NFL 2011 Week 3 - Ailing Tony Romo Still May Lead Cowboys Offense

Ailing Tony Romo Still May Lead Cowboys Offense
Jojo Doria

Dallas, TX

Tony Romo, who took a significant risk by playing through a fractured rib in the Dallas Cowboys overtime victory over the 49ers, might be back under center in Week 3 but it will depend on the level pain.

Romo sustained his latest injury in the Cowboys' first series against San Francisco. He sat out nearly the entire third quarter while getting medical treatment.

Romo, who has dealt with several injuries in his career, including a broken left clavicle that caused him to miss more than half of the 2010 season, decided to return to the field and rally the Cowboys to overtime.

The three-time Pro Bowl pick played through pain and had difficulty breathing while calling out signals, but managed to rally Dallas from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to claim a 27-24 overtime victory.

Apart from a cracked rib, the Cowboys 31-year-old quarterback also suffered a small puncture of his lung. The punctured lung was revealed in a CT scan Monday.

Romo has been diagnosed with pneumothrorax, otherwise termed as a collapsed lung. According to medical publications, it is the collection of air or gas in the space around the lungs.

With the build up air, pressure is put on the lung, making it difficult to expand as much as it normally does when one takes a breath.

When asked Tuesday on KRLD-FM whether Romo would play against the Redskins, Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones indicated he doesn't know whether Romo will be in Week 3.

"I don't know. I really don't," Jones said on KRLD-FM. "I understand the nature of the injury as much as you can without being in medicine. We'll just have to see how it goes. It has everything to do with just his ability to handle the pain, and we know he has a bunch of it.

"We'll see how that goes. He'll be monitored obviously extremely closely regarding the pneumothorax and we'll see how it goes," Jones added.

Meanwhile, an optimistic Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said Monday via ESPN.com that he "would not think there's any reason [Romo] won't play Monday."

Jones also indicated that Romo could have the final say about his status again Monday night.

Romo, who reportedly told Garrett he wanted to return to Sunday's game against Washington, indicated after the game that he planned to suit up for Week 3.

"I can't imagine [the pain] being any worse," Romo said via ESPN.com.