Sunday night’s Dallas Cowboys vs. San Francisco 49ers matchup was supposed to be a potential preview of this season’s NFC Championship Game. Instead, Mike McCarthy’s team was destroyed in a 42-10 blowout. Given the Cowboys’ preseason expectations, it’s hardly too soon to list McCarthy among the NFL coaches on the hot seat entering Week 6.
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Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy Among NFL Coaches on the Hot Seat After Week 5
The Cowboys have essentially looked like two different teams at various points throughout the 2023 campaign.
Their three victories have come with scores of 40-0, 30-10, and 38-3. Their two losses? 28-16 and 42-10.
“It’s been a wide range of performance,” McCarthy said after Sunday’s defeat. “As wide a range as I can ever recall in a five-week period.”
Dallas let San Francisco put up 421 yards of offense and average 6.3 yards per play in Week 5. Brock Purdy averaged 10.5 yards per attempt, tossed four touchdowns, and was pressured just eight times.
“The biggest thing is for us to be accountable,” McCarthy said. “It was clearly humbling, but it is one game. Start with me; I didn’t do a good job tonight.
“We will clearly acknowledge it. I’m not a burn-the-tape guy. I think that’s a crock of s—. They played extremely well, and we did not.”
#DallasCowboys star Micah Parsons believes they are still on the same level as the #49ers despite the 42-10 beatdown on #SNF:
"The score doesn't really show what happened out there." 👀
Read more from #PFN365's @JessNevarez_: https://t.co/TdNNhoJARq pic.twitter.com/RFQ7BUvX8X
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) October 9, 2023
The 49ers were the Cowboys’ first 2023 opponent projected to make the playoffs this season. Things won’t get any easier over the next several weeks.
MORE: NFL Week 5 Winners and Losers
Dallas will face the Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, and Philadelphia Eagles over the next month, all of whom could claim postseason berths this year. Weeks 13-17 — when the Cowboys will go up against the Seattle Seahawks, Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, and Detroit Lions — represent another gauntlet.
The Cowboys are still a good team. Dallas’ defense is fourth in EPA per play, even after Monday night’s debacle, while the team’s offense ranks 12th in efficiency.
The loss to the 49ers was especially frustrating, given that San Francisco has dispatched the Cowboys in each of the last two postseasons. McCarthy managed 24 regular-season wins over the past two years, but the 49ers were waiting to ensure Dallas didn’t make it to the mountaintop.
Will this become a recurring problem? San Francisco is the NFL’s best team, but will the Cowboys fall apart again when they face another contender?
More NFL Hot Seat Updates
Bill Belichick, New England Patriots (1-4)
Bill Belichick has now posted the worst losses of his career in consecutive weeks. Mac Jones doesn’t look like an NFL-caliber quarterback, and injuries have ravaged the New England Patriots’ once-elite defense.
Ron Rivera, Washington Commanders (2-3)
Allowing the previously winless Chicago Bears to put up 40 points in prime time wasn’t exactly the best outcome for Ron Rivera and the Washington Commanders on Thursday night. Sam Howell continues to impress, but Rivera probably needs a playoff appearance to keep his job under new ownership.
Frank Reich, Carolina Panthers (0-5)
Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper doesn’t want to fire yet another head coach, but an 0-5 start can’t be had what he had in mind. Bryce Young has been thoroughly outplayed by fellow rookie quarterbacks C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson, and Carolina’s offense looked best when backup Andy Dalton was under center in Week 3.
Josh McDaniels, Las Vegas Raiders (1-3)
The Las Vegas Raiders might be the most directionless franchise in the NFL. They could pull off a win against the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football, but would that really change anyone’s opinion on the Raiders or Josh McDaniels?
Sean Payton, Denver Broncos (1-4)
The Denver Broncos are not about to fire Sean Payton after giving him a five-year contract reportedly worth $18 million per season.
MORE: Week 6 NFL Power Rankings
But the Broncos are going nowhere fast, especially after a Week 5 defeat to Zach Wilson and the New York Jets. At least Russell Wilson looks improved!
Matt Eberflus, Chicago Bears (1-4)
Matt Eberflus’ seat is a bit cooler following the Bears’ Thursday night win. Chicago has never fired a head coach in-season, but there seemed to be a nonzero chance Eberflus could have gotten his walking papers had the Bears suffered another embarrassing defeat on TNF.
