NFL Rumors: Jerry Jones eyeing dream Mike McCarthy replacement if Cowboys fail in playoffs

Following their Week 5 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, there was little -- if anything -- the Dallas Cowboys could do to cement themselves as a contender. Even Jerry Jones has been reluctant to gas up his team.

They've beaten up on lesser teams and while there's something to be said for that, it doesn't really prove anything in the grand scheme. Beating the Eagles in Week 9 would've moved mountains in terms of flipping the narrative, but Mike McCarthy will ultimately be judged by what the Cowboys do in the playoffs.

Let's paint a hypothetical. Say Dallas beats the NFC South champ on the road in the first round only to falter in round two (again) against the 49ers or Eagles. Would Jerry Jones be tempted to make a coaching change?

It'd have to be in the cards, right? McCarthy's Cowboys have never advanced beyond the second round. The grass isn't always greener on the other side, but the latest buzz hints the Cowboys could swing big if it comes to that.

Bill Belichick big.

NFL Rumors: Could the Cowboys pursue Bill Belichick if they fire Mike McCarhy?

Per The MMBQ's Albert Breer, the Cowboys and Commanders are the teams "most connected" to Belichick, whose Patriots own the second-worst record in the NFL at 2-8 and need a roster overhaul to compete again anytime soon.

Now 71 years old and inching closer to breaking Don Schula's all-time wins record, Belichick can't afford to oversee a rebuild. The Patriots whiffed on Mac Jones and need to go through the draft-and-develop crapshoot at QB again.

On paper, Belichick and the Cowboys are a perfect match. Belichick needs a readymade roster to cement his status as the greatest coach of all-time. Dallas checks that box. They play in an easier division (and conference), have produced back-to-back 12-win seasons and are headed for another double-digit-win campaign.

Additionally, the Cowboys' protracted playoff shortcomings are always a big talking point. They're 5-12 in 12 postseason appearances with zero trips to the NFC Championship Game since they last won the Super Bowl in 1995.

Who better to end that drought than a six-time champion? Belichick is still an upper-echelon coach despite the Patriots' recent struggles, which can be attributed to Belichick having too much influence in the front office and player personnel.

In Dallas, he'd have the great Will McClay piloting that ship.

The dots are pretty easy to connect, but all we can do is speculate and aggregate rumors and stories as we consume them.

There's plenty of season left and McCarthy has the Cowboys poised to get back in the dance. Once you get there, anything can happen.

In the meantime, you can score an INSTANT $200 bonus from BetMGM just for betting $10 on any game right now! Sign up here and bet at least $10 on any game to immediately receive $200 in bonus bets. It's the easiest $200 you'll make all week - sign up for BetMGM now!

More Cowboys news and analysis: