There isn’t a extra enigmatic, fascinating and doubtlessly unstable staff within the NFL in 2024 than the Cowboys.
It is a talent-loaded staff that’s received 12 video games in every of the previous three seasons, and but is another disappointing postseason away from being blown up.
Groups such because the Jets, who haven’t been to the playoffs in 13 years, and different NFL bottom-feeders just like the Panthers, Commanders and Cardinals ought to have such issues.
But, except the Cowboys not solely make the playoffs however make a deep run within the postseason (a primary NFC Championship sport look in 30 years), there’s a excessive probability their head coach, Mike McCarthy, and quarterback, Dak Prescott, can be goners.
That’s a powerful assertion contemplating that McCarthy is 41-25 because the Cowboys coach, having led them to the playoffs prior to now three seasons and profitable the NFC East twice. And contemplating Prescott owns a 73-41 profession file because the Dallas starter and led the league with 36 touchdowns to simply 9 interceptions final season.
Solely Andy Reid has extra wins prior to now three common seasons, with 37, however the distinction is Reid has led the Chiefs to 2 Tremendous Bowl titles in that span.
As for Prescott, who has thrown 96 touchdowns to 34 interceptions prior to now three seasons, the checklist of quarterbacks who’ve been extra productive than him in that span may be very brief. The issue is, Prescott, for as prolific as he’s been within the common season, owns a 2-5 postseason file.
This postseason scenario is getting very outdated for staff proprietor Jerry Jones. Keep in mind the well-known phrases late former Jets proprietor Leon Hess delivered the day he employed Wealthy Kotite?
“I’m 80 years outdated and I need outcomes now,’’ Hess crowed that day, January 1995, which occurred to be the final 12 months the Cowboys have been in a Tremendous Bowl.
Properly, Jones is 81 years outdated and calls for outcomes ***** now *****.
He hasn’t given Prescott a contract extension regardless of the very fact the QB has been the face of the franchise since he was drafted in 2016 and went 13-3 as a rookie.
Jones, too, hasn’t given McCarthy a contract extension. That leaves the beginning quarterback, the pinnacle coach and his employees all within the ultimate years of their respective contracts coming into this season — as lame geese.
Jones, by his personal admission, continues to be smarting from the Cowboys’ 48-32 house loss to the Packers within the wild-card spherical final season. Jones informed Clarence Hill from DLLS that the loss to the Packers has “acquired the eye of the whole lot we do.”
The Cowboys, who open the season Sunday at Cleveland, did little or no in the way in which of adjusting their staff from 2023, basically working the identical core group again for ’24.
That has left questions with the offensive line, which misplaced left deal with Tyron Smith and heart Tyler Biadasz to free company. There, too, are questions at working again, with an getting older Ezekiel Elliott again for a second stint in Dallas and unproven Rico Dowdle sharing carries.
Jones, who additionally serves because the staff’s common supervisor, has basically left the burden on McCarthy to proper what went flawed final 12 months.
“All people has stewed in what occurred towards Inexperienced Bay,” Jones informed DLLS. “We’ll stew proper up till most likely kickoff towards Cleveland.’’
McCarthy stated he has put collectively a 21-game plan for the staff, which suggests he’s planning for the 17 regular-season video games and a possible 4 extra within the postseason, the Tremendous Bowl being the twenty first.
It’s possible the Cowboys are going to must make it a minimum of to the twentieth sport in that plan or McCarthy, Prescott and any others can be gone, and Jones can be basically beginning throughout coming into his 82nd 12 months.
It figures to be a compelling subsequent a number of months in Dallas.