Cowboys Coach Mike McCarthy Taking Criticisms In Stride

Analytic nerds who spend their Sunday evenings throwing out phrases like "RPO" and "EDGE" from their duplex likely weren't fans of Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy, even before he starting airing his grievances on radio. If so, then they surely don't like him now.

The second-year coach in Dallas has been a constant target of the analytic crowd as well as most Cowboys fans because of his supposed poor game management, and he likely fogged up some glasses when he told 96.7 The Ticket, "I get it, analytics are great, but analytics has become a weapon for the media."

His oft-mentioned game management prompted owner Jerry Jones to defend the coach last week.

"He does it extremely well. More importantly, I want all our fans to know how conscientious about it, how hard he works," Jones said, in part, per The Shan and RJ Show.

McCarthy himself has brushed off the criticisms as part of the gig.

“I’ve been a head coach a long time. The longer you do it, the things that they say negative about you just kind of stack up," added McCarthy. "It’s part of the job responsibility, frankly. That’s kind of where I leave it.''

Data analysts moonlighting as football fans may want to rethink their thought process anyway. Despite a few questionable in-game decisions, McCarthy's method seems to be working. Dallas is currently 5-1 and atop the NFC East standing.

"At the end of the day, the decisions I make are to make sure we give the players a chance to win the game," said McCarthy via 96.7. "That, to me, needs to be the end result of your game management situations.''

McCarthy has another opportunity to give analytic nerds a mental swirly on Sunday evening when the Cowboys visit Minnesota.

 

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