The Dallas Cowboys have done more with less than any other team in the NFL and yet posted a league tying 12-4 record and it starts with quarterback Tony Romo. Romo has posted up the biggest numbers statistically speaking of his career while also being more efficient than ever before.
There were a lot of questions surrounding Romo and the Cowboys entering the 2014 NFL season, and were even predicted to go 3-13 by USA Today Sports pre-season predictions. Romo was coming off of his second off-season back surgery, and the Cowboys lost their 3 best players defensively from a season ago. Defensive lineman DeMarcus Ware and Jason Hatcher left due to costless-agency and linebacker Sean Lee was put on IR after a freak injury occurred during team OTA's. With the losses on defense and the questions surrounding Romo's surgically repaired back it seemed as if the Cowboys were destined for another doomed season.
Romo missed most of training camp and hardly participated in the team's pre-season games, and early on in the season it showed. In the opener against the San Francisco 49ers he completed just 62.2% of his passes, third lowest during the season, and three interceptions, a season high. From then on Romo threw a total of six interceptions for the remainder of the season, and two of those came against the Philadelphia Eagles on Thanksgiving on only three day rest. Romo finished the season with 3,705 passing yards on 69.9% completion, 34 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also posted a league high 82.8 QBR rating despite his two worst game performances on the season that was largely due to his lingering back. When Romo has had his usual week to week game routine there hasn't been a better quarterback in the league.
The QBR statistic is very important, but the one statistic that may be just as important is the passer rating statistic. Well, Romo is also No. 1 in the league in that statistic as well. A 158.3 is a perfect passer rating. Romo’s passer rating is 114.4. Aaron Rodgers’ is 111 and Tom Brady’s is just 98.3. It should also be said that Romo’s completion percentage is in first place in the league at 69.9, while Rodgers’ is 65.1 and Brady’s is 64.5. Romo will never be mentioned in the elite quarterback group because he has never won a Super Bowl, but the reality is that Romo is deserving of being in that elite group, at least for this season.
Too many times Romo has been asked to shoulder too much of the load for the Cowboys and forced to try to make big plays when the window wasn't open. This year with the help of DeMarco Murray and perhaps the best offensive line in the league, Romo was able to dissect opposing defenses and make big plays on third downs and down the stretch. Romo threw for 12 touchdown passes and only 1 interception in the month of December and posted a 4-0 record in a month that has haunted him and past Cowboys' teams. Romo played his best football of the year when it mattered most and it led to the Cowboys winning their first division crown since 2009. Romo finally had the balanced attack the Cowboys so desperately called for over the past few years.
Now, yes, Murray has had a magnificent year, perhaps the best regular season for any running back in Cowboys' history. Murray led the league in rushing by over 400 yards and was the workhorse the Cowboys were hoping for, accumulating almost 400 carries on the season. That being said, this Cowboys team goes as far as Tony Romo can take them. All four Cowboys losses showed just how valuable Romo is to this franchise.
As discussed earlier, against the 49ers Romo was noticeably not himself in the season opener and didn't have the mobility nor the necessary reps to start off the year as shown by his 3 picks. Over the next couple weeks, Romo's mobility improved and his game vision returned with a full force. In the loss to the Washington Redskins, Romo was sacked a season high 5 times and was forced to leave the game early due to 2 fractures he suffered in his lower back. The following week against the Arizona Cardinals, Romo was forced to sit out as he nursed his back injury and it handicapped the Cowboys offense as they lost 28-17 with Brandon Weeden at quarterback. Weeden had only 183 passing yards with one touchdown, and most importantly threw two interceptions. At last, on Thanksgiving against the Eagles Romo completed his second lowest passing percentage, 62.1, on the season with two interceptions and for the first time on the season failed to throw a touchdown pass.
As great as Murray has run the ball this season, he wasn't able to carry the team to victory in any of those games. It just goes to show that this team goes as far as Romo can take them. Yes, Murray has been phenomenal and has helped this team become a serious title contender, but he's not the only running back that has helped compliment an elite quarterback.
Rodgers has been deemed the runaway favorite by many, but he too has one of the rising star running backs in the league in Eddie Lacy. Lacy has totaled 1,556 total yards from scrimmage with 13 total touchdowns, the same number of touchdowns as Murray. The Packers also have the luxury of keeping opposing defenses off-balanced with the dynamic back Lacy but no one seems to bring that up. Rodgers also has perhaps the best wide receiver duo in Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb so it's not like Rodgers lacks offensive weapons. Sure, Romo has Dez Bryant, but his next best options in the passing game are an aging Jason Witten and an unproven Terrance Williams. Heck, Romo has helped turned the formerly unknown Cole Beasley in to a legitimate threat out of the slot. Bryant is great, and he is obviously a huge reason why Romo has had success, but to think that Romo has better weapons than Rodgers is foolish. So why shouldn't Romo receive more support for league MVP?
Maybe Romo is simply a victim of his lack of past playoff success. His past is coming back to haunt him, but if we just analyze this single season then Romo has good an argument as Rodgers or anyone else. Romo is playing his best football at the right time and took a team who many perceived to be lucky to get to 8-8 before the season started, to hosting a playoff game on opening playoff wild-card weekend. Now that is what you call an MVP.
