3 Reasons Cowboys Hiring Mike McCarthy is Barely an Upgrade Over Jason Garrett

The Dallas Cowboys have officially parted ways with head coach Jason Garrett after a week of protracted back-and-forth discussions. On Monday, we learned that former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy is the man to succeed him.

This hire not a guaranteed upgrade, nor is it strictly a downgrade for Big D. It is purely a step sideways, because McCarthy is likely to end up a carbon copy of Garrett where it really counts, specifically for these three reasons.

1. Conservative Play Calling

Mike McCarthy calling plays against the Seattle Seahawks / Abbie Parr/Getty Images

McCarthy, like Garrett, tends to be conservative when it comes to calling plays. With one of the most talented quarterbacks of all time in Aaron Rodgers, McCarthy often refused to let his quarterback work magic in risky situations, and his schematic rigidity only stood out more as the years wore on. If McCarthy wasted multiple years of Aaron Rodgers' career, what kind of damage is he going to do to Dak Prescott?

2. Choking in the Playoffs

McCarthy's inability to win the in playoffs -- remember the debacle against the 2011 Giants? -- has robbed the Packers of numerous Super Bowl chances. Green Bay only made it to the big game once in his 13-year tenure despite having nothing but future Hall of Famers at quarterback. McCarthy's overall playoff record of 10-8 is reasonable, but Jerry Jones' Cowboys are the ultimate championship-or-bust team. While that record is far better than Jason Garrett's 2-3 postseason mark, there ought to be concern about this team's ability to break through in January.

3. Inability to Optimize Running Backs

Mike McCarthy walks onto the field after a game against the Minnesota Vikings / Adam Bettcher/Getty Images

McCarthy is notorious for not being able to sort out appropriate roles in the running game. The Cowboys have one of the best running backs in the league in Ezekiel Elliott, but under McCarthy, Zeke runs the risk of sputtering even further after a lackluster 2019 by his standards. In his 13-year tenure as Packers head coach, McCarthy only had 1,000-yard rushers five times, and did not have a single one after Eddie Lacy in 2014. Considering the mega-deal that Zeke signed with Dallas last offseason, McCarthy will have to prove he's learned some new tricks if all that money is going to be worth it.