There are two reasons to suspect that Tony Romo's final game this year will not be the Super Bowl. One is that winning a playoff game in Chicago is going to be difficult for any visiting team.
But the other is that his last game this season should come a week after the Super Bowl.
Tony Romo to the Pro Bowl is not a ridiculous notion.
I'm not sure any other quarterback has spotted the field 5 ½ games before getting into action, but Romo could be on the brink of something remarkable here.
At most, he is only going to start 10 games. That's really about the only argument for keeping him out of the Pro Bowl right now.
Still, he's going to play enough to throw for around 3,000 yards at this pace. He's leading his team to victories (with some acknowledged help from the defense).
He has changed the team's attitude and the fans' attitude toward this team.
Even coach Bill Parcells offered something that nearly sounded like praise Monday.
"I really don't know that surprised would be the right word," he said. "I've been around this guy for four years. I don't look at him as a rookie. It's been a pretty long process to get him ready."
Romo has completed 70 percent of his passes since becoming the starter, and he's not just dumping the ball off. His 8.94 yards per attempt leads the NFL, and if he maintains it, would break Roger Staubach's 35-year-old Cowboys record for a season (8.92).
It just so happens that Romo has the best passer rating in the NFC, a conference nearly void of Pro Bowl talent at his position.
Consider his opposition.
Most of the usual suspects are not available or unworthy.
The Eagles' Donovan McNabb is the No. 2-rated passer in the NFC behind Romo. But he might be out as long as 12 months after the knee injury he suffered Sunday.
The Rams' Marc Bulger is the No. 4-rated passer. His stats are good. His team is 4-6 in an awful division. The Rams were shut out by Carolina on Sunday. Does Bulger's performance merit a Pro Bowl trip?
Washington's Mark Brunell is rated No. 5. He has already lost his job to Jason Campbell.
Green Bay's Brett Favre isn't having nearly as bad a season as he had in 2005, but he doesn't have Pro Bowl numbers. He's not even ranked in the conference's top 10.
And please don't even bring up the name of Michael Vick. There's a reason the inconsistent Falcons are in danger of missing the playoffs again. It starts with the quarterback.
If the players vote for him, it's proof once again that being able to play a sport does not equate to understanding it.
Seattle's Matt Hasselbeck had moved to the top of the NFC quarterback pile a year ago. But he went out with a knee injury in the sixth game, and his Seahawks are in danger of turning over first place in the league's worst division to the San Francisco 49ers.
Realistically, here is Romo's competition for the three quarterback spots on the NFC roster:
•New Orleans' Drew Brees is probably the top choice right now. He's the only quarterback in the NFL with more than 3,000 yards passing (although Sunday's 510 yards didn't bring home a victory).
Brees' only problem is that the Saints appear to be fading.
•As the Saints fade, Carolina is rising, which helps Jake Delhomme's candidacy. But I think the greatness of Steve Smith obscures Delhomme's ability. He's a good quarterback, not a great one.
•The other possible Pro Bowler is the Giants' Eli Manning, but he has been shaky in some of New York's bigger games. It may come down to which team wins the NFC East or is in better position to win the East when the players are voting in late December.
•A wild card in the mix is Chicago's Rex Grossman, who is capable of either leading the Bears to a 15-1 record or losing his job to Brian Griese at any given moment.
And that's really about it.
The important thing in all of this is that Romo looks to be capable of helping end Dallas' 10-year playoff victory drought. In the process, a 10-year streak of no Cowboys quarterbacks in the Pro Bowl could come to an end, too.
E-mail wtcowlishaw@dallasnews.com
| PRO BOWL WORTHY? | | Is it crazy to think Tony Romo could make the Pro Bowl this year? Not really. Tim Cowlishaw hands out leis to the most deserving in the NFC: | | Drew Brees, Saints | | Yds | TDs | INTs | | 3,114 | 17 | 10 | | Four leis: NFL's only 3,000-yard passer after 10 games | | Jake Delhomme, Panthers | | Yds | TDs | INTs | | 2,161 | 11 | 7 | | Three leis: Numbers aren't as good as you think | | Tony Romo, Dallas | | Yds. | TDs | INTs | | 1,350 | 8 | 5 | | Two leis: Highest-rated passer in NFC, has lifted team's hopes | | Eli Manning, Giants | | Yds | TDs | INTs | | 2,202 | 16 | 13 | | Two leis: Needs to be more consistent in big games | | Rex Grossman, Bears | | Yds | TDs | INTs | | 2,214 | 18 | 11 | | One lei: Leading Bears to victories but has been bad on the road | |
The non-candidates
(Former NFC Pro Bowlers not bound for Honolulu)
Brett Favre, Packers: Just not having a Favre-type year, now injured
Donovan McNabb, Eagles: Strong start but now finished until next season
Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks: Injury has robbed team of NFC's most efficient passer
Michael Vick, Falcons: NFL's 25th-rated passer has 336 more yards than Romo
Marc Bulger, Rams: Has decent numbers. Also has Rams in third in NFC West
