ARLINGTON - In his unique way - a way that over the course of 35 years covering his Dallas Cowboys we've called "Southern-Fried Little Rock Door-to-Door Salesman Jibber-Jabber'' - team owner Jerry Jones on Sunday night at AT&T Stadium reacted to his team's stunning 26-24 upset win over the visiting Tampa Bay Bucs with a firm statement on the "outstanding'' work of lame-duck head coach Mike McCarthy. ...
While also making a firm statement that features no promises.
In terms of playoff contention, Dallas had nothing tangible to play for at the kickoff of Sunday night's contest here in Arlington. A stunning win earlier in the day by the Washington Commanders over the Philadelphia Eagles served as a mercy killing of "America's Team's'' slim postseason hopes.
Coming into the game, the ambitions of playing for pride were made known and had been on display for a few weeks. But this Cowboys' gutsy 26-24 showed more than pride. It also showed support from the players for their coach, who is working on the final year of his contract.
And Jerry has taken notice.
“Mike McCarthy, he just won’t let them not think that they’re not playing for a Super Bowl out there,'' said a joyful Jones, announcing in his statement that this win was as driven by positive "emotion'' as any within his 82-year-old memory.
"Super Bowl'' may be a bit much; maybe, given the 30-year drought around here, Jones has forgotten what a real one feels like.
The Cowboys have won four of the last five to lift themselves to a 7-8 record. That still makes them an NFL have-not ... and further examination of Jones' postgame remarks reinforce that reality.
Added Jones on the subject of a contact extension for McCarthy: “Just so we’re clear, all I can say is what good of a job he’s doing. I don’t have thoughts that I would share as to anything about what we do with our days after we’re through playing this year. I don’t have anything I would share about that.”
The Cowboys will get two more cracks at two playoff-bound division rivals responsible for their playoff demise in the final weeks. What if the stubborn Cowboys beat Philadelphia next week? What if they beat Washington the week after that?
Or, short of two huge upsets, what if McCarthy has them playing as well as they have over the course of the last month?
McCarthy being retained was not the original plan for 2025. And we don't know that moral victories - or even victories - will be enough to make that happen.
But Jerry Jones is impressed. And that "perfectly clear'' message is all we get to know for sure for now.
