DMN: Blog: Wade on the Hot Seat

[khiladi]

While firing a coach after 2 years would be rather unique, it would fall in line with the rather unique situation Wade stepped into.

Most new head coaches take over bad franchises that are coming off horrible seasons and are rebuilding. Think someone like Wisenhunt taking over the Cardinals, Mike Smith taking over the Falcons, Sparano taking over the Dolphins. These guys didn't take over those jobs because coaching a horrible Falcons team in disarray is their "dream job", they took the job because that's typically the price you have to pay to be a head coach in the NFL, and beggars can't be choosers. Not a lot of head coaching vacancies for winning teams loaded with talent. Those teams don't fire their coaches, and their coaches typically don't want to leave.

Wade was afforded a tremendous luxory taking over a team where most of the heavy lifting had already been done. They already had a playoff caliber team (a bobbled FG snap away from being a winning playoff team), a young Pro Bowl QB groomed and in place, and had a team stacked with talent and depth. That's the equivalent of winning the lottery as far as new head coaches are concerned.

So it would seem rather disingenuous for Wade to say "Hey, thanks for giving me a situation that 95% of new head coaches would kill for, but I want 5 years just like the guy who took over the Cardinals." Norv took over a very similar situation to Wade with the Chargers, and if their team would have been embarassed in the first round of the playoffs last year his name would be #1 on the hot seat this offseason.

I question the fact that our talent was as great as everybody claims it was... Wade also inherited Akin Ayodele, Jacques Reeves and Nate Jones... He never drafted Fasano who dropped passes, and spent a first-round draft pick on average LBs. The WRs that were in place were Parcells, with the exception of TO, who JJ wanted... Patrick Crayton was a punt returner with Parcells... He also had the majority of Parcell's coaching staff in place... Wade doesn't coach the offensive line, that very line that had crappy run blocking schemes depite being the largest OL in the league.

On the other hand, Wade just solidified the inherited weaknesses from the Parcells era, including the addition of Zach Thomas and Mike Jenkins... He got Spencer to replace an aging Ellis, and the Cowboys added Adam Jones as another added weapon not just as a CB, put punt returner as well. I forgot to add that the Cowboys had to go out and get Ken Hamlin as a FS to QB this defense. Wade has now brought in his hand-picked coaching staff...

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

If you are an NFL coach, you are on the hot seat.

I totally agree. You have a way of cutting to the chase, bro.

 

[dcfanatic]

So, what other coaches are we firing once they don't win the Superbowl?

Let's hear it. Belichick? He went 16-0 last year and added a top ten overall pick -- he should go if they don't win.

Coughlin? They won last year and still have their young QB, so they should win, too.

San Diego? They almost did it with their QB on one leg and maybe the best player in the league on the sidelines. If they're healthy and don't win it all, Norv should be canned, too. No excuses.

Or are we that much more talented than EVERY other team in the National Football League? Does anyone really believe that?

Belichick has 3 SB rings, Coughlin has one now so they are getting a pass as they should. When you have proven that you 'can' win it then it's a lot easier to say 'well, it just wasn't our year'.

When you are the Norv's and the Wade's of the world and you have never proven you 'can' win it then you usually don't get a pass.

I could definitely see the Chargers canning Norv if the Chargers don't win the SB this season. They made it pretty far last season and they won on the road in Indy. Those are accomplishments that may get Norv an extra year if they don't at least make it to the Super Bowl in '08, but it's not out of the question that he's dismissed if they don't.

As for Wade. He didn't win a playoff game last season. He didn't move the team forward from where they were when he arrived. And they were already a playoff team so remember that.

There isn't any way Jerry is just looking for a guy to slowly move this team along into a Super Bowl contender. Jerry wants to be in the Super Bowl yesterday. Now you throw in the fact that he has this infatuation with Garrett and it just adds to the pressure on Wade.

My point is that all the situations are different. You can't just say there's a code where you fire coaches who have 'good teams' because they didn't win the SB. Every owner and every team uses different parameters to determine the next step after the season ends.

 

[Idgit]

I don't get why anyone has a problem with the argument that the team progressed last year by advancing to the second level in the playoffs. The idea is widely scoffed at, but it's not an easy thing to do, and it was the product of good coaching for most of the year that enabled us to do it. I think Wade's perfectly within his rights to expect the credit for that that it deserves. It doesn't mean that the team didn't still fall short of expectations, but it was a significant accomplishment nonetheless.

Stash, you'll have better luck going after Wade's record as HC on previous teams than you will trying to make the lame case that Jerry's recollection of recent playoff futility under other coaches will factor into his evaluation of coach Phillips. When Wade's let go, it will be because in Jerry's estimation the team will be better off in someone else's hands, period.

