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DAVID MOORE
Staff Writer
dmoore@dallasnews.com
Published: 29 July 2014 10:58 PM
Updated: 30 July 2014 12:50 AM
OXNARD, Calif. — Owner Jerry Jones declares that Tony Romo is 100 percent as the quarterback is held out of practice for the second time in the first six days of camp.
Coach Jason Garrett talks of how valuable time off can be for Romo a few hours after executive vice president Stephen Jones said the quarterback would take part in the afternoon practice.
Does that clear things up?
Call it the Curious Case of Tony Romo. The Cowboys certainly aren’t doing themselves any favors with their inability to publicly articulate a coherent plan.
If the idea early in camp is to see how Romo feels from one day to the next before making a determination, fine. If the blueprint is to have him work no more than two consecutive days for the first week and a half, say so.
Cowboys officials have chosen a different approach. They constantly talk about how good he looks while severely limiting his workload.
It’s important at this moment to step back and look at the big picture. The goal is for Romo to be at his best when the Cowboys open the regular season against San Francisco on Sept. 7.
The goal is not to take every snap in the first five practices to ease the anxiety or suspicions of those outside the organization. What Romo has to prove in his return from back surgery will take place in the final four months of the year, not late July and August.
None of the principals express concern that Romo won’t be himself for the opener. He’s building toward that moment. It’s unrealistic to demand he be ready now.
That point has been lost as the Cowboys parcel out information and stumble to explain Romo’s status from one day to the next. The desire to say all is well has taken precedence over a realistic assessment of where Romo is at the moment and created a disconnect between words and action.
That was evident again Tuesday.
The Cowboys have held five practices since training camp got under way. Romo has missed two of them. The quarterback had a brief conversation with Jerry Jones on Tuesday afternoon while the rest of his teammates were on the field.
Is Jones concerned with Romo’s latest absence?
“No, not at all,” Jones said. “We feel really good. We’re really pleased with the way he’s practicing and the work he’s getting done and what he’s doing both on and off the field.
“There is nothing that in any way would concern you about his back.”
Stephen Jones said earlier in the day that Romo would practice in the afternoon session. Garrett revealed a few hours later that Romo wouldn’t practice. Yet the owner maintains there’s no confusion.
“I’m not familiar with what Stephen had said, but it was certainly no surprise to me because I know he’s playing it by ear and gauging where he really feels is the best time for him to be getting his reps in,” Jones said. “He’s 100 percent. He’s just being real smart and sensitive about coming off the back surgery.
“He’s certainly not losing any ground from opening up against San Francisco.”
There’s no split at the top of the organization between Stephen Jones and Jason Garrett. Tuesday’s events simply underscore the day-to-day nature of the club’s approach.
Garrett stressed that Romo has not had any setbacks since camp began and added that, “hopefully he’ll come back and have a good day tomorrow.”
Hopefully? Garrett also said the coaching staff decided to keep Romo out of the afternoon practice because the team was going to work on some very competitive two-minute situations.
If Romo is as healthy as the Cowboys claim, wouldn’t they want their starting quarterback to get some work in those two-minute situations?
All of the players had Monday off. The next off day is Friday. That means Romo will go through the first 11 days of camp without practicing more than two consecutive days.
That may be the closest thing the Cowboys have to a plan.
“There’s an old adage in football that a day off can be really valuable and two days off can be life changing,” Garrett said.
Still, it seems odd that there’s this much confusion over Romo’s schedule when the quarterback and the club have consistently asserted that he’s on schedule.
Just what is that schedule?
“You really point yourself toward that first game with San Francisco,” Garrett said. “You want to have that in mind the whole time. Let’s keep going forward, let’s keep taking incremental steps, gradual steps, to get you ready for that.
“Part of getting ready for that is practicing in training camp, part of that is playing in preseason games. We feel like we’re very much on schedule in those two regards.”
There you have it.
Sort of.
Staff Writer
dmoore@dallasnews.com
Published: 29 July 2014 10:58 PM
Updated: 30 July 2014 12:50 AM
OXNARD, Calif. — Owner Jerry Jones declares that Tony Romo is 100 percent as the quarterback is held out of practice for the second time in the first six days of camp.
Coach Jason Garrett talks of how valuable time off can be for Romo a few hours after executive vice president Stephen Jones said the quarterback would take part in the afternoon practice.
Does that clear things up?
Call it the Curious Case of Tony Romo. The Cowboys certainly aren’t doing themselves any favors with their inability to publicly articulate a coherent plan.
If the idea early in camp is to see how Romo feels from one day to the next before making a determination, fine. If the blueprint is to have him work no more than two consecutive days for the first week and a half, say so.
Cowboys officials have chosen a different approach. They constantly talk about how good he looks while severely limiting his workload.
It’s important at this moment to step back and look at the big picture. The goal is for Romo to be at his best when the Cowboys open the regular season against San Francisco on Sept. 7.
The goal is not to take every snap in the first five practices to ease the anxiety or suspicions of those outside the organization. What Romo has to prove in his return from back surgery will take place in the final four months of the year, not late July and August.
None of the principals express concern that Romo won’t be himself for the opener. He’s building toward that moment. It’s unrealistic to demand he be ready now.
That point has been lost as the Cowboys parcel out information and stumble to explain Romo’s status from one day to the next. The desire to say all is well has taken precedence over a realistic assessment of where Romo is at the moment and created a disconnect between words and action.
That was evident again Tuesday.
The Cowboys have held five practices since training camp got under way. Romo has missed two of them. The quarterback had a brief conversation with Jerry Jones on Tuesday afternoon while the rest of his teammates were on the field.
Is Jones concerned with Romo’s latest absence?
“No, not at all,” Jones said. “We feel really good. We’re really pleased with the way he’s practicing and the work he’s getting done and what he’s doing both on and off the field.
“There is nothing that in any way would concern you about his back.”
Stephen Jones said earlier in the day that Romo would practice in the afternoon session. Garrett revealed a few hours later that Romo wouldn’t practice. Yet the owner maintains there’s no confusion.
“I’m not familiar with what Stephen had said, but it was certainly no surprise to me because I know he’s playing it by ear and gauging where he really feels is the best time for him to be getting his reps in,” Jones said. “He’s 100 percent. He’s just being real smart and sensitive about coming off the back surgery.
“He’s certainly not losing any ground from opening up against San Francisco.”
There’s no split at the top of the organization between Stephen Jones and Jason Garrett. Tuesday’s events simply underscore the day-to-day nature of the club’s approach.
Garrett stressed that Romo has not had any setbacks since camp began and added that, “hopefully he’ll come back and have a good day tomorrow.”
Hopefully? Garrett also said the coaching staff decided to keep Romo out of the afternoon practice because the team was going to work on some very competitive two-minute situations.
If Romo is as healthy as the Cowboys claim, wouldn’t they want their starting quarterback to get some work in those two-minute situations?
All of the players had Monday off. The next off day is Friday. That means Romo will go through the first 11 days of camp without practicing more than two consecutive days.
That may be the closest thing the Cowboys have to a plan.
“There’s an old adage in football that a day off can be really valuable and two days off can be life changing,” Garrett said.
Still, it seems odd that there’s this much confusion over Romo’s schedule when the quarterback and the club have consistently asserted that he’s on schedule.
Just what is that schedule?
“You really point yourself toward that first game with San Francisco,” Garrett said. “You want to have that in mind the whole time. Let’s keep going forward, let’s keep taking incremental steps, gradual steps, to get you ready for that.
“Part of getting ready for that is practicing in training camp, part of that is playing in preseason games. We feel like we’re very much on schedule in those two regards.”
There you have it.
Sort of.
