Mike McCarthy Suddenly Has One More Opportunity to Save His Job After Dak Prescott Injury

The Dallas Cowboys suffered yet another deflating loss in Week 9 to fall to 3-5 for the season. Perhaps more disappointing than the loss itself was losing QB Dak Prescott to a hamstring injury. The exact timeline hasn't been revealed yet but it has been reported that Prescott will be out for multiple weeks, likely ending all playoff hopes for the Cowboys.

This situation may be a blessing in disguise for head coach Mike McCarthy. Obviously, no coach wants to see their star quarterback go down but this is possibly the only way McCarthy could save his job.

Cowboys News: Dak Prescott to Miss Multiple Weeks

McCarthy is in the final year of his contract. Jerry Jones refused to extend him in the offseason, officially putting him in a lame-duck status. The 3-5 start and an underwhelming performance on both ends of the field likely signaled the end of the Mike McCarthy era in Dallas. Even though it's unlikely that they would fire him mid-season, the likelihood of him staying past this year seemed lower by the week.

Prescott's injury, however, lowers the expectations for McCarthy. It gives him an opportunity to save his job by exceeding his expectations sans Prescott. Let's say Dallas goes 3-1 with Cooper Rush as the starting QB to improve to 6-6, and then Prescott returns. The narrative would shift significantly heading into the final stretch of the season.

Considering that the Cowboys are about to get a couple of key starters back soon can be a big factor in this scenario. Micah Parsons and DaRon Bland will likely make their returns next week, and Brandin Cooks should come back soon. That could potentially give the Cowboys a much-needed boost as they host the Eagles in Week 10. A win over their division rivals could help McCarthy's case to keep his job going forward.

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