Tag: Mike McCarthy

Aaron Jones and Green Bay’s run game could decide who wins Packers-Cowboys

With Jordan Love and Dak Prescott, the Packers-Cowboys wild-card game is dead even from a QB perspective. RB Aaron Jones could make the difference.

From a quarterback perspective, Sunday’s wild-card matchup between the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys is as evenly-matched as it gets.

Let’s start with Jordan Love, who’s been among the NFL’s best quarterbacks in the second half of the season. Since Week 9, he’s completed 237 of 345 passes (68.7%) for 2,666 yards (7.7 yards per attempt), 21 touchdowns, three interceptions, and a passer rating of 108.2. These are wildly impressive numbers for a first-year starter with a highly aggressive mindset – in that time, Love has completed a league-high 23 passes of 20 or more air yards for 724 yards, seven touchdowns, one interception, and a passer rating of 126.4.

Under pressure, which Love will see from the Cowboys, he’s also been outstanding, with 42 completions in 92 attempts under pressure for 742 yards, seven touchdowns, one interception, and a passer rating of 100.9. At this point, there isn’t much you can do to fluster Love, and the extent to which head coach Matt LaFleur has handed the offense over to his young quarterback tells you all you need to know about his development. 

Here’s the issue for the Packers – we have a situation in which Dak Prescott is saying, “Everything you can do, I can do… perhaps better.” In that same period since Week 9, Prescott has completed 254 of 370 passes (68.6%) for 2,882 yards (7.8 yards per attempt), 26 touchdowns, four interceptions, and a passer rating of 110.7. And yes, Love does have the league lead in deep completions, but Prescott it tied with him – 23 completions in 49 attempts for 741 yards, five touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 127.3. Under pressure, Prescott has completed 62 of 103 passes for 864 yards, five touchdowns, one interception, and a passer rating of 99.3. 

So, we’re splitting hairs. The advantage would seem to be in Prescott’s direction because of something neither quarterback can control. Dallas’ defense has been outstanding all season long, though they’ve dropped a bit in Pass Defense DVOA since Week 10 – eighth in the first half of the season, and 13th in the second. However, and as all Packers fans are aware, there are issues all over Joe Barry’s defense. Green Bay ranked 22nd in Pass Defense DVOA in the first half of the season; they’ve dropped to 27th since. 

The quarterbacks are as even as you can get. That’s not the problem for the Packers. The problem for the Packers is the same problem they’ve had all season. It’ll be up to Barry and his staff to close the gap with a quickness.

Let’s now assume that Joe Barry isn’t going to close the gap with a quickness, and move on to how the Packers can gain an advantage elsewhere. And that advantage could easily be gleaned in the run game cultivated by head coach Matt LaFleur.

Over the last three weeks, running back Aaron Jones has 63 carries for a league-high 359 yards, 5.7 yards per carry, and four runs of 15 or more yards. Only James Conner of the Arizona Cardinals has more (five), and Conner got to face the Eagles’ and Seahawks’ run defenses over the last two games. The 14-yard run against the Bears last week was a great example of how the Packers get Jones going.

They motioned tight end Josiah Deguara from right to left, and tight end Tucker Kraft moved from the right side of the formation to deal the left inside edge against linebacker T.J. Edwards. Left tackle Rasheed Walker kicked up to take linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (taking him about 20 yards upfield before depositing Edmunds on his butt), and Deguara took out safety Jaquan Bricker. Meanwhile, receiver Romeo Doubs was busy keeping cornerback Tyrique Stevenson out of the play. The Packers are on point with their blocking concepts for such a young team on that side of the ball. 

This approach could work against the Cowboys, who run a ton of big nickel and dime defense with a stunt-heavy front four. Defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, who returned last week from the high ankle sprain he suffered in Week 14 against the Philadelphia Eagles, With Hankins on the field this season, the Cowboys have allowed 4.2 yards per attempt, and 2.2 yards after contact per attempt. Without Hankins, Dallas has allowed 4.9 yards per attempt, and 2.7 yards after contact per attempt. On-off splits don’t take all factors into account, but this one’s pretty simple, and the tape backs it up.

