Category: 2021 season

Cowboys News: Jerry weighs in on Zuerlein, Kellen Moore interview list grows

The owner admitted that kicking woes have affected play calling, while the play-calling guy is lining up new potential suitors on the daily. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The Dallas coordinators remain front and center this week as the team preps to head into the postseason. Dan Quinn will be matching wits with the OC who was under him when he was a head coach in Atlanta, all while a third and fourth team have now come forward with requests to talk to Quinn about being a head coach once again. Kellen Moore, meanwhile, has another interview to line up as well… as Cowboys fans are wondering out loud if the boy genius may have been purposely keeping the offense in first gear for the past several months, saving the fireworks for the tournament.

Elsewhere, we’re reviewing TV ratings from Week 18 and looking ahead at broadcast duties for Wild Card Weekend. Everson Walls is talking about what “The Catch” did to his legacy, Jerry Jones has something to say about the Cowboys’ struggling kicker, and big-hitting safety Roy Williams receives a big-time honor. All that, plus handing out season-finale grades, scouting a top edge rushing prospect, and making plans to turn AT&T Stadium white to drown out 49ers fans. That’s all up in News and Notes.

Cowboys DC Dan Quinn with more HC interview requests as Bears, Dolphins get in line

The list of teams to ask permission to speak with Quinn is now up to 4, but the DC maintains he’s focused on beating the 49ers this week. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Just call him Mr. Popularity.

Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn was run out of Atlanta just five games into the 2020 season, the most notable line item on his head coaching resume being the Falcons’ epic collapse in Super Bowl LI. But his 43-42 record on the sidelines there has been superseded by the remarkable turnaround he’s engineered with the Dallas defense, from most points ever surrendered before his arrival to the league leader in takeaways in one season.

It seems plenty of other teams are interested in seeing if Quinn can help them reverse their fortunes as well. Quinn has drawn interest from the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins for their head coaching vacancies, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

The interview requests for Quinn now number four, after the Jaguars and Broncos also reached out to the Cowboys asking permission to speak with the 51-year-old New Jersey native.

The Bears dismissed head coach Matt Nagy following a 6-11 season, Nagy’s fourth in Chicago. Nagy was the AP’s Coach of the Year in 2018. But the Bears also fired general manager Ryan Pace on Monday, meaning Quinn (or any other head coaching hire) would be walking into a time of significant turnover within the organization.

Despite closing out 2021 with a winning record, the Dolphins relieved Brian Flores of his head coaching duties on Monday as well, after three seasons in Miami. The club lost seven straight games starting in Week 2, but then won seven straight games before dropping their season finale.

The Broncos asked permission to speak with Quinn on Monday after firing Vic Fangio over the weekend. Jacksonville had requested an interview with two weeks left to play in the regular season, though Quinn declined to follow through with that meeting at the time.

When asked by Dallas media on Monday about the prospect of returning to the sidelines somewhere else as a head coach, Quinn maintained- as he has all season long- that he is content with the job he has before him trying to help the Cowboys advance through the postseason.

“I’m not trying to avoid it or to be coy. There’s just simply nothing to report on on my end,” Quinn said. “When job changes happen and coaches are let go, it’s a difficult time for them, their families, the assistants, the team, everybody that goes into that. So listen, it’s nice to hear if someone is interested. That’s not lost on me. I had a difficult 2020 season that didn’t go so good, so that’s not lost on me. But there’s really nothing to add on my end. There’s not a lot of time management or anything that has to go into mind other than just kicking ass and being right where my feet are. Hopefully we can just talk Niners today because that’s really where my heart and my head are moving forward.”

Whether Quinn’s heart and head see things differently as more teams come to call- or when the Cowboys end their postseason run- remains to be seen.

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‘AT&T’s been rocking’: Cowboys look to keep visiting 49ers fans muted on Sunday

49ers fans drowned out the Rams’ crowd in LA on Sunday. The Cowboys hope to prevent a repeat performance at home this weekend. | From @ToddBrock24f7

America’s Team led all NFL clubs in home-game attendance for the 2021 season by a significant margin. Their average crowd size of over 93,000 fans per game beat the second-place franchise by over 15,000 people.

