Everything the Dallas Cowboys said after beating the Tennessee Titans on Thursday

Everything the Dallas Cowboys said after their 27-13 win over the Tennessee Titans on Thursday night at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.

All quotes are courtesy of the Titans and Cowboys media relations staffs.

COWBOYS HEAD COACH MIKE MCCARTHY

I know you’re happy with the win but did you want more out of the performance? How do you look at it?

I mean, the fact that’s talked about at halftime and talked about again. We came here for the win. I’m not going to get into what it’s supposed to be and things like that, I mean, because that’s how you get yourself in trouble. We did a lot of really good things. I loved the discipline of the team in the first half and everything. The takeaways were obviously big for us. The giveaways were big for them. There’s obviously points off our board that turned into points on their board. There’ll definitely be things to look at. The run game wasn’t what we’d hoped. This was a hard stretch. We knew this was going to be a hard stretch when the schedule came out. That really held true. I’m happy these guys have a couple of days to catch their breath because this has been a tough fourth quarter so far.

Was the intensity what you wanted? The focus for your team?

Intensity? Yes, I know. I think they played hard. I thought our pace of operation and some of our things was a little up and down. I adjusted at halftime. I thought we came out and the 13-play drive, you know, we got back on the go there. I mean, I just think like anything you don’t run the ball and you’re playing uphill with the sticks, it can tend to happen. We’ll take a hard look at the run game and make sure we’re clean. I think the biggest thing is really to get these three days off because this has been a tough stretch.

As you guys try to figure out the cornerback position in the replacement of Anthony Brown, Nahshon Wright over 50 percent of snaps last game. This game got a lot of burn. He gets his first career interception. What have you seen through the eyes of a coach?

Well, I mean, Nahshon (Wright) just continues to just battle for every opportunity he gets them. He played special teams for us last year at a high level. And he’s clearly one of the guys you point to take the second-year jump. I think we’re seeing that. But, you know, he needs to take another step. I mean, we’ve got another game and we still want to be able to play and get some rhythm with our defensive personnel. I think clearly we were more fluid this week than we were last week and that’s definitely a big step in the right direction.

In the defense, a lot of explosives of the game. What did you make of that area?

Well, I didn’t look at the second half. I know we were nine-for-nine, but that’s all the big plays, you know? Those are plays that are part of the game. I don’t have an evaluation for you right now.

What did you think of how Dak (Prescott) played aside from the two interceptions?

I thought he played well. I thought he managed a couple of situations that, you know, the long downs and distances and so forth. His approach, demeanor is always very, very similar, which is a real strong suit of his. And I think he definitely exhibited that again tonight.

How do you explain interceptions or can you explain will this rashness continue?

Well, I don’t agree with the word rash. I mean, we had two interceptions tonight. One was a drop and one was a minus decision. We’ll look at it and just keep coaching it. But the answer is not to throw the ball. I mean, the answer is not to overcoach it or overemphasize it. The goal is to be explosive on offense and the stats speak for themselves.

On the subject of turnovers, Dak (Prescott) has a history of protecting the football, but he missed five games and he has made them. Some were not his fault but the turnovers in general?

Don’t like them. I mean, that’s a key. You look at my coaching history, you know, you look at giveaways and takeaways. Those numbers speak for themselves. So I can promise you, we’re coaching it. We’re emphasizing it. He’s wired the right way. Our players are wired the right way. So, unfortunately, you go through ups and downs in this league. That’s the beauty of how competitive this league is. This was a game we needed to get and we got it done. So whether we don’t get any style points, that’s OK. But we’re still at 12 wins.

T.Y. Hilton continues to make the most of his opportunities. Converting three third downs today. How has he gained trust inside the building with Dak (Prescott) over time?

I think it’s obvious. Yeah. I think it’s obvious. You can see that he’s connected now, not only in the receiver room, but on the sideline. He is obviously a veteran with a lot of pelts on the wall. So I really like the addition.

Mike, what can this mini-bye do, if you consider it a mini-bye?

