Coveted head coach candidate sends loud and clear message to Cowboys in Week 6

For the second time this season and for the third time in the last five home games, the Dallas Cowboys were run out of AT&T Stadium. Say what you will about all of Dallas' injuries, but there is no excuse for what just transpired against the Detroit Lions.

The Cowboys did not register a stop on defense until late in the fourth quarter. The Lions scored points on their first nine possessions of the game. It was an offensive clinic for Detroit, which had Mike Zimmer's defense chasing ghosts seemingly on every play.

Conversely, Mike McCarthy's offense continued to lack inspiration. Every Cowboys weapon sans CeeDee Lamb struggles to create separation, including dynamic tight end Jake Ferguson. That puts the onus on the play-caller (McCarthy) to scheme his players open.

McCarthy finally incorporated some motion and pre-snap movement last week, but the head coach reverted back to his old ways on Sunday. It did not work.

With the Cowboys' offense stuck in neutral and Lions playmakers running wild all afternoon, Jerry Jones ought to give Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson a long, hard look as Dallas' next head coach.

Cowboys must consider Lions' OC Ben Johnson as Mike McCarthy replacement

In the first half alone, Jared Goff was 11-for-16 for 178 yards (16.1 yards per attempt) and a touchdown with ZERO tight window throws. While an awful look for Zimmer, that is a bigger testament to Johnson's offensive scheme.

In the second quarter, Johnson dialed up a double-jet sweep reverse flea flicker (??) that ended up back to Goff, who fired to a wide open Sam LaPorta for a 52-yard touchdown.

Care to guess how McCarthy responded to Johnson's madness? With a shotgun run to Ezekiel Elliott, who bafflingly saw more work on Sunday than in previous weeks just a few days after airing frustration with his workload to the coaching staff. As if the loss needed another coating of humiliation, right?

Even with the Lions up by several scores in the second half, Johnson reached deep into his bag of magic tricks. He nearly dialed up a passing touchdown to offensive tackle Taylor Decker, but Damone Clark came to the rescue with a last-ditch PBU. It was almost an exact replica of Detroit's late two-point conversion in last season's matchup that got called back due to a bogus illegal touching penalty.

On the Lions' next drive, Johnson called a hook-and-ladder to Amon-Ra St. Brown, who pitched the football to right tackle (!) Penei Sewell. It would have been a touchdown, but Detroit was flagged for an illegal formation.

A hook-and-ladder to your right tackle while leading 37-9 is diabolical, but the Cowboys should want a head coach - and play-caller - who sets out to embarrass the opponent. Johnson wanted to mock Dallas on Sunday and he accomplished that in spades.

Johnson has long been the NFL's premier offensive coordinator. He'll be one of the hottest commodities, if not the hottest, in the next hiring cycle. Assuming this Cowboys' season ends in disappointment and Mike McCarthy isn't brought back, Johnson should top the team's wishlist of replacements.

He put on a heck of an audition in Sunday's blowout.

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