Second Coming?

Second Coming?

What a difference a week makes. Not that effort was unexpected under the reign of Jason Garrett in his first game as interim Head Coach of the Dallas Cowboys, but the how and where were very impressive. Not unlike any other day in the Dallas Metroplex, a performance, good or bad, is going to command attention and generate a buzz. Monday was no different. Jason Garrett and the Dallas Cowboys’ performance in the new Meadowlands on Sunday afternoon had the masses buzzing again. Why not, it was news, and any good news surrounding the Cowboys these days is a miracle. But, as the old saying goes, let’s not get the cart in front of the horse, and when it comes to the 2010 Dallas Cowboys, let’s not put anything in the path of the cart, or the horse.

Facts are facts. Jerry Jones had to make a change. He actually rode the “wishful thinking” horse a little too long. This is the admirable, yet flawed, demeanor of Cowboys’ Owner, Jerry Jones. How can you fault or dislike someone who desperately wants you to succeed? Isn’t that what everyone hopes for in a boss, parent, friend and mentor? Jerry sincerely wanted Wade Phillips to have nothing but success as the Head Coach of the Dallas Cowboys. To think otherwise is pure stupidity. Jerry pulled for Wade at every turn.

Wade Phillips was “done in” by his defense. Self-proclaimed “Mr. Fix It” done got fixed by his own guys. They were his ultimate undoing. Three straight weeks of ineptness was a white flag ceremony, a cry for help, or a unit which had completely quit on their leader. There isn’t a CPR or revival program out there that can bring back a unit that flat out quits on you. In reality, as far as accountability goes, Wade should have stayed and the defense should have been handed pink slips and shown the exit door. But reality rarely plays a leading role in the NFL. Scapegoats are sought and disposed of every day. With 8 games remaining in the 2010 season, Jerry couldn’t very well have fired 11 players. It was much easier to pull the trigger on one Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator, and make no mistake about it, the defense had become offensive. Folks, when you are too nice, you will eventually get walked on and over. Wade Phillips was a trampling ground and first class doormat.

It’s a shame when things like that happen to good people. Wade Phillips was good people. Make no mistake about that. You don’t dedicate 34+ years of your life to professional football and not be worthy of recognition and accolades. Wade Phillips is a football man who comes from a football family. Wade Phillips is a tremendous defensive coordinator. Wade Phillips was not a long-term Head Coach. His previous stops proved that, and why Jerry thought he could ride Wade for the long haul is still a giant mystery. You cannot be liked and be a successful NFL Head Coach. You must be respected, but liked opens the door for player personnel flip-flopping. One day we’re with you, and the next day we’re against you. Respect is a whole different world than like. Respect will get you long-term results.

So, is Jason Garrett respected? Too early to tell, but he appears to have put the right foot forward. When you command players to show up on time for meetings or the doors will be locked, you’re going to garner some respect. When you tell players to dress a certain way on road trips, portraying a professional business environment, and you have a black sheep malcontent, the malcontent is going to pay the price. While the media and fans clamor to know the punishment for the Black Sheep, the team will know, and that’s all that matters. MBIII will know, and hopefully he’ll get the message and fall in line. If you want to rock the boat, why not make it “Man Overboard?” Jason Garrett was in the most unenviable position possible, yet he set out to change a climate. He silently made a statement that fat, happy, lazy, and undisciplined football was not going to cut it at Valley Ranch, Cowboys Stadium or in any NFL venue. It was quite an opening statement.

Will Jason Garrett be the long-term answer as the Dallas Cowboys Head Coach? It’s way too early to place that stamp of approval on Garrett, but the wagering has already started, and why not, it’s the Dallas Cowboys, and everybody has to have something to talk about. Everyone would expect a difference in Game 1 of a new regime. Mission accomplished. The next contest is against a NFL patsy at home, so the Cowboys should win this one as expected. If they don’t, Chicken Little will be back faster than Ozzie Newsome swallowed Pepto Bismol watching Brian McCann “pick six” Eli Manning and steal NFL Defensive Player of the Week honors. The real test is Thanksgiving Day. That’s when Cowboys’ fans can weigh in and render an opinion on the new Jason Garrett regime. By then, against a quality opponent, the dust will have settled at Valley Ranch, and we’ll see the real effects of a Jason Garrett led team.

