Mired in third place in the NFC East ahead of only the putrid NY Giants and almost guaranteed to miss the postseason for the first time in four seasons at 5-7 in the ultra-competitive NFC, the Dallas Cowboys will not be matching the 12-5 record they've put up during the previous three years of head coach Mike McCarthy's tenure in Big D.
A major reason that's the case is that quarterback Dak Prescott, who signed a massive contract extension that is looking worse by the day prior to this season, was forced to have season-ending surgery to repair a hamstring tear.
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The Cowboys, who went 3-5 in games Prescott played, have gone 2-2 since losing their quarterback, but the ceiling for the Dallas offense is substantially lower without their 31-year-old signal-caller under center.
The burden of raising that ceiling should theoretically fall to McCarthy, who is an offensive-minded head coach, and the final five games of the season, which come against mostly mediocre opponents (the Cincinnati Bengals, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Washington Commanders) will be telling.
No matter what happens down the stretch, Prescott sounds as if he believes in his head coach and is rooting for him to return next year for his sixth season in Dallas.
"I believe in him wholeheartedly," Prescott told Yahoo Sports while speaking in partnership with DICK'S Sporting Goods. "I don't want to necessarily get into the nuts and the screws of it all obviously, but I think he definitely deserves a chance — another contract and a chance to coach this team amongst more influence. 'On his terms' may be a good way to say it. But I wholeheartedly believe in him."
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Why? Perhaps it's because Prescott and McCarthy have somewhat of a co-dependent relationship when it comes to sharing the blame pie that gets divvied out when Dallas fails. With both men held accountable by different factions of the Cowboy fanbase, neither one has to swallow too big of a piece, keeping both safe from the wrath of owner Jerry Jones.
However, without Prescott to bail him out over the season's final five games, McCarthy may finally be forced to dine on the blame pie solo on his way out of town.
Prescott hopes not.
"The guy's won a Super Bowl — I know Jerry's attested to that," Prescott said. "There's not many guys or coaches who have done that and to have one that can do it from experience? I know how valuable he's been for me."
It's good that he knows because McCarthy's value isn't that clear to anyone else.
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