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IRIVNG – No matter what you hear this week, the Dallas Cowboys' game against Cleveland really has little to do with Kyle Kosier. Or Miles Austin. Or Sam Hurd.

It has everything to do with Jason Garrett, the NFL's highest-paid assistant coach.

He makes $3 million a year for weeks like this.

It's not that he needs to feel additional pressure because the Cowboys enter the first week of the season without their starting left guard and two of their top four receivers, but the owner has every right to expect Garrett to keep the Cowboys' offense running smoothly.

Frankly, there's no reason to think he won't make the proper adjustments.

After all, he's supposed to be one of the brightest young minds in the game. He comes with endorsements from local heroes such as Troy Aikman and Moose Johnston.

Seriously, how hard can it be to call plays for an offense that has one of the league's top quarterbacks, tight ends and receivers, three Pro Bowl linemen and one of the game's most physical running backs?

This week will be a little more challenging, although it gives Garrett an opportunity to show he's much more than a caretaker of one of the NFL's most talented offenses.

It's a chance to show his creativity as he compensates for the loss of Austin and Hurd, while making sure Cory Procter is adequately prepared to handle his first career start at left guard.

A word of advice based on my e-mails the past few days: stop panicking.

Garrett will make sure the Cowboys' offense gets it done, especially against a raggedy defense like Cleveland's. Next week, Philadelphia will provide a different challenge, but you can worry about that later.

Besides, if we're honest, Kosier is the fifth-best offensive lineman and Austin and Hurd are role players, though their futures are bright. Yes, each has an important role, but none reside at the top of the offensive food chain.

Remember, without them, this is still essentially the same offense that finished second in the NFL at 28.4 points per game and third in the league with 365.7 yards per game.

Talk to enough players and they'll tell you why they're confident Garrett will figure out a way for their undermanned offense to succeed against Cleveland.

Garrett specializes in putting players in position to succeed.

The throws Tony Romo doesn't execute well have been ripped out of his portion of the playbook, as have any plays he doesn't like.

Garrett emphasizes the routes Terrell Owens and Jason Witten run the best, and with Marion Barber as the featured back instead of Julius Jones, the running game has more power running plays this season.

And he provides Romo an exit strategy on almost every play. Romo can change most plays at the line of scrimmage if he doesn't like the defense.

Those approaches are among the reasons the Cowboys led the league with 233 plays of 10 yards or more and 68 plays of 20 yards or more.

In case you wondered, the offense scored more points in the second half (247) than it did in the first half (207), an indication Garrett made better second-half adjustments than the defensive coordinators he faced.

"He gets into everybody's world," said backup quarterback Brad Johnson, a 17-year veteran who has worked with countless coordinators.

"He plays to guys' strengths no matter what position they play. Everybody doesn't do that. Common sense isn't always common."

Garrett also listens to suggestions in practice or games as long as they're not selfishly motivated. All of the best coordinators do that.

"When you're out there on the field," said Patrick Crayton, "it doesn't always look like you drew it up. You have to make adjustments. He's good at it."

That's why you shouldn't worry about the Dallas Cowboys' offense this week.