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Re: The NFL 2007-08 Season thread
Cowboys coach says Romo re-injured thumb in loss to Giants
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ESPN.com news services
Just like last season, the Dallas Cowboys' early ousting from the NFL playoffs might be due to Tony Romo's hand.
A Cowboys coach told ESPN's Ed Werder that Romo re-injured his right thumb in the team's 21-17 NFC divisional playoff loss to the New York Giants, causing swelling in the thumb for much of the game. Romo's thumb was hurt on his second throw when blitzing Giants' safety Michael Johnson swatted at the ball as he ran past the quarterback, causing a strange incompletion for Romo.
Romo finished the game 18-of-36 for 201 yards with a touchdown but was sacked on each of the Cowboys' two final drives. The Cowboys' season ended with Romo throwing a fourth-down pass into the end zone and cornerback R.W. McQuarters stepping in front of Terry Glenn for the interception. It marked Romo's second straight disappointing finish to a playoff game, following his flubbed hold of a short field goal in Seattle a year ago.
Romo first injured his thumb in the Cowboys' 10-6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Dec. 16. Romo finished 13-of-36 for 214 yards in the loss, with a career-low rating of 22.2. It came in front of his parents and his newest A-list girlfriend -- Jessica Simpson, who tugged the front of her pink No. 9 jersey, then mouthed the word "Romo!" when cameras spotted her.
"If we go on and win the Super Bowl, the loss is a good thing," Romo said after the Eagles' game. "If we lose first round of the playoffs, the loss is not a good thing."
Romo played in the Dec. 22 game against the Carolina Panthers and was 28-of-42 for 257 yards with a touchdown and an interception as Dallas won 20-17. But he was 7-of-16 for 79 yards and an interception in the Cowboys' last regular-season game, a 27-6 loss to the Washington Redskins.
Romo was also pulled in the third quarter with Washington up 20-3 as the Cowboys rested anyone who was questionable with an injury because it had clinched home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
In his playoff debut last season, Romo bobbled the snap on a 19-yard field goal attempt with 1:19 left that would have lifted the Cowboys past the Seattle Seahawks. Instead, Romo's bobble led to a scramble that ended 2 yards shy of the end zone and a yard short of a first down, preserving the Seahawks' 21-20 wild-card win.
"I know how hard everyone in that locker room worked to get themselves in position to win that game today and for it to end like that, and for me to be the cause is very tough to swallow right now," Romo said after the loss to Seattle. "I take responsibility for messing up at the end there. That's my fault. I cost the Dallas Cowboys a playoff win, and it's going to sit with me a long time."
The Cowboys' latest playoff loss was bigger because "America's Team" seemed pointed toward a ninth trip to the Super Bowl, maybe even a sixth championship.
"It hurts," Romo said after the loss to the Giants. "It's tough right now."
Dallas tied the most wins in team history with 13 but followed it by tying an NFL record with a sixth straight playoff loss. Romo fell to 0-2 and coach Wade Phillips finished his first year with the Cowboys by falling to 0-4 in his playoff career.
There are other dubious footnotes for Dallas, like being the first No. 1 seed in the NFC to lose in this round since the NFL went to the 12-team playoff format in 1990 and being the seventh team to lose a playoff game against a team they'd beaten twice in the regular season; the '98 Cowboys did it, too.
Romo came in looking to make up for last season's finish, to prove his sluggish December was no big deal and to quiet everyone who accused him of mixed-up priorities for Simpson on the beach in Mexico last weekend.
He couldn't do it, but it wasn't all his fault.
The offense stopped drives with penalties, while the defense kept New York drives alive by drawing more flags. There also was sloppy tackling on defense and special teams, dropped passes and wasted timeouts.
Despite the mistakes, the Cowboys had the ball with 1:48 left and only had to go 48 yards.
A Brett Favre-esque scrambling shovel pass by Romo to Jason Witten got the Cowboys to the 22 with 31 seconds left, then came more mistakes -- another false start, a short pass that forced Dallas to use its final timeout and a pair of poor throws, a ball in the end zone that Patrick Crayton seemed to give up on before futilely speeding up and the final play, caught by McQuarters.
Still, Romo is the marquee man and the most likely to be blamed, though not by Terrell Owens.
Owens, who made good on his vow to return from a high ankle sprain sustained three weeks ago, cried behind dark sunglasses with a quivering bottom lip while declaring, "You can point the finger at him, you can talk about the vacation, and if you do that, it's really unfair. That's my teammate. ... We lost as a team."
- The Cusack
- Rep: 1
Re: The NFL 2007-08 Season thread
McNair for insurance? Its time to put him out to pasture. He had a good run. They gotta move on.
Definitely. He'd be used the same way as Neil O'Donnell and Kerry Collins have been used by the Titans over the years. McNair is probably still a servicable spot starter and as a Super Bowl experienced back up, he can teach Troy Smith a lot. McNair still has a place on the team and the league but he can't start anymore, unless he went someplace like Atlanta where the Falcons are one step away from holding open tryouts for QB.
BTW, did anyone else think that Billy Volek's post game interview sound byte was bad ass or what? He said: "It's just a game, everybody acts like it's something important." or something along those lines.
