McCoy's seat was scorching hot even before
Thursday night's turnover-filled dud. The
Cardinals own one of the worst offenses in the league, highlighted by an unimaginative, stale, droning scheme. In a league of high-flying creative attacks, McCoy was stuck in a dreary past.
Friday's firing marks the third time in the past 22 months an NFL team has jettisoned McCoy. Last season the
Broncos canned the offensive coordinator after just 10 games. This time around the veteran play-caller couldn't even make it to the mid-way point of the season. After a flailing four years in San Diego ended in his termination, and two brief unsuccessful stints to reignite his career as an OC, McCoy shouldn't be on the radar of another young defensive-minded coach looking for a coordinator.
Under McCoy, the Cardinals generated a measly 13.1 points per game (31st in the NFL), 156.1 passing yards per game (31st) and are dead last in total yards per game at 220.7 and rushing yards per game at 64.6.
Not all of Arizona's offensive problems are on McCoy. The offensive line continues to be a sieve, and rookie quarterback
Josh Rosen has struggled through bouts of turnover-prone play, including Thursday night's five-turnover disaster. But the complete offensive ineptitude, lack of preparedness, and an inability to put the talent that is on the roster in spots to make plays falls on McCoy.
T
he most frustrating aspect of McCoy's scheme was the inability to utilize running back David Johnson's dual-threat ability. Instead of getting the running back in space, to the edge, and exploit his matchups in the passing attack, McCoy used DJ as a between-the-tackles battering ram and little else. The Cardinals' 452 rushing yards is their second-fewest through seven games in the Super Bowlera, per NFL Research.
Compare the running back's 2016 usage (Bruce Arians) to his 2018 numbers (McCoy):
David Johnson 2016: 23.6 touches per game; 132.4 scrimmage YPG; 5.7 scrimmage yards per touch.
David Johnson 2018: 18 touches per game; 71.6 scrimmage YPG; 4.0 scrimmage yards per touch