Well, I mean, it’s to get healthy. I mean, we’re working Monday, so it’s important. We’ll work tomorrow. We’ll get in there and get in the weight room and get things corrected. We don’t know if we’re playing Saturday or Sunday, so it might not be as long as we think it’s going to be.

12 wins back-to-back for the first time since 1994-95. What does that mean to you guys? And also in this year’s title race, do you think that can become Saints fans on Sunday?

I’m a Saints fan. This is what the league wanted with putting the division games at the end. And I think it’s awesome. You look around the league and, you know, I’m looking forward to watching football this weekend. Looking forward to the Monday night game. This is the way it’s supposed to be. We just got to keep playing. The biggest thing, you know, and obviously we want the Saints to win, but we want to line up and play for as much as we possibly can. We lined up in Washington, and I think that’s that’ll be the best situation for us.

You want to go into the playoffs on a roll not just when you get playing well. And I guess after this game, I wonder if felt you got it done?

Yeah, but I’m in tune with the injuries and all the things that are going on. All the little stuff. So, yeah, it wasn’t clean. This wasn’t a clean performance. We recognize that. I’m not disputing that at all. I do know my football team. I know they came out of a hard victory on Sunday and it took them a little longer to get the bodies back. But that’s what Thursday Night Football is. It’s a tough battle. It’s a tough challenge when you have to go on the road and all those things. But most importantly, we answered the bell and got it done.

You mentioned the injuries you had to the offensive line. Is that shuffling kind of a preplanned way to move everybody?

Yes, yes. Connor (McGovern) was the center, right. It was planned. Yes, there was a plan.

What does that say about Tyler Smith? As a rookie?

Yeah, it’s amazing. No, I mean, it really is. You see a guy, showed up here in April and took every rep from April, May, all the way through. We didn’t start that process until after Tyron (Smith) was injured. So, yeah, I think it’s been awesome to watch him compete and get better each week and doesn’t complain. I mean, he’s going to be a great player for a long time.

Mike, how much respect do you have for the Titans, for the way they fight you? The physical way that they play? They’re way down on the depth chart. They don’t have anything really to play for tonight and yet they still give you everything they have.

I’m a big believer in programs, and I think programs win with consistency. What Mike (Vrabel)‘s done here is obvious. His numbers speak for themselves. When guys get an opportunity to play, they’re ready to play. The positive thing about playing young players or getting guys moving up is they’re healthy. They got a lot of energy. So, I thought they played with good energy tonight.

How concerned are you with Micah (Parsons) and his hand injury?

I’m hopeful we’ll be past it next week. But, I think that’s another example how important this weekend is. But I’m not at all concerned.

QUARTERBACK DAK PRESCOTT

Talk about the resiliency to fight back after the two interceptions?

Yeah, I mean, be able to play this position, you’ve got to have a short-term memory, whether the interception you feel is your fault, not your fault, whether you throw it to the guy and lose out on points before half or not, you’ve got to be able to turn the page and just move on. That’s something that honestly, I take pride in. Obviously, you know, you’re not trying to have that adversity or cause that adversity, but good or bad, I’m on to the next play and I think that’s an example of it there. And just not only me, but the whole team and defense obviously stepping up, making plays when those unfortunate things happen. And then the offense, everybody, all 11 getting on and just saying let’s get back on the horse and get rolling.

How frustrating is it in the moment of these things to keep happening?

I mean, yes, it is frustrating. But there’s nothing I can do about it in the same sense. I mean, yeah, it might be frustrating, but by the time that I – say a minute after I’ve sat down on the sideline, I’ve got out of my head, I have said my words I needed to say to myself and just have moved on at that point. So yeah, it is frustrating as I said, whether it’s off your guys’ hands or whether I throw it behind the receiver and he makes the play, the cornerback makes the play, they are all frustrating and somehow they have got to stop.

Do you worry about this happening in the playoffs?

I don’t worry about that. I don’t sit there and think of that, ‘Oh, this is going to continue to happen.’ As much as anything I have got to fix the ones on my end and I’ve just got to make sure the receivers and everybody that may take part in them are focused and understand that we don’t have a lot of opportunities as we move forward these last games and all these playoffs games. Every drive matters, and we have to play every play, every drive, like it is to win the game and that’s the reality of it when you get to the postseason. So, it is just heightening our focus, and understanding, for me, the risk versus the reward, rather it is a tight window or not. Everybody being on the same page understanding the magnitude of each play.

