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JOHN F. RHODES / DMN

Unlike Massachusetts native Albert "Einstein" Breer, I'm not thin-skinned, so my feathers aren't ruffled by Jim Fassel's accusations that bloggers cost him the Redskins gig.

Plus, I know that Fassel is right. Bloggers have a whole lot of pull in NFL coaching searches. Look no further than this here blog for proof.

I was on the Wade Phillips bandwagon from the get-go. Jerry held hands with old pal Norv Turner at the Hall of Fame, but he hired Bum's boy based primarily on my advice.

Now, Coach Wade critics might point out that Turner's Chargers played in a conference championship game while the Cowboys had the weekend off. But the Cowboys were the clearly surperior team. Just look at the winning percentages -- Cowboys (13-4, .765); Chargers (13-6, .684).

ESPN.com's Mike Sando, of Hashmarks fame, took notice of our taking notice of his omission of Wade Phillips from his coaching column.

I'd agree wholeheartedly with Mike -- who shares the Hashmarks throne with Cowboys Blog alum Matt Mosley -- that Wade doesn't deserve to be lumped in with the hanging-by-a-thread set of NFL coaches. It's only fair that Phillips gets credit for a four-game improvement over the team's 2006 performance.

But judging by Jerry Jones' actions over the last month, as detailed by our esteemed columnist JJT, I think it's fair to say that an escape route has been paved by ownership that will make a transition to Jason Garrett easy.

Now, Wade's got his shot to make it happen and keep the job. Still, it's important to know that windows of opportunity are short in the NFL, even for a roster as rich as the Cowboys' is now, and Jerry's never been hesistant with his trigger finger. And while the expectations that are carried with being coach of this franchise couldn't be higher, and play into this, it's not just here that successful regular seasons become irrelevant with playoff failure.

In San Diego, it happened last year. Marty Schottenheimer was fired after a 14-2 regular season. This year, the Chargers went 11-5. And a round further in the playoffs. Ask anyone in Chargerland which one they'd rather have, and the response you'll get is the same as it would be in Dallas.

ESPN.com's Mike Sando has an interesting breakdown of the state of coaching in the NFL. And apparently, he hasn't been listening to all of you.

Category 1 in Sando's piece in "On the hot seat." Leading the way there is Cincinnati's Marvin Lewis, who Sando says is one of just two coaches since 1996 to be given a sixth year on the job without winning playoff game. Two other coaches are in this at-risk group: San Francisco's Mike Nolan and Carolina's John Fox.

Noticeably missing was your own Wade Phillips, who did make the "Second chances pay off" group, though this technically is his third chance. The others in that group, all of whom were fired from previous head coaching jobs: Mike Shanahan, Bill Belichick, Tony Dungy, Tom Coughlin, Dick Jauron and Norv Turner. There are four Super Bowl champions in that group, for the record.

After thinking about it for a little over a day, I still can't figure out why the Cowboys would be interested in adding Gregg Williams to their coaching staff.

Nothing against Williams, who is by all accounts an outstanding defensive mind, but he just doesn't fit here. He's a 4-3 guy, and I don't think Wade Phillips will stop using the Phillips 3-4 anytime soon.

Phillips shrugged off Dave Campo's lack of 3-4 experience, explaining that it's not a big deal for a secondary coach because the coverages are pretty much the same in both schemes. Williams, who replaced Phillips as Buffalo's head coach, came up as a linebackers coach.

Jerry clearly doesn't care about ruffling coordinator Brian Stewart's feathers, so we won't sweat that here, either. But you'd think he'd want coaches who fit well with Phillips' scheme.

Dom Capers, a 3-4 innovator, would be a great hire for the Cowboys. Williams would be a big name out of place.

Calvin Watkins reports that multiple sources said the Cowboys have offered Dom Capers a job as the defensive coordinator or a defensive consultant.

Considering the fact that the Cowboys already have a defensive coordinator, it's sort of a sticky situation.

If Capers takes the coordinator post it would leave Brian Stewart, the current defensive coordinator, in limbo.

Sources said Capers called Stewart once the Cowboys contacted him about a job.

