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McCarthy knew it would be difficult to watch the game from a hotel in Texas. He didn't know how difficult it was.
McCarthy's Cowboys beat the New Orleans Saints to end a two-game losing streak and open up more room over the Washington Football Team in the NFC East with five games to play.
McCarthy said via phone after the game that it was rough. I'm proud of the guys, but I don't want to do it again.
McCarthy was placed in the COVID-19 protocols after testing positive for a drug, and Dan Quinn took over the role of head-coaching. Two players and five other coaches missed the game, including offensive line coach Joe Philbin and assistant offensive line coach Jeff Blasko.
McCarthy said thatversity win, ugly win, however, you want to define it, you have to have these wins when you are playing teams that are trying to get in the playoffs or make a run. This is a great experience for us. This is the NFL. You have to be able to win with change.
There was a lot of change by the Cowboys.
Normally, he is in the coaches' booth, calling defenses, but he was on the sideline. The offensive line responsibilities were taken over by Lunda Wells. Haslett worked with the tight ends. Will and Ben were on the sideline. Rob Davis was on a headset for the first time.
"One thing you've heard me say before is I love doing hard things with a group of people, and this was one of those moments," said the former Atlanta Falcons' head coach, who had a 2-3 record inside the Superdome. We have great people who can get the job done. We wanted to let Mike and the guys who missed know that we were behind them. That was the only thing I was worried about. I didn't want to let him down. He's done a great job leading us to the play style that we wanted. It was a cool win.
Carlos Watkins picked off a pick-six for the defense. Tony Pollard's 58-yard touchdown run in the third quarter was the longest run of his career and the longest scoring run by a running back in two years.
It was the culmination of a week that forced the Cowboys to change. McCarthy ran the meetings virtually all week, and held his normal meeting via the internet on Thursday. The players and coaches had to grab their meals at The Star before and after the game. The players had to work out on their own because they didn't have access to the weight room all week.
"This is one of those weeks where you have a job, and it's your job right now," he said.
After the game, Jerry Jones had a funny line ready for Quinn.
Jones said that he told him that he was right there with Tom Landry, the Cowboys' all-time win leader. He can now say he's the Cowboys' head coach.
Next week's game against Washington will be a good place for him to return to the coaches' booth.
"I'm hoping that you guys don't see me again and I'll be back on the top here by the next game and Mike will make all the progress that we need to have him back on the field and a lot of other guys too," he said. "We missed a number of guys today from the staff and a couple players as well, so hopefully this is hitting us with some time to see if we can get back and get back to normal."
McCarthy hopes to be back in the office early next week if he posts two negative tests by 24 hours or if he reaches the 10-day quark.
He doesn't want to have to watch his team play again.
