Back on July 30 I was wrong. And never more right.
It was during Cowboys’ training camp out in Oxnard that I took one look at Brad Johnson’s off-speed flutterballs and cringed at the thought of Tony Romo ever getting injured. But I surmised with the way Romo extends plays with his athleticism and contorts his body into quirky throws from awkward angles, it’s bound to happen. It did.
The part I was wrong about? The Cowboys didn’t think enough of Chris Simms. They’re actually putting their trust in the 40-year-old Johnson. For at least three games.
As a scout told me on the Oxnard field, the Cowboys will be cheating themselves if they put all this talent into Johnson’s hands.
Goodbye talented kamikaze pilot. Hello elderly bus driver.
There’s a reason they call him “Checkdown” Johnson. Partly because his veteran savvy allows him to progress through his reads quickly and not take downfield gambles, but mostly because he doesn’t have the arm strength to fit tight spirals into tight places on anything more than 10-yard dumpoffs to running backs and tight ends. In other words, the Cowboys’ vertical passing game will vanish.
Light the fuse, Terrell Owens is going to explode.
You’ll hear Wade Phillips and Jerry Jones and Jason Garrett praise Johnson for his experience and managing of the game. He’s 71-51 as a starter in the NFL and owns a Super Bowl ring. Yadda, yadda and more yadda. He sucks.
But barring something drastic – something smart – before this afternoon’s trade deadline, Johnson will be asked to keep Dallas’ offensive ship from sinking.
No chance.
Sorry, but transparent, preposterously illogical columns claiming Romo’s injury is a good thing go right to the bottom of my trash can.
And Johnson goes directly to the bottom of this week’s rankings.
1. Philip Rivers – Chargers
2. Brett Favre – Jets
3. Drew Brees – Saints
4. Ben Roethlisberger – Steelers
5. Kurt Warner – Cardinals
6. Peyton Manning – Colts
7. Eli Manning – Giants
8. Jay Cutler – Broncos
9. Jason Campbell – Redskins
10. Aaron Rodgers – Packers
11. Matt Ryan – Falcons
12. Donovan McNabb -- Eagles
13. Kerry Collins – Titans
14. Kyle Orton – Bears
15. Jake Delhomme – Panthers
16. Ronnie Brown – Dolphins
17. Jeff Garcia – Buccaneers
18. JT O’Sullivan – 49ers
19. Derek Anderson – Browns
20. Trent Edwards – Bills
21. Gus Frerotte -- Vikings
22. David Garrard – Jaguars
23. Matt Hasselbeck – Seahawks
24. Carson Palmer – Bengals
25. Marc Bulger – Rams
26. Matt Cassel – Patriots
27. Matt Schaub – Texans
28. Joe Flacco – Ravens
29. Dan Orlovsky – Lions
30. Brodie Croyle – Chiefs
31. JaMarcus Russell – Raiders
32. Brad Johnson – Cowboys -- Richie Whitt
