IRVING, Texas - The Quarterback of the Future was never supposed to be a savior. At least, not this season. Remember, this team was supposed to be about a dominating defense and an offense led by a seasoned veteran.
How soon we have forgotten.
Now, the Quarterback of the Future is supposed to be the guy who leads this band of underachievers and complainers on a playoff run? He's taking criticism for too many mistakes in the Cowboys' 39-31 loss to the pathetic Detroit Lions.
Three losses in four games even has some wondering if Tony Romo is really the Quarterback of the Future.
Perhaps, they've forgotten the garbage we've watched at quarterback, for the most part, since Troy Aikman retired after the 2000 season. It doesn't take a certified NFL scout to see Romo has the skills it takes to be a quality quarterback.
All you have to do is look at his accuracy, arm strength, intelligence and intangibles to know he can succeed. His flaws - ball security and impulsive decisions - can be curtailed with increased focus and experience.
It's way too early to know whether he'll be a star.
Or if he'll join Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman as the only quarterbacks to ever lead the Cowboys to a championship. But unless Jerry Jones loses his mind - a possibility the way the Cowboys are playing - then Romo remains the Quarterback of the Future no matter what happens Saturday against Seattle.
He's earned the right to be the starter without equivocation next season.
After all, it's not Romo's fault Bill Parcells changed the rules in the middle of the season.
When Parcells promoted Romo from clipboard holder to starter, he wanted the four-year veteran to manage the game, limit his mistakes and get the ball to his offensive playmakers - a bus driver in Parcells' lingo.
But Romo played so well Parcells changed his expectations.
Suddenly, Parcells figured Romo might be good enough to get Dallas to the Super Bowl, especially in the NFC where a bunch of flawed teams are competing for the right to get their butts kicked in the Super Bowl.
So Parcells let his offensive staff increase Romo's responsibility. No longer did Parcells want a bus driver; he wanted a driver capable of winning the Nextel Cup.
Is it any wonder Romo's flaws have been exposed? You see, he's not ready to be the epicenter of the offense. For now, he needs to be a member of the supporting cast.
That requires help from a defense that has been a joke recently, allowing an average of 33.0 points over the last four games. In three of the last four games, Dallas has trailed by double-digits in the first half.
Whether he admits it or not, too many times Romo has started a possession figuring if the offense doesn't score, it's going to be down by another touchdown before it gets the ball back.
The running game has also failed Romo. Depending on who you ask, Julius Jones is missing too many holes or the offensive line isn't opening enough of them.
Jones has only one 100-yard game since Oct. 15, and the Cowboys have failed to rush for more than 100 yards each of the last three weeks to leave Romo in too many predictable passing situations.
Romo is not without blame for the Cowboys wretched December.
His head has swelled. Naturally, he'll disagree but how could he not think he was God's gift to football after tying the franchise record for touchdown passes in a game (5), winning six of his first eight starts and earning a Pro Bowl berth. And we haven't even discussed his budding relationship with country music star Carrie Underwood.
Romo has never lacked confidence, but the early success took him over the top. Romo thinks he can make any play. Any time.
The best quarterbacks understand when the conservative play is the best play. He's still figuring it all out.
On Sunday, Romo completed 23 of 32 passes for 321 yards with two touchdowns, an interception and two lost fumbles.
Still, he had the Cowboys positioned to score a touchdown and attempt a game-tying two-point conversion in the final seconds. In the end, though, he failed to deliver a win.
"This game is about winning and losing.
When we lose I'm going to take the brunt of the hits, and we win I'll probably get too much credit," he said. "That's the nature of the game."
Spoken like a man who knows he's the Quarterback of the Future.
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