Tony Romo is out for the season?

Tony Romo is out for the season.  The hopes and dreams of the Dallas Cowboys rest in the arm and mind of Brad Johnson. Sorry Cowboy fans, this is not the Buccaneers revisited.

This is a ‘Nightmare before Christmas’ that even Tim Burton would not want to be a part of. For team Dallas, this would be a scenario of catastrophic proportions, and for their fans it would be another year of frustration.

Breathe easy Cowboy nation.  Tony isn't injured. Romo seems to be very durable and obviously he has the agility to, more often than not, keep himself out of harms way. But you, as all fans should, need to always keep in mind that talent is the train to NFL immortality. Injuries are the fastest way to derail that train. The offensive line has a huge responsibilty in Dallas. For the Cowboys, and for the NFL, let’s hope that they are up to the challenge.

      There are three types of offensive lines in the NFL: those that can run block but not pass block, those that can pass block but not run block, and those that just can’t block. Coaches and General Managers like to stockpile 6’7, 350 lb. lineman that look like a character balloon at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The have the calorie intake of Michael Phelps and the metabolism of a three-toed sloth during hibernation. By contrast, some teams are built on shorter, quicker linemen that cannot overpower their opponent, but can beat their opponent to spots much like a defender in basketball.

Guess which kind of lineman the Cowboys have. Yes, those Parcells', old school, mountain men that can wear down a defense and control the line of scrimmage. They do, however, struggle from time to time with their pass protection. After all, in these days of specialized rush ends, creating a pocket against the likes of Justin Tuck when your 6’7, 350 lbs. must seem like trying to get your hands on Usain Bolt while he’s running the curve.

You may remember a few years ago when the a slow-footed Drew Bledsoe gave way to Tony Romo. Suddenly, the Cowboys were directed by the young man with quick feet and a trigger that was as quick as Billy the Kid on a case of Red Bull. However, you may have noticed that the wonder-boy that is Tony Romo spends a lot of time making plays with his feet. He tucks it and runs for yards. When he’s not doing that, he’s busy demoralizing his opponents with his annoying habit of extending plays until he can find Jason Whitten or deliver some butter to the popcorn that is T. O. This is exciting for the fans; however, these types of plays are what cause coaches and general managers to seek professional counseling.

     Another reason to be concerned is pure fatalism. The law of averages catches up to us all. No premium quarterback has missed significant time due to injury in recent years. Sure, we had Brady’s ‘BootGate’, Phillip Rivers’ hobbled effort in the playoffs, and a few other minor injuries along the way. But the last time a quarterback of interest missed much time was Donovan McNabb, and he was still back for the Super Bowl. So, sooner or later, it will happen- a franchise with high expectations and a dynamic quarterback will have its season end prematurely not by losing a game, but by losing a flame-thrower like Romo.

           The last thing I would want to do is place some sort of voodoo hex on the Cowboys and Super Tony. The offensive line in Dallas is very good. This is just something to be aware of as the season begins. Dallas begins this season with two of the most important qualities of a sports team-fear and arrogance. If they continue their progression back to the league’s elite AND they stay healthy; the Dallas Cowboy fans will have the season that they have been waiting for since the glory days of the 90’s. However, just like every team in the NFL, they will need to play up to their talent and their playmakers must stay injury free. If they do, look out New York Giants. Look out New England Patriots. Look out Indianapolis Colts. The Dallas Cowboys may just be the team to beat.