Re: The NFL 2007-08 Season thread
I;m not religious at all but even i thought this was a little blasphemous 
"Our Favre,
Who art in Lambeau,
Hallowed be thine arm.
Thy bowl will come,
It will be won.
In Phoenix as it is in Lambeau.
And give us this Sunday,
Our weekly win.
And give us many touchdown passes.
But do not let others pass against us.
Lead us not into frustration,
But deliver us to the valley of the sun.
For thine is the MVP, the best of the NFC,
and the glory of the Cheeseheads,
now and forever.
Go get'em. Amen."
Re: The NFL 2007-08 Season thread
Packers fans are a bit wacko(no offense to Packers fans). Always been like that.
Man, I am really psyched for those games tomorrow. I am getting a strange feeling that we might get one upset.
If 2 upsets happen, not only will it shock the world, the NFL is gonna be majorly pissed with Giants-Chargers SB. Very anticlimactic to an amazing season, and ratings would be at an all time low.
If one upset happens, expect flags to be thrown like they are going out of style in the second game to ensure it doesn't happen again. The league is not interested in an underdog vs underdog SB.
- Gunslinger
- Rep: 88
Re: The NFL 2007-08 Season thread
If 2 upsets happen, not only will it shock the world, the NFL is gonna be majorly pissed with Giants-Chargers SB. Very anticlimactic to an amazing season, and ratings would be at an all time low.
If one upset happens, expect flags to be thrown like they are going out of style in the second game to ensure it doesn't happen again. The league is not interested in an underdog vs underdog SB.
Lofton, you have been posting some exceptional comments, seems like I have had to agree with you quite a bit lately...STOP IT ALREADY!! Seriously, great points man.
However, I do believe that the Pats and Packs will be in the SB together but....IF Rivers and LT are at 100% and the D doesn't fall asleep I think this will be the upset if there is one. The Pats are obviously a great team but some luck has saved them from losing to some teams with only so-so records. The Chargers can run the ball and have a defense...the Pats don't handle that very well. So I'm predicting that this will be the upset if indeed one occurs. Chargers over Pats by 4!
Re: The NFL 2007-08 Season thread
they already said LT, Rivers and Gates will not be 100% on top of that Rivers hasnt practiced all week
but ya never know...i mean they beat indy at home with LT and Rivers out and chargers have a history of ruining the pats streaks...should be a good game regardless I cant wait.
i think that there could be an underdog/underdog superbowl...either of these games could go either way but still ig ots confidence in my Pats...and i think that the Pack will make it past the giants
Re: The NFL 2007-08 Season thread
Alrite then, looks like it's going to be a freezing day of football to get to see who plays in the Super Bowl. Even though I'm a Bears fan, I do hope the Packers make it. It's pretty hard to root against Brett Farve. He's the guy everyone would want as their QB. The guy is a warrior.
Also, I know CC will be interested to know, they just said Buffalo will be playing a regular season game in Toronto next season.
- The Cusack
- Rep: 1
Re: The NFL 2007-08 Season thread
Alrite then, looks like it's going to be a freezing day of football to get to see who plays in the Super Bowl. Even though I'm a Bears fan, I do hope the Packers make it. It's pretty hard to root against Brett Farve. He's the guy everyone would want as their QB. The guy is a warrior.
Also, I know CC will be interested to know, they just said Buffalo will be playing a regular season game in Toronto next season.
The NFL should expand into Toronto and Los Angeles. They're both great football markets. The trouble with any more expansion though is that Paul Taglibue said once the league reaches 32 teams that there would be no more expansion so it would take some monumental efforts by a couple of cities at the same time to get the owners and the new commissioner to relent.
BTW I'm a Steelers fan but Brett Favre might be my favorite player of all time. I'd say the Packers are my 3rd or 4th favorite so it's not so bad.
Re: The NFL 2007-08 Season thread
nugdafied wrote:Alrite then, looks like it's going to be a freezing day of football to get to see who plays in the Super Bowl. Even though I'm a Bears fan, I do hope the Packers make it. It's pretty hard to root against Brett Farve. He's the guy everyone would want as their QB. The guy is a warrior.
Also, I know CC will be interested to know, they just said Buffalo will be playing a regular season game in Toronto next season.
The NFL should expand into Toronto and Los Angeles. They're both great football markets. The trouble with any more expansion though is that Paul Taglibue said once the league reaches 32 teams that there would be no more expansion so it would take some monumental efforts by a couple of cities at the same time to get the owners and the new commissioner to relent.
BTW I'm a Steelers fan but Brett Favre might be my favorite player of all time. I'd say the Packers are my 3rd or 4th favorite so it's not so bad.
Hitting different markets is fine, but I honestly think 32 teams is a bit too many as it is. I wouldn't mind them going back down to 30. It's not gonna happen because there's less money that way, but the talent pool would be a bit less diluted.
Re: The NFL 2007-08 Season thread
Strange game. Chargers are winning statistically in just about every category, and are killing in the time of possession game. Only problem is they cant score TDs.
You cant beat the Pats by only scoring field goals. Norv Turner is gonna have to be willing to take some risks as this game progresses.
