Well, that sure didn’t take long. Tony Romo is out with a broken bone in his back, and suddenly Dak Prescott is front and center for the Dallas Cowboys in 2016.
Now it’s time to find out whether the hype surrounding the rookie is real or if his outstanding preseason was nothing more than a mirage.
Romo is reportedly out anywhere between six and 10 weeks, though no official timetable for his recovery has been determined (more on this development here).
Before the season began, it was painfully obvious that the Cowboys would either sink or swim based on whether or not Romo would be able to play.
We even titled our Cowboys 2016 preview as “Tony Romo or Bust.”
Last season’s failed campaign in which Dallas won just four games while Romo missed 12 with two collarbone injuries was a clear illustration of the team’s hopes being tied directly to his health.
But developments this offseason put even more pressure on Romo (or so it seemed).
Suspensions to three of the team’s key starters on defense — DeMarcus Lawrence (four games), Rolando McClain (likely done for good) and Randy Gregory (likely out the entire year, if not for good) — crippled the team’s front seven.
Already this preseason we’ve seen the defense’s desperate need for outside pressure, which was a concern even before Lawrence and Gregory were suspended.
And now Romo is out for likely at least the first half of the season, if not longer.
The broken bone is an injury that may linger for #Cowboys QB Tony Romo this season. I'm told he'll likely need an epidural to play.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 27, 2016
This puts an immense amount of pressure on Prescott and the entire Cowboys offense to play well.
Thankfully, early results this preseason show the rookie might be up to the task. Completing an astounding 78 percent of his passes, Prescott has passed for 454 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions, adding another 53 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
He’s been, quite simply, the best quarterback in the NFL this preseason.
In particular, the thing Cowboys fans should be excited about is his poise under pressure. He has routinely delivered strikes even when bodies are flying around him, keeping his eyes downfield and using his legs to avoid being hit.
Another positive is his obvious chemistry with receiver Dez Bryant, who has already reaped the benefits of playing with Prescott, catching two touchdowns the first two preseason games.
Obviously the running game is another huge positive in terms of how the overall offense will function while Romo is out. Rookie Ezekiel Elliott was outstanding in his preseason debut Thursday in Seattle, and veteran Alfred Morris already loves running behind Dallas’ outstanding offensive line.
That said, the success or failure of the Cowboys in 2016 now hinges on how well Prescott can perform this year.
Playing well during the preseason is one thing. Doing the same when teams have a week to game plan against you is quite another. It’s going to be fascinating to watch the rookie take on this challenge.