ROBERT WILLIAMSSPRING, TX
I know this would be a good problem to have, but what do you think this coaching staff and team do should Dak exceed all expectations with his performance and have this team sitting at say 6-2 upon Romo's return?
David:I honestly can't even imagine the Cowboys doing that well under Dak Prescott until I start to see it with my own eyes. That's not meant as a knock against Dak – it's just so hard to win in this league. We all saw that firsthand last year. But, if it were to happen, I think the coaching staff would still turn to Romo. He's so experienced, and has meant so much to this franchise, I just can't see Jason Garrett or Jerry Jones taking the reins away from him if he's healthy.
Rob:Ah, the ultimate hypothetical. Been waiting for this. Hard to answer knowing that, at the moment, Romo hasn't officially been ruled out of Week 1 right now. Dak said it Sunday – this is still Romo's team. I think it's his job when he returns, potential record notwithstanding. Need to see more from Prescott to think he could start that kind of role in the regular season. But the veterans seem to like and respect him.
PETE SOTELOEL PASO, TX
Almost every source that knows anything about Romo's back injury states that he will he out approximately 6-to-10 weeks? So why does Garrett keep jerking us around with all this tell "day-by-day" injury stuff? Is he in denial or does he really think us fans are a naive bunch?
David:I really don't think it's either of those – and I don't think he's trying to confuse the Giants, either. This seems pretty simple. The Cowboys don't definitively know when Romo will be ready. It could be 10 weeks, but it could also be less than that. Jason Garrett doesn't want to put a timetable on the record, because he doesn't want that to come back and bite him in the future. If he says eight weeks and Romo is ready in six, what then? What if he says six weeks and it takes 10? Either way, he'll get crushed by fans and media alike. By not saying anything, he sidesteps that problem.
Rob:I know we hear "day to day" with most of Garrett's injury updates, but I do think there's some credence to what he's saying. With Romo, we're talking about a guy who has played with fractures in his back before, a punctured lung, etc. He's tough. They'll continue to monitor him, see how he's healing, see what his pain tolerance is. Now could he really be ready for the opener in less than two weeks? Doesn't seem likely. They're getting Dak ready to start. But right now they're not going to commit themselves to a strict timetable because, as we've seen before, Romo has returned quicker than expected.
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