For those blaming penalties for Cowboys
loss to the 49ers, consider the following,
the last 4 playoff teams with 14 penalties
-won- the playoff game they had 14 penal-
ties in, -and- ...

.... the last 2 Super Bowl winners & losers
weren't particularly good at avoiding pen-
alties or penalty yards, but admittedly, they
were better than the 2021 Cowboys:
worst in most penalties, 127,
2nd-worst in most penalty yards, 1,103

https://www.footballdb.com/stats/penalties.html?yr=2021&sort=numpen
https://www.footballdb.com/stats/penalties.html?yr=2021&sort=numyds

However, the 2018 Season Super Bowl
winner & loser were both in the top 10
fewest penalties & lowest penalty yards,
so the 2021 Cowboys were on the other
side of the universe in penalties relative
to those 2 teams.

~~~

2020 Season Super Bowl Winning Bucs,
tied for 11th-fewest penalties, 84,
had 14th-lowest penalty yards, 715

2020 Season Super Bowl Losing Chiefs,
4th-most penalties, 105,
6th-most penalty yards, 919

https://www.footballdb.com/stats/penalties.html?yr=2020&sort=numpen
https://www.footballdb.com/stats/penalties.html?yr=2020&sort=numyds

~~~

2019 Season Super Bowl Winning Chiefs,
15th-fewest penalties, 107,
7th-most penalty yards, 1,029

2019 Season Super Bowl Losing 49ers,
13th-fewest penalties, 105,
11th-most penalty yards, 939

https://www.footballdb.com/stats/penalties.html?yr=2019&sort=numpen
https://www.footballdb.com/stats/penalties.html?yr=2019&sort=numyds

~~~

2018 Season Super Bowl Winning Patriots,
4th-fewest penalties, 94,
2nd-lowest penalty yards, 744

2018 Season Super Bowl Losing Rams,
7th-fewest penalties, 95
10th-lowest penalty yards, 868

https://www.footballdb.com/stats/penalties.html?yr=2018&sort=numpen
https://www.footballdb.com/stats/penalties.html?yr=2018&sort=numyds

--- --- ---

Follow-up:

On Monday, January 17, 2022 at 8:01:23 PM UTC-6, observer wrote:

> For those blaming penalties for Cowboys
> loss to the 49ers, consider the following,
> the last 4 playoff teams with 14 penalties
> -won- the playoff game they had 14 penal-
> ties in, -and- ...
>
> ... the last 2 Super Bowl winners & losers
> weren't particularly good at avoiding pen-
> alties or penalty yards, but admittedly, they
> were better than the 2021 Cowboys:
> worst in most penalties, 127,
> 2nd-worst in most penalty yards, 1,103
>
> https://www.footballdb.com/stats/penalties.html?yr=2021&sort=numpen

Cowboys 2021 average = 7.47 per game (total 127, not including
playoff game 14); if playoff game included, 7.83 per game (total
141)

League-best fewest penalties in 2021 = 4.05 per game (total 69),
that total was on the Packers, the team that also had the league's
best won-loss record (13-3 which included an inconsequential
loss in the last game of the season).

Per McCarthy, "1 less penalty per game, maybe, or 2 less penalties
per game puts you in the top 10 ranking", 7 minutes 22 seconds
into today's interview at 105.3 the fan.
Video: https://youtu.be/9Hb6sdxPLLs

Yes, and obviously, despite his efforts as head coach, the
Cowboys failed to have less penalties in 2021 & the 2022
playoff game, ending up the highest penalties in the league,
so apparently, 1 to 2 less penalties per game, the Cowboys
& head coach McCarthy unable to reduce their penalty pro-
clivity during the entire 2021 season & the playoff game.

In 2021, 10th ranked team had 5.7 per game (total 97).

McCarthy, unable to reduce the incidence of Cowboys penal-
ties all year long, seems to want to both disclaim the import-
ance of reducing penalties -&- claim he will reduce them be-
fore the 2022 regular season commences, even though he
failed to do so in 2021 & the 2022 playoff game.

How have the Cowboys ranked in penalties and how many
wins-losses have they had since 2010?

2010 average = 6.75 per game, 6th-most, 6-10 (no playoffs)

