How does McCarthy make the Cowboys better?

[zrinkill]

My biggest objection to getting rid of Garrett

Honestly, Marvin Lewis would have been a better choice.

These two statements is all I need to see.

 

[morat1959]

To answer your question, he’s not the clapper. Time will tell if JJ will continue to loosen his grip. He needs to stay away from the draft and free agency. At least there’s some reason for optimism now.

 

[quickccc]

The biggest question for Cowboys fans is why Jerry insisted on hiring an offensive minded coach in Mike McCarthy for a team that already has the #1 offense in the NFL. It's like he just doesn't understand how important defense is. Is Mike Nolan the answer on defense? Really?

The Cowboys, under both Jimmy Johnson and Bill Parcells, fielded the #1 defense in the NFL. Both of them understand what it takes to build a championship team - excellent defense. I am not sanguine about the hire of Mike McCarthy. It is highly unlikely he will materially improve the team over the level of offensive performance that Garrett had in his tenure in Dallas.

Over the 13 years that Jason Garrett presided as either Offensive Coordinator and/or Head Coach in Dallas, the Cowboys' offense ranked 4th in total offensive production (367 ypg), and 6th in offensive points per game (24.3 ppg). Having a productive offense in both yards and scoring was not a problem for the Cowboys under Garrett. (Those who are counting on Garrett to fall on his face in New York are likely to be surprised and disappointed.)

The issue for Garrett as Head Coach is he could never consistently field a good defense. When push came to shove, and when nut-cutting time came in the playoffs, Dallas consistently fielded an impotent defense.

Mike McCarthy had the exact same problem in Green Bay. With the exception of the one year the Packers made it to the Super Bowl as the 6th seed in the NFC playoffs, and upset the Steelers, McCarthy fielded top offensive teams, but consistently poor defenses. Even with All-world Aaron Rodgers, the Packers haven't been able to get back to the big game in a decade.

So, I'm wondering if Mike McCarthy is Fool's Gold for Cowboys fans. How is he not EXACTLY what the Cowboys just got rid of?

As for Garrett, he will not be responsible for the defense for the Giants. If Joe Judge can field a good defense, chances are very high the Giants will be very good very soon. If not, then they will become a carbon copy of what the Cowboys have been over the last 13 seasons. I suppose that for Garrett haters, at least some Cowboys fans can cheer for the Giants to be mediocre. But how does that help the rest of us fans who want another Super Bowl trophy in Dallas?

P.S. I waited two weeks to post this, but the more I think about it, the more I don't like this decision. Jerry is just repeating the mistake he made with Garrett. That's my gut feel. I hope I'm wrong.

1) Because the offensive mind HC was also still the most qualified HC candidates available

2) It is best interest to get a reputed offensive coach that can continue to hone, groom and be a foundation for our young, well invested franchise QB

3) When NFL teams come searching for their next HC candidates, our offense goes thru the HC, and thus the offensive foundation will always stays here with us.

4) DC Mike Nolan has been a part of a successful defensive term with the Ravens, so the past credentials are there. Not like he’s some new rookie novice.
And noting that we are going to maintain a base 4-3 scheme rather than having key players and core, having to re-adjust and go thru a growing pain was great news to my ears.
we want to hit the ground running while we seek to rebuild and re-equip the defense.
And under Nolan, M&M is going with one who he personally knows and more familiar with, vs having to endure and chance philosophical differences – from what I understand, he actually
worked under Nolan on his own staff during Niners -HC-days

5) Key components is combining top player-talent with top notch coaching. How we go about how Philly won their SB, and how Niners did to get in position to possibly win a SB now, is what we
will trying to pursue under McCarthy.

.

 

[quickccc]

I would genuinely have preferred Urban Meyer. He proved to be a championship coach at multiple stops. I just don't believe in McCarthy. He had both Favre and Rodgers, and made 1 SB in 13 seasons, and that season, he backed into the playoffs as the 6th seed, and got lucky.

My biggest objection to getting rid of Garrett is I just didn't believe Jerry was going to hire someone better. I don't think McCarthy is better than Garrett. Meyer is better. And at least his teams knew how to play defense.

I didn't like Lincoln Riley or Matt Rhule for the same reason - their teams in the Big 12 don't play defense. Guys, I'm just not seeing how McCarthy is an improvement. Yeah, he doesn't clap...but surely everyone realizes that is a petty reason to hate Garrett.

