Cowboys Backstab BOMBSHELL: Dak Prescott 'Panics,' Mike McCarthy 'Stubborn' - Anonymous Player in 'Trust' Violation
FRISCO - There is more than enough blame to go around for Sunday's epic failure by the Dallas Cowboys. ... and in a subtle turn of events that belies the idea that coach Mike McCarthy and quarterback Dak Prescott are leading "the most trusting and bonded team ever'' and "the NFL's best brotherhood,'' at least one player in the locker room is opting to single out the blame-worthy.
In writing about how Cowboys players mostly support McCarthy's leadership and creation of culture at The Star, Jane Slater, the plugged-in NFL Network reporter, provides numerous insider examples of how, for example, "Mike puts it all out there for everyone to be successful."
Her detailed reporting also, however, drops a "quiet bombshell.''
"Another player was frustrated with a stubbornness to stick to schemes on both sides of the ball,'' Slater writes. "Motion offenses killing defenses and concern that Dak panics when the first read is not there.''
"Frustrated''? "Stubbornness''? "Panic''?
This is significant on two fronts.
One: There is certainly a point to be made in Dallas' self-evaluation of their (misleadingly close) 48-32 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Sunday's playoff debacle - and it is "complementary football,'' as McCarthy likes to say, only in reverse. There should be in that self-evaluation a search for play-calling "stubbornness'' and QB "panic.''
Two: A Cowboys player (or players) said this out-loud to a reporter? Somebody broke the "trust'' and the "bond'' and the "brotherhood'' in a way that comes across as backstabbing?
Again, we can do that evaluation of "all phases.'' To wit ...
*Offense - Dak Prescott committed four egregious, high-schoolish mistakes ... in the first half. A forced throw to a blanketed receiver for an interception. Inexplicably taking a sack that negated a field-goal attempt. A horrible misread leading to a Pick 6. And an inexcusable throw short of the goal line, that - if not for a lucky penalty on the defense - would've resulted in the clock running out and a 27-0 halftime deficit.
The Cowboys' boastful "Texas Coast Offense" scored only 16 points in the game's first 54 minutes against a porous Green Bay defense that ranked 25th in the NFL and in December allowed New York Giants' quarterback Tommy Devito a performance that earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
Does this mean Dak "panicked''?
*Defense - Coordinator Dan Quinn's proud group was humiliated in the run game (143 yards, three touchdowns) and through the air, surrendering a touchdown pass to a tight end in which - according to NextGen Stats - Luke Musgrave was more open (nearest defender 17.2 yards away) than any receiver in any game all season in the entire NFL.
Against an opponent successfully running the ball down their throat, the Cowboys quizzically played six or more defensive backs on 48 of the Packers' 54 snaps.
Does this mean Quinn got "killed'' strategically''?
*Special Teams and Coaching - KaVontae Turpin ran a kickoff from two yards deep in the end zone and was tackled at the 14-yard line, the equivalent of an 11-yard penalty instead of just taking a knee for a touchback at the 25. Sam Williams interfered with a punt-return catch, resulting in a 15-yard penalty that allowed Green Bay to move from its 9 to the 24. And near-flawless kicker Brandon Aubrey missed an extra point, just for grins.
And in total, McCarthy's team came out lethargic and never awakened. The Cowboys looked stunned, like a cocky, unprepared team that never expected to be punched in the mouth.
Does this mean McCarthy and the Cowboys coached with "stubbornness''?
"Frustrated''? "Stubbornness''? "Panic''?
Three allegations, and again two problems: Are the allegations true? And why are the allegations against this "trusting, bonded'' locker room being leaked?
