Kellen Moore sends loud and clear message to Cowboys after Brian Schottenheimer hire

Dallas Cowboys v Philadelphia Eagles
Dallas Cowboys v Philadelphia Eagles | Mitchell Leff/GettyImages

The Dallas Cowboys sent shockwaves around the NFL when they hired Brian Schottenheimer as their new head coach. It is hard to remember a coaching hire that received as much backlash as Schottenheimer, but he actually has the traits to be a good coach.

It is the process that led Dallas to their decision that is the problem.

Early on it seemed that Kellen Moore was the overwhelming favorite. Moore was among the first candidates linked to the job before it was confirmed he would interview. It felt like a sure thing that Moore would be asked back for a second interview after the NFC Championship Game.

As one of the final two teams to hire a head coach, and with Schottenheimer not receiving any coaching interest outside of Dallas, the Cowboys could have taken their time and even interviewed other candidates or further explored the Moore possibility.

Moore reportedly wanted the job and he was seemingly out to send a message to Jerry Jones in Philly's record-setting NFC title game win over the Commanders.

Kellen Moore sent a clear message to the Cowboys after their Brian Schottenheimer hire

Just days after being rejected by his former employer, Moore's offense put up a 50-burger against the Commanders and made NFL history in the process. The Eagles' 55-point barrage is now the most points scored in any NFC or AFC title game in league history.

The Bills previously held the record with their 51-point explosion in the 1990 AFC title game. The Panthers previously held the NFC record with 49 points back in 2015.

RELATED: Cowboys’ Jerry Jones disrespected Brian Schottenheimer seconds after hiring him

Right after the win, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported the Saints will fly to Philadelphia as soon as Monday to conduct an in-person interview with Moore for their head coach opening.

While the Commanders aren't the Cowboys' famed Doomsday Defense, they were a respectable group all season, including in the playoffs. Between Frankie Luvu, Jonathan Allen, Mike Sainristil, Bobby Wagner and Daron Payne, they have playmakers all over the field. They're coached by two brilliant football minds in Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr.

And they had zero answers on Sunday. Moore's widespread offense made the 34-year-old Wagner travel sideline-to-sideline and it showed.

This wasn't your classic hand the ball off to Saquon Barkley and let him do the rest game, either. Barkley had just 58 yards on the ground after his 60-yard touchdown run on the Eagles' first play from scrimmage. Jalen Hurts threw for 246 yards and A.J. Brown broke out of his slump to the tune of 96 receiving yards and a touchdown.

It is not a coincidence that the Eagles had the best offensive performance of any team this season, including the playoffs, days after Moore got rejected by the Cowboys. He was clearly out to prove a point about what the Joneses are missing and he did that and then some.

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