DMN Blog: Someone has to do it

by Albert Breer

In the NFL, the "one game at a time" mantra is all-encompassing. No Cowboy, the coaches will tell you, should be focusing on anything but the Eagles this week.

Unless, that is, your name in Wes Phillips or Dat Nguyen. For those two, the job is to look ahead.

Right now, they're wrapping up work on the Panthers. By the time the players shift their focus to Carolina, the Nguyen and the younger Phillips will be on to the Redskins. That's life for quality control assistants in the league, and for low-level coaches in college as well.

They always work a week ahead. That way, when a game week comes, much of the groundwork has been laid for the team to prepare, with reports on the opponent waiting.

"They’re quite extensive, what they do," Wade Phillips said. "They spend probably more time than anyone on our staff, Wes and Dat. They have extensive reports that tell you about everything you can think of. And they have a feel for (our) team, and help on the gameplan in that way."