The accomplishment in New York is not to be overlooked. By Week 8 in the NFL, teams have pretty well established themselves, and make no mistake, the New York Football Giants were playing good ball. Especially their defense. The Cowboys beat a good team, and it was a great way to start off the Jason Garrett interim era. Let’s see if they can maintain their focus, stamina and stay in this thing for the long haul. Only time will tell.

Jason Garrett does have the demeanor of a NFL Head Coach. He has been in training for this since the early days at Princeton. He’s no dummy and never has been. He knows football as he’s been around it his entire life. He possesses Coach Landry like qualities, and you can never go wrong emulating one of the NFL’s most-respected individuals. Could he be the next Tom Landry? Today’s NFL makes longevity and tenure a tenuous proposition, but I wouldn’t bet against Garrett. He has a nucleus to work with, and he has a potential franchise quarterback in his prime. Those two factors bode well for Garrett or any other Head Coach entering after the conclusion of the 2010 season.

You have to have the right man in the Head Coach chair. Make no mistake about that. He has to possess all the skills, traits and qualities that players will respect and respond to. He cannot be undermined or stripped of power when it comes to decisions and football operations, and this folks is the real issue moving forward. How much personnel and football operations power will Jason Garrett be given if his interim tag is replaced with a multi-year contract? If the Cowboys are to return to prominence, then Jerry Jones must stop playing Japedo.

It has to stop right here and right now. No Head Coach, Jason Garrett, Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden, Perry Fewell, Leslie Frazier or Mike Zimmer is going to enjoy one ounce of success if the strings remain attached to the Jones’ puppet sticks. The freedom and latitude to do what a NFL Head Coach must do have to be granted. Intervention and meddling is just a continuous recipe for disaster, and this recipe has been out at Valley Ranch for way too long. It’s high time for new ingredients. What has transpired in the Dallas Cowboys head coaching ranks since the departure of Jimmy Johnson is the ultimate definition of “INSANITY.” The General Manager doing the same thing(s) over and over and hoping for different results. It’s just not going to happen until Jerry has the brass ones to cut the strings. For if he won’t, then the hope is Jason Garrett is the interim Head Coach and then on his way out. He’s too good of a Head Coach prospect to be dangled by the Jones’ sticks and strings.

Let go, Jerry!! For the organization and fan base sakes. Do you want to return this proud franchise to prominence? Then the recipe is easy. Let go.

Can you say statement game? No, the game isn’t in Nashville, but all the same, the Cowboys must establish a League M.O. when squaring off against the Titans in Cowboys Stadium. Most seem to want to know the individual identity of the team. Why? Not necessary. The question is, “Where does this team stack up with the rest of the League?” It doesn’t matter if this team is a run first, pass first or balanced attack. It doesn’t matter if they are defense dominate or slanted towards offensive power. What the Cowboys need to determine is how they match up against the other 31 teams in the NFL. Do they have what it takes to vie for a post-season playoff spot, and if so, is their make-up such to compete for a championship?

With three games played and a bye week to assess things, NO ONE KNOWS!! After two weeks, the Cowboys were clearly over-rated bottom feeders. A Week 3 convincing win over the Texans had the Cowboys creeping back up the competitive boards. Then the bye week hits. As soon as the Cowboys departed Reliant Stadium the head-scratching began, and everyone was professing, “We THINK we’re pretty good.” THINK, they do not know. They certainly aren’t the pre-season, pre-ordained hosts and participants of the Super Bowl. Many thought their ticket was already punched and history was about to be made. Following the home collapse against the Bears, all NFL followers were yanking on the emergency brake. Folks, in case you haven’t noticed, the NFL is all knee-jerk from one week to the next.

