Wade Phillips Fired? Signals Are Mixed

Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky leaves the Centre County Courthouse after the fourth day of his child sex abuse trial on June 14, 2012, in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. / Jeff Swensen/Getty Images

The logical presumption following the Cowboys 45-7 thumping against the Packers on Sunday night is "adios, Wade Phillips."

This notion was only strengthened when the Cowboys had a morning coaches meeting, called a press conference for Monday afternoon and it appeared that Phillips was absent from the Cowboys facility at Valley Ranch, notes CBSSports.com's Will Brinson.

However, Cowboys Rapid Reporter Nick Eatman reports that all is not as bad as it might seem in Big D. Or, at least, that Phillips has been present.

"Despite reports suggesting otherwise, coach Wade Phillips has been to the team's facility at Valley Ranch on Monday morning, following the team's 45-7 loss to the Packers," Eatman writes. "As usual on night games, Phillips flew back with owner Jerry Jones Sunday following the game."

Eatman adds that "it appears to be business as usual around the complex."

Rapid Reports: Dallas Cowboys

Normally, Jerry Jones meets with the Cowboys coaching staff on Monday mornings to watch game film.

Phillips has not confirmed with the media whether he has discussed his job status with Jones.

After Sunday night's embarrassment at Green Bay, Jones said, "There are a lot of people here who are certainly going to suffer and suffer consequences. I'm talking about within the team, players, coaches, who have got careers. This is certainly a setback. I know first hand what it is to have high expectations."

Sunday night's listless performance has kicked off a new round of speculation about the job security of coach Phillips, despite recent statements from Jones that a midseason firing was unlikely.

Afterward, a despondent Phillips said simply: "We looked like a bad football team - with bad coaching."

[OnTheRoad01]

He has needed to let Wade go for a couple of years now, alone with Garrett. Garrett is in charge of play calling and has done a very bad job since he was hired for the position. But the 'Three Stooges' need to go. Romo, Wad & Garrett. As long as these three are there, Dallas will never and I repeat "NEVER" win the big one!!!

[notjerryfan]

What is the point of firing Wade unless Jerry plans to start considering a different kind of coach than the ones he has hired since Jimmy Johnson? Jerry's track record indicates that it will be just more of the same. Maybe he should fire himself as general manager. Then there might be some real changes with the Cowboys.

[RedWings_ninety_one]

So sad that the coach always gets blamed for his own players' incompitences.