Capers, who gave Stewart his first NFL job with the Houston Texans in 2002, asked the Cowboys' coordinator if Capers' presence on the staff would bother him.

A day later, sources said, Stewart told Capers he would be uncomfortable if the veteran coach joined the organization. Capers, according to sources, told Stewart he would pass on the opportunity to join the team.

When Capers informed the Cowboys of his decision, the club talked him into coming to Valley Ranch on Tuesday for an interview.

Stewart is the only assistant on the staff who worked under Wade Phillips before arriving at Valley Ranch. Capers was Jason Garrett's choice to be his defensive coordinator if Garrett became the head coach in Baltimore or Atlanta. Feel free to jump to conclusions about what Jerry's up to here.

So much for the Tuna's raid of Valley Ranch giving Wade Phillips an opportunity to hire "his guys."

If Jerry guy Dave Campo and Dom Capers round out the Cowboys' coaching staff, Phillips will have exactly zero experience working with any of the defensive position coaches. But the Cowboys will be set up awfully well for the eventual transition into the Jason Garrett era.

Garrett reportedly wanted Capers to be his defensive coordinator if he became the head coach in Baltimore. Jerry is on the record saying WR coach Ray Sherman is a "future coordinator" who "knows this system inside and out." So, if Capers comes on board, Garrett's coordinators will already be in the building. And it's not too tough to envision Campo becoming the assistant head coach.

Plenty of people figured, with the departure of three defensive position coaches, there'd be an influx of "Wade Guys" around here.

So much for that.

The new defensive line coach isn't quite a Bill Parcells guy, but he coached a gap-control 3-4 defense under Tuna/Belichick disciple Romeo Crennel the last three years with the Browns. Crennel fired him after the Browns' 10-6 season, in which the defense Grantham coordinated ranked 30th in the NFL.

Previous to his run as DC in Cleveland (2005-07), Grantham served terms as defensive line coach with the Colts (1999-2001) under Jim Mora and with the Texans under Dom Capers (2002-04). Capers' 3-4, by the way, is a bit more like Phillips' than it is like the version run by Parcells. So he does have varied experience, in having coached different types of these fronts.

From Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback:

I think those were some bizarre and dumb comments by Wade Phillips the other day, in the wake of the playoff loss to the Giants. "I feel like the best team lost the game. I thought we outplayed them, but we lost.'' A belittling statement. And one the Giants, if they have any pride, will remember next fall.

Unlike a certain previous instance, I think King understood what Phillips meant despite their cultural differences.

Record-breaking ex-Cowboy tailback Emmitt Smith was involved in another comedic moment on ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown, and this time it was all intentional. Chris Berman and Tom Jackson were doing a Tale of Tape (Cowboys Blog is looking into copyright infringement issues) on the Packers-Giants game, and when it came to breaking down the coaching matchup, TJ (Coughlin) and Emmitt (McCarthy) split the vote.

That led to this exchange ...

Boomer: Both teams in their (coach's) image.

T.J.: Like the Cowboys, Emmitt!!!

And over-laughter ensued. Seems like Wade just can't catch a break this week.

When you get a new job, it's usually a good idea to build a strong relationship with your boss. Let's say that Cowboys offensive line coach Hudson Houck didn't get himself off to a bad start.

"Quite honestly, the thing never took off, the San Diego staff never took off until Wade got there," Houck said, referencing the year he and Wade Phillips spent together with the Chargers in 2004. "That's the truth. The defense really started playing better, and then the offense started playing better."

And so it went through a pretty easygoing media session. One thing Houck was adamant about was that after he was dismissed from Miami, along with the rest of Cam Cameron's staff, he never thought about hanging up his whistle.

"It never even crossed my mind, to be quite honest with you," Houck said. "In fact, after the season we had last year, I probably wanted to coach more and longer than ever. You don't want that taste in your mouth very long. In fact, if we were going to start practicing tomorrow, that'd be fine with me."

Along with the new title of assistant head coach, Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett got a hefty raise to a salary of more than $3 million a year. And since that brushes up against what Wade Phillips brings in each year, some might think there's an awkward situation brewing.

