The Dilemma

By now, everybody has joined ESPNTV's Ed Werder in reporting Baltimore is asking Jason Garrett to choose.
Here or there.
Them or us.
Right now or possibly later.
Of course, by doing so, your friendly, underachieving Ravens also have forced Owner Jones to choose as well. He responded resolutely when I talked to him Sunday in an emotionally charged aftermath of another Cowboys playoff failure. Coach Wade stays, he said, and to suggest otherwise was foolish. He provided himself with zero wiggle room, no caveats, no reminders that opinions change.
And no he has a choice, too:

Option 1: Keep Coach Wade. Let JG walk. And possibly be coach-less if Coach Wade fails again in playoff time next season.
Option 2: Fire Coach Wade. Hire JG.
Option 3: Keep Coach Wade. And hope like hell a truckload of cash, a wink-wink, nod-nod promise that he replaces Coach Wade and The Star keep JG in Texas.

I am torn between Options 1 and 2.
Just a brief explainer on why Option 3 is no-go in my mind. I hate "The Promise" to a coach on so many levels, namely what happens if Dallas gags again next season and JG has another "ish" play-calling day? Do you go back on your word? Or do you keep a guy who faith has been lost in? Nor does this even talk about what a joke this kind of deal makes of The Rooney Rule. And, of course, this sets up an almost weekly game of how long until JG replaces Coach Wade. After an ugly loss in Week 1? After a four-game losing streak? After a Super Bowl victory?

No, Owner Jones needs to decide and, if he's anything like me, he's torn.
Letting the redheaded genius go is the height of stupidity. Dallas has a young, up-and-coming coach who is a big reason why this team was 13-3. Owner Jones was smart enough to pry him from Miami and to let him go now, to watch another team benefit from him seems like such a gamble.

As I type this, though, I see Coach Wade and he's asking "What about me?"
Do I really deserve Cam Cameron treatment? After 13 victories?
And so as many questions as I have about whether he's capable of winning a Super Bowl for this team, whether he has enough butt kicker in him, firing his butt after this season seems a little unfair.

Of course, I will not rip Owner Jones too much if he does. I'm just glad I am not him. This is a very difficult decision with every Option having flaws.

Your turn: Advise Jerry. Which option do you think is the right one?
   

Comments

[Spencer]

Let him go. Don't worry about it. There are OCs out there that would kill to work with such a talented roster. Ever year this team is going to make whoever the OC is look great and get shuffled to the head of the line for the next coaching position.
JG didn't get us to the super bowl (though I think Crayton can shoulder much of the blame on that one), and I don't think he'll lead Baltimore there either, unless he gets every offesive player available in the draft or via free agency.

He can't make losers into winners no matter how good he is he still has to have the talent to execute his planning, and the ravens are definitely lacking in that department. The only way we should make an effort to keep him is if he proves he can do the same for the defense as he did for the offense... then I say "Bye Bye" Wade.

[JP]

Great article and thought provoking. Let Wade go and hire JG. We have a young team and JG is a cowboy with rings. We need to build for the future.

[John]

Hey Jen miss you on the radio. But, in response to your artical I absolutely agree that Wade should go I was never happy in him being here. I was for Norv all along. I was called silly and an idiot and that I am too faithful to the dynasty days but I don't feel stupid now with Norv in the AFC title game and Wade at home. I think if we want to right the ship then Jerry hires Red and lets Wade go so that Red can grow with the team and make a real run for the superbowl possibly one here in Arlington. Look I don't hate Wade I just love my team win or lose. Keep Red hire a good D coordinator and draft the best you can ,tighten up and make yor run because the window for the boys is only 4-6 years...........maybe

[Brian]

promote JG...demote Wade...easy deal.

[MC]

Keep Wade. Letting him go will divide the locker room, create instability, and will be a big red flag for any quality coach who might be considering coming to work for Jerry. Wade did a great job. The players bought into his system and played for him every week. There are no guarantees that JG will be a good head coach. He really hasn't proven anything yet...

[Stevie B.]

Jen, pro football is not about fairness. If it were, Jerry would never have fired Jimmy Johnson. Pro football is about winning Super Bowls.

Wade Phillips has proven over and over again that he does not have what it takes to win in the playoffs.

