CFZ Why it would've have been better to fire McCarthy than make him a lame duck

[Brax]

They are working out significantly better than having a bunch of regular season losses.

Whether you like it or not 1-3, is better than 0-0.

0-0 , got you, brilliant.

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

Daks been paid handsomely Jerry needs to see results and so far Dak hasn’t produced any. Not saying Jerry doesn’t extend him but the smart move is let it play out, as for injuries he extended Dak after a brutal injury so that doesn’t enter the conversation. History says Dak isn’t winning or making a SB at this stage of his career heck he’s played poorly in most big games. His fault or not he judged by his playoff performance unfortunately his have been poor. I wouldn’t extend Dak he hasn’t earned it so nows the time.

I would not extend Dak because the way this team is structured, Dak will not win. He needs a Russel Wilson Legion of Boom/Marshawn Lynch type of team.....strong defense and running game. That is what he has always needed and it's the responsibility of the organization to recognize that and provide it....or MOVE ON!!!!

So I have zero problem with not extending Dak. My problem is this LAME DUCK YEAR we are all in. If we are not going to extend Dak.....let's see what we have in Trey Lance! Why is Lance here if we are not looking to see if we can strike gold? Why waste what appears to be a golden opportunity to start the next chapter. That is my problem with Jerry! And I know why he will not do it..he's already paid for Dak this year...and he is not going to pay Dak without getting something in return. So since he cannot trade him....and he cannot franchise him.....he is going to make Dak work for something we all know is not going to happen the way this team is currently constructed. And that is just DUMB!!!!!!!

 

[Chasing6]

I would not extend Dak because the way this team is structured, Dak will not win. He needs a Russel Wilson Legion of Boom/Marshawn Lynch type of team.....strong defense and running game. That is what he has always needed and it's the responsibility of the organization to recognize that and provide it....or MOVE ON!!!!

So I have zero problem with not extending Dak. My problem is this LAME DUCK YEAR we are all in. If we are not going to extend Dak.....let's see what we have in Trey Lance! Why is Lance here if we are not looking to see if we can strike gold? Why waste what appears to be a golden opportunity to start the next chapter. That is my problem with Jerry! And I know why he will not do it..he's already paid for Dak this year...and he is not going to pay Dak without getting something in return. So since he cannot trade him....and he cannot franchise him.....he is going to make Dak work for something we all know is not going to happen the way this team is currently constructed. And that is just DUMB!!!!!!!

Yea, move on because we can find a QB to win a SB that does not need a running game or a run defense.

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

Yea, move on because we can find a QB to win a SB that does not need a running game or a run defense.

I am not suggesting that Dak is the only one. I just know that is what Dak needs....and since the organization won't prioritize building that....they should just move on. But I agree with you, good luck finding one that doesn't need that. Dak....and MOST top 10 QBs can win you 1 or 2 postseason games....but there is only 1 that can win you 4 straight if you need him to....and that is Patrick Mahomes.

And I don't want to hear some sorry excuse that you can't build a defense and running game if you have to pay Dak....this is an organization that would not sign Bobby Wagner. This is an organization that would not pursue Derrick Henry. This is an organization that drafted a LBer that had one leg (Jaylon Smith) in the 2nd round...and one with a neck issue (Wolf Hunter) in the 1st round. Then after it was OBVIOUS to anyone with a football brain that Jaylon Smith was allergic to contact, they gave him an EXTENSION! This is an organization that put the franchise tag on Pollard...someone that had not been a 20 carry per game back in high school, college, or the pros. So Dak salary is not why you cannot build a solid run defense or run game...their football IQ is why they can't build a solid run defense or run game.

 

[fivetwos]

Yea, move on because we can find a QB to win a SB that does not need a running game or a run defense.

Does anyone really see the plan being….let Dak go and sign a lesser regarded QB (which still won’t be all that cheap) then spend the savings on outside free agents?

They aren’t doing that. They can’t. Stevie would never allow tens of millions to be spent on a player he doesn’t know.

Its either pay top of the market for Prescott (IF he wants to return, I wouldn’t), or stink for several years and hope to get a high pick in a year when a Burrow type becomes available.

