Dallas Cowboys Can Win The Super Bowl -- Just Ask The Commanders And Tony Romo
Tony Romo, erstwhile Dallas Cowboys quarterback now making his money as the color analyst on the top CBS Sports NFL broadcasts, told the national TV audience watching on Thanksgiving afternoon that the Dallas Cowboys can win the Super Bowl.
Romo did this over and over during the Cowboys’ 45-10 blowout over the Washington Commanders.
In analyzing the Dallas offensive line he did this.
In discussing Cowboys' pass rush he did this.
Dak Prescott to CeeDee Lamb? The Cowboys can win the Super Bowl, Romo told the nation.
"How good is this football team?" Romo at one point asked rhetorically. "They are, I'm telling you, watch tape, they are better now after the bye. Complete football team right now."
ARLINGTON, TX - NOVEMBER 23: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates after throwing a touchdown pass during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium on November 23, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Tony Romo Loves Cowboys Chances
Then cornerback DaRon Bland returned an interception for a touchdown, thus setting the NFL all-time record with 5 Pick-Six plays in one season, Romo gushed some more.
Bland, you see, is the reserve player the Cowboys inserted into the starting lineup when Trevon Diggs was lost for the season because of torn ACL.
"They have unique depth," Romo said of the Cowboys.
And we get it. The Cowboys absolutely are a Super Bowl contender.
They can indeed win the Super Bowl.
But can we agree what we saw against the Commanders on Thursday afternoon doesn't make this so? It's not what the Cowboys must overcome to win it all.
ARLINGTON, TX - NOVEMBER 23: DaRon Bland #26 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates with teammates in the Salvation Army kettle after returning an interception for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium on November 23, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Cowboys Predictably Dismantle Commanders
The Commanders, you see, stink.
They've lost five of their last six games. Their defense, from which they traded away former first round picks Chase Young and Montez Sweat, has yielded 30 points or more six times this season.
Their pass blocking is perhaps the worst in the NFL. They were on pace to allow a record number of sacks earlier this year and gave up four on Thursday.
Oh, and the coaching has been suspect at times.
Two times the Commanders faced a fourth-and-1 situation against the Cowboys this game. Two times the Commanders lined up in shotgun to try to convert. Two times they ran the football out of a handoff deep in the backfield.
And twice they failed while the entire country shook its head in disbelief.
Cowboys Victory Over Commanders Just A Step
That, of course, only speaks to what the Cowboys faced and accomplished this game. It was a step. And easy one, at that.
Winning the Super Bowl will be slightly more difficult than the blowing out a team that lost to the last-place New York Giants four days ago.
Now, this doesn't mean Dallas can’t do it.
But to actually win the last game of the season, the Cowboys need some stuff to fall in line on their behalf. The first thing is they really, realy, really need home field advantage to merely reach the Super Bowl.
That's because the Cowboys are rock stars at home. They are a monster team at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, as they were in front of 93,711 fans this game.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 23: Dallas Cowboys fans react prior to the game against the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium on November 23, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Commanders Cannot Overcome Dallas Home Field
Dallas is 5-0 at home this year.
The Cowboys have won 13 consecutive home games dating back to last season.
And most of those victories have come in blowout fashion.
But, you see, NFL teams play a home and road schedule. And the Dallas's homestanding behemoths kind of shrink on the road.
The Cowboys are 3-3 on the road this season.
The San Francisco 49ers dismantled the Cowboys, 45-10 on the west coast.
The Cowboys even lost to the under-.500 Cardinals in Arizona. And Dallas lost another game at Philadelphia.
Oh, yeah, Philadelphia.
That's an Everest-sized obstacle in the Cowboys-winning-the-Super-Bowl narrative. Because the Eagles are in the same division as the Cowboys. They've already beaten the Cowboys, as you just read. And they have the best record in the NFL, which means they're also kind of good.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 23: CeeDee Lamb #88 of the Dallas Cowboys catches a touchdown pass while defended by Jartavius Martin #20 of the Washington Commanders during the third quarter at AT&T Stadium on November 23, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Even Romo Knows Dallas Has To Play At Home
Then there's this: The way it works in the NFL is the teams with the best record in each conference win home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
The Cowboys can help themselves in that regard, thanks to having a Dec. 10 game at home against the Eagles. But even if they're successful in that meeting, the Cowboys also need help because they trail the Eagles in both the win and loss column now.
So the Cowboys are effectively 2 games back of Philly at the moment. They need someone to beat the Eagles for them even if they handle business on Dec. 10.
That would help get Dallas the homefield advantage they probably need to have good chance of surviving the postseason -- something they've been unable to do since Barry Switzer was coaching the team in 1995.
It's a task, but none of this suggests the Cowboys cannot win the Super Bowl. Quarterback Dak Prescott, who threw for 331 yards and 4 TDs before spending the latter part of the fourth quarter on the sideline eating a turkey leg, is on fire.
And the defense is more than capable.
So maybe the Cowboys can indeed win it all this season. If you don't believe it, all you had to do was listen to Tony Romo repeat it as if on a loop Thursday afternoon.