NFL keeps reminding Cowboys of how big of a gamble they just made
As the dust settles after several changes to the coaching staff, it's somewhat of a new era for the Dallas Cowboys. Although it may not be a drastic change to how things are done, a new offensive scheme and play-caller are bound to shake things up. And even though Kellen Moore is a promising coach […]
As the dust settles after several changes to the coaching staff, it's somewhat of a new era for the Dallas Cowboys. Although it may not be a drastic change to how things are done, a new offensive scheme and play-caller are bound to shake things up.
And even though Kellen Moore is a promising coach on the rise (more on that later), it's fair to say it was time for a change in Dallas.
The Cowboys have run a Jason Garrett/Scott Linehan type of offense for over a decade. And while Moore had many ideas of his own, parting ways with him opened the door for a real change of offensive philosophy, for better or worse.
Mike McCarthy has an impressive track record as a play-caller, leading one of the best passing offenses during his time in Green Bay. Though things didn't work out for the Packers in McCarthy's last two years, his offense was a dominant force for a long time.
Perhaps it was time indeed.
And yet, the Cowboys will be constantly reminded of how big and risky of a gamble they took by letting Moore go. Not only did the former Cowboys OC lead one of the most productive offenses in the NFL for four straight years but he's clearly seen as the real deal around the league.
Cowboys let go of a promising offensive mind
As you know by now, Moore landed on his feet by instantly becoming the Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator less than 24 hours after the news of his departure from Dallas.
Chances are the Chargers and Moore had already talked before he moved on from the Cowboys. Kellen even talked about last year's preseason joint practices playing a role in his interest in coaching the Chargers during his introductory press conference.
But think about it. With Justin Herbert at QB and an opportunity to call plays, the Chargers had the most attractive OC position in the league. It belonged to Moore instantly.
And that's not all.
According toNFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Moore was the runner-up to be the head coach for the Carolina Panthers. Frank Reich ended up getting the job but Moore finished ahead of Steve Wilks.
This is all relevant to the Cowboys' bet because they clearly let go of somebody that many decision-makers around the league believe will have a bright future in the NFL.
That doesn't mean it wasn't the wrong move for the Cowboys. But the bar is high after back-to-back playoff appearances and the second offense in yards and points scored since Moore took over in 2019. Only the Kansas City Chiefs are ahead of them in that span.
But the Cowboys aren't looking for the stats by handing McCarthy the keys. They're interested in playoff performance. And make no mistake about it. It's win big or go home for the Cowboys head coach.
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Featured image via Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