Jerry’s ego is hurt over the lack of playoff ROI on Prescott, but I simply can’t see him going voluntarily back into the Stoerner/Leaf/Wright years.

Jerry probably feels like Prescott owes him something, and wants him to play cheaper than market. I’d wager my entire life that Todd France strongly disagrees.

 

[RonnieT24]

Yea, move on because we can find a QB to win a SB that does not need a running game or a run defense.

It's really odd to me the number of people who dismiss Dak's stellar stats yet in the same breath laud the defense's stellar stats. I mean, the defense finished highly ranked in most categories except stopping the run if I recall correctly. They were 5th in scoring D, 5th in total yards allowed and 5th in passing yards allowed. However they were 16th in rushing yards and 16th in rushing yards per attempt. So basically in the area that is their known weakness and which has sent them home from the playoffs the last three seasons, they continued to be weak. Then looking at Dak we see he was #1 in passing TDs, #3 in passing yards, #2 in completion percentage, #2 in TD percentage, #6 in INT percentage, and #2 in QBR. In short, Dak balled out in every measurable way. Yet HE is the one we need to get rid of? It makes no sense.

I'm just like everybody else in wanting Dak to play better in the playoffs. Where I differ from the frothing masses is that I believe he can. He just needs some help. He doesn't need his #1 receiver to drop the first two passes he throws him and then have a hissy fit on the sideline. Nor does he need his defense to give up TDs on the opponents' first 5 or 6 drives. The whole team failing to show up mentally for a playoff game is on the coaches 100%. Their messaging was clearly off that week plain and simple. I'm not dumping my All-Pro QB to chase some imaginary rainbow solution to all this team's problems. People can root for that if the wish.. I will not be joining them. I saw Quincy Carter, Scott Hutchinson, Drew Bledsoe and Vinny Testaverde play live for the Cowboys. All I can say about getting more of that is "No thank you."

 

[Motorola]

He who doesn’t learn from the past is doomed to repeat it.

"Those who cannot remember their past are condemned to repeat it."
- George Santayana

 

[fivetwos]

It's really odd to me the number of people who dismiss Dak's stellar stats yet in the same breath laud the defense's stellar stats. I mean, the defense finished highly ranked in most categories except stopping the run if I recall correctly. They were 5th in scoring D, 5th in total yards allowed and 5th in passing yards allowed. However they were 16th in rushing yards and 16th in rushing yards per attempt. So basically in the area that is their known weakness and which has sent them home from the playoffs the last three seasons, they continued to be weak. Then looking at Dak we see he was #1 in passing TDs, #3 in passing yards, #2 in completion percentage, #2 in TD percentage, #6 in INT percentage, and #2 in QBR. In short, Dak balled out in every measurable way. Yet HE is the one we need to get rid of? It makes no sense.

I'm just like everybody else in wanting Dak to play better in the playoffs. Where I differ from the frothing masses is that I believe he can. He just needs some help. He doesn't need his #1 receiver to drop the first two passes he throws him and then have a hissy fit on the sideline. Nor does he need his defense to give up TDs on the opponents' first 5 or 6 drives. The whole team failing to show up mentally for a playoff game is on the coaches 100%. Their messaging was clearly off that week plain and simple. I'm not dumping my All-Pro QB to chase some imaginary rainbow solution to all this team's problems. People can root for that if the wish.. I will not be joining them. I saw Quincy Carter, Scott Hutchinson, Drew Bledsoe and Vinny Testaverde play live for the Cowboys. All I can say about getting more of that is "No thank you."

See my post above. I think Jerry wants his discount more than he is thinking of moving on. He probably thinks Dak owes him something.

Meanwhile all that’s going to do is cost him more. If Prescott gets to the open market with what ought to be at least 4-8 suitors, it may get to 60 plus per with most of it guaranteed….although it’ll also probably take close to that to get him to sign now, so may as well make him get through this year healthy.

I’m generally neutral on Dak, but I think he gets 4/250 with 190 guaranteed. The question is if it’s here or elsewhere. Some folks refuse to understand that what you’re paid isn’t based on being a better or worse QB than others, or what you’ve accomplished, but the timing of things.

