NFC Notes: Cowboys, Falcons, Panthers

Cowboys

Following three straight losses, many have contemplated if the Cowboys would move on from HC Jason Garrett if his team dropped its fourth consecutive game to the Eagles Sunday night. Dallas EVP Stephen Jones said, however, Garrett’s job is safe regardless of the results the rest of the season. 

“We’re not into those,” Jones said via NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. “We’ve done one, but not a fan of them.

Dallas has executed only one other midseason coaching change, ironically when Garrett first got the head coaching job midway through the 2010 season following the ouster of then-HC Wade Phillips.

“But that doesn’t even pertain to this,” Jones continued. “We think Jason’s doing a great job with our team. We’ve hit a few bumps here, but we’re very confident Jason can do a great job with the team this year.”

Falcons

With the Falcons’ 2019 season appearing to find new ways to crash and burn each week, speculation has naturally turned to HC Dan Quinn‘s job security. Some have highlighted the team’s Week 9 bye as a potential natural breaking point for owner Arthur Blank to move on from Quinn to an interim head coach. Blank, however, says it’s not that simple.

“I don’t think that’s fair,” Blank said via NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. “I don’t have any specific timetable. Just looking at each game one at a time. It’s the bye week, yes, but it’s not a trigger for making any changes. We’ll just continue to look at what we see developing and continue to support the coach and support the general manager and continue to ask them to do everything they can to put some wins up on the scoreboard.”

Despite Quinn taking over the playcalling for the defense this season, the Falcons are struggling on that side of the ball yet again. Quinn’s ability or lack thereof to find solutions for the rest of the season will likely determine if he gets another chance in 2020 to try and take Atlanta back to the Super Bowl. 

“Our defense has not played well, and nobody knows that better than our coach,” Blank said. “That’s what he’s done for his entire life, a position coach, a coordinator and then a head coach. So, if there were easy answers we would’ve put them in place already. But we’re making adjustments, he’s making adjustments and hopefully they’ll put us in a better position going forward.”

• Following Sunday’s 37-10 loss to the Rams, Blank said “I still support” Quinn and dismissed any speculation that he would fire his head coach on Monday. (Jeff Schultz)

Panthers

Panthers CB James Bradberry has had a phenomenal start to the 2019 season. The 26-year-old corner has three interceptions in his past six games after recording only five interceptions in 45 career games before that. The jump in performance couldn’t come at a better time for Bradberry as he’s entering the final year of his contract — and he knows it too. 

“I’d be lying if I said no,” Bradberry said via TMZ. “Definitely it’s always on my mind. And, you know, it just helps me play better. And, if I play good then the team does well. It helps on both ends.”

“The number one goal for me is to retire my mom,” Bradberry added. “You know, my mom she’s worked hard. She’s pretty much a single parent for me and my sister. She’s taking care of my grandmother right now as well. So, if I can retire her, that’s my number one goal right now.”