Getty Images

The Cowboys’ defense has a lot of problems it needs to fix, but owner and General Manager Jerry Jones says there’s no one he’d rather have to fix it than defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin.

Jones indicated in an interview on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas that he still believes in Kiffin, defensive line coach Rod Marinelli and the rest of the Cowboys’ defensive staff.

“To fix what we’re doing, there’s nobody I’d rather have than him and Rod Marinelli, and where we are today to get this fixed over the next week, two weeks, three weeks,” Jones said. “There’s nobody I’d rather have than him to fix it. First of all, he knows what we’re doing better than anyone, and if there are adjustments to be made, he’s the right man for the job right now.”

So for anyone thinking the Cowboys should do this year what the Ravens did last year — fire an under-performing coordinator and attempt to turn the team around late in the season — Jones says that’s not going to happen. Instead, Jones said, he expects Kiffin to get to work at improving the defense to get the Cowboys to the playoffs.

“He takes it personally. It’s hard on him. It’s very hard on him. He’s been doing it a long time at his age and he’s had a lot of different experiences,” Jones said. “He doesn’t in any way reject the responsibility. As a matter of fact, he invites it on himself.”

Jones says the Cowboys are disappointed to now be a game behind the Eagles in the NFC East, but they’re still optimistic, knowing that if they win their last three games (including a Week 17 meeting with the Eagles), they win the division.

“That’s hard to take, and particularly hard to take under the circumstances. We start the weekend off thinking about really having a good situation as far as our next three ballgames are concerned, and now our backs are against the wall and we have a real challenge on Sunday,” Jones said.

And Kiffin will be the man getting the Cowboys’ defense ready for that challenge.