The Dallas Cowboys were indebted to a great display from quarterback Dak Prescott as they edged past the Pittsburgh Steelers after an incredible 20-17 win at Acrisure Stadium to go 3-2 for the season.
Mike McCarthy’s side completed a late win after a great game-winning drive led by Prescott, who threw for 355 yards and completed two touchdown passes.
He found Jalen Tolbert in the end zone to complete the go-ahead score with just 20 seconds left on the clock.
This is McCarthy’s fifth season in charge of the Cowboys, and Dallas fans who wish to back their side to win their first Super Bowl since 1995 with a bet can find all the key info in relation to sports betting apps in the U.S., helping to outline the brands worthy of your business and aiding you to secure the best potential payout possible.
Though McCarthy has led the Cowboys to the playoffs in three of his previous four seasons, winning the NFC East twice, there is a fair amount of pressure on the 60-year-old to deliver the goods in 2024.
Prior to taking over at AT&T Stadium, McCarthy spent 12 years with the Green Bay Packers, taking them to the Super Bowl, and now needs to do likewise with Dallas.
Indeed, it did look possible that owner Jerry Jones would fire McCarthy after the Cowboys lost to the Packers in the Wild Card playoffs last time around.
For a few days, it had looked possible he’d be relieved of his duties before Jones backed the coach, releasing a statement indicating his support for him.
“I believe this team is very close and capable of achieving our ultimate goals, and the best step forward for us will be with Mike McCarthy as our head coach.
“There is great benefit to continuing the team’s progress under Mike’s leadership as our head coach.
“While we’re all disappointed with the loss on Sunday and with our playoff record, I am 100 percent supportive of him as our head coach and ability to reach our goals,” Jones added.
McCarthy has had a strong career in the NFL to date, suffering just four losing record seasons and, on 11 occasions, securing 10 or more regular season wins.
His playoff record, on the other hand, is less impressive.
He’s secured just one playoff win from his three postseason runs in Dallas and has not won two playoff games in a season since 2016.
The Cowboys started the season with a win over the Cleveland Browns before losing to both the New Orleans Saints and the Baltimore Ravens. Then came back-to-back wins over the New York Giants and the Steelers, leaving them 3-2 and second in the NFC East behind the Washington Commanders.
Next, they host the Detroit Lions before a bye week and games on the road at the San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Falcons, and once those three obstacles have been cleared, how the Cowboys will fare in 2024 will become a lot clearer.
Ahead of that clash with the Lions, McCarthy has a few injury headaches mounting.
The likes of Micah Parsons, DaMarcus Lawrence, Marshawn Kneeland and Eric Kendricks are all likely to be sidelined for that encounter, and the loss of Kendricks, in particular, could prove problematic.