Not the Same Old Cowboys

This year feels different in Dallas as they have found a winning formula on both sides of the ball. On defense, they are tied for second in takeaways with 21 on the year. Led by rising star DaRon Bland who leads the league with 8 interceptions and a league-high 5 pick sixes, the Cowboys defense is allowing just 17.9 points per game.

On offense it’s all about Dak Prescott and he is thriving with head coach Mike McCarthy now calling the plays. Many including myself questioned why the Cowboys would let Kellen Moore walk this past offseason. It’s safe to say that gamble paid off as Prescott looks much more comfortable this year.

Last season Prescott led the league in interceptions with 15 in just 12 games. This year he only has 6 in 13 games and more importantly, he’s cut down on the number of bad throws. In 2022 his percentage of poor throws was 17.3% and this year it’s down to just 11%. McCarthy has emphasized to not force the deep shots if they’re not there and instead check down to the higher percentage throw.

The Road Ahead

The next two weeks will go a long way in not only deciding the MVP race but also the top seed in the NFC. Dallas has back-to-back road games at @Buffalo and @Miami on deck. If they want to show the world they are for real they will need to win at least one of these games and look competitive in both. The biggest knock on the previous Cowboys teams was their inability to win road playoff games. Now is their chance to show they are a legit contender as the next 2 games will have playoff-like atmospheres.

NFL MVP Odds

As you can see above, Prescott currently leads the odds for NFL MVP with Brock Purdy not far behind. It certainly seems like a two-man race but don’t discount Tua Tagovailoa yet. If Tua and the Dolphins can continue their winning ways and take down the Cowboys in Miami things could get really interesting.

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Revisiting the previous season, a total of five coaches got the axe. Kliff Kingsbury, Lovie Smith, Matt Rhule, Frank Reich and Nathaniel Hackett are all out. Of the five that were let go, only Frank Reich landed another NFL Head Coaching position as he signed on with the Carolina Panthers. You can expect around the same number to be fired next year if not more. NFL teams are hiring and firing coaches more quickly now (see Hackett).

With that said we picked five coaches that are currently on the hot seat for the upcoming season. Keep an eye on these coaches as it will be important for all of them to start fast when the season starts.

Robert Saleh – New York Jets

Robert Saleh very well could’ve been fired following the 2022-2023 season. The Jets spiraled out of the NFL playoff picture losing their last 6 games. Despite having a stellar NFL Draft, they lacked a true offensive identity and finished near the bottom in total points (296).

In steps Aaron Rodgers to try and revitalize the Jets franchise. Rodgers brought with him some old friends in Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb. He also has Nathaniel Hackett running the offense as the two former Packers team up again. The expectations are now sky-high and if the Jets start off the season slow it may be Saleh that pays the price.

Kevin Stefanski – Cleveland Browns

Kevin Stefanski had a dream debut season for Cleveland. The Browns finished that season with an 11-5 record and made the playoffs. In their Wild Card matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the offense was unstoppable and they put up a whopping 48 points. It seemed as if Stefanski and Baker Mayfield were the perfect match. Since then things haven’t gone as planned. Mayfield is no longer with the Browns and Deshaun Watson was brought in on a massive contract.

Cleveland is now predicted to finish last in the AFC North next season. Stefanski will need a strong season from Watson and the offense as a whole to keep his job.

Mike McCarthy – Dallas Cowboys

If this were any other team in the NFL Mike McCarthy would be safe. The Cowboys finished last season with a 12-5 record and a playoff win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Yet there is a sense of urgency that Dallas needs to produce better postseason results.

They since have let go of their promising offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. McCarthy has taken over the play-calling duties and with that is more added pressure. If the Cowboys don’t make the playoffs or fail to advance in the postseason, Jerry Jones may lose his patience.

Matt LaFleur – Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers have officially entered the Jordan Love era. Whether it’s fair or not, Matt LaFleur’s future depends on how well Love progresses. Aaron Rodgers leaving could be a blessing in disguise for the Packers franchise. It could also end up being the start of a stretch where Green Bay is no longer relevant and they are back in the quarterback market next year. Regardless, the microscope will be on LaFleur as he enters the upcoming season.

