"Cowboys built a team that can win the whole thing" - Tony Romo fires warning to rest of the NFL
Tony Romo likes the Dallas Cowboys in more ways than one.
On Sunday, the Cowboys improved to 5-1 with a 35-29 win over the New England Patriots. Led by quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott, the Cowboys' in-the-building confidence is justifiably sky-high.
#CowboysNation after seeing Dak Prescott as the #1 QB on the NFL’s QB index #StuntonthemhoesDakota https://t.co/Yqj7vbpUwA
The Cowboys' confidence was so high that after the game, even limping due to a last-second calf injury, Prescott stated to the media:
We know we're for real!
CBS Sports analyst and former Cowboys quarterback Romo's confidence is right up there, too:
They've built a team that can win the whole thing. And it's for real. Watch out!
Romo said this during Sunday's telecast from New England.
Is Romo right about hyping the Cowboys?
So far, the standings say Romo may be onto something. With a three-game lead in the division, the Cowboys have already put distance between themselves from the rest of the NFC East.
How large is the gap? Dallas' total of five wins matches the sum of victories managed by the division's other three teams combined—the Washington Football Team and the Philadelphia Eagles are 2-4, and the New York Giants are on the top bottom with a 1-4 campaign.
History also says contention is in the cards. Throughout franchise history, the Cowboys have started 5-1 a total of 14 times. They have made the playoffs in each of those years.
The previous 5-1 starts led to 10 division titles, four Wild-Card berths, three Super Bowl appearances and two championships.
The last time they started 5-1 was Prescott's rookie season way back in 2016, when, like this season, they lost their opener and won five straight games. But in 2016, the Cowboys had 11 consecutive wins and finished 13-3 before losing a heartbreaker to the Green Bay Packers (no, not the Dez Bryant catch/non-catch game) in their first playoff game.
The Dak Prescott Factor
There is also the Dak Prescott Factor. His numbers this season rank him alongside Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes. Those in the know compare Prescott's leadership qualities to the likes of Michael Irvin and Troy Aikman.
Dak Prescott in OT for his career:
.984 epa/play
.522 EPA/CPOE composite
90.9% success rate
100% Cmp
70% xCMP
30.0 CPOE
7.1 air yards https://t.co/ILxADOHqOG
In Prescott's last 13 NFC East starts, he's 12-1. The Cowboys quarterback is a prime reason to believe in this team.
His former Cowboys teammate Romo is right alongside him. Unless, of course, Stephen A. Smith is right:
Everything is beautiful in Dallas. Expectations are only going to continue to climb, and that is going to make the fall, the drop, that much more painful. I see it coming a mile away!