But Phillips doesn't look at it like that.

"If you know me, you know it doesn’t bother me at all," Phillips said. "Matter of fact, I’m always happy for coaches that get a raise. I want all my assistant coaches to make all they can."

And he doesn't feel like there's any need to look over his shoulder, either.

"Pressure on me? No," he said. "As long as we got that continuity, and that’s what we look for, it’s great. We got Jason back, which helps me."

That's superstar columnist Kevin Sherrington's advice after Jerry made Jason Garrett the highest-paid assistant coach in the history of the world.

Fortunately for Phillips, Jerry put his faith in a young man of character and principle. The head coach won't need to worry about the offensive coordinator. But Phillips had better be leery of his owner.

Garrett wants to be a head coach, even though he just turned down two offers. His chances of it happening here are about as good as Tony Romo's odds of getting lucky at Ghostbar -- pretty much a sure thing.

But Garrett doesn't have a hand in the current head coach's back in an effort to push him out the door. He said he's not worried about what could be some interesting chemistry in the coaches' office now that he's unofficially the coach in waiting.

"I don't worry about that at all because I know what Wade's all about, and to be honest with you, I know what I'm all about, too," Garrett said during yesterday's press conference. "We're both all about team, and I can't say this enough – I'm really fortunate to work for Wade Phillips.

"I've told you guys this before; there were 50 people who told me last year what a special guy Wade is. This is before we're working together. And then when I had a chance to work with him, I can see what everyone is saying."

"I'm awfully excited to be sitting in this chair," Jason Garrett said early in his press conference.

Which chair was he sitting in? The same one Wade Phillips does during his daily chats with the Valley Ranch media horde.

I'm sure Garrett didn't mean to imply that he wanted to sit in that chair on a regular basis, but that's the first thing that popped into my sensationalizing mind. Oh, the symbolism.

Garrett went out of his way to praise Wade Phillips this afternoon. And Phillips lavished praise on Garrett, calling him a "special coach" who is "vital to what we do."

However, there sure will be an interesting dynamic between the Cowboys' head coach and the highest-paid assistant in the league. Garrett said he wasn't promised that he'd be the Cowboys' next head coach, but it doesn't take a whole lot of imagination to envision Jerry giving him a wink-wink deal.

The only question is when Garrett will get that chair on a permanent basis.

UPDATE: Matt Mosley thinks Garrett gets the seat for good after next season.

With the news that Jason Garrett will return as offensive coordinator for the 2008 season, the Cowboys coaching staff dodged a major bullet. Had Garrett bolted, Phillips might just be looking at replacing a coordinator, an assistant head coach and five of his eight position coaches (a dynamic Jacques Taylor addressed vigorously this morning.)

In that way, Jerry wooing Garrett back to Dallas was a coup. But there are still some decisions to make.

The Cowboys could still be replacing every position coach on defense, in addition to their offensive line coach. Follow the jump for a rundown where the guys from the 2007 staff stand.

I might be the biggest Wade Phillips apologist in the media. Heck, I've been on board with him since the day Bill Parcells called it quits.

(Memo to Wade: These last couple days have been tough -- especially your post-mortem presser -- but I still believe in you. This team significantly exceeded expectations in the regular season, and I give you a lot of credit for that. Thirteen wins earn you a one-time pass for a playoff flop.)

Alas, as once noted by the great Brad Sham on a popular local radio show, I am just a blaaaaahger. That's why I was so pleased to read superstar columnist Tim Cowlishaw's fine work in this morning's wood-pulp product.

But a move of any kind would be humiliating to Phillips, who, despite finishing the season on the same depressing down note that Gailey and Parcells could not avoid, deserves better.

That was Wade Phillips' take on the Cowboys' loss to the Giants.

The Cowboys had a signicant advantage in total yardage (336-230). Same for first downs (23-16). And Dallas dominated the time of possession battle, controlling the ball for 36:30.

But the only numbers that meant anything were on the scoreboard: Giants 21, Cowboys 17.

"After looking at the tape, I certainly feel like the best team lost the game," Phillips said, a statement sure to make Big Blue bulletin boards next season. "I feel like we outplayed them, but we lost."

