The-Hogs.net - Washington Football Discussion, Redskins to Commanders Era

Updated: Sep. 8, 2005, 9:31 PM ET
Payton, not Parcells, will call Cowboys' plays
Associated Press


IRVING, Texas -- Bill Parcells is letting someone else call the offensive plays, an unusual relinquishment of control for the Dallas Cowboys coach.

While Parcells is still sure to have plenty of say about what's going on, he said Thursday that assistant head coach Sean Payton will handle the play-calling. Parcells said the last time he didn't call plays was in his first or second year in New England (1993-96).

"It's not a hard choice. It's nothing. I just feel like it has a chance to improve the operation," Parcells said. "I think his communication with the quarterback is good. He seems to be efficient on the substitution on the plays. … I'm trying to do everything I can to make the operation more efficient and better. That's been in place here since January."

The move could be a way to groom Payton, who was a finalist last year to be Oakland's head coach, for bigger things in the future, maybe even as Parcells' eventual successor in Dallas.

Or, more likely, it's an indication of Parcells wanting to concentrate more on the defense, which this season is switching to the primary 3-4 schemes he has preferred in the past.

"The big thing that a playcaller has to do and that Sean will have to do, or I'll make sure he does, you have to take a look at the game as it's going and see, does the defense need a rest right here?," Parcells said. "Things like that get in your mind if you're any good at it. If you're just thinking about one thing, your offense, then that can be a deterrent. I'll just try to remind him."

When Maurice Carthon left after last season, Parcells didn't name a new offensive coordinator. Payton most closely fills that role, though he's called the passing game coordinator, and Parcells said he trusts him after two seasons together.

"I think he's a lot more familiar with what we're trying to do, what we want to do philosophically," Parcells said.

Primetime42 wrote:Up until that point Parcells was calling everything.

Offense, Defense AND Special Teams.

Trust me, he'll still have Payton's ear.

You know, since so many of you are so anxious to say he's quitting after this year (which unless the team goes 0-16, I don't see happening) he just MIGHT be grooming a successor.

die cowboys die wrote:to be a "successor", won't he have to have "success"? so maybe we should say he is grooming a "failureor".

Primetime42 wrote:Up until that point Parcells was calling everything.

Offense, Defense AND Special Teams.

Trust me, he'll still have Payton's ear.

You know, since so many of you are so anxious to say he's quitting after this year (which unless the team goes 0-16, I don't see happening) he just MIGHT be grooming a successor.

die cowboys die wrote:

Primetime42 wrote:Up until that point Parcells was calling everything.

Offense, Defense AND Special Teams.

Trust me, he'll still have Payton's ear.

You know, since so many of you are so anxious to say he's quitting after this year (which unless the team goes 0-16, I don't see happening) he just MIGHT be grooming a successor.

to be a "successor", won't he have to have "success"? so maybe we should say he is grooming a "failureor".