rest of the team.
by Boyz4Life on Jun 29, 2009 10:53 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You say potato, I say tomato.
You say the Romo bashing blames only him and exonerates the rest of the team, I say the opposite. I guess it’s somewhere in the middle. I regularly see the offensive line and receivers blamed for Romo’s poor play, or that our top 10 defense is the reason we missed the playoffs. I’ve read on here and in the media several times that TO somehow telepathically forced Romo to throw interceptions into double coverage. We must just be reading different posts.
by Baked Potato Soup on Jun 29, 2009 11:54 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
If our top rated offense/QB can be partly blamed so can our top rated D.
Ive never seen a post that TO forced the ints. I have read were trying to keep him happy interfered with the flow of the offense. Some of those ints were terrible decisions, some were great plays by the D, and some were terrible route running. Some were unlucky. I think I can speak for alot of guys that like Romo, some of its his fault some of it others. He will if given some help will deliver us to post season success. He wont be the only reason we succeed and he wont be solely the reason we dont.
I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the goverment from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.
by squidlo97 on Jun 29, 2009 1:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The losses are always the bigger games. A loss is what hurts you and keeps you from advancing.
Those are the games you remember.
I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the goverment from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.
by squidlo97 on Jun 28, 2009 3:42 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I like your theory and I agree with it entirely
As I have said before (maybe ad nauseum) you don’t get those stats off eBay. They are earned in all-out NFL games against real, live NFL teams trying their hardest to win as well. In a 16 game season every game in the NFL is a pressure situation.
In my mind the “choke” tag has been way over-used. If a guy is a choker, he would have shown it in many more situations than only in a play-off game – as you point out, game on the line, red zone, etc. And people forget that Staubach and his team were labeled chokers until they finally won a SB. How unfair is that?
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.
by dunkman on Jun 28, 2009 3:44 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Nice work! Welcome! There is only one stat that means Jack to a Cowboys fan...
and only one true Clutch stat and that’s Super bowl wins! To get to that point you have to win play off games; maybe the 2nd best Clutch stat. 3rd most important Clutch stat is wins to get your team to the playoffs.
2 facts here: 1) Wins, Superbowl, Playoff, and regular season Wins in that order are the only stats that really matter.
2) I am not a Romo hater and do not put the blame solely on him, all the other players on the team could have done something special or even less bone headed during any of the games we played that could have changed a loss into a win.
by bad knees on Jun 28, 2009 6:30 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
You are of course dead-on
Sometimes, when you repeatedly fail to reach your goal, it is comforting to take pride in the small things. “Mommy, I finished last in the the race at school again today, but look how nicely I tied my shoes!”
by One.Cool.Customer on Jun 29, 2009 2:42 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
add your view is correct also
I just can’t get as excited about numbers that don’t lead to a tangible goal. However, even after my goal is achieved, I want another one. I quess its a endless quest.
by bad knees on Jun 29, 2009 4:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Spoken like a true Cowboys fan...
how jaded are we? We are obsessed with getting rings for the 2nd hand, while most NFL fans would sell their souls for just 1 ring.
by CaliFanInTx on Jun 29, 2009 1:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
My only beef with Romo is that he doesnt seem to learn from his mistakes.
The ball that Chris Horton picked off in the Redskins loss was the same play that Troy Polamalu picked off in the Steelers loss.
Both times it was Cover 2, and both times Romo was trying to hit T.O. in the void behind the corner but in front of the safety. Both times the safety pretended to be preoccupied with what was going on inside, bating Romo into throwing the ball outside to T.O.
That’s the kind of play that you hope a QB never makes twice, but Tony did. Other than that, I’m in his corner.
WELCOME HOME SEVEN!!
by Carl Shelton (GloryDayz88) on Jun 28, 2009 7:02 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Wasn't he throwing to Witten
in the Pittsburgh game?
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.
by dunkman on Jun 28, 2009 7:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
not the late pick
the first of the three i believe
WELCOME HOME SEVEN!!
by Carl Shelton (GloryDayz88) on Jun 28, 2009 8:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
the pick you are thinking of was townsend
WELCOME HOME SEVEN!!
by Carl Shelton (GloryDayz88) on Jun 28, 2009 8:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
He was throwing to Miles Austin
in the first skins game lol
"Aw Shucks" - Wade Phillips
by MrMinority on Jun 28, 2009 9:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think those kinds of INT's were T.O.-driven
…and should decrease sharply in 2009.
What I don’t yet know is how he will do when he doesn’t have WR’s getting the same separation that they did with T.O.