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

I don't get why anyone has a problem with the argument that the team progressed last year by advancing to the second level in the playoffs. The idea is widely scoffed at, but it's not an easy thing to do, and it was the product of good coaching for most of the year that enabled us to do it. I think Wade's perfectly within his rights to expect the credit for that that it deserves. It doesn't mean that the team didn't still fall short of expectations, but it was a significant accomplishment nonetheless.

Stash, you'll have better luck going after Wade's record as HC on previous teams than you will trying to make the lame case that Jerry's recollection of recent playoff futility under other coaches will factor into his evaluation of coach Phillips. When Wade's let go, it will be because in Jerry's estimation the team will be better off in someone else's hands, period.

i don't understand why anyone thinks wade was not a difference maker....we NEVER win that game in Chicago if Bill was the head coach....that game was a springboard for us.....and it started the Bears downfall...so I think the Cowboys get credit for taking down the defending NFC champs. And it is silly for anyone to say we did not win any big games just because we did not win a playoff game. First of all...every game we play is big...because WE ARE AMERICAS TEAM and everyone wants to beat us. We punished Chicago in Chicago. We beat the Giants twice in the regular season. We beat the Packers. We set franchise records. Romo had one of the 10 best seasons ever for a NFL QB in his first year as the full time starter. We had 10 legitimate Pro Bowlers. We set the franchise records for wins. We are rally just getting started. Let's let Wade see if he can finish the job before we start pushing Garrett to the front of the line.

 

[Tovya]

And it is silly for anyone to say we did not win any big games just because we did not win a playoff game. First of all...every game we play is big...because WE ARE AMERICAS TEAM and everyone wants to beat us.

Exactly. A team is only as good as it is in the clutch in my opinion, and during the regular season, we were a great clutch team. That gets attributed to Wade and Romo more than anything...

Wade for letting Romo run the game on the field... something Big Bill never would have let him do. Bill was one of those, "take a small lead and grind your way to the finish" kind of guys. Wade is from the school of, "if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it".

Unfortunately, the clutch wasn't our strong point in the playoffs for 2 years running, but I wouldn't worry about it. The last 2 seasons have been improvements.

It was Romo's first full season as the QB, and Wades first season as HC, and a million other firsts that would take too long to list. This team is ready for the post season clutch.

37-20 Cowboys over the Chargers in Tampa...

 

[Doomsday101]

I'm on Wade side I have never seen so many rushing to rid themselves of a coach after 1 year on the job. I like Garrett but he is an unknown as a HC and the grass is greener on the other side very well could apply in this case.

 

[Stash]

I don't get why anyone has a problem with the argument that the team progressed last year by advancing to the second level in the playoffs. The idea is widely scoffed at, but it's not an easy thing to do, and it was the product of good coaching for most of the year that enabled us to do it. I think Wade's perfectly within his rights to expect the credit for that that it deserves. It doesn't mean that the team didn't still fall short of expectations, but it was a significant accomplishment nonetheless.

Because they didn't win a playoff game to get there. The fact is that Wade Phillips won as many playoff games as Parcells did the year before - zero. In fact, Wade has yet to win a playoff game in his head coaching career.

Stash, you'll have better luck going after Wade's record as HC on previous teams than you will trying to make the lame case that Jerry's recollection of recent playoff futility under other coaches will factor into his evaluation of coach Phillips. When Wade's let go, it will be because in Jerry's estimation the team will be better off in someone else's hands, period.

You believe whatever you want to believe.

I know that there was talk of Wade being fired last year.

To think that it couldn't possibly happen this year is naive.

And I believe I clearly stated that the team's having a head-coach-in-waiting factored into Wade being on the hot seat. Those would be the "hands" that Jerry might feel better about.

 

[big dog cowboy]

I'm on Wade side I have never seen so many rushing to rid themselves of a coach after 1 year on the job.

You must have missed the late 90's/early 00's in Dallas.

 

[Doomsday101]

You must have missed the late 90's/early 00's in Dallas.

Not at all I saw every bit of it and feel even guys like Gailey and Campo were given a bit more leeway than Wade has gotten. Just speaking for myself I saw clear cut improvement with this team last year and I like what we have done this off-season to make this team even stronger than last season. Ditching Wade at this stage is the last thing on my mind

 

[Stash]

Not at all I saw every bit of it and feel even guys like Gailey and Campo were given a bit more leeway than Wade has gotten. Just speaking for myself I saw clear cut improvement with this team last year and I like what we have done this off-season to make this team even stronger than last season. Ditching Wade at this stage is the last thing on my mind

I wouldn't state my position as anti-Wade, I think he did a good job overall last year.

But I could see where the team underachieving again could ultimately cost him his job.

