sbk92
2
- Messages
- 12,134
- Reaction score
- 6
By RAINER SABIN / The Dallas Morning News
rsabin@dallasnews.com
IRVING – On Sunday, after quarterback Jon Kitna guided the Cowboys to an overtime victory against Indianapolis, the man he replaced was asked if he would play again this season.
"That's not up to me," Tony Romo responded. "That's up to other people."
Among those who will determine Romo's fate is owner and general manager Jerry Jones, who for the first time Friday raised doubt about whether the franchise quarterback would return to the field in the coming weeks even if he is medically cleared.
"It really boils down to what gives us the best chance to win the game," Jones said. "A guy who has been winning all of the games and is really into the flow of things or a player we think is our starter coming in but is a little bit rusty?"
It's a quandary Jones and the coaching staff must resolve as they consider the immediate welfare of the team and its long-term future. The steady, competent performance of Kitna has helped raise the issue. Since Romo suffered a fractured left collarbone in the second quarter of the Cowboys' 41-35 defeat to the New York Giants on Oct. 25, Kitna, 38, has played well.
At the time Kitna replaced Romo, the Cowboys were careening toward a 1-5 record, a disappointing start that set in motion the firing of coach Wade Phillips on Nov. 8. But since the firing, the Cowboys have won three of four games. Once Jason Garrett became interim coach, Kitna began to thrive.
In the Cowboys' last four games, Kitna has produced seven touchdown passes with just two interceptions. He has completed 69.3 percent of his passes and thrown for 954 yards. During that period, he has a 107.9 passer rating, the fourth-best mark in the league during that stretch.
Meanwhile, Romo has been recovering and aiming to return to action against Arizona on Dec. 25, when it seemed a foregone conclusion he would become the starter again. But Friday, Jones indicated the situation at quarterback in the final two regular-season games is not necessarily contingent on Romo receiving a clean bill of health, which Garrett said last week would be the sole determining factor.
Among the issues that could hasten Romo's return and keep the team's third quarterback, Stephen McGee, on the bench, is the threat of a work stoppage next year. If Romo does not play before the end of the season, he would probably have to wait until after the anticipated lockout to reestablish his position with the team.
"I can envision a scenario where you have a little better taste in your mouth if he comes back, plays in the last two games, played lights out than if he hadn't played," Jones said. "Well, it would have to do with knocking some of the rust off, too. It would surprise me for him to come out and be as sharp as he would have been if he had been playing in all the games."
Kitna, on the other hand, has – all the while fostering a debate about whether Romo should play in the last stretch.
Tale of the tape
How Jon Kitna and Tony Romo compare through six starts apiece:
Statistic.......................Kitna..........................Romo
Attempts.......................226............................213
Completions...................148............................148
Yards..........................1,703.........................1,605
Pct. ............................65.5...........................69.5
TDs...............................11.............................11
Int. ...............................8...............................7
Long..............................71.............................69
Rating..........................89.5...........................94.9
W-L..............................3-3............................1-5
rsabin@dallasnews.com
IRVING – On Sunday, after quarterback Jon Kitna guided the Cowboys to an overtime victory against Indianapolis, the man he replaced was asked if he would play again this season.
"That's not up to me," Tony Romo responded. "That's up to other people."
Among those who will determine Romo's fate is owner and general manager Jerry Jones, who for the first time Friday raised doubt about whether the franchise quarterback would return to the field in the coming weeks even if he is medically cleared.
"It really boils down to what gives us the best chance to win the game," Jones said. "A guy who has been winning all of the games and is really into the flow of things or a player we think is our starter coming in but is a little bit rusty?"
It's a quandary Jones and the coaching staff must resolve as they consider the immediate welfare of the team and its long-term future. The steady, competent performance of Kitna has helped raise the issue. Since Romo suffered a fractured left collarbone in the second quarter of the Cowboys' 41-35 defeat to the New York Giants on Oct. 25, Kitna, 38, has played well.
At the time Kitna replaced Romo, the Cowboys were careening toward a 1-5 record, a disappointing start that set in motion the firing of coach Wade Phillips on Nov. 8. But since the firing, the Cowboys have won three of four games. Once Jason Garrett became interim coach, Kitna began to thrive.
In the Cowboys' last four games, Kitna has produced seven touchdown passes with just two interceptions. He has completed 69.3 percent of his passes and thrown for 954 yards. During that period, he has a 107.9 passer rating, the fourth-best mark in the league during that stretch.
Meanwhile, Romo has been recovering and aiming to return to action against Arizona on Dec. 25, when it seemed a foregone conclusion he would become the starter again. But Friday, Jones indicated the situation at quarterback in the final two regular-season games is not necessarily contingent on Romo receiving a clean bill of health, which Garrett said last week would be the sole determining factor.
Among the issues that could hasten Romo's return and keep the team's third quarterback, Stephen McGee, on the bench, is the threat of a work stoppage next year. If Romo does not play before the end of the season, he would probably have to wait until after the anticipated lockout to reestablish his position with the team.
"I can envision a scenario where you have a little better taste in your mouth if he comes back, plays in the last two games, played lights out than if he hadn't played," Jones said. "Well, it would have to do with knocking some of the rust off, too. It would surprise me for him to come out and be as sharp as he would have been if he had been playing in all the games."
Kitna, on the other hand, has – all the while fostering a debate about whether Romo should play in the last stretch.
Tale of the tape
How Jon Kitna and Tony Romo compare through six starts apiece:
Statistic.......................Kitna..........................Romo
Attempts.......................226............................213
Completions...................148............................148
Yards..........................1,703.........................1,605
Pct. ............................65.5...........................69.5
TDs...............................11.............................11
Int. ...............................8...............................7
Long..............................71.............................69
Rating..........................89.5...........................94.9
W-L..............................3-3............................1-5