Post by Matt Meyer – @Bluto51 on Twitter
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy made some comments recently that drew some criticism. When discussing why offensive coordinator Kellen Moore was not retained, McCarthy said “Kellen wants to light the scoreboard up, but I want to run the damn ball so I can rest my defense.” He would go on to say, “…I don’t have the desire to be the number 1 offense in the league. I want to be the number 1 team in the league with a number of wins and a championship. And if we’ve got to give up some production and take care of the ball better to get that, then that’s what we’ll do…”
Ryan Clark goes on epic rant about Mike McCarthy’s lack of accountability – Courtesy of ESPN
If taken at face value, it sounds as though McCarthy doesn’t want to score points. Anyone with a brain knows that’s not true. What he’s really saying, as delicately as he can, is we need to help Dak Prescott and give him as few chances to throw interceptions as possible. He mentions the defense getting some rest, and that’s valid, but “give up some production and take care of the ball better” is the part of the quote that got my attention.
Complementary football. We’ve seen a lack of it at Oklahoma over the years, where yes, the offense puts up incredible production, but it doesn’t always lead to wins because the defense can be put in precarious spots, especially if the offense doesn’t execute and the defense has to get right back on the field after a three and out. Dallas has had offenses that have ranked very high in terms of production, even boasting the number 1 offense in the league in 2021. Yes, the bottom line of an offense is to score points. However, the most effective way of doing that can differ based on personnel. After last season, a season in which Prescott tied for the league lead in interceptions despite missing five games, it’s fair to consider how much of the load Prescott should carry. Since 2014, and more pertinently, since 2016 when Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott arrived, the Cowboys have been at their best offensively when they focus on the ground game and don’t ask Prescott to do too much.
It’s also fair to ask the question that Mark Rodgers and many others have asked: why wasn’t McCarthy able to impress upon Moore to focus on the ground game and less on Prescott throwing the ball? The head coach should do that if it’s what’s best for the team. Only answer I have for that is when push comes to shove, Moore was a QB, and he’s going to have more faith in the QB, and his play calling, by nature. It’s not necessarily a criticism of Moore, but if your QB is leading the league in picks, the run game should probably be the focal point of the offense. Late in the season, when Tony Pollard was banged up and Elliott clearly wasn’t the back he used to be, that makes running the ball more difficult, but I felt as the season went along, the Cowboys got away from what their identity should be, which is to run the ball and put Prescott in as many manageable situations as possible.
As a general rule, I’m not a fan of head coaches calling plays. The head coach needs to be the CEO and manage the game, something that McCarthy has struggled with at times over the years. Will McCarthy calling plays truly lead to an emphasis on the running game? Will calling plays cause McCarthy to struggle even more with managing the clock and making sound strategic decisions? I see better than I hear.
Graziano baffled by McCarthy’s reasoning for calling plays next season – Courtesy of ESPN
Cowboys’ Mike McCarthy says ‘new voice’ calling plays will help Dak Prescott – Courtesy of ESPN