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Column by DAVID MOORE / The Dallas Morning News
dmoore@dallasnews.com
IRVING – Changes are evident everywhere you turn at Valley Ranch these days.
This insight took hold at 1:54 Thursday afternoon. It's easier to keep track of revelations and time now that interim coach Jason Garrett has had the classic clocks that ringed the Cowboys locker room replaced by their digital cousins that flash bright red.
"You know those schoolhouse clocks, there was a nice touch to them," Garrett said. "They were charming. But sometimes they weren't that accurate.
"We're looking for accuracy."
The Cowboys offense has been much more accurate in the three games since Garrett has taken over. Points, carries and rushing yards are up. Turnovers, sacks and penalties are down in the team's best offensive stretch of the season.
"When you talk about the whole package, getting the running game going, not turning the ball over, I think this is our best stretch," tight end Jason Witten said.
So, why are the statistics so much better under Garrett, interim coach, than they were under Garrett, offensive coordinator? It has to do with calling plays, practice habits and execution. It has to do with an offensive line that has consistently asserted itself in a way it was unable to do in the first half of the season.
Play calling: Garrett has come under criticism for being too quick to abandon the run. He preaches balance but has always leaned toward the pass. The Cowboys ran the ball only 34 percent of the time in the first eight games.
That figure has soared to 50.5 percent in the three games that Garrett has been the interim coach. The Cowboys have run the ball 90 times and thrown it 88 times since Garrett has taken over for Wade Phillips.
Keeping the game close helps. Jacksonville 35-17 and Green Bay 45-7 have a way of skewering the run/pass ratio.
But the Cowboys fell behind New Orleans 17-0 in the first quarter and still kept running.
"The games have been closer," Garrett said. "That allows you to be more balanced. We have had fewer negative plays, fewer penalties. That has been positive for our offense. The execution has been better.
"That is something you have to work on every day. You have to work on all aspects of your team, certainly your run game and your pass game."
Garrett puts together the game plan early in the week. He goes over what personnel groups he wants in certain situations over the course of the game. It's an intellectual exercise.
But once the game starts he doesn't want to get lost in information. If he needs to get the ball to a certain player or go with a different formation than he envisioned, he will.
"It's always about feel," Garrett said. "That's always the way I call the plays."
Witten doesn't know if Garrett has called these games differently. He just believes they have been more manageable.
"It's probably more where we want to be consistently, keeping those guys [on defense] where you dictate how you want to manage it," Witten said.
Big plays: Receiver Miles Austin owns the team's longest carry from scrimmage this season with his 60-yard end-around for a touchdown against New Orleans.
Running back Felix Jones owns the longest reception. He took a screen pass 71 yard for a touchdown against the New York Giants.
Both of these plays came with Garrett as interim coach. Three of the Cowboys' five longest rushes and three of their five longest receptions have come in these last three games.
"Being able to hit some big plays, that's obviously helped us move the ball against good defenses," Witten said.
Practice makes perfect: Penalties have declined sharply since the Cowboys have had officials work practice. That began under Phillips' watch, and Garrett has made sure it continues.
Sacks are also down these last three games. Offensive line coach Hudson Houck said his group is playing the best it has all season.
"The reason for that, I don't know," Houck said. "Maybe the full-pad practice has something to do with it."
Garrett wants his team to work in full pads on Wednesdays. That is what Jimmy Johnson did when he coached the team.
That was back when they had those schoolhouse clocks on the wall.
"We have a long way to go on offense," Garrett said. "But guys are working the right way.
"It is showing up on Sunday."
Sharp improvement
The Cowboys offensive averages have improved dramatically in the three games with Jason Garrett as interim head coach:
Category......................First 8 games......................Last 3 games
Points................................20.1.................................32.6
Rushes...........................21-75.6 yds. .....................30-126 yds.
Penalties.......................7.7-63.2 yds. ......................5-39.3 yds.
