Monday, September 21, 1998

Dave Campo's stature alone can't make Cowboys' defense better

By Randy Galloway

Knight Ridder Newspapers

(KRT)

FORT WORTH - Funny how these things work. Last week in Denver, Dave Campo, respected NFL defensive coordinator, had his head handed to him by Mike Shanahan, respected NFL offensive mind.

Sure, much more goes into the process than simply Campo being out-football-foxed by Shanahan. But the bottom line in the media and among fandom will always read as such.

Like what happened a year ago when the Cowboys opened the '97 season in Pittsburgh. That was a Denver role reversal for Campo, who was widely credited with a brilliant game plan.

The Steelers' offensive coordinator seemed to stay a play behind all day. Campo stripped him naked and hid his clothes. Six months later, a fully dressed Chan Gailey showed up at Valley Ranch to be introduced as the new head coach of the Cowboys. He was hired, of course, for his offensive mind.

Moral of story: Base nothing on one bad game, or for that matter, one good game. Those who can coach, will. And over a period of weeks, months and seasons, the Gaileys on offense and the Campos on defense prove their worth.

Which, of course, is absolutely no consolation to Campo after what happened in that first-half-from-hell last week.

"My first reaction," Campo said, "was personal embarrassment. My second reaction was being hacked off. I'd say both are normal when something like that happens."

Campo admitted his immediate postgame coaching thought was not to dwell long on what had been defensive doomsday in Denver. During the past week at Valley Ranch, he mainly isolated himself from the media, and hunkered down in preparing for the Giants on Monday night at the Meadowlands. But the Broncos-bust also wouldn't quickly disappear.

"Two things concern me," he said late last week. "One, make sure all of us are totally prepared for the Giants. Denver is gone. This is a new challenge. But the second concern is putting out any lingering fire from Denver.

"All the physical preparation in the world for the Giants won't have us ready Monday night if there's a psychological aftershock. To forget it, however, we first had to talk about it. And the good thing is, I really like what I've heard and seen from our players all week."

Campo was asked to keep it simple in explaining the Mile High low. "As basic as I can make it," he said, "is they came out in formations against our packages that we were not ready for. They gave us new looks, and as a group, starting with me, we didn't handle the adjustments well at all. Confusion - yes. Panic - some."

Once in the halftime dressing room, defensive despair gave way to regrouping. The Broncos came out with the same offensive plan in the third quarter, but 35 points late, the Cowboys had most all of the defensive answers.

"I don't necessarily see the second half as a silver lining, but I do appreciate the players not quitting after halftime," Campo said. "Chan gave the challenge in the locker room that we at least try to leave there with our heads held high. And as a team, nobody packed it in."

The Giants' offense, built almost totally on a running game, is much more simplistic than Denver's. "But," Campo said, "it wouldn't surprise me to see them try to do some of the things Denver did. Probably not, but we have to be ready for it. When you are beaten like we were beaten, every team may want a piece of that. Can't say I blame 'em, either."

Denver, of course, was all about the Cowboys being whiplashed by the big play. "Those are correctable," Campo said. "As bad as it was, it would have been much worse if they'd kept grinding us down one play after another. That's when it becomes hopeless. This is not hopeless at all.

"Denver was a very bad day and out of character for our defense. We will be a good defense this year."

That last statement from Campo died when I didn't care to second the motion. Who stops the run? Who rushes the passer? The Cowboys had the same questions last season, and despite a bogus No. 2 defensive ranking, there was no answer.

Campo, for now anyway, is ignoring any temptation to return to last season's ill-fated desperation strategy of wild-eyed blitzing to create pressure.

"I don't want that, and we can get pressure without it," he said. "I know it doesn't look that way now, but it's a long season."

Jason Garrett's best friend on Monday night would be a defense that makes it a low-scoring game. Campo's worst enemy, however, would be any lingering Denver demons.

Only Campo's excellent track record allows us to consider the possibility of things being much improved a week later. Even so, coaching respect can only carry a guy so far, then players have to play. Otherwise, a lot of Denvers will happen.

(c) 1998, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

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