Making the Earliest Possible Mistakes

by thatguyben on Jan 26, 2007 2:40 PM EST in Redskins Analysis

A real confidence-builder

Jerral W. Jones has hired Jason Garrett as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys...or as an offensive coordinator for a coach to be hired later...or maybe as head coach if the the guys he's interviewing turn him down, or maybe as Jerral W. Jones coffee-getter or something.

As predicted, Jerral W. Jones is not really looking for a serious and independent head coach. He's looking for a broken-down yes-man (Wade Phillips, Norval Turner) or a newcomer that is willing to bend over for a couple of seasons and get fired in order to break into the head coaching ranks (see also: Lane Kiffin)

So now, Jerral W. Jones has undermined his head coach, no matter who it winds up to be. If it's Jason, the players will know Jerral W. Jones wanted someone else, that they get to play for the guy Jerral W. Jones settled for because no one else would take the job. If it's someone else, they'll know that someone else was brought in just to mind the shop until Jason is ready. Lifetime Eagles fan, season ticket holder and Curly R reader/lurker Wilbert Montgomery thinks it will be Wade Phillips, brought in essentially to run the defense while Jason runs the offense until Wade is out of favor or Jason is ready.

There's a real great message to send you your players: there's no real head coach, just two coordinators with Jerral W. Jones running the show.

And what if it's Norval? Norval does not use an offensive coordinator in his system, he is the offensive coordinator. Jason would be no more than a glorified quarterbacks coach, which is already what he is. Yepper, Norval and Jason in meetings, with Norval going over the gameplan and Jason just sitting there, waiting, planning, scheming, then going into private meetings with Jerral W. Jones...

Whatever, as a Redskins fan it's nice for a change to watch some other team make terrible personnel choices.

Ben Folsom of The Curly R is one of the legion of volunteers keeping Hogs Haven rolling while Skin Patrol is pursuing his true calling as a degenerate gambler in Las Vegas.

Jason Garrett: Andy Scott / Dallas Morning News from here

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Why

I get why this move could make sense from Jerry Jones' point of view. Now he has Garrett locked up as either his offensive coordinator or if his top choices don't work out, as his second-best head coach.

What I don't get is why Garrett would want to take the OC position under these circumstances. If he's such a hot HC prospect why shouldn't he just wait until the right HC opening came along? Or tell Jones to call back when he gets serious about making an offer. Other QB coaches have made the jump to head coach. (IIRC, Andy Reid went straight from Green Bay's QB coach to head coach of the Eagles.) As it is, Garrett is putting himself in a situation that almost seems designed to fail.

Of course, if Garrett's really not displaying the best judgment, that bodes well for the rest of the NFC East.

Bleeding Green Nation

by Dire Radiant on Jan 26, 2007 3:29 PM EST reply actions

DR, I think we're saying the same thing

JG must not be a hot HC prospect, and in fact I read that if Bill Parcells left, Jerry Jones' main target was the SD defensive coordinator, whom no one else was targeting, meaning that Jones wants a low-caliber candidate that he can control.

If Wade or Norv take the job, they'll be toothless in their ability to lead the team. Just like with Chan Gailey, Jerry Jones is asserting his influence on the team in a manner that will be ultimately detrimental to the team's on-field performance for at least a couple of seasons.

Like you, as an NFC Beast football fan, this warms my heart on a cold day.

=====The Curly R: Blogging the Redskins=====

by thatguyben on Jan 26, 2007 5:05 PM EST up reply actions

JG isn't a hot head coahing prospect...

he is a hot OC prospect, so why not make the Cowboys, with young Pro Bowl QB Romo and that recieving core, your first job?

The fact that he's like last on the short yet not-so-distinguished list for Head Coach is icing. It makes sense for JG.

The fact is, he just went from the QB coach in a divison that will be tough to win... on a team with a new offensive guy (Cam Cameron) and probably a new offensive system and no clear number #1 QB (depending on the health of Culpepper) to a team that is pretty much returning everyone on offense and a place where he can install his system and run it, no questions asked. (That might be a little different if Norv gets the job...)

And Jones gets the guy he wants for the future of his franchise, in his shiny new building...

The only person it won't makie sense for is the guy who comes in to be the "head coach." I could see Wade or Norv doing it only to try out for their next head coaching job, in 2 or 3 years, when Jerry unceremoniously throws him out in favor of Garrett.

by TexSkins on Jan 26, 2007 9:13 PM EST up reply actions

Cam Cameron

Oh TexSkins you wait. I have the Curly R history treatment all lined up for Mr. Cameron. As a head coach I predict Cam Cameron will be less than Mike Martz, the other failed Redskins QB coach-turned-head coach.

=====The Curly R: Blogging the Redskins=====

by thatguyben on Jan 27, 2007 1:24 AM EST up reply actions

Probably...

but his team is in disarray. He has no idea who his QB is, he might or might not get Ricky Williams, and his defense isn't getting any younger.

Martz at least had the benefit of having a good team assembled by Vermeil (Super Bowl champs nonetheless) before he managed to completely destroy the team.

Cameron's got his work cut out for him, there's no doubt about that.

by TexSkins on Jan 27, 2007 5:58 AM EST up reply actions