IRVING, Texas – Quarterback Tony Romo knows multiple factors are involved on an interception. He also knows he's ultimately the one who must be accountable.
A furious second-half comeback attempt fell just short last weekend after Romo recorded his second game this season with at least four interceptions, bringing his total to a league-leading 13 picks this season. No other quarterback has more than 10.
"Ultimately, all interceptions fall on the guy who lets go of the ball," Romo said. "It's on your record. It's there for everyone to see. You understand that. I also understand that you can make a really good play and it can turn out poorly. That's part of playing the position. That's part of playing the game."
Romo acknowledged the significance of turnovers in a game, but he knows he can't be gun shy, either. He said if he begins to hold the ball and double- or triple-check his routes, rather than letting his receivers make a play, the team has got no chance.
The trick is finding the balance between playing smart football and trusting that what happens after the ball leaves his hands will go as it should. Of course, he knows who shoulders the blame when passes go awry.
"If you're playing quarterback in the National Football League, you're judged off wins and losses, period," Romo said. "I know, after a game that we lose, I'm always holding myself extremely accountable and responsible, no matter what happens. That's part of playing the position."
Nearly every interception Romo has thrown this year can be attributed to something. But whether it's a poor route, a missed blocking assignment, a miscommunication or a desperation attempt to get the Cowboys back into a game, Romo knows the errors must be fixed.
The mistakes and turnovers constantly sit on Romo's mind every night after a game to the point that he loses sleep thinking about what could have been done differently. Romo said the missed details that led to four intercepted passes against New York and five picks against Chicago are correctable, which could make them harder to swallow.
"No matter what anyone says, it eats at you," Romo said. "No one thinks about the game or grinds over plays more than me. In a lot of ways, that's the thing that's hard because just how much it consumes your thoughts throughout the day after football games. And that's even when you win, sometimes."
