News: Five takeaways from Mike McCarthy's first 2021 news conference

[WoodysGirl]

Five takeaways from Mike McCarthy's first 2021 news conference include Dallas Cowboys' defensive changes, backup QB issues

Dallas coach Mike McCarthy addressed several topics Thursday, his first press conference in months, from Dak Prescott's rehab to defensive changes.

FRISCO, Texas – The Dallas Cowboys missed the playoffs in Mike McCarthy’s debut season. In early March, when quarterback Dak Prescott reached a four-year, $160 million extension with the club, the head coach was in Florida for spring break with his family.

Factor in a year without an NFL scouting combine, and McCarthy had not addressed reporters who regularly cover the team in person in 13 months and not at all since the 2020 regular season concluded.

“It’s been a while,” McCarthy said from a podium at The Star, the Cowboys' suburban training facility, on Thursday.

“Let’s catch up.”

Here are five things we learned from McCarthy’s press conference:

1. ‘The largest change’
McCarthy disputed one reporter’s suggestion that his defensive coaching staff didn’t grade players last season. But he acknowledged that the Cowboys defense was inconsistent in 2020, not finding a groove at all in the first eight weeks – and, even afterward, faltering spectacularly at times.

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[JoeKing]

1. The coach now has some facial hair.

2. Coach missed the Dak Press Conference because he was his family in Florida, not Wisconsin.

3. Tyron Crawford is retiring

4. The Cowboys have not decided to go without Aldon Smith despite media reports to the contrary. Coach described the situation as "fluid".

5. The Coach seems to think the defensive scheme will be more like what Mike Nolan was trying to put in place rather than what Dan Quinn has managed at other locations. I got the impression the coaches have never gotten together to agree on a definitive defensive scheme,

 

[Brax]

1. The coach now has some facial hair.

2. Coach missed the Dak Press Conference because he was his family in Florida, not Wisconsin.

3. Tyron Crawford is retiring

4. The Cowboys have not decided to go without Aldon Smith despite media reports to the contrary. Coach described the situation as "fluid".

5. The Coach seems to think the defensive scheme will be more like what Mike Nolan was trying to put in place rather than what Dan Quinn has managed at other locations. I got the impression the coaches have never gotten together to agree on a definitive defensive scheme,

Pretty sad but that’s MM.

 

[Jake]

This coach still does nothing for me.

I always knew Landry had a plan. Jimmy was a leader guys would follow into battle. McCarthy just seems to be making it up as he goes along. Meh.

 

[75boyz]

Total Home Run hire.

 

[AmericasTeam81]

He obviously has the pedigree of a super bowl championship winning coach

 

[Frosty]

This coach still does nothing for me.

I always knew Landry had a plan. Jimmy was a leader guys would follow into battle. McCarthy just seems to be making it up as he goes along. Meh.

You must be in the “I want Garret back” thread. Which was deleted a year ago

 

[Techsass]

What I'm curious about is if last season he was just taking an observer's view of the offense & if that's going to change this season.

I don't know what his defensive credentials or philosophy is or if he even gets involved with that side of the team.

 

[Mr_437]

Gonna need more watermelons to get thru this season.

 

[Howboutdemcowboys31]

I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt last year with all the injuries and being new. This year zero benefits given from me

 

[Haimerej]

But he acknowledged that the Cowboys defense was inconsistent in 2020, not finding a groove at all in the first eight weeks – and, even afterward, faltering spectacularly at times.

I disagree. They were remarkably consistent. The outliers were when they got off the field without giving up points.

 

[75boyz]

Pretty sad but that’s MM.

No worries.

Kellen is slowly warming up in the batter's box.

Jerry's Master Plan/Garrett II project will slowly show itself once Fat Boy fails again this year.

Jerry's got this.

 

[cowboyblue22]

This coach still does nothing for me.

I always knew Landry had a plan. Jimmy was a leader guys would follow into battle. McCarthy just seems to be making it up as he goes along. Meh.

another garrett type failure wow but when u look at the top of the org then you understand why its like it is

 

[unionjack8]

Here's another.


We won't go anywhere with him at the helm...

 

[stilltheguru]

Trash!

 

[DuncanIso]

This coach still does nothing for me.

I always knew Landry had a plan. Jimmy was a leader guys would follow into battle. McCarthy just seems to be making it up as he goes along. Meh.

hiring Nolan and the OL problems have hurt his cred.

 

[DuncanIso]

We should have kept Jason.

 

[MapleLeaf]

We should have kept Jason.

I think Jason's time on the team had runs its course. He was miserable. The fans were miserable, and finally Jeery couldn't protect him.

Right now I'm not feeling the MM plan. I am resolved to believe we may have a new HC in three years.

 

[jterrell]

various:
I like MM as Coach. I thought he was a good hire and still do.
Thought Nolan was a bad hire and still do.
You don't always get to the perfect staff in year 1.
Jimmy Johnson had the worst offense in football with Mike Shula.

MM will lie to the media for sure. It's a BP type lying in that he is "controlling the narrative".
The moving on from Aldon Smith thing is a good example.
The Cowboys obviously didn't place Aldon in any position of importance on Aldon and almost certainly told him to look around in free agency.
All that said it does the Cowboys nor Aldon nay good at all to admit that publicly.
Jane's source was being honest but why??

I love that Mike was with his family for Spring Break even as news broke of Dak's deal.
You get very little time away from the game as an NFL head coach and good for him getting and staying away on his kids schedule.
If BP had done more of that perhaps he wouldn't have quit when he did.

About as much went to pot as possibly can in one year in 2020 for the world and the Cowboys specifically.
But 2021 in a new season and this team can compete for a title if they catch the breaks they are due.

 

[Typhus]

This coach still does nothing for me.

I always knew Landry had a plan. Jimmy was a leader guys would follow into battle. McCarthy just seems to be making it up as he goes along. Meh.

Its going to be the Coordinators that have to elevate it, that elevates McCarthy into a sideline delegator like Garrett.
Quinn actually has a clear path to HC candidate if he delegates, and actually improves this defense.
Quinn was a smart man when he took this gig.