McCarthy's Play Calling

[TheMarathonContinues]

I have noticed a trend with McCarthy and his play calling.

If you look at the Giants, it is pretty obvious that they came out wanting to get Turpin more involved in the offense including getting him the ball 3 straight plays which ended in an FG. Then Turpin basically became an afterthought, and McCarthy went back to calling his normal offense making no effort to involve Turpin again for over 2 quarters.

There have been quite a few times when Dallas comes out and the first drive is very effective, and you can tell they have a purpose to get Rico involved or Lamb a few easy catches, but they also use those scripted plays to attack defenses weaknesses, however, he never really uses that information or build on it throughout the game, he just reverts back to calling the same group of plays every week.

There has been quite a bit of talk about Jerry possibly bringing McCarthy back, with the QB and taking a shot at Jerry saying on his terms, but if those terms don't include a new offensive coordinator who calls the plays we are in for a lot of grief as fans.

One thing about Mike is if something works they won’t go back to it but if it fails? Expect it time and time again lol.

 

[Floatyworm]

The only trend I see is the play calling continues to be bad.

The Cowboys need a new HC, OC and offensive scheme.

As soon as McCarthy forced his crap playbook on Kellen Moore....I knew we were screwed. Now you see the full fledged unedited version of McCarthy...and honestly....amazes me the guy ever got a job. I honestly think my 7 on 7 playbook from flag football...is more sophisticated....which won city with a bunch of drunks from the bar.

 

[StarOfGlory]

The only trend I see is the play calling continues to be bad.

The Cowboys need a new HC, OC and offensive scheme.

And a real #2 WR, one or two o-line, DT's, a true #1 RB, and a new GM.

 

[CTcowboy203]

When your offensive talent is limited so is your ability to call plays. Not saying McCarthy is a perfect offensive genius, but I do think he gets too much blame gets thrown his way for the failures on the offensive side of the football. Turpin as the OP mentioned is a great example. Excellent big play ability, seems to be trending up as a receiver overall, but unfortunately there are only so many ways to get the football in his hands. He is under sized, and seems to run a limited route tree. Unless you're going to turn your offense into a gimmick fest with screens and jet sweeps (which the Cowboys already do a decent amount of) its hard to design plays to get him the football more than a few times per game.

The Cowboys truly lack the presence of a legitimate #2 WR to go with Lamb. Good offenses can dictate coverages and alignments defenses can play against them. The Cowboys simply do not have the luxury of having the talent on the field to scheme players open as some other teams do. Its why paying a guy like Lamb isn't a bad idea, but if you're too strapped for cash to the point you have to make the offense revolve around one skill player its a horrible idea.

No scheme in the world works when 3/5ths of your OL is getting beat regularly, and no scheme works with one above average receiving threat....especially when you fall behind on the scoreboard.

I agree with you on Turpin being limited with how he can be used and he also needs to be careful how often he’s used because he so tiny, I’d say where they can get better is utilizing the threat of him- to confuse or distract defenses. His speed is something that at the very least needs to be accounted for.

He should be used in motion, in fake reverses/ sweeps, hand offs etc

 

[J_Allen]

His play calling in the red zone is atrocious. We get Schoonmaker involved and use him to drive all the way down the field and then looks to me like we take him out of the game in the red zone. I don't think I've seen it worse red zone offense, at least since the 1996 season.

 

[RonWashington]

MM won a SB 13 years ago , 2011 . Can we move forward

 

[Zman5]

. if McCarthy was as bad as some make him out to be, we wouldn't have been 12-5 for 3 back to back seasons.

Especially with a worst QB ever to play in the NFL as some here claim.

 

[Blast From The Past]

...lacks creatvity.

Texas Coast offense is offensive to some I see.

 

[CCBoy]

I have noticed a trend with McCarthy and his play calling.

If you look at the Giants, it is pretty obvious that they came out wanting to get Turpin more involved in the offense including getting him the ball 3 straight plays which ended in an FG. Then Turpin basically became an afterthought, and McCarthy went back to calling his normal offense making no effort to involve Turpin again for over 2 quarters.

There have been quite a few times when Dallas comes out and the first drive is very effective, and you can tell they have a purpose to get Rico involved or Lamb a few easy catches, but they also use those scripted plays to attack defenses weaknesses, however, he never really uses that information or build on it throughout the game, he just reverts back to calling the same group of plays every week.

There has been quite a bit of talk about Jerry possibly bringing McCarthy back, with the QB and taking a shot at Jerry saying on his terms, but if those terms don't include a new offensive coordinator who calls the plays we are in for a lot of grief as fans.

Just exactly which game started with Dallas getting a TD it's opening drive and stopped the opponent as well?

