Bench Dak Prescott. Put in Tony Romo.
That was the narrative from a lot of Dallas Cowboys fans after a frustrating 10-7 loss last weekend to the New York Giants.
It was bound to happen. And, frankly, it’s probably not over. The next time Prescott doesn’t play at a high level with Romo in a Dallas Cowboys uniform, the cries for Romo will get louder.
It took the Mississippi State product 13 games to look like a rookie.
Thirteen games.
Yet, Twitter exploded with cries for Romo as Prescott struggled against the blitzing Giant defense. Some media members even called for the Cowboys to bench Prescott, who has been brilliant this season outside of this last game.
Against the Giants, Prescott matched his season total in interceptions with two while passing for just 165 yards on 37 attempts.
It was a stinker of a game for sure, but there is no need for an incredible overreaction — not yet.
The rookie quarterback hasn’t thrown for 200 yards in three games, and the Cowboys are a combined 2 for 24 on third downs the past two games after converting just once in 15 tries at New York.
Sure, that 11-game winning streak looked nice. But now the pressure is on. Romo certainly can handle it better than a 23-year-old fourth-round pick.
After all, Romo has won all of two playoff games in 10 seasons.
Give Prescott a chance to see how he handles the postseason pressure. I am guessing he will hold up just fine.
The Cowboys have made it clear they aren’t thinking about turning to Romo. Nor should they. It would be an incredible overreaction to one understandable loss after an 11-game winning streak.
It’s not time to panic in Big D, but Prescott’s quiet games against Minnesota and the Giants reminded us that the Cowboys can never be entirely comfortable going into the playoffs with a rookie quarterback.
There will come a point when the Cowboys find themselves in a tight playoff game — like the games against the Vikings or Giants, come to think of it — and Prescott will have to make plays in the most important and pressure-filled game of his life. Maybe he can do it, but history isn’t on his side. No rookie quarterback has ever led his team to a Super Bowl. There have been 100 conference championship games in the Super Bowl era and only four have featured a rookie starting quarterback (Mark Sanchez, Joe Flacco, Shaun King, Ben Roethlisberger). The teams starting a rookie in those games are 0-4.
According to an NFL.com story in 2011, and adding the rookies who have started a playoff game since, teams starting rookie quarterbacks in the playoffs since the 1970 merger are 8-14. That’s eight playoff wins in 46 seasons.
Dallas has already clinched a playoff spot. The team has lost two games by a total of four points this season. This is far from panic time.
Romo is 36, rusty and injury prone. Prescott has the support and a special chemistry with his teammates. That’s why he is still starting.
The Cowboys have to give Prescott a long leash. Romo isn’t going to be around very long. Prescott is going to be around for the next 10 years or so if he remains healthy.
Some think the Giants exposed what has been an explosive Dallas offense by playing tight coverage on star pass-catchers Dez Bryant and tight end Jason Witten, blitzing Prescott while staying in rush lanes to prevent Prescott from hurting you with his scrambling ability. And then there is right tackle Doug Free, who struggles with strong left-edge pass rushers.
Tampa Bay, Detroit and Philadelphia, the Cowboys’ final three opponents, surely will take note.
Will see how Prescott and the Cowboys respond tonight at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
nContact Bill Burrus at 581-7237 or bburrus@gwcommonwealth.com.