“He’s been toting that rock,” Hankins said this week of Jones. “He’s fast. He can run through blocks. All in all, he’s a great running back. They have a good combination of running backs, a great scheme. They’ve been doing everything they’ve needed to do to get where they’re at. It’s up to us to go out there and stop the run.”

“Hank don’t move,” Dallas edge demon Micah Parsons said this week of the big man in the middle. “He’s a crucial piece to this defense. It’s real crucial to have Hank back – especially with how good their gap schemes and pullers are – to get him back in this lineup and get ready for Sunday.”

As for LaFleur, he couldn’t be happier that he has Aaron Jones on his roster, and he probably understands just how crucial Jones could be to his advancement in the postseason.

“He’s a guy that tilts the field in your favor,” Lafleur said of Jones after the Bears game. “He’s so dynamic, so explosive. Take all his ability as a football player out of it. He means so much to this locker room by his actions, by what he says and what he does on a daily basis. He’s a real leader in this locker room. Real leader for our football team. He inspires everybody and comes to work each and every day with a great attitude. I can’t say enough great things about him. I’ve said it a million times about the kind of person he is. 

“You cannot have enough Aaron Jones[es] on your football team.”

The Packers have one Aaron Jones, and they’d better deploy him generously.

In this week’s “Xs and Os with Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar,” the guys dive deeper into the importance of Green Bay’s run game against the Cowboys.

You can watch this week’s “Xs and Os,” previewing every game in the wild-card slate, right here:

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You can also listen and subscribe to the “Xs and Os” podcast on Spotify…

…and on Apple Podcasts.

Aaron Jones and Green Bay’s run game could decide who wins Packers-Cowboys

With Jordan Love and Dak Prescott, the Packers-Cowboys wild-card game is dead even from a QB perspective. RB Aaron Jones could make the difference.

From a quarterback perspective, Sunday’s wild-card matchup between the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys is as evenly-matched as it gets.

Let’s start with Jordan Love, who’s been among the NFL’s best quarterbacks in the second half of the season. Since Week 9, he’s completed 237 of 345 passes (68.7%) for 2,666 yards (7.7 yards per attempt), 21 touchdowns, three interceptions, and a passer rating of 108.2. These are wildly impressive numbers for a first-year starter with a highly aggressive mindset – in that time, Love has completed a league-high 23 passes of 20 or more air yards for 724 yards, seven touchdowns, one interception, and a passer rating of 126.4.

Under pressure, which Love will see from the Cowboys, he’s also been outstanding, with 42 completions in 92 attempts under pressure for 742 yards, seven touchdowns, one interception, and a passer rating of 100.9. At this point, there isn’t much you can do to fluster Love, and the extent to which head coach Matt LaFleur has handed the offense over to his young quarterback tells you all you need to know about his development. 

Here’s the issue for the Packers – we have a situation in which Dak Prescott is saying, “Everything you can do, I can do… perhaps better.” In that same period since Week 9, Prescott has completed 254 of 370 passes (68.6%) for 2,882 yards (7.8 yards per attempt), 26 touchdowns, four interceptions, and a passer rating of 110.7. And yes, Love does have the league lead in deep completions, but Prescott it tied with him – 23 completions in 49 attempts for 741 yards, five touchdowns, no interceptions, and a passer rating of 127.3. Under pressure, Prescott has completed 62 of 103 passes for 864 yards, five touchdowns, one interception, and a passer rating of 99.3. 

So, we’re splitting hairs. The advantage would seem to be in Prescott’s direction because of something neither quarterback can control. Dallas’ defense has been outstanding all season long, though they’ve dropped a bit in Pass Defense DVOA since Week 10 – eighth in the first half of the season, and 13th in the second. However, and as all Packers fans are aware, there are issues all over Joe Barry’s defense. Green Bay ranked 22nd in Pass Defense DVOA in the first half of the season; they’ve dropped to 27th since. 

The quarterbacks are as even as you can get. That’s not the problem for the Packers. The problem for the Packers is the same problem they’ve had all season. It’ll be up to Barry and his staff to close the gap with a quickness.

Let’s now assume that Joe Barry isn’t going to close the gap with a quickness, and move on to how the Packers can gain an advantage elsewhere. And that advantage could easily be gleaned in the run game cultivated by head coach Matt LaFleur.

