2012 Record: 8-8

Point Differential:    -24    
Turnover Margin:   -13     
Sack Differential: -2 

Offense

2012 Rankings

Rushing YPA: 30th  
Passer Rating: 9th   
3rd Down: 5th            
Scoring: 14th 

QB: Perhaps no other NFL player conjures more maddening reactions than Tony Romo. As a result, he might be the most underrated player in the league. Romo topped 4900 yards passing with the 4th-best completion percentage in the league. That was the second year in a row Romo finished in the top-5 in completion percentage, and he accomplished this with a rotating cast of receivers and a rightfully maligned offensive line in front of him. He consistently ranks near the top in yards per attempt as well.

So why do so many fans, especially those in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, want Romo’s head on a pike? Throwing 10 INTs in the four games against division rivals Washington and New York certainly contributes. The propensity for having a bad game at the worst possible time factors in as well. A lot of people are simply rubbed the wrong way by his goofy nonchalance and his backwards hat attitude, or that he’s a budding professional golfer. It’s hard to take seriously someone who hires parody band Steel Panther to play his wedding reception.

Like him or not, Dallas fans, Tony Romo is going to be your quarterback for the next few years. The good far outweighs the bad on the field, but Romo could certainly help himself with better timing on his “bad” games. He seems to develop blind spots to coverages at the worst possible times. Romo also seems to have too much confidence in both his own arm strength and the ability of his receivers to make contested catches, not unlike his idol Brett Favre. It leads to brilliant plays at times but the Sword of Damocles hangs by a very thin horsehair between brilliance and disaster. At Romo’s age and experience level, he’s not likely to change.

Should something happen to Romo, the Cowboys have themselves a quality backup in journeyman Kyle Orton. The veteran has started with the Bears, Broncos and Chiefs at various points but has accepted his role as a backup here. He’s also a solid sounding board for Romo, replacing the confidant role that Jon Kitna successfully served for a few years. Orton never solidified his grasp as a starter because he had a tendency to make dumb mistakes at the worst possible time. Sound familiar? He doesn’t have Romo’s improvisational skills or deep arm, but Orton could step in and run the offense at a winning level if needed for a week or two. The Cowboys will only carry two active QBs, which means college free agents Nick Stephens and Dalton Williams are fighting for a tenuous spot on the practice squad. Look for Stephens, a Tarleton State product in 2012 who didn’t make the penultimate cuts in Tennessee a year ago, to have the edge. 

RB: Forecasting this position would be a lot easier if DeMarco Murray could stay healthy. Alas, that’s a very real problem for both the Cowboys and those who try to ride Murray as a premium fantasy back. When healthy, Murray is a dynamic inside-out runner with home run potential and strong consistency of output. Even though his yards per attempt declined from a stellar 5.5 to a pedestrian 4.1, Murray still showed an impressive blend of power, speed, and balance. Murray is also an accomplished receiver out of the backfield. However, he missed six full games and parts of two others last year, a year after missing two more games as a rookie. Once he returned late in the year, he developed issues with fumbling and did not appear to be cutting with the same confidence and precision. He’s missed all early offseason activities with a bum hamstring, the kind of injury that can linger. He missed time in two different seasons at Oklahoma with the same issue, and durability was the biggest reason why a runner with his obvious talents fell in the draft.

There will be a new backup to Murray, as Felix Jones left via free agency with no resistance from either party. Fourth round rookie Joseph Randle is the same sort of back as Jones, though not as speedy. Like Jones, Randle is at top speed right away and has that “chase” gear which makes him very tough to catch in the open field. Also like Jones, he’s slender and doesn’t always find the hole or show enough patience to let a play develop. Randle should get more touches than Phillip Tanner, a power back with less than 50 carries in his first two seasons. Second year man Lance Dunbar, a college free agent from nearby North Texas, showed a little spunk as a rookie and could expand his role if he shows more decisiveness. Dunbar’s bigger role will be on special teams. Fullback Lawrence Vickers has carved out a nice career for himself as a lead blocker and safety valve receiver. After playing on three teams in as many years, Vickers sticks with the Cowboys for a second go around. He seldom touches the ball, with just nine carries and 29 receptions in the last four years, but Vickers is valued for his pass protection and his locker room presence. 

