Dan Orlovsky wants the Cowboys to make a move, and he’s not waiting around for the conversation to cool off.
After Dallas fell to 3-5 with an ugly home loss to the Cardinals on Sunday, the ESPN NFL analyst said Monday morning that the team needs a “change.”
“At some point, you have to look at Dallas this year, this team, and say a change has to be made,” Orlovsky said. “At 3-5, a change has to happen.”
Orlovsky did not specifically call for Brian Schottenheimer to be fired, but he made clear he thinks something has to give. That could mean moving on from defensive coordinator Christian Parker, shifting the play-calling setup, or making another adjustment.
Jerry Jones, though, isn’t sounding like an owner ready to shake things up. He said he is not planning to make a change at head coach and noted that he does not like in-season coaching moves.
“I made a change and I don’t want to mention it because I’m not proud of it,” Jones said. “But I made a change with Wade Phillips there in the middle of the season and I don’t see that here.”
Schottenheimer, for his part, said he understands the pressure and knows he has to be better. He also expressed confidence in the people around him.
“I believe in our staff. I believe in our players,” he said, per ESPN.
“I only know how to do it one way, and that’s the work. I’m a worker, I’m a problem solver.
I think we got guys in there in that locker room that are problem solvers,” Schottenheimer said. “We have guys in there that want to be great.
We got guys that believe in what we’re doing as a football team in all three phases, and they’re hurting. They’re hurting right now, too.
And so as a leader, I’m going to stand in front and hit them with the truth.”
Dak Prescott backed that up, saying the blame can’t land on one person.
“It’s all of us,” Prescott said. “Don’t put the blame on one person.
Simple as that. I think that’s weak.
I think that’s cowardly. The game is about all 11 that touch the field and every person that has a part in it, coaches and support staff.
And so it’s never just one person’s fault. Even if I go out there and throw 100 interceptions, it’s never just truly one person’s fault.
“And so yeah, don’t take the easy and cheap way out. This is about us and it’s about us backing him up and backing one another up and we’ll have to show it.”
Dallas now turns to Sunday’s matchup with the Colts.
In Other News...
Stephen A. Smith Just Sparked A New Cowboys Coaching Debate
After the Cowboys overtime loss to the Cardinals, the conversation around the defense quickly spilled beyond the field and into the studio debate cycle. Stephen A. Smith pushed the idea that Dallas should look at Rex Ryan as a possible answer on that side of the ball, adding another layer to a season already defined by frustration and scrutiny.
The suggestion is only speculation, not any kind of reported move from the organization, but it does land in a familiar place for Cowboys fans: a team searching for fixes while the staff is already in place. Christian Parker is currently listed as the defensive coordinator, with Mike Pettine serving as senior defensive assistant, so any outside chatter about a shakeup only adds to the noise surrounding how Dallas wants to handle its defense going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Defense Suddenly Faces A Week 9 Problem Fans Feared
The Cowboys left Arizona with more than a loss to sort through, because the injury report on defense suddenly looks a lot more crowded than anyone wanted heading into Week 9. Rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is still awaiting test results, rookie safety Caleb Downs is in concussion protocol, and P.J. Locke is also in concussion protocol, leaving Dallas to monitor several key pieces while trying to reset for a matchup with the Indianapolis Colts.
Malachi Lawrences ankle injury adds another layer to the concern, especially with the defense already dealing with uncertainty at multiple spots. The Cowboys can at least point to some better news on the other side of the ball, where Jake Ferguson has a chance to play despite his own ankle issue, but the bigger question now is how much of the defense will actually be available when Week 9 arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Jerry Jones Just Made The Cowboys Coaching Problem Even Worse
The Cowboys uneven start has already put their coaching staff under the microscope, with Christian Parker and Brian Schottenheimer drawing their share of the scrutiny as Dallas sits at 3-5 through eight weeks. But the bigger issue may be what comes next, because Jerry Jones has made it clear he does not view expensive coaching hires as the answer to a team that is struggling to find its footing.
Jones stance could complicate Dallas search for help if the organization decides a change is needed, especially in a market where top candidates can command premium money. ESPNs Jane Slater reported that Jones is not willing to enter the range that many of the leagues most coveted coaches can now expect, which only adds another layer to a situation already defined by frustration and uncertainty. [Read more 🡒]