He doesn't need to. He's already accomplished what he wanted to by making the
remarks he's made. He can't use the same stuff all the time. He needs a new
approach. Hence the "better chemistry" with Romo remark. Good ol T.O. just
can't keep his mouth closed. Hopefully there's more to come. ;)
>>
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/football/nfl/10/26/bc.fbn.cowboys.jones.romo...
>>
>> IRVING, Texas (AP) -- While Jerry Jones is disappointed the Dallas
>> Cowboys are going to their backup quarterback, he won't get any
>> complaints from Terrell Owens.
>>
>> T.O. said Thursday he already feels better chemistry with Tony Romo
>> than he ever did with deposed starter Drew Bledsoe. Owens even had an
>> example, pointing out his 8-yard touchdown catch against New York
>> Giants on Monday night.
>>
>> "I looked across the formation and he looked at me and he knew what was
>> going on," Owens said. "It's just two players making a play."
>>
>> Did he and Bledsoe ever develop that bond?
>>
>> "I honestly tried to do that time and time again," he said. "But for
>> whatever reason it didn't happen."
>>
>> What happened with Bledsoe were turnovers, far too many for coach Bill
>> Parcells to tolerate. So he switched to the unproven Romo at halftime
>> against the Giants, then on Wednesday announced that Romo would keep
>> the job when Dallas (3-3) plays at Carolina on Sunday night.
>>
>> Jones hinted Tuesday he wanted to stick with the veteran. He explained
>> Thursday that he actually was clinging to his preseason belief that
>> Bledsoe would lead Dallas to the playoffs.
>>
>> "I'm disappointed at the reason we're having to make this change,"
>> Jones said.
>>
>> The QB switch has forced Jones to lower his expectations for this
>> season. He's no longer convinced this team could be "special," the code
>> word he and Parcells used this summer instead of saying they expected a
>> deep playoff run.
>>
>> "I have to be a realist," Jones said. "I hadn't thought or hoped that
>> we'd be sitting here after the sixth game making these adjustments. ...
>> I did not want to this year go to an inexperienced quarterback. I
>> wanted to have the benefit of Drew Bledsoe. It hasn't worked out as of
>> today. It just hasn't worked out. That to me is a step back."
>>
>> Romo is in his fourth year with the Cowboys, but had never thrown a
>> pass until two games ago. In his relief appearance Monday night, the
>> former Division I-AA player of the year was 14-of-25 for 227 yards and
>> two touchdowns and ran for a 2-point conversion. He also threw three
>> interceptions.
>>
>> Interceptions were Bledsoe's undoing. He had three in each of Dallas'
>> first two losses, then a costly one against New York on what became his
>> final pass.
>>
>> Parcells wasn't the only one on the Cowboys sideline disgusted by that
>> play. Teammates were frustrated by the same old, same old, too.
>>
>> It hadn't gotten to the point that players were lobbying for a change,
>> but linebacker Bradie James said it was being discussed.
>>
>> How strong was the support for Romo?
>>
>> "I don't know if it was sizzling," he said. "It might've been
>> lukewarm."
>>
>> James said everyone is rallying around Romo "because that's who we need
>> to believe in."
>>
>> "It'd be that way if it was Matt Baker," said James, referring to the
>> team's practice squad QB. "We're going to roll with Romo and get it
>> going. This is the guy. He's the golden child right now."
>>
>> Romo has been getting ready for a long time, having sat by while Quincy
>> Carter, Vinny Testaverde, Drew Henson and Bledsoe all got their
>> chances.
>>
>> The organization liked his potential enough that he received a second
>> contract extension, and a $2 million bonus, in the preseason, locking
>> him up through 2007. Yet he was never trusted enough to throw the ball
>> until recently.
>>
>> "I saw him coming along. I saw things I liked in the player," Parcells
>> said. "Now it's time. I guess I was ready now."
>>
>> Parcells said he's not nervous about starting Romo. He said the better
>> description is "anxious to see what is going to happen."
>>
>> Confidence is not an issue with Romo. Neither is mobility, Bledsoe's
>> biggest weakness. Romo also has a quicker release, all of which should
>> lead to fewer sacks -- and, as Owens hopes, more hookups to No. 81 on
>> broken plays.
>>
>> "Once he gets outside that pocket, he can make some things happen,"
>> Owens said. "He has some coaches who will be in his ear to just get the
>> ball to the playmakers and everything will work out well."
>>
>> The knocks on Romo are his lack of experience, obviously, as well
>> average arm strength and a tendency to make what Parcells calls
>> "impulse" throws.
>>
>> But now Romo may have a chance to get comfortable. Each game will be an
>> audition to see if he deserves to start the next one, and at the end of
>> the season the Cowboys will have a better idea if he's their
>> quarterback of the future. He's already set to become the ninth starter
>> since Troy Aikman.
>>
>> "I think Bill's expectations are for us to go 10-0. That would be
>> ideal," Romo said. "You are going to lose in this league. That's going
>> to happen. You just have to make sure you take it week by week and get
>> yourself ready to go every week for a new challenge."
>>
>> Jones has taken pride in "consciously tried not to go to the top of the
>> draft to get a quarterback." However, he acknowledged Thursday that he
>> might have to change that philosophy if things don't pan out with Romo.
>>
>> "Part of the responsibility I have is how you address the long term
>> situation at quarterback," said Jones, who also is the team's general
>> manager. "My mind-set would be to say, positively, it's going to work.
>> ... In my mind, we're going to see a player that makes some plays,
>> makes some things happen."
>>
>> Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may
>> not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
