Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy is on the hottest of hot seats entering Week 9 as the team has been struggling mightily this season.

With McCarthy calling plays, the 3-4 Cowboys rank 15th in total yards (330.1 per game), 11th in passing yards (1,792), last in rushing yards (519), and 22nd in points per game (21.4). Quarterback Dak Prescott has played inconsistently this season, throwing 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions with a quarterback rating of 84.5. He has already been sacked 18 times.

The situation is even worse on defense after defensive coordinator Dan Quinn left to become the head coach of the 6-2 Washington Commanders. Under Mike Zimmer, the Cowboys have fielded one of the NFL’s worst defenses. They’re allowing 28.3 points per game, ranking 31st in the league. Only the Carolina Panthers (33.9 points per game) have performed worse defensively.

The Cowboys have also dealt with numerous injuries to their top players, including defensive stalwarts Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, and DaRon Bland. This week, the team learned that All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs has a calf tear and will be a game-time decision against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

In five seasons with McCarthy as head coach, the Cowboys have made the playoffs three times but have failed to advance past the divisional round. If the Cowboys cannot turn their season around, NFL insiders believe a legendary coach will take the helm next season.

Bill Belichick looms over Dallas Cowboys’ Mike McCarthy

The Athletic NFL insiders Zak Keefer and Jeff Howe report former the shadow of former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is hovering over McCarthy and the Cowboys.

“As with anything involving the Cowboys, every situation is always the most extreme there, and the attention on Mike McCarthy’s job with Bill Belichick potentially waiting in the shadows is an unmatched situation this season,” Howe wrote.

Keefer added that McCarthy’s “future in Dallas at this point is a fait accompli.”

“The Cowboys have been far too uneven, and the roster isn’t nearly as deep as it was in the past, for this team to become a serious contender later in the season. Missing the playoffs would seal the end of McCarthy’s five-year run, and possibly open the door for Belichick to join the circus,” Keefer noted.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has previously said he won’t be changing head coaches in-season, so McCarthy’s job appears safe through the end of the year. However, with Jones, things can change in an instant. It’s essentially Super Bowl-or-bust every season in Dallas, despite the Cowboys not winning a championship in 29 years.

The Cowboys will look to get back on track against the Falcons on Sunday. Dallas is 3.5-point road underdogs.