\GoBillsInDallas/ Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Here you go: In decline, Cowboys never gave Chan Gailey room to grow DAVID MOORE Dallas Morning News Published: Nov 12, 2011 5:26 PM In the scheme of things, he was only here long enough to enjoy a cup of coffee and a few Krispy Kreme donuts, which he would pick up for his staff on the way to work most mornings. Chan Galley rates no more than an asterisk with the vast majority of Cowboys fans. He is the first coach to preside over the franchise’s descent from Super Bowl champion to also-ran. His presence Sunday afternoon as he leads Buffalo into Cowboys Stadium generates little, if any, nostalgic value. But history isn’t inflexible. The events of the last 14 years have cast Gailey’s tenure, the briefest in club history, in a different light. Owner Jerry Jones has hired five coaches since he stuck it to Jimmy Johnson with Barry Switzer. Gailey. Dave Campo. Bill Parcells. Wade Phillips. Jason Garrett. Name the only one to lead the Cowboys to back-to-back playoff appearances. “Probably, outside of Jimmy, he was the best coach we had while I was there:’ said Larry Lacewell, the club’s longtime scouting director who retired in 2004. “Switzer didn’t have a chance to grow and didn’t want to grow. Campo was a young guy. Bill Parcells, frankly, was not what everyone else thought he was, in my opinion. “I think the proof is in the pudding with Gailey.” Darren Woodson started at strong safety on the teams that won Super Bowl XXVIII and XXX. He is one of 10 starters, along with Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin, whom Gailey inherited from the Cowboys’ last championship team. Woodson’s assessment: “I don’t think we were that close talent-wise to being a Super Bowl-caliber team,” Wood- son said. “Our drafts had really started to fall off. We still had Emmitt, Toy and Mike, but we had a lot of guys at the end of their careers. “Chan came in, and I thought he did a hell of a job. It was a total surprise to me to see him go. It was mind-boggling. “I felt like we never gave him a chance.” Jones knew intellectually that the Cowboys were in decline in 1998 and ‘99. But he couldn’t bring himself to accept that reality emotionally. Key players, unwilling to acknowledge that they were on the downside of their careers, rejected the change Gailey represented and clung to their past. Many circumvented their first-time head coach and took their complaints directly to Jones. This is why Jones said one of the biggest mistakes made during his time as owner is letting the Eagle Scout from Americus, Ga., go after only two seasons. “It’s kind of him to say that:’ Gailey said. “You can’t make more out of it or less out of it than what he said. “I appreciate him saying it, and life goes on.” Faded glory The erosion did not begin on Gailey’s watch. He was hired because the Cowboys had gone 6-10 in Switzer’s final turn. The offense was slipping, scoring 17 points or less in nine of those final 12 games. The Super Bowl nucleus was aging. The core could no longer dominate the way it did in winning three titles in four years. “We were going from an older team to a younger team,” Galley said. “We were trying to win in transition.” Initially, the club was energized by the coaching change. The Cowboys scored 30 or more points in seven of their first 12 games under Gailey, finished with a 10-6 record and went to the playoffs. It turned out to be the last gasp of a proud team. The Cowboys snuck into the playoffs on the final day of the ‘99 season with an 8-8 record. Deion Sanders said the players came to the realization early in the season that they weren’t that good of a team. Aikman said the Cowboys needed to remove the phrase Super Bowl from their vocabulary. ‘We were slowly but surely deteriorating,” Lacewell said. “The hardest thing to accept is diminishing talent. It was difficult for all of us to suddenly look up and see. “Chan was there at a tough time, yet he held that thing together.” Balancing egos Gailey’s star was on the rise with the Pittsburgh Steelers when Jones picked him to replace Switzer. His reputation for getting more out of less went back to his days as a college coach, when Lacewell and his Arkansas State staff went to Texas State to learn from Gailey. The Cowboys were a power running team with a precision passing game. Gailey brought