The Cowboys may have secured a victory in their latest game, ending a short losing streak and preventing fan unrest, but their Thursday night win against the Giants was far from reassuring.

The outcome hinged on a last-minute interception by a practice squad player, prompting the fan base to search for someone to blame.

As is frequently the case, the head coach became an obvious target.

Mike McCarthy has achieved three consecutive 12-win seasons—an unprecedented feat in the franchise’s history—but that hasn’t shielded him from criticism.

This time, the primary focus was on the Cowboys’ lack of discipline, as the team committed 11 penalties for a total of 89 yards during the game.

The issue of penalties has been a persistent topic since the 2021 season.

That year, the Cowboys led the league in penalties, with Connor Williams frequently noted as the most penalized player.

Since then, Dallas has consistently ranked among the top five in penalties, highlighting a continuous trend of undisciplined play under McCarthy’s leadership.However, there seemed to be a positive shift this season. Before

Thursday’s game, Dallas was ranked 13th in total penalties and 16th in penalty yardage, despite a Week 1 matchup in which both teams were flagged 11 times.

In their two losses, the Cowboys were the least-penalized team, accumulating only 10 penalties combined. By all accounts, they appeared to be playing disciplined football.

Then came the Thursday night game, which saw a flurry of flags.

Unlike their season opener, where both teams faced a high penalty count, the Cowboys were penalized far more frequently while the Giants received just four penalties for 35 yards.So, what happened? How could this team play two relatively clean games—despite poor performances—and then display sloppy play while still managing a win? One

likely explanation is the quick turnaround, as teams traveling for a Thursday night game just four days after a home match often struggle.

Historical trends of Thursday Night Football seem to support this idea.Could there be more to it? Are the Cowboys genuinely an undisciplined team under McCarthy?

To find out, we can look back at the Packers teams he coached and their penalty records.

Available penalty data only goes back to the 2009 season, which means McCarthy’s first three years in Green Bay are not included.

Nevertheless, the data from 2009 to 2018 provides a significant sample that reveals some interesting insights.

During this period, McCarthy’s Packers finished in the top 10 for penalties or penalty yardage in just two seasons.

In fact, they ranked in the bottom quartile of the NFL for penalties called half of the time.

Notably, the most disciplined season occurred in 2011, when McCarthy led the Packers to a 15-1 record, although they lost to the Giants in the playoffs.

It’s important to note that McCarthy was fired during the 2018 season, so not all of those numbers reflect his influence.

However, the Packers only played four games without him that year, making the data relevant to the broader discussion.

The takeaway here is that McCarthy maintained a relatively disciplined environment in Green Bay.

His Packers teams rarely received the number of penalties that the Cowboys have been accumulating recently.

This raises questions about whether McCarthy has lost his ability to instill discipline since his time off from coaching.

Alternatively, could it be that the Cowboys organization itself has a tendency to draw penalties more frequently?

An examination of penalty trends prior to McCarthy’s arrival sheds light on this possibility.Historical data reveals intriguing trends.

For instance, Wade Phillips led a notably undisciplined team in 2009 when he ended the Cowboys’ playoff win drought.

Under Jason Garrett, while the team’s overall penalty count improved slightly, they still often ranked in the upper half of the league for penalties called but lagged in penalty yardage, suggesting they were penalized frequently without significant consequences in field position.

Overall, this paints a picture of a franchise that has consistently ranked among the league leaders in penalties since 2009.

While penalties have increased since McCarthy took over, it’s clear that the Cowboys were not a model of discipline before his tenure either.

Moreover, the fact that McCarthy’s Packers teams were typically more disciplined adds complexity to the current situation. Ultimately, McCarthy, as the head coach, is responsible for the team’s performance, including their frequent penalties.

However, the data suggests that other factors may be at play. Considering the historical trends across three different head coaches since 2009, it seems unlikely that simply replacing

McCarthy, as some fans suggested after the last game, would be the solution to the Cowboys’ ongoing penalty problems.

In summary, while the Cowboys managed a win, the penalties continue to raise questions about discipline under McCarthy’s leadership.

The juxtaposition of previous successes and current challenges invites further examination of whether the coaching staff, organizational culture, or other external factors contribute to this ongoing issue.

As the season progresses, fans will be watching closely to see if the Cowboys can find a way to reduce their penalty counts and play more disciplined football.