Loss should be Wade Phillips' last with Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys scored the first seven points, then just sat back and took it for more than three quarters as the Rams scored the next 34 points.
"We've all had stinkers before, but we haven't had one here," Phillips said. "That's what bothers me."
Phillips continues to coach a team that takes dumb penalties, that apparently doesn't know an illegal shift from a legal one. Brad Johnson certainly didn't cover himself in glory with his three-interception day in place of Tony Romo, but Johnson had plenty of company on both sides of the ball if you are looking for fall guys.
Rams rookie Donnie Avery looked like he could get open deep any time he wanted to. Steven Jackson (maybe we can still blame this whole thing on Parcells for not drafting him and wanting Julius Jones) ran for 160 yards.
When the defense wasn't getting lit up, "Pro Bowl" tackle Flozell Adams was getting his helmet handed to him by, among others, backup end James Hall.
The Cowboys owner talked about the need to right this sinking ship before it's too late.
"I understand the fear of continuing down the slope and not playing well," Jones said. "This sobers me up more than any game we've had. This is not the same feeling I had with the other two losses."
For those defeats, you could make excuses, and, very willingly, the head coach did.
This time he couldn't. And he shouldn't be left in place to come up with more excuses as to why a team with so much talent is heading toward the bottom of the NFC East.
There is no way to truly deliver a message of urgency to a collection of players and a coaching staff without, figuratively, cutting off the head.
Replacing Phillips with Garrett installed as the interim head coach would send a message to not just the football world but the locker room. It would spell out clearly that not just the results but the effort or lack thereof that produced a 1-3 stretch is not going to be tolerated.
Jones has acted boldly, swiftly, impetuously in the past.
This might be all of the above. But, really, it's the only way out of the darkness.
You could see it on the Rams' sideline Sunday. Unfortunately, Jerry wasn't looking in that direction.
Expect the Cowboys to continue heading in the wrong one.
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