Jerry Jones has a cryptic comment about his coach, a HOFer has harsh words for his ex-boss, and the team’s new triplets close in on history.
A Thursday gameday has Cowboys Nation already looking at final injury reports for both Dallas and Chicago in advance of their primetime meeting on Lake Shore Drive. Three Cowboys have been ruled out, along with one familiar face in the Bears secondary.
Khalil Mack has good things to say about the Dallas offense, but Troy Aikman isn’t as gracious when it comes to the Cowboys front office. Owner Jerry Jones offers a cryptic comment about coach Jason Garrett’s future, and a noted football insider has a bone to pick regarding the current playoff seeding structure. All that plus the Cowboys’ new triplets close in on team history, and a closer look at some killer cleats for some exceptional causes. Here’s your News and Notes slate ahead of Week 14’s game.
The trio of Cowboys who were on the fence for Thursday’s game in Chicago will now officially be wearing street clothes on the Soldier Field sideline. Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch is still dealing with a neck issue, defensive tackle Antwaun Woods has a knee problem, and safety Jeff Heath is working through a double shoulder ailment.
The ankle injury that kept running back Tony Pollard out of Tuesday’s practice is still a source of some concern; the rookie is listed as questionable for the Bears tilt.
Bears cornerback Prince Amukamara had some memorable meetings with Dallas when he was a member of the Giants from 2011 to 2015. Thursday night was to be the former first-rounder’s first time facing the Cowboys since leaving New York. But that rematch may have to wait; Amukamara is listed as doubtful for Week 14’s showdown due to a hamstring injury sustained on Thanksgiving Day in Chicago’s game versus Detroit.
The Bears’ official website lists offensive tackle Bobby Massie, wide receiver Taylor Gabriel, tight end Ben Braunecker, and linebacker Danny Trevathan as out.
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has had a stellar 2019 campaign, despite the team’s overall performance. The leader of Chicago’s defense thinks keeping him in check will be “a big challenge.”
Mack says of Prescott, “The guy knows how to put his team in a position to win games. He’s a hell of a ballplayer. He plays with a lot of heart, and you see it. You see it reflected in the film.”
But Mack and his defensive mates know they won’t be able to key solely on stopping the Dallas air attack. Of two-time rushing champ Ezekiel Elliott, Mack says, “He’s one of the most physical running backs in the league. It’s going to be a huge task. He’s a guy who runs the ball like he’s angry. It’s going to be our job to make sure he feels us.”
Troy Aikman thinks his former quarterback understudy Jason Garrett has “the hardest job in football” as head coach of the Cowboys and says he’s “done a really nice job” in that capacity over the past decade. But the Hall of Famer admits that sometimes a change at the top is needed. If the team doesn’t go on a late run and find postseason success, that change could be coming soon to Dallas.
Aikman even had some harsh words for his former boss and went on to talk about the unique front office situation that a prospective new coach would be walking into.
“It’s not run, traditionally, the way most organizations are. I think that’s to the detriment of the Cowboys. I don’t think you can look at three playoff wins in the last 25 years and surmise that all of the problems over that time have been a result of coaching.”
Aikman goes into detail of how Jones meddles, and one can’t help but wonder how this will impact any coding search.
The NFL’s annual head coaching carousel started turning a bit earlier than expected on Wednesday when Ron Rivera was shown the door in Carolina. Almost on cue, talk in sports radio circles turned to whether Rivera might be a fit in Dallas if Jason Garrett also gets his walking papers.
Even with a lackluster 6-6 record, Garrett’s team is- improbably- still favored to win the division title. Talk of a coaching change in Dallas might, then, seem premature. But it turns out the buzz had gotten a little louder just hours earlier, when owner Jerry Jones spoke with 105.3 The Fan that very morning.
The outspoken owner had plenty to say about Garrett’s aptitude and qualities. He talked about the high bar for NFL coaches in the chase to win Super Bowls. But he ended with the bombshell heard ’round the league: “In my opinion, Jason Garrett will be coaching in the NFL next year.”
Lots of room for interpretation there. Acres upon acres, in fact.
Somewhat lost in the disappointment of a middling 6-6 record has been just how statistically good the Cowboys offense has been. Quarterback Dak Prescott, running back Ezekiel Elliott, and wideout Amari Cooper are all putting up very good numbers. And while the individual totals might not be translating to as many wins as all involved would prefer, the trio of stars is on the cusp of doing something historic in the annals of Dallas football.
Dallas has played on the Thursday night after Thanksgiving in each of the past three seasons. They won all three contests. They also appeared on Thursday Night Football in 2014 and 2007. Both were victories. In fact, the last time Dallas lost on a Thursday night? 1978.
Also explored in this compendium of trivia: Randall Cobb’s prowess this season against his former NFC North rivals, Jason Witten knocking on the door of the franchise’s touchdown reception record, and a look at the coldest games in team history.
The winner of the NFC East- either Dallas or Philadelphia- will host a playoff game at their home stadium. Either San Francisco or Seattle will come in to that matchup with a much better regular season record, but as the runner-up in their division. That means they’ll be the visitors, with the lesser-performing team getting home field advantage for the first round of the playoffs. It’s happened before. And now that’s it’s happening again, it’s sparking discussion about whether that’s right.
As Mike Florio suggests, “Maybe the rule should be that the division winner has to have a winning record to host a wild-card game. Maybe the division winner should be required to generate a record of 10-6 or better. Whatever the formula, the current one is grossly unfair.”
Take note: If the existing seeding system benefits Jerry Jones and the Cowboys and helps them beat a seemingly-superior team and advance in postseason play, it just may be enough for another of the NFL owners to propose an official change during the league meetings in March.
For the fourth year in a row, NFL players will showcase their personal causes in the My Cause My Cleats campaign. More than 900 players will wear custom-made cleats with artwork highlighting the charities and initiatives they support off the field.
From children’s hospitals and anti-bullying programs to cancer research and youth services, the Cowboys’ cleats will give attention to a long list of worthy causes when the players hit the field in their artsy footwear prior to Thursday night’s game in Chicago.
