Stephen Jones calls out Cowboys’ top defensive players

Stephen Jones calls out Cowboys’ top defensive players

Posted by Michael David Smith on December 12, 2013, 6:31 AM EST
Stephen Jones
AP
Cowboys defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin has taken a lot of heat for the way the Dallas defense is playing, but Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones says the people who should be taking heat are the players.

Jones, the son of owner and General Manager Jerry Jones, told ESPN.com that the players need to be held accountable.

“You turn on the tape and guys we count on week in and week out didn’t show up,” Jones said. “I don’t know what it was, but we didn’t get it done and I’ve got to believe we can do better than that.”

Jones called out several defensive players by name.

“They’ve all got to be better,” Jones said. “Sean Lee has got to be better. Brandon Carr has got to be better. Bruce Carter has got to be better. Jason Hatcher has got to be better. We’ve all got to be better. We’ve got to do a better job when we do have injuries of having better players to get up and be there. It’s an organizational thing. You just have to do better on the defensive side of the ball. If we want to get to where we want to get to we can’t play that type of defense.”

The Cowboys are giving up 426.8 yards a game, worst in the league and on pace to allow the second-most yards in a season in NFL history. Jones wasn’t expecting that.

“Obviously you expect better,” Jones said. “We have to be better. You can’t play defense like that and be last in the league and expect to ultimately get to where we want to get to. Ultimately it’s got to improve. We know there’s circumstances with injuries — no excuses — our defensive line is kind of where it starts. We’ve been beaten up there but that’s part of it and we’ll have to keep churning there. But I fully expect us to play better these last three games on the defensive side of the ball.”

If the Cowboys don’t play better, they’re going to be on the outside looking in when the playoffs begin.

Time stamped

He should call out his old man.

You should go to DallasNews.com and read the comments under this column. The fans are so angry and are saying the same thing. Shit has hit the fan.

VTA said:

He should call out his old man.

Keep reading...

That's absolutely right.

A quick digression --

Several in the DFW media have said that longtime Cowboys fans are "spoiled" because their team won so many championships years ago.

I may have been spoiled, but not by the championships, but by how good the front office used to be.

Through much of the Landry - Schramm days, the front office was one of the best, if not the best. And when Jimmy Johnson came to town, the personnel decisions were cutting edge (e.g., draft pick value chart).

Now the front office has an old doofus in charge ... an old doofus who wasn't any good even when he was a middle-aged doofus.

ZeroClub said:

I may have been spoiled, but not by the championships, but by how good the front office used to be.

Through much of the Landry - Schramm days, the front office was one of the best, if not the best. And when Jimmy Johnson came to town, the personnel decisions were cutting edge (e.g., draft pick value chart).

Keep reading...

Part of the reason I am who I am, wannabe scout, assistant coach, message board junkie, etc. is that at a young age I was fascinated by the innovation of the Cowboys front offices. Signing track guys and snagging USFL players like Nate Newton and my all-time favorite player Herschel Walker. Then Jimmy Johnson came in and turned the draft on its ear. Man I miss those days.

What sucks even more is there is no salary cap in front offices. Jerry could use his mass wealth to go out and out pay everyone for the best GM and scouts out there. Instead, we have yes men who have to shut up when that dummy walks into the war room and tells everyone about the next Deion and 2 Tight End offenses.

That was actually a good post cmd.

marionbarberthe4th said:

That was actually a good post cmd.

Keep reading...

friends again?

We weren't friends to begin with so ok

cmd34(work) said:

What sucks even more is there is no salary cap in front offices. Jerry could use his mass wealth to go out and out pay everyone for the best GM and scouts out there. Instead, we have yes men who have to shut up when that dummy walks into the war room and tells everyone about the next Deion and 2 Tight End offenses.

Keep reading...

That's right. Jerry could spend freely to get the best front office available.

And, on the other hand, it really stinks that Jerry is such a bad GM.

Jerry is in a perfect position to succeed as a GM ... he's his own boss. He is free to do what is in the long term best interest of the team. Jerry could tank a couple of seasons (while cutting aging veterans, rebuild with young players, take full advantage of the high draft choices) and build a very solid team without having to worry that his boss would axe him after a couple of really bad seasons.

But because Jerry is so bad, these advantages don't help.

Accountability you dont say....

Bonecrusher#31 said:

We’ve all got to be better. We’ve got to do a better job when we do have injuries of having better players to get up and be there. It’s an organizational thing.

Keep reading...

VTA said:

He should call out his old man.

Keep reading...

He did in a way. Apparently Stephen is not as tone deaf as his old man.

This team is a mess from the Front office all the way down to the trainers. We are the biggest joke in the NFL. If not for the remaining talent Parcells assembled, we would be worse than the Jaguars. Actually, I take that back. The Jaguars could probably beat us with this defense that can't stop anyone. I've never seen anything like it in my life.

I hope Rodgers plays Sunday and rips us a new one. I want shit to hit the fan and fly all over the face of JJ and his stupid sons.

The anti-Jerry.

I thought this was going to be a thread about Tourette's Syndrome.

Why's that?

Deceptive thread title.

He did call out our top defensive players.