In defense of Mike McCarthy

[ShortRound]

We've got a winning record and the team is playing well, coaching staff seems solid, what's not to like?

 

[JJHLH1]

I’m not sure why he thinks we need to take these risk? We have the better team usually. Those are risk taken by a team who is over matched .

Yes, particularly when we are facing a rookie QB.

Make him drive 80 yards for a TD instead of 30.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

He's along for the ride, just like Barry Switzer.

Not even close dude what the hell are you talking about?

We won a championship last year? Liek Barry's team?

Nope it was a SHEET SHOW!

IS he perfect? No....lotta guys aren;t..including the darling Urban in Jax.

If the head coach and QB are mostly responsible for a sheet show...then they also get credit for a Blue Angels air show.

 

[Bobhaze]

The best defense of Mike McCarthy is this: 5-1.

 

[Ranched]

Thanks coach MM!

 

[Whirlwin]

I’m not sure why he thinks we need to take these risk? We have the better team usually. Those are risk taken by a team who is over matched looking to catch opponent off guard. Instead we’re providing a lesser opponent a possible opportunity.

I’m not sure why we’re not making the 4th inches to tell you the truth. Keep the ball twice to Prescott at the goal line. Elliot Elliot and More Elliott. Where is the fullback. But that’s another conversation

 

[cowboyec]

5-1 and the way this team finds a way to win is all that needs to be said.

 

[Whirlwin]

I don’t know about anyone else, I was absolutely spent the roller coaster after that game. From the interception to the next play touchdown. To the two or 3 Fourth downs we needed to make during the two minutes. I was sweating. And it’s 60° in New England

 

[ChuckA1]

It sure does feel more like the early 90's team which is ironic because Garett was a part of that team. I saw Garrett's vision, it just didn't materialize. Sometimes it just doesn't work out, and you need a different type of presence.

Translation from Favre's quote - last year's team was soft with premadonnas. McCarthy and his hard-nosed blue collar Pittsburgh style came in and made them a winner whether they wanted it or not.

Same crap Parcells walked into when he took over for Campo, another well-meaning Cowboys Culture head coach but just not strong enough to get the team on the right track.

I agree with you on this team looking like the very early 90's teams. But, Garrett was a player on those teams, not a motivator or leader.

And, I agree MM deserves credit, as does his coaching staff and the FO

 

[Awakened]

I give Big Mike credit for getting the team playing at a high level and trusting his coordinators to do their thing.

The glaring weakness for Big Mike is his time-management and questionable decision-making, such as gong for it on 4th down deep in our own territory on our first possession yesterday.

I really believe Mike should recognize his own weaknesses, which we all have, and work to improve them. Hire a guru during this bye week and spend some time with him going over scenarios.

Agree with this 100%. His weaknesses can be corrected.

McCarthy is a "man's man" who lets players take the spotlight and quietly controls the culture. That's a great quality in an NFL coach. He also has hired or kept great coaches, and I'm guessing they like working for him. Another great quality. He seems to be relaxed letting Jerry and Stephen do their thing while apparently managing to control the things he wants to control. Lastly, he seems to know when to cut his losses. He was willing to fire Mike Nolan and cut Jaylon Smith. Very smart decisions.

Bottom line: Big Mike is very good 165 hours a week, but is a big question mark during those 3 hours when the Cowboys are playing. Like JJHLH said, hire a guru, do whatever it takes. Just fix the problem before we finally lose a game due to his poor game management and then the temperature rises.

 

[DandyDon52]

The early 4th down gamble was dumb, and it gave NE a short field and they got a TD out of it.
That put the team in a hole that took awhile to get out of.

But Many HC's do dumb things all the time lol.
The bottom line is his team is 5-1 and all but a lock to win div and be in playoffs.
So I have to give him some credit for that.

Arrians won a SB last year , and he isnt a great HC, he was along for the ride too.

I and we dont know what all mike does ,or what effect he has on the team.

I do think he better throw his analytic crap book in the garbage and just use common sense come game time.

 

[Captain43Crash]

For 10 years, all we complained about was how soft Garrett was, how he did nothing but clap, how he was as conservative as a nun, how his team scheme was just outdated, etc. Now we have a guy that is completely aggressive, and then when he went conservative, people went crazy. What do you want? Do you want an aggressive coach or not? He's going for it no matter where it's at because he has the #1 offense in the league, and if he misses, he trusts his team to create another opportunity, and this was NOT in the crucial 4th quarter, it was in the 1st qtr, so there was ample time to get it back.

It may be too aggressive for you or me, but this is how and who he is. Now if you don't like that style, maybe they will move on and find someone else we can complain about after 1 year because that's what we do as fans. We complain. I generally like to give a coach 3 years.

The clock thing is subjective because what you may do, I may be against. It's all about results IMO. Does the guy get results, and if so, do you really care how it happened?

These are obviously just my opinions and I'm definitely in the minority here so carry on guys.