But the Cowboys know their opponents in this week’s playoff matchup have a fanbase that travels well, and the team’s taking measures to try to keep the 49ers faithful in the minority at AT&T Stadium on Sunday.

Owner Jerry Jones firmly believes that bigger is better, so as he and the team prepare to host the first round of the postseason, he’s looking to further increase the size of what already promises to be a sizable and raucous Cowboys crowd.

“It’ll be roaring. When that bunch cranks up, you have 90-something-thousand people,” Jones said Tuesday on Dallas radio station 105.3 The Fan. “We have to limit what we put on our standing-room-only [availability] out there, we have to limit that amount. But I’d like to push that 100,000 this week.”

The Cowboys hosted the largest regular-season crowd in NFL history- 105,121 fans- in September 2009. Super Bowl XLV, held at AT&T Stadium in 2011, drew 103,219. Other events over the years, like WrestleMania 32 in 2016, a George Strait concert in 2014, and the 2010 NBA All-Star Game, have all attracted crowds of over 100,000 as well.

The danger, though, is that the sheer spectacle of this Sunday’s game could prompt some ticketholders to sell their seats to visitors at a hefty profit, potentially turning the Cowboys’ stadium into a satellite venue for fans of the opposing team.

Shortly after the postseason pairings were announced, a photo made the rounds on social media showing a decidedly red-clad crowd at AT&T during Week 1 of the 2014 season.

The circumstances on that season-opening day were notably different; San Francisco was coming off an appearance in the NFC conference championship and, led by quarterback Colin Kaepernick, were early Super Bowl favorites. Dallas, on the other hand, was fresh off their third consecutive 8-8 finish and not forecasted to do much better in the 2014 campaign.

This coming Sunday, of course, sees a very different scenario, with quarterback Dak Prescott and the league’s top-ranked offense complemented by a revamped and opportunistic defense starring electric youngsters Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs. The Cowboys are the No. 3 seed in the postseason bracket.

Head coach Mike McCarthy hopes his squad gives the home crowd- implored to dress in white by the Cowboys- plenty to cheer about: early, often, and loudly.

“Our crowd has been great, just the energy. I know that’ll be there. I love the white towels; that’s always a good thing,” McCarthy told reporters on Monday. “Just don’t want to see a lot of the other team, the other fans. That would be my preference. AT&T’s been rocking, and frankly, we have a big responsibility in that ourselves. We need to get out there and get going fast and get the crowd into the game. This is going to be a great afternoon.”

49ers fans made their presence felt at SoFi Stadium during their Week 18 clash with the Rams. Los Angeles coach Sean McVay and quarterback Matthew Stafford both remarked that crowd noise during their own offensive possessions made it difficult to call signals.

“It did catch us off-guard,” McVay told ESPN.

“It was a tough environment for us to communicate,” added Stafford, “in really the whole second half.”

Kristi Scales of the Dallas Morning News reported that ticket prices for this Sunday’s game more than tripled (on resale sites like SeatGeek and NFL Ticket Exchange) once the 49ers were announced as the Cowboys’ first-round opponent. That could hint at another San Francisco invasion.

The Cowboys know that the higher stakes of the playoffs will bring a passionate contingent from both fanbases to Arlington. And while he would prefer to see more blue (or white) than red on Sunday, Jones knows every fan in attendance will also be bringing plenty of green to spend at concession stands and in the merch shops.

“When you have the stadium the size that we have- which is easily the highest-attended stadium in the NFL- when you have a stadium the size of that, you’re going to have opposing jerseys in there, opposing fans, opposing colors,” Jones said. “I welcome it. I think it’s a great atmosphere.”

But Stephen Jones, the team’s executive vice president, reiterated that he hopes it’s an atmosphere dominated by the Cowboys’ own followers.

“I just can’t imagine you want to miss this one. This is why you get involved. This is why you want to be a season-ticket holder, a suite holder, a sponsor. This is what it’s all about, being in the tournament,” the younger Jones told 105.3 The Fan on Monday. “It’s going to be an amazing game, and I wouldn’t sell your tickets. I think I would show up, have a great time, and enjoy.”

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Bears players react to Matt Nagy, Ryan Pace firings

Here’s what David Montgomery, Trevis Gipson and James Daniels had to say after Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace were fired by the Bears.

The Chicago Bears cleaned house Monday firing both head coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace.

