IRVING, Texas – Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Jason Hatcher saw Tony Romo crumple to the turf Sunday night after being sandwiched between two New York Giants defensive ends and couldn't help but think the worst.
"I was mad. We've got to do a better job of blocking for him," Hatcher said. "We need that guy. He's a great quarterback, and if he goes down, the team is going to go down."
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So consider Hatcher among those relieved when x-rays on Romo's ribs came back negative Monday morning. Romo, the Cowboys' $108 million quarterback, is expected to play in Dallas' next game Sunday in Kansas City.
Romo made a quick and rare appearance in the locker room later Monday afternoon during the period it was open to the media, almost as a way to say "I told you so." Romo returned to play the second half of the 36-31 win over the Giants and insisted after the game that his injury wouldn't turn out to be serious.
"I'm fine," Romo said Monday. "A little pain."
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Indeed pain management will be the next step for Romo, a fact coach Jason Garrett understands from his years playing quarterback in college and as a backup in the NFL. Romo could wear additional padding to help prevent further bruising, but he is prepared to feel pain even with routine movements for the foreseeable future while the bruising subsides.
"It's challenging because so much of what throwing the football has to do with your torso and your trunk and how you're moving," Garrett said.
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Perhaps it helps that this isn't new for Romo, who in 2011 played after suffering a broken rib and punctured lung. Later that season he played with a badly bruised right hand.
"You just fight through it. Tony has a track record of doing that for us and playing well with the injury," Garrett said.
But how many major hits and rib injuries can Romo continue to endure? That was Hatcher's point as he joked that he thought of approaching Dallas' coaches and volunteering to play guard.
"Put me in, I'll cut somebody," Hatcher said, laughing. "We don't need [Romo] getting banged up at all."
Romo was sacked 36 times in 2012, the most in his career, and despite the addition of first-round pick center Travis Frederick, the offensive line was the Cowboys' most unstable spot in the preseason. Dallas lost guard Nate Livings, a 16-game starter last season after a pair of knee procedures (Livings was released from injured reserve with a settlement), and last week signed veteran guard Brian Waters, who last played in 2011. Waters was inactive in Sunday's opener.
Dallas allowed just two sacks against the Giants, though that included the big hit on Romo that caused such a scare.
"For those guys to hold up against that front, that's pretty good," Garrett said. "Those are big, strong, explosive guys that have played in this league for a long time, and for the most part we blocked them pretty well, particularly in pass protection."
Garrett said he didn't believe any other players suffered serious injuries in Sunday's opener, but added the team is still awaiting the results of an MRI on star receiver Dez Bryant's foot. Garrett said the initial diagnosis is a sprain, but it was unclear how much, if any, time Bryant might miss.
"We don't think it's a too, too serious thing," Garrett said. "He seemed to be walking around OK today, and we'll see how he is over the next couple of days."
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