 

[Doomsday101]

I wouldn't state my position as anti-Wade, I think he did a good job overall last year.

But I could see where the team underachieving again could ultimately cost him his job.

At the start of the season there was many predicting 8-8 not sure how under achieving we were. No doubt the expectations got higher as the season moved along but from the get go even a homer like me only predicted 11-5. In the end the team performed at a higher level than many people thought. This year no doubt about it the expectations are very high but I think those expectations is that high because Wade and his staff have done a great job

 

[Stash]

At the start of the season there was many predicting 8-8 not sure how under achieving we were.

I'd be interested to see some of those predictions. I don't remember too many around here.

No doubt the expectations got higher as the season moved along but from the get go even a homer like me only predicted 11-5.

This homer predicted 12-4.

But the team could have easily gone 11-5 as you predicted if they don't pull out wins against bottom-feeders Buffalo and Detroit.

In the end the team performed at a higher level than many people thought. This year no doubt about it the expectations are very high but I think those expectations is that high because Wade and his staff have done a great job

They performed at a higher level until December. Then they underachieved the rest of the way. To see the Cowboys lose to inferior teams is frustrating enough for fans, it's got to be infuriating to the owner.

I think the expectations are high based on the talent on the roster and the team being in the playoffs the past two seasons.

There's an expected 'next step' this team should have taken last year and undoubtedly needs to this year.

 

[Velvet Jones]

But what happens if Garrett goes limp in the playoffs? Is he then fired or on the hot seat because he is such a green HC and maybe a vet should replace him?

There are people that always think the grass is greener on the other side. Everyone loves the backup because he has yet to screw up. People want Hambrick over Emmitt. People want to see what a Matt Jones can bring instead of what we have. People want to crucify Phillips for not correcting the entire ship before he left.

As I said... if he was hired as a stop gap, then he has stop gapped and move on when needed. But if he was hired to be the head coach, let him have a chance. I don't pretend to have an inside source so I don't know which he is. But also as I have said, Washington has done this dance and it hasn't worked out that great for them.

 

[Stash]

But what happens if Garrett goes limp in the playoffs? Is he then fired or on the hot seat because he is such a green HC and maybe a vet should replace him?

In what capacity? As a first year head coach?

There are people that always think the grass is greener on the other side. Everyone loves the backup because he has yet to screw up. People want Hambrick over Emmitt. People want to see what a Matt Jones can bring instead of what we have. People want to crucify Phillips for not correcting the entire ship before he left.

How much did Phillips himself 'correct'? Was the defense dramatically better than before? I ask because I don't have the numbers in front of me.

A fan on his couch saw teams exploit Dallas' defensive weaknesses and the team seemingly had no answers for it.

As I said... if he was hired as a stop gap, then he has stop gapped and move on when needed. But if he was hired to be the head coach, let him have a chance. I don't pretend to have an inside source so I don't know which he is. But also as I have said, Washington has done this dance and it hasn't worked out that great for them.

Never forget that Garrett was hired first. My opinion is that Phillips got the head coaching job based on his knowledge of the 3-4 and Jerry's desire to get a better return on investment from his defense. And Garrett was hired to coach the offensive side.

To me it's been a 50-50 split from the get-go and Phillips' experience earned him the head coach title and job as team mouthpiece.

 

[Velvet Jones]

In what capacity? As a first year head coach?

Yes.. If Garrett gets the HC posisition and goes limp the first game of the post season, is the solution then to start looking for his replacement after one year? We would have a reason... because he is so green. There is always a reason to bail and jump ship.

How much did Phillips himself 'correct'? Was the defense dramatically better than before? I ask because I don't have the numbers in front of me.

I am glad this was brought up again. Why is Wade getting no notice for the team put together but he is getting all of the notice for the playoff slide? Parcell's built this team, yes. But Parcells also instilled in this team the habit of lossing in December and the playoffs. So if Parcell's team won 13 games, then his team also came up short when it mattered.

Never forget that Garrett was hired first. My opinion is that Phillips got the head coaching job based on his knowledge of the 3-4 and Jerry's desire to get a better return on investment from his defense. And Garrett was hired to coach the offensive side.

To me it's been a 50-50 split from the get-go and Phillips' experience earned him the head coach title and job as team mouthpiece.

Ok. If Garrett was hired to be the head coach then make him the head coach. If Wade was hired to be the head coach, then don't fire him. That is all I am saying. As to him being hired for whatever reason, I don't know. I can assume but I don't know.

Basically, if a person's debate is that Wade needs to be replaced because Garrett is the heir apperent, then ok. I will side with you if that is true. But if your debate is that Wade needs to leave because he didn't win his first and only trip to the playoffs, then I disagree completely. You can't keep jumping coach ships and expect to stay afloat.

