Wade Phillips has finally been ousted by Jerry Jones after a 1-7 start. After going 13-3 in 2007, the Cowboys were knocked off in the first round by the eventual champion Giants. The 2008 Cowboys seemed to fall apart in front of a national audience, culminating in an embarrassing week 17 loss to the Eagles that kept Dallas out of the playoffs. These two disappointments, combined with a long playoff-victory drought, Phillip’s 2009 Cowboys looked to have overcome their tumultuous time with the coach after winning the NFC East and finally winning a playoff game against divisional rival Philadelphia. Wade Phillips seemed to have finally gained control of the team and respect of the players and Jerry Jones, but the Cowboys were then walloped in the divisional round, losing 34-3 against the Favre-led Vikings.
The 2010 Cowboys season started off as a series of losses that could be boiled down to a lack of discipline that was entirely blamed on Phillips, but after losing Tony Romo in a loss to the Giants, it appeared as if the Cowboys had given up on the season as well as their head coach. This had become apparent as the Cowboys defense let David Garrard look like a perennial all-pro in week eight and a prime-time 45-7 drubbing at the hands of the Packers. Although Jerry Jones had said he wouldn’t make a coaching change until the end of the season, the Cowboy’s effort against Green Bay must have made it apparent to ownership that the players weren’t listening to Phillips anymore, and that the coach had completely lost the team.
Will this be the shot in the arm that the Cowboys need? They will undoubtedly change the way they play with Phillips gone, but they are still 1-7 and still have Jon Kitna at quarterback. Jason Garrett is, at this point, the heir apparent, but this won’t likely change the total lack of interest the defense has shown the last two games.