NFL experts weigh in on Mike McCarthy’s future with the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy is under significant pressure heading into Week 9 due to the team’s struggles this season.
With McCarthy calling plays, the 3-4 Cowboys sit 15th in total yards per game (330.1), 11th in passing yards (1,792), last in rushing yards (519), and 22nd in points per game (21.4). Quarterback Dak Prescott has been inconsistent, with 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions, and an 84.5 passer rating. He has been sacked 18 times so far.
Defensively, things look worse after coordinator Dan Quinn left to coach the 6-2 Washington Commanders. Under Mike Zimmer, the Cowboys’ defense ranks 31st in points allowed per game (28.3), with only the Carolina Panthers (33.9 points) performing worse.
Injuries have further hampered the team, impacting key players like Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, and DaRon Bland. This week, they learned All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs has a calf tear and may miss Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons.
In McCarthy’s five-year tenure, the Cowboys have reached the playoffs three times but have not advanced beyond the divisional round. Insiders believe if the team’s performance does not improve, a legendary coach may take over next season.
Bill Belichick as a possible Dallas Cowboys coach
NFL insiders Zak Keefer and Jeff Howe from The Athletic suggest former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick could be eyeing McCarthy’s role.
Everything is magnified with the Cowboys, and the attention on McCarthy’s job with Belichick possibly in the shadows makes this an unparalleled situation,” Howe wrote.
Keefer remarked that McCarthy’s “future in Dallas seems inevitable.”
The Cowboys have been too inconsistent, and the roster isn’t as deep as before to compete later in the season. Missing the playoffs would likely end McCarthy’s five-year stint and open the door for Belichick,” Keefer observed.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has said he won’t make in-season coaching changes, meaning McCarthy’s position is safe for now. However, with Jones, decisions can be unpredictable. For Dallas, it’s always a Super Bowl-or-bust mentality, despite a 29-year championship drought.
The Cowboys are set to face the Falcons on Sunday as 3.5-point road underdogs.