Romo: A Tale Of Two Tonys

Dallas Cowboys quarterback is one of the most talked about players in the National Football League. His every pass is scrutinized, every turnover lambasted, and every touchdown pass met with a sense of dread that something is horrible is soon to follow. All that aside, his performance is the most important indicator to the Eagles saving their season on Sunday night.

Despite what many football fans would like to believe, Tony Romo is a really good quarterback. He has a strong arm. He's mobile. He wins more than he loses. If he played in a different city with different expectations he might even be considered underrated. He is also wildly inconsistent, especially when opposing the Philadelphia Eagles. The following illustrates why Tony Romo's final stat line on Sunday night is a bigger key to the game than turnovers, rushing yards, Mike Vick's health, or Andy Reid's play calling.

Tony Romo's career numbers vs. Philadelphia (including playoffs):

Record: 5-3...Quarterback rating: 83.7...Completions-Attempts: 157-262...Completion percentage: 60%...Yards per game: 254.6 ...Touchdown-Interception ratio: 12-10

In wins: Quarterback rating: 111.7...Completions-Attempts: 109-158...Completion percentage: 69%...Yards per game: 299.6...Touchdown-Interception ratio: 11-4

In losses: Quarterback rating: 41.3...Completions-Attempts: 48-104...Completion percentage: 46%...Yards per game: 179.6...Touchdown-Interception ratio: 1-6

Simply put, Eagles-Cowboys games go as Tony Romo goes. We can talk as much as we want about the wide nine, stopping DeMarco Murray, not turning the ball over on offense, and keeping Michael Vick upright. None of it matters if Tony Romo brings his best game to Philadelphia on Sunday night. It's up to Juan Castillo's defense -- especially cornerbacks Nnamdi Asomugha and Asante Samuel -- to make sure that Romo doesn't get on a roll early and often.