WR/TE: Ladies and gentlemen, Dez Bryant has officially entered the building. After two years of vacillating between immature, unreliable doghouse denizen and elite playmaking talent, Bryant finally turned the corner towards the latter in 2012. This is the Dez Bryant that Jerry Jones envisioned when drafting him with their first round pick in 2010. No wideout from that class has more receptions, yards, or touchdowns than Bryant, and only Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham have passed him in those categories from tight ends. As Bryant calmed down and dialed in after a shaky start last year, it was obvious that Tony Romo was going to call him number quite frequently. Bryant answered the call and did not disappoint, with 92 catches for just under 1400 yards. Twelve of those receptions went for touchdowns, as Bryant showed a dynamic ability to run after the catch that makes him a lethal weapon from any point on the field. With good health and continued focus, Bryant could challenge of the lead league in receiving yards, threatening triple digits in receptions and double digits in touchdowns.

Dallas appears set in the slot as well with Miles Austin. Or rather, Miles Austin will be the featured performer in the slot, for better or worse. Austin’s body is no longer the fine-tuned machine of his breakout 2009 campaign. A series of leg issues, notably his hamstrings, have robbed Austin of what made him special that year. His yards after the catch have been cut almost in half; 4.5 YAC from a slot receiver is simply inadequate in the NFL of 2013. Austin is also not as quick to get open from the slot with his diminished burst. If a full offseason of rest and rehab get Austin close to his old self, the Cowboys offense becomes that much better. It’s not unreasonable to think Austin can get back to catching 75 passes for 1000 yards, but expecting that level of production is different than it being a possibility. Anything over 60 receptions and 800 yards from Austin should be considered gravy. He’s still an effective possession target and a solid run blocker.

To address the other outside spot, the Cowboys drafted Terrance Williams from nearby Baylor in the 3rd round. Williams is a smooth athlete with good long speed, and his purpose in Dallas is to stretch the field. He did that very well for Baylor, leading the country in yardage as a senior. Unfortunately, Williams is very one-dimensional as a receiver. His route running experience and acumen is not advanced much beyond “go deep”. Look for Williams to flash the occasional big play but send most of his rookie season struggling to find his way in the much bigger pond of the NFL. Dwayne Harris could start ahead of him if Williams isn’t ready for prime time. An undersized, quicker-than-fast player, Harris presents a very different option from Williams. He played well late in 2012, stepping up when Kevin Ogletree fell off the map. It will be interesting to see how Jason Garrett divvies up the 3rd wideout role between these two. Harris has strong value as a return man, strong enough that Williams gets more reps than expected because Dallas doesn’t want Harris to lose effectiveness and freshness from too much work on offense.

Going deep at wideout, there will be a camp battle between Danny Coale, Cole Beasley, Anthony Armstrong, Anthony Amos, and Tim Benford. Coale has the most talent and upside but must prove his body is capable of holding up. A broken foot and subsequent torn ACL wiped out his rookie season. His burst off the line and sharp footwork make him a strong candidate to be Austin’s understudy. Beasley is tiny but cat-quick and blessed with sticky hands. Armstrong made a name for himself a few years back as a rookie in Washington as a deep threat from out of nowhere (West Texas A&M to be precise). He’s done nothing since that surprising 2010 campaign and his lack of size and strength is a real issue. Benford and Amos are likely battling for the same practice squad spot, where Benford spent his entire 2012. Amos is a player that many of us who were in St. Pete for Shrine Game practices will root for as an undrafted free agent, but it’s hard for a player who lacks both size and speed to make it.

Jason Witten returns once again at tight end. He turned 30 last May and the age is starting to show. No tight end saw more targets than Witten and his 146 balls thrown his way. He caught 110 of those, which is pretty impressive and highly prolific. Yet Witten scored just 3 touchdowns and showed very little ability to do anything after the catch; only Lance Moore, Brandon Gibson and Brandon Lloyd had a worse YAC figure than Witten’s 2.8 for players with at least 50 receptions, a list that goes 76 deep. In short, Witten has essentially become a tackling dummy with great hands. There is absolutely value in that, but his reputation far exceeds his ability at this point and Witten is not getting any younger. Look for Witten to once again finish in the top three amongst tight ends in receptions, but don’t expect much of an uptick in yardage or touchdowns. Witten did fare better as a run blocker, which is a welcome development that should stick with him as he ages.

