Tuesday, September 22, 1998

Jason Garrett was anything but sub-par as fill-in at quarterback

By Frank Luksa

The Dallas Morning News

(KRT)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The biggest worry about Jason Garrett starting at quarterback for the Cowboys was whether he had forgotten how to play it. The last time he played 60 minutes was on Thanksgiving Day, four seasons ago, which is long enough for a man's arm or brain to rust.

Happily, Garrett reported for duty Monday night against the New York Giants and dispelled that concern. He also helped tag the Giants with a rude, 31-7 upset.

Garrett's contribution mingled with a team that produced many stars, none so eloquent as Deion Sanders, who returned a punt and a pass for touchdowns. It is customary when the No. 1 man goes down to ask the No. 2 fellow to accomplish only a few things.

Foremost is, don't lose the game. Avoid errors. Anything else is a bonus such as helping to win the game.

Garrett met and exceeded those expectations. He did not err in relief of injured Troy Aikman. And he threw an 80-yard touchdown pass to Billy Davis for what stood as the winning points. Garrett's effectiveness lay beneath what appears to be pedestrian passing numbers: 12 of 28 for 222 yards. But what counted was an average of 18.5 yards per completion.

Showing his skeptics

He was not trapped a credit to smart offensive line protection and a system that rolls its passer left and right to avoid leaving him an immobile target in the pocket. Nor did Garrett throw an interception. The Giants made a living on turnovers a year ago, indeed, led the NFL in that category, but failed to pry the ball from the Cowboys.

There were skeptics who believed the Cowboys would scale back their offense to accommodate Garrett. He was asked to play it cautiously most of the way, but it made sense to cut the risk of a turnover. What the doubters didn't realize or forgot is that Garrett throws a nice deep pass.

He hit two that traveled the length of the gain 30 yards to Michael Irvin and 55 yards to Sanders, inserted in spot situations as a receiver.

Garrett gave Dallas a performance sure to enhance his internal status as a substitute leader the team can trust if it didn't already. He blended with the rush to victory instead of dominating the scene. Beating the Giants to go 2-1 and lead the NFC East was a case of two-way support.

Every element of team play supported Garrett special teams, offensive line, overall defense and even the head coach. Garrett didn't let them down.

He was blessed with what every quarterback needs to succeed help from his friends. He had many friends.

The first to appear was the punt-return unit of special teams coach Joe Avezzano with Sanders in the feature role of runback artist. Giants punter Brad Maynard obliged Sanders by offering a low, tumbling effort that gave Deion time to catch and room to roam. And so he did on a wide-right path behind blocks that left him untouched en route to a 59-yard TD.

The Sanders shocker put the Cowboys on top, 7-0, as the second quarter opened. It did more. Striking first eased pressure on Garrett and play-calling offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, who doubles as head coach. Playing from ahead is the preferred option, especially on the road.

Right down the line

Gailey by then recognized that Garrett had friends who played defense. Three false-start penalties against the New York offensive line meant Cowboys linemen were coming off the line quickly and with authority. Danny Kanell, the Giants' passer, was taking more hits and traps than his rival from Dallas a trend that continued until game's end.

The only defensive leak with the outcome in doubt came on Kanell's 36-yard scoring pass to Amani Toomer for a 7-7 tie that lasted three plays. Garrett and Davis then teamed on their 80-yarder that broke down to about 15 yards of pass and 65 of run.

With Garrett facing third-and-10, New York chose to reduce its rush to three linemen. Maybe the Giants went that way since four or more had charged Garrett and not had any luck beyond a knockdown after his pass was away. Whatever the reason, New York dropped too many defenders into the secondary because three got in each others' way as Davis caught Garrett's spiral over the middle.

The defense that Denver splattered for 35 points in the first half of a 42-23 romp eight days ago made a turnabout. Kevin Mathis, second-quarter replacement for a dehydrated Sanders, intercepted a Kanell pass that led to Richie Cunningham's 40-yard field goal and 17-7 halftime lead.

Garrett proved that he still remembered how to play quarterback four years after beating Green Bay in his last start. Nor did he forget the other important part about playing QB. How to win.

(c) 1998, The Dallas Morning News.

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