Phillips said he'd accept the blame. But he made sure to mention that the Cowboys exceeded expectations and advanced into the divisional round for the first time since 1996. He thought the Cowboys would still be playing, but the Giants made the plays that mattered Sunday.

"I just thought that we had a better team than they had," Phillips said. "We'd proven it twice, and I thought we proved it again."

Yep, the Cowboys sure showed those Giants.

You might remember NBCSports.com's Tom Curran. He's the Massachusetts native who has been writing mean things about Wade Phillips all season.

After the playoff loss, Curran cranked out a told-ya-so column. He blames Phillips for the Cowboys' premature playoff exit, saying Wade sent the wrong message with his everything-is-OK attitude during December.

The man in charge confused regular-season success with real accomplishment.

Ton of analysis coming today on Cowboys Blog, and we'll set you up here. The locker room will open at 11 a.m., and there's an hour of access there. And then coach Wade Phillips will be available at 1 p.m.

Lots and lots of explaining to do.

And I think it starts at the top. Fact is, I think this team bought into the idea of its own greatness. What had it accomplished? Really -- if you think team success in the NFL is determined in January and February -- the answer is simple. Absolutely, positively nothing.

It's the head coach's job to knock that off. Yet, it felt like Wade Phillips went whistling on by the graveyard, and led this right to its funeral. By allowing this team to walk around as if its fingers were bejeweled, he allowed its edge to be taken away. And now, we're left with this.

Hashmarks superstar Matt Mosley, founder of this here blog, saw a funny/sad scene in the parking lot. Wade Phillips was about to get in his Lincoln Navigator, but the poor fella couldn't find his keys.

As if falling to 0-4 in the playoffs as a head coach wasn't embarrassing enough.

JOHN F. RHODES / DMN

Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones was asked the question point-blank: Do you re-evaluate Wade's performance in light of tonight's playoff flop?

His answer was just as succinct.

"No. No. No," Jones said. "I said nothing that we did in the playoffs would affect the status of his job. It’s not an issue. He’s our head coach."

As for the status of offensive coordinator Jason Garrett and assistant head coach Tony Sparano, each of whom is in the running for multiple head coaching openings, Jones said he's prepared to lose either of them. And he reiterated that the potential loss of an assistant will not affect his decision-making in regards to the head coach. That decision, he says, has been made.

"I can’t elaborate on (Sparano and Garrett), but certainly part of my job is to make sure that, on a timely basis, we’re able to address what happens to our staff," Jones said. "When you enjoy success, you’re going to lose coaches. I should and do have prospective coaches I would think of if we have openings."

Timmy Tabloid said that that NBCSports.com's Tom Curran took "cheap shots" at Cowboys coach Wade Phillips yesterday

I don't know if they were cheap. Seemed pretty straight-forward to me.

And knowing Tom, I do know that he's maintained this position for a little while. Just look here, and you'll see that. Not saying he's right or wrong. Just that this wasn't some out-of-nowhere smear campaign he went on.

Wade Phillips must have hawked a loogie in Massachusetts native Tom Curran's clam chowdah or something. I can't think of any other reason the NBCSports.com scribe would take not one, not two, but three cheap shots at Phillips in Curran's rankings of the eight teams still alive.

At least Curran blatantly kissed Bill Belichick's butt twice, though.

Wade Phillips found himself in the strange situation of answering questions about his job security while preparing his 13-3 team for a playoff game.

Jerry Jones made it clear during a press conference at Valley Ranch today that speculation of Phillips being one-and-done as the Cowboys' head coach is off base.

"There's nothing that can happen in the playoffs that would change my thinking about him being head coach of the Dallas Cowboys," Jerry said, "and I don't know how you could even have a question as to whether or not he's coaching or not for the Cowboys in the future."

The speculation started because of Jerry's fondness for offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, who has already interviewed for head coaching vacancies in Atlanta and Baltimore. The theory was that Jerry could fire Phillips and promote Garrett instead of letting the red-headed genius go elsewhere to become a head coach.

