Jerry Jones' team sits in a swirl of frustration.
The Cowboys are 6-5, with a one-game lead in the NFC East, after a disappointing showing in New England. Questions about Jason Garrett's future spin daily after Jones' pointed comments this week about the coaching staff not getting the most out of the talent he's put on the field. Dak Prescott's and Amari Cooper's contract statuses still hover over the franchise. And the inability to beat good teams has cast a pall on the Cowboys' season.
Joining NFL Network's Good Morning Football to promote The Salvation Army's Red Kettle campaign, the owner rebuffed the latest inquiry about Prescott's contract situation by honing in on the Cowboys' only goal this week: win.
"Let me just say this: I think all of us, including the fans, want to win a damn football game. OK?" Jones said. "I know we've got a lot of things to think about. Who's coaching, who's playing, who's compared to another player someplace else. How about, let's win some ballgames, folks. We can take that other stuff. I'm not known as a guy that gets hand cramps when I'm writing checks. But I want to win games."
The Cowboys host the 8-3 Buffalo Bills on Thursday in Dallas' annual Thanksgiving matchup. Speculation has swirled this week that a loss to Buffalo in front of a nationwide audience could spell the end for Garrett's tenure.
Jones noted that while he is a big Garrett supporter, anything short of Super Bowls is considered a loss in the business of the NFL.
"Let me tell you, no one in this country has earned the right to say 'I'm a Jason Garrett man' more than me. I am his man," Jones said. "And we want the very same thing. And that's for our players to play at their very best and we want his staff to coach at their very best. The bottom line is we get graded. I'm in business. I don't have to win the Super Bowl in business every year. I can come in sixth and have a hell of a year. But in this case, you've got to come in first. You've got to come in first. So fundamentally, you've asked for something that's a very narrow window to begin with. I want Jason to get it done."
Jones added that while Garrett might be under pressure, everyone in the organization is responsible for the Cowboys' current situation.
"Well, I think that I speak for everyone on our team. No team has felt like it's played at its very best," Jones said. "No team feels that way. We're always looking for improvement. I'm the general manager. So, I'm the one who puts those coaches out there. I'm the one who put those players out there. They're out there on my decision. So, when they don't have a good day, I don't have a good day either."
Despite the feelings of doom enveloping Dallas recently, Jones believes the Cowboys can still turn around the season, starting with a W on Thanksgiving.
"It's important that we all realize that we all have a wonderful chance to come in here and play hard and beat Buffalo," he said. "And when we do, we've got a great chance to go up and play Chicago. And we can be sitting there where we want to be. And we don't need to think about doing it the next year or the next year.
"Let's do it right now. Let's put it in the end zone, right here when we've got the ball and have Zeke jump in that Red Kettle with the ball. That's what we're looking for tomorrow."
