Garrett hire was a little strange, but Jerry got it right
A liberal dose
September 27, 2007
The Jerry Jones I know, about now, he's thinking, 'Damn, I'm good at this football stuff.' And no matter how many times we've told him he's dead wrong, the Jerry Jones I know has never flinched in that personal conviction.
But publicly, a zipped lip also currently prevails, a concession to Jerry not having a good rush-to-judgment track record, the same as most of us ('Trust in Big Bill') when it comes to the Cowboys of the last decade.
Actually, in Jerry's case, his sordid track record goes back to the spring of '94, when The Jimster split, but why quibble over a few years when it comes to mistakes of the past?
Even in September, however, it's never too early to go to print with a Cowboys' overreaction. Today, on Jerry's behalf, I will say it for him:
'You done good, sir.'
In the early stages of this year, Jones faced some monumental decisions involving his coaching staff. Bill Parcells had decided to leave, ending that era, and we all knew it would never be the same, for better or worse.
Jones embarked on an interviewing frenzy in late January.
The logical choice, at least from here, was Norv Turner, for the simple reason the most important coaching assignment at Valley Ranch is the continued development of Tony Romo.
Have I mentioned the game is about the quarterback?
So, of course, Wade Phillips got the head coaching job because he's a defensive specialist, and that area needed fixing, and as Wade would eventually inform us, he's Mr. Fix-It.
(This week, however, Wade told the media he doesn't appreciate being called Mr. Fix-It. It wasn't exactly a Mike Gundy rant, but at 3-0, coach Phillips displayed a strange touchy side, although on Wednesday he was his usual pleasant self, and even joked about showing 'sensitive' tendencies.)
Which brings me back to Jones having made a great coaching hire, or so the early returns tell us.
Jason Garrett, I'm sorry I doubted you on any count, or mainly the one about 'not being ready' as an offensive coordinator.
The play of Romo combined with the no-fear, attack philosophy of Garrett has easily been the highlight of September, and a talking point around the NFL.
Upon review, yes, Jerry can hire the offensive coordinator before he hires the head coach, as Jones did with Garrett, and, yes, Garrett was, well, ready for the jump in responsibility.
Jones is the first to admit this was his biggest coaching-staff gamble, yet Jason has been a jackpot move thus far. To watch his work at the start of the second half in Chicago smacked of pure genius.
In what hasn't been a good NFL month for offensive gurus, no coordinator in the league is getting more done than Garrett, and two of his three game plans have come against good defenses in Chicago and Miami.
Sean Payton, the league's offensive genius a season ago, suddenly has a worthless mess in New Orleans. Cam Cameron with the Dolphins is dearly missing LT, his former stud in San Diego. But Norv Turner, hired as the head coach in San Diego after Jones turned him down, now has LT, and is still under fire because of the Chargers' early offensive woes.
If Norv, however, needs any love, he can look north to San Francisco. The Bay Area lament is that Turner is dearly missed as the 49ers' coordinator. That offense has regressed badly from a year ago, starting with quarterback Alex Smith.
Very quietly, however, Jason Garrett is emerging.
Garrett's public persona remains as low-key as it once was as the Cowboys' backup quarterback. He deflects all credit to players and assistant coaches, and almost seems to hide from the spotlight.
But while Phillips came in billed as the anti-Parcells in personality and temperament, Jason was an unknown factor. He had only been an NFL assistant for two years when Jones jumped through protocol hoops and called in markers for the Dolphins to release him from his contract.
While it's early, it's not too early to say Garrett is also the anti-Parcells in offensive philosophy, a philosophy that thus far plays to Romo's personality and quarterbacking strengths. Plus, Garrett is more than willing to load up Eldorado Owens with responsibility, and at the moment, Eldo is earning his money. Also, Jason Witten is once again a huge threat; thank you, Jason Garrett.
It was a given Jones wanted a one-eighty from Parcells, once Bill decided to leave. As it turned out, he got two of them -- Phillips and Garrett.
Wade's fix-it program on defense is a continuing process. Jason's offensive refinement, particularly with Romo, happened in a hurry.
The only local downside is Garrett has quickly placed himself on a fast track to an NFL head coaching job. If this keeps up, he is gone elsewhere by February.
But for now, the winner is:
Jerry Jones, football guy. He's the one who insisted Garrett was his offensive man.
How could I have ever doubted Jerry?