In the end, I was tired of Garrett in Dallas, too. But I think my concerns about Jerry doing the same ol' thing have proven to come true. Yes, McCarthy is the shiny new Christmas present, so some think that this year's beany baby is better than last year's Cabbage Patch Doll. I think both of them, Garrett and McCarthy, are a couple of Pet Rocks.

Honestly, Marvin Lewis would have been a better choice than McCarthy. At least Lewis knows defense. And I don't even like Marvin Lewis.

McCarthy went with who knows, more familiar with and trusts.
And he apparently knows Nolan from the two both being in Niners-land back in the day.
And like Marvin Lewis, Nolan has had his share of defensive success during his own Ravens days.

 

[CouchCoach]

Initially, we will get positive change because that is the Cowboys Way. Happened with Parcells and Phillips and Garrett when he took over in mid season. Change gets attention and renewal and new sets of eyes on the players.

The mantra is win now, Big Mike sold the Joneses on that and that he would be the guy to do that and other than Rivera, he was the only one qualified to hit the ground running and had the luxury of a year off to just observe. Guys at that level do not watch the games like we do, they see the field.

But most off all, they will improve because of the fact the HC got fired and spent the entire season watching his old team win 14 with their new HC. Now, I've been wrong with the human redemption thing before with Kiffin but I like a HC with something to prove and he has more than Rivera to prove. He also realizes that his failing was he was all about the QB. He depended on that player too much and not the team. And that was his ultimate undoing.

I liked the hire, he was my pick once Rivera was gone. I didn't like any of the college coaches and the fact that Meyer won at the college level means nothing in the NFL, Riley is nothing more than a college OC and Rhule will take time to develop even though he had some NFL experience.

If I was the GM, I would have hired him and if it all goes south, will admit I wouldn't make a good GM.

 

[Jumbo075]

I dont man, but I hope everyone that hates or is on the fence about this hire goes back and at least watches the Peter King interview. While it could be a case of "made for tv," I really liked MMs approach. I love the fact he was the opposite of JGs arrogant approach. He took personal responsibility and spent a year trying to reinvent himself. Besides that I think we are looking at addition by subtraction. We needed to flush out the old culture and turn the page. Perhaps he is more successful at holding players accountable and not letting anyone circumvent him. In any event we were badly in need of change and I am optimistic to see a staff that Im not well aware of their ceiling already.

I am fully willing to allow McCarthy to prove me wrong. But my gripe is not so much about McCarthy as it is about the factors that weighed into the decision to hire him.

It appears to me, from the outside looking in, that the Jones family is making a decision to keep things mostly status quo - hiring an offensive minded Head Coach, with questionable success on the defensive side of the ball. I suppose that if the Jones family really does believe the formula they have is working, but that the brand name of "Garrett" was too old to keep around, then hiring McCarthy makes sense. But that's like changing out Pepsi for Coke. Both are colas. There may be a slight difference in flavor, but there is no material difference between the two products.

If they wanted to make a real change, then make a change that really affects the team. But it appears that is not what they wanted to do. So they don't want a REAL change. They just want a different General leading the same exact strategy they've been unsuccessfully employing for years and years. Okay then...

Maybe they're right. Maybe their battle plan is just fine, and all they need is a new commander to rally the troops. Forgive me if I have my doubts that this will work. Instead of just a different brand of cola, I was wanting a good stiff drink of whiskey - you know, a REAL change. But cola it is...

 

[Stash]

I am fully willing to allow McCarthy to prove me wrong. But my gripe is not so much about McCarthy as it is about the factors that weighed into the decision to hire him.

It appears to me, from the outside looking in, that the Jones family is making a decision to keep things mostly status quo - hiring an offensive minded Head Coach, with questionable success on the defensive side of the ball. I suppose that if the Jones family really does believe the formula they have is working, but that the brand name of "Garrett" was too old to keep around, then hiring McCarthy makes sense. But that's like changing out Pepsi for Coke. Both are colas. There may be a slight difference in flavor, but there is no material difference between the two products.

"Coke" won a Super Bowl and had his team in the playoffs 9 out of 13 years on the job. "Pepsi" was a fraud from the minute he was hired.

If they wanted to make a real change, then make a change that really affects the team. But it appears that is not what they wanted to do. So they don't want a REAL change. They just want a different General leading the same exact strategy they've been unsuccessfully employing for years and years. Okay then...

