Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett is on the hot seat after inexplicable decisions and a few harsh words from Jerry Jones

AP Photo/Steven Senne

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones couldn't contain his frustration with head coach Jason Garrett after the team's loss to the Patriots.

• The Dallas Cowboys lost to the New England Patriots on Sunday thanks in part to some overly-cautious decisions from head coach Jason Garrett in the fourth quarter.
• Garrett was called out by fans and commentators after the game, and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones also had some harsh words for his coaching staff.
• Garrett still has his job for now, but should Dallas struggle down the stretch, don't be surprised if he's looking for a new job in the coming offseason.
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Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett caught some harsh criticism after his team's 13-9 loss to the Patriots on Sunday.

On a rainy day at Gillette Stadium, the Cowboys did all they could to keep things close but found themselves unable to complete the comeback thanks in part to the overly-conservative decision making of Garrett.

Garrett's most important call of the game came with just six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and the Cowboys trailing 13-6. Dallas was driving deep into Patriots territory with a chance to tie the game but was facing fourth-and-7 from the New England 11-yard line.

Rather than taking a shot at the first down or game-tying score, Garrett elected to go for a field goal, bringing the Cowboys within four points and giving the ball back to the Patriots.

If the kick had brought the Cowboys within a field goal, Garrett's decision might have been more defensible. However, since Dallas still needed a touchdown to get back into the game, a kick falls somewhere between overly cautious and coaching malpractice depending on your faith in advanced metrics.

"Just to give us a chance coming back the other way, fourth-and-7, you know, make it a four-point game," Garrett said after the game. "They go ahead and kick a field goal coming back, you still have a chance to be in the game. We would get it back with just under three, with a chance to go win it. So just felt good about that decision at that time."

After cutting the Patriots lead to 13-9, the Cowboys would get one more shot to win the game in the final minutes, failing to convert a fourth-and-11 from their 25-yard line to give the ball back to New England and end the game.

On Twitter, fans mocked Garrett's poor judgment.

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith went as far as calling for Garrett's firing.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones called out the team's coaching staff with some blunt criticism after the game, specifically expressing frustration with Dallas' special teams' blunders.

As things stand, the Cowboys are still very much in control of their destiny, with only the Philadelphia Eagles to worry about standing between them and an NFC East title. If Dallas can rally and win the division, they have the talent necessary to make noise in the playoffs. Whether they have the coaching to make a run remains to be seen.

Garrett might still have a hold on his job for now, but should the Cowboys as constructed continue to struggle under his leadership, don't be surprised if he's looking for a new job this offseason.

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