Wanna Bet: Cowboys McCarthy As NFL Coach of the Year?

DALLAS – A breeze of energizing air is blowing into DFW with new Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy. A fresh start for the organization and the former Green Bay coach has created Super Bowl buzz and eye-catching betting lines in Las Vegas.

McCarthy and New England’s Bill Belichick are co-favorites (12/1 odds) to win NFL Coach of the Year in 2020. If you bet $100 right now, you’d win $1,200 if McCarthy takes home the hardware at the end of the season.

History has proven it's not wise to bet against the legendary Belichick. If he leads the Patriots’ current roster, sans Tom Brady, to another AFC East Championship and no other team goes 16-0… How could you give it to someone else?

However, playing devil’s statistical advocate (a term I just made up)… The numbers suggest that McCarthy winning coach of the year isn’t a ludicrous idea.

Four of the last 10 Coach of the Year awards have gone to first-year head coaches of their respective teams. Check that box for McCarthy.

Eight of the last 10 Coach of the Year awards have gone to coaches who win their division. McCarthy could very possibly check this box. Last season, the Cowboys narrowly lost the NFC East claim to the Philadelphia Eagles by one game.

The award is perennially awarded to the coach whose team shows improvement from the previous season. McCarthy’s Cowboys could very possibly check this box. A stellar NFL draft, a beefed-up defense and the NFL’s third-easiest schedule are reasons to believe that the Cowboys will improve on their 8-8 record last season.

Remember, oddsmakers know what they are doing and are wildly successful at it. The number is set to encourage betting and doesn’t reflect actual chances of a coach winning or not.

However, McCarthy has the chance to be the coach to check the boxes ... and the fresh breeze of optimism sure is nice, isn’t it?