He is going to have to put the ball in tighter spots and make smarter reads in less time than in the past. That might be a recipe for disaster or, it may be just what he needs to develop into a GREAT quarterback in the NFL.
"Well, we didn't block real good but we made up for it by not tackling."
- John McKay, the first coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
by 5Blings on Jun 28, 2009 10:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I knew that excuse was on the way
WELCOME HOME SEVEN!!
by Carl Shelton (GloryDayz88) on Jun 29, 2009 6:57 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
As I reread my post, I could say this as well...
- was creating problems for Romo, but Romo wasn’t emotionally secure enough to throw it away or check down.
That’s a comparative fault view of the problem.
"Well, we didn't block real good but we made up for it by not tackling."
- John McKay, the first coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
by 5Blings on Jul 3, 2009 4:34 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Dont start off with a "#" in your line...
It shoudl have said, " While #81 was creating problems…"
"Well, we didn't block real good but we made up for it by not tackling."
- John McKay, the first coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
by 5Blings on Jul 3, 2009 4:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think it was more than Romo though
I recall Jerry repeatedly emphasizing that TO needed the ball more. For whatever reason, the entire management structure seemed to be pressing for that. Some pretty bizarre dynamics when you think about it.
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.
by dunkman on Jul 3, 2009 4:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Emotionally Secure? Give me a break!
Who are you talking about here Vince Young?
I have come to respect your opinion on this here Blog Bing, but you have to know that’s a pretty lame ass excuse, of corse unless it is the truth and if that’s the case then man are we hurting and hoping McGee matures really quickly!
by bad knees on Jul 4, 2009 7:45 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I do agree with the rest of what you said though
WELCOME HOME SEVEN!!
by Carl Shelton (GloryDayz88) on Jun 29, 2009 6:58 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I cant fault Romo for that Horton pick. That guy came out of nowhere and he shouldnt have been able to get there.
Romo’s read was right but that guy read the play and sprinted to that spot. if you see the safety lined up deep over the TE and he makes to the sideline to undercut an out route then the safety made agreat play. Not every bad play is a screwup sometimes the other guy just makes a brilliant play.
I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the goverment from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.
by squidlo97 on Jun 29, 2009 7:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I agree that
would be the right read for the play. Where I could fault Romo is one last check of the safety to see if he open his hips to make that move or stays home on the TE. That part I can’t recall – when did Horton make his move relative to the throw, did Romo look off the out first and therefore lose track of the safety, etc.
BTW, when they interviewed the Redskins after that game on RS Radio, one player mentioned that Horton was supposed to sit on the TE but decided on his own to jump the out route.
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.
by dunkman on Jun 29, 2009 11:42 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
He did not look him off...
"Well, we didn't block real good but we made up for it by not tackling."
- John McKay, the first coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
by 5Blings on Jul 3, 2009 4:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
if your boy T.O. runs the pattern
instead of being intimidated by Palomala, it’s a completed pass.
In Romo we Trust
by Terry on Jun 29, 2009 9:16 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think a lot of the frustration with Romo is his inconsistency.
For example, his 2008 QB rating inside the 20, 97.7, was 9th in the league, but when you adjust that to inside the 10, he is 23rd in the league at 78.8. Inconsistent.
His 2008 QB rating at Home was 101.5, 9th in the league, but his QB rating Away was 79.1, 25th in the league. Inconsistent.
His 2008 QB rating in the 1st half of games was 83.6, 19th in the league, but 99.5 in the 2nd half. Inconsistent.
His TD% in 2008 was 5.8%, 2nd in the NFL, but his INT% was 3.1%, 29th in the league. Inconsistent.
Career games with QB rating below 70 from Sept. – Nov. (minimum 15 passes) : 1 of 36. Career games with QB rating below 70 in December : 8 of 13. Inconsistent.
Career games with QB rating above 90 from Sept. – Nov. (minimum 15 passes) : 21 of 26. Career games with QB rating above 90 in December : 4 of 13. Inconsistent.
The guy is definitely a top 10 QB, but he is a top 5 QB in the first 3 months of the season and a bottom 10 QB in the last month. I think fans just want him to play consistently and cut down on turnovers. He has the highest fumble rate per sack and one of the highest INT rates in the league. Some of the Romo bashing is probably a counter balance to the suggestion that every other aspect of the team needs improvement except the starting QB.
by Baked Potato Soup on Jun 28, 2009 8:15 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, these are good points.
I think there is something the team is trying to address with the late fade aspect. There is something with Romo because he said as much about being able to retain conditioning. But it’s more than him because as Raf showed statistically once, the running game and sacks allowed are also climbing in December.
