'Lotta Red-Ass!' Cowboys Coach McCarthy on Losing Locker Room & Gambling at Green Bay
FRISCO - A 14-point lead entering the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field wasn't enough as the Dallas Cowboys fell to the Green Bay Packers 31-28 in overtime on Sunday.
And yes, here at The Star in Frisco on Monday, the frustration is still palpable. ... some of it based on some "gambling'' that did not pay off.
The fact that the game got dragged into overtime at all was a point of frustration for all as the Cowboys led 28-14 entering the final frame of regulation.
The "gamble'' on offense? It was a coaching decision, and it can be explained.
The "gamble'' on defense? It was a players thing, and it'd better be fixed.''
GAMBLING ON OFFENSE: Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy caused a few heads to be scratched by turning down an opportunity for a 53-yard field goal to put Dallas ahead on the first possession of overtime.
Instead, the Cowboys attempted a pass play on fourth-and-3 from the Packers' 35-yard line, and quarterback Dak Prescott's throw to back Tony Pollard fell incomplete.
Dallas' offense would not take the field again.
Two-time defending league MVP Aaron Rodgers reverted to his MVP form and drove the Packers down the field for a game-winning 28-yard Mason Crosby field goal.
Many thought the decision to go for it - as well as the play call itself - was a bit aggressive for McCarthy and the Cowboys. But had the play worked, of course, the criticism would be non-existent. Such is the life of an NFL head coach.
Prescott seemed to revert to a version of himself we saw late last season, where he appeared uncertain at times and fooled by the defense. He also appeared to make poor reads. His two interceptions can be debated regarding blame, as some will say those were the result of errors by his receivers.
Both of those turnovers resulted in touchdowns at the other end, and 14 points for the Packers.
There was a potential bright spot for the Cowboys offense on Sunday, however. CeeDee Lamb might have figured a few things out.
Although his route-running is still a bit suspect and he's widely being blamed for one of the interceptions Prescott threw, Lamb eclipsed the 100-yard mark in a game for the first time this season and scored two touchdowns. Finishing the game with 11 catches, two scores, and 150 yards, he might have finally turned a corner. Or it's possible he got tired of hearing the OBJ to Dallas rumors.
One more thing about the offensive "go-for-it'': We wonder if McCarthy had in his mind the importance of trying to win soon rather than tie ... because of what Rodgers is historically capable of. And indeed, Rodgers actually DID THAT here.
So maybe you go for the win because otherwise, Death by Rodgers is your inevitable fate.
GAMBLING ON DEFENSE: Not so explainable: Why did it appear that Dallas front-seven players with run-stop assignments did not fully those assignments?
The issue was so glaring, as Green Bay rushed for 207 yards, that Micah Parsons called out teammates, suggesting there was a selfish lack of discipline. (Read about that here.)
McCarthy put a positive spin on that concern as well, saying that in the postgame locker room, "”There was a ton of red-ass. A ton of disappointment. A lot of anger. There was a lot said between a lot of people.
"And I love that."
The 6-3 Cowboys travel to Minnesota on Sunday to play the NFC North-leading 8-1 Vikings. A win in Minneapolis would make a lot of Cowboys fans forget about the overtime loss to the Packers.
It would also prevent Dallas from having its first two-game losing streak of the season. A loss to the Vikings would immediately put more doubt in the fans about what was once a very promising season.
It can be again. But the gambles need to be calculated. And the gambles need to work.
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