If Jerry thought things might head in the other direction as far as salary, the Lawrence and Goff deals put an end to that.

 

[basel90]

JJ signed Dak for 55 mil a year . Trying to win a CCG or reach a Super Bowl with a 12-15 ranked QB being paid top tier , not to mention the other overpaid slackers ( DLaw and zeke before him etc ) . The result is futility and MM was happy and silent with these signings . Time to face the reality . He got the job to win with what JJ decides . It did not work for MM nor others before him .

 

[Chasing6]

It's really odd to me the number of people who dismiss Dak's stellar stats yet in the same breath laud the defense's stellar stats. I mean, the defense finished highly ranked in most categories except stopping the run if I recall correctly. They were 5th in scoring D, 5th in total yards allowed and 5th in passing yards allowed. However they were 16th in rushing yards and 16th in rushing yards per attempt. So basically in the area that is their known weakness and which has sent them home from the playoffs the last three seasons, they continued to be weak. Then looking at Dak we see he was #1 in passing TDs, #3 in passing yards, #2 in completion percentage, #2 in TD percentage, #6 in INT percentage, and #2 in QBR. In short, Dak balled out in every measurable way. Yet HE is the one we need to get rid of? It makes no sense.

I'm just like everybody else in wanting Dak to play better in the playoffs. Where I differ from the frothing masses is that I believe he can. He just needs some help. He doesn't need his #1 receiver to drop the first two passes he throws him and then have a hissy fit on the sideline. Nor does he need his defense to give up TDs on the opponents' first 5 or 6 drives. The whole team failing to show up mentally for a playoff game is on the coaches 100%. Their messaging was clearly off that week plain and simple. I'm not dumping my All-Pro QB to chase some imaginary rainbow solution to all this team's problems. People can root for that if the wish.. I will not be joining them. I saw Quincy Carter, Scott Hutchinson, Drew Bledsoe and Vinny Testaverde play live for the Cowboys. All I can say about getting more of that is "No thank you."

I agree 100%. You left out where our rushing offense ranked, which is not a plus and does not help support Dak and make his job any easier.

We know our D can be dominated with a lead when the opposing team is one dimensional throwing the ball. However, we can't seem to comprehend why Dak struggles against good teams that make us 1 dimensional.

 

[quickccc]

After the most embarrassing playoff loss in Cowboys history last January, it made more sense to fire Mike McCarthy and move on than making him a lame duck head coach on the last year of his contract. We have seen this coaching scenario in Big D three times before. In 2010 with Wade Phillips, in 2014 with Jason Garrett and 2019 with Garrett again. Only once (in 2014) did this situation translate to a successful season.

Big Mac has been here four seasons and he’s done a very good job in the regular season. But winning in the regular season is not enough if your team is serious about winning a championship. Winning 1 wild card game in 4 years is not good enough to me for a head coach. In the three losses he’s had in the playoffs here, in two of them his team was just not prepared.

So…IMO Here are the reasons this decision to keep McCarthy in the last year of contract makes little sense:

• It will be very hard for this team to recover mentally from that packer loss with the same head coach. The first time this team has a bad half or bad game, it could easily cause a mental free fall like we saw in 2010 with Wade when that team started the season poorly.
• The early part of the 2024 schedule is not particularly favorable which puts even more pressure on the situation.
• By also having a bizarre off-season where this front office mostly sat on their hands when it came to getting better, it cannot give this lame duck HC, his staff and his players a feeling that the organization has pushed the chips forward for 2024.
• By choosing to not be proactive with contracts AGAIN with several of its star players, it has the appearance that this season is a reset. Which would be fine IF you had a new HC.

The loss to the packers last January was just a complete collapse. How does a team recover mentally from that? And if you wanted to make 2024 the start of something new, why not start that process with a new head coach? Instead of that, we are left wondering what this front office is thinking and planning because in my decades of following this team, the 2024 off-season has been the biggest head scratcher I’ve ever seen.

Who would have been your new HC if McCarthy was fired ?

 

[Blackrain]

They didn’t fire him so lets move on.

But that's the problem Rocky we can't move on until we can get a coach that can prepare a team to win a playoff game.

