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Cowboys: Brandon Weeden Is The Clear Starter

By Christian Blood

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The Dallas Cowboys have made it clear that backup quarterback Brandon Weeden is the clear starting quarterback until starter Tony Romo returns.

There’s been plenty of panic regarding the broken collar bone suffered by Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo during the second half of Sunday’s 20-10 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. Having been placed on the injured reserve/return list, it’s clear that the Cowboys have to make a move at the quarterback position.

They’ve done just that.

After looking at several candidates early this week, Dallas has apparently settled on Buffalo quarterback Matt Cassel, according to Brandon George of Dallas Morning News late Tuesday.

But according to Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones, the search really had nothing to do with finding a starter to play ahead of Weeden. Jon Machota of Dallas Morning News offers the following after having spoken with Jones on Tuesday.

"That’s not our expectation at all. Certainly we think Weeden has really progressed. As [quarterback coach] Wade Wilson said, he’s just not the same guy that we had last year. He’s progressed that much. He said that before we had this issue with Tony. I think we all feel good about what we got."

Jones went on to gush over some of the physical qualities they have in Weeden, a quarterback that’s yet to show anything close to his first-round draft status back in 2012.

"This quarterback Weeden can drive the ball down field. He’s a thing of beauty on throwing a football. His passing motion and his arm, frankly, you won’t see a more gifted passer, power, accuracy, the entire aspect of it. If he can basically prepare, be the starting quarterback, come in and execute and keep his head right, then I feel good about Weeden."

If you happened to catch Weeden’s 42-yard touchdown strike to Terrance Williams to ice the win over Philly, you know he throws a nice pass. At 6’4” and close to 230 pounds, Weeden has the prototypical build and arm strength to play quarterback in the NFL – this much is not a question.

Those comments Jones makes about being prepared and executing are really the ‘X’ factors in this equation.

Weeden holds numerous passing records at Oklahoma State, a program known in recent years for toting one of the NCAA’s top offenses. He was involved in an offense that also helped launch the stardom of Cowboys (Dallas) receiver Dez Bryant, who preceded Weeden’s run as starting quarterback.

The included video gives you a look at a productive Weeden, who throws numerous touchdowns to wide receiver Justin Blackmon, the successor to Bryant as the Cowboys top receiving threat at Stillwater.

This is a far cry from the memory Weeden left Cowboys fans in Texas with following last season’s first and only Dallas start against the Arizona Cardinals while Romo was nursing a back injury.

Yes, Weeden will have to do better than the 55.5-percent completion percentage he displayed against one of the top defenses in the NFL in 2014. His single touchdown pass to go with two interceptions won’t help keep the Cowboys afloat until Romo returns, probably just before Thanksgiving Day.

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But it’s encouraging to know that Weeden has the ability, unlike practice squad member Kellen Moore who also had a tremendous career at the college level while at Boise State.

It’ll be interesting to see whether or not Moore sticks around long with Cassel now an apparent part of at least the intermediate future.

In a young season that’s seen plenty of adversity for the Cowboys, is there a quarterback controversy looming ahead?

I doubt that highly, but at this point anything is possible.

Next: Cowboys: Eagles Fans Taking Week 2 Hard

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