multiple formations, moving pockets and the shotgun. He asked Aikman and his receivers to read and react to the defense rather than rely on the timing offense that had become part of their DNA. A team that could no longer overpower opponents would shift their offensive emphasis. A certain level of deception made sense. “Chan was the first change we had,” Lacewell said. “I think the players were very apprehensive about another change, another guy, another way.” Gailey made mistakes. He was stubborn. As he said, the first time you’re a head coach in the NFL, “you don’t know what you don’t know.” Aikman endured the brunt of the changes. But he wasn’t alone. Smith was asked to run more to the outside. There were rumblings that Irvin didn’t fit what Gailey wanted to do with his scheme. “I tried to play Michael Irvin in the slot,” Gailey said. “Because he was a really good receiver, I was trying to find a different way to uncover him. “That didn’t work. In retrospect, it wasn’t smart. It was short-lived. I learned in a hurry not to do that and left him outside, where he could go be one-on-one with guys.” Unable to sustain their initial burst of offensive success under their new coach, the carping began. The players had won Super Bowls without any help from Gailey. Who was he to come in and change what they were about? “You talk to the offensive guys, and I’d say 70 percent didn’t like him,” Woodson said. “You talk to the defensive players, and I’d say 70 percent did like him. We saw what he wanted to do offensively, and it made sense. He put players in situations to win those one-on-one battles. “I thought he was a damn good offensive mind.” Jones was loyal to the players who had won titles. His door was always open, and the players went around Gailey and into the owner’s office to voice their complaints. But there was more at work. Jones stated publicly that he felt foolish sinking $41.5 million in signing bonuses into a .500 team. Aikman was the NFL’s highest-paid player in the late ‘90s. Gailey was one of its lowest- paid head coaches. Aikman never lobbied to remove Gailey. That wasn’t necessary. All the quarterback needed to do was express his discontent with the offense. On the eve of the Cowboys’ final regular-season game under Galley, with a playoff spot hanging in the balance, Jones publicly absolved Aikman of any blame. The owner declared Aikman had not been given a chance to succeed and vowed that would change. Everyone knew what that meant. “There is no way you can be a head coach when you always have to look over your shoulder,” Woodson said. “If a player had an issue with him, they didn’t go to Chan. They went to Jerry. “It fell apart because of that.” The aftermath Gailey calls it an honor to have coached the Cowboys and is “forever grateful” to Jones for the opportunity. The two have a good relationship and talk comfortably when they bump into each other at the league meetings or scouting combine. ‘We get along well,” Gailey said. “We’re in a business, and he had to do what he thought was best for his business. I don’t ever begrudge a guy for that. “If I think I’ve got a decision I have to make, I make it. You just go on with life. That’s part of it.” Jones made it clear if he had that episode of Cowboys history to do over again, he would not have given up on Gailey so quickly. Does the Bills coach ever allow himself to linger on what might have been? “Those coulda, woulda, shoulda things you think about, but if you dwell on them, you’re wasting brain cells,” Gailey said. “There’s no sense in dwelling on that kind of stuff. You go on with life. “If you’re spending too much time in the past, all you’re doing is hurting yourself. “I learned a lot. I can’t even remember everything that I’ve learned, but what I did became a part of me. I’ve been able to take those experiences, and hopefully I’m better now than I was then.” Buffalo wins with run game; Cowboys should follow suit RICK GOSSELIN Dallas Morning News Published: Nov 12, 2011 5:27 PM The Cowboys taught the Buffalo Bills quite a few lessons during their consecutive Super Bowl pairings in the 1990s. If the Cowboys pay attention Sunday, there’s now a lesson to be learned from the Bills. New England with Tom Brady was again tabbed the favorite in the AFC East in 2011. The New York Jets with their top-five defense were viewed as New England’s