quarterback situation, and all you had to get was some small nibble about Chris Simms and the e-mails went crazy. Look, I know Brad Johnson turns 40 two days before the Monday night game against Philadelphia. I realize he'd rather nibble underneath than rifle the ball down the hash 30 yards. But that's his game, no different than when he led Tampa Bay to the Super Bowl clobbering of Oakland following the 2002 season.
But seriously, something goes wrong with Romo and you want Simms, he of a whole 15 starts in the NFL - and not all that spectacular at that - taking over? Simms, who hasn't played a down in the NFL since Sept. 24, 2006? Seriously? You wouldn't be worried about that?
If the Cowboys should be interested in him, and I say if, chances are their interest is as a third quarterbacking candidate. Now that is something Jerry Jones himself is worried about. He seems to be covering nearly all his bases but worries that if something happens to Romo, making Johnson the starter, then he's one snap away from Richard Bartel, he of absolutely no NFL experience, being his starter - as things stand two weeks before the start of training camp.
That is what the Cowboys are keeping an eye on, a potential third candidate with an NFL cup of coffee having crossed his lips. He saw how Carolina's season went up in smoke following the early-season injury to Jake Delhomme, having to rummage through the likes of David Carr, Vinny Testaverde and Matt Moore over the final 13 games of what turned out to be a 7-9 season. He saw how not only did Carolina, one of the NFC favorites, lose its starting quarterback but also the veteran backup Carr, who played in just six games, giving way to a coming-off-the-couch-again Testaverde, who eventually gave way to Moore - the former Cowboys camp quarterback with no NFL experience.
See what I mean? That will kill Super Bowl aspirations faster than anything I know.
So to me, if you want to worry about personnel, then you must drop down to the third quarterback position. Stop the nonsense about Marcus Spears and Anthony Henry and Kyle Kosier. Cut the desperation thoughts at wide receiver and safety. I mean seriously, has any team ever said, we would have won the Super Bowl if not for one of our starting safeties? Please. That just doesn't float in this league.
And look, most teams don't have two starting quality middle linebackers or three quality tight ends or even carry two fullbacks. Most don't have four starting quality offensive tackles, and likely not even the three the Cowboys have with Flozell Adams, Marc Colombo and Leonard Davis if needed.
Maybe smell those flowers, or relish having four starting-quality corners (Adam Jones reinstated), two starting-quality nose tackles, potentially four starting-quality defensive ends, potentially three starting-quality weak inside linebackers, three starting-quality outside linebackers and seemingly enough defensive backs for a change to play a quarter if you wanted to.
Another thing. How many teams you know not only had 13 Pro Bowlers the previous year but also return all 13? How many return 20 of 22 starters, along with both kickers, and the two they don't being of their own choice? How many would consider getting Glenn back a bonus or have the ability to take one of their two Pro Bowl safeties out of the nickel defense?
Capeesh?
Worry if you must but there is bountiful bouquet of flowers out there to smell if you want.
