Are we done with Tony Romo now?

First off, before I go on my rant, I'd like to apologize for not keeping up on my writings here as of late. I've been having a rough time with various illnesses and such that have kept me away from the computer, and from concentrating on the postseason of the NFL. I've still got a cold today, but this particular topic is one that has gotten my ire up enough that I'm going to fight through the coughs and the sniffles to blast one Tony Romo.

I believe it was after the Thanksgiving day massacre of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where Romo threw five touchdown passes that a fantasy football writer and commentator that I highly respect was commenting that 'Next year Tony Romo will be a Top Five fantasy quarterback.'. I about crapped my pants. Are you kidding me? When it was announced that we would be taking over for Drew Statue, er I mean Bledsoe the only nice thing these guys could say about him was that he was athletic enough to get out of the pocket when his line broke down. Suddenly, five weeks, and only 3 of them were what i would call good fantasy games later, and he's a Top 5 into 2007?

Thankfully, Romomania fell on its face in the following weeks. That Thanksgiving day game was the high point against a terrible Bucs team. In the following weeks he only had one game that was fantasy starter worthy. In week 13, the Giants crushed him again, but one lucky pass to Jason Witten to save the game covered up his 0TD 2INT performance, and kept the Romo love train rolling. In week 14 he totally got shown up by Drew Brees, while dropping another 2INT performance on us, yet somehow, the Romo love train kept right on track, while the Cowboys chances at the Division were slipping away. In week 15 he got to beat up on a terrible Atlanta Falcons team that was in free fall mode. Week 16 was a good time to showcase how far he had fallen, leading the Cowboys to a season low 7 points against the surging Eagles, effectively handing them the Eastern Division lead. In that game, Romo completed less than 50% of his passes and had 2INTs, yet people STILL thought he was a great QB. In week 17, he lost to the Lions. The stats are irrelevant. He lost to the LIONS!

Then we come to the post season. After choking away a chance at hosting a game, they have to go on the road to play a Seattle team that was in the Super Bowl last year. Granted, that Seahawks team isn't as good as it was last year, but it still won its division in a year of adversity. Even in this game I didn't think Romo played particularly well. They were in it at the end thanks to a kickoff return for a touchdown. Once we get under the last two minutes of the game we get the funnest play of the year for me. This is where Gramatica is setting up to kick the go ahead field goal.

Romo began the year as the holder, and ended the year as the holder. As the holder for the Cowboys, he botched the hold, and let the ball slip through his hands. He then picked the ball up and tried to run for another shot, before being tackled from behind. Granted, Gramatica could have blocked the tackler better to give Romo a chance, but that didn't happen.

We are left with numerous scenes of Romo crying on the field, crying on the bench, and crying as he leaves the field.

Where does this leave Romo heading into the Fantasy Season in 2007? Before the draft this weekend, I'm not ready to put him in the top ten, and close to the bottom of the top 20. I wouldn't trust him to be my starter, unless you pull him with with a 9th pick, and your team is stacked. Romo, at this time, is best suited as a backup caller on your team.

Of course, we'll see how this all shakes out come closer to August.