Over the last three weeks, running back Aaron Jones has 63 carries for a league-high 359 yards, 5.7 yards per carry, and four runs of 15 or more yards. Only James Conner of the Arizona Cardinals has more (five), and Conner got to face the Eagles’ and Seahawks’ run defenses over the last two games. The 14-yard run against the Bears last week was a great example of how the Packers get Jones going.

They motioned tight end Josiah Deguara from right to left, and tight end Tucker Kraft moved from the right side of the formation to deal the left inside edge against linebacker T.J. Edwards. Left tackle Rasheed Walker kicked up to take linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (taking him about 20 yards upfield before depositing Edmunds on his butt), and Deguara took out safety Jaquan Bricker. Meanwhile, receiver Romeo Doubs was busy keeping cornerback Tyrique Stevenson out of the play. The Packers are on point with their blocking concepts for such a young team on that side of the ball. 

This approach could work against the Cowboys, who run a ton of big nickel and dime defense with a stunt-heavy front four. Defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, who returned last week from the high ankle sprain he suffered in Week 14 against the Philadelphia Eagles, With Hankins on the field this season, the Cowboys have allowed 4.2 yards per attempt, and 2.2 yards after contact per attempt. Without Hankins, Dallas has allowed 4.9 yards per attempt, and 2.7 yards after contact per attempt. On-off splits don’t take all factors into account, but this one’s pretty simple, and the tape backs it up.

“He’s been toting that rock,” Hankins said this week of Jones. “He’s fast. He can run through blocks. All in all, he’s a great running back. They have a good combination of running backs, a great scheme. They’ve been doing everything they’ve needed to do to get where they’re at. It’s up to us to go out there and stop the run.”

“Hank don’t move,” Dallas edge demon Micah Parsons said this week of the big man in the middle. “He’s a crucial piece to this defense. It’s real crucial to have Hank back – especially with how good their gap schemes and pullers are – to get him back in this lineup and get ready for Sunday.”

As for LaFleur, he couldn’t be happier that he has Aaron Jones on his roster, and he probably understands just how crucial Jones could be to his advancement in the postseason.

“He’s a guy that tilts the field in your favor,” Lafleur said of Jones after the Bears game. “He’s so dynamic, so explosive. Take all his ability as a football player out of it. He means so much to this locker room by his actions, by what he says and what he does on a daily basis. He’s a real leader in this locker room. Real leader for our football team. He inspires everybody and comes to work each and every day with a great attitude. I can’t say enough great things about him. I’ve said it a million times about the kind of person he is. 

“You cannot have enough Aaron Jones[es] on your football team.”

The Packers have one Aaron Jones, and they’d better deploy him generously.

In this week’s “Xs and Os with Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar,” the guys dive deeper into the importance of Green Bay’s run game against the Cowboys.

You can watch this week’s “Xs and Os,” previewing every game in the wild-card slate, right here:

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You can also listen and subscribe to the “Xs and Os” podcast on Spotify…

…and on Apple Podcasts.

LaCanfora: ‘I’d be shocked’ if Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy survives wild-card loss

From @ToddBrock24f7: One NFL GM says Sunday’s playoff opener is a must-win game for McCarthy, since the Cowboys’ “next man up is already there.”

The Cowboys’ postseason opener is obviously a must-win game if Dallas is to make a run at a sixth Lombardi Trophy to put in the lobby of The Star. But this Sunday’s wild-card showdown could also be a make-or-break moment for the Cowboys coaching staff.

Head coach Mike McCarthy has led the team to a third straight 12-win finish, something no one else in franchise history has done. But that still may not be enough to guarantee his return for the 2024 season, according to one NFL insider and the league execs he’s spoken to.

On Thursday, the Washington Post‘s Jason LaCanfora framed the McCarthy situation in the simplest possible terms:

“I’d be shocked if he kept his job should the Cowboys … lose on Sunday at home.”

Firing a coach who has a Super Bowl title on his résumé, a .627 record since coming to town, and a year remaining on his current contract might seem a wee bit drastic to those who feel just reaching the playoffs is enough. For the Cowboys faithful who have been clamoring for a return to championship glory for longer than most of the team’s current players have been alive, though, the wait has been long enough.

