An educated look at some truly crazy football predictions
November 21, 2015 | 9:46pm
I should be excommunicated from the business of journalism for stating this, but here goes: Don't believe everything you read.
There are two narratives taking place in the NFL involving two of the league's highest profile quarterbacks that warrant taking an educated, analytical step back before jumping to outlandish conclusions.
The first is the fact that the 2-7 Cowboys suddenly have become a playoff contender now that Tony Romo is returning to the lineup after missing seven games — all Dallas losses.
The second is that Denver's Peyton Manning, who was replaced last week amid a plantar fascia left foot injury and a miserable performance against Kansas City, is done.
I have huge respect for Romo — a quarterback whose toughness, resilience and will match his rare skills — and Manning, one of the greatest of all time. But Romo is not going to lead Dallas to a division title and Manning has not thrown his final meaningful NFL pass.
The prevailing thought in some circles around the NFL that Romo is going to ride onto the field on a white horse in Miami on Sunday after missing the past seven games with a broken collarbone and ignite some sort of season-turning winning streak is pure folly.
The opponents with the worst record remaining on the Cowboys' schedule are the Dolphins and Redskins (twice), who are both 4-5. Also remaining on the Cowboys' schedule are the Panthers, who are 9-0, the Packers (6-3), Jets (5-4) and Bills (5-4).
Under any circumstances, that does not represent a cakewalk schedule. And Dallas, if it is to have any remote chance to win the NFC East, would have to win six of its final seven to get to 8-8 — and that's not likely to be enough. I believe 9-7 will be the worst record it will take to win the division.
In his nine previous seasons in the NFL, Romo has helped lead the Cowboys to a winning streak of seven games once — in 2007, when Dallas went 13-3.
As for Manning, for everything he has accomplished in the league, the notion he is done is shortsighted. At the head of the list is NFL Network's Marshall Faulk, a former great player in the league, who actually predicted the Broncos starting perennial backup Brock Osweiler on Sunday is going to be the start of a similar transition to Tom Brady replacing Drew Bledsoe in New England.
Talk about throwing spaghetti against the wall.
Is Manning the superstar quarterback he has been in the past? Of course he isn't. Not at age 39 and only a few years removed from serious neck surgery. Sure, he has thrown 17 interceptions and just nine touchdowns this season, but he is only a year removed from throwing 39 TDs.
When he is healthy enough to play, Manning has a better chance to lead the Broncos into the postseason than Osweiler, who has been in the league four years and never started a game.
So, in the case of Romo and Manning, to borrow from Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers: "Relax.''
Take a deep breath, hold off on the knee-jerk analysis and watch this all play out.
Filed under cannz corner , dallas cowboys , denver broncos , peyton manning , tony romo , 11/21/15
Forget Revis and Sherman: Meet the cocky, best CB in the N...