What gives you the confidence that this unit can improve and give the consistency over the next few weeks?

It will go that far, and if you have been watching us, we have won these games other than the overtime unfortunate interception return. We are getting better. Even when bad plays happen we are able to move on. I have no hesitation, no doubt in the men we have in this locker room. If you heard me speak, I credit this team and give all the compliments of the brotherhood and the culture of what we have built here on it.

Is it perplexing that the team is 12-4 but there are a lot of questions unanswered?

No, not at all. Those are your questions and your thoughts. That is all external and outside of our locker room and that is why I compliment the brotherhood and culture and everything we have created. All that talk, that’s for y’all and we are going to let y’all talk. What we have got is a culture and a brotherhood that knows what they have, what we have, what we are capable of doing, we are going to double down on that and trust the process and continue to get better each day in practice, each we and understand the magnitude of what is coming up that we have just got to focus in on every detail of our preparation and make sure it is carrying over into these games.

Why do you think you and T.Y. Hilton have a good chemistry?

That is a credit to T.Y. (Hilton), honestly. He is a quarterback-friendly receiver, he’s played a lot of football and he’s a veteran. His body language speaks for itself. You know where is going. That’s all a credit to him. Just being able to come in a couple of weeks ago and just make the impact that he has made, making big-time catches, show up on third downs time and time again when his number is called and make those plays. But if you go back and look at this guy’s resume, his history in his there is no surprise at what he is doing.

Do you feel like a win is a win?

One hundred percent a win is a win. Obviously, there are things to clean up and they feel much better to clean up when you got the win. This is the NFL and I say it time and time again, give the other guys credit. These guys get paid to do their jobs whether their starters are out or not. Now you have got a bunch of young guys that are trying to make the most of their opportunity. They are trying to step up and show, ‘I can play in this league,’ and that is what this league is right now, full of a bunch of young players. You don’t have the old veterans impacting this league all the way throughout the roster. You have got guys that are waiting on their opportunity and they are good. A win is a win, and we are going to take it and get better from the mistakes and we are going to make sure that we are improving. A road win, short week, you have got to take them all. Style points and all that, that’s for y’all who think games are won on paper.

GUARD CONNOR MCGOVERN

When he (Tyler Biadasz) goes out, now you got to get Dak (Prescott) ready, was your mind racing like we got to--?

The biggest thing was I had to get my glove off, so I had to take all that stuff off. It felt like an eternity but was probably only like 30 seconds. But once I got that off, I got my hands dried, towel on, went over to Dak (Prescott), snaps were clean, and I was ready to go.

So you get a lot of snaps in practice, but you got to get the cadence down and those kinds of things. How difficult was that, or was it easy to get that down?

It took me a few weeks to get ready for the cadence on it, but luckily, we practiced that before anything happened, so we were good to go.

Connor, could you speak to the fact that the changes—it’s not just you but, three people--

Yeah, you just see the versatility amongst everyone in the room. You have JP (Jason Peters) play left tackle, right tackle. Tyler Smith played tackle—well, originally played guard, tackle, now he’s back to guard. I’m able to go back to center. Just speaks volumes to everyone that we’re all on the same page and ready to go anytime.

WIDE RECEIVER CEEDEE LAMB

CeeDee, 100 yards again in this game, 11 receptions. You got 651 in the past seven with five touchdowns total...(inaudible) in the back half of the season?

I always want to finish strong for the team. I always have the most confidence in myself and believing in myself and in my teammates that we’re all going to get our job done.

(Inaudible)

I’m doing whatever to get positive yards. Never want to really go back. That’s kind of how I play this game, always going in understanding that I’m not going to be the biggest receiver, but I can for sure get those extra yards.

CeeDee, just one more game left in the regular season. What do you make of where this team is at?

We still got a ways to go, honestly. And I understand that we got one more game in the regular season but capitalizing on all the mistakes. I mean, I feel like if we do that, we can be great.

