Mike McCarthy is back with Dallas Cowboys after big medical scare

The Dallas Cowboys are favorites to win their first Super Bowl in 28 years. Dak Prescott has silenced his critics with a record of 9-3 and is closely trailing teams like the Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers.

Head coach Mike McCarthy has been crucial for Dak’s improvement after assuming play calling functions in 2023. As a consequence, Jerry Jones said goodbye to Kellen Moore, who went to the Chargers.

Now, the Dallas Cowboys faced another huge challenge before one of the most anticipated games of the season in the NFL as Mike McCarthy was in doubt to appear on the sideline against Philadelphia.

It’s the start of the toughest stretch in the calendar for the Cowboys: Eagles, Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins. They’re still with hopes of clinching home-field advantage.

Mike McCarthy undergoes surgery for appendicitis

Last Wednesday, Mike McCarthy was diagnosed with appendicitis and had surgery. After arriving to the Cowboys’ facilities, the head coach experienced severe abdominal pain. The doctors told him the procedure had to be done as soon as possible.

McCarthy will be one the sideline and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn already warned he’ll be ready for Sunday. “You really think that tough Irishman is going to miss this game? We’re certainly anticipating Mike being back for the game. We’ll hold it down for practices. Knowing him, he’ll be online tonight wanting to go through red zone and third down and everything else. We expect him to be rocking by game day.”

Who will have home-field advantage in the NFC?

The Philadelphia Eagles have a record of 10-2 and currently hold the No. 1 seed with a possible bye week. The San Francisco 49ers are No. 2 with a record of 9-3, followed by the Detroit Lions at No. 3 (9-3). Despite a record of 6-6, the Atlanta Falcons are the No. 4 seed as division leaders.

Right now, the Cowboys (9-3) will have to play the wild card round as visitors against the NFC South champion. After that, their path would likely take them to face San Francisco on the road and potentially Detroit or Philadelphia also away in the NFC Championship Game. However, a win on Sunday against the Eagles tightens the race.

In 2023, Dallas have a record of 6-0 at home and 3-3 on the road. Undoubtedly, their chances of winning the Super Bowl depend on AT&T Stadium, although anything is possible in the NFL.