Guess how long it took the Cowboys organization to inform you of their confidence level in the depth of their offensive line? Exactly three offensive series and the tell-tale signs weren’t good. It was the first blatant and critical General Manager lie. Jerry Jones is on record as saying he was “fond” of the depth at offensive line. Exit Left Guard (this is becoming a growing concern) mainstay Kyle Kosier and Right Tackle (an even bigger concern factor) incumbent Marc Columbo, and all of a sudden there is trouble in River City. But what about that quality depth we heard about all through the off-season and pre-season? Three-step drops were the resounding proclamation that the Cowboys had issues, big issues.

Most coaches and football personnel folks will tell you everything starts and stops with the interior lines. Like it or not, and no it doesn’t make for sexy Draft picks like Dez Bryant, this is “gospel” as it relates to the game of football. If the interior line cannot control the movement of the football, a team is in for a long haul. Consequently, if an interior line can’t penetrate or keep out the enemy that also spells long, Sunday afternoons. So suffice it to say, this Dallas Cowboys football team will go as far as its offensive line can take it. End of story. Interior line play certainly includes the defensive side of the ball as well, but this is not a Cowboys’ concern. In the Cowboys’ “What exactly do we have?” scenario, it’s all about the Center, the two guys to his left and the two guys to his right. Nothing else matters! All the other pieces are in place to compete with anyone on any given Sunday. Yes, a catastrophic injury to Tony Romo, DeMarcus Ware, Mike Jenkins, Terence Newman, Jason Witten or Miles Austin would be critical, but with the exception of Romo, the team could compete with a flat tire.

When you start taking pieces of the offensive line away, and your depth is three-step drop suspect, you might as well start pulling up the stakes, taking down the tent, and hauling the circus out of town. As Dandy Don Meredith used to so eloquently sing, “Turn Out the Lights, the Party’s Over.” And that includes Jerry’s grandiose desire to have his Cowboys hosting and playing in this year’s Super Bowl.

Things usually are never as bad as they seem, and there is always room for improvement. Ladies and gentlemen, that is your 2010-11 Dallas Cowboys. Look around the League. Outside maybe the Pittsburgh Steelers, can you point to any slam-dunk Super Bowl participants? Really? Four weeks in? Come on; are the Kansas City Chiefs for real? For the long haul? It still remains anyone’s Lombardi Trophy, and that’s the beauty of today’s NFL. No one is claiming hardware in late September and early October. It just doesn’t work that way. Whenever this type of speculation starts, the answer should always be the same. Check back with me in December.

So, with this backdrop painted, let’s take a closer look at the Cowboys’ Achilles Heel.

Jason Garrett takes a ton of heat in these parts, but all things considered, Jason is half magician and half circus ringmaster. The compilation of his offensive line makes his job a source of triple frustration. Why? Because Andre Gurode’s left is completely different than his right. Without question, the athletic side of the Cowboys’ offensive line is the left. The power and sheer strength reside on Gurode’s right. If the task were as easy as snapping a finger, it would be ideal to flip-flop the Guards. This would give the offensive line a whole new make-up and personality. You blend athleticism with strength and power. This balance would allow Garrett to take more advantage of his deep and creative playbook.

As things sit right now, the Cowboys have a very difficult time running right unless there is Tight End help. Say what you will, but Big Leonard and gimpy Marc Columbo are not the most gifted athletes on the planet, and they have proven time after time, getting to the second level (inside and outside LBs) is an absolute chore for both. This does not bode well for Barber, and each time Felix touches the ball it’s a 50-50 proposition if he can make the second level miss. Truth be told, the Cowboys’ most effective runner with this type of line make-up and balance is #23, and he rides pine due to his special teams’ duties. This is distinct outrage, but that’s a story for another column and day. Clearly, Columbo and Davis are better suited for the pass. If only Big Leonard had that Larry Allen get out and maul you ability, things might be vastly different for the Cowboys.