Nagy finished his Bears career with a 34-33 record, including both of Chicago’s playoff losses. During Pace’s seven-year tenure, the Bears went 48-67 and failed to win a playoff game in two appearances.

News of both firings broke before Chicago media met with some players before parting for the offseason, which allowed for some immediate reaction from some of the young core in place on the roster.

Here’s what running back David Montgomery, outside linebacker Trevis Gipson and offensive lineman James Daniels had to say following Nagy and Pace’s firings.

Analysis: Saints’ Week 18 experience encapsulated their season

The Saints overcame a lot of adversity to end with a win, but factors outside their control kept them out of the playoffs. How Week 18 encapsulated their season, via @MaddyHudak_94:

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The New Orleans Saints did their job and beat a division rival with their third-string quarterback, but ultimately failed to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Sunday’s thrilling 30-20 victory over the Atlanta Falcons was short-lived, as the team’s future was out of their hands. The season finale quickly soured by Matt Stafford throwing a game-ending interception in overtime to award the final playoff spot to the San Francisco 49ers. What should’ve been a celebrated end to an adversity-riddled season was overshadowed by a harsh reality check.

It wasn’t so much the elimination from the playoffs as it was acute shock at the abruptness; a 17-0 halftime lead for Los Angeles quickly doomed a historic NFL streak. After 45 consecutive wins by Sean McVay with his team leading at half, just about everything went wrong at the top of the third quarter and the Rams never recovered. Amid watching the NFC West matchup on my computer while New Orleans handily defeated Atlanta, through my initial disappointment came perspective. The second half collapse for Los Angeles was frankly embarrassing with the tools and players at their disposal. It put a premium on teams that can finish and teams that can’t; it made it clear that has little to do with rosters.

After winning the previous five games and clinching their division, the Rams regular season finale felt hollow and somewhat forewarning of an eventual collapse. Turns out, assembling a roster with weekly acquisitions of big names and remarkable in-season trades eventually becomes disjointed. Star power only gets you so far, and it certainly doesn’t singlehandedly beat an opponent that now holds sixth straight victories over their division rivals. It was clear there was no leadership, identity, nor a strong foundation for Los Angeles to wither the storm and critically rely on to close. The biggest takeaway from Week 18, and the 2021 season, is that a team’s culture matters. For Saints fans, that lesson should resonate most of all.

New Orleans had no business being in the playoff conversation all things considered. They cycled through four quarterbacks and four kickers in a tumultuous season that included displacement from a hurricane, starting an NFL-record 58 players, an implosion of their staunch offensive line due to injury, losing their top receiver for two consecutive seasons, a playoff-deciding game with 22 players sidelined by COVID-19 headlined by a fourth-round rookie quarterback not expected to play this season, and losing their starting quarterback midway through the year. And for what it’s worth, players like Wil Lutz and Michael Thomas aren’t included in that starter record with both missing the full season. That’s a mountain of what should be insurmountable circumstances. All of which ignores the paramount factor.

Around this time last year, it was near-impossible to imagine life after Drew Brees. Historically, teams that keep their franchise quarterback until the bitter end suffer from that void under center for years. Most, if not all, teams in this position don’t pull this season off like New Orleans. That a 9-8 season will go down as an all-timer in franchise history is remarkable. That the team remained viable in postseason contention until the final hour of the regular season is astonishing.

The most unfortunate consequence of the 2021 season was the inability to evaluate the role of quarterback whatsoever. New Orleans cycled through four, mainly focusing on two, and each time one had a breakthrough their season was cut short. After winning the quarterback competition over the offseason, Jameis Winston was hampered by lack of weapons until turning a crucial corner in the exact game he was injured. He completed 6 passes for 56 yards in a mere quarter, led the team in rushing with 40 yards – including two third down conversions with his legs – and was leading the offense with poise as a dual-threat quarterback. He was getting the ball out quick to Kamara, completing passes to players like Mark Ingram he’d had no previous practice with, and was showcasing the chemistry with receivers he’d cultivated over the summer.

