(Editor's Note: In the upcoming weeks before the start of training camp, the staff of DallasCowboys.com is looking to answer the 20 biggest questions facing the team heading into the 2024 season. Today, the staff writers continue the series by identifying some of the challenges that face Mike McCarthy.)
5) What is Mike McCarthy's biggest challenge in 2024?
Mickey Spagnola: Making sure he doesn't allow this team to become complacent, meaning just assuming after three consecutive 12 wins seasons, in two of those winning the NFC East titles, the 2024 Cowboys don't take for granted they will automatically win another 12 regular season games. There must be a motivational carrot to dangle. Then there is this since this is McCarthy's second year as the offensive coordinator. Figure out how to score points in the playoffs. The Cowboys have gone 1-3 under McCarthy in the playoffs, but in those three losses they scored no more than 17 points in 2¾ games, the outlier the 31 scored in the 2022 first round 31-14 beat down of a way inferior 8-9 Tampa Bay team. And don't let the 32 scored in the playoff loss to Green Bay this past season seem meaningful, since 16 of those were scored in the final quarter, having trailed 48-16 with 10:23 to play in the 48-32 beating.
Patrik Walker: Coming off of a season that saw his offensive ranked No. 1 in the entire NFL — leading to Dak Prescott earning an All-Pro nod and being the runner-up for league MVP while CeeDee Lamb burst into the record books and Jake Ferguson broke out — there's one glaring opportunity for improvement in an otherwise stellar scheme that dominated in its infancy. The ground attack needs to be more potent and, to McCarthy's admission, it was below par in 2023. That was for a few reasons, including the carousel of injury on the offensive line, but also the absence of a definitive sledgehammer amongst an armory full of swords. Ezekiel Elliott is back to hopefully reinsert that weapon back into the war chest and a first- and third-round pick used on Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe, respectively, will be looked upon to help upgrade the offensive line after the loss of Tyron Smith. If McCarthy's offense can improve in this area without taking a step back in the aerial attack, the league's best offense would be that much more formidable — though eliminating some slow starts will also be a key to success, especially in the playoffs.
Nick Eatman: For this job, the head coach is always having to prove himself. Not only to the fans, but to his players, ownership and his peers. That's just the nature of the job as a head coach in the NFL, especially in Dallas. McCarthy has done a really good job here in his four seasons. He took over a team during the COVID-19 year and it was a huge challenge to turn things around. But the next three years have been 12-win seasons, something no coach has done in team history. Ahh, but that word "history" comes up again. That's what is hanging over the Cowboys' head because they haven't been back to the Super Bowl in nearly 30 years. It's not McCarthy's fault, but it is his problem right now. That's his biggest challenge. Getting a team to the Super Bowl in a year when he probably won't have the most talented team in the league, but he'll be judged off his ability to get them there.
Kurt Daniels: I think the biggest challenge will be just getting this team off to a good start. In the final year of his contract, McCarthy needs to see some success early on in order to keep everyone pulling in the same direction. If they stumble out of the blocks, especially against this schedule, I worry how the players will react. Remember, in 2009 Dallas won the division before falling in the second round of the playoffs. The next season the team started out awful, and the players seemingly gave up, prompting a coaching change. But the same group of guys who went 1-7 under Wade Phillips, then finished 5-3 under Jason Garrett. Could we see that play out again? Let's hope not. As the old saying goes, winning cures all ills.
Nick Harris: It could be said for any coach, but keeping the team's focus on 2024 could be the biggest challenge if things start to not go their way. For example, if Dallas doesn't start the season how it wants to considering the strength of schedule before the bye week, the noise outside of the building around 30 players being in the last year of their contract and McCarthy also not having any guarantees past 2024 will only grow louder. McCarthy's task then will be to make sure that noise doesn't affect what goes on inside the building to salvage a much easier road after the bye week.
Kyle Youmans: I think the biggest challenge will be just getting this team off to a good start. In the final year of his contract, McCarthy needs to see some success early on in order to keep everyone pulling in the same direction. If they stumble out of the blocks, especially against this schedule, I worry how the players will react. Remember, in 2009 Dallas won the division before falling in the second round of the playoffs. The next season the team started out awful, and the players seemingly gave up, prompting a coaching change. But the same group of guys who went 1-7 under Wade Phillips, then finished 5-3 under Jason Garrett. Could we see that play out again? Let's hope not. As the old saying goes, winning cures all ills.
