[Underdog]

It’s only puppet love for Wade Phillips
by Randy Galloway

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It’s January, and love is in the air.

Puppet love. Jerry’s heart goes pitter-patter, blowing up the EKG machine.

Of all the guys over the last 20 years who have come and gone as a head coach for the Cowboys, Mr. Jones has definitely found his perfect partner, with strings attached to all body parts.

Therefore, it was no surprise, and hasn’t been news for a month now, that Wade Phillips will be coming back next season with the same title. Half-a-head coach in charge of defense.

Gotta admit, however, two MORE years added on Wade’s new contract, making it a total of three, did floor me. Nothing Jones does, football-wise, should ever joust a veteran observer, but then again, never underestimate the power of love.

On behalf of Wade, however, let me say this:

Jerry, stop cheating on your main squeeze.

If Coach Phillips is that important to you, and since you are willing to make it a long-term continuing commitment, then, Jerry, cut out the middle man.

Fire Jason Garrett immediately.

(I can now hear the noisy applause from Weatherford to Watauga. You tell ’em, boy.)

Actually, I think Garrett had his best season yet as offensive coordinator, even if quick-pitch-right-to-Barber on Sunday turned out to be his dumbest play-call of the year.

Over 18 games, we can all take issue with anyone’s play-calling — and with Garrett, we did — but along with home plate umpire, it’s the biggest second-guess process in all of sports.

Tony Romo. That’s what Garrett really got right. Going into this season, the No. 1 priority for Jason was pushing Romo onward and upward as a quarterback.

No argument, that happened. It’s still a work in progress, but some progress was seen. As opposed to last season.

Miles Austin also happened. On the other side of the ball, if Wade gets credit for Jenkins, Spencer, Brooking, etc., then Miles becomes Jason’s coup, albeit a late coup. Austin didn’t start until the fifth game, remember.

But fire Garrett anyway, pay off the $3 million he’s owed next season, and that allows Phillips the opportunity to become a real head coach.

A new three-year commitment for Wade should include the clause that Phillips, not Jerry, will hire a new offensive coordinator who answers to Phillips, not Jerry.

In the weird arrangement of the last three years, Garrett is the offensive head coach answering only to Jerry.

With that situation, Jones just had his most successful season in 13 years. But you also had this embarrassing end of the first half exchange Sunday between Fox reporter Pam Oliver and Phillips:

Pam: "What changes do you need to make?"

Wade: "We’re fine."

Pam: "But what about the heavy pressure on Romo?"

Wade: "Well, we’re doing the same thing to them."

Really? The score was 17-3. Not exactly either "fine" or "the same thing." But this is a "head coach" who has no say about offense, unless it’s to go-for-it on fourth down or try a 48-yard field goal. Then he screwed that up.

Normal circumstances would suggest Wade should have gone to the locker room, then screamed at his offensive coordinator, who would then scream at Hudson Houck, the line coach, and all three — head coach, offensive coordinator, line coach — would then be screaming at the five guys up front.

From what I hear, not one coaching voice was raised in the halftime scene in Minneapolis.

The head coach is concerned only with defense, and the offensive coordinator was, I guess, scheming up "adjustments." But up-front, when their four consistently whips your five, adjustments are hard to come by.

And for the Cowboys, strong head coaches will be impossible to come by in the future.

The puppet route has finally paid some dividends for Jerry (Barry Switzer doesn’t count). The season was a success, at least I think it was, which might not be the opinion of many fans. But to consider where the franchise was at the end of last season, and where it is today, that is success.

We can all debate if Wade is the right head coach to take it another step, then another step.

My answer: No. No way.

Your answer: (Fill in the blanks.)

Jerry’s answer: Yes.

Jerry wins.

But with that, and with a new three-year contract on the way, then the owner should also at least put a little muscle into the position of head coach.

Wade will still puppet-up for Jerry, but allow him to do it as a full-time head coach. Even when Chan Gailey was hired as head coach/offensive coordinator in Buffalo this week, he spent part of his media conference talking about the merits of a 3-4 defense as opposed to a 4-3.

In the two years he was Jerry’s head coach here, I don’t think I ever heard Chan mention defense. Buffalo may be an impossible job, but at least it’s a franchise, like most of the other 30 in the NFL, giving the head coach a full-set of teeth. Only not at Valley Ranch, of course.

Fire Jason Garrett.

Sorry, Jason. You don’t deserve that, but I’m just trying to be a team player here in the January of love.

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