Not dissimilar at all from Taysom Hill in Week 18. His command of the offense was palpable, and it was moving with conviction for the first time since Winston went down in Week 8. The offensive line benefitted from Ryan Ramczyk’s return and was creating holes for the run game and time for Hill to compose in the pocket; he was resultantly much more accurate on roll outs and had rare touch on his quick screens to tight ends. Much like Winston in a single quarter, Hill amassed 7 passes for 107 yards and threw the team’s first touchdown on an opening drive this season. He was averaging 11.9 yards per throw and completed passes to six different receivers while recording 18 rushing yards. Then he suffered a Lisfranc injury, and his career game was abruptly cut short.

Was it enough to be in the conversation next season? It’s impossible to say at this point. The truth is, we don’t know what’s going on inside the building and likely won’t get a sense of the true evaluation of either quarterback, or the future of the position, for a while. The search for Brees’ successor is indefinitely paused until at least the start of free agency and the 2022 NFL draft. Quite frankly, it really doesn’t matter. The Saints are going to be okay no matter the player under center, and that’s incredulous in context.

A critical search that felt fruitless at times was an identity on offense. In the quest to uncover one, we missed the point entirely. The team may have been an offensive firepower under Drew Brees, but that may have solely been a byproduct of having an elite quarterback. Head coach Sean Payton’s creativity this season transcended offensive genius. Each week was chaotic, and each was exactly by design by careful studying and exploitation of the opponent. Each headlined by a ferocious defense of veteran leaders and scrappy rookie playmakers. Each week saw Alvin Kamara wearing a different hat, reaching a season-high and a season-low simultaneously. Adversity rained down by the hour, and each week the rotating assembly of available players came to compete. This team has an identity. It’s one of grit, and a group of leaders that never quits.

With the new era of quarterbacks approaching NFL contracts closer to that of the NBA, it’s easy to make a play for a previously unattainable player under center.  A team can always pluck the right quarterback into the optimal situation. To be able to compete in spite of that position is what matters. That’s all intertwined in culture. Thanks to coach Payton and the leaders who have built this team to perpetuate, you can never count New Orleans out. Sunday’s victory led by Trevor Siemian in relief for a second time this season was overwhelming evidence of that fact. That sense of conviction is ultimately much more valuable than a Wild Card berth in withstanding the post-Brees era. In the case of replacing longtime franchise quarterbacks, through a trifecta of culture, competitiveness, and consistency, the Saints broke the mold.

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Report card and snap counts: Cowboys’ Week 18 performance showed depth in key areas

Here’s who played, how much and how well as Dallas took it to their division rival’s backups in Week 18. | From @Zeke_Barrera

Hanging 50 points for the second time in three weeks, the Cowboys ended their 2021 regular season with their second-ever Week 18 (remember the Emmitt Smith shoulder game?) in spectacular fashion. The Dallas offense kept churning out touchdowns in what quickly devolved into a tune-up and exhibition game, with both teams set for playoff matchups.

It was a thrashing the Cowboys have handed out before, pushing the tempo while relentlessly running up the score, looking like one of the best teams in the league. The question becomes whether they can repeat it a few more times when it matters most, taking this team further than any of its recent counterparts.

Here’s how the Cowboys graded out in Week 18, along with the playtime percentage breakdown.

Bear Necessities: The Morning After…Matt Nagy, Ryan Pace firings and the mess that followed

Our Bears Wire staff is sharing their immediate reactions to Nagy and Pace’s firings, as well as the mess that ensued in the aftermath.

This is our online morning newsletter, Bear Necessities. Subscribe to get the latest Bears news delivered to your mailbox every day.

The Chicago Bears cleaned house firing both head coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace on Monday, which leaves two gaping holes in the front office.

It was certainly an eventful day from start to finish, where Bears fans celebrated the effort for change (in firing Nagy and Pace) and then came back down to Earth after Chairman George McCaskey opened his mouth for the one and only time this year.

There was plenty to digest from Monday’s saga. Our Bears Wire staff is sharing their immediate reactions to Nagy and Pace’s firings, as well as the mess that ensued in the aftermath.

Cowboys’ Fassel doubles down on Zuerlein confidence: ‘I’m going to be right’

John Fassel opened up about Greg Zuerlein’s inconsistency, but backed up his kicker with playoff pressure around the corner for Dallas. | From @CDBurnett7

The Dallas Cowboys fell to the Arizona Cardinals by three points in Week 17. Late in the first quarter, kicker Greg Zuerlein missed a 43-yard field goal. While missing out on three points is just one of several factors contributing to Dallas’ loss, blown opportunities in the kicking game isn’t anything new for the club. Zuerlein has missed a career-high six PAT’s and tied a career-high of 12 total misses over his 15 games played.

