Ryan Leaf places inordinate pressure on Mike McCarthy after ‘scapegoated’ Kellen Moore firing - “They cannot blame him”

Mike McCarthy might be coming off the biggest playoff breakthrough in Dallas since the 1990s by helping them win their first road playoff game since then, but it isn't enough. At least, that is what one former NFL quarterback claimed on Good Morning Football. On the program, former quarterback Ryan Leaf labeled the firing of Kellen Moore as a scapegoat job, saying:

"He [Kellen Moore] got scapegoated a bit in Dallas last year. And don't forget, as he was being let go from Dallas, he was interviewing for head coaching jobs around the NFL. When he landed in Los Angeles, I jumped for joy. Justin Herbert is going to have Kellen Moore now and they cannot blame him in Dallas. This is firmly at the feet of Mike McCarthy."

By firing Moore, McCarthy essentially claimed that he was the savior of the offense, and this, in combination with the tweaks made by the team, would be enough to win the Super Bowl. Of course, that's a tall task for any team, but it seems that anything less than getting within a stone's throw of that goal would be enough to end the McCarthy era, according to Leaf.

Mike McCarthy hopes for bounce back year for Dak Prescott

Dak Prescott at Super Bowl LVII - Kansas City Chiefs v Philadelphia Eagles

In order for any coach to achieve their goals, they need their players to cooperate. While most of the team seemed to be firing on all cylinders for Mike McCarthy in 2022, Prescott slumped. First came the injury that knocked him out of the first quarter of the 2022 season.

Then, after returning to a 4-2 record, the quarterback slipped into some of the worst statistics of his career. Prescott's 15 interceptions were the most of his career, despite playing in just 12 games. It was also the fewest number of touchdowns in his career since his rookie season, apart from the 2020 season when he sustained a grisly leg injury.

If it was not for an electric performance in 2021, some would likely argue that Prescott might not have been given a chance in 2023. In 2021, he threw for 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, towering over his accomplishments earlier in his career.

That said, after missing significant time in two of the last three seasons, 2023 will serve as a clear-cut view of whether he truly is the 2020 or 2022 version of himself. On the other hand, if things go well, it would then seem that he simply faced some speed bumps en route to the 2021 version that is here to stay.

If any of the above quotes are used, please credit Good Morning Football and H/T Sportskeeda.