| When Jeff George was shown the door by Redskins
head coach Marty Schottenheimer, not many folks around the NFL were shocked. Maybe they
were a little surprised by the timing. But if any of those folks had watched part of
Washington’s Week One loss in San Diego, or any of the "Monday Nightmare"
in Green Bay, they knew that George didn’t fit in the Redskins’ offense. That
has been argued since Schottenheimer arrived on the scene in Washington and stated his
intention to run a version of the West Coast offense.
The drama may be over in Washington — at least for now. With an owner as
high-strung as Mr. Snyder (that’s how he likes to be addressed), you know there will
be some interesting moments to come — even if they are more hidden from the public
than in the past.
But with George on the open market, we now switch our attention away from the
nation’s capital. We now focus on where George and his famed right arm should play
next.
I say he should go to Dallas. That’s right — take that attitude and arm to
Cowboyland.
Think about it. RB Emmitt Smith has been harping this week about how he thinks the club
is throwing away the season by playing a rookie quarterback. He has questioned the
intentions of owner Jerry Jones and head coach Dave Campo for putting the development of
Quincy Carter ahead of winning football games on the list of priorities.
Smith is frustrated by the team’s lack of a passing attack. Without someone to
deliver the ball downfield reliably, opposing defenses are able to stack the box, thus
limiting Smith’s ability to run. I suggest to you that Smith’s rants may not be
so much about winning. He may be thinking it will be more difficult to get that all-time
rushing record without a passing attack to loosen up the run defense.
Smith has said he prefers Anthony Wright as the starter. But even Wright is as green as
grass, as his three interceptions in Week Two demonstrate.
Now, think about this plan. The Cowboys bring in Jeff George as a part-time
quarterback. Let him know this before he is signed. He will strictly be a part-time player
— part of a QB platoon system. Carter gets to start, and he will continue to learn on
the job. But George comes in every now and then to do what he does best — stretch the
field by throwing deep. That’s the one thing George can do effectively. When an
opposing team sees George under center, and Joey Galloway and Raghib Ismail lined up
outside, they have to respect the pass.
Now, the one problem here is the fact that Jones has stated, for the record, that he
has no interest in signing George. After George was released, the rumor started to fly
that he could be on his way to Dallas. Jones wanted to put an end to that one quickly.
I’m here to re-ignite the rumor — or at least say it’s worth looking into.
Jones is acting too hastily, without thinking the thing all the way through. For one,
the Cowboys still have two games against the Redskins this season. While George looked as
though he had an awful grasp of the offense on the field, he at least has some knowledge
of it that he could share with Cowboys coaches. He has practiced against the Redskins'
defense, so that could help when Washington comes to Dallas on Oct. 15, and then when the
two clubs meet for the second time Dec. 2.
Yes, George carries baggage with him wherever he goes. And he’s got a very poor
winning percentage as an NFL starter. But in Dallas, he wouldn’t be the starter
— just part of a two-headed QB attack. It might work. But we may never
know. |
