Cowboys turn to Romo

Oct 25, 2006, 13:55 GMT

Irving, TX - Dallas Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells has decided to make a change at quarterback and will start Tony Romo on Sunday against Carolina in place of the struggling Drew Bledsoe.

'We're going to start Romo this week,' Parcells said at his Wednesday news conference. 'Anytime you do something like this, it's not without a lot of consideration. I don't want to make it more than it is. We're doing this and we'll see how it goes.'

Bledsoe started the first six games of the season for the Cowboys, but was benched for the second half of this past Monday's loss to the New York Giants. Romo took over, but couldn't stop the Cowboys from dropping a 36-22 decision and falling to 3-3 for the year.

'I'm hopeful that things take a little turn here,' Parcells remarked. 'We've got 10 games to go. I know what we kind of have to do to get where we want to go. I just don't think we can go too much longer being kind of the way we are. That's what I'm attempting to do [with the quarterback change]. Honestly, I don't know that it will work, but I'm hopeful it gives us a little better chance.'

The inability of the offensive line to pass protect and Bledsoe's lack of mobility were likely factors in the decision for Parcells, who added that there were other issues that he considered.

'There's a couple of other things that you would be probably unaware of that are in play here,' Parcells told reporters. 'Tony's got a little quicker release, he gets the ball out a little bit better.'

Parcells made the change Monday after Bledsoe threw a key interception late in the first half with the Cowboys deep in Giants territory and on the verge of taking the lead.

Bledsoe had completed 7-of-12 passes for 111 yards with the interception and had been sacked four times, once for a safety, in the first half. He also ran for a touchdown.

Romo, much more mobile than Bledsoe, was still sacked twice and threw three interceptions, one of which was returned 96 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. He completed 14-of-25 passes for 227 yards with two touchdowns.

'He's got to take care of the ball a little better than he did in the second half [Monday night],' Parcells said about Romo, who signed as an undrafted free agent in 2003 out of Eastern Illinois, where he won the Walter Payton Award as Division I-AA's top player.

Romo saw extended action in the preseason, even playing the entire exhibition opener.

'It is a little different because he's going into the game as a starter,' stated Parcells. 'He started a couple of games in preseason and everybody says it's not the same, well it's not quite, but it's close. That's why they have the games.'

Before Monday, Romo had thrown just two passes in the regular season, both coming earlier this year.

'I think he has some ability. I know he has some brain power,' stated Parcells. 'We'll see. This is a different time for him now. It's time to go and do it. I don't expect perfection, but, hopefully, he'll give us a little something.'

Bledsoe, in his 14th NFL season and second with the Cowboys, has completed 53.3 percent of his passes for 1,164 yards with seven touchdowns and eight interceptions this year. He has been sacked 16 times, including 13 in the past three games, and his passer rating of 69.2 is the worst of any NFC quarterback other than injured Tampa Bay signal-caller Chris Simms.

'I spoke at length to Drew today,' Parcells said when asked how he broke the news to Bledsoe. 'I've known him a long time. I just told him we're going to make this change right now and that he needed to stay ready because you never know what's going to happen in this game. He assured me he would do that and we'll be set to go if we have to.'

Bledsoe said he was surprised by the move.

'It is what it is,' Bledsoe said Wednesday. 'I would like to be the guy and I believe, in my heart of hearts, I give us the best chance to win.'

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, speaking with reporters in New Orleans at the owners meetings on Tuesday, said that he thought Bledsoe gave his team the best chance to win. Parcells said he told Jones of his decision on Wednesday and that the owner was fine with it.

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