‘Shocker’ has Cowboys at crossroads as Jerry Jones says he isn’t considering a coaching change
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Jerry Jones says he isn’t considering a coaching change.
There’s no question the owner of the Dallas Cowboys has had happier birthdays than his 82nd.
Yet another puzzling blowout loss at home — this one on Jones’ birthday — has the Cowboys at a crossroads going into their open week before a visit to San Francisco, where they played dreadfully a year ago.
The bright side for Dallas (3-3) is a 3-0 road record and just a one-game deficit in the division for the defending NFC East champion.
There was no talk of bright sides following a 47-9 loss to Detroit.
It was the worst home loss of the Jones era, which started in 1989, and the worst at AT&T Stadium, which opened in 2009.
The Cowboys had won 16 consecutive games under their retractable roof before the current four-game skid — all lopsided losses — that started with a wild-card stinker against Green Bay last January.
“This was a shocker,” Jones said. “So, don’t have a lot of answers. What are you going to do about it? We’re going to go to work.”
And that will be under Mike McCarthy, if Jones’ immediate reaction to the question of his coach’s future doesn’t change.
Things got testy when Jones was reminded that he had made one midseason coaching change.
“That would be a hypothetical,” Jones shot back. “In that matter, do you think I’m an idiot? Do you? OK. Well, I’m not going to (be) hypothetical with you about would I consider a coaching change in light of the timing we’re sitting here with. I’m not. At all.”
To Jones’ point, the comparisons aren’t close. The billionaire businessman fired Wade Phillips in 2010 when the Cowboys were 1-7 and looked like they had quit the night before in a nationally televised 45-7 loss at Green Bay.
It’s easy to question the effort for a team that has been outscored 110-35 combined in the first halves of its past four home games. But quarterback Dak Prescott had strong words of support for his coach.
“I’ll go to war for that guy, with that guy, every single day,” Prescott said after throwing two interceptions and finishing with the second-worst passer rating of his career (42.2). “And I’m not the only one in that locker room. I feel like everybody feels that. I know he said it to you guys, he said it in there, he’s looking in the mirror, as we all should.”
What’s working
KaVontae Turpin’s value in the return game is growing. He had a career-long kickoff return of 79 yards that allowed Dallas to get a field goal in the final seconds of the first half. Turpin averaged 48.5 yards on four kickoff returns, a franchise best.
What needs help
The Dallas defense simply hasn’t been able to stop anything at home. Opponents have scored on 20 of 30 possessions, not counting the kneel-downs that ended all three games. The Cowboys are giving up an average of 460 yards, by far the most in franchise history through the first three home games. That number was more than 400 just one other time (2013).
Stock up
Damone Clark had a hand in a sack for the first time in his career, sharing one of two sacks of Jared Goff with Chauncey Golston. The third-year linebacker also saved the Cowboys the ignominy of giving up a receiving touchdown to an offensive tackle on another embarrassing day for the defense. Clark broke up a pass to Taylor Decker on a tackle-eligible play from the 2-yard line.
Stock down
Prescott has five turnovers in the past two games. The Cowboys overcame two interceptions and a lost fumble by their quarterback in a 20-17 victory at Pittsburgh. They never had a chance against the Lions. After Prescott threw an interception in the Detroit end zone trailing 7-3 in the first quarter, Dallas didn’t get another first down until the Lions led 34-6.
Injuries
There weren’t any immediate reports of injuries to Dallas players against Detroit. The Cowboys hope to get three defensive starters back after the open week in All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons (high ankle sprain), linebacker Eric Kendricks (calf/shoulder) and cornerback DaRon Bland (surgery for stress fracture in foot). It would be the season debut for Bland, who set an NFL record with five interception returns for touchdowns in 2023.
Key number
2015-16 — That’s the last time the Cowboys had a home losing streak longer than the current four-game skid. It was an eight-game losing streak back then — the final seven games of the 2015 season and the 2016 opener. There are only two other times the storied franchise had home losing streaks longer than four games.
Next steps
It’ll be a while before the Cowboys can try to stop the home skid. After the open week, Dallas is at the 49ers and Atlanta. The next home game is also the next division game, against Philadelphia on Nov. 10.
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