strongest competition for division and conference honors. The Patriots won the East in each of the previous two seasons, but it was the Jets who advanced to the AFC title game each time. Little heed was paid to the Bills, who hadn’t qualified for the playoffs in more than a decade. Buffalo didn’t have a quarterback to match Brady nor a defense to match the Jets. Yet at the midway point of the season, the Bills bring a share of the AFC East lead into Cowboys Stadium on Sunday. Buffalo, New England and New York are all tied at 5-3. The Bills have Fred Jackson and a commitment to the ground game. He’s the AFC’s leading rusher with 803 yards. Jackson has rushed for 100 yards in five games and the Bills have won four of them. This season was all about the pass through the last two months. Drew Brees of the Saints threw for more yards through the first eight games than any other quarterback in league history. Brady has a 500-yard passing game, and Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers has already thrown for 24 touchdowns. But when November arrives and the weather turns, teams that can run the ball annually benefit. Cold weather and hard fields transform football from a game of finesse to a game of power. The ball moves from the air to the ground. Houston and San Francisco joined Buffalo with early commitments to the ground this season and now all are well-situated for a stretch run toward the playoffs. The 49ers became a running team out of necessity. Alex Smith was one of the most inefficient passers in the NFL. New coach Jim Harbaugh decided Smith handed the ball off better than he passed it, so he featured running back Frank Gore from the start. The 49ers rank sixth in the NFL in rushing and Gore ranks fifth. Smith has passed for fewer yards than any other eight-game starter at quarterback this season and hasn’t even cracked 200 yards in five of the games. Yet, the 49ers sit atop the NFC West with a 7-1 record. Houston became a running team by choice. The Texans have a Pro Bowl quarterback in Matt Schaub, but a decade-long commitment to the pass didn’t produce a single playoff berth. So coach Gary Kubiak shifted the focus even more in 2011 to the ground, where Arian Foster and Ben Tate have combined to give Houston the best 1-2 rushing punch in the NFL. The Texans rank second in the NFL in rushing, and Foster and Tate rank in the top 10. Like the 49ers, the Texans sit atop their division at 6-3. DeMarco Murray has emerged as a player capable of becoming the focal point of both a running game and an offense. He can do for the Cowboys what Jackson is doing for the Bills. Cowboys running backs coach Skip Peete said in training camp that anyone can run the ball in the NFL. “You just have to be committed to do it,” he said. It’s time the Cowboys commit to the run. Celebrity quarterback Tony Romo has passed for 300 yards four times this season. That may get him to the Pro Bowl, but it’s not going to get the Cowboys to the playoffs. The Cowboys have lost three of the four games in which Romo has thrown for 300 or more yards. Murray has rushed for 100 yards twice this season, and the Cowboys won both games. League-wide, there have been 68100-yard rushing games this season. Teams with those 100-yard rushers have posted a 53-15 record. When you run the ball in the NFL, you win. Especially in November and December. If the Cowboys hope to extend their season deep into January, they’d be wise to focus on Murray and the ground game. Sunday would be an opportune time to start. A preview of Sunday's Cowboys-Bills game By RAINER SABIN Dallas Morning News Published: Nov 12, 2011 10:56 PM Buffalo Bills (5-3) at Cowboys (4-4): noon today TV: Ch. 11 Radio: KRLD-FM (105.3), KMVK-FM (107.5, Spanish) Line: Cowboys by 5 ½ FOR THE COWBOYS A win would mean ... The Cowboys have a winning record for the first time since early October and score a big victory over an opponent that is expected to be their toughest challenger over the next 28 days. A loss would mean ... The Cowboys fall to the Bills for the first time since 1996 and squander another opportunity to capitalize on the momentum generated from a victory the previous week. They drop to 0-3 against AFC East teams this season. HOW THEY MATCH UP When the Cowboys run: The emergence of DeMarco Murray has been a boon for the Cowboys. The rookie tailback has