Maybe they're right. Maybe their battle plan is just fine, and all they need is a new commander to rally the troops. Forgive me if I have my doubts that this will work. Instead of just a different brand of cola, I was wanting a good stiff drink of whiskey - you know, a REAL change. But cola it is...

"Coke" is proven to be much better than "Pepsi" ever was.

 

[khiladi]

Hostile, is that you?

 

[khiladi]

The problem with your argument is that the Cowboys ranked 6th in the NFL in scoring this season at 27.1 ppg, in addition to 1st in yards per game. Offense wasn't the issue.

The problem with that argument is Garrett wasn’t calling plays and hasn’t been completely since 2014. If you want to look at Garrett’s track record of incompetence then it’s 2008-2012, when that last year Jerry started to strip the reigns away from him. Garbage in red zone scoring, bottom in play action usage, bottom in first half scoring, meaning Dallas pretty much had to go hurry up in the second half, because Garrett couldn’t attack an opponent to save his life.

 

[khiladi]

Dallas did what they always do with their coaches and went the conservative safe route.

Their 3 Championships came with guys they pulled from the College ranks that were flashy hires.

Dallas needed to make a big flashy move and instead that went the retread route.

Hopefully McCarthy pulls an Andy Reid but the more he talks the more I see a stubborn game day coach that doesn't think their playcalling is / was a problem.

I agree. People think Jerry is a gambler, but he seeks to pick from the good, old boys club. Even his adopted son, was from his connections through Father Garrett, who personified that mold. Lacewell and guys like Kiffen and Marinelli, and then Linehan. Even Wade was part of that older crew of coaches.

 

[CWR]

I am fully willing to allow McCarthy to prove me wrong. But my gripe is not so much about McCarthy as it is about the factors that weighed into the decision to hire him.

It appears to me, from the outside looking in, that the Jones family is making a decision to keep things mostly status quo - hiring an offensive minded Head Coach, with questionable success on the defensive side of the ball. I suppose that if the Jones family really does believe the formula they have is working, but that the brand name of "Garrett" was too old to keep around, then hiring McCarthy makes sense. But that's like changing out Pepsi for Coke. Both are colas. There may be a slight difference in flavor, but there is no material difference between the two products.

If they wanted to make a real change, then make a change that really affects the team. But it appears that is not what they wanted to do. So they don't want a REAL change. They just want a different General leading the same exact strategy they've been unsuccessfully employing for years and years. Okay then...

Maybe they're right. Maybe their battle plan is just fine, and all they need is a new commander to rally the troops. Forgive me if I have my doubts that this will work. Instead of just a different brand of cola, I was wanting a good stiff drink of whiskey - you know, a REAL change. But cola it is...

Basically you wanted a defensive minded coach and anything else was all the same. We can agree to disagree.

 

[Bullflop]

It's as simple as can be. MM makes the team better, simply by being a more effective head coach than JG ever was or will be!

 

[75boyz]

I am fully willing to allow McCarthy to prove me wrong. But my gripe is not so much about McCarthy as it is about the factors that weighed into the decision to hire him.

It appears to me, from the outside looking in, that the Jones family is making a decision to keep things mostly status quo - hiring an offensive minded Head Coach, with questionable success on the defensive side of the ball. I suppose that if the Jones family really does believe the formula they have is working, but that the brand name of "Garrett" was too old to keep around, then hiring McCarthy makes sense. But that's like changing out Pepsi for Coke. Both are colas. There may be a slight difference in flavor, but there is no material difference between the two products.

If they wanted to make a real change, then make a change that really affects the team. But it appears that is not what they wanted to do. So they don't want a REAL change. They just want a different General leading the same exact strategy they've been unsuccessfully employing for years and years. Okay then...

Maybe they're right. Maybe their battle plan is just fine, and all they need is a new commander to rally the troops. Forgive me if I have my doubts that this will work. Instead of just a different brand of cola, I was wanting a good stiff drink of whiskey - you know, a REAL change. But cola it is...

