Hiring of Phillips means a new approach in Dallas
IRVING, Texas (SportsWeekly) — Not much has changed in the huge office near the front of the coaches wing at the Dallas Cowboys' headquarters.
There is still a Texas-sized, L-shaped desk dominating the room. A bookshelf that covers an entire wall. Floor-to-ceiling windows for a serene view of the well-manicured landscape.
This is where Tom Landry worked. Then Jimmy Johnson, Barry Switzer and, eventually, Bill Parcells.
Now it is Wade Phillips' office.
The new coach of the Cowboys is putting his personal touch on the place — aesthetically, with pictures and mementos, and congenially, with his laid-back style.
"I present it as a family situation," Phillips said, leaning back at his desk. "I think loyalty and trust are real important. We're all part of the Cowboys family. Thats what I want to get over to the players."
Although his predecessor, Parcells, might agree with such values and the bottom-line mission of winning games, the soft-spoken Phillips is a polar opposite to the often-brusque Parcells when it comes to relaying those messages.
This is the obvious change that has blown into Valley Ranch.
TABLE: Additions, subtractions in Dallas
It is tough to imagine Phillips snapping at his coaches, berating his quarterback on the sideline or threatening to fight a player.
"I did not try to go out and hire Bill Jr.," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says. "Not that you could have if you wanted to."
"There are so many positives about Bill. I respect a lot about the way Bill developed players. But I know we'll benefit from the freshness with Wade's approach."
Parcells was 34-32 in four seasons with the Cowboys, including a 0-2 playoff mark. The 2006 season ended with a disastrous meltdown in a 21-20 playoff loss at Seattle— best remembered for quarterback Tony Romo's mishandled snap on a potential game-winning field goal attempt in the final seconds but also including several other fourth-quarter gaffes.
Phillips, previously a head man in Denver and Buffalo and most recently the San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator, is positioned to finish what Parcells started in many ways.
The last six times Phillips joined a new NFL team as head coach or coordinator, that team advanced to the playoffs in the first year. Until now, he had never joined a team that was coming off a winning record in one of those roles.
"That was part of my selling point," Phillips said with a hearty laugh. "I might be luckier than hell, but this time it's a little different."
A few minutes before Phillips was talking to a visitor, new offensive coordinator Jason Garrett buzzed out of the office. Garrett and new defensive coordinator Brian Stewart, whom Phillips brought with him from San Diego, are in their positions for the first time.
Yet Garrett was actually hired for his job before Phillips came aboard. He was handpicked by Jones, who used to employ Garrett's father as a scout and has watched the son, who was also the teams former backup quarterback,evolve into a rising star in the coaching ranks. Garrett was previously the Miami Dolphins quarterbacks coach.
Despite perceptions that Garrett, 41, is being groomed to become head coach, Phillips insists that he's comfortable with the arrangement. Phillips will manage the big game-day decisions — like what to do on fourth-and-1 — while Garrett will have the autonomy to handle the detail work of game-planning and play-calling.
Even so, Phillips says he wont be shy in demanding certain matters of emphasis. When Jim Fassel ran his offense in Denver, Phillips remembers his own directive as such: "I know it's West Coast and all of that stuff, but whatever it is, I want (tight end) Shannon Sharpe to get the football."
In Buffalo, Phillips made a similar suggestion to feature receiver Eric Moulds.
Any guesses on whom he wants to have the ball in Dallas?
Try Terrell Owens.
"Can you put that in big headlines?" Phillips asks.
Owens led the Cowboys with 85 catches and 1,180 receiving yards last season despite playing through a broken finger. Beyond the numbers, Owens' transition to the team was not smooth. He seemed to get off on the wrong foot with Parcells, missing much of training camp with a hamstring injury. He dropped passes at crucial times. And his penchant for off-the-field drama reached a peak when his apparent overdose on pain medication sparked a media frenzy.
"I've never had a guy as unique," Phillips said. "But I've been around a lot of guys. You can't keep them from being individuals."
Phillips said he respected the way Owens defended Tony Romo to the media after the gaffe in Seattle. It provided a critical clue about how their relationship can evolve.
The Cowboys are banking on Garrett to help keep the peace by crafting a significant role for Owens. Jones says, "I think the offense will be tailored more to his skills."
This is part of what Jones means when he says he is sold on Garrett's practical approach. He sees Garrett's willingness to play to the strengths of his personnel, rather than forcing players to conform to a system, as an advantage.
Of course, Garrett has never done this as a coordinator. But Phillips has. His Chargers Defense led the NFL with 61 sacks in 2006.