Jerry, fire Phillips now and promote Garrett to the head job, before he walks. You don't have forever with this guy. The hounds are already at the gate.

[Jim]

Gary, I don't think Dallas will ever win a Super Bowl again as long as Jones owns the franchise, no matter who is the head coach!

[Ed]

Let Wade go. Nuff said.

[Gabby]

I wonder how the players feel? I do know how alot of the Rangers players felt about Showalter..... maybe we could have a long tenior with Garrett.Should have kept Jimmy.....

[John S]

I think there might be another option. Jerry is less worried about money so ask Wade to become a consultant at his current compensation levels and promote Jason. Wade seems to be a pretty decent guy so I am sure he knows he is in trouble. He might even be willing to get back into his comfort zone as defensive coordinator. I think Jerry is very shrewd and knows how to manuver Wade if he wants to do so. I worry that Jason is going to be all that the "experts" think. What did he do in Miami. Who was the offensive coordinator in an offense that scored 3 points in the second half against the Giants Sunday.

[Wayne Fahy]

Phillips has proven repeatedly that he cannot win a playoff game. Therefore the dice have to be rolled with Jason Garrett, we can't afford to lose him. We have primarily a young team so appoint a young coach and let them grow together with one proviso: introduce more discipline and tighter control.

[chris]

who cares about jason garrett, he stinks anyway. He is overrated. If he wants to go, let him go, we don't need his candyass.

[Wayne Fahy]

Phillips has never won a playoff game in 30 odd years as a coach so the probabilty of it happening now appear slim. Therefore Dallas must role the dice and appoint Jason Garrett and let a young coach grow with a young team. Simultaneously get a promising assistant defensive coach from an NFC East rival team to run the defense. Oh, and no more in season vacations for the leading player.

[Robert Bruce]

Suggest hiring Garrett as head coach and reassigning or releasing Wade. I don't believe the offensive game plan, which played to the Cowboy weakness, was developed by Garrett.

[Pete M]

Keep Garrett? Wow this town is dumber than i thought. Garrett is a scrub. He is a terrible play caller and will be a terrible coach.

[doug]

jerry will fire wade because it si the right thing to do and has the most upside if the gamble works ie the diced roll comes up seven his legend is secured. if not, no one will fault him for trying.

[Sandy]

This is a no brainer...Keep Garrett at whatever the cost! He is the future of the Cowboys...!!!

[Sandy]

This is a no brainer....keep Garrett at whatever the cost. Phillips has proven over and over again that he can't win a playoff...Garrett is the future of the Cowboys...!!!

[Joe Rutherford]

Jason needs to go. Twenty plays for a touchdown, poor offensive linemen. That with Romos slow choices of who to throw it to wore out the offensive line, you could see, Go Jason be a burdon on some other offensive line.

[FarFarAway]

What about firing both? Wade is a nice guy, but far from being a hc while JC did absolutely nothing during that horrible december/january span. He coudnt adjust, he couldnt find answers to opposing defenses picking up his system.

The best answer: Fire both and promote Sparano because he could be the real deal!

[mike]

Fire Wade now.

Hire Jason.

Jason has an up-side....Wade is an out of touch loser.

Take a hint from Atlanta and Baltimore who woud love to have Jason as their coach.

If Wade had won a playoff game, i would still say fire him. He did not win. Fire him now, fast. Right now!

[Paniolo]

Garrett's a smart guy but probably need a couple of more riding the pine before getting thrown into the lions den.

He needs to figure out what happened to the offense the last 5 or so games first.

It seems like OC's are dime a dozen, what's better needed is a top of the line defensive coordinator. One who can figure how to stop and offense for 53 seconds after the offense did its job!

[billy]

Whoever was responsible for the game plan, shortening the game, should be fired immediately. If it was both Wade and JG, get them both out of here and let Sporano have the job. Norv Turner sure looks sweet now.

[EB]

Keep Wade another year, tell Jason 1yr he will take over if we don't at least make the Superbowl.

That's it, not hard to figure out

[JD]

Fire Wade and keep Garrett. Wade's commenta about "the best team lost" and talk about the season being a success if they lost before the game, because they were 13-3 is not the mentality a championship team needs from its leader. Like him, but he has to GO.