gained 466 yards in Dallas' last three games and has flourished in the expanded role he was given after Felix Jones sprained his left ankle Oct. 16 against New England. With Jones expected to remain sidelined this Sunday, Murray will try to attack a Bills defense that is allowing 120.8 rushing yards per game, the 20th highest average in the NFL. Edge: Cowboys When the Cowboys pass: Earlier this season, when receiver Miles Austin missed two games, the Cowboys still averaged 293 yards through the air. The Cowboys' passing offense forged ahead then and it will have to continue to find a way to survive now that Austin is out again for the foreseeable future with a right-hamstring injury. Expect Tony Romo, who has posted a 92.2 quarterback rating this season, to rely on tight end Jason Witten and Laurent Robinson. Both players will try to find holes in a Bills defense that has surrendered 260.4 passing yards per game - eight-worst in the NFL -- but has intercepted 15 passes, the second-highest total in the league. Edge: Cowboys When the Bills run: Fred Jackson is the centerpiece of the Bills' offense, the engine that makes it go. He has accumulated 803 rushing yards - the third-highest total in the NFL. And he has gashed teams, collecting 18 runs of 10 yards or more. Jackson has also punished opponents that have used aggressive tactics. Against Washington, he gained 194 yards from scrimmage. The Cowboys will try to contain Jackson, but their run defense has struggled in the previous two games. Against Seattle and Philadelphia, they have yielded an average of 200.5 rushing yards after surrendering 69.7 in their previous six games. Edge: Bills When the Bills pass: Through eight games, Buffalo's Ryan Fitzpatrick has thrown for more touchdowns, has a higher completion percentage and has a posted a better passer rating than Tony Romo. Is he an elite quarterback? That's subject to debate. But what can't be disputed is that Fitzpatrick can make plays. Among his targets is Cowboys castoff and Southlake Carroll alum Scott Chandler, a tight end who has six touchdown receptions. The Cowboys, who will also have to track the speedy Stevie Johnson, have their work cut out for them. They are yielding 232.5 passing yards per game, the 16th highest average in the NFL. Edge: Bills Special teams: Mat McBriar remains bothered by a left-foot injury and consequently the Cowboys still have two punters. But now their roster features only one kicker -- Dan Bailey, who has made 19 consecutive field goals. Not too long ago, Bailey was competing for a job with several candidates, one of whom was Dave Rayner. Rayner, who was released by the Cowboys in September, was signed by the Bills this week to replace the injured Ryan Lindell. Rayner joins a special teams unit that hasn't impressed. Bryan Moorman has a net punting average of 38.5 yards while CJ Spiller and Brad Smith have failed to make much of a mark in the return game. Edge: Cowboys Intangibles: The Cowboys haven't lost to the Bills since 1996 and are 3-1 against Buffalo in Dallas. But that's old history. These are the upstart Bills and they are led by a coach Chan Gailey, who should be particularly motivated to beat the Cowboys on their home turf. In the late-1990s, Gailey coached two years in Dallas and was fired despite directing the Cowboys to consecutive playoff appearances. Now he gets a chance to exact a measure of revenge against his former employer. Edge: Bills FOUR DOWNS: KEYS TO TODAY’S GAME 1. Protect Romo: Last Sunday, the dimensions of the Cowboys' offense expanded. After weeks of moving down the field by way of short and intermediate passes, Dallas took a different approach against Seattle. The Cowboys went deep. Quarterback Tony Romo connected with Miles Austin, Dez Bryant and Jason Witten on passing plays that covered 30 yards or more. The success the Cowboys experienced attacking the Seahawks downfield was directly related to the protection Romo received. As it did against Seattle, the Cowboys' offensive line needs to shield Romo from the Bills' pass rush. 2. Get Fred: Fred Jackson can run, He can catch. And, yes, he can throw. Jackson has attempted one pass in his career. The result? A 27-yard touchdown. That's not surprising considering that almost everything Jackson has done this season has been noteworthy. The Arlington Lamar product has accumulated 1,194 yards from scrimmage and scored six touchdowns, developing into one of the NFL's most dynamic players. He drives the Bills offense and the Cowboys know they need to stop him if they have designs on winning Sunday. 