Tony Romo took some ribbing from fans and media last week and it wasn't the good-natured variety. He took some serious ribbing in Sunday's game when the 49ers fractured a couple of his, putting the quarterback in pain and almost out of the game. Unlike last week, when things collapsed down the stretch, Romo worked his way back into this game and rallied his troops in one of the gutsiest performances we've seen recently. A team that was getting battered and bruised, literally, had to summon up some intestinal fortitude to muster a late-game victory or start the season 0-2. Any criticism from last week meets its opposite number this week, and we can do nothing but praise Romo for his clutch performance under duress.
As is always the case, no one game is a true example of a player's worth, but Romo played turnover free football a week after a fumble and costly interception. When he missed snaps, his injury replacement threw two picks which sandwiched a Miles Austin touchdown. The team rallied from ten down with less than ten minutes remaining for an overtime win. Playing through the pain of broken ribs and having to convince his coach to let him back in the game could be seen as a defining moment in his career if the Cowboys can put together a winning season. His fighting through the injury to lead the comeback could go a long way privately with the teammates that publicly rallied around him over the last week.
Let's check out what the webisphere has been saying about the performance.
Total QBR report: NFC East | ESPN
Romo's Total QBR at halftime of Sunday's game, before he left with a cracked rib, was an average-looking 59.9. (Remember, this is on a scale of 0-100.) But after leading the Cowboys to victory in overtime, he finished the day with a Total QBR of 94.0, which is the highest single-game score posted by any quarterback in the league so far in this young season.
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Redemption Not Pain-Free for QB | The Mothership
But while Tony Romo is pretty good at a lot of things, evidently persuasion is one of them. Because he finally convinced Jason Garrett and the training staff to let him return to the game. Once he did . . . he was unbelievable.
I mean, all we heard last week were things like "that's Romo being Romo – that's what he is."
And you know what, they were right. That's what he is – some of the time. And guess what, he's this some of the time, too.
And by "this," I'm referring to running out of the locker room after the team's PR staff had ruled him out of the game, but yet he returns to the field, leads the Cowboys to 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, and did it with a broken rib.
Jerry Jones says Cowboys needed a win for their 'fragile psyche' | Star Telegram
"At that juncture, we’re too fragile, and we’re still fragile," the Cowboys owner said. "I underline the word fragile. We’re still a fragile psyche with our team. Up and down all the way through me."
Jones said the Cowboys needed a run into some good luck.
"We didn’t get it last week, but we got to taste it today," Jones said. "That’ll give us something to stand on. I’m going to say it one more time: I’m glad my team got’s more heart and guts than I was feeling up there watching."
Cowboys Corner: Free saves the day for the Cowboys | Star Telegram
There will be plenty to speak on this week about some strange offensive play calls, but not much has been talked about the pitch to Miles Austin that almost cost the Cowboys a shot to tie the game. On his final play of the day, Austin fumbled the ball after being hit, but the Cowboys were lucky enough to recover the ball and still have a chance to kick the field goal attempt. All thanks to left tackle Doug Free and his recovery.
Cowboys-49ers by the TV numbers | Dallas Morning News
Sunday's game on Fox scored a 31.9 rating in Dallas-Fort Worth. That's down from the 38.8 last week's Cowboys-Jets earned.
Cowboys putting together long-range scoring drives | DMN
This is something we saw in past seasons, that all but disappeared in 2010.
Career day for Cowboys' DE Jason Hatcher | DMN
Short article, but it's good to reiterate that Hatcher logged two crucial sacks in the game.
MMQB: Reality show winner Jesse Holley helped Dallas Cowboys | Sports Illustrated
As Holley said via a crackling cell from the Cowboy locker room Sunday: "All I ever wanted was a chance. I thank God for Michael Irvin giving it to me. I thank God for Mr. Jerry Jones giving it to me.''
That desire won Holley the job. "There's no way I'd ever be here right now without that show,'' Holley said.
Holley got cut by the receiver-full Cowboys in 2009 and 2010, and was signed to the practice squad each year.