Cowboys coaching staff must be held accountable

Despite several setbacks, the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff failed to do their jobs in 2015 and should be held accountable.

After a recording a regular season record of 4-10, the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff don’t seem to be feeling the heat from the proverbial hot seat. But should they be? After a 12-4 season in 2014, many of them, including head coach Jason Garrett, got lucrative contract extensions. And at the time, they seemed well earned. In hindsight, those deals appear to have been given out prematurely.

But amidst a season where you lost your starting quarterback to injury and last year’s leading rusher to free agency, how much of a pass does this Cowboys coaching staff get following such a massive letdown in 2015? According to one longtime Dallas columnist, they shouldn’t get one.

"“Jason Garrett and his staff have let this franchise down,” wrote Dallas Morning News columnist Rick Gosselin last Sunday. “The Cowboys needed answers this season, needed solutions, and this coaching staff had none. Any coach can win when he’s dealt a hand of aces. The rest must play the hand they are dealt — and find a way to win with it. It’s their job.”"

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Many will likely point to the two broken clavicle injuries suffered by Tony Romo as this Cowboys coaching staff’s “Get out of Jail Free” card for this underwhelming outcome. Unfortunately, that excuse rings hollow in a season where back-up quarterbacks across the league are leading their teams to the playoffs. Teams like the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos currently have back-up quarterbacks under center and they are actually winning games. Three Cowboy back-ups have led the team to exactly one win and nine losses as starters for Dallas this season, although Kellen Moore hasn’t technically started a game yet.

Others will point to the loss of DeMarco Murray in free agency this offseason as to when the cookie began to crumble in Dallas. But the fact is, veteran running back Darren McFadden came alive for the Cowboys in late October. In his last nine games, Re-Run DMC has rushed for 769 yards and could easily hit 1,000 before the end of the season. In that same span, the Cowboys are 2-7.

Injuries, poor front office decisions, and a tough schedule all played a part in Dallas’ demise in 2015. But the Cowboys coaching staff, with Garrett at the very top, must also be held accountable for their mistakes this season. This is same group who believed in quarterback Brandon Weeden as a viable back-up to Tony Romo. This is the same group who believed running back Joseph Randle could replace Murray in Dallas, despite his past transgressions. Both players who are no longer on the roster.

This coaching staff truly believed veteran Matt Cassel under center gave them the best chance to win. That nearly any running back could have success behind this offensive line. That wide receivers Terrance Williams, Devin Street and Cole Beasley could step up in Dez Bryant‘s absence. That they could finally find a way to utilize the talents of tight end Gavin Escobar. This staff believed adding defensive end Greg Hardy would significantly improve this team’s pass rush. All of which have been found to be false through the course of this season.

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Bottom line is there are plenty of excuses to go around. But at the end of the day, the coaches are paid to win games, regardless of their circumstances. And this season, they simply didn’t get the job done.

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