Kyle Orton, all is forgiven. And forgotten.
Just when you think the veteran quarterback’s off-season no-show and eventual release will cost the Cowboys and their fans peace of mind in the event of a Tony Romo injury, Brandon Weeden shows up Thursday night and rests all the concerns.
The Cowboys rested a plethora of starters against the Chargers and lost a ragged game, 27-7. But the highlight was Weeden, who filled in for Romo impressively. He completed 13 of 17 passes for 107 yards, and zipped a pin-point pass after a scramble to James Hanna for a 4-yard touchdown pass.
On the scoring pass Weeden showed mobility, toughness and a strong, accurate arm that fit the ball over one defender and between two more to Hannah on the back line of the end zone. Not sure Orton could make that throw, much less that play.
He did have an interception overturned by a penalty and had a pass dropped. It wasn’t a performance to push Romo, but more than enough to make us forget Orton. And, by the way, he produced the positive results without Dez Bryant, Jason Witten and DeMarco Murray at his disposal.
“It was good,” Weeden told reporters in the post-game locker room. “We made some good plays. The offensive line played well, and we were able to run the ball effectively which gives us an opportunity to throw effectively. We had some good plays and were able to finish it off.”
Let’s face it, the Cowboys will still be gutted if Romo suffers a significant injury. But if Weeden’s performance last night is any indication, Dallas can survive a game or two with their new backup.
Sports Connection
Connecting you to your favorite North Texas sports teams as well as sports news around the globe.
A native Texan who was born in Duncanville and graduated from UT-Arlington, Richie Whitt has been a mainstay in the Metroplex media since 1986. He’s held prominent roles on all media platforms including newspaper (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), radio (105.3 The Fan) and TV (co-host on TXA 21 and numerous guest appearances, including NBC 5). He currently lives in McKinney with his wife, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.