They were missing guys, we know that. Obviously, the guys that played are very capable, too. But is there an element that was frustrating that you guys couldn’t put this game away earlier?

We just needed to put points on the board. Stop turning it over. Make routine plays. We do that, we’ll be all right.

What did you sense with Dak (Prescott) tonight in terms of his composure as the game went on? He had some mishaps early but finished strong.

Quarterback is the hardest position in this sport that we play. So obviously there’s going to be some good and bad. I mean, some things you learn from. And once again, he’s overcome adversity and was able to put this game away.

Someone put your jersey in Zeke (Ezekiel Elliott)’s locker. Did he request it from you?

Yeah, he did. Not really a request, he just took it. He just said, ‘I need that, dude.’

Why?

No specifics behind it. I mean, I got his jersey too so nice little jersey swap between the team.

T.Y. Hilton last week on the third-and-30, he showed what he could do with the speed and the wheels. Even at 33, he can take the top off the defense. Today he showed that he can be a critical possession receiver. What does a guy like that do as far as production-wise and the pressure it takes off of you as a receiver?

Gives us confidence. Obviously keeps the ball rolling. In this league, all you need is timely downs. Understand that we get those, and with the weapons we have, he’s just a key element to it. Keep building--I mean, they can double me all they want. Come on.

TIGHT END DALTON SCHULTZ

How do you view this mini bye you have—like for your body and things?

Absolutely. I think it’ll be good. I think we’ve had three games in 12 days. It’ll be nice. Obviously guys are playing a lot of ball in a short amount of time, and so getting our bodies back, get guys back from little bumps and bruises and injuries.

Three in 12 days, do you feel like the team’s getting tired or—it’s kind of a grueling game...

No, not really. We have a good core of players that are kind of setting an expectation for everybody. Because right now is when you need to play your best ball, not take your foot off the pedal.

How close do you think you guys are to that, to playing your best ball? CeeDee (Lamb) was just saying like Vikings—felt like that.

Yeah, I mean, I just think this will be a game where we can learn a lot. And it might be a game where it changes our path and trajectory of where we want to go based on fixing some stuff that we needed to fix in this game. So I think that you take everything in stride, learn what you can, and the most important thing is just getting better every week. We get another game next week and then we’re playing for keeps after that.

Do you feel like guys really didn’t pay attention to Tennessee sitting guys and all that?

Yeah, I mean, we’ve been saying it all week. It doesn’t matter who lines up or who we play, what their record is. We’re going out to try to play our best brand of ball. Obviously we got the win, but again, I don’t think we played our best ball today. Again, good learning opportunity.

I might have missed this but how did it feel to make those touchdown grabs, especially the one in the corner?

It’s great. Catching touchdowns is always a good feeling. Just being able to make those plays and just keep building trust from the other guys in the offense. You step in the huddle, you want to make sure that you got the trust of every guy in there. So I thought that was a good step for us.

On the flip side of that, Peyton (Hendershot) has a play like that with that interception--

Short term memory, man, that’s what I said. We’re big on neutral thinking. We’re big on not getting too high, not getting too low. That was just one of those moments where it’s natural, like, you have a play like that, you’re going to get down on yourself. So, I said, ‘You got two minutes to sulk a little bit and then we need you right back.’

What impressed you most about Dak (Prescott) tonight just in terms of the ebb and flow of the game?

Just poise. I mean, he’s the king of not getting too high, not getting too low. He’s him throughout, whether he just threw a pick or a 99-yard bomb. You know exactly what you’re going to get from him, especially emotion-wise, and I think that’s why he’s such a good leader.

After a play like the Peyton (Hendershot) one, how does Dak (Prescott), does he go over to a guy like Peyton?

Absolutely. I mean, he’s saying the same stuff that I said. ‘We need you. We’re coming right back to you.’ You get a play like that, it’s not like you’re not getting another shot. No, you’re getting another shot, we need you to make that play. Bringing some of the young guys along and teaching them that is really important, especially as you get late into the year and deep in the playoffs hopefully--you’re going to need some of these young guys to step up and their name is going to get called in big time moments, and you’re going to need their best performance.