Ron Rivera – Washington Commanders

It’s already been an unusual offseason for Head Coach Ron Rivera. The Washington Commanders are finally getting rid of their hated owner Dan Snyder. This alone has caused a new level of optimism around the franchise. They also brought in Eric Bieniemy as Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator. With that, there is a bit of strange dynamic while they wait for future owner Josh Harris to take over.

Will Rivera be safe until next year? No one really knows but don’t discount the Bieniemy effect. Early reports from Commanders OTA’s are saying Rivera has delegated many duties to Bieniemy. It’s plausible that Bieniemy has been tabbed the Head Coach in waiting. This situation is worth keeping an eye on as we get into training camp.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Dallas Cowboys ring leader, Mike McCarthy, has enjoyed significant highs and unfortunate lows in his NFL life. The 58-year-old NFL face will likely stick around for at least a few more seasons until he hangs up his headset. With that said, there is a fascinating, grandest of all questions surrounding the Boys HC: Is Mike McCarthy a future Hall of Famer?

Well, I’m going to untwine the triumphs of McCarthy and conclude if he deserves to be a future HOFer.

• 149 career victories
• .612 win/loss %
• 2010 Super Bowl Champion
• Seven division titles

McCarthy isn’t an eccentric, offensive genius, but he was constantly a prolific play-caller with Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers over a very long span (between 2006 & 2018). Most importantly, he claimed Super Bowl gold over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the year that Apple released the iPad (2010).

It may be worth comparing McCarthy to Sean Payton, who is an HC face that was the captain of an NFC juggernaut squad and is well-regarded as a future HOFer. Payton (who is being flirtatious with the Los Angeles Chargers), unleashed 152 victories, had a .631 win percentage, won a Super Bowl ring in 2009 (the year before McCarthy), and claimed seven division titles.

Without question — McCarthy, and Payton (who both enjoyed the service of HOF QBs), have remarkably similar careers. Hence, McCarthy should feel optimistic about his chances of landing a gold jacket. Of course, McCarthy doesn’t appear to be slowing down in Dallas. He should reach the playoffs on a few more occasions and he could honestly pick up another Super Bowl ring — as his squad already possesses a freakishly talented offense & defense with a potential DPOY winner in 2023: Micah Parsons. At this moment, McCarthy should be cast into football heaven. He will certainly strive to garner a heap of more success with his illustrious, youthful squad & be a first-ballot HOFer, however.

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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. 

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By: Ladarius Brown

Looking at this division, you have a mixed bag of head coaching experience. Two head coaches have coached in a Super Bowl, one who is entering year two, and one who is a rookie head coach. That being said, here are my rankings of the head coaches in the NFC East. 

4. Nick Sirianni, Philadelphia Eagles 

I am a believer in the importance of making the right first impression. If you are an Eagles fan, his introductory press conference made an impression for sure. Biggest takeaway: systems. Speaking of systems, I am curious to see what Sirianni brings to this Eagles team. He was the Colts’ offensive coordinator for the last three seasons under Frank Reich. One of the things that the Colts were good at offensively under Sirianni was scoring on their drives.  

In two of his years, the Colts scored on over 40% of their drives. In 2020, the Eagles were 31st in the league, scoring on just 27.9% of their offensive drives. It helped that Sirianni had some great running backs in Marlin Mack and Jonathan Taylor on the roster in Indy. In Philly, he has a pair of good running backs in Miles Sanders and Boston Scott. Given the state of their offense, the Eagles’ run game is the x-factor. 

Their pass game got better with drafting wide receiver DeVonta Smith of Alabama in the 1st round of this year’s draft. Smith joins wide receivers Jalen Reagor and Travis Fulgham as weapons for 2nd-year quarterback Jalen Hurts. Hurts will enter into the season knowing he will the guy under center after Wentz was shipped to the Colts.  

Sirianni and the coaching staff have the task of molding Hurts and there is a lot of talent to Hurts. Seeing Brian Johnson as the quarterbacks coach is an assurance in my estimation that Hurts has the right guy molding him. Johnson worked with now Buccaneers quarterback Kyle Trask while at the University of Florida. Hurts will pick up the “system” sooner rather than later. 