Beyond Witten, the Cowboys have a pair of young tight ends with decent promise. James Hanna made the most of limited opportunity as a rookie in 2012, catching eight of the 11 balls thrown his way and showing some elusiveness after the catch. The team loves his size and speed but he is still developing as a route runner and blocker, where his technique remains akin to a tall kid at a Slipknot mosh pit. Knowing that Witten is closer to the end than most folks in Dallas like to admit, the Cowboys spent a second round pick in April on Gavin Escobar from San Diego State. Escobar fits nicely in the Witten role as a flexed tight end and motion receiver, and he has enough speed to stretch the seam. He must get stronger, both in terms of beating tight coverage and as a blocker. It will be interesting to see how much Escobar’s presence impacts Hanna’s development, because the future is pretty bright for both but only one will get much playing time in 2013.

OL: This unit is the very definition of “beleaguered”. Aside from Tyron Smith at left tackle, this line has been a major hindrance, and Smith is better at right tackle than left. Smith is a very good run blocker, with long arms and very strong shoulders. He is a work in progress as a pass blocker, however. For a guy with his athletic build, he doesn’t always look coordinated between his upper and lower body while pass blocking. He got better as the season bore on, but the evidence suggests the Cowboys are wasting his talent by playing him on the left side instead of the right. 

Ah yes, the right side. Doug Free was a flat-out disaster at right tackle, a penalty-plagued QB hurry waiting to happen. Unfortunately he remains the best option to start opposite Smith. Free is the only other legit NFL tackle on the roster, and that earns him the starting job almost by default. What’s strange here is that Free was more comfortable in pass protection at left tackle. Why the Cowboys insist upon keeping their tackles swapped from what are clearly their better positions is a very good question. 

It doesn’t help Free that right guard Mackenzy Bernadeau is not any better in pass protection. Like Tyron Smith, Bernadeau is a much better run blocker than pass protector. His ability to lean and maul in short-area combat are effective when he gets to dictate the action. It’s no coincidence that he played his best against 4-3 fronts and teams that don’t blitz a lot. The Cowboys tried him at center as well but Bernadeau is a better fit at guard. His durability is iffy, as he has had hip, knee, and shoulder surgeries since the end of the 2011 season. At left guard, Nate Livings was a little better but still not strong enough that the team shouldn’t have at least tried to replace him. Livings is a 32-year old former Bengal who has never been consistent. Many Cowboys backers are hopeful that young Ronald Leary, who spent 2012 on the practice squad, is ready to ascend to a starting job. Because Livings is valued for his experience and professionalism, it appears his clearer immediate path is to beat out Bernadeau at right guard. David Arkin has never seized similar opportunities to prove he can handle the starting job, but he is young enough to still offer faint hope.

There is more hope at center. The Cowboys stunned the draft world by taking Wisconsin G/C Travis Frederick with the 31st overall pick after trading back. Frederick was seen as a late 2nd-3rd round talent by most, and he was a real reach in the late 1st. Desperation is not pretty. Phil Costa was not the long-term answer at center, and now the Cowboys believe they have solidified the middle for years. He is a physical mauler who can establish a tone of nastiness and power, something that has largely been missing. While he was overdrafted and I personally evaluated him as a better guard prospect than center, I do think Frederick’s presence upgrades the line. Costa will fight with Ryan Cook to handle the interior backup role. 

The Cowboys do have a pair of young tackles that raise an eyebrow. Jermey Parnell was a college basketball player who the Saints signed to play defensive tackle. After bouncing around a bit, Dallas picked him up and decided to turn him into an offensive tackle. He wasn’t horrible in limited duty last year, and he is still learning the position. Parnell is staring a great opportunity in the face. So is CFL import Edawn Coughman, who spent time on the Seahawks practice squad before winning a starting gig in Canada. Like Parnell, he is athletically gifted but technically raw. New OL Coach Bill Callahan can earn his keep by molding a starter out of one of these two. 

