Dallas Cowboys starting quarterback Tony Romo doesn't have to look far or wait long to see his toughest competitor.
On Sunday, he'll face two-time All-Pro defensive end J.J. Watt for the first time in his career.
"I see a dynamic player that might be the best player that we go against all season," Romo said Wednesday in a conference call. "He's very disruptive. He makes the game changing plays every game I see. It's going to be a great test for us to somehow find a way; you're not going to stop him. You just have to hope that you minimize his chances to change the game."
Watt will line up across from Cowboys Pro Bowl left tackle Tyron Smith, a fourth-year player out of USC. Watt described Smith as athletic, big, strong, and "a great left tackle" from what he'd seen of him on film.
Both Watt and Smith signed long-term contract extensions this offseason. The Cowboys drafted Smith ninth-overall, just two spots ahead of Watt in the 2011 NFL Draft.
"Well, J.J. is obviously a great football player, as good a defensive lineman as there is in the national football league," Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said in his Wednesday conference call. "He's having a lot of success against a lot of different people during his career. But we have a lot of confidence in Tyron. He's one of those guys; we drafted him high four years ago. I believe it was the same draft that J.J. came out in. We believe he's a cornerstone player for us at a particularly important position. Left tackle is a critical spot on your football team. To have a guy of Tyron's ability, but also his mental makeup, his toughness and everything that comes with him, we think it's really good for our team."
Watt was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for the third time in his career following his game-changing performance against the Buffalo Bills that included his first regular season interception returned for a touchdown, a staggering nine quarterback hits, a pass defensed, and five tackles.
