Cowboys’ Mike McCarthy laments OT penalties, not 4th-down name

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Mike McCarthy is aware of the ins and outs of Lambeau Discipline higher than anyone having coached for components of 13 seasons with the Inexperienced Bay Packers.

Going through fourth-and-3 from the Inexperienced Bay 35-yard line on the primary possession of extra time Sunday, McCarthy handed on attempting a 53-yard discipline purpose into the wind, with Dak Prescott as a substitute throwing incomplete. Six performs later, the Dallas Cowboys misplaced, 31-28, to the Packers, falling to 3rd place within the NFC East.

“We had been proper on the road for a discipline purpose,” McCarthy mentioned. “Hey, to be trustworthy with you, I believed we would have liked to go for it. I imply I referred to as it on second down, particularly with the best way the sport was going. Large play, penalty. Large play, penalty. Large play, penalty. So our factor was simply maintain taking part in. We had good calls. I am advantageous with the choice clearly on fourth-and-3. Simply did not convert.”

Had Brett Maher made the sector purpose, the Packers nonetheless would have had a chance to win on the subsequent possession, they usually had scored touchdowns on two of their last three possessions of regulation.

Maher’s solely misses on the season have been from 59 yards twice. He mentioned the wind modified instructions throughout the sport from pregame warm-ups.

“The wind was undoubtedly an element,” Maher mentioned. “I feel I may’ve hit a very good clear ball going that method however, hey, I like the decision to go for the win in that scenario. We’re right here to win video games. I feel that was a very good name.”

McCarthy was visibly upset throughout extra time, particularly after two penalties (offside on broad receiver Jalen Tolbert, holding on Connor McGovern) worn out positive aspects of 9 and 16 yards by Tony Pollard because the Cowboys had been marching towards a possible profitable landing.

“I believed we had been in complete management in extra time,” McCarthy mentioned. “Clearly with penalties and the issues, very, very, very pissed off. However you must overcome these issues. This group, this group of males, hey, they’ve it. However simply dissatisfied for them.”

And the gamers had been dissatisfied for McCarthy.

Quite a lot of them mentioned they needed to win the sport for McCarthy, who went 133-85-2 because the Packers head coach and gained Tremendous Bowl XLV. He tipped his cap to the group after a pregame announcement was made on his return, in addition to 9 different assistant coaches.

“Clearly we needed to get it for Mike,” Prescott mentioned. “And it sucks we did not. That is that. There isn’t any approach to sugarcoat it. There’s nothing else so as to add on. We needed to get it for Mike however extra importantly we needed to put one other brick on the place we’re going and we did not try this. So we’ll stick collectively and discover a approach to make this crew higher transferring ahead.”

McCarthy, who turned 59 on Thursday, had about 40 household and pals in attendance. He arrived six hours earlier than kickoff and was in a position to meet with a lot of of us in and outdoors group. On the sector, he shared pregame hugs with former receivers Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, in addition to Aaron Rodgers. After Mason Crosby’s game-winning discipline purpose, McCarthy and Rodgers embraced once more.

On the finish, he was spent emotionally and didn’t wish to reminisce.

“I am not attempting to be impolite,” he mentioned. “I am not. I am humble pie-d out, OK.”