Trying To Think Like Bill

the middle capable of producing a big play once he gets his hands on the ball. 

Also, let's take a look at the type of guy Parcells has employed as his offensive coordinators during his head coaching days. With the Giants, Ron Erhardt was his offensive coordinator for eight seasons. Then with the New England Patriots, it was Ray Perkins for all four seasons. 

And with the Jets, Parcells had no official offensive coordinator the first year, but Erhardt served as his quarterback coach, so he probably handled a lot of those duties. The next year, it was Dan Henning taking over as quarterback coach and some guy named Charlie Weis moving from receivers coach to offensive coordinator, the position he held again in 1999. But remember who was calling the plays back then, and also know Weis had worked with Parcells for five seasons (four in New England) before he was given this responsibility. 

Not exactly a bunch of wild and crazy offensive guys. 

So that he brought in a young whipper-snapper such as Payton to be his assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach, then promoted him to passing game coordinator and allowed him to call plays, was a significant departure from what Parcells had previously done at that position. 

And even at that, don't think Payton was given free rein to do what he wanted with the offense. You saw those what-were-you-thinking stares shot at Payton on the sideline after a too frilly of a play for Parcells' liking. 

Hey, Parcells is 64. He's not changing his ways, nor his offensive philosophy - or should we say game-management philosophy. 

So start looking for meat-and-potatoes offensive guys. Look for guys he might have a history with. You know, the Chris Palmer type, his receivers coach for three years in New England and then quarterbacks coach that final year. Palmer moved on to offensive coordinator status since, two years with his buddy Tom Coughlin in Jacksonville and then four seasons and two games with the Houston Texans before getting fired before Game 3 this year. 

Strongly consider increased responsibility for Tony Sparano, promoted to offensive line coach and run game coordinator this past season. Hey, the Cowboys supposedly aren't denying him permission to talk with Payton about possibly going to New Orleans out of spite. Bill has his reasons. 

And if Parcells should dig up a young, up-and-comer, a Payton type, don't think he will get the reins to the offense, not like Jimmy Johnson handed Turner in 1991 when he hired the Rams wide receivers coach he didn't know. He'll do just what he did with Payton: Take a year or two to get to know the guy, and let the guy have enough time to thoroughly understand how he thinks on offense - earn his trust - before trusting him enough to call plays. 

That's just the way Bill is. 

So unless one of "his guys" comes available, whoever is hired as offensive coordinator or pass game coordinator or assistant head coach in charge of offense, he will have a nice title and will work hard drawing up the practice scripts and the game plans, but when it comes to game-day execution, my guess is Parcells is back calling plays. 

Or am I being too logical?   

MICK SHOTS