Let's flashback a couple of months.
The Dallas Cowboys are 3-0, dominating three of the worst teams in football three straight weeks. Ahead they have games with the New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers, and New York Jets. Two of the top teams Dallas expects to see in January, and a “gimme” win against the Jets.
Since that very moment, post-celebration against Miami, the Dallas Cowboys have been one of the worst teams in all of football. Since that moment they are 3-7, and now look to be headed towards their first losing season in the Dak Prescott era.
Thursday's loss was a new low for the Jason Garrett-led Cowboys, though. Never has a Garrett coached team looked so flat, so unprepared, and so completely uninterested in such an important contest. Thursday's loss to the Chicago Bears was the Cowboys' third straight defeat, but this was the most pathetic of them all.
It's time for wholesale changes in Dallas.
The Cowboys, a billion dollar franchise valued higher than any other NFL team, is run like a mom and pop shop. Jerry Jones is the owner and general manager, and his family members have many of the other positions of power. Jason Garrett, seemingly an extended member of the Jones family, has been the head coach for nearly a decade. And within that entire decade, the Cowboys have yet to reach a single NFC championship game.
Spoiler alert: it ain't happening this season either.
Jason Garrett has to go. His message has clearly run its course in Dallas, as the players look to have tuned him out and potentially quit on him. Kris Richard, once thought of as one of the top head coaching candidates in football, also needs to be on his way out. Rod Marinelli must join them, as his defense has been downright awful as of late.
The Cowboys desperately need an outside voice to join this organization. Someone who will come in with a fresh point of view and set of ideas. Someone who can break the bad habits which have seemingly creeped into this team. And, of course, someone who can salvage whatever talent is remaining on this roster.
And if hiring this someone means losing some promising young coaches like Kellen Moore and Jon Kitna, then so be it.
Because it is clearly time for a hard reset with the Dallas Cowboys. And while it starts at the top, I wouldn't be surprised if the Cowboys move on from some high profile players this offseason as well.
