Tony Romo's Maturation A Reason For Cowboys' Growing Optimism
Dallas Morning News

Irving, TX., Sunday, June 13, 2010. Tony Romo teases reporters about a change he's made in his game, an improvement so subtle it's difficult for the untrained eye to notice.

As everyone knows, there is no shortage of untrained eyes among the media.

"It's really pretty cool," Romo said, promising specifics at a later date. "You'll see."

The fact this mysterious, minor adjustment captures our interest illustrates just how much Romo has matured as a quarterback.

Think back to this time last year. Critics wondered if Romo took the game seriously enough, if he really understood the impact of his words and attitude. He was a quarterback who took chances when he should play it smart and turned the ball over way too often.

Every philosophical and personnel move was made to shape a more Romo-friendly offense.

The broader questions about Romo's demeanor and focus are no longer asked. He has made dramatic improvement in the area the Cowboys like to call ball security without sacrificing the big-play ability that makes him special.

The talk as this minicamp ends is not what the Cowboys can do for Romo.

The buzz is how Romo makes those around him better. He's a more assertive and confident quarterback.

He's grown into the position.

"That may be one of the things we're seeing that has come with his years in the NFL," owner Jerry Jones said. "He has a better sense of what he wants done and how he wants it done.

"Everybody in this organization is confident in his judgment. His willingness to inject himself into what he's doing and how he's doing it is a big deal. You're seeing considerably more of that now than you were three years ago or two years ago.

"I think it's really going to impact our ability to execute offensively."

Jones points to the rapport Romo was able to develop with Miles Austin last season. He talks about the impact the quarterback can have on the formative stages of Dez Bryant's career. Or, as Jones puts it, how Romo can "bend that twig the way he wants it" with the rookie receiver.

"I really think he doesn't get a lot of credit from that standpoint," tight end Jason Witten said. "I think he makes us all a lot better, line included. Sometimes, his ability to make defenders miss is special.

"That's one of the greatest assets you can ever say about a quarterback, how he creates so much for so many other people outside of his yards and touchdowns. He puts us all in better positions with throws, with alignments. I think that's a special trait he's come a long way in understanding."

When Wade Phillips watches practice these days, he sees a quarterback who always keeps two hands on the ball when moving around in the pocket. It's become instinctive. The head coach does not "see the looseness" with the ball that plagued Romo earlier in his career.

"He does a great job of moving around and throwing the ball," Phillips said. "He seems to get better and better at that, even in the pocket. When he gets out of the pocket, he's really dangerous.

"He can go back and set up and throw it as good as anybody. He moves around well and finds people well. But now he's moving around and putting it right on the money. That's a good sign."

Of the nine interceptions Romo threw in 2009, only five came in the final three months of the regular season. He opened up his stance a bit to improve his throws to the left sidelines and had success there.

This off-season is about refining what has already been put in place.

"He's not making any major changes to his delivery or his footwork," quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson said. "He's just trying to get it better.

"He's throwing the ball great. We keep pushing the chemistry between him and Roy [Williams] and making the proper decisions, making good decisions. We want him to still stay aggressive but not force the ball. That's a fine line with him sometimes.

"We want him to stay that gunslinger, but only when it's the proper time."

Romo has come a long way from where he was just 12 months ago.

As for that subtle change Romo won't talk about, it has to do with his footwork in certain situations.

You'll see.
 

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