Cowboys QB Brandon Weeden excited about filling in for Tony Romo
IRVING, Texas -- Cowboys backup quarterback Brandon Weeden is looking forward to Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons at AT&T Stadium in what will be the the first of an eight-week campaign for the four-year veteran. After Tony Romo fractured his left clavicle against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2, it is up to Weeden to keep the 2-0 Cowboys competitive.
"I'm excited about my opportunity absolutely, but for Tony, I hate it," Weeden said. "He's been at this thing for a long time. He has a good team around him. He had a great year last year and just kind of building on it and having a great year this year. I hate it for him, but in this business, unfortunate things happen."
In 2014, Weeden filled in for Romo against the Arizona Cardinals at home in a 28-17 loss. Weeden went 18/33 for 183 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions against Arizona, inspiring doubt in Cowboys fans as to the 31-year-old's effectiveness as a relief signal caller. However, Weeeden anticipates better results this time around.
"I think being here for my second year in the same system, first and foremost," said Weeden, who has a different offensive coordinator every year of his collegiate and professional career. "Being around the same guys, hearing the same language, just kind of being around Tony. I think just being around Scott [Linehan] and how he does things, kind of his mindset going into games with Tony.
"I'm not going to be tentative. I'm an aggressive guy by nature. I always have been, maybe sometimes, truth will tell it, to a fault. But you got to smart at the same time. You have to go out and execute plays."
The only other NFL city where Weeden had a second year was Cleveland, but the Browns brought in new coach Mike Pettine after Weeden's rookie season. After two games, Weeden was supplanted for Brian Hoyer and saw only three more games as a starter the whole season, even with Hoyer being lost to a knee injury on Oct. 13, 2013. Being in his second year with the exact same offensive coaching staff instills confidence in Weeden.
"Having that second year with the same guys, it definitely gives me more confidence than my second year in Cleveland where I'm learning a whole near offense. I'm grinding on the playbook and kind of grinding on the wrong things instead of going out and doing what we do. Instead here it's we got a system in place and now it's out and go execute ball plays."
Weeden has committed a turnover in his past four consecutive starts. It is a streak he would like to end on Sunday because he knows how detrimental giveaways are to the Cowboys' success. Still, Weeden doesn't see playing aggressively as mutually exclusive with protecting the football.
"We preach it around here: the ball, the ball, the ball," Weeden said. "That's the most important thing. The team that wins the turnover battle nine times out of 10 wins the football game. So, you got to be aggressive. When it's not there, you have to be smart in knowing to check it down or whatever it may be.
"But I've got confidence in my arm. I've always had confidence in my ability to throw the football. It's just playing fast, being on the same page from a communication standpoint. Being in the system a second year kind of gives me a little extra confidence going forward."
The former first-round pick out of Oklahoma State in 2012 feels taking first-team reps on Wednesdays since 2014 has helped him mature as a quarterback, and he foresees taking all of the first-team reps in Romo's absence will only help him improve his game.
Weeden is 0-2 lifetime in AT&T Stadium, both as a Browns quarterback and as a Cowboys reliever. He would like to notch a few in the win column before Romo returns.
