Getty The Dallas Cowboys celebrate a turnover during an NFL game.
The Dallas Cowboys are coming off an NFC East title in 2021, but everyone in the organization knows the goal is to win a Super Bowl.
Jerry Jones wants it. Dallas star Micah Parsons has outright said it. And now, former Cowboys wide receiver and Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin thinks it’s possible.
According to The Athletic’s Jon Machota, Irvin spoke to Stephen A. Smith on First Take and dropped a bombshell of a prediction about the Cowboys’ 2022 campaign: if the team can rid themselves of penalties, they’re on the fast track to an undefeated season.
“If the Dallas Cowboys clean up these penalties, they will be chasing the (undefeated) 1972 Miami Dolphins,” Irvin said. When you got the No. 1 offense, clean up these penalties, they will be chasing the 1972 Dolphins. Did I say something crazy?”
Michael Irvin on @FirstTake: “If the Dallas Cowboys clean up these penalties, they will be chasing the (undefeated) 1972 Miami Dolphins. When you got the No. 1 offense, clean up these penalties, they will be chasing the 1972 Dolphins. Did I say something crazy?”
It’s certainly a strong statement, but the caveat of the penalties is no small condition. Dallas’ recent history with the yellow flag has been hectic and extensive, and it doesn’t seem like its getting any better after the team’s preseason loss to the Denver Broncos.
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Penalty Issues Continue for Cowboys
NFLpenalties.com is a useful website to track which teams and players are drawing penalties, or avoiding them. Unfortunately for Dallas, the website’s stats from the 2021 season are not very encouraging.
Dallas was penalized 141 times, 10 more than the next closest team. In total, the Cowboys were pushed back 1192 yards through flags, with the San Francisco 49ers being the only team that was forced backwards more (1210 yards.)
In the 17-7 loss to the Broncos this past weekend, Dallas moved in the opposite direction: the team totaled 17 penalties. According to USA Today reporter Jori Epstein, the Cowboys were easily the most penalized team in the league’s first full preseason week.
“[The Cowboys had] a whopping 17 in preseason game vs. Broncos,” Epstein Tweeted on August 15. “Next closest: 12—Patriots 11—Bills, Bengals, Browns, Texans 9—Colts, Chargers 24 teams drew fewer than half the penalties Cowboys did.”
The Cowboys led the NFL in penalties last season. They led league again in penalties this weekend. A whopping 17 in preseason game vs. Broncos.
Next closest:
12—Patriots
11—Bills, Bengals, Browns, Texans
9—Colts, Chargers
24 teams drew fewer than half the penalties Cowboys did.
So, Irvin may think some tidier play is all that’s required for the Cowboys to be a great team like the 1972 Dolphins, but they’re not showing signs that they headed in the right direction after their first preseason game.
Mike McCarthy Speaks Out on Penalties
After Dallas’ disappointing performance against the Broncos, Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy broke down his reaction to the flurry of yellow flags.
The 58-year-old head coach doesn’t think a sloppy preseason performance has anything to do with the 2021 season, but also believes it’s something that has to be addressed by the team.
“I think we all recognize that this isn’t the regular season,” McCarthy said. “I understand your question, (but) last year was last year. I think last year as far as trying to establish a play style and an identity, it took us a while to get that, and once we did, we won a number of games. This is really the starting point that you go through every year… This is preseason. I don’t think this has anything to do with last year. But I didn’t like the number of penalties. I made it clear. I talked about it at halftime, and I talked about it briefly in there (the locker room). We’ll take a long look at it.”
McCarthy has a point, especially considering that the Cowboys played their second and third-string players. However, penalties are something that can be controlled and fixed by the team, and Dallas should expect every level of player to avoid them.