Mike McCarthy on Rams being favorites over Dallas Cowboys: ‘We are nobody’s underdog’
How confident are the streaking Dallas Cowboys?
Consider this response from coach Mike McCarthy when he learned his team was a 5.5-point underdog in Sunday’s game against the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams, who are 2-2 and coming off a loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night.
“We’re underdogs?!” McCarthy said with a bit of surprise.
“I’ll just say this: We’re nobody’s underdog. So, if you need a quote,” McCarthy added.
McCarthy’s words speak to how good the Cowboys feel about their team just three weeks after many thought the season was over when starting quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a fractured thumb in the loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Receiver CeeDee Lamb backed up McCarthy: “We aren’t (underdogs). That is how we move around here. That is how we feel toward any team we play. I feel had the confidence since before going into week 1. Even after Week 1 happened, we understand the situation and the type of team we are and kind of message wanted to send out to the league.”
Backup quarterback Cooper Rush has led them to three straight wins and the defense is playing as well as any in the NFL, ranking seventh overall, third in points, second in sacks, first in pressure and sack-win percentage.
The Rams have struggled to score and protect their quarterback all season. Their two wins have come against the Atlanta Falcons and Arizona Cardinals by a combined 12 points. They were blown out in the season opener by the Buffalo Bills and they were held out of the end zone in a 24-9 loss to the San Francisco 49ers Monday night.
“It’s us vs. everybody. I mean, I’m not really into Vegas but we do what we do,” linebacker Micah Parsons said. “Ain’t no reason to talk about it, just go show it there on Sundays.”
“It means coach knows what’s up, he read the room, see what we can do and how we been performing,” Parsons added. “Your coach should have that kind of confidence in its players.”
Lamb said McCarthy’s words to media are how he is with the team.
“He has always had that attitude since I got drafted here,” Lamb said. “So just having that confidence, just ready to go. And understanding you got a team that is ready to lay it all on the line for him. I have that confidence, too.”
This story was originally published October 6, 2022 at 11:21 AM.
