An Open Letter to Bill Parcells

Dear Bill Parcells,

While there is little to no doubt you are reading this, there is a very big chance there are some Dallas Cowboys fans that read this website every day. And I, for one, would like to be their voice when I say:

For the love of God, Mary, and Jesus, keep Tony Romo under center for the duration of the season.

I don't say this because I'm impatient. I know NFL history. I know how bad Terry Bradshaw was in his first few years with the Steelers. Heck, after being selected first overall in the 1970 NFL Draft, he went 83-of-218. That's what? Not even 40 percent? But Chuck Noll stuck with him. He wasn't going for the immediate win, but the future stability of the franchise.

And I don't enjoy QB controversy. I live in Jacksonville and the city is divided over starter Byron Leftwich and backup David Garrard. Both are capable and both give us a chance to win, but it's never good when a starting quarterback has one more thing to worry about.

So don't say I just want a new guy in there because it makes the game more "exciting" for the fan.

I want Tony Romo in as the Cowboys starting quarterback because I honestly believe he gives Bill Parcells and the Dallas Cowboys the best chance of making a playoff appearance this season for a number of reasons:

Reason No. 1: His obvious edge in mobility

Who doesn't have an edge in this league over Drew Bledsoe? I bet even Larry Allen could do a better job of moving his feet in the pocket then Drew "The Statue" Bledsoe. In all seriousness, the Cowboys play in a division where every team has a lot of stock in stopping the other team's offense. The Eagles have amazing personnel in DE Trent Cole (who has 6 sacks) and DE Javon Kearse (who has 3.5 sacks). The Giants have a running game and short-passing game that allows their offense to stay on the field longer than half of regulation.

The Cowboys, with their offensive line woes, need a guy who can scramble outside the pocket and make throws to the sidelines. Eight-yard slants to T.O. and Terry Glenn haven't worked yet, and they won't work in an NFC East Division where the linebackers and defensive ends are so talented. Fifteen-yard outs to the sidelines and seven-yard scrambles outside the pocket are what will allow Parcells to open up his relatively conservative playbook and Tony Romo is a guy that can give them that.

Reason No. 2: His spontaneity will balance out Parcells' conservative play-calling

The game is in the middle of the third quarter and the Cowboys are up by four on a 3rd-and-8. Does anyone truly believe Parcells is going to pass? Didn't think so. And neither do NFL coordinators. Romo's inexperience may be what balances this team out of its conservative reputation. The play's going to come out of the pocket at times. There will be scrambles that won't look like total broken plays.

Even Parcells is quoted as saying, "[Romo] is a different type of player."He is. He's not a "take three steps back and throw it between the hash marks" kind of player. He's going to make plays happen with his feet, whether his feet allow Jason Whitten and Terrell Owens to get open in the middle of the field or whether it's a run for the first-down marker.

Reason No. 3: Players know these two things and they still have faith in Romo

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Patrick Crayton was quoted as saying after the Monday night loss to the Giants that, "The guys believe in him [Romo] ... his mobility, man. He's an improviser sometimes when he gets out there. You kind of expect the ball to come to you on every play." These men are professional athletes and if they can have faith in Romo, then so can all of us.

Give the kid this season. If he plays the rest of the games, I guarantee at least nine wins. Ten gets you in the playoffs in this league. The Cowboys are on the cusp. Maybe Romo's what gets them over the edge.