Conversely, the Cowboys can run all they want to the left side as that’s where the athletes and speed reside. Kosier and Doug Free have what it takes to both pull and get to the second level in a hurry. The only problem is defensive coordinators around the League are also well-aware of this, and they play the Cowboys heavy on that side of the field. You can’t pull Gurode, Davis or Columbo in order to equalize the over stacked defensive personnel. If an 8^th man is brought into the box, he’s going to shade Gurode’s left shoulder pad. Bank it. While Free and Kosier are adequate in the pass blocking game, they tend to get pushed around by quicker, big defensive linemen. Thus, the Cowboys become somewhat predictable based on down, distance and formations. Yes, the handcuffs are squarely on Jason Garrett, and when you have challenges like this in your offensive line, Jason Garrett, or any offensive coordinator, is going to look foolish at various and certain times of every game. Think not? Chart the Cowboys’ running game for yardage consistency. Folks, often times they’re losing as much as they’re gaining. They can’t seem to string together a dominant attack like that demonstrated by the 90’s Super Bowl teams. Those offensive lines completely controlled the tempo and design of the game. Yes, Norv Turner had a much easier job than that of Jason Garrett’s.

As can clearly be seen, injuries are huge piece of the puzzle, but even when the Cowboys are healthy up front, they still have limitations. Their inability to maul an opponent up front will be their Achilles Heel all year long. You have to be able to turn to a stout and dominate running game in close contests and clock management situations. You have to be able to rely on the big ugliness in the trenches. When it’s third and one, or even the super critical 4^th and must, on the road, in the Northeast, in December, you have to be able to turn to these guys with confidence that the pile will move in order to retain possession and chew clock. They are no two ways about it.

Say what you want about the reasons why the Cowboys were post-season non-participants for 16+ seasons heading into the last year, but you don’t have to go very far to get your primary reason. Go back and look at the Draft classes of all those 16 years and show me where the dominant and impactful offensive lineman was or linemen were drafted. Where are those Jason Witten, Bradie James, Orlando Scandrick, Tashard Choice, and Marion Barber III third and fourth round gems? Heck, where is the 1st and 2nd round can’t misses? Andre Gurode is the closest match to the description, and that’s just not acceptable with the expectation of playing championship caliber football. If you’re not going to invest in your offensive line, you’re going to be a JAT instead of a JAG. Just another team.

The Rag of Rags

Greetings All. Let me start by thanking all those who were directed to this site or simply stumbled upon it. All are welcome. With time, this will get a little more advanced and hopefully the rough edges will be sanded and buffed away. This is kind of an off-chute for me. I've been truly honored and extremely-privileged to represent a publication known as The Ranch Report for about 4 years running. The Ranch Report is a bi-product of the incredibly-sized Scout.com network, and it's a publication dedicated solely to the coverage of the Dallas Cowboys. The publication is both website and magazine. The website itself, http://dal.scout.com/, offers anything and everything Dallas Cowboys-related. If you haven't heard of it or seen it, I encourage you to do so.

The Ranch Report has many freebies, but it's a paid-subscription site. Membership gives you unlimited access to the website and all it's premium forums and posting boards, but it also gets you the monthly magazine as well. It is 40-50 pages of wall-to-wall Cowboys coverage. You won't find it anywhere. While it contains fantastic articles written by Editor Roy Philpott and his staff writers, the color pictures are simply breath-taking. As mentioned, there are no publications out there like this, with the exception of one. The Dallas Cowboys Star magazine.

For dedicated and die-hard Cowboys fans, the Star magazine is now what used to be called the Dallas Cowboys Official Weekly. The Weekly was a newspaper published by the Dallas Cowboys. It was the official team publication which circulated weekly during the season and monthly during the off-season. The newspaper format was dropped almost two years ago. Truth be told, it was the arrival and existence of The Ranch Report which forced the hand of the mighty Dallas Cowboys. If not for The Ranch Report, Weekly/Star readers may still be getting black ink all over their viewing hands. When you can go toe-to-toe with the 800 pound gorilla (thanks Jimmy Johnson), it's quite the achievement and proud moment.

For those who have not seen the magazine, I'm attaching/including a copy that was produced in the Spring of 2007. This should give you the flavor and feel to our publication. In this particular issue, yours truly, had the once in a lifetime opportunity to sit down for a lengthy discussion with Cowboys' great Charlie Waters. It was incredible, and the interview is included for your reading.

Enjoy and welcome!