Romo for president? Why would Tony take the pay cut and less power?

Is it blasphemous to compare the office of the president to the quarterback position of the Dallas Cowboys?  I am not comparing any particular president to any Cowboys quarterback (although I will be naming Tony Romo throughout), but rather the position of America’s president to the position of quarterback for America’s team.

When things go wrong, who gets the blame?

In Dallas, Tony Romo has been labeled a poor leader.  The Cowboys exited the playoffs early in 2006 a well as in 2007, and were blown-out in the 2008 regular season finale at Philadelphia, subsequently missing the playoffs.  Underwhelming performances from the defense, and offensive line have contributed to the Cowboys’ futility over the past few years, but the brunt of the blame for early exits from the post-season and regular season has fallen upon Romo.

Like the president, Romo is only as effective as the supporting cast surrounding him.  Poor route running by the receivers, lack of execution from the offensive line, and inconsistent play from the players around him have an adverse affect on Tony’s job approval rating.

Blaming him for the incompetence of a handful of individuals, specifically citing poor leadership qualities from Tony as the reason these gaffes occur, is misguided.  Since Romo is the most recognizable member of the Dallas Cowboys, however, Tony gets most of the blame.

Who gets the majority of the credit when all is well?

Admit it, when the Cowboys won the playoff game against the Eagles in January, a smile crept onto your face.  For several moments, all was right in the world (at least in the football world).  Within an instant, Tony Romo went from the quarterback that lacked leadership, to the greatest non-winning Super Bowl quarterback in franchise history since Danny White; and in some cases, perhaps since Don Meredith.

The defense was magnificent at the conclusion of this season.  The offense was battering opponents, and Romo looked great.  Had Tony’s contract been up for re-election, (so to speak), Romo would have been granted an extended term – much in the same way his coach’s contract was extended.

Romo’s approval rating at the end of the 2009-2010 NFL season was at an all-time high.  Tony even managed his third Pro Bowl in less than four years of starting.

Who is really responsible for the success / failure?

Well, just as the administrative power of the president is tempered by the three branches of the government through a system of checks and balances, Tony Romo’s quarterbacking prowess is affected by the 52 other players on the team, the coaching staff, and the ownership.  This last season, all of those worked in concert to assist Romo greatly.

At the conclusion of the 2008-2009 NFL season, Stephen Jones recommended to his father Jerry, that he implement a very expensive stimulus package.  The Cowboys took a $9 million hit to jettison a huge problem and stimulate Romo’s growth as a quarterback.  In this case, the expenditure worked.

The coaching staff helped the team to slowly mature, and the players responded by showing consistent improvement.  By mid-December, the Cowboys were playing their best football of the season.  Romo finished the season better than he ever had as a starter in the NFL.

Comparing the candidates.

Looking at the landscape of the NFC, the top five quarterbacks are:

1. Drew Brees
2. Aaron Rogers
3. Tony Romo
4. Matt Ryan
5. Eli Manning

Considering the point to most of the rambling above was to demonstrate that while Tony Romo is perhaps the most important part of the team, it is the rest of team that determines the difference between ultimate success and failure, I have to like the supporting cast of the 3rd rated quarterback on my short list above more than the supporting cast of any other NFC team going into the 2010-2011 season.  Every quarterback’s team above has major needs to fill in a season with limited resources available to do so, save the Cowboys.

Despite beating the Cowboys in Lambeau Field last season, the Packers have holes to fill at linebacker, defensive end, and along the offensive line.  Giving up over 40 points in a playoff game will raise questions about anybody’s defense, but I expect the Packers to be the team that will be battling the Cowboys for NFC supremacy next season.

The Saints will be tested again this weekend, but if last week’s defensive effort is any indication, I expect to see Peyton Manning hoisting another Lombardi trophy Sunday night.  New Orleans is in dire need of more defensive help, and better play from their left tackle would not hurt.

The Giants will be better next season, but New York will once again be breaking in a new defensive coordinator.  The Giants secondary was exposed throughout last season, and better linebacker play will be necessary to contend for a playoff spot in 2011.

The Falcons may overtake the Saints next season with some key additions along their defensive line and in the secondary.  Improved offensive line play would also help keep Matt Ryan upright and healthy next season.

Of course, the Cowboys need improved offensive line play, but the defense just needs a little tweaking.  A small degree of improvement along the offensive line could yield exceptional results from Romo and the Dallas Cowboys in 2011.

Almost forgot…

The most obvious similarity between the office of the president, and the position of quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys is that both are seen with high-profile women.  Just ask the Kennedy’s and Hillary…er, Bill.