 

[CCBoy]

I agree with you on Turpin being limited with how he can be used and he also needs to be careful how often he’s used because he so tiny, I’d say where they can get better is utilizing the threat of him- to confuse or distract defenses. His speed is something that at the very least needs to be accounted for.

He should be used in motion, in fake reverses/ sweeps, hand offs etc

He is very fast and with Lamb, and Cook also, very much a weapon. Full features are returning along with 3 tight ends and a running game right now.

 

[CCBoy]

I've got to admit, MM's play calling really did seem somewhat overly ineffective last season.
Even if MM stays with the team, another OC might add something beneficial to our offense!

With 3 strong tight ends and 3 very fast receivers I won't be anxious at present.

 

[morat1959]

It doesn’t matter who the coaches are until a legit QB is under center. All the QBs on Jerry’s roster limit any play caller. Then and only then can a coach be judged on his play calling.

 

[Coogiguy03]

...lacks creatvity.

feels like we've been saying this for years now

 

[Doomsday]

Just exactly which game started with Dallas getting a TD it's opening drive and stopped the opponent as well?

I am not talking about the defense, I am talking about the opening scripted drives.

The Falcons, Commanders, Giants, Lions, Steelers to name a few off the top of my head, they came out moving the ball well on the first drive than abandoned what was working for large stretches.

 

[CCBoy]

I am not talking about the defense, I am talking about the opening scripted drives.

The Falcons, Commanders, Giants, Lions, Steelers to name a few off the top of my head, they came out moving the ball well on the first drive than abandoned what was working for large stretches.

I was commenting directly at Red Zone ineffectiveness by Dallas after the injuries occurred and directed now with the changes involved.

3 strong tight ends
3 strong and fast receivers
a running game returning

Production is just starting to reawaken...but interesting as to football.

 

[DandyDon52]

Ezekiel Elliott would not be here right now

yes he would lol jerry just wanted him because he likes him.

 

[charron]

MM was a good coach 10 years ago. Now he's a shell of his former self. Modern offenses has past him by. Players like him cause he's soft, demands very little from them.

 

[KMY_Amber]

The issue is there have been plenty of small speedy guys to enter the league, and very few have succeeded. A guy like Turpin in order to go get deep balls needs to be someone who creates space between him and the safety and unless its bum back there or they just get completely fooled thats tough to do, especially if you dont have a great deep ball thrower who can hit him in stride. No QB on the Cowboys roster, Dak included plays to that strength. Dak has been a pretty good deep ball guy but he also throws a high floater that allows guys to go get the ball, and that simply isnt Turpins game. Unless there is a significant matchup issue I just dont see D coordinators being all that worried about Turpin getting deep...at least to the point where hes going to actually open up routes underneath.

Guys like Jameson Williams and Xavier Worthy are both just as explosive as Turpin, but are 3-4 inches taller, 1st round talents, and have some of the best offensive minds calling plays and are only averaging about 1 touch per game more than Turpin is right now.

All around the league the guys getting heavily targeted are bigger bodies and elite level route runners. I'm just not seeing a Turpin comparison around the league that teams are getting the ball to more efficiently than the Cowboys are Turpin.

Turpin doesn't need to be heavily targeted. He just needs to break free from the slot and sprint towards the safety, or get him on a deep corner route. That will carry some safety with him. That alone would open it up underneath for some under routes 10 to 15 yards downfield.

And if you see DCs not respecting Turpin going deep and just leaving a single safety to handle him, then Turpin will be able to beat most safeties downfield.

And hec, from the slot, in man, Turpin clearly has enough wiggle to break free right at the LOS on a slant...he can beat a lot of slot CBs at the LOS.

Let alone the occasional screen pass.

The bottom line is a DC would have to respect his speed. And if you don't, then just like he did recently, he can take a 5-yard slant to the house.

And since the Cowboys don't have many other game-breaking WRs, Turpin should be on field way more, as a threat. Tolbert? Mingo? Brooks? hec, we're happy if any of them even catch two passes in a game. And NONE of them are likely to have a 50+-yard TD.

Mike is just not creative enough, so we have to force the ball to CeeDee 15 times per game.

 

[75boyz]

The only trend I see is the play calling continues to be bad.

The Cowboys need a new HC, OC and offensive scheme.

THIS.
PERIOD.
And to add please, a new offensive line coach that is not already beyond collecting social security age and actually understands 2024 NFL run game concepts and blocking schemes.

 

[Whyjerry]

What is Mike supposed to do? He has:

QBs that can’t throw
No RBs
A bad OL
Wideouts with no speed
TEs that can’t catch the ball
A star wideout that pouts
Mostly scrubs that would struggle to make other teams

He has nothing. This offense sucks.