Tony Romo has one of his best games of the season, but the offense stalls

Tony Romo completed 25 of 35 passes for 321 yards with a touchdown, no interceptions and a 109.3 passer rating. He didn’t have a turnover for only the second time in eight games in what was one of his best games this season.

But it wasn’t enough.

The Cowboys, who had been averaging 19.6 points per game, reached the end zone only once and that came with 5:21 left in the fourth quarter. Romo hit Kevin Ogletree for a 21-yard touchdown that drew the Cowboys to within 16-13 and gave them new life.

“That was just all Tony keeping the ball play alive,” said Ogletree, who had three catches for 96 yards and a touchdown, “and me trying to stay alive for him.”

But the Cowboys died a slow death as the defense couldn’t get off the field.

After driving the Cowboys 78 yards in only six plays and 2:28 to draw within three points, Romo needed a three-and-out he didn’t get from his defense. Instead, by the time he got the ball back, the Cowboys had only 17 seconds and were in need of a touchdown.

It wasn’t enough time.

“I think anytime you’re in that situation, you want to obviously get the ball back with a chance,” Romo said. “It’s tough. That’s why they’re a good football team and tough to beat at home. They proved it when they were able to run the clock out at the end.”

The Cowboys gained 377 yards, but they didn't translate to points. They were 3-of-10 on third down. They had seven penalties for 50 yards to the Falcons' two for 15.

"I was surprised that we didn’t get more touchdowns,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. “…But I want to give them some credit. They’re a tough team here at home to get the edge on and I had hoped, thought we had enough going for us that we had gotten the ball back at the end that we might have been able to drive down there with enough time. That didn’t happen, but that is the way I had thought it might go at the end.”

-- Charean Williams

Comments

[lenny64]

Romo completed a lot of passes yet on the play where Atlanta had a CB blitz, Romo missed a wide open Miles Austin. Now, there IS a good chance that 19 would've dropped it anyway, but a play was there to be made and Romo totally overthrows the receiver. But thats Tony Romo.....Just good enough to lose with.

[TheOne]

Romo had his best game of the season? He led a Cowboys offensive explosion that scored all of 13 points. The Cowboys continue to have to settle for field goals in the redzone and they are losing games when the defense is only giving up field goals. You do the math....