He can still do it.

Following a week filled with criticism and jokes, Tony Romo rebounded from last week to deliver a career defining performance. As a Dallas Cowboys fan, I can say that that game on Sunday will have a profound impact on this team going into week 3.  I'm in the minority of fans who still believe this guy can lead us back to the Super Bowl. As of late, I haven't had much evidence to support my belief.  But that game on Sunday provided plenty of evidence that this team, led by Romo, is ready to take the next step.

It's been a rough decade.  Just when things start to look good for the Cowboys, something dire happens. A season filled with hope and aspiration soon comes tumbling down with no way to bounce back.  Since 2006, Tony Romo has been the starting QB for America's Team, and with that comes the spotlight.  Being on this team puts you on every sports station and in every football conversation.  The critics and the analysts are after you because of what's on your helmet.  The star reminds us of the players that came before like Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Roger Staubach. They've all led the Cowboys to Super Bowl victories. The road to victory is an ongoing, burdensome road for Romo.  He takes the heat every week.  Even though he's broken numerous Cowboy records and holds the 4th best career passer rating, his record in the playoffs is a meager 1-3. That playoff record is the one that counts in the NFL.

I still believe in Romo.  He plodded through that game, despite having a fractured rib and a punctured lung.  He displayed the kind of toughness and leadership that great quarterbacks possess in late game situations.  Romo hasn't silenced his critics - just kept them off his back for this upcoming week. As a Cowboy fan, that's what you want to see out of him every week. Romo is human, and he will continue to make mistakes.  But if he continues to play like that every week, I can see these guys finishing with a good season. Now I'm not talking Super Bowl; we've had enough of that talk for the past 3 years.  We'll be lucky if we make it to the playoffs this year. But with this win, and the way it was played, you can go into week 3 with some hope and confidence.  I know I will.