I wish I could put my finger on it, but I have to wonder if part of it might be that this is the price you pay for the largest O-line in football. Maintaining their conditioning and edge may be harder at that size. But it’s only a theory.
I’d also offer that by late 2008, the whole offense, from Garrett to Romo to the line, were all screwed up.
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.
by dunkman on Jun 28, 2009 8:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think they were throwing way too often at the end of the season.
They averaged 4.3 ypc in the last 4 games, which is pretty good, but they didn’t run the ball that often. They average 40 pass plays per game over their last 4 games, despite allowing more sacks and only being way down in one of the games. It seems like if you’re line is struggling in pass protection but running the ball well, you would run a little more often than you normally do instead of cranking up the amount of passes.
by Baked Potato Soup on Jun 28, 2009 8:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
They generally were
Not a smart move when the QB is dinged up either.
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.
by dunkman on Jun 29, 2009 5:52 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ha! Beware of a man who knows his numbers.
I agree with you completely, and am aware of those numbers. I just didn’t include them because they ran counter to the point I was making. Do not let the truth be onbscured by facts :-)
by One.Cool.Customer on Jun 29, 2009 2:30 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
there are so many things you an argue here
First of all, we have no jump ball threat at wr, which makes a considerable difference when looking at inside 20 numbers vs inside 10. Inside 20, you don’t need a jump ball wr. Inside 10, thats your biggest threat at wr. I’d bet that the number of chances is very significantly smaller, to the point that inside the 10 passing numbers are much less significant too.
Home & Away is a good argument, but keep in mind we played at washington when he was returning from injury and at pitt in bad conditions. Those two games make up for a heck of a lot of the difference. There are NEVER bad weather games at texas stadium. How about looking at bad weather games as opposed to home/away- i bet romo’s stats plummet. I can think of a few where he didn’t look good at all.
THis team has always seemed to be a second half team. How many times did we go into halftime tied, down, or up by less than 4 in 2007 only to blow away the competition. Its not just Romo. In addition, as above, in teh redskins game he was clearly rusty, threw two INTs in the first and 1 TD in the second. That makes a BIG difference in those numbers probably
Romo’s always been a big play guy, the td vs int stats don’t shock me especially because i thought he looked off this whole december after coming back from injury. And how many times does he make plays that hardly any qb in this league can make? I think that makes up for some of those int numbers
The december point is a solid one. Last year was the first year i thought he showed guts in the december games, but that was offset by the fact he looked physically unable to get it done. His timing was poor, and he looked flat out beaten some of the time from the painful giants game on
He is still nowere near bottom 10 in december. Thats crazy. but i agree he isn’t the same.
by foyesboys on Jun 29, 2009 6:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Look at his QB rating in that month,
If that is the measure that we are using, he was at 70.3 in 2007 and 67.9 in 2008. He’s at 71.9 career. I don’t have the time to calculate every single QBs rating for that month, but only one QB had a rating lower than 67.9 for the season in 2008 and only 4 were lower than 70.3 for 2007.
Are you saying that Roy Williams, TO, Witten, and Bennett are not jump ball threats?
It doesn’t change my point that his 3 big areas that need improvement are turnovers, consistency, and level of play in December.
by Baked Potato Soup on Jun 29, 2009 7:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
we had the giants, eagles, ravens and steelers the last 4 games
what other team can say that?
by foyesboys on Jun 30, 2009 11:38 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
actually my jump ball argument was bad
But I think there is a solid argument that or lack of ability to run in the red zone puts extra pressure on Romo, and its very difficult to pass when teams don’t fear the run inside the 10 yard line.
by foyesboys on Jun 30, 2009 11:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'd replace one or at least add one
it’s not just level of play. I think that running teams and passing teams become two different animals and it’s almost a culture change to try to shift from one to the other. I remember in the Emmitt days the line prided itself on being a run blocking line first. They were mean and nasty and aggressive. On the other hand, pass blocking forces players to be more reactive and technique-focused. Erik Williams and Larry Allen carried that nastiness into pass blocking, but they were happiest when they pile driving someone into the turf.
Of course I could be way off base, but it’s a theory of mine that if you want to be a running team in December. it needs to get coded into your DNA in July.
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.
by dunkman on Jun 30, 2009 1:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Cool
Great job on this, Well Done!
"He has a peculiar felicity of expression." John Adams
by Jim Vance on Jun 28, 2009 9:19 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Where are Terry and Tex?
