Dallas Cowboys Won’t Defeat Arizona Cardinals With Tony Romo Ruled Out

By Michael Terrill @MichaelTerrill on November 2, 2014

The Dallas Cowboys have been one of the pleasant surprises in 2014. Everyone knew they had the talent to be one of the best teams in the NFC, but the Cowboys seem to always struggle with execution. Despite a loss to the lowly Washington Redskins, they still remain one of the biggest threats. Unfortunately, that will not help them on Sunday when they take on the Arizona Cardinals without Tony Romo.

The quarterback has officially been ruled out for the Week 9 contest due to two fractures in the transverse process in his back. The injury occurred in Monday night’s disappointing defeat at the hands of Colt McCoy and the Redskins.

Considering Romo has been the biggest reason for the success of the Cowboys through eight games this season, it certainly gives them a lack of confidence against a Cardinals team that has shown great potential in 2014. More importantly, the Cardinals have only lost one game, which came against the Denver Broncos.

It is unfair to say Dallas has no shot of beating Arizona. The reality is I do not see how it is possible. Sure, backup quarterback Brandon Weeden, who will get the start Sunday, performed at a high level in relief of Romo against the Redskins. In fact, his four completions for 69 yards and a touchdown was rather remarkable, just ask Cleveland Browns fans. But, to expect him to do that against a far superior team for four quarters is unrealistic.

The good news is Weeden has got a lot of work with the first-team offense since the offseason. That alone should give the players a level of comfort with him, which could transition to success. The problem is the Cardinals are not a team to be trifled with, something they have proven on a weekly basis.

Michael Terrill is a Senior Writer for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @MichaelTerrill, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.