Cowboys 'Expecting to Win,' Embracing Underdog Role at 'Tremendous' 49ers - Coach Mike McCarthy

CowboysSI.com asks Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy about his oddsmakers thoughts on the Niners playoff game. "We’re clearly going there expecting to win,'' he says.

FRISCO - Earlier this season, Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy expressed shock that his team was not favored by the oddsmakers to beat the L.A. Rams.

"We're nobody's underdogs!'' declared the coach, coining a phrase that resonated when Dallas humbled the Rams, 22-10.

Now along comes the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the playoffs and yes, the visiting Cowboys are again the underdog.

CowboysSI.com asked McCarthy about his oddsmakers thoughts this time around.

"We'll just stick with that,'' McCarthy said adding that he views this as a "great challenge” against a “tremendous team' ...

"But we’re clearly going there expecting to win.”

McCarthy - who earlier in the day on 105.3 The Fan expressed surprise that the Niners are a 4-point favorite - We're the underdog? Wow! - continued his response to us by adding, “We’re very comfortable in this position.''

It is McCarthy's position (or at least the position he must take, given the circumstances) that Dallas has a psychological "human-nature'' advantage to being doubted.

Cowboys star linebacker Micah Parsons has expressed the same notion, almost celebrating the fact that 13-4 San Francisco is the betting favorite over 12-5 Dallas in the Sunday evening matchup at Levi's Stadium.

"What everybody's saying, we hear it: 'No way the Cowboys are going to win," Micah Parsons said, part of a lengthy, provocative "quote-machine'' session at The Star. "I think you should feed into it; you should love that stuff. When no one believes in you, that's the best feeling. I really like being the underdog.

"It's always a great story to tell."

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