Dallas Cowboys fans are as big a part of the problem with this organization as the Owner is.
So let's start there with mass anger and blame all around.
Dallas is not entitled to Super Bowls and a SB is not the standard anywhere, but especially not here.
But ole Jerry cannot shut up about Super Bowls.
He and the fans live in a shared delusion. Both need an intervention and therapy.
What part of winning 1 playoff game every couple years spells super bowl?
But Dallas fans ARE entitled to believe you SHOULD win games when favored by 7+ points.
Dallas fans are entitled to a DC that creates a game plan instead of setting up FOUR interviews the week of a playoff game.
Quinn spent more time with his agent than his team.
So being mad? Absolutely deserved.
This was an epic meltdown.
Offense, defense and special teams all played as poorly as they had all year.
The defense was so shockingly bad it is hard to believe that it actually occurred and wasn't just some Eagles fans' fever dream.
Dak's first INT was a ref consistency nightmare. No idea how you give the Packers a first down to keep the drive alive on the first series on a holding call then allow that mugging to be an INT. But that 2nd one was Dak's kryptonite. The off-schedule play by a secondary defender. Dak expected something and didn't check with his eyes. Awful INT. Probably his worst of the entire season.
But no team can put a QB in that situation. Down 7-0 before he ever gets the ball. Backed up because ST is trash all night so you keep starting inside your 20. Fair catching at the 6, taking holding penalties inside the 20? Team never got to run regular offense in the first quarter.
The defense was just bad on a level that is hard to describe. Could not stop the run at all yet couldn't stay within 10 yards of receivers too?? HOW?!?!
Entire scheme is based on pressure but they could run double moves and complete 30 yards passes all night??!!??! That was expansion team level defense. Looked like Texas Tech defense with Mahomes at QB. Score 60 or lose.
So where does it go from here??
You did push a lot of chips to the center of the table this year.
The draft will be light on bodies and the salary cap is tight.
But this team has way too much talent to tank.
Jerry made the MM decision as I expected he would. He didn't have a better candidate already lined up so MM returns.
DQ will get a HC job in all likelihood so Dallas can part ways and very quietly point to his former assts all beating him to absolute death as reasons to believe the team will be better.
MM has to be better with time mgmt. Dak is a top 5 QB pre-snap but that also means he is focused so heavily on schematic stuff he fails to pay any attention to the clock. So the coach has to. Both guys pretending they are too important to fill that role gets us here.
Dak is still a top 6-9 QB. Nothing changes there. He was a legit MVP candidate for a reason and he fell short again for a reason. Correct what you can but live within that reality as well. You aren't making Dak a clone of Tom Brady.
BUT you do have a guy 20+ teams would kill for.
Plusses?
You do have a QB.
You have a lead pass rusher.
You have a lead WR.
You have an elite young TE.
You play in the NFC East where every other team is arguably set up worse going forward because they lack a QB.
Will McClay loves it here.
Negatives?
Basically everything else.
You have 2 Pro Bowl OL that are aging out.
The QB is on the Jeff Bezos salary plan.
The owner and fans EXPECT you to win a Super Bowl next year.
You have 18 cents in salary cap money.
You have no middle of the draft.
CeeDee and Micah want to be the highest paid at their positions even though they have fizzled in the playoffs right along with the 40M QB.
As the kids say: I hate it here.
Can it be fixed? Yes. The NFL is a parity league where almost anything is possible.
And Dallas has a young, deep team.
Flawed and requiring re-work but still young and deep.
Dallas might need to move a big name or two.
Maybe you get Dan Quinn to overpay for Micah.
Painful to do but would free up 25-30M in future cap concerns and bring back a draft saving haul of picks.
Or maybe you trade CeeDee? Again cap plus draft haul for an all-world talent?
Move Dak? That one is a lot tougher because he already costs the money. And replacement level talent is nearly impossible to find.
But you should consider everything. Unless Dak will play team friendly now after making 200M then you might have to suck it up and eat the soup sandwich to move him.
Nothing should be off the table.
Band-aids won't fix the culture.
