Is it really DAK big of a quarterback controversy?
Dak Prescott, arguably had one of the best seasons for a rookie quarterback, leading the Dallas Cowboys to no. 1 seed in the National Football Conference, completing the regular season with a 13-3 record and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
There continues to be this quarterback controversy as long as Tony Romo is the “backup” quarterback on the Dallas sidelines.
Dallas coach Jason Garrett didn’t hesitate to bench Romo after he completed three out of four passes for 29 yards and one touchdown in his first drive of the season against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday in week 17.
I keep hearing that Dallas Owner and General Manager Jerry Jones is going find a way to mess up the great season that the Cowboys are having this year.
I’ve been an advocate of Romo earning his starting position back once he was healthy. Romo clearly showed on Sunday that he has not lost a step in his first regular season appearance since week 15 in 2016.
The Dallas offense is more of a vertical and big play team when Romo is under snap, for he is more of a deep passing gunslinger, who takes more risk than Prescott.
Prescott is strong in the intermediate game with underneath throws, such as to Cole Beasley, and being a dynamic weapon with his legs from read-option plays, and extending plays but he doesn’t take enough deep shots downfield.
Although I am a big fan of Beasley, he is not going to win Dallas a Super Bowl as the lead receiver.
Dez Bryant needs to get the football. Prescott still does not have great chemistry with Bryant.
Bryant only had 796 receiving yards with eight touchdown receptions in 13 games this season. With Romo, Bryant had his best year in 2014 with 1320 receiving yards and a career high 16 touchdown receptions.
Although Prescott posted an impressive 104.6 passer rating, passing for 23 TDs on 3,667 yards this season, I saw more of a really good “game manager” with an elite running back, Ezekiel Elliot, who led the National Football League with 1631 yards in his rookie season.
In Romo’s last health season, he finished with 113.2 QB rating, 34 TDs on 3,705 yards in 15 regular season games before losing the NFC Divisional playoff game against the Green Bay Packers 26-21 in 2014.
If Elliott faces some adversity this postseason, and the Dallas rushing attack is being lockdown, I don’t think Prescott is at that level yet where he can solely take over a game with his arm the way Romo can.
Just don’t be surprise if "Jerry World"orchestrates an appearance for Romo to get right into the middle of the action this postseason.
A starting rookie quarterback has never won the Super Bowl, so the odds aren’t exactly in Prescott’s favor.