Cowboy up: the man behind Bledsoe's resurgence.(NFL)

Looking for reasons Drew Bledsoe is enjoying a rebirth in Dallas? Here's one: Sean Payton.

Payton caught my eye when he took over play-calling duties for the Giants in a game against the Jets in December 1999. The Giants had been struggling offensively that year, but they scored 41 points and gained 490 yards that day. Wisely, Jim Fassel let Payton keep doing it. A year later, Kerry Collins played the best ball of his career, and the Giants went to the Super Bowl.

Payton spent two more seasons as the Giants' offensive coordinator before Bill Parcells hired him after coming to Dallas in 2003. Parcells had never met Payton but hired him without even conducting a face-to-face interview. It was a great opportunity for Payton to work with one of the game's top coaches, and it was a shot in the arm for the Dallas offense.

Payton, who coached quarterbacks his first two years in Dallas and now is the passing game coordinator, has his roots in the West Coast offense. His philosophies are not unlike Jon Gruden's in Tampa. Payton is committed to balance in the running and passing games, and he loves to take shots downfield. The Cowboys' passing game has improved from 31st before Payton's arrival to 17th in 2003, 15th in 2004 and seventh through Week 5 this season. ...