After a challenging defeat to the 49ers, the Dallas Cowboys have many directions they could look to place blame. Trevon Diggs might vent on social media, but there are clear reasons why firing head coach Mike McCarthy after this loss isn’t the right move.
The Cowboys suffered a 30-24 defeat to the 49ers on Sunday night, where Dallas initially controlled the game but faltered in the third quarter before mounting a late comeback attempt. The bigger picture, though, shouldn’t be overlooked, especially given Texas’s broad perspective.
Mike McCarthy Should Coach Through 2024
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy paces the sideline during the third quarter against the 49ers at Levi’s Stadium.
Realistically, the Cowboys’ current roster doesn’t have the strength to be a Super Bowl favorite, especially factoring in recent injuries. While a major trade before the deadline could shift things, as it stands, Dallas isn’t an elite team. McCarthy’s role is complicated by the roster decisions made by Jerry Jones. For instance, they don’t have a star like Derrick Henry at running back—a missed opportunity in free agency.
A coaching change won’t fix the offense, though a trade might. It could help the defense to some degree, but Dallas’s weakness in the middle will still be a challenge against strong running teams.
Quarterback Dak Prescott has thrown two interceptions in each of the last three games. McCarthy believes that being cautious with the ball could make a difference, as he recently explained to dallascowboys.com.
If we take care of the football every game, we won’t lose the turnover margin,” McCarthy said. “We’ve managed takeaways well in recent years, and though our opportunities are similar, we’re not fully capitalizing on them yet.”
The Cowboys’ issues go beyond turnovers. Consistency remains elusive, as seen in the third-quarter breakdown against the 49ers, which McCarthy acknowledged as a major factor in the loss.
The third quarter was pivotal,” McCarthy said. “Three three-and-outs by our offense and a turnover hurt us. We felt solid at halftime but failed to help our defense in the third quarter.”
One Strong Argument for Keeping McCarthy
The Cowboys are still fighting. While Trevon Diggs had a lackluster play against the 49ers, and the team looked defeated against the Lions, they rallied in the final quarter against San Francisco. They didn’t appear to have given up on McCarthy, who appreciated their late-game resilience.
We battled in the fourth quarter and came close to winning on that last series,” McCarthy said. “Our team prepared well this week, and though there were areas for improvement, we’re committed to progressing.”
We fell short, but we’ll keep working on both planning and execution. At 3-4, we still have opportunities to learn and grow. We had prepared to win here, but unfortunately, we didn’t.”
Another reason to retain McCarthy is the challenging schedule ahead. They face the Falcons on the road, then the Eagles and Texans at home, followed by a game against the Commanders. These four teams currently have a combined 22-9 record, all leading their divisions except for the Eagles, who trail only the Commanders in the NFC East.
Changing coaches now, even temporarily, could backfire, putting the new leader in a difficult position. It’s better to let McCarthy try to get the Cowboys a few wins during this tough stretch.
We need to keep working,” McCarthy said. “Stopping the run and staying committed to our own run game for a full game is key. Until we build this pattern, we’re not playing to our full potential. Winning the turnover battle and improving against the run are essential.