September 27, 2007
The Jerry Jones I know, about now, he's thinking, 'Damn, I'm good at this football stuff.' And no matter how many times we've told him he's dead wrong, the Jerry Jones I know has never flinched in that personal conviction.
But publicly, a zipped lip also currently prevails, a concession to Jerry not having a good rush-to-judgment track record, the same as most of us ('Trust in Big Bill') when it comes to the Cowboys of the last decade.
Actually, in Jerry's case, his sordid track record goes back to the spring of '94, when The Jimster split, but why quibble over a few years when it comes to mistakes of the past?
Even in September, however, it's never too early to go to print with a Cowboys' overreaction. Today, on Jerry's behalf, I will say it for him:
'You done good, sir.'
In the early stages of this year, Jones faced some monumental decisions involving his coaching staff. Bill Parcells had decided to leave, ending that era, and we all knew it would never be the same, for better or worse.
Jones embarked on an interviewing frenzy in late January.
The logical choice, at least from here, was Norv Turner, for the simple reason the most important coaching assignment at Valley Ranch is the continued development of Tony Romo.
Have I mentioned the game is about the quarterback?
So, of course, Wade Phillips got the head coaching job because he's a defensive specialist, and that area needed fixing, and as Wade would eventually inform us, he's Mr. Fix-It.
(This week, however, Wade told the media he doesn't appreciate being called Mr. Fix-It. It wasn't exactly a Mike Gundy rant, but at 3-0, coach Phillips displayed a strange touchy side, although on Wednesday he was his usual pleasant self, and even joked about showing 'sensitive' tendencies.)
Which brings me back to Jones having made a great coaching hire, or so the early returns tell us.
Jason Garrett, I'm sorry I doubted you on any count, or mainly the one about 'not being ready' as an offensive coordinator.
The play of Romo combined with the no-fear, attack philosophy of Garrett has easily been the highlight of September, and a talking point around the NFL.
Upon review, yes, Jerry can hire the offensive coordinator before he hires the head coach, as Jones did with Garrett, and, yes, Garrett was, well, ready for the jump in responsibility.
Jones is the first to admit this was his biggest coaching-staff gamble, yet Jason has been a jackpot move thus far. To watch his work at the start of the second half in Chicago smacked of pure genius.
In what hasn't been a good NFL month for offensive gurus, no coordinator in the league is getting more done than Garrett, and two of his three game plans have come against good defenses in Chicago and Miami.
Sean Payton, the league's offensive genius a season ago, suddenly has a worthless mess in New Orleans. Cam Cameron with the Dolphins is dearly missing LT, his former stud in San Diego. But Norv Turner, hired as the head coach in San Diego after Jones turned him down, now has LT, and is still under fire because of the Chargers' early offensive woes.
If Norv, however, needs any love, he can look north to San Francisco. The Bay Area lament is that Turner is dearly missed as the 49ers' coordinator. That offense has regressed badly from a year ago, starting with quarterback Alex Smith.
Very quietly, however, Jason Garrett is emerging.
Garrett's public persona remains as low-key as it once was as the Cowboys' backup quarterback. He deflects all credit to players and assistant coaches, and almost seems to hide from the spotlight.
But while Phillips came in billed as the anti-Parcells in personality and temperament, Jason was an unknown factor. He had only been an NFL assistant for two years when Jones jumped through protocol hoops and called in markers for the Dolphins to release him from his contract.
While it's early, it's not too early to say Garrett is also the anti-Parcells in offensive philosophy, a philosophy that thus far plays to Romo's personality and quarterbacking strengths. Plus, Garrett is more than willing to load up Eldorado Owens with responsibility, and at the moment, Eldo is earning his money. Also, Jason Witten is once again a huge threat; thank you, Jason Garrett.
It was a given Jones wanted a one-eighty from Parcells, once Bill decided to leave. As it turned out, he got two of them -- Phillips and Garrett.
Wade's fix-it program on defense is a continuing process. Jason's offensive refinement, particularly with Romo, happened in a hurry.
The only local downside is Garrett has quickly placed himself on a fast track to an NFL head coaching job. If this keeps up, he is gone elsewhere by February.
But for now, the winner is:
Jerry Jones, football guy. He's the one who insisted Garrett was his offensive man.
How could I have ever doubted Jerry?
posted by The Gryphon at 7:57 AM
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