Post by ccboy on Nov 25, 2009 5:47:08 GMT -7
Jimmy Johnson says Dallas Cowboys on verge of greatness
Column by DAVID MOORE / The Dallas Morning News | dmoore@dallasnews.com
IRVING – Nearly 16 years have passed since Jimmy Johnson coached the Cowboys. His word was law when it came to the team in those days.
It still resonates.
Johnson returned to Valley Ranch on Tuesday. He stood a few yards from the practice fields he once ruled, yucking it up with owner Jerry Jones and working the crowd as the team prepared for its Thanksgiving Day game with Oakland.
Before Johnson left, he shared his thoughts on the Cowboys' place in the NFC, offered an idea on how to get Roy Williams untracked, praised quarterback Tony Romo and tackled the question of whether the top players on this roster are good or great.
Let's start with how the Cowboys stack up with undefeated New Orleans and Minnesota.
"Well, I think they're right there, on the verge," Johnson said. "You can't overlook Oakland here Thursday, especially with the change at quarterback.
"If they can get by Oakland, which they should, then I think the game up in New York will be the one that decides who will take control of the NFC East, and I think who wins is going to be the favorite after that ballgame."
Johnson called the loss to Green Bay a stinker, but wasn't bothered by the close win over Washington given the history between the teams and the Redskins' strong secondary.
"They are No. 1 in the NFC East, they've got a game up on everybody," Johnson said of his former team. "It's right there in front of them. The big thing is you've got to have the wide receivers start to make some big plays.
"You can run the football, you can play defense, you can be conservative, you can protect the ball, but points come out of the passing game. If you're going to score points, you've got to have your wide receiver make some plays."
It's not hard to figure out where the conversation turns from here. Roy Williams.
"I think it's a matter of Roy and Jason [Garrett] getting comfortable with exactly what he does well, what he's really confident in doing," Johnson said. "And you utilize him. I think that can happen, but it takes time."
Johnson recalled how Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin, in his second training camp, seemed to drop everything thrown in his direction. The decision was made to pull back on routes the Cowboys asked Irvin to run. They let him do what he did best then added the more problematic routes as his confidence returned.
He advocated a similar approach with Williams.
"Say you're dropping a crossing route time after time," Johnson said. "Well, then stop throwing him the crossing route.
"In his mind, he's saying, 'Oh no, I'm going to drop it. Don't drop it. Don't drop it.' That seed is planted. You think 'Don't drop it,' so what do you do? You drop it.
"Well, let's pull away from that. Let's start throwing that comeback where he knows he's going to catch it. Catch it, catch it, catch it, then occasionally sprinkle in something across the middle to where he's had some success to build that confidence back up."
Johnson said he considers Romo, "a very talented quarterback." He then referred to a conversation he had with Irvin on the radio a few moments earlier about whether this team had good or great players.
"As the receivers start catching the football more than what they've been doing, as they start making more big plays, then people are going to stop playing eight-man fronts," Johnson said. "Then they are going to get Marion Barber running the ball more, and now you're going to get bigger plays out of Felix Jones. It all ties in hand in hand. Tony Romo all of a sudden becomes better.
"So, some of these good players can become great, but I don't think you can label any of them great until we have some success in the playoffs and success again the next year. That's when you label them great."
Column by DAVID MOORE / The Dallas Morning News | dmoore@dallasnews.com
IRVING – Nearly 16 years have passed since Jimmy Johnson coached the Cowboys. His word was law when it came to the team in those days.
It still resonates.
Johnson returned to Valley Ranch on Tuesday. He stood a few yards from the practice fields he once ruled, yucking it up with owner Jerry Jones and working the crowd as the team prepared for its Thanksgiving Day game with Oakland.
Before Johnson left, he shared his thoughts on the Cowboys' place in the NFC, offered an idea on how to get Roy Williams untracked, praised quarterback Tony Romo and tackled the question of whether the top players on this roster are good or great.
Let's start with how the Cowboys stack up with undefeated New Orleans and Minnesota.
"Well, I think they're right there, on the verge," Johnson said. "You can't overlook Oakland here Thursday, especially with the change at quarterback.
"If they can get by Oakland, which they should, then I think the game up in New York will be the one that decides who will take control of the NFC East, and I think who wins is going to be the favorite after that ballgame."
Johnson called the loss to Green Bay a stinker, but wasn't bothered by the close win over Washington given the history between the teams and the Redskins' strong secondary.
"They are No. 1 in the NFC East, they've got a game up on everybody," Johnson said of his former team. "It's right there in front of them. The big thing is you've got to have the wide receivers start to make some big plays.
"You can run the football, you can play defense, you can be conservative, you can protect the ball, but points come out of the passing game. If you're going to score points, you've got to have your wide receiver make some plays."
It's not hard to figure out where the conversation turns from here. Roy Williams.
"I think it's a matter of Roy and Jason [Garrett] getting comfortable with exactly what he does well, what he's really confident in doing," Johnson said. "And you utilize him. I think that can happen, but it takes time."
Johnson recalled how Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin, in his second training camp, seemed to drop everything thrown in his direction. The decision was made to pull back on routes the Cowboys asked Irvin to run. They let him do what he did best then added the more problematic routes as his confidence returned.
He advocated a similar approach with Williams.
"Say you're dropping a crossing route time after time," Johnson said. "Well, then stop throwing him the crossing route.
"In his mind, he's saying, 'Oh no, I'm going to drop it. Don't drop it. Don't drop it.' That seed is planted. You think 'Don't drop it,' so what do you do? You drop it.
"Well, let's pull away from that. Let's start throwing that comeback where he knows he's going to catch it. Catch it, catch it, catch it, then occasionally sprinkle in something across the middle to where he's had some success to build that confidence back up."
Johnson said he considers Romo, "a very talented quarterback." He then referred to a conversation he had with Irvin on the radio a few moments earlier about whether this team had good or great players.
"As the receivers start catching the football more than what they've been doing, as they start making more big plays, then people are going to stop playing eight-man fronts," Johnson said. "Then they are going to get Marion Barber running the ball more, and now you're going to get bigger plays out of Felix Jones. It all ties in hand in hand. Tony Romo all of a sudden becomes better.
"So, some of these good players can become great, but I don't think you can label any of them great until we have some success in the playoffs and success again the next year. That's when you label them great."