When a desperate Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker called his mentor Mike Pettine he answered. Never mind that Pettine was on vacation in Italy with his wife.
And never mind that Parker was likely prompted to make the call by Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer and vice president Stephen Jones, who were in dire straights as they sought answer for their abject play on defense.
“Schotty and Christian were talking about how could we be better, and it was actually a role that we looked at filling before the season started, and really didn’t have the right fit at the time,” Jones said. “And I think Coach Pettine was debating what his next steps were going to be, and I came up with this solution that it would be good to have somebody with his experience to give Christian some ideas as we move forward.”
Certainly, the 34-year-old Parker was overwhelmed by the task of being a first-time coordinator for a team with Super Bowl hopes. He was hired improve a unit that was one of the worst in league history last season.
Through a disappointing 2-3 start, the Cowboys defense has been as bad or worse than it was a year ago.
So Pettine answered the call to come aboard as a sounding board and experienced set of eyes for Parker. His official title is senior assistant coach. And he will be in the booth in Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers (3-2) with Parker coaching from the sideline.
“When somebody you care about reaches out, I just felt I just needed to answer the call.” said Pettine, who was on a three-week vacation celebrating his 60th birthday.
Pettine said he knew Parker was in trouble when he made the call.
“I knew,” Pettine said. “It was just, you know, it’s been some tough circumstances. When somebody you care about, a friend that’s in need and asks for some help, you answer the call.”
Pettine is a former head coach of the Cleveland Browns. He has also been the defensive coordinator with the Packers and New York Jets in 24 years of coaching in the NFL.
It was Pettine who gave Parker his first job in the NFL when he was defensive coordinator of Packers in 2019.
“I think I can help a lot,” Pettine said. “It’s funny, I have a big four-inch thick book of what not to do, and a very thin one of what to do. So I think that’s key, is to be able to learn from others mistakes. As much as you think you’re prepared for it, you’re really not until you get into it. And I think that’s where I’ll be able to help him.”
“One thing I learned a long time ago is football’s a game of a million little things,” Pettine said. “There’s no one magic play to run, it’s a lot of the detail stuff. Just been taking a lot of notes. It’s not like it’s something that, ‘Hey, we’re going to do these 30 things different today,’ but it’s things that need to get addressed.”
Thing will need to be addressed as soon as Sunday as the Green Bay passing game is coming off its best game of the season in a 31-7 victory against the Chicago Bears. Quarterback Jordn Love completed 25 of his 31 throws for 367 yards and 2 touchdowns and receivers Christian Watson and Matthew Golden both had over 100 yards receiving and averaged over 20 yards per reception.
The Cowboys have struggled getting to the quarterback and covering receivers. They are the only team in the league with no interceptions through five games. They also just have five sacks as a team.
Dallas ranks 30th in passing yards allowed per play (8.1), 32nd in opponent yards per play (6.4), and is dead last in the NFL with zero interceptions through five games.
Dallas has allowed 304 yards after missed tackles and ranks 32nd in third-down efficiency (allowing a 52.6% conversion rate), which plays right into Green Bay’s high yards-after-catch (YAC) scheme (657 YAC yards, 6th in the NFL).
Opposing quarterbacks are averaging a sterling passer rating of 120.5 against the Dallas Cowboys defense through five games.
Complicating things for the Cowboys is cornerback Joey Porter Jr, who was acquired in a trade two weeks ago to bolster the secondary, tweaked his ankle in practice and is listed as questionable on the injury report.
How much will Pettine’s presence matter on Sunday?