“Help us, Tony Romo, you’re our only hope,” Dallas Cowboys across the nation are likely thinking after watching Matt Cassel stink up the joint on Sunday in New York against the Giants.
Cassel couldn’t do much of anything right in Week 7. Finishing the game with 227 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions, the veteran showed what most experts have known all along — he’s just not starting quarterback material.
And, on that note but unrelated to the topic, Cassel’s funky performance, on the same day that EJ Manuel stunk it up for the Buffalo Bills in London, showed just how far ahead Tyrod Taylor was in the three-way battle in Buffalo this preseason.
The one thing we can say on a positive note regarding Cassel’s performance is this: He didn’t make owner Jerry Jones a liar. Jones had mentioned early in the week that Brandon Weeden was too conservative and that Cassel would take more shots down the field. Indeed he did, but three of his passes ended up in the hands of the enemy.
Both Weeden and Cassel stink for different reasons, and while Dez Bryant will certainly help next weekend, it doesn’t seem likely the offense will suddenly be amazing. That isn’t going to happen until Romo comes back, which means the Cowboys could be far too gone to salvage a successful season when he does return, hopefully in Week 11.
After seven weeks of NFL action, the Cowboys are 2-4. Looking ahead, they have a couple of home games against tough NFC opponents in the Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles before heading back out on the road to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A 3-6 record after Week 10 is a distinct possibility.
But if the Cowboys can somehow conjure up two wins or better the next few weeks, then Romo will have a chance to rally the team towards the playoffs the final seven weeks of the season. Â If he is unable to play in Week 11, then the team’s chances of any postseason play will shrink considerably.