3. Run, run, run: Not too long ago, few would have objected if the Cowboys willfully abandoned their running game. After all, it seemed to be stuck in neutral. But the emergence of DeMarco Murray has revitalized the Cowboys' once-sagging ground attack. The rookie has run for 466 yards in Dallas' last three games and the Cowboys have shown they can move the ball without relying on Romo's right arm. The Cowboys need to continue to ride Murray, a tailback that has shown he deserves to have the ball in his hands. 4. Be on red alert in red zone: Buffalo has shown a knack for closing drives once it gets inside its opponent's 20-yard line. This season, the Bills have reached the red zone 28 times and have scored 18 touchdowns. Only one team, Tennessee, has had a higher rate of success in that compressed area of the field. The Cowboys know the game could hinge on their ability to keep Buffalo out of the end zone once the Bills close in on it. KEY MATCHUP: BUFFALO WR STEVIE JOHNSON VS. COWBOYS CB TERENCE NEWMAN After a breakout performance in 2010, Stevie Johnson has staged an encore this season. The Bills wideout has collected 42 catches, 523 receiving yards and four touchdowns while developing a strong connection with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Johnson's accomplishments are impressive. But they're even more remarkable considering that he has produced those numbers without the luxury of having another big-play receiver drawing attention away from him. He has thrived in spite of the circumstances and this week it's expected that Terence Newman will be one of the Cowboys' defenders assigned to track Johnson's every move. At 33, Newman has experienced a revival in his career. He has yielded only 13 completions and has defended four passes while intercepting two others this season. According to STATS LLC, Newman has been burned at a lower rate than 331 other defenders in the NFL. "I think he's playing better and better," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. But Newman will be tested by the fleet-footed Johnson, a player who is better than advertised. Edge: Johnson LINEUP TWIST: ANOTHER CHANCE TO SHINE FOR ROBINSON For the third time this season, the Cowboys will have to play without their leading wide receiver in the starting lineup. The absence of Miles Austin, who injured his right hamstring last Sunday, will loom large for a team looking to foster some consistency in the passing game. The man charged with filling his role is Laurent Robinson, whom the Cowboys picked up off the street in September and has proven to be quite the find ever since. Robinson has made 24 receptions for 368 yards and two touchdowns in six games while averaging more yards per catch than Austin. "I think he's doing a great job," quarterback Tony Romo said. "Laurent has a great understanding of the offense. He puts himself where he needs to be at the right time, so I trust him. And he's an explosive player, so it's a good combination to have." SportsDayDFW staff picks for Cowboys-Bills game Dallas Morning News Published: Nov 12, 2011 10:56 PM Tim Cowlishaw: Bills, 26-23: Homecoming for RB Fred Jackson, WR David Nelson, and coach Chan Gailey — of sorts — brings out big-play best in 5-3 Bills. Brandon George: Bills, 24-20: The back-to-back games only twice over their last 24. Rick Gosselin: Cowboys, 24-20: Jerry Jones has a long memory — and he remembers those two Super Bowl victories over the Bills. So does Jason Garrett. Barry Horn: Bills, 27-24: A triumphant homecoming for Arlington Lamar’s Fred Jackson. Jon Machota: Cowboys, 27-24: Rob Ryan’s defense is focused on slowing Fred Jackson, and they respond, holding the former Arlington Lamar running back under 100 yards. David Moore: Cowboys, 23-17: Playoff push for Dallas must begin now or it’s not going to happen. Rainer Sabin: Bills, 27-24: Fred Jackson has a homecoming to remember while Chan Gailey gets a measure of revenge against his former employer. Kevin Sherrington: Cowboys, 21-17: Cowboys running game continues to pound away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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