Fish On Cowboys: Time For A Pitching Change

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IRVING (105.3TheFan) - You know it's a bad 24 hours in Arlington when the Rangers allow more Blue Jays scoring than the Patriots allowed the Cowboys.

Both DFW teams could use better performances from their arms, and while Cowboys coach Jason Garrett on Monday reflected on New England 30, Dallas 6 by trying to reveal as little as possible about his QB dilemma, the locker-room mood is undeniable.

"You look at what we're asking (Brandon Weeden) to do and how he handles that and then how he executes those plays on a consistent basis, week-in and week-out and you look at the overall production of the quarterback,'' Garrett said when quizzed on the idea of replacing Tony Romo replacement Weeden with Bus Driver No. 2 Matt Cassel. "The quarterback is one of those positions where you don't isolate him. His impact on the offense is important. His impact on the football team is important. You put all of those factors together and you try to make your best judgment.''

The quarterback position is more than just "important." It is also about team-wide confidence, momentum, emotion and faith. I can tell you that while the team and the organization are not anti-Weeden, they are certainly pro-change when it comes to getting off and 0–3 skid.

Cornerback Mo Claiborne told me, "With where our offense is, the defense is expected to get it done, no matter how many snaps. We didn't get it done."

And this is true. But at this point, Weeden's quarterback rating, his strong arm, and his likable personality mean nothing. Garrett and his coaching staffs ability to take the temperature of the room and to gauge it accordingly matter greatly.

I asked him if he ever gets used to the sometimes-unfair finger-pointing at the quarterback no matter where the actual breakdowns are.

"I understand how it really is," Weeden said. "The outside world, maybe if you don't understand the game of football, everybody's going to point fingers. ... That's the way it is. If you really understand the game of football and how it works ... Some people get it, some people don't."

It is fair to say that while Weeden's play isn't "the" problem, it is a contributing problem. While Dallas waits on Romo's recovery (hoping his broken collarbone heals in time to play in Miami on Nov. 22), the temptation to see if Cassel is less than a contributing problem exists, from ownership on down.

Said Jerry Jones, trying to not sound too ominous: "We've got to have better offense. Usually that does mean you need better quarterback play."

Revelations may come as early as Wednesday and Thursday, when the team practices before the in-season break of the bye week.

"We'll go through the evaluations and if there are some changes that we do make, we will make them as we go here and give ourselves the best chance to play well against the Giants,'' said Garrett, revealing plenty about his thoughts on a Cowboys offense in need of a pitching change.