The NFL is heading into its third 17-game season in 2023, and teams are still adjusting to the extra wear and tear that an extra game puts on the players.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy mentioned that this week, noting that continuity with the same players healthy and on the field each week is a key to success in the NFL.
“I think the 17th game impact is real. I have felt it with our team,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy was answering a question specifically about continuity on his offensive line.
“History will tell you continuity factors into your wins and losses. You look at the history of five offensive linemen lining up and starting every game of a season on the win total, I don’t recall the exact number, but it’s a significant number,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy added that the importance of continuity is something coaches have been talking more about that in the last couple years. The owners have decided that the 17-game season isn’t going away (unless it gets replaced by an 18-game season), but the coaches and players are still adjusting.