Turnovers............................2.3..................................1.7
Sacks.............................2-10.6 yds. ........................1-5.3 yds.
dmoore@dallasnews.com
IRVING – Changes are evident everywhere you turn at Valley Ranch these days.
This insight took hold at 1:54 Thursday afternoon. It's easier to keep track of revelations and time now that interim coach Jason Garrett has had the classic clocks that ringed the Cowboys locker room replaced by their digital cousins that flash bright red.
"You know those schoolhouse clocks, there was a nice touch to them," Garrett said. "They were charming. But sometimes they weren't that accurate.
"We're looking for accuracy."
The Cowboys offense has been much more accurate in the three games since Garrett has taken over. Points, carries and rushing yards are up. Turnovers, sacks and penalties are down in the team's best offensive stretch of the season.
"When you talk about the whole package, getting the running game going, not turning the ball over, I think this is our best stretch," tight end Jason Witten said.
So, why are the statistics so much better under Garrett, interim coach, than they were under Garrett, offensive coordinator? It has to do with calling plays, practice habits and execution. It has to do with an offensive line that has consistently asserted itself in a way it was unable to do in the first half of the season.
Play calling: Garrett has come under criticism for being too quick to abandon the run. He preaches balance but has always leaned toward the pass. The Cowboys ran the ball only 34 percent of the time in the first eight games.
That figure has soared to 50.5 percent in the three games that Garrett has been the interim coach. The Cowboys have run the ball 90 times and thrown it 88 times since Garrett has taken over for Wade Phillips.
Keeping the game close helps. Jacksonville 35-17 and Green Bay 45-7 have a way of skewering the run/pass ratio.
But the Cowboys fell behind New Orleans 17-0 in the first quarter and still kept running.
"The games have been closer," Garrett said. "That allows you to be more balanced. We have had fewer negative plays, fewer penalties. That has been positive for our offense. The execution has been better.
"That is something you have to work on every day. You have to work on all aspects of your team, certainly your run game and your pass game."
Garrett puts together the game plan early in the week. He goes over what personnel groups he wants in certain situations over the course of the game. It's an intellectual exercise.
But once the game starts he doesn't want to get lost in information. If he needs to get the ball to a certain player or go with a different formation than he envisioned, he will.
"It's always about feel," Garrett said. "That's always the way I call the plays."
Witten doesn't know if Garrett has called these games differently. He just believes they have been more manageable.
"It's probably more where we want to be consistently, keeping those guys [on defense] where you dictate how you want to manage it," Witten said.
Big plays: Receiver Miles Austin owns the team's longest carry from scrimmage this season with his 60-yard end-around for a touchdown against New Orleans.
Running back Felix Jones owns the longest reception. He took a screen pass 71 yard for a touchdown against the New York Giants.
Both of these plays came with Garrett as interim coach. Three of the Cowboys' five longest rushes and three of their five longest receptions have come in these last three games.
"Being able to hit some big plays, that's obviously helped us move the ball against good defenses," Witten said.
Practice makes perfect: Penalties have declined sharply since the Cowboys have had officials work practice. That began under Phillips' watch, and Garrett has made sure it continues.
Sacks are also down these last three games. Offensive line coach Hudson Houck said his group is playing the best it has all season.
"The reason for that, I don't know," Houck said. "Maybe the full-pad practice has something to do with it."
Garrett wants his team to work in full pads on Wednesdays. That is what Jimmy Johnson did when he coached the team.
That was back when they had those schoolhouse clocks on the wall.
"We have a long way to go on offense," Garrett said. "But guys are working the right way.
"It is showing up on Sunday."
Sharp improvement
The Cowboys offensive averages have improved dramatically in the three games with Jason Garrett as interim head coach:
Category......................First 8 games......................Last 3 games
Points................................20.1.................................32.6
Rushes...........................21-75.6 yds. .....................30-126 yds.
Penalties.......................7.7-63.2 yds. ......................5-39.3 yds.
Turnovers............................2.3..................................1.7
Sacks.............................2-10.6 yds. ........................1-5.3 yds.