Cowboys Coach ‘Hot Seat’? Jerry Jones & Mike McCarthy on Playoffs, Job Security

The Dallas Cowboys looked horrible in their season finale against division-rival Washington on Sunday. Can McCarthy put that all behind them and prepare them for a quarterback they've never beaten?

FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys had their worst game of the season at maybe the worst time of the year. After laying an egg in virtually every aspect of the game at FedEx Field on Sunday coach Mike McCarthy will try to make sure his team has a short memory.

And Cowboys owner Jerry Jones will keep the faith in McCarthy as his turnaround guy.

"No,'' the owner said emphatically on his weekly radio appearance on 105.3 The Fan when asked about Monday's playoff game at Tampa being a fulcrum point for a keep-or-fire decision on his coach. "I don’t need to go into all the plusses or minuses. I’ve got a lot more to evaluate Mike McCarthy on than this playoff game.”

One measure of the coach's value this week? How to re-set the 12-5 team's positive tone. McCarthy had some thoughts about how to move on.

"I think it’s National Football League. I’m not just trying to just throw shade to it. We always talk of how difficult it is to win a game," said McCarthy on Monday. "I think like anything, you get punched in the mouth quite often in this league and it’s like anything, it’s how you respond."

Now it's time to focus on a Monday night playoff game against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

"I have confidence in our football team regardless of who we line up against in the playoffs, that we’ll be successful,'' McCarthy said. "We got some things that we were able to go through and make sure we got the right direction going for Tampa Bay. ... So I feel like what we’re capable of doing is very high and a lot of belief and confidence. And we’ll get ready to go and just really focus on the week of preparation."

History is not on the Dak Prescott-led Cowboys' side, as Brady is 7-0 all-time against Dallas, whixh has not won a road playoff game since the 1992 NFC Championship Game in San Francisco. Since that game, the Cowboys are 0-8 away from home in the postseason.

If the Cowboys expect to reach the ultimate mountaintop in February, it starts with a road win in Tampa Bay on Monday night, and it's McCarthy's job to make sure the team is set up for success - and he has a believer in owner Jerry Jones.

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