Tony Romo learns from botched hold vs. Seahawks

The Dallas Cowboys travel to Seattle for the first time in six seasons on Sunday.

Tony Romo would rather forget the last voyage west to play the Seahawks. After all, that was the scene of the quarterback's botched hold that nullified a potential game-winning field goal for Dallas in the NFC wild card round. That Cowboys season died, but Romo's image as a bumbler was born.

Tony Romo

"Shoot, it feels like I was 10 years old back then," Romo told the team's official site. "Football is a great game; it teaches you a lot of lessons. Your ability to interact with other people, how to develop into a leadership role, lots of things. But you put your head down and just get better."

Romo has been dogged by that play through the years, but the characterization of this quarterback as a late-game fader is unfair on the whole.

It's no coincidence that when Dallas finally fielded an imposing defensive backfield, we were treated to a solid 60-minute outing against the New York Giants in the opener. After repeatedly giving up double-digit leads last season, the Cowboys shut down Eli Manning and his flock of receivers and resembled a complete team for the first time in years.

It's fitting this team now marches back to the scene of the crime, where Romo has a chance to show the Seahawks -- and his critics -- just how far he's come.

Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.