Getty Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy was left speechless in the wake of Thursday’s penalty-fest against the Las Vegas Raiders. By Friday, though, McCarthy had much to say about the controversial 36-33 overtime loss during which his team was flagged a franchise-record 14 times.
And said it.
“This game was totally off the trend line, as you can see as far as statistics. I’ve already talked to the league this morning, and I anticipate a second conversation, maybe this afternoon,” McCarthy revealed to reporters on November 26, via Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News.
One hundred and sixty-six penalty yards were assessed against the Cowboys in the thrilling Thanksgiving defeat, none more backbreaking than a 33-yard defensive interference charged to cornerback Anthony Brown in OT. The infraction — a judgment call — set up Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson’s 29-yard game-winning field goal.
Anthony Brown’s fourth DPI penalty of the game 😬
With 28 accepted fouls between Dallas and Las Vegas, the Turkey Day affair became the first NFL game in 18 years that saw each team accruing 14-plus penalties and 100-plus penalty yards.
“Yesterday’s game was extremely frustrating,” McCarthy said Friday, via the Dallas Morning News. “It was very herky jerky. The officiating was a big part of the game.”
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McCarthy Anticipates Lamb Playing in Week 13
Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was thisclose to escaping the NFL’s concussion protocol and suiting up against the Raiders. But he couldn’t get over the final hurdle — clearance from an independent neurologist — in time for kickoff and was made inactive.
Barring any unforeseen setbacks, however, Lamb is expected to play in Week 13 at New Orleans, according to McCarthy.
“He definitely did everything he was asked to do in practice on Wednesday and actually he did some post-practice work,” McCarthy said on November 26, via the official team website. “He definitely cleared that hurdle. There’s a final step in the protocol and CeeDee did not clear that. My understanding is, with the information that was given Wednesday, is that he’ll practice Sunday with the anticipation of playing against New Orleans.”
Even without Lamb and Amari Cooper (COVID-19), the Cowboys’ passing attack was highly efficient versus Vegas, producing 373 air yards and spawning a pair of 100-yard receivers (Michael Gallup, Cedrick Wilson).
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Quinn Throws Support Behind Brown
The veteran corner was repeatedly picked, both by Raiders quarterback Derek Carr and head referee Shawn Hochuli, who charged four defensive pass interference fouls to Brown — including a 33-yarder that set up Las Vegas kicker Daniel Carlson’s game-winning field goal in overtime.
In the second year of his three-year contract extension, Brown has been playing solid football for Dallas, grading out as Pro Football Focus‘ No. 36 CB among 118 qualifiers. He entered Thursday having been penalized just once, for illegal contact. Four DPIs would qualify as a “herky jerky” outing, to quote McCarthy.
To quote Cowboys defensive boss Dan Quinn, it mattered little to Brown’s standing in his secondary, nor the accompanying faith bestowed upon him.
“First thing that I had talked to him about was how much belief we have in him,” Quinn said on November 26, via the official team website. “Any time you have a tough game from a penalty standpoint or just a performance standpoint, like most really good competitors, they’re hardest on themselves, and that was certainly AB. He came in today and already wanted to go back and talk through it. Is it looking back to the ball, is it not locking a guy’s arm? It was the smallest of details that he wanted to look at. But at the end of the day, it’s looking back to make sure you learn from it.
“He’s an excellent competitor and I wasn’t surprised to see him one of the first guys in today to watch it and discuss it with (defensive backs coach) Al (Harris) when they were going through it. He’s never a player that places blame anywhere else or anything. He’s an excellent competitor and one of our most consistent guys, so I would expect that trend not to continue.”
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Cowboys Take Action with NFL Against ‘Frustrating’ Officiating