Jason Garrett Delivers Clear Message in First Practice as Cowboys Head Coach

Filed under: Cowboys, NFC East

The card games and domino battles in the locker room at Valley Ranch were gone. The players were in full pads in practice. The new sheriff was obviously in charge as the Cowboys worked their first day Wednesday under interim coach Jason Garrett, who was promoted from offensive coordinator with Monday's dismissal of Wade Phillips.

"We had a good meeting this morning," said tight end Jason Witten. "He laid out a game plan and was clear with where we were going. Any time you just put it out there like that and set the guidelines, a team has to be all in. That's our mentality. We're 1-7 and there is no mistaking that and we're going to play hard together, there's no finger pointing, we're going to practice hard together and be good teammates. Obviously this isn't what any of us had intended, but this is where we're at and we've got to move forward with this.

"Nobody is feeling sorry for us and we have to go execute these things we're talking about. ... There was a spark there (today). We did go full pads and had an intense practice and our mentality is, let's stack good days up and that'll carry over to Sunday, hopefully. We know what a tough challenge it's going to be going into the Meadowlands (for the rematch with the 6-2, NFC East-leading Giants, who beat the Cowboys 41-35 just 16 days ago at Dallas)."

Receiver Roy Williams said that the players shouldn't need a coaching change to make the difference in a season gone so horribly wrong.

"I don't care if you bring in President Obama," Williams said. "I believe in coaches ... but coaches don't play. You are a grown man, 23-plus years old. Do you need to be motivated to play in this league?"

Fourteenth-year linebacker Keith Brooking, the only player on the Dallas defense with more than eight seasons of experience, was impressed with the new boss, whom he hadn't known that well when Garrett was in charge of the offense.

"His presence demands respect," Brooking said. "It demands attention. He's very direct and to the point. It's very black and white with him. He's (concise) in his message. I don't think there's any gray area whatsoever. I think we all understand what he expects from us, what he wants from us on a daily basis ... and I think guys responded to it in a great way, a very positive way.

 

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