 

[InmanRoshi]

I question the fact that our talent was as great as everybody claims it was...

Well, Jerry Jones said it was the greatest Cowboy team he's had that didn't go to a Superbowl, so evidently he felt the team Wade inherited was pretty good. You'll have to take it up with him. Since he's the guy with the ability to hire and fire coaches, I imagine his opinion is the one that matters most.

I would also note that choking in the playoffs is not just a reputation Wade inherited from this team. Wade has never won a playoff game in 6 full seasons as a head coach. He's taken teams to the playoffs four times, and lost in the first round all four times. His teams also have a significantly lower winning% in December and January than they do earlier in a the season. For that reason, Wade is a viewed as a "journeyman" head coach, and those types of coaches don't get nearly the leeway that coaches with playoff skins on the wall do.

 

[Doomsday101]

I'd be interested to see some of those predictions. I don't remember too many around here.



This homer predicted 12-4.

But the team could have easily gone 11-5 as you predicted if they don't pull out wins against bottom-feeders Buffalo and Detroit.



They performed at a higher level until December. Then they underachieved the rest of the way. To see the Cowboys lose to inferior teams is frustrating enough for fans, it's got to be infuriating to the owner.

I think the expectations are high based on the talent on the roster and the team being in the playoffs the past two seasons.

There's an expected 'next step' this team should have taken last year and undoubtedly needs to this year.

Dallas has lost to some of those bottom feeders over the years even in SB years. I don't take any team for granted because they can jump up and bite you on any given day.

As for Wade I think he got this team with this talent playing to a level they had not achived before with 13 of them making the pro bowl they were not doing that before even Ellis posted double digit for the 1st time in his career and made a pro bowl. So yeah I think Wade made a difference with this team and I think his players love playing for him. How it ended no doubt we need to bear down late in the season but given this was Wade 1st season I think it went pretty good

 

[Stash]

Yes.. If Garrett gets the HC posisition and goes limp the first game of the post season, is the solution then to start looking for his replacement after one year? We would have a reason... because he is so green. There is always a reason to bail and jump ship.

I wouldn't think so, given that Garrett would be a first-year, rookie head coach - unlike Wade who has had multiple opportunities before.

I am glad this was brought up again. Why is Wade getting no notice for the team put together but he is getting all of the notice for the playoff slide?

Wade exactly did Wade 'put together'?

Parcell's built this team, yes. But Parcells also instilled in this team the habit of lossing in December and the playoffs. So if Parcell's team won 13 games, then his team also came up short when it mattered.

Because it's Wade's job to win here, it's not Parcells' job to win here any longer. Parcells' players are still here, but it's Wade's job to ensure that the 'December habits' go away. He obviously failed to accomplish that. This whole 'losing in December' pattern is a real head-scratcher anyway. Nobody can figure out why it happens, and thus far they've been unable to change it.

Ok. If Garrett was hired to be the head coach then make him the head coach. If Wade was hired to be the head coach, then don't fire him. That is all I am saying. As to him being hired for whatever reason, I don't know. I can assume but I don't know.

That's all any of us can do really. But it's not hard to figure out what has happened and use that as a basis for speculating on what will happen.

Even then it's simply an educated guess.

Basically, if a person's debate is that Wade needs to be replaced because Garrett is the heir apperent, then ok. I will side with you if that is true. But if your debate is that Wade needs to leave because he didn't win his first and only trip to the playoffs, then I disagree completely. You can't keep jumping coach ships and expect to stay afloat.

I'm not saying he needs to be replaced. Merely that the pressure is on and if he doesn't produce he very well could be.

 

[Stash]

Dallas has lost to some of those bottom feeders over the years even in SB years. I don't take any team for granted because they can jump up and bite you on any given day.

One bottom-feeder, maybe. But the Cowboys were better than all of the teams they lost to - save for New England - and they were significantly better than the teams they almost lost to - in Detroit and Buffalo.

I could see a hiccup along the way, but this was a pattern of decline.

As for Wade I think he got this team with this talent playing to a level they had not achived before with 13 of them making the pro bowl they were not doing that before even Ellis posted double digit for the 1st time in his career and made a pro bowl.

Ellis was actually healthy this season, and that makes a big difference. That and Wade's attacking style certainly played to Ellis' strengths, no doubt.

We can debate the 13 Pro Bowlers if you'd like but several of them had made Pro Bowls before Wade came around and two others were first year free agents that Jerry had signed. It's arguable how much influence Wade had on them making the Pro Bowl.

So yeah I think Wade made a difference with this team and I think his players love playing for him. How it ended no doubt we need to bear down late in the season but given this was Wade 1st season I think it went pretty good

I agree that it was 'pretty good', but I don't know that 'pretty good' is good enough this year.