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Romo: 'I'll Take The Blame'

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By IRA KAUFMAN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 14, 2008

IRVING, Texas - Guess what, Cowboy fans? Tony and Jessica have another free weekend available.

Lots of 'em.

Things are so wacky in Dallas following Sunday's 21-17 playoff loss to the Giants that Pro Bowl wide receiver Terrell Owens felt compelled to offer an emotional defense of his beleaguered quarterback.

"You guys can point the finger at him Tony Romo and talk about the vacation," Owens said in halting tones, his sunglasses hiding tears. "And if you do that, it's really unfair. That's my teammate and my quarterback ... we lost as a team."

But when you're the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, blame comes with the job description.

One of 12 Dallas players heading to the Pro Bowl, Romo couldn't find his rhythm in the second half as the Cowboys suffered their sixth consecutive playoff setback, dating to 1996.

Once New York clamped down on running back Marion Barber and began hounding Romo with a dynamic blitz package, Jessica Simpson's famous boyfriend looked like he had left his game behind in Cabo San Lucas, where the two celebrities retreated for an infamous getaway during the bye week.

"When you don't come through, especially at the quarterback position, it's a tough pill to swallow," said Romo, who completed only 10 of 22 passes in the second half. "It's going to be a tough week and I'll take the blame here. I don't live with regrets. I'm content in my own skin."

Owens had burned the Giants for nine catches, 212 yards and four touchdowns as Dallas swept the regular-season series, but New York held Owens in check Sunday. His 5-yard scoring reception forged a 7-7 tie early in the second quarter, but Owens was blanked after intermission.

"We didn't execute," said Owens, who suffered a high ankle sprain three weeks ago. "We knew in order to win this game we had to put some points on the board and we didn't do that."

It was a galling setback for the Cowboys and first-year coach Wade Phillips, who fell to 0-4 in the postseason.

"I thought they played hard," Phillips said, "but I wanted to play better and we didn't. I thought we had control of the game right before the half. We let them back in it and that gave them some hope."

Dallas had to overcome 11 penalties and the Cowboys couldn't force a turnover, but the Giants were outgained 336-230 and had 27 fewer snaps.

The Giants ended a 17-year victory streak by NFC No. 1 seeds in the divisional round.

"We felt like we could make a serious run this year and when you don't, it's hard," Romo said. "But I definitely think we turned this organization in the right direction and I think we'll be back in a lot of these games - with a chance to win a lot of them."

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