Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones admits his team is facing a harsh reality after their 27-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night.
The loss dropped Dallas to 3-5-1, a position Jones didn’t expect to be in after nine games.
“We’ve won three games and here we are at this juncture,” Jones said after the game. “So, I know how to add it up. I mean, I’m not trying to be trite, but I can add it up and see how many games we have left and what potential combinations of records could get you into the playoffs. We’ve got all that pretty good.”
The Cowboys are in second place in the NFC East, 3.5 games behind the division-leading Philadelphia Eagles. In the NFC overall standings, they sit in 11th place, just ahead of Arizona thanks to a Week 4 tie with the Green Bay Packers.
They are also behind two teams that already beat them this season: the Chicago Bears and the Carolina Panthers.
Following their bye week, Dallas will return to action on Nov. 17 against the Las Vegas Raiders before entering a challenging five-game stretch against the Eagles, Chiefs, Lions, Vikings and Chargers, teams with a combined record of 26-16.
Quarterback Dak Prescott admitted that the team’s current situation means there is little room for error.
“Every game is something we have to win in the future,” Prescott said. “You say that, and you feel that in the NFL and you should feel that. But when you put yourself in a position or behind like we did, that’s even more the case… Having all those games to play, you can catch a hot streak and be right in the mix.
“That’s great. But you have to get a streak and if you don’t get a streak, you’re just putting yourself further and further behind the 8-ball, so it’s now or never.”
The deadline to make changes is approaching
With the NFL trade deadline approaching, Jones indicated that roster changes are being seriously considered.
“When you’ve only won three games at this point, then you recognize you have a lot of ground to make up,” Jones said. “And I’m very aware of that. And yes, I agree with you. It’s an uphill battle.
“Can we get the kind of things we were counting on? I was certainly hoping to get a couple more wins in the win column before we started taking advantage of any opportunity to change the roster. And that’s still under consideration.”
Defensive issues have been a major concern throughout the season, with injuries to multiple positions. The Cowboys are reportedly evaluating trade options at defensive line, linebacker and secondary.
“There is one [trade] What can I do? Without a doubt, there is one I can do. there is not one [completed]But there is something I can do,” Jones said. “And I’m inclined to do it.”
While the move may not be on the same scale as the 2018 trade for wide receiver Amari Cooper, which helped spark a trade that season, Jones said any addition could still have an impact.
“I wouldn’t want to get into that. It’s just the nature of everyone involved in the trade,” Jones said. “But anything is important if it’s someone who’s going to be active in games, on the field, that type of thing.
“So I don’t want to diminish the trade. But certainly, for what a player was going to bring, for what happened tonight, we need that player to bring that to the table, regardless of what happened tonight. But does it make sense?”
season at stake
With eight games left, the Cowboys face a critical stretch. Even one or two changes might not be enough to save the season if the team doesn’t improve in key areas.
“You’ve got a lot of ground to make up. I’ll give that to anyone,” Jones said. “Can we get there with better play and fewer mistakes? Can we get there with that? Are we going to have some personnel?”
“We’re going to have the opportunity to have different personnel than the first part of this season, whether it’s buying through a trade or players that were coming.” [back from injury]. You guys have been hearing and reading about it here for weeks and weeks and weeks.
“That old Parcells quote, ‘You are what you are,’ today. We’ve got to take a look at it, and you won’t be disappointed that I didn’t get carried away, went illogical, and did something which was bet on us winning the Super Bowl. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.”
