While I don’t believe Cowboys fans should jump ship in the wake of Monday night’s abysmal loss in frigid Chicago, I do believe change is in order.
If ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But if it is broke, fire somebody.
Somebody named Monte Kiffin.
Why? Because if you keep on doing what you’ve been doing, you’re going to keep on getting what you’ve been getting. And status quo in regards to the Cowboys’ defense is unacceptable.
Fire somebody this late in the season? Really? Really. Right, John Harbaugh and the Baltimore Ravens?
On Dec. 10, 2012, the Ravens were 9-4 and enjoyed a two-game lead in the AFC North. Their offense was 18th in the NFL, had just come off a 21-point first half in a loss in Washington and was only a month removed from producing a franchise-record 55 points in a game. Out of the blue, Harbaugh fired offensive coordinator Cam Cameron.
“It’s not about fair or unfair, right or wrong,” Harbaugh said at the time. “We need a change. Our plan and our goals are to win games, win our division and get to the playoffs.”
The shakeup worked. The Ravens fired Cameron and promoted quarterbacks coach Jim Caldwell. They lost two of their final three games (scoring only 17 points in the losses), but then went on an epic offensive run in the playoffs, scoring 24, 38, 28 and 34 points en route to winning the Super Bowl.
We all know the Cowboys’ defensive numbers. They’re on pace to be the worst defense in the history of the NFL. I see zero from DeMarcus Ware. Bruce Carter’s effort can be questioned. And I long ago extinguished my patience watching Jeff Heath bounce off ball-carriers.
Kiffin’s defense is predicated on pressuring the quarterback with the front four and playing ball-hawking zone coverage behind it. But there’s no consistent pressure. There’s dwindling ball-hawking. And there’s epically woeful results.
Owner Jerry Jones fired Rob Ryan because his ineffective defenses were too exotic. Kiffin should be canned because his dreadful unit is too vanilla. Or simply because this team needs a jolt, or else travel the same worn path to December failure.
But … “Where we are today, to get this fixed over the next, if you would, week or four of five days, the next three weeks,” Jones said Tuesday on his weekly radio show, “there’s nobody I would rather have to get it fixed.”
Status quo. Status woe.
A native Texan who was born in Duncanville and graduated from UT-Arlington, Richie Whitt has been a mainstay in the Metroplex media since 1986. He’s held prominent roles on all media platforms including newspaper (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), radio (105.3 The Fan) and TV (co-host on TXA 21 and numerous guest appearances, including NBC 5). He currently writes a sports/guy stuff blog at DFWSportatorium.com and lives in McKinney with his fiancee, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.
