Tony Romo, Meet '09 Hot Seat

The Jerry Jones Cowboys are in the midst of an offseason makeover. Assistant coaches have been fired, big-named players have been released, and others have been signed to replace them, all in an effort to put the 2008 debaclement quickly in the rearview.

You might've heard that Dallas hasn't won a playoff game since 1996, and if that doesn't change next season, SI.com's Ross Tucker thinks quarterback Tony Romo should take the fall. Not Wade Phillips or Jason Garrett or Jones -- Jessica Simpson's boyfriend.

[Romo]'s already failed in three seasons as a starter to lead his team to one measly playoff victory, a team with a roster so stacked that it's perennially one of the two or three best in football. How many chances does one guy get? With T.O. gone, there should be no more excuses for Romo. None. No more team chemistry dissertations or distraction discussions. Romo got what he wanted, and now he better make the most of it.

T.O. fell on the proverbial sword this year. Romo should take the fall right around this time next year if the Cowboys don't win a playoff game yet again.

I can't argue with any of that, particularly since Romo played some pretty mediocre football in losses to the Ravens and Eagles in the final two games of the regular season with the playoffs on the line.

The Dallas Morning News' Tim MacMahon does his best to defend Romo: "How long did the Cowboys search for a franchise quarterback after Troy Aikman's career was over? Do you really want to start that process over again? Who would start in 2010? Jon Kitna? A second-year QB drafted with a mid- to late-round pick? A rookie? Romo's reputation will be on the line next season. His job shouldn't be."

I get where MacMahon is coming from, but the phrase, "the soft bigotry of low expectations" immediately comes to mind as I read his words. At some point, you have to make a change, even if it's not popular -- the Broncos were allegedly trying to deal Jay Cutler (statistically, Romo's equal the last two seasons) for Matt Cassel. Maybe that would've proven to be a disastrous move except when you remember that Cutler hasn't gotten Denver to the postseason in his two years as a starter.

For some perspective, Jake Plummer was 3-for-3 in making the the playoffs during his three-year stint with the Broncos. Sometimes, you don't need a Hall of Fame quarterback to play into January.