Fire Wade Phillips

A few weeks ago at the Dallas Cowboys‘ rookie mini-camp, coaches had the opportunity to see first round selection Dez Bryant in action for the first time in team colors; the reviews were overwhelmingly positive, with Wade Phillips eulogizing the former Oklahoma State star, saying he was the most impressive rookie he had ever seen.

On Monday, the opening of organized team activities, veterans had the opportunity to see the most immediately impressive of their new teammates in the flesh; like Phillips, they were left somewhat mesmerized by the tools possessed by Bryant.

“I heard a lot of hype about him coming in, and I definitely agree with him being the first pick,” said cornerback Mike Jenkins, per ESPNDallas.com. “The guy is going to be a great receiver in this league. … I think he has all the ability to be the best receiver we have.”

Roy Williams, whose role as a starter was threatened–according to many outsiders–by Bryant’s selection, raved about the young receiver as well, adding that he’d like to aid in his development.

“I’m trying to make him better, not only for him but for the Dallas Cowboys in the future,” Williams said. “He’s the future guy for this football team. Everybody knows that. I want him to be the man, come real soon.”

Of course, Bryant still has some developing to do. Williams, who has made clear that he won’t hand over his starting role without a fight, knows this, as does Bryant’s quarterback Tony Romo. Now this is an obvious conclusion to draw from the situation, particularly in mid-May, but, admittedly, it’s easy to forget.

Bryant, in his brief time with the team, has just been that impressive. Fortunately for us, who find ourselves swooning in the possibilities of the future, Romo is a realist.

“There’s a long way to go, it’s a process and it’s about improving,” Romo said, echoing every interview he’s ever given. “[With] young guys, it sometimes takes a little bit to get adjusted to press, different things, in the NFL, route adjustments. I’ll be interested to see all that as it gets forward. We’re just starting the process now.”

PFT: “Giants, Redskins, and Eagles fans suddenly feel a little bit better about their day.”

What a loser.  Fire Wade Phillips

Wade and Keith Brooking whine about the Vikings

No one is rooting for Wade Phillips to succeed more than Jerry Jones.

He’d like nothing better than for Phillips to beat Philadelphia this week and capture his second NFC East title in three years, which means the Cowboys would host at least one playoff game.

If Phillips succeeds, then it justifies Jerry’s decision to hire Phillips instead of Norv Turner, and it justifies his decision to go with a players’ coach after Bill Parcells left.

Besides, Jerry loves working with Phillips because the coach allows him to be himself. He can be part of the process instead of feeling like an intruder when he wants to address the team after a game.

Jerry doesn’t want to fire Phillips.

Frankly, he’s looking for reasons to keep Phillips around. His 32-15 is a good start, but Jerry wants some playoff success. You can’t blame him, considering the Cowboys haven’t won a playoff game since 1996.

That’s why Jerry hasn’t been shy about saying what needs to happen for Phillips to keep his job.

It’s also why he hasn’t yet signed the club option that will guarantee Phillips another year.

Win Sunday and Phillips might just get a belated Christmas gift from the owner.

here ya go sign itF

Heard Mike on Cowherd’s show today, Wade is too light, Parcels too heavy, Cowboys need a coach somewhere in the middle.

Lets get Wade Phillips fired before the Cowboys become a joke.

LINK TO STORY

The players have spoken this week. Loud and clear. Oh, how they love Wade Phillips.

They’re upset because his leadership and approach to handling the Cowboys has been questioned for the 10 millionth time since Jerry Jones hired him instead of Norv Turner in 2007.

The players love Phillips’ demeanor. And his schemes. And the way he accepts responsibility for their mistakes.

Who wouldn’t love a guy like that?

It’s time for the players to prove their love. After all, words without actions are worthless.

This week, the players should win one for Wade. It has a nice ring to it.

If the players are sincere about their affection for Phillips, then they need to beat San Diego, ending the Chargers’ seven-game winning streak. That’ll get Phillips off the hot seat, stop the chatter about his eventual replacement and temporarily silence the critics — count me as one — who question his leadership.

It’ll even stop us from talking about the Cowboys’ 3-6 record in December under Phillips and their inability to play their best football in the season’s most important month.

Afterward, don’t give us any excuses. No mea culpas. No coulda, woulda, shoulda.

This is not the week for Terence Newman to let an interception slip through his hands or for Flozell Adams to succumb to his own agenda and start a brawl. This is not the week for Nick Folk to miss a field goal because the hold isn’t perfect.

Just win the game. Plain and simple.

This is as close to a must-win as the Cowboys can get without being mathematically eliminated with a loss.

Any player or coach who doesn’t realize that needs a brain transplant. If it takes that approach, Dallas will win.

It’s hard to beat a desperate NFL team at home. Look at how Green Bay drilled Dallas 17-7 a few weeks ago. Or how the Giants beat Dallas 31-24 last week.