Same goes for 81-year-old owner Jerry Jones, writes LaCanfora:

“Jones believes he has a Super Bowl roster, again, while McCarthy’s past foibles winning big games and managing high-tension situations remain front of mind. He won the NFC East despite going just 2-2 down the stretch, due largely to [the Eagles’] epic collapse, and good luck finding a personnel executive or coach around the league who doesn’t believe that if Jones needed a head coach, he would do whatever it takes to hire defensive coordinator Dan Quinn after Quinn pulled out of head coaching consideration elsewhere a year ago to stay in Dallas.”

Quinn, of course, is a popular name once again for the 2024 hiring cycle, with the Panthers, Commanders, Chargers, and Titans all having formally requested an interview with him for their open head coach positions.

And that list doesn’t even include the Seahawks job. Quinn was immediately seen by most as the obvious front-runner to take over for Pete Carroll, given Quinn’s rise to prominence in creating Seattle’ famed Legion of Boom defense over a decade ago.

But Jones was able to retain Quinn on-staff in Dallas the past two offeseasons, with plenty of observers interpreting it as a way to keep Quinn in-house… in the event of a housecleaning.

One NFL exec LaCanfora spoke with under the condition of anonymity agreed.

“Mike needs to win this game, and everybody on that staff knows it,” said the unnamed GM. “The next man up is already there.”

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Per league rules, Quinn would not be allowed to meet in-person with another club before the conclusion of the divisional round of the playoffs. But if LaCanfora and his sources are to be believed, things in Cowboys Nation may have already blown up by then.

Even if the Cowboys handle their business as favorites over Green Bay in the wild-card round, McCarthy’s job status will be a rinse-and-repeat hypothetical question a week later. And then again if they advance to the conference championship; don’t think getting mopped by San Francisco in the NFC title game would be seen as any sort of improvement by the decision-makers in the organization.

It’s win or go home for the Cowboys from here on out. And just maybe for their head coach, too.

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Is the Cowboys one-dimensional offense fixable, fine, or a fatal flaw?

The Cowboys offense is getting carried by the passing game, so here’s what’s wrong with the running game and how can it be fixed… | From @ReidDHanson

With just one game remaining in the regular season, it’s become pretty clear what the Cowboys offense is and what it isn’t. They are a one-dimensional attack, relying heavily on the arm of Dak Prescott and the legs of CeeDee Lamb. They aren’t a viable running team, capable of shouldering a load or even keeping defenses honest.

The delta between the air and ground game in Dallas is significant. The ground attack is producing an EPA/rush of -0.67 with a success rate of just 40.9%, while the ballistics department is posting +0.21 EPA/attempt through the air with a success rate of 47.1%. The fact the Cowboys offense is somehow ranked No. 2 in the NFL without any credible form of a ground game to be seen, is a testament to the proficiency of the passing game.

Stop me if you heard this one: the Dallas Cowboys are entering the postseason as a one-dimensional offense.

The Cowboys now find themselves heading into the playoffs with the full weight of the offense on Prescott’s shoulders. It’s similar to how they entered the postseason last year when the running game cratered following Terence Steele’s season-ending knee injury. It also threatens to be their undoing if they can’t fix it and the passing game trips up at some point.

5 Milestones Cowboys can reach in Week 18

Besides the rimary goal of winning the NFC East, the Cowboys can achieve some individual milestones in Week 18 against the Washington Commanders. | From @BenGrimaldi

There’s a lot at stake for the Dallas Cowboys when they take the field against the Washington Commanders in Week 18. Both the team and some players are on the verge of some milestone achievements.

The big picture for the team is simple, win the game and they’ll win the division for the second time in three years. That would be an incredible feat considering where the Cowboys were a few weeks ago when winning the NFC East seemed like a longshot.

Meanwhile, there are also goals for some on a more personal level. Football is the ultimate team sport, but there are some Cowboys who have milestone’s they can hit against the Commanders. Here are some of the key statistical markers that are available for the Cowboys in the season finale.

Chargers head coaching candidate profile: Dan Quinn

Examining who Dan Quinn is, where he comes from and why he’d be a good choice to be the head coach of the Chargers.

As the 2023 season comes to a close, the Chargers will head into the offseason head coach hiring cycle for the first time in three years. Unlike the 2021 process, they will also look for a new general manager to take control of the franchise’s football operations for the first time since 2013.