Defense

2012 Ranks

Rushing YPC: 25th  
Passer Rating: 29th    
3rd Down: 23rd     
Scoring: 24th 

DL: Switching from Rob Ryan’s improvisational 3-4 base defense to Monte Kiffin’s regimented 4-3 Tampa 2 scheme means significant changes for the defensive line. DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer, both of whom have spent their careers as outside linebackers, are now defensive ends. While it might take some adjustment to learn to play with a hand down and tighter to the formation, both have the athletic prowess and skill to make the transition. It might actually be a better fit for Spencer on the left side, as he is less reliant on a great first step and more of a tactician with his hands. Dallas is hoping Spencer can produce another great season while playing under the franchise tag, as they have yet to reach agreement on a contract. Spencer was directly responsible for late-season wins over Cincinnati and Pittsburgh with huge, clutch sacks. He also led the team in tackles with 95 despite missing two games, and his 11 sacks were just a half-sack less than Demarcus Ware. 

Ware is the straw that stirs the Cowboys drink, a legit and perennial Defensive MVP candidate. He has the very rare ability to transfer his excellent speed into brute power. Ware has several polished pass rush moves and understands how to set them up and the tactical sense of when to deploy them. Adjusting to being closer to the blocker at the start will require some learning, and Ware could get off to a slow start in 2013. Don’t fret it or sweat it; Ware should have little trouble continuing an intriguing pattern. Two times in his career Ware has finished a season with 11 or 11.5 sacks. In the subsequent seasons he improved to 14 and 15.5, and then the next season he exploded to 20 and 19.5 sack seasons. Last year marked the third time Ware finished in the 11s. History says he’ll get 14-15 this year. What could be a bigger issue for Ware is setting the edge against the run. He plays at under 250 pounds and doesn’t always have good pad level to stack the run.

The Cowboys are in great shape at the end spots, but finding pass rushing production beyond Ware and Spencer will be critical. Jason Hatcher got four last year while rushing from in front of Ware on the right side. Now he slides inside, where he will have to be more creative and forceful on his own. Hatcher is slated to play the 1-technique spot in the “under” front, which is more of a line anchor sort of role than a pass rusher. He’s probably a better fit at the 3-technique, which is a more natural rushing position. That role appears set for Jay Ratliff, a veteran who has long been miscast as a nose tackle in the old 3-4 scheme. The problem here is that Ratliff will be 32 when the season starts and he has not been effective as a rusher for the last couple of seasons. Last year he was good at getting an initial QB pressure but failed to seal the deal even once in the six games he played. Ratliff got just two sacks out of 21 QB pressures in 2011 while rushing inside. Now that he’s more worn down and lost his closing burst, it’s asking a lot of Ratliff to get the minimum of 5 sacks needed from the position. Hatcher could hit that number, but not from the nose spot. 

Sean Lissimore played very well against the run as a 5-technique end the last couple of seasons, but he is not a pass rusher. Lissimore is more of the “immovable object” sort of tackle, and he figures to see a lot of action rotating in for Ratliff and Hatcher. Keeping the starters fresh is a vital role, and it wouldn’t surprise me if Lissimore gets as many snaps as Ratliff. Playing more consistently will aid in that effort. Beyond Lissimore, the pickings are slim inside. Anthony Hargrove will attempt to resuscitate his tarnished career after the Bountygate scandal. Hargrove has also been suspended for drug issues in the past, so his leash figures to be very short. If you’re one to root for a feel-good redemption story, Hargrove is your man, but it’s unlikely he has much of an impact in Dallas. Ben Bass has impressed at times with his work on the practice squad and in early OTAs, and he could push past Hargrove with a continued strong offseason. 

Dallas invested third and fourth round picks in 2012 on Tyrone Crawford and Kyle Wilber, and they will serve as the reserve ends behind Ware and Spencer. Neither played much as rookies, and the next sack will be the first for either sophomore. Yet Crawford has intriguing potential as a left defensive end. He plays around 280 pounds but is very quick for that size, and the coaches have been impressed with his development from year one to year two. Wilber is a very different kind of player. Whereas Crawford played 3-4 end, Wilber was an outside linebacker. He is 30 pounds lighter and is very reliant on his initial quickness. He will need to show more stoutness and willingness to mix it up to make it as an end. He figures to see most of his action as a situational rusher. The Cowboys desperately need positive growth and development from these two. Crawford is more likely to make the leap in 2013. Consider it a very bad sign if neither tops 3 sacks. 

