During the broadcast of Sunday’s Patriots-Cowboys game on CBS, Phil Simms expressed a very high degree of certainty that the Cowboys won’t bench quarterback Brandon Weeden. Simms reiterated his position when Weeden threw an interception right after Simms had declared that Weeden will still be the guy.
Maybe Simms should have just said he’s “supremely confident” Weeden isn’t getting benched.
After the game (via Todd Archer of ESPN.com), Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said that the quarterback position will be evaluated before the team’s next game, on October 25 against the Giants. Which hardly sounds like the kind of clear endorsement Weeden would receive if Simms’ supreme confidence were accurate.
The reality is that Weeden has lost three starts in a row during an eight-week window without Tony Romo. The Cowboys had hoped to stay at or near .500 without Romo, and their record is now 2-3. Regardless of the blame that should or shouldn’t go to Weeden for the losses, a spark is needed.
The spark could come from Matt Cassel. The Cowboys have two weeks to figure it out and, if they decide to make a change, to get Cassel ready to play.