I remember the days earlier this season when many fans (including me) stated how the Dallas Cowboys coaches are not up to par with the job. While much gossip about Head Coach Mike McCarthy and Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore surrounded the fan base early in the year, a lot of the doubt and rage has died down since recent success.
With huge wins over the Indianapolis Colts and Minnesota Vikings, Cowboy fans have put their differences aside and accepted McCarthy has the man to get the job done. Much has happened throughout 12 total games with this team, and a lot of what happened has changed Mike and Kellen as coaches.
Let's first look at Kellen Moore's history this year. After scoring just three points in the first game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the majority of fans wanted him extinct. This started to slowly change within weeks 3-6 with Back-Up Quarterback Cooper Rush taking the stage. Even with impressive wins with a backup, Kellen was still not appreciated by many. He would need a lot more to make the fanbase happy.
When Quarterback Dak Prescott returned, something seemed to change with Kellen, as the Cowboys started putting up heavy numbers on offense. To dissect this issue and the mystery of a coaching change, we will have to compare the 3 eras of the season. Game 1, Rush Hour, and the return of Dak.
In game one, we can note that the playcalling was trash. While our defense held Tom Brady and the Bucs to 19 points we couldn't score more than 3. That was not any of the players' fault, it was all on the coaching staff. There was no trust between Kellen and Dak's offense.
In the Rush Hour games (weeks 2-6) is when things started to change. Kellen realized that he can trust his players more, with Cooper Rush showing some leadership and strength to help the team. Kellen was able to adapt to the fact that his players are good and need more space and free-style plays to make magic happen.
During Dak Prescott's return, Moore knew what he must do now. It's nice to see a large change on offense, after going from one of the worst to the best in half a season. I can tell that there Is much more trust and communication between coaches and players than there was before.
With Mike McCarthy, a lot of this goes for him too. He has developed many bonds with his players and isn't someone who just focuses on calling plays. He takes charge and knows what must be done to win. After Dak's injury, It feels like Mike was starting to take his talent for granted. Now that Dak is back, he is ready to trust and accept him more than before.
Honestly, Mike and Kellen can be caught calling poor plays and making bad decisions. This is the life of a coach though, and I do believe that Mike and Kellen have come a long way with Dallas and are starting to understand how to win bigger games.
There have been lots of learning experiences for the coaches, players, and even fans this year. Mike is doing a much better job at handling this position and the same goes for Moore. Hoping this amazing skill and era last forever and carries on into the postseason.
