Tony Romo's public approval rating has come full circle. He's gone from toast to roast of the town. Romo's brief, erratic career as the Cowboys quarterback reached its nadir on Sunday night in Seattle. He mishandled a smooth center snap on a field goal attempt, an act that required no more dexterity than combing his hair. The distance was 19 yards, which was close enough for a drop kick, and the result of playoff altering consequence.
Had Martin Gramatica made that kick with 1:19 left to play, the Cowboys would have led their wild-card duel against Seattle, 23-21. And maybe held on to win their first playoff game since 1996. I would have liked their odds better than Seattle's.
However, Romo's fumble locked the final at 21-20 for the Seahawks and branded the outcome with an unforgettable finish. That is the enduring problem for Romo. His mistake has the shelf life of forever. It is non-perishable. That play has joined the ranks of Great Playoff Blunders in franchise history.
Three others leap to mind from various Super Bowls. Jackie Smith dropped a touchdown pass in the end zone. Duane Thomas fumbled at the goal line. Leon Lett celebrated too soon with a fumble return. Add Romo, who holds for field goal and extra points for reasons laden with irony at the Qwest Field climax.
Romo has soft, supple hands, which turned to stalagmites and failed him for the first time in my memory. Further, should the attempt go awry, Romo could rescue the play with an impromptu pass or scramble. In this case, his only option was to run and that fell shy of a first down at the Seattle 1-yard line.
Hence, for the second time this season, the Cowboys were undone by a bizarre field goal attempt. It happened against Washington where they were beaten after the final gun by an un-timed play. Mike Vanderjagt's potential winner was blocked and advanced near enough by a Redskins return and 15-yard penalty against Dallas for Washington to win on a 50-yard field goal, 23-19. This one still tops the all-time list for freak field goal results with Romo a close second since his occurred in a playoff.
Romo's fate was to make the last, glaring error to overturn a likely Cowboys victory. The magic was missing again. His offense produced a lone touchdown in the second quarter via a 13-yard pass to Patrick Crayton and only three points in the second half. Miles Austin accounted for the other Cowboys touchdown with a 93-yard runback, the first in Dallas postseason history.
Julius Jones averted earlier disaster by covering Romo's fumble at the Dallas 6. Others fared less well. Witten fumbled a completion. Terry Glenn dropped two passes, and the last one boomeranged into the end zone for a Seattle safety that loomed large at the finish. Terrell Owens only dropped one, his 17th of the season, but it didn't matter since the Cowboys scored on that possession.
What did matter was Owens closing out with two catches for 26 yards. Drew Pearson could do that on his 56th birthday later this week. Two-for-26 is one possession worth of work for Michael Irvin.
Tony Hill would have quit on the spot with that short haul.
Either this guy's ability is being wasted, or Owens isn't that good. Which is it?
The enduring mystery was why the Cowboys rarely challenged a Seattle secondary reduced earlier in the week to hiring citizens from a Dallas loan office (Pete Hunter) and a hunting-and-touring business in Nebraska (John Powell). Seattle also started rookie nickel back Kelly Jennings at cornerback. Yet only one Romo completion, a 32-yard shot to Jason Witten, exceeded a nibbling 18 yards.
How could this happen with the swift Glenn and Owens Himself as deep receiving threats? They couldn't get open against a makeshift secondary? They were open, but Romo couldn't find them? Those plays weren't called? Good grief, whatever the reason, it made no sense.
There were chances to rescue Romo from his bed of nails. Ahead 17-13 early in the fourth quarter, the Cowboys failed to convert third-and-1 from the Seattle 11, when Marion Barber got stuffed. They settled for Gramatica's consolation field goal instead of a put-away touchdown.
Then on the play prior to Romo's gargle, now behind 21-20, Witten caught his pass near the Seattle 1-yard line that was signaled a first down on the field. A replay challenge from the booth overturned the spot, leaving the Cowboys inches short, facing fourth down and with Romo kneeling to hold for the go-ahead field goal. A first down there, and the Cowboys win.
As for coach Bill Parcells, I speculate he will return. I can't see him ending his last rodeo on such a dismal note. Besides, the arena is a narcotic for lifers like Parcells, and he has decent material returning. The Cowboys obviously need more pass rush and someone worthwhile at free safety, a big-play position that produced nothing memorable all season.
They also need a coach who can reverse the trend of his teams fading in December and flopping in January.
Meantime, poor Romo lives with the memory of his bungle. It will haunt and hurt for longer than he can imagine. He feels badly enough already.
"I don't know if I've ever felt this low," said Romo.
Oh, I think he does know.
