Losing Glenn hits Cowboys' Garrett hardest
by Jean-Jacques Taylor
Losing Terry Glenn, whether it's for a couple of weeks or the rest of the season, significantly changes the dynamics of the Cowboys' offense.
It affects Tony Romo, Terrell Owens and Jason Witten in the passing game. And it affects Marion Barber and Julius Jones in the running game.
But it affects Jason Garrett more than anyone else because he has to make this offense work without one of the team's best players.
We don't know how good Garrett is as at putting together a game plan. Or calling plays. Or more important, calling plays after the offense has gone three-and-out in the first three series.
We think we know. We hope we know. But the reality is, we have no clue other than what he's shown us in four preseason games.
Garrett has no track record because he's never done it.
Neither had Norv Turner when the Cowboys hired him, and he turned out so good that he made Troy Aikman's induction speech at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. For every Turner, though, there are plenty of David Shulas who have flopped as play-callers and coordinators.
There are no guarantees.
All of the players have said Garrett has done a wonderful job of implementing the Cowboys' offense and teaching it to them. His colleagues give him kudos for keeping the running game intact, so players would have less to learn.
Members of the front office talk about his relationship with the players and the way he simplifies his concepts, making the offense easy to learn and giving players confidence that they can execute.
He's also forged a positive relationship with T.O., in part, because he's let the receiver know his importance to the offense through actions – not words.
The first offensive play of the preseason was a pass to T.O. And he's moved the receiver around the formation to create mismatch problems for the defense and to allow him to run after the catch, the skill that makes T.O. a game-breaker.
Still, Garrett has never called plays in a regular-season game. Until he does it successfully, questions will linger.
You probably won't like this, but if the offensive coordinator's name wasn't Jason Garrett, he'd be under a lot more scrutiny.
There would be questions about his credentials since he's only entering his third year as an assistant coach, especially since it's not like his last team was an offensive juggernaut.
We overlook that because Garrett comes with a seal of approval from guys such as Aikman and Daryl Johnston.
We trust them.
Besides, Garrett has always been a likable guy. He was the type of hard-working, humble player who made it easy to root for him because you knew how much he appreciated being in the NFL.
You know he worked hard because he lasted 13 seasons with marginal talent. He was the consummate underdog.
Always.
And he delivered the few times he had an opportunity to play, going 6-3 as a starter with the Cowboys. And what Cowboys fan will ever forget his marvelous Thanksgiving Day performance against Green Bay in 1994?
You loved cheering for Garrett then, so you assume he'll succeed now. That's fine.
But you must realize this offense isn't nearly as dangerous without Glenn as it is with him. He brings a dimension no other offensive player on this team has. He can beat you with pure speed.
Maybe you don't appreciate Glenn because he spends little time with reporters and you rarely see him interviewed on TV. But he's a quality player on the tier just beneath Steve Smith, Chad Johnson and Marvin Harrison.
Even at 33, he remains one of the league's best big-play receivers. The last two seasons, he's averaged 16.5 yards per catch and scored 13 touchdowns.
Without him in the lineup, the Cowboys become much easier to defend, and Garrett's job gets more difficult.
With Glenn at flanker, Romo had an easy job. See whether the defense rolled coverage toward T.O. or Glenn and go to the player with single coverage. If each drew double coverage, Romo could hit Witten in the middle of the field.
And with the safeties afraid T.O. or Glenn would run past them, Barber and Jones didn't have to deal with quite as many eight-man fronts, making it easier to run the ball.
All bets are off now.
Patrick Crayton, who moves into the starting lineup, is a good receiver, but teams won't double-cover him. Owens and Witten will get it exclusively, making it harder to get each of them the ball.
Garrett must be at his creative best to maximize this offense's talent.
Soon, there won't be any questions about whether he's the next Norv Turner. Or David Shula.
Losing Terry Glenn, whether it's for a couple of weeks or the rest of the season, significantly changes the dynamics of the Cowboys' offense.
It affects Tony Romo, Terrell Owens and Jason Witten in the passing game. And it affects Marion Barber and Julius Jones in the running game.
But it affects Jason Garrett more than anyone else because he has to make this offense work without one of the team's best players.
We don't know how good Garrett is as at putting together a game plan. Or calling plays. Or more important, calling plays after the offense has gone three-and-out in the first three series.
We think we know. We hope we know. But the reality is, we have no clue other than what he's shown us in four preseason games.
Garrett has no track record because he's never done it.
Neither had Norv Turner when the Cowboys hired him, and he turned out so good that he made Troy Aikman's induction speech at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. For every Turner, though, there are plenty of David Shulas who have flopped as play-callers and coordinators.
There are no guarantees.
All of the players have said Garrett has done a wonderful job of implementing the Cowboys' offense and teaching it to them. His colleagues give him kudos for keeping the running game intact, so players would have less to learn.
Members of the front office talk about his relationship with the players and the way he simplifies his concepts, making the offense easy to learn and giving players confidence that they can execute.
He's also forged a positive relationship with T.O., in part, because he's let the receiver know his importance to the offense through actions – not words.
The first offensive play of the preseason was a pass to T.O. And he's moved the receiver around the formation to create mismatch problems for the defense and to allow him to run after the catch, the skill that makes T.O. a game-breaker.
Still, Garrett has never called plays in a regular-season game. Until he does it successfully, questions will linger.
You probably won't like this, but if the offensive coordinator's name wasn't Jason Garrett, he'd be under a lot more scrutiny.
There would be questions about his credentials since he's only entering his third year as an assistant coach, especially since it's not like his last team was an offensive juggernaut.
We overlook that because Garrett comes with a seal of approval from guys such as Aikman and Daryl Johnston.
We trust them.
Besides, Garrett has always been a likable guy. He was the type of hard-working, humble player who made it easy to root for him because you knew how much he appreciated being in the NFL.
You know he worked hard because he lasted 13 seasons with marginal talent. He was the consummate underdog.
Always.
And he delivered the few times he had an opportunity to play, going 6-3 as a starter with the Cowboys. And what Cowboys fan will ever forget his marvelous Thanksgiving Day performance against Green Bay in 1994?
You loved cheering for Garrett then, so you assume he'll succeed now. That's fine.
But you must realize this offense isn't nearly as dangerous without Glenn as it is with him. He brings a dimension no other offensive player on this team has. He can beat you with pure speed.
Maybe you don't appreciate Glenn because he spends little time with reporters and you rarely see him interviewed on TV. But he's a quality player on the tier just beneath Steve Smith, Chad Johnson and Marvin Harrison.
Even at 33, he remains one of the league's best big-play receivers. The last two seasons, he's averaged 16.5 yards per catch and scored 13 touchdowns.
Without him in the lineup, the Cowboys become much easier to defend, and Garrett's job gets more difficult.
With Glenn at flanker, Romo had an easy job. See whether the defense rolled coverage toward T.O. or Glenn and go to the player with single coverage. If each drew double coverage, Romo could hit Witten in the middle of the field.
And with the safeties afraid T.O. or Glenn would run past them, Barber and Jones didn't have to deal with quite as many eight-man fronts, making it easier to run the ball.
All bets are off now.
Patrick Crayton, who moves into the starting lineup, is a good receiver, but teams won't double-cover him. Owens and Witten will get it exclusively, making it harder to get each of them the ball.
Garrett must be at his creative best to maximize this offense's talent.
Soon, there won't be any questions about whether he's the next Norv Turner. Or David Shula.
posted by The Gryphon at 9:10 AM
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