AMERICAS_FAN;2865150 said:
Source: Dallas Morning News ?!?!?!?!?
WHO at the DMN exactly floated this gaorbage-piece out?
JJT...Sort of.
Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett is on hot seat http://www.***BANNED-URL***/images/ice3/icons/slideshow.gif
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12:55 AM CDT on Monday, August 3, 2009
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Column by JEAN-JACQUES TAYLOR / The Dallas Morning News | jjtaylor@***BANNED-URL***
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SAN ANTONIO – Jason Garrett is a really good coach who had a bad season in 2008.
He'll prove last year was an aberration with his performance this season.
We all know there's considerable pressure on Tony Romo to play at a high level this season, but there's just as much pressure on Garrett to perform.
Two years ago, we anointed him a genius and the heir to the Cowboys' throne, whenever Wade Phillips vacated it, after the Cowboys' 13-3 season fueled by their record-setting offensive attack.
Heck, Garrett even turned down head coaching jobs with Atlanta and Baltimore.
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Circumstances have changed quite a bit since last season, when he chose Brad Johnson as the backup quarterback, fought off a near mutiny led by T.O. in the second half of the season and listened to Romo publicly complain about the offensive design after embarrassing losses to Baltimore and Philadelphia to end the season.
Now, we assume Garrett, the league's highest-paid assistant coach, will get fired if the Cowboys don't maximize their offensive potential this season.
Garrett, as you would expect, isn't interested in reliving last season. Neither is Phillips, unless we're talking about the Cowboys leading the league in sacks.
But if we don't address last season's failures, you might not understand why this year will be different.
It'll be better because Garrett, a Princeton graduate, is an intelligent man. He's always been known as a hard worker, who learned from his mistakes, as a player and during his rapid ascent as a coach.
It's obvious some players lost confidence in Garrett last season. Otherwise, T.O., a chronic complainer, would've been the only player whining about the offense. Instead, Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton voiced their displeasure as did Romo.
Garrett shouldn't have to deal with those types of issues this season, in part, because there's not going to be an focal point of the offense. Everyone from Martellus Bennett to Marion Barber to Roy Williams will have an opportunity to touch the ball and make plays.
Phillips has also made it clear he wants to run the ball more frequently.
In Garrett's first two seasons as a play-caller, the Cowboys have ranked 17th and 21st. They have run the ball 43 and 41 percent, respectively, of the time.
That must change.
And it should since Phillips wants the Cowboys to have a running attack ranked in the top 10. FYI: Six of the NFL's top-10 rushing teams made the playoffs.
The strongest aspect of this team is its running backs. Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice give Dallas potentially the best collection of running backs in the league, if they can stay healthy.
"My philosophy hasn't changed," Garrett said. "It's important to be balanced. My philosophy is to attack the defense. That's been kind of misunderstood and people assume that means throwing the ball.
"You have to be able to run it inside and outside. And you have to be able to throw it short, medium and long. And you better have some deception in your offense if you want to move the ball."
To do that, Garrett must check his ego. Every successful person has an ego. It's part of the reason they succeed.
Garrett's no different.
He was a college and pro quarterback, and he's worked with some of the best offensive minds in the game.
He coaches one the league's best quarterbacks – whether you agree or not – as well as one of the game's best tight ends. For the last two years, he's also had one of the best receivers.
So you can't really blame Garrett for preferring to throw the ball.
But this team must run the ball more to succeed. Garrett's a smart man. He'll make sure it happens.
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