LB: Dallas spent 2nd round picks in back to back years on linebackers, and the fruits of that investment are really paying off. Sean Lee has emerged as one of the better inside linebackers in the league. Lee was in the midst of a very strong 2012 before a toe injury sidelined him following the Week 7 win over Carolina. Moving into the middle of the 4-3 should be no problem, as Lee has the range and coverage acumen to thrive in Kiffin’s 4-3. To take the next step, and for the Dallas defense to really have some teeth, Lee must produce more turnovers and tackles for loss. He should get ample opportunity in the Cover-2 sets to get his hands on some passes. 

Bruce Carter came a year later, and the switch to the 4-3 seems perfect for the 2011 draftee. He is very lithe in space and closes with tremendous burst. In the 4-3 he will have to worry less about taking on blockers, which plays to his seedy strength. Free agent Justin Durant comes over from the Lions to fill the other starting role. Durant and Carter are the speediest outside LB pair in the league. Range will not be a problem. Making impact plays could be the problem. Carter has yet to force his first NFL turnover, while Durant’s inability to force fumbles or make plays behind the line of scrimmage made him expendable in Detroit. He has forced just one turnover in the last three seasons. Expect a lot of reliable clean-up tackling and good zone coverage, but not a lot of turnovers from the starting LBs.

Last year depth was a huge issue at LB. Now Ernie Sims returns to where he belongs, as the top reserve outside backer. He’s never come close to living up to his 1st round draft status, but Sims fits the Tampa-2 scheme better than the 3-4. Much like Durant and Carter, he is a speed-based hustle and flow backer that doesn’t make big plays. He should be pushed by 6th rounder Devonte Holloman from South Carolina. A former safety, I rated Holloman as a 4th round talent based on his range and high football IQ. He brings some pass rush threat, enough that the Cowboys might try him as a rush end. Cam Sheffield washed out of Kansas City as a rush backer but will be counted on as Lee’s primary backup, as the Cowboys couldn’t afford t keep Dan Connor. That puts a greater imperative on Lee to stay healthy. Alex Albright was thrust into the lineup from his primary role on special teams and struggled badly against the run. Look for him to return to more of a special teams specialist role in 2013. One to watch is Caleb McSurdy, a 7th round pick a year ago who missed his rookie season with a torn Achilles. 

Secondary: Many recent draft and free agent resources have been devoted to upgrading this unit. Both starting corners return after debut Dallas seasons that were up and down. Morris Claiborne was the team’s first round pick in 2012, and GM/Owner/Majordomo Jerry Jones sacrificed a second round pick to trade up and select him at #6 overall. When you’re the #6 overall pick, you need to have a greater impact than one INT, eight PDs, and 43 solo tackles. Claiborne was generally solid in coverage, but if the defense is going to improve he will need to bag more INTs and at least double his PD total. In the new zone scheme that is entirely attainable for a player with Claiborne’s quick reaction and aggressiveness. His run defense will have to markedly improve as well. In this new defense the corners are relied upon to handle outside runs, but last year Claiborne showed a decided lack of tackling fundamentals and wasn’t exactly enthusiastic about run support. That must change or else the defense is going to suffer. I expect his penalty issues (he was flagged eight times) to self-correct as he has more experience, but it bears watching if he continues to try and hold receivers that break inside on him.

Brandon Carr came from Kansas City as a big-ticket free agent. He was the most reliable player in the secondary last year, something reflected by the fact that he played more snaps than any other Cowboys defender in 2012. Carr led the team with tjree INTs and 11 PDs and was generally strong in short-area coverage. He’s not a shutdown boundary corner, however, despite what Rob Ryan believed. Carr should thrive in the new system, though he too must improve his tackling. While a willing hitter and fairly instinctive player, Carr misses an inordinate amount of tackles (12 or 15 depending on which stat service you believe). Being left isolated on guys significantly faster and quicker than him was a real problem for Carr, one that should be mitigated by the schematic switch. 

The nickel and dime backs will be holdover Orlando Scandrick and rookie BW Webb, though which player serves which role is yet to be determined. Scandrick has been an erstwhile starter for much of his four years in Dallas, just good enough to stick in the lineup but never strong enough to fully earn the starting job or trust of his coaches. Webb is built to play inside, smallish but cat-quick, and was drafted in the 4th round out of William & Mary for his impressive aggression in attacking the football. Look for Webb to man the slot and to fare like a typical mid-round rookie from a smaller school: lots of bumps on the learning curve interspersed with flashes of very solid talent. Dallas really doesn’t have any other palatable options at corner. Only special teamer-for-life Sterling Moore has any experience at all, and behind him are undrafted rookies Xavier Brewer, Malik James, and Devin Smith. One of those three is likely to make the final roster simply because the team cannot afford to pay any veteran depth players. 

