Dallas Cowboys' Phillips new approach tough to believe
December 30
Dallas Morning News columnist Jean-Jacques Taylor
"Wade Phillips spent the entire 2008 season in denial.
That's the only conclusion you can draw after he admitted Monday that he needs to take a completely different approach to coaching the Cowboys.
Unbelievable.
The Eagles embarrassed the Cowboys, 44-6, the other day in the most gutless performance you'll ever see. We're talking about a team with a roster full of faux stars who committed turnovers on five consecutive possessions, while being outscored, 41-0, during the second and third quarters.
Apparently, the humiliation ran so deep Phillips is willing to concede his approach hasn't worked.
"If you're not going to change coaches, then the coach needs to change," said Phillips, who met with Jerry Jones on Monday. "I have to look at how I deal with everything from how we have training camp to how we run practices."
Now, all of a sudden, Phillips gets it.
Now he wants to be a tough guy who pays attention to detail. Now, he wants to hold players accountable for penalties and poor play. Now, he wants to scrutinize every aspect of the organization.
Whatever.
It's too late.
The players won't believe him. He'll lose whatever credibility he has left.
Don't get me wrong, people can change. We've all seen it. Maybe they lose weight. Or stop smoking. Or quit drinking.
But they don't change their essence. Not at 61.
The players couldn't possibly take him seriously. The first time Phillips jumps Flozell Adams for yet another false start, the 11-year-veteran would probably fall down laughing and pull a muscle.
"If you know a person to be a certain way," said Bradie James, "and they have an extreme change, I don't know how well that's going to be taken.
"Wade is Wade. He is tough, but he also has some softness. If he thinks he needs to be tougher, that's great. I'm all in. I'm all about finding solutions."
Phillips has spent parts of four decades in the NFL building a reputation as a quality defensive coordinator and a fine man with a lovely disposition. You'd love for Phillips to be your uncle. Or your grandfather. Or godfather.
You just don't want the man to be your head coach. That's because he's not good enough to get you to the playoffs and make you a contender.
He's been a successful regular-season head coach, but he's 0-4 in the playoffs. It's not a surprise.
The sloppy play Phillips allows his players to get away with during the regular season is the reason they lose when the games matter most and the margin for error is slim."
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