FRISCO, Texas — Mike McCarthy was trying to be funny.
But he said a mouthful this week when he responded to a question about whether he allowed himself time to enjoy Sunday’s 20-17 win against the Cincinnati Bengals.
McCarthy said, “I got to work on my drama. Sometimes I don’t feel like I fit in around here.”
McCarthy acknowledged he did enjoy the win but he showered as quick as he could and went home and spent time with his daughters.
Now contrast that to owner Jerry Jones and his family who were taking selfies in their suite and likely partying into the night while calling out everyone who dared to doubt them.
McCarthy is an old-school football coach who is trying to manage the drama and narratives that inherently come with leading America’s Team and Jones’ need to be on the front page or the lead story on the nightly news.
One thing we learned Sunday and it should be a lesson going forward, McCarthy is the right coach for this Cowboys team. They players are not going to quit on him.
But most importantly, he’s not going to quit on them, despite the specter of his job being on the line and the continued bad luck with quarterback Dak Prescott.
McCarthy’s first year with the Cowboys was marred by Prescott going down with a fractured ankle and missing the final 11 games of the season.
Year two saw McCarthy lead the Cowboys and a healthy Prescott to a 12-5 record and the NFC East title.
Yet, all anyone remembers is the wild card playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers and the subsequent chatter about McCarthy possibly being replaced by former New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton or Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.
The rumors were partly fueled by Jones himself.
McCarthy then entered the 2022 season with a less talented team on paper, thanks to the decisions by the front office to get rid of four starters in receiver Amari Cooper, right tackle La’el Collins, left guard Connor Williams and defensive end Randy Gregory.
McCarthy was charged with not only getting the Cowboys back to the playoffs but taking them farther than they’ve gone since their last Super Bowl title in 1996 in order to keep his job.
To lose the season opener with arguably the worst inaugural performance of the Jones era while losing Prescott for up to six weeks was a gut punch that would have doubled over most men.
But McCarthy is from Pittsburgh, the son of a bar owner.
He’s not much for talking. And he’s largely allergic to media drama surrounding Jones and the Cowboys
He is a fighter and that’s what you saw from the Cowboys against the Bengals and should expect to see going forward, continuing with Monday’s game against the New York Giants.
Jones has only fired one coach in the middle of the season and that was Wade Phillips in 2010 after the Cowboys got off to a 1-7 start.
Never mind that quarterback Tony Romo was lost to a broken collarbone in Week 6 and the Cowboys played on with a backup, Jones felt the team quit on Phillips.
As evidenced by the win against the Bengals with backup quarterback Cooper Rush leading the way, the Cowboys are not quitting on McCarthy.
And he’s not going to let them.
It was McCarthy who gave them the confidence and the impetus to pull off the supposed upset against the defending AFC champions with a decision to go for it on 4th and 2 from their 44 on the opening drive of the game.
Just imagine if the gamble had failed and it led to Bengals score and possible victory, the same Fans who booed Prescott and offense in the 19-3 season-opening defeat to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would have trashed McCarthy and the field like they did the officials after the playoff loss to the 49ers.
But Rush hit receiver Noah Brown on a 17-yard gain on a play that was designed to be much shorter to spark a touchdown drive that was consummated by a 9-yard strike to Brown, a former No. 5 receiver-and-special teams ace-turned No.2 receiver, who played a starring role in the victory.
“I hope they see that with me every time I get in front of them, every time I interact with them,” McCarthy said of his mindset. “We’re here to win. On fourth and two, especially that early, especially with our defense, punting is not a bad decision. I think it just really points to where the team was coming in here, the preparation leading into it. Anytime you can show confidence in your team, that’s what you want to do as a coach.”
McCarthy’s fingerprints were all over the game. He spent more time with offensive coordinator Kellen Moore going over the play sheet after saying the Cowboys had to call a smarter game following the 3-point effort against Tampa Bay.
And they did, Moore was more disciplined in his play calling And it made a difference.
And it was also McCarthy’s preparation and attention to detail of consistently working on end game situations that gave Rush the confidence to lead them on a game winning field goal drive in the final minute.
Blame McCarthy for the Cowboys leading the NFL in penalties since he took over in also but also give credit for pushing the right buttons in the face of adversity.
McCarthy is 6-1 all-time after a season opening loss, including a 3-0 mark with Cowboys.
Much is still to be decided on the 2022 season.
“It never gets old, there’s nothing like winning,” McCarthy said. “We improved as a football team. Frankly that’s really all I concern myself with. As long as we keep improving
and doing things the right way. We got the pieces, we just got to continue to keep connecting and growing. I know the Giants are 2-0. That’s the way it should be, you get to go to New York and play in a big Monday night game. We’ll be ready.”
That you can count on.
Prescott is now expected to be back sooner than later, possibly as early as the Oct. 2 game against the Washington Commanders.
Just don’t count McCarthy or the Cowboys out. He’s a fighter.
