It’s time for the Dallas Cowboys to start Patrick Crayton

By RANDY GALLOWAY

rgalloway@star-telegram.com

In a normal football situation, this is the week at Valley Ranch when the head coach would summon his offensive coordinator and his receivers coach, and in a closed-door session they would be having a serious discussion about, yes, one Roy Williams.

For all I know, that has happened. I just doubt seriously that it did.

But once the head coach has the underling in-put, as the man in charge, he makes his decision.

And that decision would have to be a lineup change for Sunday night in Philly, and for the next week in Green Bay. Patrick Crayton starts. Roy is dropped to third man in, and at the moment, I’m not even sure he’s due that status.

From Roy on Wednesday: "I’m the No. 1 receiver. But things are going the No. 2’s way."

Dream on. Miles Austin has taken over as No. 1, moving up from No. 3 in a matter of weeks. Miles is miles ahead at the moment. He has produced. He has totally transformed what we think of this offense.

Look, the Cowboys should not be going into their most important stretch of the season — to date — with this lingering puzzlement over what the heck is going on with one receiver, named Roy, and the quarterback.

And that goes double when the quarterback seems to be on-cue with his other receivers. Roy is right when he also said, "[Austin] gets the ball thrown correctly his way. I’m stretching and falling ..."

Is he whining? Probably not. He’s no Owens. But Roy is right again when he admits to being stunned by the lack of progress he’s made with Romo. "It’s just not even close."

Why? All at Valley Ranch are struggling for an answer.

Then again, there’s the obvious disclaimers to all of the above:

(1) This is not a "normal" football situation. I don’t even know if the head coach watches one second of offensive tape. He is the defensive coordinator. His neck is stretched way out there in that area.

(2) The offensive coordinator is the head coach in charge of offense, so much so that I shouldn’t have been lightly questioning Wade Phillips after the Seattle blowout for having Tony Romo still in that game in the fourth quarter.

It’s Jason Garrett’s responsibility.

(3) Jerry.

The assumption, by me and everyone else, is Mr. Jones would never allow Roy not to start, due to the massive investment (money and draft picks) involved in last season’s acquisition.

That’s why Roy will remain the starter, which, actually, in the Cowboys’ offensive concept means there’s not much difference between the third receiver and the second.

When two tight ends are on the field, there might be two receivers, or only one. Otherwise, there will be three wides.

But only a few weeks ago, the opinion from here was Roy should always be starting, mainly because he has more talent than Crayton.

All opinions from here, of course, are fluid.

So forget that previous opinion (that’s ESPN’s Ed Werder, laughing in the background). With the toughest stretch of games now on the horizon, go with comfort level,. Tony Romo’s comfort level. That’s Miles, that’s Crayton, that might even be Sam Hurd. Seriously.

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