It All Comes Down To Coaching For The Cowboys

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

 After a disappointing 2008 season which saw the Cowboys fall embarrassingly short of Super Bowl expectations, the team’s coaching staff finds itself facing much scrutiny. As everyone looks for a scapegoat or the perfect excuse to explain last year's debacle, some fans and critics have blamed the Cowboys' coaches for many of the team’s shortcomings. 

These coaches have a lot of work to do as a staff and as individuals in order to get the Cowboys back on top of the NFC. After going 13-3 in 2007, the Cowboys played what at times seemed to be uninspired football amidst a storm of controversy and distractions. Those who are demanding sweeping changes point to a coaching staff that never held players accountable for their play or actions, seemed to have been outcoached on numerous occasions, and failed to intervene when the locker room was in turmoil.

To his credit, team owner and general manager Jerry Jones has done a good job of ridding the locker room of as many of those distractions as possible. Pacman was sent packing after once again proving that he cannot stay out of trouble- and on the field. Terrell Owens was released for, among other reasons, creating another patented locker room controversy between himself, Tony Romo, and Jason Witten.

Jerry’s personnel changes have eliminated some of the excuses from the picture, and put the onus on the Cowboys coaches to change the attitude at Valley Ranch. This coaching staff has got to right the ship and get this team playing up to its potential.

Each and every coach will play a very important role in preparing this team for the upcoming season, developing new acquisitions, and making changes to the scheme that will put this team in a position to succeed.

Wade Phillips - Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator

Wade Phillips still has a lot to prove as a head coach in the eyes of many Cowboy fans. For those who think that this coaching staff needs an overhaul, Wade is probably at the top of the list. Despite the fact that Phillips has 33 years of NFL coaching experience and has also been the head coach of teams in both Denver (’93-’94) and Buffalo (’98-’01), there are those who think that he is better suited as a defensive coordinator.

Phillips is a native Texan and the son of legendary NFL coach Bum Phillips. He has been working in the NFL since 1976 when he joined his father’s coaching staff as a linebackers’ coach for the Houston Oilers. It was in Houston that this father and son combination first introduced the 3-4 defense to the league.

Through the years, Wade Phillips has served as a defensive coordinator with the Saints (’81-85), the Eagles (’86-’88), the Broncos (’89-’92), the Bills (’95-’97), the Falcons (’02-’03), and the Chargers (’04-’06). During his impressive NFL career, Wade has coached some of the greatest defenders in the history of the league and has always improved the defense for which he has been hired lead.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?