He’s missed a field goal in three of the Cowboys’ five losses and all were decided by three or less points. This includes a pair of misses against Tampa Bay in the season opener, another game that had enormous seeding implications by the end of the regular season. Even in Saturday’s win Zuerlein missed an extra point, but despite his season-long woes, special teams coordinator John Fassel has his back. On Monday, Fassel doubled down on his support.

Prior the game, Fassel spoke of his continued confidence in Zuerlein’s ability to make the big kick and to figure out what’s causing the misses. When asked if he had wavered, he responded “If I’m wrong, then I’ll be wrong. But I really think I’m going to be right. I guess we’ll see,” per USA Today’s Jori Epstein.

“I love Greg, I believe in Greg and I’m not supporting him just because of my experience with him over the alt 10 years,” Cowboys ST John Fassel told us. “This is a production business. When we stop producing, things change. But I have full faith in Greg. I do.”

After the backlash Fassel faced for special teams conundrums in 2020, the unit has been a bright spot for Dallas in 2021, but Zuerlein’s inconsistency has stuck out like a sore thumb.

If a missed field goal costs the Cowboys in the playoffs, Fassel seems willing to fall on his sword for Zuerlein.

Later in the press conference, which was a long one for Fassel, he made a comparison to golf legend Tiger Woods and opened up about Zuerlein’s shaky season. Fassel admitted his fear, but didn’t back down about his kicker.

Dallas had Lirim Hajrullahu on roster and could’ve called Kai Forbath back up after his perfect stint with the team in 2019, but it’s stayed stern and the result of their decision truly begins Sunday against the 49ers in the wild-card round and Fassel’s reputation may hang in the balance.

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Here are Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace’s statements regarding their firings

The Bears fired Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace. Read their statements as they depart the organization.

The Chicago Bears fired head coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace on Monday, which marks the end of what’s been an arduous era of Bears football.

Nagy finished his Bears career with a 34-33 record, including both of Chicago’s playoff losses. During Pace’s seven-year tenure, the Bears went 48-67 and failed to win a playoff game in two appearances.

Here are the statements from Nagy and Pace‘s regarding their firings (via the Bears):

Kellen Moore, Dan Quinn on Broncos HC radar; Denver requests to talk to both Cowboys coordinators

Denver has wasted no time in requesting interviews with both Dallas coordinators, though those meetings likely won’t take place this week. | From @ToddBrock24f7

As expected, the Cowboys coordinators seem to be popular on the day after the conclusion of the NFL regular season. “Black Monday,” as it has come to be called, has claimed the jobs of head coaches in Chicago, Miami, and Minnesota. But a squad who did their housecleaning on Sunday is already getting a jump over those clubs on reaching out to candidates.

The Broncos have requested permission to interview Dallas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as well as offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, several outlets are reporting. Denver fired three-year head coach Vic Fangio over the weekend, following their season-ending loss to Kansas City.

As previously reported in Cowboys Wire, Quinn has history with Broncos general manager George Paton, who is said to have “full authority” in selecting the franchise’s next head coach.

According to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News, Paton has been eyeing Quinn for some time.

Quinn, 51, will join 33-year-old Kellen Moore on the Broncos’ list of candidates. Mike Klis of Denver’s KUSA tweeted of Moore: “Might be the McVay of this hiring cycle. A rising star coach with ties to the Mountain West.”

Moore was a collegiate star at nearby Boise State and interviewed to be their head coach following the 2020 season, though he ultimately returned to Dallas.

Moore and Quinn also received invitations to interview with Jacksonville for their head coach opening. Quinn reportedly declined that interview at the time, but helped prep Moore for his virtual chat with the Jaguars just prior to the Cowboys’ Week 18 game in Philadelphia.

With the Cowboys now preparing for a postseason game on Sunday, their Broncos interviews likely won’t happen until next week.

The Broncos have already also asked to interview Patriots linebacker coach Jerod Mayo, Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, and Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy, just a few hours into the yearly coaching carousel.

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