Wade Phillips has a rep as the ultimate players' coach, but he put his foot down after the Cowboys picked up three post-play personal fouls in their last game against the Giants.

You can snicker at the Pee Wee-type pledge not to commit such penalties that Phillips had the Cowboys sign, but it's worked. They haven't been called for the type of penalty that had Jimmy Johnson ranting about a "relaxed-type atmosphere" since signing the pledge.

"It's a statement that was made by each and every player on this team," said Keith Davis, who was called for a personal foul after the opening kickoff of the second half. "They signed the sheet, and guys have owned up to it."

Several New York scribes made their way to Valley Ranch today, so Wade Phillips was asked a bunch of questions about Tony Romo's focus that he answered Monday.

Phillips wasn't too fond of this line of questioning, so he made it as clear as possible that he has confidence in Romo.

"I don't know that you can believe in a quarterback more than I believe in him," Phillips said.

It sounds crazy to question a coach's job security after he went 13-3 and earned the NFC's top seed in his first season with a team.

But that's exactly what happened this afternoon with Wade Phillips. And it's a legit question, considering the unique circumstances around Valley Ranch.

Jason Garrett, who Jerry hired before Phillips, will probably replace Phillips at some point if another team doesn't hire him as a head coach first. And Jerry has history parting ways with an awfully successful coach, breaking up with college buddy Jimmy Johnson after two Super Bowls.

So there's speculation that Phillips could be fired if the Cowboys fail in the playoffs, but he isn't about to sit around and worry about whether he'll be back next season.

Wade Phillips will experience a first next week. He'll be the head coach of the home team during a playoff game.

Of course, he hopes to get his first playoff win after coming up short his first three tries -- and getting his heart ripped out the last two. Here's Phillips game-by-game history as a head coach in the playoffs.

Raiders 42, Broncos 24 -- You could argue that the outcome of this game was decided the previous week, when the Raiders rallied from a 13-0 deficit to beat the Broncos by a field goal and earn a playoff berth.

Dolphins 24, Bills 17 -- This game is best remembered for Miami coach Jimmy Johnson celebrating by stomping on a box of Flutie Flakes, something he later apologized for. The Bills almost pulled off an amazing comeback, but Trace Armstrong's sack of Flutie inside the Dolphins' 10 in the final minute forced Buffalo's fifth turnover. The Bills blamed the refs for ending their season.

Titans 22, Bills 16 -- Phillips' decision to start Rob Johnson instead of Doug Flutie created major controversy in Buffalo, but it became a mere footnote after one of the wildest finishes in NFL playoff history. Johnson had a shaky game, but he engineered a drive that gave the Bills a lead with 16 seconds remaining. That set up the Music City Miracle. Oh, and good luck convincing Phillips that Frank Wycheck didn't throw a forward pass.

Wade Phillips didn't mention the Cowboys' 13-3 record once during his press conference the last couple days.

That's a good thing. Everybody knows how many games the Cowboys won in the regular season. Those 13 wins earned the Cowboys a pat on the back, a bye and the right to sleep in their own beds during the playoffs.

Those wins don't guarantee a playoff win, which Phillips should know better than anybody. The Chargers won 14 games and were one-and-done in last season's playoffs.

It comes across as insecure to keep saying "13-3" every time it's pointed out that this team isn't perfect (and was mediocre last month), and my biggest criticism of Phillips in his fine first season at Valley Ranch is that he's too sensitive to criticism.

Phillips doesn't need to keep reminding reporters and fans about how much success the Cowboys enjoyed in the regular season. He deserves credit for a job well done, since 10 wins and perhaps the franchise's first playoff win in 11 years were a realistic expectation entering the season. You had to be wearing some pretty thick blue-and-silver glasses to expect this team to tie a franchise record for wins.

In the process, Phillips has raised expectations around these parts. Nothing less than a trip to Arizona will be acceptable.

Click here and scroll down a bit to read a rip job of Wade Phillips by NBCSports.com's Tom Curran.

He heard Phillips' Chicken Little talk on Monday and responds by calling him a Pollyanna. Curran compares Phillips' "13-3"