The Dallas Cowboys are actually holding out hope that Tony Romo can lead the team on a lengthy playoff run.
On Tuesday, a league source told CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora that the Cowboys aren't placing Romo on injured reserve because the team is still mathematically alive in the NFC playoff hunt. The Cowboys will only place him on IR when they're officially eliminated from playoff contention.
Cowboys do not plan to put Tony Romo on IR. In the event of a long playoff run he could conceivable be available. Keeping door ajar...
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) December 1, 2015
Obviously the odds leak bleak of Dallas making playoffs much less advancing, but Romo is a warrior and they'll leave that window open
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) December 1, 2015
At 3-8, the Cowboys are more than a longshot to end up in the playoffs. The Redskins lead the NFC East at 5-6 and the Seahawks, who hold the sixth seed, are 6-5 and hold a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Cowboys.
The Cowboys face the Redskins twice in the final five weeks of the season, but without Romo it's tough to see them winning out. The Cowboys are winless without Romo this season.
Even if the Cowboys somehow sneak into the playoffs, there's no guarantee Romo would return in time. This is the second time this season Romo is dealing with a broken collarbone. Romo broke his collarbone for the first time this season on Sept. 20. He didn't play in a game until Nov. 22 -- before suffering another injury on Thanksgiving.
Wild Card Weekend is scheduled for Jan. 9-10. The NFC Championship Game will be played on Jan. 24. That gives Romo 6-8 weeks to heal up, assuming the Cowboys find a way to dig themselves out of an unfathomable hole.
