Five days later, thoughts on Mike McCarthy and where I went wrong again: Cowboys riffing

It’s been a long week around here.

Cowboys fans are either sad, numb or just mad that they fell for it again. Some have sworn — like their current head coach who they might like gone — that they have very little interest in watching this weekend’s playoff games because it will remind them of another underachievement of a season. It was two weeks ago when we hashed out the definition of a successful season. I said that the wild-card game is the definition of a “must-win” from more than the obvious idea of keeping a season going, but rather to keep hope alive that the Cowboys are even in the right galaxy. 

https://theathletic.com/3084104/2022/01/21/five-days-later-thoughts-on-mike-mccarthy-and-where-i-went-wrong-again-cowboys-riffing/

The Cowboys send an emphatic response to anyone who doubted them: The Morning After

 This one won’t require a deep dive of analysis.

Sometimes, you are just going to make sure that the opponent doesn’t matter that much. It really isn’t their fault and has very little to do with them. They were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. The schedule works in mysterious ways.

Very sorry to the good folks of Atlanta for stepping in the way of that speeding train. You didn’t really do anything to deserve it.

Dallas was going to send a strong message to the NFL on Sunday and the team across the field was going to be victimized. The beatdown was thorough and emphatic and, frankly, without mercy.

https://theathletic.com/2956643/2021/11/15/the-cowboys-send-an-emphatic-response-to-anyone-who-doubted-them-the-morning-after/

The Cowboys Mailbag: Futures of Mike McCarthy, Kellen Moore and Dan Quinn are tied together

 The good news about mid-to-late June is that we have almost navigated through all of the “NFL offseason” as we have managed to kill off all but five weeks or so until the opening of training camp.

https://theathletic.com/2657487/2021/06/17/the-cowboys-mailbag-futures-of-mike-mccarthy-kellen-moore-and-dan-quinn-are-tied-together/

Cowboys conversation: Evaluating Year 1 of the Mike McCarthy era in Dallas

 Mike McCarthy’s first season as Cowboys head coach ended with a 6-10 finish. Numerous key injuries prevented the offense from ever reaching its full potential, and a defensive scheme change during a pandemic proved to be a mistake. To gain a better understanding of how things went in Year 1 of the McCarthy era, Jon Machota and Bob Sturm discussed what went right, what went wrong and where things could go in the near future. Here is a transcript of their back-and-forth on several topics.

https://theathletic.com/2309288/2021/01/08/dallas-cowboys-nfl-coach-mccarthy-analysis/

Cowboys fourth-down decisions shake confidence in coaches: Decoding Kellen Moore

 One week ago, we discussed, in this very space, a masterpiece Cowboys gameplan that put Mike Zimmer’s defense on its heels all day long. Dallas coaches played Minnesota like a guitar on their way to a near-perfect performance in the red zone, ultimately winding up with a road win against a team that hadn’t lost in a month — all while starting a second-string QB and backups in many key offensive line spots. Needless to say, they could not produce that supreme strategic advantage twice in a row.

https://theathletic.com/2229483/2020/12/01/the-4th-down-decisions-have-shaken-the-confidence-of-braintrust-decoding-kellen/

What challenges does Mike McCarthy face in his first year as Cowboys head coach?

 https://theathletic.com/1939160/2020/07/20/what-challenges-does-mike-mccarthy-face-in-his-first-year-as-cowboys-head-coach/

Can John Fassel save the Cowboys’ special teams?

 https://theathletic.com/1879962/2020/06/18/can-john-fassel-save-the-cowboys-special-teams/

Cowboys offseason in review: What to think about first 15 McCarthy era additions

 https://theathletic.com/1859810/2020/06/09/cowboys-offseason-in-review-what-to-think-about-first-15-mccarthy-era-additions/

Have Cowboys figured out how to build a defense that complements their offense?

 https://theathletic.com/1791472/2020/05/04/have-cowboys-figured-out-how-to-build-a-defense-that-complements-their-offense/

Monday Morning After: New Cowboys regime may have altered future with 2020 draft

 https://theathletic.com/1777664/2020/04/27/monday-morning-after-new-cowboys-regime-may-have-altered-future-with-2020-draft/

Mike McCarthy is scrambling to assemble a coaching staff. Here’s why it matters so much

 Posted: Jan. 10, 2020

The Athletic Link: https://theathletic.com/1524919/2020/01/10/mike-mccarthy-is-scrambling-to-assemble-a-coaching-staff-heres-why-it-matters-so-much/ 

"The NFL has made documentaries on many topics over the years, many of which have uncovered a reality we were unaware of about how things go behind the scenes. Yet, to the best of my knowledge, one particular topic remains relatively undocumented: the wild race at the end of each season for all of the hundreds of aspiring coaches to find spots in the league before the final positions are filled. In order to work your way up the coaching ladder, you first need a spot on the ladder."

Cowboys hire the best coach available: A comprehensive breakdown of Mike McCarthy’s fit in Dallas

 Posted: Jan. 7, 2020

"I witnessed every single snap of the Mike McCarthy era in Green Bay. It isn’t often that the two teams that I follow most closely in the NFL overlap, but this is probably the most significant one in a long, long time (no disrespect to Randall Cobb intended). They have one of the most historic and intense rivalries in the entire sport, and given that I was born in Wisconsin and raised on Packers football only to eventually earn a job following the Cowboys for a living in 1998, I may be in a unique position."

The Athletic Link: https://theathletic.com/1514641/2020/01/07/cowboys-hire-the-best-coach-available-a-comprehensive-breakdown-of-mike-mccarthys-fit-in-dallas/