FWST: 4 yrs later, Garret, Cowboys finally beyond starting point

Four years later, Garrett, Cowboys finally beyond the starting point

Posted Saturday, Nov. 22, 2014
By Drew Davison

ddavison@star-telegram.com

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — This is where the process started.

Jason Garrett took over a 1-7 team four years ago that had widely underachieved under Wade Phillips and desperately needed a fresh voice.

Garrett provided that, and it resonated with the team as they went 5-3 in the final eight games. It appeared that success would come sooner than later under Garrett, but it didn’t.

The 2011 season saw an 8-8 campaign with no playoffs. The same thing happened in 2012. And again in 2013.

Throughout it all, Garrett’s “process” philosophy had become a punch line throughout the Metroplex, and most felt this season would be Garrett’s swan song. The process, it seemed, would keep going down the dubious 8-8 path littered with unfulfilled expectations.

But the years-long process is finally heading in the right direction with the Cowboys in position for their first playoff berth in five years and a possible Super Bowl run.

The promising 2014 season resumes Sunday night at the place it all began for Garrett, as the Cowboys look for, you guessed it, win No. 8. This time, though, it’s in Week 12 rather than Week 16 or 17.

“You have to build and compete,” Garrett said. “That’s what you have to do in this league. You have to somehow, some way with the group that you have give yourself the best chance to win on Sunday.

“But all the while you want to move the team to a certain direction. You have a vision for what you want the team to look like and you have to make decisions for today but also for the future in terms of personnel.”

For Garrett and the Cowboys, that meant making difficult decisions with players who had been cornerstones in the organization. Only 11 players remain with the team from the day Garrett took over, including household names such as Tony Romo, Jason Witten and Dez Bryant.

But other fan favorites have since departed: DeMarcus Ware, Jason Hatcher and Miles Austin.

“That’s just the way this league works, especially when you’re not making playoffs,” Witten said. “There’s change and that’s what happens in this league. I’m not really surprised by it, I just think that’s part of this business.”

But Witten, Bryant and the others praised the work Garrett has done in turning this team into a contender.

Nobody, including owner Jerry Jones, felt that this team had Super Bowl potential. But it has gone from playing as a team with no outside expectations to playing as a team with expectations.

And it traces back to Garrett’s message from Day One.

“We had to forget about what had happened up until that point and focus on today and forward, period,” Garrett said. “You have heard me talk about that a lot. That’s a really important concept in life.

“We had to make sure everyone was thinking that way and focus on Wednesday, be great today. That was the initial message. Let’s stack good days on top of each other.”

It might sound simple and somewhat elementary, but it has been effective. His players have certainly taken it to heart and constantly say things along those lines.

You hear it from veterans such as cornerback Orlando Scandrick to first-year players under Garrett such as linebacker Rolando McClain.

“We are taking it one game at a time, focusing on playing winning football,” Scandrick said.

Said McClain: “We have to get better today and then worry about tomorrow, tomorrow.”

Bryant took it a step further in providing more insight into how Garrett has turned this team around.

Bryant was just a rookie who didn’t know much about the business or league at the time Garrett took over, and honestly didn’t know how to respond to his new coach.

Garrett is an Ivy League-educated guy who lasted seven years as a backup quarterback in the NFL. Bryant, conversely, grew up in a small East Texas town as a heralded high school player who went on to star at Oklahoma State and become a first-round NFL pick.

“Truthfully, man, I never been in a situation like that — a coach getting fired,” Bryant said. “ All I did was just do my job the best way I possibly could.

“I’ll tell you this: It’s totally different now than it’s ever been, and that’s a credit to coach Garrett. The way we’re moving, I love every bit of it.”

It’s just a process, after all.

Changing seasons

For the 7-3 Dallas Cowboys, it’s not how you start, it’s often how you finish that decides their fate:


Year First 10 Final 6 Rec.
2013 5-5 3-3 8-8
2012 6-4 2-4 8-8
2011 6-4 2-4 8-8
2010 3-7 3-3 6-10
2009 7-3 4-2 11-5*

*Made playoffs

Read more here: Four years later, Garrett, Cowboys finally beyond the starting point | Dallas Cowboys | Lates...

We are definitely leading the league in cliches.

I know, I'm glad Garrett introduced this innovative One Day at a Time philosophy. Never heard any other coach say that before.

clap clap clap

Jerry has been such a handicap to this organization over the past decades. He makes it tougher for a coach to succeed.

Garrett was clearly in over his head for a while there. He was flat unable to make the offensive coordinator + head coach equation work.

But regardless as to how likeable or unlikeable he might be, in his latest role as walk-around head coach, he hasn't sucked. He's been o.k., really.

I loved how tonight when we called time out before a key third down play, Romo was talking with Linehan and someone else, maybe Weeden, and Garrett was standing about 6 feet away just observing.

Garrett to Weeden after the timeout: "what were you guys talking about, Brandon? Did anybody say anything funny?"

Dez's endorsement of Garrett sealed it.. Jerry will extend him.

NoShame said:

Dez's endorsement of Garrett sealed it.. Jerry will extend him.

Keep reading...

What did he say?

NoShame said:

Dez's endorsement of Garrett sealed it.. Jerry will extend him.

Keep reading...

That was a done deal weeks ago anyway... Probably after the Seattle game.

So who do we give credit for this team's new identity as a patient running team? Is it all Linehan? Some to Marinelli since he's gotten the promotion? Is he clamoring for the offense to stick with the run to protect the defense he knows is flawed?

I can't see giving Garrett the credit since he never showed any commitment to the run in the past. Did he have an epitome during the offseason looking back at the Packers game (and others) late last season? I doubt it...

