Mike McCarthy Made The Right Call Firing Kellen Moore

Mike McCarthy Made The Right Call Firing Kellen Moore

The Mike McCarthy redemption tour is quietly going very well. If nobody is willing to admit it, I’m willing to do it. McCarthy absolutely made the right call firing Kellen Moore and I don’t think it’s even arguable at this point.

The Cowboys are 8-3 and look like the best they’ve been since the 90’s. This team is real and they look like way more of a true contender than they were a year ago. A lot of it has to do with the switch of getting Moore out of there.

The Cowboys are doing two things better this year and it’s made a huge difference. Dallas is controlling the game and running the ball. Plus, Dak Prescott has been way more efficient. Combine that all together and they’ve let this defense hunt. Altogether, this is a really good football team.

Now that Moore is gone and you can really see the aftermath, you can see why McCarthy wanted him out of the building. Dallas is 6th in time of possession (31:39). That comes on the heels of ranking 22nd in that same category a season ago (29:27).

If you notice, the Chargers rank 26th in that category this year (28:32) with Moore calling the plays there. The Chargers play with a lot of tempo, but there have been far too many times when LA goes three and out and puts the defense right back on the field. The list of teams with worse time of possession is shocking and all the usual suspects. Teams like the Steelers, Patriots, Raiders, Cardinals, and Jets. All teams with worse quarterbacks and brutal offenses.

Dallas is also averaging 115.3 rushing yards per game and are doing it with a need at running back. Tony Pollard is excellent, but he really misses having a sidekick back there that can handle the short-yardage stuff. Dallas’ rushing yards per game is down a bit but they’re up about 34 yards per game total. More importantly, they’re way better on third down and are usually in a position to convert them compared to last year. Dallas is converting 47.68% of their third downs, which is up about 2% from the season ago.

Really, it’s all been about how McCarthy is managing the game. His offense is on the field more. They’re committed to running the ball even if it means some of the yardage comes inefficiently. More importantly, that talented Cowboys defense is on the field less and they’ve been awesome all year. That unit has been fresh and they dominate when called upon. That’s what matters.

Aaron Rodgers Respect for Mike McCarthy Has Grown Over Time

Dak has also just been way more dialed in under McCarthy. Dak is at 70% completion rate for the first time in his career. That’s after coming off a year where he led the NFL in interceptions under Moore. Dak’s touchdown rate is up from 5.8% to 6.2%. His interception rate is down from 3.8% to 1.6%. He also already matched his passing touchdown total from last year (23).

Go watch a Chargers game. Are we sure Moore is an offensive guru? The Chargers can score, but do they manage the game? The Chargers defense is terrible but some of it is Moore’s tempo constantly putting them back on the field.

It’s hard to argue with McCarthy. He’s gotten this one right. If anything, he probably deserves more credit for what he’s doing in Dallas. McCarthy isn’t perfect but he’s winning a lot of games and his formula has worked.

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