One candidate that has been floated around in several early reports is Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. Quinn spent six seasons as head coach of the Falcons after meticulously crafting the “Legion of Boom” defense with the Seahawks. After Atlanta lost their first five games in 2020, Quinn was given the boot in a mid-season firing.

As mentioned earlier, Quinn has been with Dallas as DC under head coach Mike McCarthy for three seasons. From a results standpoint, the Cowboys got what they were asking for in a defensive upgrade. Dallas’ 2020 defense ranked 21st in EPA/play before the arrival of Quinn. Since 2021, the Cowboys’ defense has been at least top four in EPA/play every season. 3rd in 2021, 2nd in 2022 and 4th in 2023.

Suppose the Chargers wanted to go with a defensive-minded head coach. In that case, Quinn is easily the most qualified after having several great seasons as a defensive coordinator and a head coaching tenure that resulted in a Super Bowl run. From a resume standpoint, only someone like Bill Belichick could top his success as a defensive coach.

He has interviewed in two previous head coaching cycles since becoming Cowboys’ DC in 2021 but has withdrawn his name both times. Earlier this week, Quinn said, “I think it’s important to know how to compartmentalize,” in regards to finishing out the 2023 campaign with Dallas.

There’s been a buzz around the potential pairing of Quinn and Chargers offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. If LA didn’t want to overhaul the coaching staff completely, bringing Quinn on board could hint at a partnership with Moore. After all, they’ve already proven their synergy during their two years as coordinators in Dallas.

From Moore’s perspective, he probably didn’t get the boost in his resume that he was hoping for following the Chargers’ rocky season under Staley. But with Quinn’s hiring, Moore could get another shot to prove himself as a head coach candidate. And the best part? He wouldn’t have to overhaul the offensive system around Herbert. This could be a win-win situation for both parties.

Another speculation of Quinn building out a potential staff is Cowboys defensive backs coach Al Harris potentially coming with him. Harris could work as Quinn’s defensive coordinator or defensive backs coach. The skill in the development of several key Dallas defensive backs, like Trevon Diggs, Daron Bland, and others, would certainly be appealing for the Chargers as they rebuild their defense.

There’s a good reason why most would project an offensive-minded head coach to lead the organization, but defensive coordinators shouldn’t be ruled out entirely. Suppose the Chargers wanted to go with a defensive-minded head coach again. In that case, Quinn is easily the most qualified of that group, with several successful coordinator seasons and previous head coach experience.

4-Down Territory: Lamar MVP, Brad Allen needs to go, Eagles or Chiefs, Worst of the Week

In this week’s “4-Down Territory,” Doug Farrar and Kyle Madson discuss Lamar Jackson, Brad Allen, Eagles or Chiefs, and the Worst of the Week.

With 17 weeks of actual football in the books for the 2023 NFL season, it’s time once again for Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire, and Kyle Madson of Niners Wire, to come to the table with their own unique brand of analysis in “4-Down Territory.”

This week, the guys have some serious questions to answer:

  1. Can anybody but Lamar Jackson be the NFL Most Valuable Player right now?
  2. It is time for the NFL to fire referee Brad Allen and his entire crew?
  3. If you had to take one of last year’s two Super Bowl teams — the Chiefs or the Eagles — which one would you be stuck with?
  4. And what was your Worst of the Week (non-officiating version)?

You can watch this week’s “4-Down Territory” right here:

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You can also listen and subscribe to the “4-Down Territory” podcast on Spotify…

…and on Apple Podcasts.

Referee Brad Allen may have cost the Detroit Lions a win against the Dallas Cowboys

Brad Allen may have been the NFL’s worst referee this season, and right now, it looks as if he cost the Lions a win against the Cowboys

We at Touchdown Wire have had issues with referee Brad Allen before, and with good reason. And now, it’s entirely possible that Allen and his crew cost the Detroit Lions a win they should have had.

Here was the situation. The Lions went right down the field against the Dallas Cowboys down 20-19 starting with 1:41 left in the fourth quarter. The Lions had that much time because Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy called three straight passes before a field goal that put Dallas up 20-13. Dallas then gave quarterback Jared Goff all the soft coverage he could ever dream of having, which allowed Goff to drive his team downfield and hit receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown for an 11-yard touchdown with 27 seconds left.

