Mike McCarthy is on the hot seat after only one season as the Dallas Cowboys head coach. McCarthy has the best skill group in the NFL entering the 2021 season. The former Green Bay Packers head coach was previously fired after a 125-77 record. With such a skilled group on offense, McCarthy is expected to win right away.
Is Mike McCarthy on the Hot Seat in 2021?
McCarthy’s Run With Green Bay
McCarthy spent several years with different squads before landing the head coaching job in Green Bay in 2006. He spent time in college at Fort Hays State, and Pittsburgh. He then got his first NFL job with the Kansas City Chiefs. McCarthy then spent time with Green Bay, the New Orleans Saints, and the San Francisco 49ers before ultimately being named head coach for the Packers.
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McCarthy started in 2006 with an 8-8 record largely due to injuries. The team was able to rally after a 4-8 start, beating their rival Chicago Bears to finish 8-8. In 2008 Rodgers was named the full-time starter and Favre was traded to the New York Jets. From then on, the Packers finished 1st or 2nd in the NFC North until 2017. McCarthy and the Packers won Superbowl XLV in 2010 after finishing 2nd in the NFC North with a 10-6 record.
The Current Skill Group
McCarthy’s current skill group is arguably the best in the NFL entering the 2021 season. Dak Prescott is an elite-level passer that should be a dark-horse MVP candidate. With Prescott recovered from his ankle injury, the wide receiver core should feast on opposing secondaries in the NFC East and the rest of the NFL. Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb are among the best wide receivers in the NFL. Michael Gallup could potentially be a lead wide receiver on several other teams in the NFL if he weren’t behind Lamb and Cooper. Blake Jarwin is another name coming off injury, poised to have a big season in the wake of Jason Witten’s departure.
Mike McCarthy. “The NFL is tilted now more than ever. To scoring. You have to score points.” To HIS point…the last 5 Super Bowl champions have all had top 5 scoring offenses. pic.twitter.com/8O1I9EvOO7
— Babe Laufenberg (@BabeLaufenberg) July 30, 2021
Dallas is also restoring their tremendous offensive line with a slimmed-down Ezekiel Elliott. With the running game revitalized, opposing defenses’ boxes should be heavy, leaving plenty of one-on-one coverage and room to throw the ball down the field. Reports also confirm Elliott is working on his route running and should be more involved in the passing game this season.
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With Prescott, Tyron Smith, and Zack Martin all coming off injuries, Dallas should be back atop the NFC East. The Cowboys boast one of the best offensive lines in the NFL setting up blocks for an elite running back in Elliott. Controlling the game and tempo should spell success for the Dallas offense.
Dallas’ Projected Record
Dallas has one of the easier schedules in the NFL this season. The Boys in Blue should finish 11-6 this season, squarely in position to compete for the NFC East title. An 11-6 finish could also mean home-field advantage in the playoffs. If McCarthy and the Cowboys can take care of business, they could be enjoying playoff victories from their own stadium come January 2022.
5 easiest schedules ranked for 2021 include Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Dallas Under-Achieves
McCarthy’s seat could heat up very quickly if he is unable to win with such an impressive offensive unit. McCarthy’s departure from Green Bay was not pretty, leaving his MVP quarterback disgruntled and the shareholders questioning McCarthy’s play calling. The NFC East was one of the worst divisions in all of football last season. If the Washington Football Team is able to take the division all eyes will be on Mike McCarthy. This is a precarious situation for the head coach. Washington Football Team and the New York Giants have bolstered their defenses over the last few seasons. If the Cowboys struggle to score and lose the division, expect to see McCarthy’s seat heat up from lukewarm to hot very quickly.
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