Mike McCarthy says Dallas Cowboys’ loss to Browns, unthinkable 1-3 start falls on him
Unsatisfactory.
Unacceptable.
Unconscionable.
Those are the only ways to describe the start of the Mike McCarthy era with the Dallas Cowboys following Sunday’s unforgivably bad start in a 49-38 loss to the Cleveland Browns. The defeat dropped a team that harbors deep playoff aspirations to 1-3, which — amazingly — also leaves the Cowboys tied for first place in the NFC East heading into Sunday night’s game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers.
Former Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield and the Browns (3-1) simply had their way with a now historically bad Cowboys defense, which has allowed more points through four games than any unit in franchise history. The 2020 edition has allowed 38 more points in three straight games for the first since the Cowboys came into existence in 1960.
Quarterback Dak Prescott and the Cowboys top-ranked offense was no help early. After taking a 14-7 lead, fumbles on back-to-back drives by Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott helped fuel a run of 34 straight points by the Browns, including scores on consecutive drives to blow the game open at 41-14, leaving the Cowboys listless and helpless.
When team owner Jerry Jones hired McCarthy to replace Jason Garrett after an 8-8 campaign in 2019, it was because he thought they had the talent to win quickly and immediately.
No expected utter futility through four games.
“A very disappointing home loss,” McCarthy said. “Turnovers got us on offense again. I’m disappointed. We need to start games better. We need to do a better job of bringing our preparation [to the game]. That starts with me. It ultimately falls at my feet.”
Garrett never started 1-3. The last time the Cowboys lost three of their first four games came in 2010 when Jones fired Wade Phillips midseason.
The Browns game was supposed to start a revival for the Cowboys after a 1-2 start with two losses on the road. It was the beginning of a three-game home stretch against teams that are not exactly powerhouses in the NFL. Perhaps one of the few bright spots was that AT&T Stadium welcomed 25,021 fans, enough for a new record crowd for an NFL game during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fans witnessed a continuation of the Cowboys’ woes against winning teams. They are now 2-9 against teams with winning records dating back to the start of 2019, including 0-3 this season.
The Cowboys trailed 31-14 at halftime one week after trailing 30-15 in the third quarter of a 38-31 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, and two weeks after rallying from a 19-point halftime deficit for a 40-39 victory against the Atlanta Falcons.
“It ultimately falls at my feet,” McCarthy said. “What I don’t like is the pattern of the four games. The points are outrageous, time of possession is totally lopsided and we’re minus-7 in the turnover ratio. Not a winning formula.”
Cleveland piled up 508 total yards, including a whopping 307 yards on the ground — the most ever allowed by the Cowboys — and recorded 33 first downs.
Mayfield passed for 165 yards and two touchdowns. Receiver Odell Beckham Jr. caught two touchdown passes and had a 50-yard game-sealing touchdown run in the fourth quarter. He was one four Browns to have over 50 yards rushing in the game, despite losing leading rusher Nick Chubb to injury in the first quarter.
The previously unknown D’Ernest Johnson led the way with 13 carries for 95 yards after recording just one carry for five yards coming into the game.
“That’s just poor run defense. There’s no way around it,” McCarthy said.
And through four weeks, the defense, led by coordinator Mike Nolan, is on pace to surrender 584 points this season, shattering the current franchise record of 436.
Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence had some other choice words for his unit, which surrendered its most points since a 49-17 road loss to the New Orleans Saints in 2013.
“Soft. We have to hold ourselves to a higher standard,” Lawrence said. “I call the [expletive] soft. It’s all about attacking, and I don’t feel like we’re doing that at all as a unit. We have to get better.”
Surprisingly, after all of that, the Cowboys found themselves back in the game with a chance to win late after Prescott engineered three fourth-quarter touchdown drives with three straight two-point conversions to narrow the lead to 41-38 with 3:47 left.
But the Cowboys defense couldn’t be trusted.
Beckham’s 50-yard score on a reverse came one play after a failed onside kick attempt by the Cowboys.
Prescott completed 41 of 57 passes for 502 yards with four touchdown passes, but he threw an interception to Browns cornerback Denzel Ward at the Browns’ 3-yard line to end all hopes of another possible miracle comeback.
Receiver Amari Cooper, who had 12 catches for 134 yards and a touchdown, took the blame for the final interception. “It just looked like it wasn’t there, so I tried to race to the second window and the ball was thrown. But that’s not what I’m supposed to do. I’m supposed to take one step and look for the ball. That’s on me.”
Rookie receiver CeeDee Lamb had five catches for 79 yards and the first two touchdowns of his career, a 43-yarder in the first quarter to open the scoring for the Cowboys and a five-yarder in the fourth, to bring them within three.
Prescott set an NFL record for most passing yards in the first four games of a season with 1,690. He is also the first quarter in league history with three straight game of 450 yards or more.
It was of little consolation for Prescott and the Cowboys, who must now try to pick up the pieces against the winless New York Giants (0-4) next Sunday at AT&T Stadium.
“I would give all those yards back for a different record,” Prescott said. “I care about one stat and that’s to win. And when we don’t do that, no other stats matter.”
This story was originally published October 4, 2020 at 6:41 PM.