Doesn't seem to matter how much talent we acquire if we don't have someone that can make good use of it get it all on the same page and working like a Swiss watch when it really matters it makes it really tough to move forward

 

[Blackrain]

He who dwells on the past is doomed to failure.

No it's more like he who can't learn from what has happened in the past is doomed to failure and we have proved that out conclusively

 

[Blackrain]

You know Greggo, it seems to me Jerry has forgotten what made the Cowboys ”Americas Team”. It wasn’t how much they were worth, the stadiums they played in, the uniforms or even the cheerleaders. What made us “America’s Team” was very simple: Winning playoff games.

I think the guy running this thing has either lost sight of that or just don’t care enough any more.

I got to expand on that a little bit bullet winning playoff games in the era that America's team was created was accomplished by military trained men who knew how to prepare for the most important games.
Roger Staubach and Tom Landry made America's team they were the true Dallas Cowboys they were leaders of men who could make everyone play above their heads and believe.

We haven't had anybody since Jimmy and the triplets that could even come close to the men who made this franchise the envy of all others in the NFL.

That playoff game against the Packers last year was the polar opposite of anything that America's team represented.

All we are now is Jerry's marketing group

 

[Bigrandrn]

Bobhaze, honestly, after that embarrassing loss to the Packers, I wanted EVERY single one of the coaches fired!!!! I realize now that was just an emotional response. However, the least that should have been done was fire McCarthy. But, he's here this season, and we can only sit back and see how the players respond.

Agreed, that team was unprepared, undisciplined, and unmotivated in that game and got stomped….cultural issue, I don’t get how McCarthy survived that at all.

 

[Bobhaze]

Who would have been your new HC if McCarthy was fired ?

Usually when a new head coach is needed everyone goes for the “names”…Bill B, Jim Harbaugh, etc. If I was in charge I would be looking for a young up and comer. Someone who is great with Xs and Os, innovative, can inspire and control the locker room, and has an excellent eye for talent.

Here are some guys I can think of who might fit that bill in no particular order:

• Ben Johnson, 38, OC for the lions. Johnson is a brilliant offensive mind and has been very creative using the weapons he’s been handed in Detroit. The lions offense is one of the more creative out there.
• Bobby Slowik, 37, OC for the Texans. Slowik served under Mike Shanahan and has picked up much of his philosophIes on offense. He did a great job developing rookie Texans QB CJ Stroud last year and his players love him. He will be a hot name in 2025 for a HC job.
• Aaron Glenn, 51, DC for the lions. He has been Dan Campbell’s right hand man and done a lot to improve the lions defense. He’s also a players guy who commands respect.

There are many more. These just some of the names I would be interested in. Doubt Jerry or Stephen would ever hire one of these guys.

 

[oldcorvetteguy]

He who doesn’t learn from the past is doomed to repeat it.

You talking about Jerry?

 

[DuncanIso]

Not surprising, the #1 priority of the front office is to not pay dead money, even to coaches. Even if it is counterproductive to winning.

Agree.

But we have tons of dead cap.

Most of it from Dak and Martin.

 

[DuncanIso]

I have to wonder how the Cowboys will do after Jerry/wildcatter ways.

I can't see Stephen handing over the reigns for player personnel. He's been in that spot for decades now.
McClay is happy with his role/title/paycheck lol.
The NFL prints money for all teams. Not like the Cowboys will enter the red and lose money forcing change.

Do they enter a Mike Brown era, where they just become "cheap" and continue to have bloated cap hits to cry poor, while paying way less?
Dallas is, and will be the #1 team in the NFL. I can't see even the next 20 years changing that without playoff success. Jerry's lasting legacy will be the brand he made Dallas.

They are the Toronto Maple Leafs. Rabid Fans worldwide, bad or good people show up/buy merch even though the playoffs/winning the championships are decades in the mirror.

Most of the dead money is from Daks current contract.

They have to clear $100+ million in dead cap between 2024-26.

That would pay for a lot of football talent.

That’s why they can’t sign big $$$ UFAs.

They still have to find $20 million before Week 1.

 

[Bullflop]

The Cowboys FO hasn't been proactive in the past -- why would they suddenly change now?
They just don't react until the bottom falls out. It's just the stagnant nature of the beast.