Quote from an article written in 2010 about Cowboys penal-
ties: "Penalties destroy Dallas week after week, & not hust-
ling, “acceptable” penalties, but plain dumb ones — illegal
motion, false starts, blatant holds &, of course, excessive
celebration."
https://wacotrib.com/sports/jim-barnes-nfl-predictions-close-doesn-t-count-for-frustrating/article_9dd74d15-0070-5a6e-b366-2ebe1d91e762.html?mode=image&photo=0

2011 average = 7.125 per game, 5th-most, 8-8 (no playoffs)
2012 average = 7.3125 per game, 3rd-most, 8-8 (no playoffs)
2013 average = 6.375 per game, 13th-most, 8-8 (no playoffs)
2014 average = 6.5625 per game, 14th-fewest, 12-4 (1-1 in playoffs)
2015 average = 7.0 per game, 13th-most, 4-12 (no playoffs)
2016 average = 6.5625 per game, 15th-fewest, 13-3 (0-1 in playoff)
2017 average = 6.0625 per game, 9th-fewest, 9-7 (no playoffs*)
2018 average = 6.5 per game, 12th-fewest, 10-6 (1-1 in playoffs)
2019 average = 6.8125 per game, 15th-most, 8-8 (no playoffs)
2020 average = 6.0 per game, 11th-most, 6-10 (no playoffs)

*1 win away from a playoff spot

Notably, in 2010-2020, when the Cowboys ranked in the top
half of the league in fewest penalties, they had a winning
record & 3 of 4 of those times they made it to the playoffs.

Odd but true, the Cowboys were the worst in the league in
penalties & worst in the last 13 years in 2021 in penalties,
yet they had a winning record but failed to win their only
playoff game.

McCarthy so skilled as a head coach that he overcame the
Cowboys worst-in-the-league penalty proclivities or he's to
be blamed for that worst-in-the-league in penalties status,
or both?

One final note, I believe McCarthy was disingenuous when
he said he takes the blame for shortcomings & gives others
the credit for positives, as the key word he used regarding
credit or blame in all of his answers about shortcomings &
positives was "we".

When asked about criticisms of his clock management, he
replied "I don't agree with it." Hmmmm. He did say that in
similar clock management situations at the end of games,
they would leave room for an official to get to the ball to
avoid an official running into Dak's back trying to get to the
ball as happened in the 49ers game.

---

References available by selecting applicable year
at following websites:
https://www.footballdb.com/stats/penalties.html
https://www.espn.com/nfl/standings

---

..> https://www.footballdb.com/stats/penalties.html?yr=2021&sort=numyds
..>
..> However, the 2018 Season Super Bowl
..> winner & loser were both in the top 10
..> fewest penalties & lowest penalty yards,
..> so the 2021 Cowboys were on the other
..> side of the universe in penalties relative
..> to those 2 teams.
..>
..> ~~~
..>
..> 2020 Season Super Bowl Winning Bucs,
..> tied for 11th-fewest penalties, 84,
..> had 14th-lowest penalty yards, 715
..>
..> 2020 Season Super Bowl Losing Chiefs,
..> 4th-most penalties, 105,
..> 6th-most penalty yards, 919
..>
..> https://www.footballdb.com/stats/penalties.html?yr=2020&sort=numpen
..> https://www.footballdb.com/stats/penalties.html?yr=2020&sort=numyds
..>
..> ~~~
..>
..> 2019 Season Super Bowl Winning Chiefs,
..> 15th-fewest penalties, 107,
..> 7th-most penalty yards, 1,029
..>
..> 2019 Season Super Bowl Losing 49ers,
..> 13th-fewest penalties, 105,
..> 11th-most penalty yards, 939
..>
..> https://www.footballdb.com/stats/penalties.html?yr=2019&sort=numpen
..> https://www.footballdb.com/stats/penalties.html?yr=2019&sort=numyds
..>
..> ~~~
..>
..> 2018 Season Super Bowl Winning Patriots,
..> 4th-fewest penalties, 94,
..> 2nd-lowest penalty yards, 744
..>
..> 2018 Season Super Bowl Losing Rams,
..> 7th-fewest penalties, 95
..> 10th-lowest penalty yards, 868
..>
..> https://www.footballdb.com/stats/penalties.html?yr=2018&sort=numpen
..> https://www.footballdb.com/stats/penalties.html?yr=2018&sort=numyds
..>
..> *--- --- ---*