Wade Phillips Fired? Was He the Real Problem in Dallas?

Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips has finally been spotted at team headquarters, but it hasn't stopped the talk that he could be fired any second, minute, or hour now.

This change would come after an especially embarrassing 45-7 loss on Sunday night in Green Bay. The game was a blowout early, and it frankly looked like the Cowboys had given up on their coach.

Owner Jerry Jones has said throughout the year that he will not make a coaching change mid-season, but after this loss on primetime national television a move seems necessary. The Cowboys stopped playing on both sides of the ball and didn't even attempt to climb back into this game.

The Cowboys are a veteran team filled with big names, but it turns out this team does not have the makeup to continue putting in full effort after a poor start to the season. In addition, Phillips does not appear to have the temperament to keep this team of veterans motivated.

The questions about Phillips' coaching style have come into serious question this year, especially regarding his reputation as a "player's coach." The Cowboys have been talented but undisciplined in recent years under Phillips, and it has often led to their downfall.

Obviously a lot of the blame has to fall on the players for not performing, especially on the defensive side of the ball where they have had a significant drop in quality from previous years. On offense, a poor offensive line on top of an injury to quarterback Tony Romo has left the team without any kind of potency on that side of the ball.

Problems are everywhere, but after returning a team that has made multiple playoff appearances in recent years it is the coach who will carry the biggest burden of blame. Jerry Jones said that he "has some decisions to make," and it appears looking for a new coach will be one of his first.

Phillips is a solid NFL coach, but it looks like he will never be able to take a team to the promised land, which will ultimately be his downfall in Dallas.

I see Jones going after a hard nosed coach along the lines of Bill Cowher or Jon Gruden, both more of disciplinarians than Phillips. This would be the first step in Dallas as there would then be a series of personnel questions to be answered.

In the end, it appears Phillips has finally run out of time. His team's performance has given Jones no choice but to make a move now.