Tony Romo has been ruled out for the rest of the season, according to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
Romo appeared to injure his back in the second half of the Dallas Cowboys’ must-win game against the Washington Redskins, and was limping considerably for the remainder of the game.
The Cowboys won the game at Fedex Field when Romo completed a 10-yard touchdown pass to running back DeMarco Murray late in the fourth quarter.
Romo’s injury appeared to be minor, however an MRI this morning showed otherwise.
Now, the Cowboys will head into AT&T Stadium next week being led by backup Kyle Orton to face the Philadelphia Eagles in a winner-take-all matchup for the NFC East title.
Losing Romo is a setback for Dallas, although it could lead to the Cowboys putting more of an emphasis on their running game, which has been strong of late.
In the last few weeks, Murray has been a consistent contributor for the team, however he has not received many touches despite his production. Even though the former Oklahoma Sooner has had great first halves recently, Murray has not gotten many opportunities in the second half lately.
With Romo’s injury, Murray should get more carries throughout the duration of the game.
It will be intriguing to see how head coach Jason Garrett and offensive coordinator Bill Callahan adjusts the offense in Romo’s absence, although it looks to be imperative that Murray’s role be increased next Sunday night.
The quarterback’s injury is the second major injury afflicting Dallas ahead of the Eagles game.
Linebacker Sean Lee is also out of next week’s game according to ESPN’s injury report.
Additionally, the Cowboys will be without dynamic kick returner Dwayne Harris and cornerback Morris Claiborne.
Although the Cowboys have a chance to earn a season-defining victory six days from now, the injury to Romo’s back will definitely have a major impact on Dallas’ offensive production and their play calling.