GM Decisions for 2013 Cowboys

Cowboys Owner - Jerry Jones

The Dallas Cowboy’s soap opera season ends similar to previous years.  If you have seen one soap opera you have seen them all.  In 2008, you could say it was like the Young & the Restless losing in Philly 44-6.  You could look at 2011 and compare it to As The World Turns at the NY Giants losing 31-14.  Now Cowboys fans just finished watching an episode of General Hospital in Washington losing 28-18.

I thought to myself, "maybe if the NFL schedules the Cowboys at home for the last game of the season in 2013, the Boys might be able to pull out a victory?"  Hey, the last time Dallas went to the playoffs was 2009 when they ended the season at home against Donovan McNabb and the Eagles.  Dallas won the season finale and then beat the Eagles the following week in the Wildcard game.

No matter what, the attitude in Dallas must change.  The culture must change.  Everything must change.  For that to happen

Jerry Jones must make some harsh decisions.  I believe Jimmy Johnson was right when he said, “Fear of losing your job..." is the biggest motivating factor in the NFL posted in an earlier column.  Right now, Cowboy players do not fear losing their jobs.

If I were the General Manager for the Dallas Cowboys, these are some things I would be looking at for the 2013 season:

Scouts

Visit all of the college post bowl games like the Senior Bowl and etc.  See if there is viable, late round, talent out there.  Even though they already do this, make sure each scout is looking at specialized positions.  Defined as making a scout or scouts dedicated to all 3 levels of the defense like the defensive line, linebackers, and secondary.  The same with the 5 levels of the offense where there is an offensive line, quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and tight ends.

Offense

Coaching Staff

Current Offensive Coordinator: Bill Callahan/Jason Garrett

Future Offensive Coordinator: Norv Turner

Cowboys OC - Bill Callahan

Coach - Norv Turner

I know most people think I am crazy, but Norv Turner was the last offensive coordinator to win a Super Bowl for the Cowboys.  He also coached Garrett as a back up to Troy Aikman.  I have always believed that Norv was a better coordinator over being a head coach quite similar to Wade Phillips.  Norv is a guy that can assist Garrett in making adjustments on the fly and understanding situational football.  An example of situational football – It’s 3^rd down and 4,which means all you need is 4.5 yards or more.  If the offensive coordinator called 10 yard passing plays 170 out of 200 chances during a 16 game season last year and failed to get the first down 120 times, the coordinator does not understand situational football.  He should be running more passing plays between 5 to 6 yards.  Or it could be not changing your pass protection or providing new plays when a defense sends a blitz every down.  Watch this video on how the New England Patriots Tom Brady beats the blitz:

Brady is prepared from his coach Bill Belichick.  Shouldn’t the coach assist the QB in changing the play calls during practice?

Players

• RB - Dallas must find 1 or 2 stable/healthy running backs to get the job done behind Demarco Murray.  Once Felix Jones got injured he was not the same.  He could still be a backup, but maybe a 3^rd down guy only.  This keeps him fresh throughout the season.
•  WR - The wide receivers are pretty good, but there needs to be a replacement for Ogletree.  After 4 or 5 years in the system he should have flourished as a consistent 3^rd receiver but that did not happen.
• TE – Dallas is good with the backups to Witten.
• Offensive Line - Keep patching the line with good draft picks.  Maybe 1^st or 2^nd round.  Romo must be protected.
• QB – There is not a lot out there, but Romo must have a challenge to his position to possibly be the future in Dallas.

Defense

Coaching Staff

Current Defensive Coordinator: Rob Ryan

Future Defensive Coordinator: Rob Ryan

Cowboys DC - Rob Ryan

Rob Ryan did a very good job for what he had missing 6 starters on the defense.  The only knock I have against Ryan is his style of bump and run coverage.  Actually, there is no bump and run coverage.  All season I saw the number 1 and 2 cornerbacks get up in the face of receivers at the line of scrimmage and not touch the guys.  Why call it bump and run coverage if no one bumps a guy?  The league still allows 5 yards from the line of scrimmage to bump a receiver.

