Another year, another crushing playoff defeat for the Dallas Cowboys. Despite having a seemingly favorable matchup at home against the Green Bay Packers, the Cowboys got destroyed on Sunday to the tune of a 48-32 defeat. And in the blink of an eye, a season with so much promise came to a screeching halt, sending Dallas back to the drawing board.
The 2023 campaign was supposed to be the year where the Cowboys put everything together, and for much of the regular season, that appeared to be true. Dallas had a 12-5 record for the third straight season, but they managed to win the NFC East this time around, which earned them the two seed in the playoffs. Their offense was one of the deepest units in the league, and their defense was a turnover machine.
And yet, none of that mattered when the Cowboys were blown out of the water by the Packers, who just so happen to be their head coach Mike McCarthy's old team. With another dispiriting playoff run in the books, McCarthy's job status is up in the air, so let's take a look at three reasons why Dallas needs to move on from McCarthy and fire him this offseason.
Mike McCarthy's message isn't resonating with the Cowboys
As previously noted, for much of the regular season, the Cowboys were a powerhouse. Their offense was going up and down the field at will, and their defense didn't really have any weak spots. Dallas has struggled in the playoffs recently, but this felt like the season where they could buck that trend. Instead, they failed, and ultimately, McCarthy has to shoulder much of the blame.
The Cowboys entered their contest with the Packers as the heavy favorite, and for good reason. Dallas managed to beat out the Philadelphia Eagles and win the NFC East, while Green Bay barely snuck into the postseason as the seven seed in the NFC. There are no easy games in the NFL, though, and you can never afford to take an opponent lightly.
Well, that's exactly what the Cowboys did, and their season is over now because of that. McCarthy's message, whatever it may have been, did not resonate enough with this squad to keep them focused, and while the Packers played great, not many folks would argue that they have the more talented roster of these two squads. This isn't the first time this has happened to a McCarthy-led squad, but it should be the last time.
The Cowboys have several high-quality replacement options available
Moving on from a head coach means you have to find a replacement, and a once barren head coaching pool suddenly has some star names available. Lining up a new head coach can be a difficult process, but Dallas has several high-profile candidates who they could target if they were to move on from McCarthy.
One of the more intriguing head coaching candidates who is available is Mike Vrabel after he was fired by the Tennessee Titans last week. Vrabel did a lot of good work with a less-talented Titans roster, and he could be what Dallas needs to become a true title contender. Also worth noting is that Jim Harbaugh, who just led the Michigan Wolverines to a National Championship, is taking NFL head coaching interviews, so he's obviously somebody to keep an eye on.
The biggest name of the bunch, though, is Bill Belichick, who is available after his 24-season stint with the New England Patriots came to an end. Belichick has made a name for himself with his postseason success, which is precisely what the Cowboys are looking to achieve. There's still a lot that needs to happen, but if McCarthy does get canned, Belichick could end up being a massive upgrade for the team moving forward.
Mike McCarthy cannot deliver the goods in the playoffs
The easiest way to get yourself run out of Dallas is to not deliver in the playoffs, and that's precisely what McCarthy has done. After losing to the San Francisco 49ers in their previous two trips, this defeat at the hands of the Packers may be the final straw. San Francisco was at least a team that Dallas could somewhat justify losing to in both previous instances; with Green Bay, that's a lot tougher to do.
In each of these instances, the Cowboys have crumbled in the spotlight. In 2021, they fell behind to the Niners 23-7 before a late rally came up short. In 2022, their offense scored just 12 points, throwing away a game in which their defense held San Fran to 19 points on the other end. And then on Sunday, the Cowboys defense allowed 48 points, while their offense tacked on a few garbage-time scores to make the game look closer than it actually was.
Yes, the players have to go out and deliver, but at some point, the head coach needs to come into question for his gameplans. McCarthy's defensive plan against Green Bay was horrid, and he hasn't been creative enough on offense, which is his calling card, to consistently generate points on the biggest stage. McCarthy has had his chance to prove he can build a winner in Dallas, but his postseason incompetence is holding the team back, and it's time to find someone else to come in and see if they can do what he cannot.
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