"Where's Woody? - We need another Darren Woodson
by BoyfromOz on Jun 29, 2009 8:20 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
great post, very well done
I think the numbers speak for themselves like they always have.
In Romo we Trust
by Terry on Jun 29, 2009 9:18 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Lies, damned lies, and statistics
It's not personal, it's just business
by Fighter15 on Jun 29, 2009 10:37 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Here is how The Player performed in some important games
Seattle in ’06: fumble at end
Giants in ’07: interception at end
Ravens in ’08: many interceptions
Pittsburgh in ’08: pick six
Eagles in ’08: fumbles and interceptions
by ym on Jun 29, 2009 12:52 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
So Romo should've taken a sack against the Giants....
Or thrown the ball away. There was no 5th down coming up, guy, and nobody was open on the play. The huge mistake on that final drive was made by Patrick Crayton pulling up on his route.
by MadMick on Jun 29, 2009 1:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Here is how The Player performed in some important games
Seattle in ’06: fumble at end
Ravens in ’08: many interceptions
Pittsburgh in ’08: pick six
Eagles in ’08: fumbles and interceptions
by ym on Jun 29, 2009 1:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
oooh oooh gramatica cant block
if gramatica made a block or even attempted to slow down someone …. romo would not have been shoelace tackled
LOL
by fuji1232 on Jun 29, 2009 1:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
So he had trouble
against 3 of the toughest defenses in the league last year. Putting the Ravens game on Romo is straight up crap. T.O. blew an easy touchdown because he didn’t adjust to the ball. Romo brought us back at the end and our defense gave up… twice. I suppose he should have ran out onto the field to tackle McGahee or McLain?
by DoomsdayD75 on Jun 29, 2009 1:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Actually, Romo and the offense had a bad start but was marching up and down the field on the leagues #1 defense in the end...
until our D gave up 14 points in less than a minute. I seem to recall the Raven’s D talking some trash about our offense before the game…I dodn’t hear any trash afterwards…
by CaliFanInTx on Jun 29, 2009 1:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Those two long runs were both bizarre
and embarrassing.
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty and the pig loves it.
by dunkman on Jun 29, 2009 2:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Are you a Dallas fan?
I’m not saying that you can’t be a Dallas fan and be critical, but you have nothing positive to say ever about anything.
Your avatar is even insulting.
I just don’t get you bro.
it was weird, I... I mean you probably didn't hear about it because I went under the name of Mike Honcho. But I just wanted you to know that. If you can hear me, if it got into your brain somehow. That I spread my buttcheeks as Mike Honcho.
by AirforceBat on Jun 29, 2009 3:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Airforce...look at the blogs from the other NFC East teams...their level of posting is miniscule compared to the Cowboys blog...
they got nowhere else to go to get a discussion, so they come here.
by CaliFanInTx on Jun 29, 2009 3:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Here's something positive:
Romo is the best QB to never win a playoff game
by ym on Jun 29, 2009 3:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
For real.
Worse avatar ever.
"Grow where you are planted."
by Aaron Novinger on Jun 29, 2009 4:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think its a fair question, Are you a Cowboy fan? Come on, man up, dont be a wuss.Its not a tricky question.
I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the goverment from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.
by squidlo97 on Jun 29, 2009 4:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
C'mon, it's pretty easy to spot a troll isn't it...
by CaliFanInTx on Jun 29, 2009 5:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I go to other sites too and tell them Im a Cowboy fan.
Its no big deal if your respectful. They are interested in a different opinion. I just want to knowif he’s a fan. Man up!
I read no newspaper but Ritchies, and in that chiefly the advertisements, For they contain the only truths to be relied upon in a newspaper. Thomas Jefferson.
by squidlo97 on Jun 29, 2009 5:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You must be a Redskin fan.
Giant and Eagle fans can be annoying but they will dam well tell who their teams are. Redskins are so pathetic their fans are embarrassed to come out of the closet.
I read no newspaper but Ritchies, and in that chiefly the advertisements, For they contain the only truths to be relied upon in a newspaper. Thomas Jefferson.
by squidlo97 on Jun 29, 2009 5:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Why get so upset?...ignore posts that have no substance or merit...and remember to scream out how proud you are to be a Cowboys fan...
by CaliFanInTx on Jun 29, 2009 6:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Im not upset. I dont care for weasles or cowards. Fans of other teams
coming here dont bother me as long as its not after a loss. Bye Dawk comes here and Im interested in his take. He tells you who he is and his team. I just want closet boy to come out.
