Another week, another win, but also a lingering issue around some clock management for Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy.
With a running clock just after the two-minute warning, the Eagles were faced with a third-and-24 when quarterback Jalen Hurts connected with running back Miles Sanders for a 19-yard reception before being tackled near midfield.
The play started with less than a minute to go and the Cowboys, with two timeouts remaining, didn’t stop the clock before or after the third-down call. The Eagles would then accept a delay of game penalty with 20 seconds left and punt on fourth down.
After the Eagles punted, the Cowboys took a knee to end the half rather than using their timeouts for another potential chance to score again on offense.
Jerry Jones cut McCarthy some slack on Tuesday during his weekly interview with “Shan & RJ” on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM] and the Cowboys owner stood behind his head coach’s end-of-half decision-making.
“I know firsthand Mike’s capabilities and have known how he approaches it, the logic that he uses, and I’m not a bit concerned about his ability to manage a tight situation,” Jones said, mentioning these types of situations happen around the league weekly.
“Is he going to have some things that he can second-guess? You bet they are.”
The chance at some extra points before halftime ultimately didn’t cost the Cowboys in Monday’s 41-21 win, just as the time snafu late in the fourth quarter against the Chargers didn’t cost the team a week ago.
“The decision was to take the lead going into halftime,” McCarthy said after the game.
“I was comfortable given where the ball was at.”
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