DMN: Moore: Phillips may say 'It's one game,' but offensive woes stretch much longer than that

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12:34 AM CDT on Thursday, September 16, 2010

COLUMN By DAVID MOORE / The Dallas Morning News

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/091610dnspocowinsider.2bebe66.html

IRVING – Assurances were given.

These Cowboys wouldn't allow their offense to bog down in the red zone the way it did last season. The days of piling up yards while scraping by on points would be gone. Quarterback Tony Romo sits to pee declared "it was going to be fun" to watch the Cowboys operate in the red zone this season.

Is the Webster definition of fun no longer the accepted version?

The offensive issues the Cowboys worked hard in recent months to overcome were still exasperatingly evident in the loss to Washington. Three trips inside the Redskins' 20-yard line yielded only seven points. The offense racked up yards with abandon until it got in position to produce, then it turned inept.

A cynic would say nothing has changed.

A coach, irritated by the line of questioning, would argue one night's result isn't necessarily indicative what's in store for the season.

"It is one game," coach Wade Phillips said. "We'll see what happens. One game isn't a trend.

"Give us a chance to show what we can do."

The Cowboys had 10 red zone snaps against the Redskins. They ran the ball well, picking up 18 yards on three carries. Romo sits to pee was 1-of-4 with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Miles Austin. Marion Barber was 0-for-1.

Barber? Should a team that's had trouble scoring in the red zone really have a running back throw a pass?

This is where offensive coordinator Jason Garrett opens himself up to criticism. He takes a democratic approach, wanting to involve as many players as possible. Balance and diversity is the Cowboys offensive identity.

The downside is painfully apparent when a team is struggling. There are no one or two plays – or players – the team can count on.

Unpredictability isn't a virtue if it leads to being unfocused. Creativity isn't a positive if execution falters.

And that brings us to penalties.

The Cowboys reached the Washington 6-yard line early in the second quarter only to be pushed back 10 yards after rookie Dez Bryant was called for offensive pass interference on a bubble screen pass to Austin. You may have heard by now that Alex Barron's holding call on the final play of the game negated a touchdown pass to Roy Williams.

That follows the red zone pattern of last season.

"It's not an effort issue," Garrett said. "A lot of our penalties that are happening during a play are guys working hard to make a block or to do their job.

"Technically at times, it isn't right and we get ourselves in compromising positions and make those penalties. It's something we continue to address.

"We really need to make sure we reduce those penalties, because it really put us in some bad down-and-distance situations throughout the game. I thought a lot of good things in the running game were happening, a lot of good things in the passing game were happening.

"We were able to move the ball up and down the field, but those penalties put us in some bad third-down situations that were hard to convert."

The Cowboys had 11 snaps on third down Sunday night when they needed at least 9 yards for a first down.

The offense went from third-and-11 on one possession in the fourth quarter to third-and-26 after penalties on Barron – that man again – and Doug Free.

"You have to be able to sustain your concentration and focus throughout a drive," Garrett said.

The Cowboys ranked No. 2 in yards gained last season and No. 14 in scoring.

Heading into Sunday's game against Chicago, the Cowboys rank No. 5 in offense with 380 yards and No. 31 in scoring with seven points.

Either you're a good offense or you're not. This is one of Romo sits to pee's favorite mantras. To be a good offense, the Cowboys must convert those yards into more points. It can't afford David Buehler to miss any more 34-yard field goals or Tashard Choice to lose a fumble that leads to an opponent touchdown.

There was one good sign in the opener. Tight end Jason Witten, who was MIA near the goal line last season, had two balls thrown to him in the red zone. Both were incomplete, but at least he was involved.

"It's a long season," Garrett said. "A lot of different things happen throughout the course of 16 weeks. There are going to be some ups and downs.

"You've got to keep fighting through it."

Maybe then the Cowboys can buck this trend.

Maybe then they can have some fun in the red zone.

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Glamor stats, poor results...

What's really changed for the pukes?

Nothing.