3. Joe Judge, New York Giants 

In his 1st year, Judge led the Giants to a 6-10 record, good for 2nd place last year. Their defense under defensive coordinator Patrick Graham finished in the top 15. The offense, however, was next to last in the league at 31st. This year, the Giants upgraded on the offensive side of the ball, signing wide receiver Kenny Golladay from the Lions and Kyle Rudolph from the Vikings. It is clear to Judge and everyone in the Giants organization that quarterback Daniel Jones has to take that leap in year three. If he does not, the gavel will drop on Judge. 

The Giants have fired the previous two coaches, Pat Shurmur and Ben McAdoo, after two years. One way Judge can get the 3rd year in the Big Apple is if the 2018 AP ROTY Saquon Barkley is healthy. Barkley suffered a torn ACL in his right knee along with the MCL and meniscus damage. There is a chance we will see him in the backfield come Week 1 versus the Broncos. Working under Belichick from 2012-2019 & Saban at Alabama from 2009-2011, Judge has learned under the greatest coach in NFL & college football over the last decade.  

Plus, the special teams improved as well. Kicker Graham Gano went 31/32 (96.9%) in 2020. Being a special teams coordinator under Belichick, Judge knows how important this aspect of the game is. If Daniel Jones can be that guy and Barkley is 100%, the Giants could sneak up on some teams. However, the jury is still out on Judge’s squad. 

2. Ron Rivera, Washington Football Team (WFT) 

Before I talk about Ron Rivera the coach, let me briefly talk about Ron Rivera the man. He beat cancer after being diagnosed in August 2020 with squamous-cell cancer detected in a lymph node. He still coached and his team won the division last year. You did not have to be a fan of the Washington Football Team to love his journey. Shifting back to coaching, Riverboat Ron is turning this team around. Statistically speaking, the WFT had the 2nd best defense in the league and defensive end Chase Young won defensive ROTY. Rivera’s defense allowed the 3rd fewest 1st downs (289) and 6th in 3rd down efficiency (37.5). 

As for the offense, they ranked 30th in the league and finished 28th in rushing yards per attempt (4.03). They started three quarterbacks: Alex Smith & Dwyane Haskins (six games) and Kyle Allen (four games). Combined, they had 16 passing touchdowns and 16 interceptions. This offseason, they re-signed quarterback Taylor Heinicke and signed Ryan Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick will likely serve as the bridge quarterback to either Heinicke or Allen since they did not draft one this year. Their run game with running back Antonio Gibson was a bright spot on this offense. He had 795 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns, which was tied for 7th in 2020.  

The question mark for me is their offensive line. They allowed 50 sacks, which was tied for the 2nd most in the NFL. Signing left tackle Charles Leno Jr. after the Bears released him and drafting tackle Samuel Cosmi of Texas in the 2nd round were ways to shore up the line. The question is can FitzMagic finds its way into the nation’s capital? 

1. Mike McCarthy, Dallas Cowboys 

Despite last season, McCarthy is atop this list mainly for his time with the Packers. He has a 17-26 in his last three seasons as a head coach. In his first season as the Cowboys head coach, he lost his franchise quarterback Dak Prescott in Week 5 at home versus the Giants to a dislocated and compound fracture of his right ankle. Throw in a slew of other injuries and it was a down year in Big D. I almost forgot: the defense was bad…I mean bad. 

The Cowboys allowed the most points in franchise history (473) and finished 31st in the league in run defense. Defensive coordinator Mike Nolan switched the scheme from the 4-3 to a hybrid. Needless to say, Nolan and defensive line coach Jim Tomsula was let go after the last season. They made a run towards the end of last season as the defense had 12 takeaways in the last four games after getting just 11 in the first 12. Last year, Dan Quinn was fired by the Falcons after Week 5, he was hired as the Cowboys’ new defensive coordinator in the offseason. He was the defensive coordinator in Seattle as they had the No. 1 defense in 2013.  

If McCarthy and the Cowboys expect to compete in this division and be a possible Super Bowl contender, Quinn has to turn this defense around this year. The last time the Cowboys won a Super Bowl, Michael Jordan came out of retirement. If the Cowboys make it back to the Super Bowl, will HOF wide receiver Michael Irvin come out of retirement?  

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