Dallas Cowboys: No free pass for Jason Garrett in Week 14

Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett has no room for error when facing a New York Giants team that’s in complete disarray heading into Week 14.

It’s no secret that Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett has lived a most privileged life as head coach of America’s Team. His overall record aside, it’s always been known that owner and general manager Jerry Jones has had a soft spot for his head coach and the Garrett family.

Few have been harder on Jason Garrett than I have, and the published track record is there. I thought Garrett was unqualified for the offensive coordinator position he was ushered into just three years after spending his final season as a backup quarterback for the Miami Dolphins in 2004.

His ‘interim’ head coaching stint following the midseason dismissal of former head coach Wade Phillips in 2010 was nothing more than a facade when considering that Jones had always expected to elevate Jason Garrett to the head coaching ranks, even if he had planned to do so a season or three later.

It’s now been more than a decade on the calendar and 11 seasons since Garrett has occupied a senior-level post on the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff.

The results have been mixed, at best.

There was that ‘rookie splash’ as offensive coordinator in 2007 that brought about a 13-3 record and the top-seed in the NFC Playoffs – but there was also no playoff win that year.

As a head coach, it wasn’t until 2014 that Jason Garrett showed anything beyond complete mediocrity following three consecutive 8-8 seasons. The Cowboys’ out-of-nowhere 12-4 campaign that year brought the franchise’s second playoff victory since the 1996 season and finally offered some evidence that Garrett could take this storied franchise somewhere.

Now, this is not your standard ‘fire Garrett’ piece that’s been written already. I long ago gave up on a coach like Bill Cowher or Mike Holmgren somehow showing up to help guide now-retired quarterback Tony Romo to a Super Bowl.

Jerry Jones’ wish is to ride with Jason Garrett until the sun sets – literally.

But a 2017 regular season that’s been typically littered with adversity for the world’s most valuable sports franchise has many asking ‘Garrett questions’ again.

Then again, Thursday night’s 38-14 dismantling of a Washington Redskins team that was playing for everything that the Cowboys still are was most unexpected. The win has essentially saved the season, but only for right now.

Here’s where I think Garrett either earns his keep or shows that he needs to be shown the door.