That's Payton on the left, with offensive assistant David Lee, right front, high-fiving with Cowboys quarterbacks Vinny Testaverde, left back, Tony Romo, center back and Drew Henson during 2004 training camp

When I was asked to contribute a piece about Sean Payton’s time with the Dallas Cowboys, I thought to myself “what exactly did he do here?”

As I sit here today, I’m still not sure what the answer to that question is. His official title was quarterbacks coach and assistant head coach, but we all know who was in charge with Parcells around.

I wasn’t too excited when I found out that Payton was coming to Dallas. All I remembered was that head coach Jim Fassel replaced him as the offensive play caller with the Giants in 2000. Under Fassel’s play calling, the struggling Giants went on a late season run that took them to the Super Bowl. Now the guy that was apparently the thing holding the Giants back was coming to Dallas. Yippie.

The Cowboys ranked in the middle of the pack on offense while Payton was here, but he was saddled with three different quarterbacks in Quincy Carter, Vinny Testaverde, and Drew Bledsoe. He helped all three achieve 3,000 yard passing seasons and that has to mean something considering the lack of time and talent he had to work with.

The problem with Payton’s stay in Dallas is that he was under the considerable Parcells shadow. Parcells talked to the press, he brought in the players he wanted, and he made it clear the decisions went through him. Parcells is generally conservative though he will play to his team strengths (Drew Bledsoe threw the ball a ton when Parcells was coaching New England). The Cowboys did not have a strength at the quarterback position, so the Cowboys didn’t let loose on offense.

Once Payton left for New Orleans, Tony Romo emerged, so it looks as though the Cowboys suddenly got better on offense once he departed. We all know that’s not true since New Orleans has gone supernova on offense while Payton has been in charge.

I’m not sure if Payton has been so brilliant on offense in New Orleans because he finally has the Parcells weight removed from him or if he’s successful because of Drew Brees’ arrival. It’s probably a combination of both. Payton has definitely grown as both a play caller and a coach though and he can thank his stay in Dallas as the final step to prepare him for life as a successful NFL coach.

---BRAD SEAL.