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Mike McCarthy and the Dallas Cowboys had a lot to prove heading into the postseason.
It did not take long for it to all crumble, as the team was knocked out of the playoffs with a 48-32 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
Cowboys down 20 at home to the Packers 😳 pic.twitter.com/EMloMPixdp
SportsCenter @SportsCenter
THE COWBOYS ARE DOWN 27-0 AT HOME 😱 pic.twitter.com/k6Y9zYSrIa
Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
Jordan Love and the Packers UPSET the Cowboys and advance to the Divisional Round 🤠 pic.twitter.com/IqMelREijn
Dallas surrendered 27 unanswered points to open the game, failing to get on the board until the final seconds of the second quarter. The Cowboys defense allowed 217 first-half yards and let Packers quarterback Jordan Love start 13-of-16 for 185 yards and a touchdown.
These numbers would balloon to 272 yards and three touchdown and he would finish with a 157.2 quarterback rating.
Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
Jordan Love in his playoff debut 🧀
16/21
272 YDS
3 TD
157.2 QBROnto the 49ers in the Divisional 🔜 pic.twitter.com/Y3NoZRdPZF
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott tossed two interceptions, including one returned for a 64-yard touchdown by Darnell Savage.
Green Bay Packers @packers
.@darnellsavage_ TO THE HOUSE! 🏠
Pick-six! 🙌 #GBvsDAL | #GoPackGo
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/w0tPy1a68U
The effort had many, including former head coach Jimmy Johnson, fuming.
FOX Sports: NFL @NFLonFOX
JIMMY JOHNSON IS FIRED UP 😳😤
You have to hear this message he had for the Cowboys! pic.twitter.com/cSc70hdIoz
The loss comes after a 12-5 season that saw Dallas earn the No. 2 seed and look like a true contender to win the Super Bowl.
The Cowboys have been a pretty consistent qualifier for the playoffs in recent seasons but excelling once in the postseason has been something Dallas hasn’t been quite able to do. The Cowboys have won just a single playoff game since 2018 and haven’t reached the NFC Championship Game since the 1995 season, which is when it last won the Super Bowl.
Mike McCarthy has won just a single playoff game since being hired in 2020, and the first-half deficit had fans on social media calling for his firing and projecting that former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick could be his replacement.
Adam Lefkoe @AdamLefkoe
“Somebody get me Belichick on the phone…” pic.twitter.com/MzzrBvhrg4
Andrew @draft32teams
Bill Belichick in 24 hours pic.twitter.com/4jSuif5Hct
Pat McAfee @PatMcAfeeShow
Holy shit… Bill Belichick is gonna be the head coach of the Cowboys isn’t he? pic.twitter.com/bEq8pm7NyY
Football @BostonConnr
“Send the Jet to New England. I want Bill Belichick with a star on his chest tonight. Whatever it takes.” pic.twitter.com/1YekUlGUSG
Linda Cohn @lindacohn
Jerry Jones just turned around and asked if anyone had Bill Belichick’s number?
Ryan Clark @Realrclark25
Schefty will tweet about Belichick’s Monday meeting with Dallas around 8:30 tonight!
Geoff Schwartz @geoffschwartz
Belichick entering the Cowboys facility in three days. pic.twitter.com/LHYyvFNCCe
Jay Morrison @ByJayMorrison
Looks like there’s gonna be another coach opening tomorrow.
What an embarrassment.
Dallas was able to score first in the second half to cut the deficit to 27-10, but a quick Packers touchdown put the Cowboys’ chances of pulling off a comeback even lower. Dallas would put up a fight at the end but was ultimately unable to complete the comeback.
If McCarthy were to be fired, he would finish his tenure in Dallas with a 42-25 regular-season record and a 1-3 postseason record.
If Belichick were to be the next Cowboys coach, he would have a solid chance to break Don Shula’s all-time record for coaching wins. He is currently 14 wins away from overtaking Shula’s all-time mark.
