It feels like we have written the eulogy on the 2024 Dallas Cowboys, but there are still eight games remaining on the schedule. While the on-field product alone proves we are in for a long final two months, it is once again owner Jerry Jones who will make these two months feel like an eternity.
Never one to concede when he's wrong, Jones has doubled and tripled down and some of his most consequential personnel decisions.
Jones insists running back Derrick Henry was too expensive and that alternative signing Ezekiel Elliott has made a positive impact. While maddening, Jones can't go back in time and undo those mistakes. Not that he would, but you get the point.
What is amendable, though, is the hellish sun glare at AT&T Stadium, which continuously hinders Cowboys pass-catchers in big moments. It cropped up in the first quarter of Sunday's game against the Eagles when CeeDee Lamb failed to catch a would-be touchdown.
It has morphed into a national storyline and old friend Kellen Moore, now the Eagles offensive coordinator, twisted the proverbial knife.
Kellen Moore's reaction to Cowboys' sun controversy sums up brutal 2024 season
Moore acknowledged that the sun impacted Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts in the first half.
"In general for everyone. I've been there. I was there a long time," Moore said chuckling.
"The stadiums all have different circumstances. That one, obviously the sun played a decent role. You just have to call plays according to it knowing certain parts of the field at times can be a little bit challenging. We had it in the first quarter, towards the end of the first quarter in the red zone. Then obviously we were going the other way."
Kellen Moore had a solid chuckle when asked about the sun at Jerry World 😂
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) November 12, 2024
The Eagles offensive coordinator (and former QB and OC for the Cowboys) was asked how much of an issue the glare was in Dallas in Week 10. pic.twitter.com/97ASAi4ZBU
Moore's reaction sums up the Cowboys' 2024 season.
Jones noted after the game that Moore knew where the sun was during his stint as offensive coordinator. While that is undeniable, the sun still caused problems for Dallas' former OC.
In the 2022 Wild Card game against the 49ers, Cedrick Wilson couldn't see a pass that would have put Dallas in field goal range before halftime. A field goal would have made the score 16-10. That is just one example.
More notable and pertinent, though, is that Jones is not interested in installing curtains during afternoon games at AT&T Stadium. The same curtains that are used during concerts and WWE events.
Jones is in denial of the issue the glare creates and went as far as to call it an advantage for the Cowboys because they know where the sun is during games. Jones brought up adding curtains unprompted and exclaimed "Let’s just tear the damn stadium down and build another one. Are you kidding me?"
Nobody wants a new stadium, Jerry. Even CeeDee Lamb, who was visibly annoyed that the sun prevented him from scoring a go-ahead touchdown against the Eagles and said without hesitation that he's in favor of putting up curtains.
That Jones won't even listen to the team's superstar receiver shows he is more defensive and stubborn than ever.
Like we said at the onset of this article: It's going to be a long final two months.