Fans and some members of the media can be harsh when it comes to quarterbacks.

Just listen to some fans in Baltimore talk about Joe Flacco. Fans of the New York Giants were still on Eli Manning last season and he had already won a Super Bowl.

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Former Cowboys receiver Patrick Crayton reacts to Brett Favre's comments on Tony Romo. Listen

Brett Favre praised Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo the other day on NFL Network, saying he was underrated.

Most of the criticism directed toward Romo is from fans and some media members still upset with him about his Cabo trip in 2007 during the bye week of the NFL playoffs and the fact that he has just lone playoff victory.

Romo is one of the best quarterbacks in the league and well-respected by his peers.

If you compare Romo to some other quarterbacks in the league you would be impressed with his numbers. But there's one number that means everything to Romo at this stage of his career: Playoff wins.

Romo is 1-3 in the postseason. Compare that to Matt Ryan, who is winless in three postseason appearances, and Mike Vick, who is 2-3 in the playoffs.

Romo has won 48 NFL games since 2006, but he needs to take his team on a deep playoff run. Missing the playoffs for a third consecutive season doesn't help his cause with some fans and media members. It also might hurt his standing in the front office if the Cowboys go three consecutive seasons without a playoff berth.

Romo has two seasons left on his contract and there seems to be a good vibe about extending it. Will it change if Romo fails to reach the postseason in 2012?

It's hard to win the playoffs. Just ask Flacco, who has played eight of his nine playoff games on the road in his career.

For Romo it's not about being more of a leader -- he already is -- it's about the wins and losses. That's why you see Romo with a serious tone with reporters during the offseason. He understands it's not about surpassing Danny White and Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman on the franchise passing lists, it's about postseason wins.

You hear Romo's voice more often during the offseason workouts and notice he gets upset when things don't go well on the practice fields. Every play and every minute of the offseason means something to him.

I don't think Romo got enough credit during the lockout last year for gathering his teammates together. He sent out a massive email to a large selection of teammates telling them to attend the workouts at an area high school. When Dez Bryant failed to attend one of the sessions, Romo wanted it pointed out the young receiver reached out to him saying something was going on and it was fine.

Romo is holding players more accountable than ever, yet the bottom line for Romo is postseason wins.

All quarterbacks are judged that way. Well, at least in Dallas they are.