Dallas Cowboys coaching change: One advantage of waiting

Parting ways with Jason Garrett: Two different scenarios

If the Cowboys wait until the end of the season, then the question is who they should choose out of all the possible applicants. It encourages a systematic, dispassionate approach.

But if they have an interim head coach at the end of the season, then the question is whether they should retain him or conduct an exhaustive search. That encourages an emotional decision. Notice though, that in these different scenarios, the questions are different.

The interim head coach has to get consideration if he’s done anything good. If the team improves at all, you have to consider the guy.

And the truth is that a mediocre coach can get lucky. Garrett’s gotten lucky several times. In 2016, the team went 13-3 with the rookie quarterback phenom Dak Prescott. Richard could also get lucky, but turn out to be another mediocrity in the long run.

If the season ended today, and I were making the decisions, I wouldn’t even interview Richard for the job. The defense has been erratic this year, and terrible at times. Lately, they can’t even tackle competently. This has to have at least something to do with the coaching.

When problems arise, on either side of the line of scrimmage, the coach’s job is to solve them; to come up with solutions when something isn’t working.

Over the years, Garrett has been terrible at this. I have seen no signs that Richard is any better. Nevertheless, it’s possible that simply removing Garrett could give the team a lift.

Then, Jerry Jones could do a very Jerry-Jones type of thing and name the interim shot-caller the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. He’d get up on stage, clap him on the shoulder and say this is the guy to get the team to the Super Bowl. Can’t you just see it happening?

It’s also possible that Jerry knows this about himself, and that this is part of the reason he’s so reluctant to fire Garrett now. He’s all but said he’ll fire him at the end of the season, strongly hinting that Garrett’s done a terrible job.

I’m not a mind reader. But it seems that Jones believes his best chance to hire the most optimal coach available is to wait until the season is over. Remember, he’s the guy who hired Jason Garrett in the first place.

Jerry might just be trying to learn from his past mistakes. It could be that he’s looked back at this whole situation and wondered if he would have chosen Garrett if he’d had a calm offseason to think about it.

If that’s the case, Jones could be desperate to avoid a situation like that again – so desperate that he’s willing to watch the Cowboys tank for the rest of the season to avoid making the wrong choice again.

And knowing Jerry (as an observer.  I’ve ever met the man.), I think he might be right. Not because Garrett is likely to turn this sinking ship around. Nope. The ship looks like it just hit an iceberg. No. I think Jerry might be right because of who he is.