The safety situation is going to be a major training camp battle royal. Barry Church, Matt Johnson, JJ Wilcox, Will Allen, and Danny McCray all have somewhat realistic shots at winning a starting spot. Church has the inside track for the strong safety spot, in no small part because the switch to straightforward zone coverage should help him cover his biggest deficiency: range. Church was at his best in college in Toledo’s version of a hybrid LB/safety, where he could attack anything that moved inside the box and not have to worry much about over the top coverage. That’s a lot more functional for a safety in the MAC than the NFC East, however. Now Church gets to play in a more defined, more contained role. He won’t be isolated down the seam on speedier tight ends or left on an island over the top against guys like Victor Cruz or Desean Jackson anymore, at least not by design. Church has the potential to emerge as a real playmaker with Kiffin’s tutelage. His bulk will come in handy behind the lightweight linebackers, and he even offers the potential to play a nickel linebacker against double tight end personnel, a la Glover Quin for the Texans the last couple of seasons.

Should Church falter or get hurt again (he missed most of 2012 with a torn Achilles), Danny McCray figure to jump back into the starting lineup. Thrust into that role a year ago, McCray wasn’t awful early on but got more frequently exposed as teams figured out how to attack him. Like Church, McCray is a bigger safety at his best with limited coverage responsibilities. Unlike Church, McCray isn’t all that instinctive and doesn’t close with the sledgehammer power. He could improve his standing by making more plays on the ball, something the entire secondary needs to improve. Last year the defense produced just 8 INTs, a number well below league average.

Special Teams: Kicker Dan Bailey enters his third season completely unchallenged, as the Cowboys are one of the rare teams that didn’t even bring in a camp leg to compete. Bailey earned that rpect thanks to an outstanding season, making 29-of-31 field goals and consistently booming kickoffs. He has highly reliable range to about 53 yards. Chris Jones returns as the punter, a role he filled fairly well until a knee issue ended his 2012 season early. Seven of his 12 punts wound up inside the opponent’s 20. Long snapper JD Ladouceur is a bedrock at the position. He might be the best blocker amongst the niche long snapper fraternity. 

Dwayne Harris and Lance Dunbar give the Cowboys a pair of dangerous return men. Harris handles the punt duties, while Dunbar holds the primary kick return spot. Both are above average, and Harris could make the Pro Bowl with a little luck. Alex Albright is the top cover man, and he’s adept at it. For years the Cowboys struggled on special teams but they were quite solid a year ago. New coordinator Rich Bisaccia has a lot to work with and is widely respected as one of the best in the business. 

Forecast: Once again the Dallas Cowboys will be talented enough to win any game but pocked with enough holes to incur a frustrating amount of losses as well. If the offensive line holds up and Tony Romo continues to play well, the offense has a chance to put up a lot of points. The defense is a larger concern, as the team undergoes a radical change from Rob Ryan’s exotic, blitz-happy 3-4 t0 Monte Kiffin’s regimented, reactionary 4-3 scheme. On paper it fits the talent better, but games are not played on paper. Dallas should be in the mix for either the NFC East crown or a Wild Card berth. How successful they are in that quest depends on Romo limiting mistakes, the defense producing turnovers, and continued strength in special teams. I pored over their schedule several times, and every time I came away with the Cowboys hitting their Week 11 bye at either 5-5 or 6-4. The post-bye schedule is a tough one, save a Week 12 home date with Oakland. They face all three NFC East foes, two on the road, as well as dates with Green Bay and Chicago, teams they figure to be competing with for playoff positioning. Once again, Dallas will have a chance to validate their status as “America’s Team” by winning big games late in the season. But once again, I think the Cowboys fumble away the opportunity and crash and burn down the stretch. Late-season losses to the Packers, Skins, and spoiler Eagles rock the Cowboys to yet another disappointing finish. Dallas winds up 8-8 and on the outside looking in at the playoffs, and it results in a coaching change as Jerry Jones continues to make cosmetic changes to everything but the real problem: himself.