Mike McCarthy has brought stability to the Dallas Cowboys.
Dallas won the NFC East in two of the last three seasons and qualified for the postseason in each of those three campaigns. The Cowboys have 12 regular-season wins in each of those three seasons while McCarthy is 42-25 in his four years. Dallas is not a .500 team anymore like it was under former head coach Jason Garrett.
Who cares?
They’re still not a Super Bowl contender. They’re fraudulent front-runners who let teams with less talent mop the floors with them. They’re poorly coached and unmotivated. Dallas’ face-plant against the seventh-seeded Green Bay Packers at AT&T Stadium on Sunday, a 48-32 verdict, was the most embarrassing example. And there are a lot of embarrassing postseason moments for the franchise in recent years.
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McCarthy failed to have his team ready for the moment. From the jump, and has been the case for years, Dallas portrayed itself to be one of the dumbest NFL teams (two defensive penalties on Green Bay’s first drive, one special teams penalty on first punt). They got out-played in all three phases by a Packers team thought to be in a rebuilding year. Remember: Green Bay needed to win its last three regular-season games to even make the tournament. Also remember: Aaron Rodgers isn’t there anymore.
Doesn’t matter. Jordan Love picked apart the Big D’s scary defense. Meanwhile, the Cowboys’ offense, which ranked first in points scored this season, started with two punts and two interceptions. The Packers jumped out to a 27-0 advantage courtesy of two Dak Prescott picks, the latter of which went for a Packers pick-six. The game was over with 1:50 left in the first half and Prescott’s second-half stats are empty ones.
It was a primetime performance so embarrassing that it needs to result in change. It’s absolutely necessary.
Fortunately for Jones, the greatest coach of all-time is available on the open market. Fortunately for Jones, he happens to have a great relationship with said coach. They once talked at a ski resort about teaming up in the future.
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The Cowboys need to hire Bill Belichick.
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Belichick and the New England Patriots parted ways last week after 24 seasons. Should Jones part ways with McCarthy, there’s no doubt the Cowboys become the most attractive vacancy. Belichick has been linked to the Cowboys by Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, Patriots broadcaster Scott Zolak and, after Sunday, countless NFL fans. ESPN’s Adam Schefter previously reported McCarthy’s future was not set in stone.
It would make sense for both parties.
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The Cowboys have an established front office group with Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones and well-respected vice president of player personnel Will McClay, who’s been a key factor in helping Dallas develop through the NFL draft. Nobody would ever expect Jones to give up that power, so nobody would think twice when Belichick doesn’t get it after having it in New England. And Belichick still would be able to provide at least some level of input.
In turn, Belichick coaches a group which could earn 15 wins in two seasons — the number of wins he needs to become the all-time wins leader. Would the 71-year-old Belichick offer long-term stability? Maybe not. It might be more of a short-term partnership, something like three or maybe four seasons. But at least the future Hall of Famer could make the Cowboys legitimate contenders again, rather than the contenders they appear to be every September, October and November.
When speaking to reporters before he and the Patriots came to their “mutual” decision, Belichick said he would relinquish some of his personnel role in New England. He would do what’s best for the team, Belichick said.
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Now it’s up to Jerry Jones to do what’s best for his team, too.
Featured image via Matthew Emmons/USA TODAY Sports Images
