When things fall apart in the NFL, the finger of blame is usually pointed at the man under center. And when it's the Dallas Cowboys, it's more of a blinding spotlight of blame. Just ask Tony Romo.
But Dak Prescott, despite his recent severe dip in play, is far from the Cowboys' main problem. That "honor" belongs to head coach Jason Garrett.
Just over two weeks ago, the Cowboys looked set to make a run at a wild-card spot following an impressive Week 9 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. But then Ezekiel Elliott's suspension was reinstated (for what felt like the dozenth time), Tyron Smith's lingering back issues finally forced him to the sidelines, and Sean Lee was again lost to injury.
And the man tasked with keeping his team going regardless of the setbacks did nothing.
Garrett sat back and watched as Smith's replacement against the Atlanta Falcons, third-year offensive tackle Chaz Green, was exposed time and time again by Adrian Clayborn. The journeyman pass-rusher made Prescott's life hell, sacking him a ridiculous six times (Prescott was taken down a total of eight times).
Prescott needed help, he needed his coach to realize that leaving Green on an island would be fatal and adjust the Cowboys' gameplan. Instead, Garrett did nothing.
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
Prescott wasn't himself in the loss to the Falcons, mainly due to the constant pressure he was under. But the second-year pivot was far worse in Sunday night's blowout loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The usually safe-handed quarterback had the first three-interception game of his career and never looked comfortable, missing on passes that have become routine for him since joining the NFL in 2016.
Prescott deserves his share of the blame, but no more than the rest of the Cowboys' players and definitely far less than Garrett, who's been exposed for what he really is over the last two weeks: an underwhelming head coach who either lacks the authority or acumen to help this team reach its potential.
It only requires a look at the opposite sideline Sunday to see how to properly handle adversity.
Just like the Cowboys, the Eagles lost their star left tackle, Jason Peters, and key middle linebacker, Jordan Hicks, to season-ending injuries. But unlike the Cowboys, the Eagles had their next men up ready to go.
In fairness to Garrett, he's just a symptom of a larger problem for the Cowboys. It's well known that owner/general manager/king of the NFL Jerry Jones is the man pulling all the strings, and that Garrett wields far less power than an average head coach in his eighth season at the helm.
What Jones has built is one of the NFL's most top-heavy rosters. Lee, Elliott, and Smith are elite players at their positions. The Cowboys deserve credit for finding great talent, but they're equally deserving of criticism for forming a team that's incapable of performing without its stars.
The defense's performance without Lee speaks volumes:
In the #Cowboys last four games without Sean Lee, the defense has given up an average of 33.5 PPG.
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) November 20, 2017
Garrett has been dealt a tough hand this season, made worse by the team owner creating distraction after distraction in his war with the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell.
But great head coaches help their teams rise above such matters. Great head coaches put their second-year quarterbacks in the best positions to succeed, regardless of injuries. Great head coaches take risks and adjust and react, not cross their fingers and hope. Great head coaches don't allow their potentially playoff-bound team to lose two vital games by a combined 48 points.
Prescott has earned the benefit of the doubt thanks to his stellar play over the last season-and-a-half.
Garrett, on the other hand, has overseen nearly eight seasons of mediocrity and wasted potential. The spotlight of blame should be directed squarely at him.