Each was essentially on the verge of being eliminated from the playoffs.

Now it’s the Cowboys who must play as though their season is on the line. It is.

Beat San Diego and everything Phillips needs to happen to ensure Jerry Jones picks up the team option on his contract remains in play. The Cowboys will still be positioned to win the NFC East, host a playoff game and end their streak of 12 seasons without a playoff win.

Lose, though, and this season is a wrap. Guarantee it.

Lose and you can make easily make the case the Cowboys won’t win another game this season.

That’s not hyperbole. It’s reality. Whether the players and coaches choose to accept that is irrelevant.

Logic says the Cowboys could play well and lose in New Orleans, which would give them a three-game losing streak heading into a road game against Washington.

Don’t act like you can’t see how the Cowboys could lose at Washington, since the Redskins are playing good football and lost by one point in Cowboys Stadium a few weeks ago.

Add a four-game losing streak to 24-hour sports talk chatter about Wade’s status, Jerry’s inevitable vote of confidence and it’s a recipe for yet another opportunity for Philadelphia to put Dallas out of its misery.

That’s why it’s imperative the Cowboys beat San Diego on Sunday.

To do so, their best players must perform at a high level because the Chargers are so good Dallas could play well and lose.

This week it’s about Tony Romo and DeMarcus Ware and Jay Ratliff. It’s about Jason Witten and Andre Gurode and Keith Brooking. It’s about Nick Folk and Bradie James and Miles Austin.

The season is on the line.

It’s time for the players to make it happen or the kind words for Phillips will ring hollow.

They control his future.

IRVING – Norv Turner, the coach Jerry Jones rejected to hire Wade Phillips, returns to Dallas on Sunday with an opportunity to send the Cowboys’ season into a free fall.

You must admit the irony is delicious. It gets even better.

Phillips’ team plays its best football before Thanksgiving Day, while Turner’s San Diego team plays its best football in the final month of the season.

Phillips’ team has had no postseason success, while Turner made it to the AFC Championship Game two seasons ago and has at least one playoff win each of the past two seasons.

Turner has done everything Jerry wishes Phillips had done.

Imagine that.

If he chooses, Phillips can continue to reside in a world of gumdrops and lollipops, but the reality is he’s about to coach the game that will tell us whether he’ll return next season.

Beat the Chargers, who are riding a seven-game winning streak, and the season remains salvageable. Lose, and this season is a wrap, because we know the beatdown that awaits in New Orleans the following week.

Turner understands December matters, while Phillips tries to act like it doesn’t.

We all know Turner is a flawed head coach after failed stints in Washington and Oakland, but he has unearthed the secret of getting his team to peak late.

Two years ago, the Chargers started 1-3 before winning their last six games to finish 11-5. Last year, they started 4-8 before winning their last four games and overcoming a three-game deficit in the AFC West to win the division.

Compare that with Phillips, whose face turns red every time you mention the Cowboys’ 18-32 record after Dec. 1 since 1996. Obviously, he’s not responsible for all of it – just the last nine games.

Think about it.

This is the same coach who can tell you he’s won more regular-season games than just about any other NFL coach the last three years. And that his team led the NFL with 59 sacks last year. And that his winning percentage as a head coach is nearly .600.

That’s because Phillips likes those numbers. He feigns ignorance on all others.

Frankly, it’s easy to see why he hasn’t earned the respect he covets so desperately. How can you respect the job someone does when they live in a fantasy world when it comes to the Cowboys’ struggles?

Reality says Phillips is 0-4 in the playoffs and has presided over the only No. 1 seed in the NFC to lose in the first round since the NFL developed the current format in 1990. He also failed to make the playoffs last year with a team Jerry believed had Super Bowl potential and oversaw the most gutless performance in franchise history, a 44-6 loss at Philadelphia, in the final game of last season with the playoffs on the line.

Phillips wants you to believe this team has nothing to do with the other Cowboys teams that have failed in December. He wants you to believe history doesn’t matter.

Poppycock.

History – you can call it tradition – is a huge part of sports. It’s the reason some pro franchises such as the Yankees, Lakers and Red Wings and some college programs such as Ohio State football, North Carolina and Duke basketball and Texas baseball always seem to find ways to win.

It’s the same reason why some franchises always find ways to lose. At times, winning and losing becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The prophecy can be broken – the Red Sox are a good example – but it’s difficult.

Failing to acknowledge the Cowboys’ failures after Thanksgiving Day won’t make the questions go away.

Jerry believes winning the division and winning a playoff game are tangible goals. He wants to see some tangible progress before committing another year to Phillips, which is why he hasn’t extended his contract.

If Phillips doesn’t find a way to match Turner’s success in December, he’ll spend the off-season looking for a new job.