The past few Dallas Cowboys’ seasons have been an offensive success. Near the top of the league in most categories since Mike McCarthy arrived in 2020, that prosperity has coincided with two things. One, a healthy quarterback and two, partnering with Kellen Moore as the offensive coordinator.
Now, one of those things has changed, and the Cowboys hope it’s a net benefit. Moore and the team decided to part ways after four years, allowing McCarthy the freedom to be play. According to wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, the Cowboys now run a more simplified offense that should benefit everyone.
“When you play fast, you get the most out of everybody. They made it simpler, but you get more options off the simple plays. If one play is this and you don’t like it, then you go to this.”
CeeDee Lamb on @1053thefan: "All the offense is in Dak's hands now. It's not necessarily being called from Mike or Kel since last year. It's all on Dak. However he's feeling versus the coverage, if he likes the matchup, we're gonna call that play." pic.twitter.com/KcIttG13jN
— Bobby Belt (@BobbyBeltTX) July 31, 2023
That’s a shift from Moore’s offense to McCarthy’s, which is expected to help Prescott raise his level of play. The organization also did their part, providing more weapons. The team traded for wide receiver Brandin Cooks to bring a missing element of speed, and added tight end Luke Schoonmaker in the second-round of the draft.
McCarthy, who led top offenses with the Green Bay Packers for 13 seasons. once again has a good offensive scheme, a great quarterback, and the ability to call the right plays at the right time.
Brian Schottenheimer arrives as the new offensive coordinator, but it’s McCarthy who will be running the show and calling the plays. The new scheme will keep most of the old system that was one of the NFL’s best over the last two years, and incorporates principles of the West Coast Offensc.
It’s a change that should benefit quarterback Dak Prescott, who just turned 30-years old and is feeling the urgency to win. The same can be said for McCarthy, now in the fourth campaign of a five-year deal. Despite leading the franchise to back-to-back double-digit win seasons for the first time since 1995 and 1996, the heat is on McCarthy to make a deeper run in the playoffs. The Cowboys are a team desperate to end a 27-year drought of not making a conference title game.
McCarthy could be going into a make-or-break season and if he’s going down, he’s prepared to do it his way. For the Cowboys, that means handing the keys of the offense to Prescott.
That may shake up some fans after Prescott’s league-leading 15 interceptions last year, but the Cowboys and McCarthy are all-in with their quarterback. The new ‘Texas Coast Offense’ will be designed to get the ball out of Prescott’s hands faster along with taking more deep shots down the field.
It all sounds good… playing faster, and taking shots down the field, but the only way it works is with trust. The Cowboys entrusted McCarthy to install a scheme he believes in and to call the plays. McCarthy trusts Prescott to execute this plan at a high level.
It’s a critical year for both, the pressure is on.
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