And some of the past issues crept up in those Washington and Arizona games. I know I stated that this team still isn't a real running team when they threw the ball 3 straight times in OT vs. Washington after running for 8 on 1st down. But last night they stuck with it in the 2nd half, when the old Garrett would have called 40 throws for Romo. He ended up with 26 and we were down 11 at half! That's not the Cowboys I'm used to. But it's exactly what I was hoping for at halftime last night.

peplaw06 said:

So who do we give credit for this team's new identity as a patient running team?

Keep reading...

Tony's surgically repaired back and the doubts it caused in the offseason. They collectively woke up and said, "damn we really need to run the fucking ball."

peplaw06 said:

So who do we give credit for this team's new identity as a patient running team? Is it all Linehan?

Keep reading...

Yep, it's him. You knew there was a new sheriff in town when we got down 21-0 to the Rams and kept running it. In years past, Garrett used any deficit, even one TD, as an excuse to start throwing. He'd even say as much in the PC.

This commitment to running also shows how mind-numbingly stupid Garrett's old "count the box and automatically check to a pass" system was. I wish someone would ask him at a PC, "Hey Jason, how can you run the ball with eight in the box this year when the last four years you basically told us that was impossible?"

Of course then Garrett would try to take all the credit for the OL, so scratch that request.

dbair1967 said:

What did he say?

Keep reading...

“I’ll tell you this: It’s totally different now than it’s ever been, and that’s a credit to coach Garrett. The way we’re moving, I love every bit of it.”

ThoughtExperiment said:

Yep, it's him. You knew there was a new sheriff in town when we got down 21-0 to the Rams and kept running it. In years past, Garrett used any deficit, even one TD, as an excuse to start throwing. He'd even say as much in the PC.

This commitment to running also shows how mind-numbingly stupid Garrett's old "count the box and automatically check to a pass" system was. I wish someone would ask him at a PC, "Hey Jason, how can you run the ball with eight in the box this year when the last four years you basically told us that was impossible?"

Of course then Garrett would try to take all the credit for the OL, so scratch that request.

Keep reading...

Yep, certainly not hearing "kill, kill, kill" as much this year. Yesterday I heard Romo use a different callsign to check INTO a run. It wasn't very successful IIRC, but I noted the distinct audible and the following stretch play.

I suspect it is mostly Linehan with a little Marinelli mixed in.

peplaw06 said:

Yep, certainly not hearing "kill, kill, kill" as much this year. Yesterday I heard Romo use a different callsign to check INTO a run. It wasn't very successful IIRC, but I noted the distinct audible and the following stretch play.

I suspect it is mostly Linehan with a little Marinelli mixed in.

Keep reading...

Here's how I'm told the "kill" thing and the "180" thing works.

Depending on whether it is a odd or even day, they mean different things. So that, if we are on a even day, "kill" three times really means, "kill the called play." But if we are on a odd day, it actually means "run the play as called." This is why he sometimes says it only twice, or only three times. Or only once.

Same thing for "180." On odd days it means run the called play, on even days it literally means do a '180' from what the play call was.

These can be and are switched around too, in other words the opposite and even days can be reversed, and other things different too - like changing it every quarter even - that changes the definition of "kill" and 180, for different games and times in the games. So that, only we know what he's really telling the offense to do.

I get this from a offensive coordinator friend who's been running the air raid offense for years.

Doomsday said:

Tony's surgically repaired back and the doubts it caused in the offseason. They collectively woke up and said, "damn we really need to run the fucking ball."

Keep reading...

THIS!

Doomsday said:

Here's how I'm told the "kill" thing and the "180" thing works.

Depending on whether it is a odd or even day, they mean different things. So that, if we are on a even day, "kill" three times really means, "kill the called play." But if we are on a odd day, it actually means "run the play as called." This is why he sometimes says it only twice, or only three times. Or only once.

Same thing for "180." On odd days it means run the called play, on even days it literally means do a '180' from what the play call was.

These can be and are switched around too, in other words the opposite and even days can be reversed, and other things different too - like changing it every quarter even - that changes the definition of "kill" and 180, for different games and times in the games. So that, only we know what he's really telling the offense to do.

I get this from a offensive coordinator friend who's been running the air raid offense for years.

Keep reading...

Romo's not saying 180. He says "White 80." And I think that's just a generic part of his cadence. The kill audible checks to the second called play and he uses hand signals to adjust routes with his WRs.

peplaw06 said:

Romo's not saying 180. He says "White 80." And I think that's just a generic part of his cadence. The kill audible checks to the second called play and he uses hand signals to adjust routes with his WRs.

Keep reading...

'180' is a common signal. So is "opposite." But they don't always mean what we assume.

Of course it's going to be different, per team. We assume.

The point being we don't and can't know if what he shouts means something or not, or if it's just decoy stuff at different times. That's the whole point. If we as fans really knew what all it was, then surely the defenders do too.

Doomsday said:

'180' is a common signal. So is "opposite." But they don't always mean what we assume.

Of course it's going to be different, per team. We assume.

The point being we don't and can't know if what he shouts means something or not, or if it's just decoy stuff at different times. That's the whole point. If we as fans really knew what all it was, then surely the defenders do too.

Keep reading...

Yeah you can figure out what they're cadences and audibles mean in theory. You obviously can't know the specific play call, but you can know that "kill, kill, kill" changes the original play called to the second play called in the huddle. You can see the hand signals he gives to his WRs, you just don't know what the hand signals mean by themselves, because they change. If you hear him say "white 80" it's a generic cadence. If he changes colors, and says "green 80" or something, he's probably changing the play.

If you pay attention you can see him controlling the play call. You don't know what play he's changing to or from, but you know it's changing.