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The Cowboys have a maverick owner in Jerry Jones, but he's still not above the NFL being a copycat league. With his team at 3-5 in 2018 and getting farther away from playoff contention, all signs to him to making his first head-coaching change in eight years.
Because this is Jones and because this is the Cowboys, expect him to try to go big to replace longtime favorite Jason Garrett — with Oklahoma's Lincoln Riley. Why Riley? He represents the perfect candidate to reboot America's Team.
There will no repeat of 2014 or 2016 for Dallas, when it won the NFC East on the foundation of its running game and defense, with Jones building two strong fronts. In the year of the passing and scoring explosion, the Cowboys are desperately playing catch up and it's not working.
Quarterback Dak Prescott is carrying over his sophomore slump from last season and until the trade for Amari Cooper — when they overpaid with a first-round pick — Prescott was struggling with the NFC's worst receiving corps. With some offensive line injuries and the Cowboys no longer dominating on the ground with Ezekiel Elliott, Prescott hasn't been equipped with the personnel or play-calling to reach the level of his stellar rookie year.
The morning after the Cowboys lost 28-14 at home to the Titans on Monday night, Jones came out and said Prescott was safe as the long-term QB for the Cowboys and is still in line for a major contract extension sometime in '19. At the same time, Jones gave the dreaded unofficial vote of confidence to Garrett, less so for offensive coordinator Scott Linehan.
Jones doesn't want to make a midseason move on Garrett, à la when he promoted Garrett to replace Wade Phillips in '10. That team was 1-7 after a 11-5 season and there was no choice but to save face.
But there's a good bet when the calendar turns into 2019 after a non-playoff season, Jones will do something reminiscent of 25 years ago: Make the successful leader of the Sooners an offer he couldn't refuse to take over the Cowboys.
When Jones turned to Barry Switzer, however, he went for an established college winner to maintain a dynasty. When Jones makes the inevitable call to sell Riley, it will be for a 35-year-old offensive genius born to take the biggest football job of his native Texas.
Riley's coaching, first as quarterbacks coach and then offensive coordinator at Oklahoma, helped Baker Mayfield become a Heisman-winning sensation and, more important for the Cowboys' purposes, a QB worthy of the draft's first overall pick. He's doing great things again with Kyler Murray.
Someone who can get the very best out of Prescott's strong arm and athleticism should be atop Dallas' wish list. Riley would bring a lot of creativity and versatility that's been sorely missing from the offense with Garrett and Linehan, who continue to employ predictable, easily defended game plans.
Read the rest here:
http://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/...coln-riley-oklahoma/xcn5ygc90mny1necevwc59qbh
Because this is Jones and because this is the Cowboys, expect him to try to go big to replace longtime favorite Jason Garrett — with Oklahoma's Lincoln Riley. Why Riley? He represents the perfect candidate to reboot America's Team.
There will no repeat of 2014 or 2016 for Dallas, when it won the NFC East on the foundation of its running game and defense, with Jones building two strong fronts. In the year of the passing and scoring explosion, the Cowboys are desperately playing catch up and it's not working.
Quarterback Dak Prescott is carrying over his sophomore slump from last season and until the trade for Amari Cooper — when they overpaid with a first-round pick — Prescott was struggling with the NFC's worst receiving corps. With some offensive line injuries and the Cowboys no longer dominating on the ground with Ezekiel Elliott, Prescott hasn't been equipped with the personnel or play-calling to reach the level of his stellar rookie year.
The morning after the Cowboys lost 28-14 at home to the Titans on Monday night, Jones came out and said Prescott was safe as the long-term QB for the Cowboys and is still in line for a major contract extension sometime in '19. At the same time, Jones gave the dreaded unofficial vote of confidence to Garrett, less so for offensive coordinator Scott Linehan.
Jones doesn't want to make a midseason move on Garrett, à la when he promoted Garrett to replace Wade Phillips in '10. That team was 1-7 after a 11-5 season and there was no choice but to save face.
But there's a good bet when the calendar turns into 2019 after a non-playoff season, Jones will do something reminiscent of 25 years ago: Make the successful leader of the Sooners an offer he couldn't refuse to take over the Cowboys.
When Jones turned to Barry Switzer, however, he went for an established college winner to maintain a dynasty. When Jones makes the inevitable call to sell Riley, it will be for a 35-year-old offensive genius born to take the biggest football job of his native Texas.
Riley's coaching, first as quarterbacks coach and then offensive coordinator at Oklahoma, helped Baker Mayfield become a Heisman-winning sensation and, more important for the Cowboys' purposes, a QB worthy of the draft's first overall pick. He's doing great things again with Kyler Murray.
Someone who can get the very best out of Prescott's strong arm and athleticism should be atop Dallas' wish list. Riley would bring a lot of creativity and versatility that's been sorely missing from the offense with Garrett and Linehan, who continue to employ predictable, easily defended game plans.
Read the rest here:
http://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/...coln-riley-oklahoma/xcn5ygc90mny1necevwc59qbh