I'll be thankful for 60 injury-free minutes Thursday for Tony Romo.
Then the splint will come off. Then the offense can resume its ascendancy.
Kyle Kosier's injury is a big set-back, as it holds back the interior running game. But there's a plenty of improvement left in the passing game -- once that splint comes off Romo's little finger.
His timing is still way off, and this offense runs on rhythm. I can think of a half dozen passes off the top of my head where Romo missed open receivers because he was late with his delivery. The reviewed pass to Jason Witten in the 2nd quarter was one Romo could not get out of his hand on time. He missed two slants to T.O. that were again behind him.
The most obvious example of the splint's adverse affect came in the 2nd half. Dallas called a slant to Roy Williams and he was open, but Romo could not get a proper grip to toss the pass on time. He then had to wait for Williams to pass beyond the linebacker and put the ball behind him. Romo missed the early window and had the calm to wait for the late window to open up.
If Romo's hand is 100% these passes are out fast, on time and on the money. Oddly, the splint seems to have harmed the short throws a lot more than the deep balls. All the go routes and seams to T.O. Sunday were on target. It's the slants and smoke routes that are low, behind and quacking. Think of the flares to Marion Barber in the flats that have been high and fluttering, and ultimately incomplete.
Get Romo past Seattle and the passing game regains its 6th and its 1st gears.