The Dallas Cowboys can finally have a sigh of relief after getting their think tank back.
Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore was the other finalist in the Miami Dolphins head coaching search.
However, the team eventually hired former San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.
Moore had a strong chance of getting the role, given his transformation of the Cowboys’ offense.
Kellen Moore during the Eagles game about “Rocky” 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/jgT9AKLpy3
— Ralph Mason (@Ralph_MasonJr) January 12, 2022
With him still in charge of the offense and Dan Quinn still the defense’s mastermind, the Cowboys should bounce back from their disappointing finish.
The return of the youthful coordinator continues to diminish head coach Mike McCarthy’s role on the team.
The Dolphins’ Hiring Process
Miami had to find their new head coach despite the lawsuit filed by Brian Flores against team owner Stephen Ross.
Their selection process boiled down to Moore and McDaniel, who have strong credentials.
McDaniel helped resurrect the 49ers’ offense by prioritizing their running game and allowing Deebo Samuel to cause more headaches on defenders.
Meanwhile, Moore’s scheme allowed the Cowboys to lead the league in total yards (407) and points (31.2) per game by the end of the regular season.
Kellen Moore has been the OC of the Dallas Cowboys for three seasons. Those three seasons the Cowboys Offense ranked…
2019: 1st
2020: 14th (Dak Prescott only played in 5 games)
2021: 1st— DolphinsTalk.com (@DolphinsTalk) February 6, 2022
Dallas was also second in passing yards (282.4) and ninth in rushing yards (124.6) per game.
But to further assess the best coach for the team, the Dolphins must have considered their ability to command the locker room.
Tua Tagovailoa‘s improvement might have been a central topic during the interviews.
Miami couldn’t go wrong with their two candidates but chose McDaniel over Moore instead.
Only time can tell if McDaniel can improve on what Flores achieved.
Problems To Fix In Dallas
While the Cowboys had the best offense in the league, Moore can still focus on consistency.
First, their running game stalled during their Super Wild Card Weekend loss to San Francisco.
Therefore, he must tinker with the offensive line and his backfield depth chart to determine the best combination of players.
I'm perfectly fine with Kellen Moore returning as OC. I think he's better than a lot give him credit for. Has areas that need to improve but overall I think he does a good job
— John Owning (@JohnOwning) February 6, 2022
Second, Amari Cooper‘s production dropped, and that is an area of concern as well, especially if there’s a rift between him and Prescott.
Third, the Cowboys’ offensive line must play disciplined football or they will continue to commit penalties that could rob them of winning opportunities.
These are the holes that Moore and the offense must patch up to make a deeper postseason run in the next few years.
Big Mike Looks Above His Shoulders
Team owner and general manager Jerry Jones expressed his dismay at how the Cowboys’ season ended.
While the blame doesn’t entirely fall upon McCarthy’s shoulders, he gets the lion’s share because he has the final say.
He’s also the one managing the clock, and he committed numerous blunders in that capacity.
There’s no question that he’s already on the hot seat.
Luckily for the Cowboys, they need not hire another person to take over for McCarthy.
Kellen Moore now in line to return to Dallas with Miami honing in on McDaniel as their new HC. Solid bit of homework waiting too:
– Run game vs light boxes
– Solving heavy coverage looks
– WR usage on opening drives
– Static route concepts— Laurie Horesh (@LaurieHoresh) February 6, 2022
After all, the two best candidates are already on their team.
Moore has the mastery of the Cowboys’ offense, while Quinn had head coaching experience with the Atlanta Falcons.
Therefore, McCarthy is just a mistake or two away from getting the pink slip.
When that happens, Jones will likely promote either Quinn or Moore.
NEXT: NFL World Reacts To Jerry Jones' Recent Comments