I read no newspaper but Ritchies, and in that chiefly the advertisements, For they contain the only truths to be relied upon in a newspaper. Thomas Jefferson.
by squidlo97 on Jun 30, 2009 7:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Here is how The Player performed in some important games
Carolina in ‘06 (first game starting-pretty big game): 24/36 270yds 1/1 W:35-14
Indianapolis in ’06 (Indy 9-0 at this point): 19/23 226 0/1 W: 21-14
Chicago in ’07 (Defending NFC Champions on the road): 22/35 329yds 2/1 W: 34-10
Giants in’07 (A NY win would have put the Giants just 1 game back on the road): 20/28 247 yds 4/1 W: 31-20
Green Bay in ’07 (Playing for #1 Seed in NFC): 19/30 309 yds 4/1 W: 37-27
These are just a few games that at the time were considered BIG games, if we had lost them or Romo played poorly I am sure they would have made it onto your list.
by sduncan24 on Jul 1, 2009 8:07 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
a more reasonable approach
2006 against falcons: Great
2006 against Eagles: Awful
2006 against Seahawks:alright, not great, i’m willing to give him a break since you could see parcells overbearing imprint all over that game offensively. but that blown snap was a killer
2007 against Giants (October), Lions, Packers: Great
2007 againstGiants (playoffs): I thought he played pretty darn well. About as well as the regular season games, the rest of the guys just didn’t play as well as they did in the regular season.
2008 Redskins: Gutsy effort
2008 Pitt: awful. Godawful.
2008 Giants: Great considering how badly he got beat up
2008 Ravens: Inconsistant. Rarely do you see a qb play that well against the ravens in the fourth..but romo didn’t look good at al before that.
2008 Eagles: Bad, but i can’t point to a single player including TO, Witten and Ware that played well.
by foyesboys on Jun 29, 2009 7:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I wonder how Romo will play this year...
Forget about a chip, that looks like a tree stump on his shoulder…
by CaliFanInTx on Jun 29, 2009 4:10 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Romo has a fresh start as far as I'm concerned.
With TO gone, maybe TR will finally look for open receivers. TO was a distraction to TR as much as anyone else, including opposing defenses. How many times in the last two years did TR throw to TO when he was double, triple covered? Good riddance sir and thank you for the memories. Miles Austin will break out of the pack this year IMHO. Oh, TR is clutch!
by Keys80 on Jun 29, 2009 4:29 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
There's been a lot of talk about T.O. being a defensive coordinator's worst nightmare...
but isn’t Romo harder to prepare for…?
by CaliFanInTx on Jun 29, 2009 4:40 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
nah
You can’t really prepare for a qb. At this point, ROmos seen so many defenses, that you’re not gonna surprise him. As with any other qb, the key is to pressure him, but i guess with Romo, you need to contain him a little more than others because of his maneuverability.
by foyesboys on Jun 30, 2009 5:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
But that's the point, Romo's maneuverability forces you to game plan him...
you can’t just pin your ears back and just rush him, you have to play defense more honest…
by CaliFanInTx on Jun 30, 2009 6:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The Yips
Romo could go 15-1, throw up ungodly regular season numbers, but when the golf weather disappears and it gets down to a win-or-go-home scenario, everyone can agree that Tony will either wind up down in Mexico like Barrett Robbins or will find away to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory like Neil O’Donnell.
Then, the pear-shaped signal caller will emerge in the spring with a new reality TV show like a poor-man’s Hank Basket, and everyone, besides Tex, will be back singing the praises of the best quarterback never to win a playoff game.
by Montecito Tex on Jun 29, 2009 7:52 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Hey squidlo97,..remember what I was saying about ignoring posts that have no substance or merit...here's an example...
by CaliFanInTx on Jun 29, 2009 8:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't agree Tex, so it's not everyone
In Romo we Trust
by Terry on Jun 30, 2009 8:22 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
From my lips to your post
Calm, Cool, Customer – you are one calm cool cat as well. I can admit that I knew not the details of the stats you painstakenly put together to make a most valid point, but I most certainly knew the truths that they illuminate. We have the QB we need, we just need to make things conducive for him doing what we already know he can do. I give you kudos for putting this together to validate what many of us already knew. God bless the Dallas Cowboys and all of us who stand behind them through thick and thin,
by dodger12 on Jul 3, 2009 1:39 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Tex, Tex, Tex?????
You wax very well with your words, but what’s lacking my friend is any conscience context. I see more of what you say or write as off the wall satire or lampooning that I find hard to take seriously on this mostly knowledgable fan base blog. Go to the comedy central site. You’l be hit there.
by dodger12 on Jul 3, 2009 1:45 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
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