With analysts already putting a fork in the Dallas Cowboys after a devastating Week 1 loss, oddsmakers have also moved Mike McCarthy to the front of the line for the first NFL coach likely to be fired this season.
The honor had belonged to Carolina’s Matt Rhule over the summer and the Panthers suffered their own heartbreaking loss on Sunday. But the Panthers were at least competitive and lost on a 58-yard field goal nailed by Cleveland rookie kicker Cade York.
Later that night, the Cowboys failed to find the end zone in a 19-3 loss to Tampa Bay that saw quarterback Dak Prescott suffer a broken right thumb that will sideline him at least a month.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones admitted to being “very, very frustrated” at the end of last season but insisted McCarthy’s job was never in danger. However, he did acknowledge that a perceived lack of endorsement at the time for McCarthy was part of a strategy to keep defensive coordinator Dan Quinn from leaving for a head coaching job elsewhere.
That Quinn serves as a potential replacement with previous NFL head coaching experience for a team with Super Bowl ambitions certainly increases the heat under McCarthy’s seat.
SportsBetting.ag opened a market with odds on all 32 NFL head coaches and their chances of being the first one fired this season. McCarthy leads the way at 3-1, followed by Rhule (4-1) and Arizona’s Kliff Kingsbury (5-1), whose Cardinals opened the season with a blowout loss at home to Kansas City.
First Head Coach Fired
Mike McCarthy, 3-1
Matt Rhule, 4-1
Kliff Kingsbury, 5-1
Frank Reich, 9-1
Mike Vrabel, 9-1
Robert Saleh, 10-1
Arthur Smith, 14-1
Dan Campbell, 14-1
Pete Carroll, 16-1
Ron Rivera, 16-1
Kevin Stefanski, 25-1
Kyle Shanahan, 28-1
Lovie Smith, 33-1
Mike Tomlin, 33-1
John Harbaugh, 50-1
Nick Sirianni, 50-1
Josh McDaniels, 66-1
Matt LaFleur, 66-1
Todd Bowles, 66-1
Bill Belichick, 75-1
Doug Pederson, 75-1
Zac Taylor, 75-1
Dennis Allen, 80-1
Nathaniel Hackett, 80-1
Andy Reid, 100-1
Brandon Staley, 100-1
Brian Daboll, 100-1
Kevin O’Connell, 100-1
Matt Eberflus, 100-1
Mike McDaniel, 100-1
Sean McVay, 100-1
Sean McDermott, 150-1
All might not be lost for the Cowboys just yet in 2022.
Prescott was originally expected to miss six to eight weeks, but the NFL Network reported Tuesday that the timeline could be closer to four to six weeks depending on how quickly the bone heals following surgery.
Jones told 105.3 FM in Dallas that Prescott would not be placed on injured reserve.
Cooper Rush, who has started one game through his first four NFL seasons, will replace Prescott for the time being. The team also has Will Grier on the roster.
However, SportsBetting.ag is offering odds on veteran quarterbacks the Cowboys might sign. McCarthy said the Cowboys would be making roster moves Tuesday, noting he was carrying a list of all available quarterbacks in his pocket during the media session.
The list includes everyone from former Cowboys quarterback Garrett Gilbert to longshot odds on a quartet of retired superstars.
Which QB will Cowboys sign in 2022?
Garrett Gilbert, 4-1
Nick Foles, 9-2
Teddy Bridgewater, 5-1
Gardner Minshew, 6-1
Ryan Fitzpatrick, 6-1
Cam Newton, 9-1
Jimmy Garoppolo, 11-1
Ben DiNucci, 12-1
Mason Rudolph, 14-1
Mike Glennon, 16-1
A.J. McCarron, 20-1
Matt Barkley, 20-1
Colin Kaepernick, 40-1
Ben Roethlisberger, 50-1
Drew Brees, 50-1
Philip Rivers, 50-1
Andrew Luck, 66-1
The Cowboys play host to Cincinnati on Sunday with both teams trying to avoid an 0-2 start. Dallas is also trying to find the end zone for the first time this season — another market being offered by SportsBetting.ag.
When will the Cowboys score their first offensive TD? (Week 2 only)
First quarter +190
Second quarter +160
Third quarter +180
Fourth quarter +350
No offensive TD scored +500
–Field Level Media