Then, head coach Dan Campbell called for a two-point conversion, as is his wont, and it looked for all the world that Goff hit offensive tackle Taylor Decker in the end zone for the successful try that would have given the Lions a 21-20 lead. But Allen called an illegal touch pass on the play, saying that Decker didn’t report as an eligible receiver.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell said after the game,”70 [tackle Dan Skipper] reported, 68 [Decker] didn’t. That was the explanation.”

Well, here’s the problem with that. ESPN, who had the game, had clear video evidence of Goff telling Decker to report as eligible. And there is clear video evidence of Decker going over to do just that.

Longtime NFL offensive tackle and football analyst Mitchell Schwartz had an excellent blow-by-blow breakdown of what happened…. and what should have happened.

As Schwartz said, this would have been a legal formation had the eligibility not been in question. A nd you can see Allen running away from the tackles as they’re clearly trying to report as eligible.

“I’m guessing that Brad Allen, based on his mannerisms, and his eyes… where his hat is looking, he never recognized [Decker],” ESPN rules analyst and former NFL referee John Parry told ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt after the fact. “It’s not reviewable. What you need to do in that situation when the game is on the line… remember that the clock is stopped. You just had six points. So now, we’re going to go for two, so there’s no rush here, Take your time. Make sure you know who’s participating. They’re going for two. Slow everything down, make sure you have it correct. Make sure the defense knows who is eligible, and who is not. I think in this case, when you watch Brad, and his movements, and him focusing on No. 70 [Skipper], I don’t think that 68 [Decker] and Brad Allen ever connected.”

You could argue that it’s Decker’s responsibility to get Allen’s attention, but as Allen was running over to Dallas’ defense to let them know who was eligible. Decker thought Allen heard him.

Or… it could be even worse.

If that’s the case, Allen got the reporting lineman wrong.

Here’s the pool report, in which Allen appears to have gotten confused because Skipper had reported eligible to him earlier in the game.

And we now have a situation where one official is lying, or several members if the Detroit Lions are lying. That’s what Allen set up.

Allen probably isn’t lying — he’s going on his own incorrect interpretation of the situation and the rule. But given every other grievous error he’s made this season, Brad Allen should never be allowed to have this position in the NFL ever again.

It’s as simple as that.

Dan Campbell using Jimmy Johnson’s RoH induction to motivate Lions vs Cowboys

From @ToddBrock24f7: Mike McCarthy enjoys the constant presence of Cowboys history; Dan Campbell will use Jimmy Johnson’s RoH induction to motivate his Lions.

Halftime of this Saturday’s game between the Cowboys and the Lions will feature a moment that’s been 30 years in the making.

The Cowboys will induct former head coach Jimmy Johnson into the Ring of Honor at AT&T Stadium three decades after he delivered a pair of Lombardi Trophies to Dallas and subsequently parted ways with owner Jerry Jones.

The 2023 Cowboys, of course, will be intent on taking care of business- notching their 11th win of the season and ending a two-game skid against playoff-caliber teams- but the significance of the ceremony within the framework of the franchise’s history isn’t lost on current coach Mike McCarthy.

“Those are big-picture moments,” McCarthy said Tuesday. “The history and the tradition of the Dallas Cowboys is impeccable.”

“There’s always a tribute to the past. I think it’s important. I think those are the guys that laid the foundation of the success of the Cowboys. I think it’s great when Jerry acknowledges those guys, and you see them around here. It’s part of the spirit and the blessing of being a Dallas Cowboy.”

But perhaps surprisingly, he won’t be the only coach in the building who’s looking forward to watching Johnson’s name become the 24th to grace the stadium’s inner façade.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell grew up “a huge Jimmy Johnson fan” in Clifton, Tex. and called being the team’s opponent on such a momentous day “awesome.”

“I feel like that was for us,” he told Detroit media, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

“I’ve always been fascinated with him,” said Campbell, himself a former Cowboys tight end who came to Dallas ten years after Johnson’s 1993 exit. “His style, the way he coached, what he was about, the way he built that roster. The way they played. And I just, I think he’s special. I think he’s one of these rare special coaches.”

