Another year has gone by with the Dallas Cowboys suffering an early playoff exit. The all-too-familiar feeling has once again brought questions and concerns for America’s Team to a deafening level as another offseason is upon us. With Dallas falling embarrassingly at home to the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card round, the blame has settled on the quarterback and head coach.
While the pitchforks have been raised to Dak Prescott and Mike McCarthy, one NFL analyst believes that the distribution of blame amongst the two may not be fair and thinks they are scapegoats in this situation.
Cowboys’ Dak Prescott and Mike McCarthy Scapegoats?
On the latest episode of ESPN’s Get Up, the panel was debating if the Cowboys have a culture problem following another failed season. While it’s easy to look at Prescott and McCarthy as the two main subjects of anger, NFL analyst Domonique Foxworth was quick to point out that the two may just be scapegoats in a much bigger issue for Dallas.
“The on-the-field stuff matters a lot, but I think that’s part of the culture problem,” Foxworth started.
“It does feel like, maybe I’m oversimplifying, but everyone feels like they have a scapegoat to point to. It’s either Mike McCarthy’s or Dak’s fault. That keeps the team from looking in the mirror and figuring out where the other issues are, and when you allow that to continue, but then you bring back the coach, and you keep bringing back the quarterback…
“A couple years ago, Jerry Jones was suggesting like that the contract negotiation was going to be challenging and maybe Dak won’t be back. Like you perpetuate those things, I think it does allow for a scapegoat that does not force them to look in the mirror and address some of those on-field issues, some of those game-plan concerns that they do have.”
Foxworth’s point, while not a popular one, makes a lot of sense. A deep look into their structure, rather than passing blame, may be the best course of action for Dallas.
Enough Blame To Go Around for Dallas
Both McCarthy and Prescott are not without blame for the way the year ended. They made mistakes and didn’t have their best when the season was on the line.
But to Foxworth’s point, as long as the two polarizing positions for the Cowboys remain in the spotlight, it allows for other mistakes and issues to get a pass.
Dallas’ defense struggled to stop the run all season, and that became an evident issue against Green Bay. They were unable to run the ball themselves, especially against the Packers, which forced their hand to throw more than they would have liked.
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Couple that with personnel decisions like having Markquese Bell, a safety, playing consistent snaps at linebacker against a downhill running team — there was much to be frustrated by regarding this year’s Cowboys team.
Foxworth suggests the team takes an honest look within if they are planning to take the next step. If they don’t, at least they know they have two built-in scapegoats to soften the blow otherwise.
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