The defense Phillips inherits ranked 13th last season and saw a 24th-ranked pass defense wilt down the stretch. Of the 27 touchdown passes Dallas allowed (including the playoff game), 16 were yielded in the final five games.
Phillips aims to design schemes that put players in their best positions to succeed — which will likely mean using linebacker DeMarcus Ware more exclusively as a rusher and keeping coverage-deficient safety Roy Williams closer to the line of scrimmage. "Whatever they do well," Phillips said, "thats what we want to feature."
Phillips doesn't hesitate when describing the identity he seeks. He wants a team that plays hard and smart. "You don't want to beat yourself first," he says. "Football's a game of mistakes."
Dallas knows this. Tony Romo's muff prevented a second-round playoff trip to Chicago. Will that twist of fate adversely affect Tony Romo?
"One of Tony Romo's gifts is that he can leave the bad plays behind," Jones says. "That's one of two things I'd bet on with him. The other is that he has the instincts to compete."
With an 11-year drought since the once-mighty franchise has won a playoff game, much is riding on any number of hunches just like that.
AROUND THE FIELD IN DALLAS
Quarterback: Tony Romo was the NFL's fifth-rated passer (95.1). But after 10 touchdown passes and two interceptions in his first five regular-season starts, he faltered to a 6-8 ratio in those categories in his final five starts. The jury's still out on Tony Romo. One-time Super Bowl champ Brad Johnson, 38, is the new backup.
Running back: Julius Jones and Marion Barber form a solid 1-2 punch. Jones topped 1,000 yards for the first time in 2006; the powerful Barber emerged as a go-to force with 16 touchdowns. Tyson Thompson, recovered from a fractured fibula, is a legit No.3.
Wide receiver: Terrell Owens already needs a fresh start after his first year in Dallas included off-the-field drama, a broken finger and a league-high 17 drops. Terry Glenn can still make plenty of big plays, and Patrick Crayton could develop into something special. Rookie Isaiah Stanback was a college quarterback but might prove to be the team's fourth receiving option if he heals from a midfoot fracture.
Tight end: Fluid Jason Witten ranks among NFL's best. Although Anthony Fasano showed promise as a rookie, he needs to be a better short-yardage blocker.
Offensive line: The addition of free agent Leonard Davis and re-signings of tackle Marc Colombo and center Andre Gurode give this crew a solid foundation. Guard Marco Rivera was released after a second back surgery. Elsewhere, the heat is on left tackle Flozell Adams, who is in a contract year. Dallas has collected some big, young toughies: Paul McQuistan (from last year's crop) and draftees Doug Free and James Marten.
Defensive line: The front line is set with ends Marcus Spears and Chris Canty flanking nose tackle Jason Ferguson. The big question is depth behind Ferguson.
Linebacker: No.1 picks have been invested here over the past three drafts. Pro Bowler DeMarcus Ware might be relied upon more heavily as a rusher, good news for a unit with just 34 sacks. Greg Ellis, who can shift to end, is battling back from a torn Achilles'; this year's top pick, Anthony Spencer, is Ellis' eventual replacement. Bobby Carpenter, last year's first-rounder, has yet to crack the starting lineup. Kevin Burnett will also play inside behind Bradie James and Akin Ayodele.
Secondary: The signing of Ken Hamlin adds another big hitter, but the last thing a unit torched down the stretch needed was a safety with coverage deficiencies. If Hamlin or Patrick Watkins can play the pass, weak-covering Roy Williams can play closer to the line. At corner, Terence Newman is the best in man-to-man while inconsistent Anthony Henry might be a future safety.
Special teams: Punter Mat McBriar led the NFL with a 48.2-yard average in 2006. Martin Gramatica was re-signed as kicker, but draftee Nick Folk can earn a spot as the kickoff specialist. Miles Austin, Thompson and, perhaps, Stanback can all be dynamic kick returners; Newman brings back the punts.
Coaching staff: Wade Phillips has an eclectic mix: fresh faces, holdovers from Bill Parcells' staff and new coaches more linked to owner/general manager Jerry Jones. Jason Garrett is one of two first-time coordinators. To help Phillips run his D, he brought Brian Stewart with him from San Diego. Coveted O-line coach Tony Sparano and secondary coach Todd Bowles are holdovers.
Outlook: If Tony Romo doesn't muff the snap on the field goal attempt that sealed Dallas' wild-card loss at Seattle, the Cowboys might have made a deep playoff run. The fact is the Cowboys haven't won a playoff game in 11 years. Given the wide-open NFC landscape, a defense that could improve under Phillips and the playmakers on offense, the Cowboys can aim high. But Tony Romo's still a question, and Dallas has yet to prove it is the class of its division.
See more at www.usatoday.com
