Jerry Jones has never been shy about expressing his opinions, especially when it relates to his Dallas Cowboys. He was clearly frustrated with the way they were defeated in Week 14 on Thursday Night Football, specifically calling out his defense for being unable to stop the Detroit Lions. He mentioned Jared Goff being a “statue” as one of the reasons why.
Jerry Jones Calls Out Cowboys’ Defense
The Cowboys lost a crucial matchup against the Lions in Week 14 on TNF that could be detrimental to their chances of making it to the playoffs for this season.
Their defense was torched, allowing 44 points, which significantly contributed to their defeat.
Jones expressed his frustrations with the situation following the game and took a direct shot at his defense. He also took a dig at Goff along the way by calling him a statue in the pocket.
“He’s a statue. I say that positively. He’s not the move-around guy. We had our ears pinned back. We should’ve done better stopping the run and getting pressure on him… We’re going to be analyzing everything with real detail,” stated Jones.
Jerry Jones on not getting pressure on Jared Goff.
“He’s a statue. I say that positively. He’s not the move around guy … we had our ears pinned back. We should’ve done better stopping the run & getting pressure on him.
“We’re going to be analyzing everything w/ real detail.”
— Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) December 5, 2025
Whether or not he is a “statue” hasn’t stopped Goff from having a strong 2025 NFL season with the Lions. He currently ranks tenth among all quarterbacks in PFSN’s Impact Rankings for this season and just helped his team earn a pivotal victory in what felt like a must-win game for both teams.
Jones clarified that he wasn’t taking a shot at Goff, but was instead using his performance as a reference point for why he believed his defense should have been able to generate more pressure on him throughout the game.
James Houston recorded the only sack for the Cowboys in the contest, despite the owner implying their game plan was to attack the pocket as much as possible.
Their defense has been an issue for them this season, and while they have performed better in recent weeks, it has been one of the main reasons why they have just 6-6-1 record.
The Cowboys rank toward the top of the NFL in most offensive categories, but they have struggled to stop their opponents for most of the year. Their defense is ranked 31st on PFSN’s defensive impact metric.
Acquisitions of Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson at the trade deadline have helped them improve, but the unit as a whole did not perform well against the Lions. The “statue” was highly efficient, and their ground game totaled three touchdowns.