As with voting on anything, I vote based on each individual issue and can see merit in both sides a lot of times. So while I can continue to Iike both you and Stash's opinions in a vacuum, my gut, along with the Zone poster MMObserver's defensive posts have cornered me into thinking McCarthy was a product of HOF quarterbacking. His defenses actually sucked by the numbers especially in the playoffs. I mean if he turns Dak into Favre/Rodgers part 2 then maybe the Cowboys are onto something then but I'm not seeing that honestly.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I suppose that if the Jones family really does believe the formula they have is working, but that the brand name of "Garrett" was too old to keep around, then hiring McCarthy makes sense. But that's like changing out Pepsi for Coke. Both are colas. There may be a slight difference in flavor, but there is no material difference between the two products.

My god...

 

[LocimusPrime]

Maybe McCarthy will actually give players realistic evaluations and game day report cards.

I have a feeling that the coaches were just giving out A’s to everyone.

There’s no way that if a coach actually gave honest assessments and reviewed the film with the players that have these guys would thing that they were awesome (Jaylon smith). It seems that he thinks he played like a superstar. If the coaches were really evaluating there is no way that he would think this

 

[gimmesix]

The issue for Garrett as Head Coach is he could never consistently field a good defense. When push came to shove, and when nut-cutting time came in the playoffs, Dallas consistently fielded an impotent defense.

This was not the only issue for Garrett. The one that ultimately kept him from succeeding is that his offensive philosophy resulted in good offenses but not great ones. When we lost to Green Bay in 2014 and 2016, it's easy to say the defense should have played better, because it should have played better. But what gets lost in that view is that our offense wasn't able to keep pace with McCarthy's offense. Green Bay wasn't particularly good on defense, but they had the edge on offense.

Ideally, you are strong on both sides of the ball, but that just isn't always the case. Look at the Chiefs, for example, they gave up 31 and 24 points in their two playoff games, but it didn't really matter.

My main criticism of Garrett has never been the defense because he's an offensive guy, so whoever Dallas hired as DC was responsible for the problems there. It has always been his lack of creativity on offense that kept Dallas from being everything it could be. You face other good offenses in the playoffs and sometimes you've just got to be able to outpunch the other guy.

 

[DUO_CORE]

The team will be more physically fit thanks to McCarthy because there will be FAR less food at the buffet table after Mike fills his plate.

 

[Jumbo075]

Basically you wanted a defensive minded coach and anything else was all the same. We can agree to disagree.

Not necessarily. I don't have a problem with an offensive minded coach, who also has a track record of having excellent defenses. It's just that the knock on McCarthy of having inconsistent defenses, is the same reason Garrett failed in Dallas. And McCarthy's playoff success is only marginally better than Garrett's, despite having Favre and Rodgers as his QB's.

I was mainly looking for a real new beginning. But maybe the Jones family is correct. With the current roster, parts of the team (OLine especially) are getting long in the tooth. Maybe the "win now" desire necessitated hiring someone to tweak the existing strategy for winning, rather than overhauling their approach with a whole new strategy. In some sense, keeping Garrett for so long WAS a change from the past for Jerry, who changed out Head Coaches like underwear before Garrett.

Mostly, I'm simply looking for a reason to re-engage as a fan. I don't see that reason in McCarthy.

 

[ShiningStar]

Not necessarily. I don't have a problem with an offensive minded coach, who also has a track record of having excellent defenses. It's just that the knock on McCarthy of having inconsistent defenses, is the same reason Garrett failed in Dallas. And McCarthy's playoff success is only marginally better than Garrett's, despite having Favre and Rodgers as his QB's.

I was mainly looking for a real new beginning. But maybe the Jones family is correct. With the current roster, parts of the team (OLine especially) are getting long in the tooth. Maybe the "win now" desire necessitated hiring someone to tweak the existing strategy for winning, rather than overhauling their approach with a whole new strategy. In some sense, keeping Garrett for so long WAS a change from the past for Jerry, who changed out Head Coaches like underwear before Garrett.

Mostly, I'm simply looking for a reason to re-engage as a fan. I don't see that reason in McCarthy.

lets see how it shapes up and we can all discuss it rationally. i wasnt a fan of the hire at first as well, but at least hes bringing in is own staff.

 

[Jumbo075]

lets see how it shapes up and we can all discuss it rationally. i wasnt a fan of the hire at first as well, but at least hes bringing in is own staff.

Like I said earlier, I would be very happy to be wrong. I waited a couple of weeks to let the decision grow on me, and it hasn't. But like you said, we'll see. I'm not "predicting" failure. I'm just not very hopeful.