The Dallas Cowboys are running out of excuses. A team with this many playmakers and this much talent can't be this mediocre for long - something's gotta give.
Jerry Jones has been called many things, but 'patient' certainly isn't one of them. Since Jones took over as Cowboys Owner/President/GM in 1989, only Jimmy Johnson has lasted more than four seasons as head coach (Johnson wasn't around a whole lot longer - Jones fired him after his fifth year). Jason Garrett, who replaced Wade Phillips in 2010 after a 1-7 start, is in his third full season as head coach, and it's hard to say that progress has been made.
The loss to San Diego on Sunday brought the Cowboys to 2-2 on the season, and 130-130 in their last 260 games. This is one of the most storied franchises in the world, a team with a massive fanbase and virtually unlimited resources. A .500 record isn't good enough for the fans, and it sure as hell isn't good enough for Jerry Jones.
San Diego's win over Dallas on Sunday probably gave plenty of Cowboys fans deja-vu. Dallas went up 21-10, but then the wheels fell off - the team stopped playing to win, and started playing not to lose. The defense looked indecisive, and that indecision was all the Chargers needed to roar back into the game.
One statistic stands out that really hammers home how bad the Cowboys were when it came to putting the game on ice - Tony Romo completed just two passes in the second half that went for over ten yards, and both came on the final drive of the game after the result had been effectively sealed. It's okay to play conservative football when you're up by 21, but when the other team is putting points on the board, checkdowns and quick slants aren't going to get the job done.
Some of that comes down to Tony Romo, but much more of it comes down to coaching. Jason Garrett doesn't get in anyone's face when they make mistakes. He doesn't exude intensity, like Barry Switzer or Bill Parcells. If the Cowboys want to be legitimate contenders, they can't be allowed to fold like they did Sunday. They need a coach who holds players accountable, and unless Jason Garrett turns into a completely different person in the locker room as soon as the cameras disappear, he isn't going to be that guy.
Barring some kind of miracle, the Cowboys are going to be 2-3 after their next game against the blazing hot Denver Broncos. A loss in that game won't be enough for Jerry Jones to show Garrett the door, unless the Broncos put up 100 points (which is unlikely, but we aren't putting anything past Peyton Manning at this point). The next four games, though, are going to be what makes or breaks Jason Garrett's future as Cowboys coach. Dallas takes on the Redskins, Eagles, Lions and Vikings over a four-game stretch, with the two tougher games - Philadelphia and Detroit - at home.
A 4-0 record in those games will give Garrett some breathing room. 3-1 will keep him looking over his shoulder, but if the Cowboys go 2-2 or worse in that stretch, Garrett is going to need to start polishing up his resume. Jerry Jones has no interest in running a mediocre team, and if halfway through the season it looks like that's all Jason Garrett can give him, Garrett's days are numbered.
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