Cowboys fire Mike McCarthy odds: Could Dallas be one-and-done with its head coach?

It's quite rare for an NFL team to fire a head coach after just one season simply for financial reasons, but if a team is an abject disaster in that one year under said coach, it happens. In fact, a coach has been dumped after Year 1 a total of 10 times this century, last the Arizona Cardinals firing Steve Wilks following a 3-13 campaign in 2018 when the Cards were historically bad offensively. Could Super Bowl-winning coach Mike McCarthy be one-and-done with the Dallas Cowboys?

Searching through social media following the Cowboys' embarrassing 38-10 home loss to the Cardinals on Monday night, "Fire McCarthy" is definitely everywhere. It matched Dallas' worst-ever loss at AT&T Stadium (2017 Week 11 against the Eagles, 37-9). For some reason, McCarthy opted to try a 58-yard field goal vs. Arizona late in the third quarter and his team down 25. 

NFL Network's Jane Slater reports that Cowboys players have begun forcefully criticizing the coaching staff after originally agreeing to "keep things internal."

Owner/GM Jerry Jones isn't exactly the most patient man and even though he just gave the former Packers head coach a five-year deal in January, Jones can certainly afford to eat the rest of that if need be. The Panthers, Browns and Giants also all interviewed McCarthy. Marvin Lewis was the only other candidate to be interviewed by the Cowboys.

A few things make it likely that McCarthy at least comes back for Year 2, though.

First being that Dallas might win the NFC East. Despite sitting at 2-4, the Cowboys are atop the division and they are even-money favorites to win it at William Hill sportsbook. They are the first team with a losing record to have a division lead through Week 6 since the 1970 merger.

Second, it's not McCarthy's fault that star quarterback Dak Prescott went down with a season-ending injury in Week 5. Backup Andy Dalton was an obvious massive downgrade Monday as he was 34-for-54 for 266 yards, a TD and two picks. That's an ugly 4.9 yards per attempt as the Cowboys wouldn't let Dalton throw deep downfield for the most part. Still, McCarthy's offense (he generally shares play-calling with OC Kellen Moore) ranks first in the NFL in yards and is 10th in scoring at 28.8.

Third, the failings this year have largely been on coordinator Mike Nolan's defense, and McCarthy may have no choice but to fire his good friend sooner rather than later. Dallas is dead last in scoring defense at 36.3 ppg and its 218 points allowed are tied for the fourth-most in league history through the first six games of a season. In addition, Nolan's unit allowed has 137 points in the first half of its games this season, the most in the NFL. The Cowboys continually are having to come from behind.

Jones said Tuesday morning he still believes in the roster and McCarthy and Nolan. "What I do feel good about with the entire group is our ability," he said on 105.3 The Fan. "We do have the ability and we have the talent to make adjustments with the personnel we have. We just haven't done it. We will not have success until we take our personnel we got today and put it out there not giving ourselves a big hole to dig out of."  

The Cowboys have never had a head coach last just one season. Chan Gailey lasted the fewest, fired with an 18-14 mark after two. 

Dallas opened as a 3-point favorite for Week 7 at Washington. If the Cowboys allow 30-plus points to the NFL's third-worst scoring offense and lose, then Nolan probably is gone that evening. 

Via SportsLine NFL oddsmakers: Will Mike McCarthy be the Cowboys' head coach Week 1 of the 2021 season?

• Yes -300
• No +230

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