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Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy met with the press to talk about the Cowboys preparations to play the Giants. A playoff spot could be on the line, so the team is pushing ahead with game-planning. Coach addressed all those issues today, including injuries. (All answers are paraphrased and not actual quotes).
Win and in... sort of
The Dallas Cowboys don’t have a win-and-in situation surrounding them this week as they will need help besides what they can do on their own, but Mike McCarthy noted that the messaging around the game is very similar to the playoffs.
He said these are playoff-type games and that you can see the intensity down the stretch because everybody is playing or on the cusp of playing to be in a situation where they can continue their playoff hopes. He noted that if the team doesn’t perform then they are going to be in for an uphill challenge.
Celebrating at midnight
It is New Year’s Eve and Mike McCarthy was asked how he will spend the first minutes of 2021. He noted that he hopes to be asleep at midnight but is anxious to put the year of 2020 behind us as we all are.
Minimizing Covid-19 cases
The NFL has battled a global pandemic all season long, but the Dallas Cowboys have been one of the more fortunate teams in terms of positive tests for Covid-19. McCarthy praised the team for following protocols and noted that he believes the commitment from the organization, players, and staff has helped during these challenging times.
Update on the secondary
Mike McCarthy said that Xavier Woods did a fine job on Wednesday, he flew around at practice and looked good. Rashard Robinson is still out, Chidobe Awuie was limited, and Donovan Wilson won’t practice today due to his illness.
Ezekiel Elliott
Wednesday’s injury report did not feature Ezekiel Elliott, and Mike McCarthy noted that Zeke has been approaching both practice and rehab in a very disciplined way. He said he took all of his assigned reps in practice and looked good.
Potential changes to next year
As the league has navigated Covid-19, a number of protocols have been amended to comply with social distancing. People have wondered how many things instituted in 2020 will hold a level of permanence in the future. Mike McCarthy said he’s unaware of what the league is deciding with regards to that.
Plan for watching Washington/Philadelphia
Asked what the team’s plans are in terms of watching the game between the Washington Football Team and Philadelphia Eagles, McCarthy noted that the team will be traveling during the early portion of it. He said they should land back home in time to get back and catch the end of it.
The tight end group
McCarthy praised Dalton Schultz, Blake Bell, and Sean McKeon and noted that the group has performed well this season. He said the word consistency is the best way to describe the group. He noted that both Dalton Schultz and Blake Bell have improved their blocking as the season has gone on and done their best work in recent games, but that they have consistently contributed throughout the year.