I don’t think your in the minority. The majority of fans, I’m sure think Big Mike is a good coach.

The minority is just loud. A few more wins and most of them will disappear.

 

[Blackspider214]

I still shake my head at some of his game-day decisions but have to give him credit, overall (and I wasn't a fan of the hire).

Changes made this season are working, the team believes in themselves, and they don't quit when something goes wrong.

The complete opposite of Garrett led teams. Who folded at any sign of adversity.

 

[CelticPunk]

All I can say regarding MM - the team has a different feel, it's a winning environment, and players are stepping up at almost every position. Leaders create the right environment and mentality within their teams. I like where we're at and how it feels.

 

[tyke1doe]

Not even close dude what the hell are you talking about?

We won a championship last year? Liek Barry's team?

Nope it was a SHEET SHOW!

IS he perfect? No....lotta guys aren;t..including the darling Urban in Jax.

If the head coach and QB are mostly responsible for a sheet show...then they also get credit for a Blue Angels air show.

I'm not worried about what other teams' head coaches do. I'm worried about ours. And McCarthy's time management is AWFUL - as well as his 4 and 1 @ our 34 yard line call.
This team would be running on full cylinders even without McCarthy. I'm waiting to see where his influence shows up in a positive way.
Don't give me the team is 5-1 with him. The team is 5-1 with a healthy Dak, Kellen Moore and Dan Quinn!

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

I'm not worried about what other teams' head coaches do. I'm worried about ours. And McCarthy's time management is AWFUL - as well as his 4 and 1 @ our 34 yard line call.
This team would be running on full cylinders even without McCarthy. I'm waiting to see where his influence shows up in a positive way.
Don't give me the team is 5-1 with him. The team is 5-1 with a healthy Dak, Kellen Moore and Dan Quinn!

But you cited Barry who inherited a super bowl team.

THIS team isn't!

So whatever man. Whatever you say. You eft up your references don't be mad at me about it,.

 

[LovinItAll]

I'm not worried about what other teams' head coaches do. I'm worried about ours. And McCarthy's time management is AWFUL - as well as his 4 and 1 @ our 34 yard line call.
This team would be running on full cylinders even without McCarthy. I'm waiting to see where his influence shows up in a positive way.
Don't give me the team is 5-1 with him. The team is 5-1 with a healthy Dak, Kellen Moore and Dan Quinn!

I hate attacking another fan, but you have no idea what you're talking about. Let's do it like this:

Has MM made some clock management blunders? Yep.

Do I think going for it on 4th in our own territory instead of making the rookie QB on the other side drive a long field was a mistake? Yep.

FG attempt in the 4th instead of going for it on 4th and short? Turns out both options had the same chance of success (%), one yields points, the other doesn't, but converting would have been meaningful, too. Fine with either decision pre-play. Judging a 50/50 decision after the result is known doesn't work. Good poker players understand what I mean.

Here's where I take issue with the 'MM doesn't do anything' narrative:

Jones and company are in the building every day. They aren't shelling out millions a year to a dude that 'doesn't do anything'. Because YOU don't know what he does doesn't mean he doesn't do anything. You absolutely cannot say that what he does during the week doesn't show up in a positive way on game day. You aren't there. You don't know. Neither do I.

I'm not even a MM fan, but I'm smart enough to know what I don't know.

I've said this before: There's an EXCELLENT chance that Kellen would be less effective game planning if he were the HC, and I love that he has DQ there to tell him that. I think JJ will do whatever is necessary to keep Kellen. That may ultimately be canning MM and replacing him with Moore. We'll see. JJ and Co had no problem telling Nolan to hit the bricks. They'll do the same to MM, if necessary.

 

[Zman5]

As crazy as it might sound, I sometimes think Fat Mike's overly aggressiveness is part of him trying to change the culture of the team.
For 10 years, the team played under JG and his flaccid mentality. JG talked tough with his "fight" message but he was one of the most risk adverse coach that I've ever seen.

He coached not to lose and the players played that way. That's why his teams almost never overcame adversity. That's why when one "star" player went down, they couldn't win a game. In order to replace that stink, you need a strong deodorant. Maybe Fat Mike trying to tell the team, we are not going to play to lose but to win. Aggressively take what they are giving us.

 

[JoeKing]

McCarthy doesn't need defending. His critics can kiss his derriere. He's got a 5-1 football team going into their bye week.

 

[Big_D]

As crazy as it might sound, I sometimes think Fat Mike's overly aggressiveness is part of him trying to change the culture of the team.
For 10 years, the team played under JG and his flaccid mentality. JG talked tough with his "fight" message but he was one of the most risk adverse coach that I've ever seen.

He coached not to lose and the players played that way. That's why his teams almost never overcame adversity. That's why when one "star" player went down, they couldn't win a game. In order to replace that stink, you need a strong deodorant. Maybe Fat Mike trying to tell the team, we are not going to play to lose but to win. Aggressively take what they are giving us.

And in turn give the team confidence that was never there under Garrett.