If Ryan actually teaches bump skills, then it throws the timing off of the receivers and the pass rush has time to get to the QB.  Simple!

As far as the blitz scheme goes, I heard Chris Collinsworth state during a Sunday Night football game that Rob Ryan is the only coach who rarely ever blitzes.  Rob sends a blitz the least amount as opposed to the other 31 coordinators in the NFL.  So since that is the case, I do not expect great blitz packages from Rob in 2013.

Players

• DE – Find some pass rushers in the draft or through free agency to help Demarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer get to the QB.  Possibly sign a veteran like Osi Umenyiora who is looking to start at DE.  You never know.
• DT – Find some meat in the middle to stop the run behind Jay Ratliff.  Ratliff’s injuries are plaguing his career and it will not be long before he will retire.  Losing Josh Brent after the fatal car crash was a big loss as well.
• LB – Find more speed for the backups to deal with the likes of RG3 and other mobile QBs.  Our backups could not even catch a gimp legged RG3 in 2012 season finale.  Terrible!  Just terrible!
• CB – Dallas is good in this area.  If Dallas resigns Mike Jenkins, great!  If not, Orlando Scandrick will return from injury to play the slot and Dallas can find an additional CB late in the draft or through free agency.
• Safety – Dallas is in desperate need of a safety.  Barry Church was injured in the 3^rd week of the season during the Tampa Bay game causing another void in the secondary.  When Church returns the team maybe OK, but I am not sold.  Word is that Gerald Sensabaugh played on a bad hip all season long.  Either way, Dallas needs a playmaking safety.  This is a position where they need talent.  Just look at Ed Reed of Baltimore and Troy Polamalu of Pittsburgh.  You may not know him, but #27 Stevie Brown of the NY Giants was a great takeaway guy this year.  Enough said.  

Special Teams

Coaching Staff

Current Special Teams Coordinator: Joe DeCamillis

Future Special Teams Coordinator: Joe DeCamillis

Cowboys STC - Joe DeCamillis

Joe D is a great special teams coordinator.  Joe D’s unit cost the Cowboys 1 game each of the last 2 seasons, where the blame fell on Jason Garrett.  Rightfully so, but Joe D’s team could have helped.  The poor clock management games from Garrett in 2011 vs. Arizona where Dan Bailey missed gamed winning kick because Garrett iced the kicker before the time out.  The 2^nd time was in 2012 vs. Baltimore when special teams gave up a 108 yard kick return and then Dan Bailey missed the game winning kick.

With all of that, I still love Dan Bailey’s kicking attitude along with the kick/punt return emergence of #17 Dwayne Harris.  Dallas only needs to find a punter who can help change field position.  No game more evident than the horrendous punts against Cincinnati only to average 33 yards on 5 punts.  What?  I could understand 1, but 5?  Incredible!  The original punter, Chris Jones should return from injury to provide a boost.

Summary

HC/Jason Garrett & QB/Tony Romo

Currently, head coach Jason Garrett must step up or get ready for the chopping block.  Old coach Jimmy Johnson won his 1^st Super Bowl in his 4^th year and I believe Jerry is giving Garrett the same amount of time.  2013 will be Garrett’s 4^th season as head coach.  If he does not get to the NFC Championship, I believe Jerry will terminate Garrett.

From what I have seen, Dallas plays well for a few weeks then they forget how to play football.  Too much inconsistency!  Talent does not win ball games, coaching does.  How can the Redskins lead the league in rushing with a 6^th round rookie RB and an offensive line allowing their QBs to get punished over the last 2 years?  Coaching!

We all know Tony Romo will do what he does so fans and the media cannot expect to see a different ending to this soap opera.  It’s up to the writer of the soap opera (Jason Garrett) to change the script for a different ending.  That means the writer must script more lines for the RB and he must have a defense that will not surrender 274 yards rushing in one game.  One game.  This was a close out game where 274 yards were surrendered. 

2013 is all on Garrett.  I wish the best for him!