For the Dallas Cowboys it’s gut check time. With Tony Romo slated to sit the sidelines for the next month the Cowboys will find out whether they’re as deep and talented as they’ve been told. Defensively at least I don’t think it’s going to pan out. Dallas has simply not been able to put the clamps on any offense they’ve played. When push came to shove on Sunday in Arizona the Cardinals moved the ball. Big plays given up on defense have killed the Cowboys in the games they’ve lost.
Now they have to face the St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and New York Giants with Brad Johnson at quarterback. Though a former Super Bowl winner, Johnson is not the quarterback Romo is. His mobility, or lack of it, will be a big problem for Dallas. Romo has been able to evade the problem caused by poor offensive line play to some degree but Johnson simply can’t. Far from being considered a Super Bowl contender, the Dallas Cowboys now have to prove they can make the playoffs without Tony Romo.