FRISCO, Texas — A day after the most decisive home defeat since 1988, Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy tried to see the big picture.
The Cowboys suffered the fourth-largest home loss in franchise history in Sunday’s 47-9 loss to the Detroit Lions to drop to 3-3 on total. The decisiveness of the loss and the Cowboys’ poor performance might be enough to affect the team’s mental state, but McCarthy still believes in the team.
“At the end of the day, if we don’t believe it’s about us at all, it will always be about us and who we are, what we do, how we do it, then we won’t get where we want to go,” McCarthy said. “And I believe we will. I think it’s an opportunity that we relish. I know I relish it. And I think they do, too.
“So this is a place where a lot of good can come out of this. I’ve been here before. And I think it’s a really good opportunity for our leadership. I think it’s a great opportunity for our young people to continue to play It’s It’s a great opportunity for these guys to build on some of the things that they’ve done well because in my experience that’s always the case when you’re going up against this many. young players and so many different players a long game certainly has a chance to be very brilliant.
This is the fourth time a McCarthy-coached team has started a season with a 3-3 record, and it’s his first time with the Cowboys. THE Green Bay Packers were 3-3 in 2010 when they ended up winning the Super Bowl. The 2012 Packers reached the divisional round of the playoffs, while the 2008 team missed the playoffs.
The Cowboys play San Francisco 49ers on October 27 and could see the return of the defensive end Micah Parsons (ankle), linebacker Eric Kendricks (shoulder) and cornerback DaRon bland (foot).
McCarthy’s news conference Monday took place nearly two hours later than scheduled because the meetings lasted longer than expected.
“When you have the opportunity to step back and really look at everything, I think that’s important for all of us, that’s part of the message to the team, I asked them a number of questions today on things to think about and do, make sure they’re thinking, make sure they’re looking in the mirror and just make sure they fill in the blanks,” McCarthy said. “Because why are we in this ebb and flow? Why are we playing seven days ago like we were playing at 1 a.m.? [against the Pittsburgh Steelers] and then go home and play like we did? So those are the kinds of things we need to work on and focus on. »
While it wasn’t the worst start to McCarthy’s tenure with the Cowboys — they were 2-4 in 2020, his first year, en route to a 6-10 finish — the 38-point spread was the biggest defeat since he took over in Dallas. The previous worst was a 38-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in 2020, but this is the second double-digit loss at home in three games this season, having lost to the New Orleans Saints 44-16 in week 16.
After the game, Jerry Jones was asked about a possible coaching change and the owner and general manager said he was not considering that possibility. McCarthy, who is 45-28 and has led the Cowboys to the playoffs the past three seasons, is in the final year of his contract.
“I think it’s just part of the business,” McCarthy said when asked how he shrugs off the noise about his job security. “When people ask me about anything about the team, it’s part of the job here, it’s part of the business.”
After the game, quarterback Dak Prescott McCarthy argued, which the coach appreciated.
“I think it shows how he feels and I think it speaks to our relationship,” McCarthy said. “But yeah, I mean, support is a good thing.”
