What has been missed about Mike McCarthy’s feedback on the Cowboys offense

The Cowboys head coach made some feedback in regards to the offense that deserve a more in-depth look as they appeared to have been misinterpreted.

• By
  
  David Howman
  
• on March 3, 2023 11:00 am

The 2023 NFL Combine is underway in Indianapolis, and along with being the primary alternative for NFL groups to get a detailed take a look at this yr’s draft prospects, it’s additionally a golden alternative for groups to unfold offseason propaganda, both by means of interviews or leaked stories to the numerous reporters and insiders onsite.

Naturally, then, Mike McCarthy managed to show heads and lift eyebrows together with his feedback on Wednesday. After the Cowboys moved on from Kellen Moore, changed him with Brian Schottenheimer, and determined that McCarthy would name performs, hypothesis abounded as to only how a lot the offense would change going ahead. Unsurprisingly, McCarthy was requested loads of questions on that on the mix, and his answers have incited some restlessness:

“I’ve been the place Kellen has been,” McCarthy stated. “Kellen needs to mild the scoreboard up. However I wish to run the rattling ball so I can relaxation my protection. I feel if you’re a coordinator, you already know, however you’re in command of the offense. Being a head coach and being a play caller, you’re a bit of extra in tune with (all the things). I don’t want to be the No. 1 offense within the league. I wish to be the No. 1 group within the league with quite a few wins and a championship. And if we gotta surrender some manufacturing and maintain the ball higher to get that, then that’s what we’ll do, as a result of we now have a very good protection.”

Taken in full context, there actually isn’t something mistaken with something McCarthy stated right here. Most of it’s explaining the distinction in perspective between a coordinator and a head coach, and the way it may be useful for the top coach to even be the one who calls performs. In reality, that very same sentiment has been shared by most of the people who find themselves now grilling McCarthy for these quotes.

After all, that’s as a result of the “run the rattling ball so I can relaxation my protection” half is what makes the most effective soundbite, and out of context it looks like a very ill-advised strategy to offense in 2023. In spite of everything, the Cowboys had been sixth in speeding makes an attempt in 2022 and it correlated to numerous third-and-long conditions, which set Dak Prescott and the offense up to fail; practically half of Prescott’s league-leading 15 interceptions got here on third-and-long.

The Cowboys don’t have to run the ball extra, they should run it higher. And that’s what McCarthy was speaking about on Wednesday, aiming to enhance the run recreation’s effectivity general. That’s one of many causes Schottenheimer is the brand new offensive coordinator, as he’s excelled as a run-game designer all through his profession.

Whereas the Cowboys really fielded a reasonably environment friendly run recreation in 2022 – ending tenth in speeding DVOA and twelfth in EPA/rush – their manufacturing spiraled downward because the season went on, rating twentieth in EPA/rush over their closing seven video games. Moreover, Dallas ranked twentieth in EPA/rush on first and second down for the yr, a regarding development contemplating they ran on early downs on the seventh highest charge this yr.

That strategy is basically at odds with McCarthy’s offense, irrespective of what number of soundbites he produced earlier this week. From 2010-2018, with McCarthy calling the performs for all however one yr for the Packers, Inexperienced Bay led the league in early-down move charge. It’s no coincidence that, over the identical actual span, the Packers had been eleventh in EPA/rush. It’s abundantly clear that McCarthy understands that the key to an environment friendly run recreation doesn’t contain operating at a excessive charge on early downs.

McCarthy additionally spoke about defending Prescott extra, in an try to hold his quarterback on the sphere for a full season. A part of that’s the change in blocking scheme that comes with new offensive line coach Mike Solari, but it surely additionally includes getting the ball out faster – a staple of McCarthy’s West Coast ideas – and throwing extra on early downs, when defenses expect a run.

It’s fairly clear that the Cowboys can enhance at how effectively they run the ball, and wanting to take action doesn’t equal operating the ball extra. McCarthy, particularly, has a really giant pattern dimension as a play-caller that implies he understands this. Giving him the advantage of the doubt – one thing hardly ever afforded to the top coach of essentially the most distinguished franchise in all of sports activities – would interpret McCarthy’s feedback about operating the ball as a purely situational, game-management strategy quite than a broad assertion about his general offensive philosophy.

Now, it is potential that McCarthy does really enhance the Cowboys’ quantity of speeding makes an attempt. It’s a widely known secret that possession strongly believes in establishing the run, and infrequently “suggests” a purpose for carries or yards to the teaching employees. As a result of we’ve seen the type of offense McCarthy runs with little affect from above, the Cowboys are in a bizarre place the place a continued (or emboldened) dedication to the run in 2023 would affirm the suspicion that there’s a restricted quantity of management that coaches have over the X’s and O’s in Dallas.

That stated, the best way this offseason has unfolded to date with McCarthy taking the most ownership of the team yet, it additionally wouldn’t be stunning to see him ignore any solutions from above and easily do issues his means. It’s a dangerous gambit, however one that will be true to his nature and, if it really works, would repay in a large means.

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