Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
After the Dallas Cowboys‘ worst home loss under Jerry Jones, a 47-9 defeat to the Detroit Lions, the team owner gave his support to head coach Mike McCarthy.
“Oh, I haven’t even considered that,” Jones said of a potential change. “I’m not considering that. Just so you’re clear, I’m not considering that.”
When reminded about the previous in-season coaching change he made in 2010 when he fired Wade Phillips and named Jason Garrett as interim coach after a 1-7 start, Jones became terse.
“That would be a hypothetical. In that matter, do you think I’m an idiot? Do you? OK. Well, I’m not going to hypothetical with you about would I consider a coaching change in light of the timing we’re sitting here with. I’m not. At all,” he said.
Cowboys Struggle at Home
McCarthy is in the final year of his contract. Although he’s led the Cowboys to three consecutive 12-5 records, their lack of playoff success has raised questions about his future. Since McCarthy was hired in 2020, Dallas has yet to advance past the divisional round and has lost two playoff games at home.
The Cowboys are now 3-3, one game behind the Washington Commanders in the NFC East, but they’ve lost all three home games this season, getting outscored by 66 points.
“Well, we’re disappointed that we’re 3-3,” Jones said. “The three-loss side of it, I don’t necessarily totally blame on McCarthy. The players will tell you they had something to do with it, too. His other parts of the staff will tell you. And the owner sure will tell you he had something to do with it, so it’s not all on him.”
Before this loss, the Cowboys’ biggest home defeat in the Jones era was a 36-3 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2001. Sunday’s game marked the third straight home game where Dallas fell behind by a large margin at halftime, trailing 27-6 at the break.
The Cowboys were missing key defensive players, including Micah Parsons and Eric Kendricks, who are out with injuries.
“How do I explain it? I think clearly, No. 1, we were beaten today,” McCarthy said. “They’re a very good team. The facts are they’re further ahead of us right now at this time in Week 6.”
Prescott Backs His Coach
Quarterback Dak Prescott threw an interception in the end zone during the Cowboys’ second series, marking his third red zone turnover in two games. After that, Dallas struggled offensively, going three-and-out twice and failing to convert on fourth down three times. A 10-3 deficit quickly turned into a 27-3 hole before halftime.
“I didn’t feel like there was another positive play after [the interception] for us to build off of to get anything going,” Prescott said. “Very frustrating.”
Now, the Cowboys will use their bye week to regroup before facing the San Francisco 49ers on October 27. San Francisco has beaten Dallas in their last three matchups, including a 42-10 win last year.
“We got a bye week ahead of us, kind of time to reset, refocus and come out there two weeks from now and respond,” tight end Jake Ferguson said. “So that’s a big one. And it’s just about coming back, fighting back.”
As the Cowboys’ quarterback, Prescott is aware of what surrounds his position as well as the coach, but he expressed his belief in McCarthy.
“I’ll go to war for that guy, with that guy every single day. And I’m not the only one in that locker room,” Prescott said. “I feel like everybody feels that. If you heard what he said after that game — not something that I care to let you guys in on honestly — but strong message. Strong message. And in a loss to be able to feel that way, show those emotions and respond, I’ll follow him. I’ll follow him. And especially, I mean, I know he’s said it to you guys, he said it in there, he’s looking in the mirror, as we all should. Thankful for him as my coach. Period.”
A Bitter Loss on Jerry Jones’ Birthday
For Jones, who turned 82 on Sunday, the loss was a bitter birthday present. “Generally speaking,” Jones said, “I think my message is — I know you don’t need to hear me say this — but I’m well aware that we’re in the proverbial s— right now.”
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This report used information from ESPN.
