Jerry Jones is fed up with the Cowboys. But will he do anything about it?

Most times when TV cameras cut to a team's owner, we get an unremarkable shot of a billionaire celebrating with a collection of family, employees and assorted hangers-on. It's an annoying but nearly-mandatory backrub for the NFL's ruling class.

And then there's Jerry Jones. Every time the cameras cut to him, buddy, you know you're in for a ride, particularly when his team saws off its own foot the way it did Sunday in an overtime loss to the Cardinals.

Oh, was Jerry angry. There was the disbelieving "gotta be kidding me" when the Cardinals frog-marched the Cowboys backwards down the field and lined up for the game-tying touchdown. And the disgusted expletive as the Cardinals vultured away the victory in overtime:

In a single syllable, Jones effectively summed up the 2026 Cowboys. This is a team that began the season with Super Bowl aspirations, a team that's now — per Jones' succinct description — swirling down the toilet.

"We had numerable chances to win this game," Jones said after the game , "and didn't do it."

How long can this continue? A lot longer than Cowboys fans might like. Jones' end-of-game frustration surely mirrors that of Cowboys fans. But unlike those fans, Jones has the power to make changes on this team. And much to the frustration of a growing segment of those Cowboys fans, Jones is choosing not to kick head coach Brian Schottenheimer to the curb. Yet.

"I made a change with Wade Phillips in the middle of the season," Jones said after the game. "I don't see that here." Phillips went 1-7 in 2010 before Jones fired him; his replacement, Jason Garrett, finished the season 5-3.

Why? Well, perhaps because firing Schottenheimer wouldn't do enough to root out the rot that's infecting the organization. "A lot of people let Brian down today," Jones said . "For whatever criticism we want to have of Brian, we can all get in line. That was a total — to use a cliche — total team effort today from us."

What's wrong? Start with the defense, which has dramatically underachieved since Week 1 under new DC Christian Parker. Against Arizona, Dallas had 14-point leads in the third (17-3) and fourth (24-10) quarters. The Cardinals began what would be their decisive drive on their own 20 with 1:09 remaining in the game and no timeouts. Surrendering the game with those kinds of cushions might well qualify as a felony in the state of Texas.

The numbers are indisputable. Dallas has given up at least 20 points in every single game this season. Of the Cowboys' five losses, four were one-possession deficits. Coming into Sunday, only two teams had surrendered more than Dallas' 373.7 yards per game, and Dallas ranked dead last in rushing yards allowed. Twice — against the Ravens and now the Cardinals — the Cowboys have given up the crucial tying or go-ahead score with only a handful of seconds remaining on the clock.

The offense shouldn't escape scrutiny, nor should Schottenheimer. Through a season and a half, Schottenheimer has only one winning streak, and that was only three games, coming in November of last year. For every heroic connection between Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, there are five inexplicable play calls and inconsistent executions.

These are not the characteristics of a team that exerts its will on either side of the ball. These are the numbers of an overmatched team that opponents are blowing off the field, both physically and psychologically.

The grim irony of this Dallas downfall is that the Cowboys play in an eminently winnable division. Philadelphia has all but waved the white flag, Washington is leaking oil, and New York is patching new holes in the roster every week. If Dallas were even remotely competent, the Cowboys would already be running away with this division.

Instead, they're bumbling around, buried in the standings at 3-5, letting opportunity after opportunity slip away as the season goes to … well, Jerry's got the right word for it .