Is Jason Garrett Turning His Offensive Coordinator Into His Fall Guy?
By Henry McKenna
Something needs to change in Dallas.
The Cowboys fans need an offering, and coach Jason Garrett is in danger of getting caught in the much-needed turnover. But perhaps he’s doing his best to avoid getting fired by pointing a finger elsewhere.
The Dallas Cowboys considered parting ways with offensive coordinator Scott Linehan during the team’s bye week, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. Regardless of whether Linehan is in or out, Garrett may take over play calling responsibilities.
From @gmfb Weekend: The #Cowboys seriously weighed moving on from OC Scott Linehan during the bye week and have an affinity for #OU coach Lincoln Riley if they move on from Jason Garrett... who @MikeGarafolo says may take back play-calling. pic.twitter.com/8HRHaSKAHw
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 11, 2018
That’s a clear vote of no-confidence between Garrett and Linehan. Garrett could think that, in order to keep his job, he may need to push out Linehan.
But of course, we’ve seen an effort like this fail. Former Cleveland Browns coach Hue Jackson suggested that he needed to take on a bigger role in coaching the offense, which seemed to escalate the tensions between himself and former Browns offensive coordinator Todd Haley. Neither Haley nor Jackson won the power struggle — the Browns fired them both.
Garrett should have better standing with Cowboys than Jackson did with the Browns. So perhaps Garrett’s taking over the offensive play calling could result in an uptick in performance from Dad Prescott, Ezekiel Elliot and company. That might be all Garrett needs to keep his job, especially if the Cowboys can reenter the playoff hunt over the next few weeks. The expectation is that the Philadelphia Eagles or Washington Redskins might run away with the division. But no one seems talented enough to take control. With receiver Amari Cooper in the mix, the Cowboys offense could save Garrett’s job (even if Cooper came with an enormous price tag).
When it comes to the Cowboys’ interest in Oklahoma Sooners coach Lincoln Riley, Dallas can take a ticket and wait at the deli counter. Riley will have interest from some of the top teams in the NFL, with coaching openings potentially popping up in Green Bay and Baltimore. That’s a positive for Garrett, because the Cowboys may not be able to get Riley.