NFL Playoffs: MVPs and LVPs of Wild Card Weekend
By Daniel Tran
Tony Romo, Quarterback, Dallas Cowboys
When the Dallas Cowboys held a 0-14 deficit against the Detroit Lions at the two-minute warning before the end of the first half, Cowboys fans across the nation had their hands on their heads thinking that it could not be happening again. “It” being the Dallas Cowboys and Tony Romo choking away another chance to advance in the NFL Playoffs and bringing Dallas back to where they belong has America’s Team. This time, Romo came through.
On third and 12 after the two-minute warning, Romo connected with wide receiver Terrance Williams for a 76-yard touchdown to bring the Cowboys to within seven with 1:50 left in the half. That would not be the last time Dallas would need Romo to bail them out.
The Dallas Cowboys defense allowed the Detroit Lions to end the half with a field goal and then allowed another field on the Lions opening drive to extend their deficit to 13 points. Romo kept a cool head and engineered a drive where he made key passes of 43 yards and 15 yards to set up a one-yard touchdown run by DeMarco Murray to cut the lead to six near the end of the third quarter.
The next drive, Romo connected with wide receiver Cole Beasley twice to get the Cowboys into field goal position and close the gap on Detroit 17-20 early in the fourth quarter. In what would be the deciding drive of the game, Romo completed the fourth quarter comeback with a short eight-yard pass to Terrance Williams to take the lead for good at 24-20 with 2:39 left in the game.
Romo would finish the game with 293 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions, but it was his poise in the face of a 13-point deficit and the pressure that he could not win big games that earns him an MVP on this list.
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