Stephen A. Smith didn’t wait long to point the finger after the Cowboys let a 14-point second-half lead slip away and fell to the Arizona Cardinals, 33-30, in overtime on Sunday.
On First Take a day later, Smith blasted the Cowboys’ defense, called the loss “pathetic,” and said the “Cowboys are trash” after Dallas dropped to 3-5. The Cowboys gave up 30 points in the second half and overtime, and ESPN noted that the team had been 202-0-1 when holding a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter.
Smith also argued that Jerry Jones missed on a major coaching move, saying the owner should have hired Rex Ryan as defensive coordinator instead of Christian Parker.
“Jerry Jones made a mistake by not going and getting Rex Ryan to be his defensive coordinator,” Smith said. “You need somebody fiery, you need somebody that’s gonna hold cats accountable, you need somebody that’s gonna make people recognize that their jobs are on the line if they don’t go out there and produce...
“The losses don’t hurt enough because life is real comfortable in Big D.”
Michael Irvin, another former Cowboys star, was just as blunt about Parker’s role in the mess. Dallas has now allowed 20-plus points in 15 straight games, and Irvin said Parker “is totally overwhelmed.”
“Right now, it is bad,” Irvin said. “There is no getting around that, and snatching defeat from the jaws of victory is a new pain and a new low.”
Dan Orlovsky also weighed in, saying “the Cowboys need to make a change somewhere within their football team. They’re 3-5.”
That said, a midseason firing of Brian Schottenheimer does not appear to be coming. Jones said after the loss that he does not see that kind of move happening, despite Schottenheimer’s 10-14 record with the Cowboys.
“I made a change, and I don’t want to mention it because I’m not proud of it,” Jones told reporters after the loss. “But I made a change with Wade Phillips there in the middle of the season, and I don’t see that here at all.”
In Other News...
Rangers Took A Flier On An Arm With Late-Inning Intrigue
The Rangers made a low-risk move with a potentially useful arm, claiming right-hander Jose Butto off waivers from the Giants and giving him a spot on the 40-man roster. It is the kind of roster shuffle that rarely grabs much attention on its own, but it fits the broader Texas approach of trying to uncover bullpen help wherever it can find it, especially with a pitcher who has shown late-inning intrigue.
To make the move work, Texas designated outfielder Michael Helman for assignment, and he cleared waivers before being sent to Triple-A Round Rock. Buttos path is the bigger question for now, since he is coming back from surgery for a blood clot in his arm and is not expected to be ready until the 2027 season, leaving the Rangers to wait and see whether this flier eventually turns into a bullpen option. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Suddenly Have A Center Field Problem They Cant Ignore
The Rangers offseason shuffle picked up again with a roster move that added another arm to the bullpen picture, as Texas claimed right-handed reliever Jose Butto off waivers and sent infielder/outfielder Michael Helman to the minors. It was the kind of transaction that usually gets a quick glance and little else, but it landed in the middle of a week already marked by organizational changes on the coaching staff, with assistant hitting coach Alex Cintron set to be reassigned and assistant pitching coach Dave Bush not returning for the 2027 season.
What makes the move harder to dismiss is the timing around center field, where Evan Carters availability has suddenly become a real concern. Carter underwent surgery to repair a tear in his hip labrum and is expected to miss spring training and the start of the season, leaving Texas with a hole in a spot that matters both defensively and in the lineup. The Rangers still have time to sort through options, but the early part of camp now carries a different kind of urgency as they figure out who can handle the job until Carter is ready. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Are Revisiting A Rule That Shaped Major Roster Moves
The qualifying offer market is back on the table, and with it comes one of baseballs more familiar roster-building complications. Eight MLB players were tagged with a $23.15 million offer on Monday, giving them until Nov. 17 to decide whether to accept or decline, and the ripple effects reach clubs like the Rangers even though they did not hand out a qualifying offer of their own this year.
Texas has lived through plenty of qualifying-offer decisions over the years, and those moves have helped shape some of its biggest roster swings. The Rangers have also seen how the draft-pick side of the system can influence free-agent pursuit, which is why this round of decisions matters beyond the players directly involved and could factor into how aggressively the club shops this winter. [Read more 🡒]