ARLINGTON, Texas -- Everyone associated with the now-3-6 Dallas Cowboys are frustrated after a 34-6 demolition at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles with quarterback Dak Prescott sidelined with a hamstring injury.
"You can't win games turning the ball over five times," Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said postgame on Sunday. "So, that's what we've got. … I'm just frustrated like everybody else is, but since I had a lot to do with what we're seeing, then it's proper frustration as far as I'm concerned that we're just not playing in a way, especially when you play a team that is the caliber of teams that we're playing out here. Philadelphia is a high-caliber team, and we're not up to them. That's troubling. We've got to look at all the things that have happened. I'll just say this right now: five turnovers over the last two [home] games."
Frustrated enough to make an in-season coaching change and fire head coach Mike McCarthy, who is a lame duck in the final year of his original five-season Cowboys coaching contract?
"I don't believe we'll make a coaching change during the season," Jones said.
It's understandable for Jones to hold off considering the Cowboys' injury list throughout the course of the season looks like a CVS receipt. Prescott is out for the foreseeable future with a hamstring injury, 2023 NFL interceptions leader DaRon Bland hasn't played a snap in 2024 after suffering a stress fracture in his foot at the end of training camp. Edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence hasn't played since the second half of Week 4 at the New York Giants because of a foot injury. Edge rusher Marshawn Kneeland hasn't played since Week 5 with a knee injury. Edge rusher Sam Williams tore his ACL in training camp. Parsons, while successful on Sunday, missed four games because of a high ankle sprain suffered in the second half of Week 4 at the Giants. However, being the only team in NFL history to trail by at least 20 points in five consecutive home games means there's something more at play than just injuries.
"I'm aware of the things that have happened to us and the degree in my mind how they've influenced things. Candidly, I take a lot of that in consideration when I'm looking at any individual and coaching especially, but there is in my mind a lot of accountability when the receiver is having trouble getting open," Jones said. … "There has to be accountability directed to somebody that other than just the player, I do that, I really do that. It's not without other people giving their input on how those players or how those coaches are coaching too. It isn't just stepping out here and me just doing it. You can imagine I have a lot of people I counsel with."
However, Cowboys owner is still scarred by letting go of former head coach Wade Phillips nine weeks into his fourth season in charge with a 34-22 overall record.
"I changed coaches in the season with Wade [in 2010 after a 1-7 start] and have always regretted it," Jones said. "As a matter of fact, I made a change with Chan Gailey after two years [when he went 18-14 in 1998 and 1999 combined], and I regretted that. That's not enough. You need to give yourself a chance. I've had a lot more rope than that in my time."
At 3-6 in 2024, that is mathematically a better start than 1-7 in 2010.
"That's better math," Jones said. "But I sure don't sit around and say, 'if you get minus two more, we're going to be in there.' I really don't. Mike's a heck of a coach. He's a great coach in my mind and has and should have the opportunity to do better than we're playing right now. Like I said, I haven't had a good experience changing coaches in the middle of the season."
That being said, it's worth wondering what criteria Jones has in his mind for McCarthy and his staff to earn another round of contracts with the Cowboys after their fifth and final season of their original deals are up at the end of 2024. Here's what that benchmark looks like.
"My criteria has always been how we play," Jones said. "'Do we have an edge? Are we fundamentally competitive? Are we competitive when we're down?' Those kinds of things. Not as much obviously the score. What does Bill [Parcells] say? You are what the score [your record] tells you you are? But still, you look at all of those things, and there's no fairness. Let me be real clear. Nobody is trying to be fair here. We're trying to win a game. So those are things I'm looking at to help be a part of decisions that could help us win a game."
What sticks out to Jones
The Cowboys have been outscored by 60 points in the third quarter this season, which is the worst such differential in the entire NFL. Next closest are the 2-7 Cleveland Browns at -34. Jones brough up his issue with the team's third quarter performances, after being outscored 14-0 in the third quarter on Sunday, unprompted. That indicates it's something that's eating away at him inside.
"I don't know what we're drinking in the third quarter as we come out, but it's not working," Jones said. … "What are we doing at the half to pull the water out of the tub? After the half in the third quarter, that really is a puzzle."
The Cowboys are the second team in the last 40 seasons with zero touchdowns and five or more turnovers in consecutive home games between their Week 10 performance and Week 6 performance in a 47-9 loss against the Detroit Lions, joining the 2006 Raiders, per CBS Sports Research. That Raiders team went 2-14 and drafted LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell first overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. When it's historically bad, Jones knows the performance isn't all on McCarthy and his staff.
"Everybody has a hand in this, and we all know that the players play the game," Jones said. "We know the closest ones to them are the coaches. Closest ones to them are the people that hire the coaches. So, everybody's got a little in this. Everyone does. By the way, that's no solace to have somebody step up here and say to the fans 'that's my fault, I'll take this one.' What does that do? That doesn't win the ballgame. I'm not trying to put that BS out there either."
Parsons was asked about McCarthy and his staff being in the last year of their coaching contracts in 2024, and he chose to lament about how the Cowboys' 3-6 start impacts some of the Cowboys aging veterans like nine-time Pro Bowl right guard Zack Martin, who will turn 34 on Nov. 20 and is in his 11th NFL season.
"That's above my pay grade about if Mike [McCarthy] is coaching against next year," Parsons said postgame on Sunday. "All coaching aside, Mike can leave and go wherever he wants. I kind of feel bad for guys like Zack Martin and guys who might be on their last year on their way out. Because that's who I wanted to hold the trophy for. You want to win games and do great with those types of legends who put in more time and work than Mike McCarthy ever did. Those are the kind of guys I have so much sympathy and hurt for."
Jones thought the Cowboys were going to play "substantially better" without Prescott than they did in Week 10 because of the past performance from Rush as a fill-in when the Cowboys won five of six starts with him under center with the defense allowing 15.6 points per game in those six starts across the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
"We've won three games with Dak. We weren't playing well with Dak. At all." Jones said. "There's a lot to work on here, and we're all aware of that. Very concerning, and it should get the kind of concern that we have to give it. That's all there is to it. It is not acceptable. ...There's no joy here without winning games, and I'm very regretful to our fans. Very."
