After a confusing week with contradicting reports regarding both Tony Romo and Sean Lee, the two of them have officially been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Eagles. Tony Romo has back surgery that with a 3-4 month recovery time has ended his season. Sean Lee is still dealing with his neck problems and even though he is out again this week he has not been declared out for the season If the Cowboys advance into the playoffs he may have an opportunity to return. Tony Romo and Sean Lee are the undisputed leaders of the offense and defense and the two players the Cowboys could least afford to lose.
Sean Lee and Tony Romo and the two most important players on the Dallas Cowboys. It has been hard enough for a healthy offense to win games with the way their defense has played. Take Tony Romo away from that offense and it becomes very difficult to find any reason to expect the Cowboys to beat the Eagles. The one glimmer of hope may come from the first times these two teams met when the Cowboys won 17-3. With an Eagles defense that gave up 48 points to an Adrian Peterson-less Vikings team, it’s not too unrealistic to expect the offense led by Kyle Orton to put up 17 points. In fact, with the way Murray and the offensive line has been playing and with great weapons around Orton, it should be expected that the offense will be able to put up more than 17 points. The problem is that in that first meeting Nick Foles was unrecognizable and Sean Lee was the biggest reason McCoy was able to be held in check. Without Sean Lee there is very little optimism in stopping the leagues top running game and unless Monte Kiffin has the magic formula to stopping Nick Foles and Chip Kelly’s offense, this is a game that is going to have to be won by the offense, which means they are going to have to score a lot more than 17 points.
Morris Claiborne is expected to return this week, which should boost the secondary. Even if Claiborne has been disappointing this season the defense is going to need all the help it can get and Claiborne is going to be a have to find a way to help stop one of the leagues most explosive offenses.
With Tony Romo and Sean Lee out this week it makes the return of Dwayne Harris that much more important. Harris has consistently been a difference maker when he has played and without Tony Romo and Sean Lee to make important plays Harris is going to have to pick up the slack in the third phase of the game. With a limited offense and a limited defense, special teams has to be at it’s absolute best to try and make up for it.
With Tony Romo and Sean Lee out, the offense is going to have to play mistake free. There’s enough talent around Kyle Orton where if he can get the ball in the hands of Dez Bryant, Jason Witten and DeMarco Murray his job becomes a lot easier. The defense is going to have to find a way to make plays. DeMarcus Ware has not been himself this season and after a hot start Hatcher has cooled off a bit. Bruce Cater, Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne have been consistently disappointing all season long. If these players can find a way to get to the quarterback and create turnovers, the Cowboys will have a chance to overcome these injuries and end their playoff drought.
