It might not be coaching.
It might be core.
Jones pursued the addition of outlaw Adam "Pacman" Jones in the offseason. In the season finale - a season in which Pacman missed seven of 16 games due to suspension after a 2007 seasonlong ban - Pacman fumbled a kickoff return and committed a personal-foul penalty. The mistakes led to 10 Eagles points.
In October, Jones traded a first-round pick in 2009 and two later picks in 2010 for receiver Roy Williams, then signed Williams to a 5-year, $45 million deal. Williams caught 19 passes in nine games as a Cowboy, two of them yesterday.
Tony Romo, the swashbuckler many wish McNabb still was, fumbled twice and threw an interception. Jones extended Romo's contract in October 2007. Romo has been so-so since, and atrocious in the two Decembers: a 58.0 completion percentage, eight touchdowns, 11 interceptions, a 69.0 passer rating.
Yesterday, he wept. He might have fainted in the locker room after the game; he declined to address that allegation.
Jones recently questioned the toughness of achy-toed Marion Barber, the physical sort of back many Eagles faithful covet. Yesterday, Barber fumbled on the Eagles' 4 and Joselio Hanson raced for a touchdown.
Romo quit that chase at the Cowboys' 20.
Later, Phillips quit at the Eagles' 24. Midway through the fourth quarter, trailing by 41 – that's right, 41 – and with his starters still on the field, Phillips kicked a field goal.
Which cut the deficit to 38.
It was a ragged, odious effort by a team with a playoff berth within its grasp. The Cowboys kicked off - out of bounds.
"It was a disaster from the opening kickoff," said Phillips, shell-shocked.
"We just kind of stunk it up," said former Eagles pariah Terrell Owens, who, himself, was magnificent: six catches, 103 yards.
"I am about every way you can [be] embarrassed," Jerry Jones said.
Warmly. *
