For the second week in a row, Jerry Jones took time on his radio show on 105.3 The Fan to reaffirm his unwavering commitment to Wade Phillips--at least, for this season. The comments, detailed by Todd Archer over at the Dallas Morning News Cowboys Blog, smack of a man tired of answering the same question.
"Under no circumstances would I make a change," Jones said. "We've got a chance to get a lot of things done and we've got a lot of football left to play and we've got some good people that not only can play it but coach it."
Jerry stated again the he would not have fired Wade even in the event of a loss to Kansas City, before making a comparison that is becoming increasingly common around Valley Ranch.
"Two years ago the Giants were seemingly not in disarray but they were in trouble," Jones continued. "It was also absolutely expected that something was going to happen with the coach, Coughlin. Maybe during the year but something was going to happen and had to go. And of course [Eli] Manning was on the hot seat and would never be a winner. Well, that same year they won the Super Bowl. You've got to be mindful that this is a long, long journey so to speak."
While Jerry's comparison of his team this season to the New York Giants--and certainly his tireless devotion to Phillips--may come as frustrating to some, the comparison has some validity: Coughlin and Manning were, at the time, under a level of scrutiny similar to that facing Phillips and Tony Romo now; and, through five games, the Giants were 3-2.
The only difference (besides the obvious difference in coaching style between Phillips and Coughlin) is that New York was 3-2 after winning three straight. They would go on to win three more on a six-game win-streak--and eight of ten after dropping their first two. The critics of Coughlin (and Manning) were silenced gradually throughout that year, with the death blow coming in the wake of the Super Bowl win.
If Jerry is sick of people asking the question, it's up to Phillips to give them an answer; preferably a playoff win and, in the mean time, a decent winning streak--the latter of which might give fans hope that the former is even possible.
