Could Sirianni upset McCarthy in Week 18?
Mike McCarthy raised the Dallas Cowboys out of the ashes in 2021. He brought his team from a 6-10 record last season to an impressive 11-5 record and NFC East title this season. Nonetheless, McCarthy will have one more test in his early Cowboys tenure before his 2021 year is in the books. The Cowboys HC will face off against his classic rival in the Philadelphia Eagles. The ring leader on the other sidelines is none other than Nick Sirianni.
There is no debate over which head coach has a more impressive and respectable legacy. It is none other than Mike McCarthy, who has brought home a Lombardi trophy to Green Bay. But, it is fascinating to witness how McCarthy has performed in Dallas. It’s also worth comparing how each HC has faired in their new NFC East seats. So, let’s rewind the tape and outline the notable highlights for these NFC East rivals.
McCarthy
- 17-15 in the first two seasons (12-8 with Prescott)
- second in passing yards, 10th in rushing yards,
- Defense leads league in turnovers
- NFC East title
- DROY favorite in Micah Parsons
- DPOY candidates in Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs
- CPOY favorite in Dak Prescott
- Enormous wins over Patriots, Saints, and Chargers
Sirianni
- 9-7 record in his first season
- 14th ranked offense in YPG
- Jalen Hurts improved from 52% in 2020 completion percentage to 61.3% in 2021
- Hurts improved his passer rating from 77.6 last season to 87.2 this season
- Monster victories against the Saints, Broncos, and Washington Football Team
It should seem that McCarthy has a slight edge over Sirianni “at the moment”. Nonetheless, it is impressive how Sirianni has found success and a playoff berth with a much less talented roster than the Cowboys. The Cowboys carry a dream-like team, while the Eagles have a second-year QB and no Zach Ertz. The Eagles have been surprising and positive, but they don’t seem to carry a scary ceiling or the ability to throttle an opponent. McCarthy appears to have his team climbing the ladder of quality play, especially after their 56-14 thrashing of the Washington Football Team.
The Cowboys will need the Rams and Cardinals to lose if they want to claim the #2 seed. A win won’t likely change anything in the playoff picture, but it would mark a very impressive 12th win on the season ”“ which would be three more than Nick Sirianni’s win tally. Yet, if Sirianni’s team comes out with the upset, they would just be a win behind the much more talented Cowboys.
