Tony Romo out for season

Dec 8, 2013; Landover, MD, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) scrambles against the Washington Redskins during the second half at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Tony Romo is done for the season after suffering a back injury in Sunday’s game versus the Redskins. Romo has a herniated disk in the lumbar region, and surgery is required, according to ESPN Senior Insider Chris Mortensen.

Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett told the media that the team will take Romo’s injury day by day, but early indications are that he is out for the remainder of the season.

Veteran backup Kyle Orton will likely start Sunday for the Cowboys against the Eagles in a game that will decide the NFC East champion. Orton is one of the better backup QBs in the league, however, he has received minimal playing time since joining Dallas before the 2012 season.

After seeing the Eagles throttle the Bears last night, it’s easy to say this injury is a death sentence for the Cowboys, as they are unlikely to be able to get enough offense to keep up with Orton at the helm. However, if we’ve learned anything from this crazy (as always) NFL season, it’s that there are no easy victories.

Romo gets all the scrutiny, but one thing that isn’t talked about enough is his toughness. Romo did not leave Sunday’s game early after suffering the injury. Instead, he lead his team to a comeback victory, engineering a spectacular late drive that he capped off with a TD pass to Demarco Murray.