Campbell won’t be star-struck, though; he’ll be looking for his high-flying Detroit squad to spoil the Cowboys celebration. Just crowned divisional champs for the first time since Johnson’s final year in Dallas, the Lions are still in play to capture the NFC’s top seed, but they have to win out to mathematically have even a chance.

Being there the night the Cowboys honor Johnson will be a part of Campbell’s message to his players, he says, ”cause I respect the hell out of the man.”

“To me, it’s like an honor that we get to go out there, cause that’s what I think of,” he said. “Obviously, our team, man, a chance to get a win, but do something that he’d be proud of. He can watch us play and be like, ‘I like that style. I approve of that.’ So I think it’s pretty cool.”

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McCarthy is also looking forward to welcoming Johnson. The two spent some time together in Florida earlier this year, McCarthy said, and even went out on Johnson’s boat. While on the water, the Hall of Fame coach shared a couple beers (Troy Aikman’s EIGHT brand, naturally) and even a little advice on helming America’s Team.

“He sure did,” McCarthy smiled. “He sure did. It was all good.”

And it will be even better if Johnson’s auspicious night also brings a vintage Cowboys victory reminiscent of the coach’s dynasty years.

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Cowboys ‘just don’t know’ about Zack Martin, Tyron Smith’s status for Miami

From @ToddBrock24f7: Both star linemen have missed the previous 2 days of practice with injuries; a ferocious Dolphins defense awaits in a big Week 16 matchup.

No one in Cowboys Nation wants to repeat any aspect of Week 3’s disaster in the desert, when the lowly Arizona Cardinals led a decimated Dallas team from wire to wire and notched a stunning 28-16 win.

Yet just 48 hours before a monumental interconference matchup with the explosive Miami Dolphins, the Cowboys might be coming into Week 16 with one very troubling similarity.

Right guard Zack Martin and left tackle Tyron Smith are both nursing injuries that have the Cowboys talking contingency plans.

“I just don’t know,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said on Friday, “and we won’t know until it gets here. We’ve got a few days to go.”

Martin and Smith represent a combined 16 Pro Bowl appearances; their absences against one of the top defenses in the league would not bode well for the Cowboys coming out of Hard Rock Stadium with a win.

Too doom-and-gloom for you?

Consider that the last time both both were missing from the starting lineup was that ugly September outing in Glendale, and the opponent that day was a winless flock of Cardinals.

Martin left last week’s game versus Buffalo in the first quarter after taking a hard hit to his thigh. A quick check in the sideline medical tent revealed that his quad muscle “wasn’t firing,” and he sat out the rest of the contest.

The 10th-year veteran gave positive reports after the loss, telling reporters, “I feel good about” the prospect of being ready to go against Miami. He sat out the team’s practices on Wednesday and Thursday but remained optimistic on Friday.

“Just trying to do as much as you can, trying to get it just to get some of that soreness and tightness out, keep it firing, getting ready to play Sunday,” he said during his weekly radio call-in with GBag Nation.

Martin participated in Friday’s walkthrough, while Smith did not.

Smith’s appearance on the injury report was unexpected, showing up Wednesday with a back injury he suffered during the Buffalo game. He, like Martin, did not practice on either Wednesday or Thursday, but his prognosis sounded a little less encouraging.

Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said on 105.3 The Fan, “I would say Zack’s ahead of Tyron right now.”

Jones concurred with that assessment a few hours later, allowing for the possibility that Smith, who just turned 33, will miss his fourth game of 2023.

“We’ve got a game plan that’s going to be there without him,” Jones told the K&C Masterpiece Show. “It won’t be as pleasing as one with him, but we’ll have a game plan.”

Smith has already missed 36 games since the start of the 2020 campaign due to injury.

T.J. Bass filled in for Martin in Week 3 and again on Sunday. Chuma Edoga figures to get the call should Smith be unable to play in Miami.

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Whoever suits up in South Florida in Week 16, the Cowboys will be looking for them to not only bounce back after a lackluster effort in Buffalo, but to take things up to a playoff-level intensity against a powerhouse Dolphins squad, with the real postseason looming for both clubs.

“You have to be ready to go,” Jones said. “You’ve got to have depth. You’ve got to have people step in. They’re never going to be the perfect pictured performance of a Smith or a Martin. They’re never going to be that, but they do surprise you.”

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