The Dallas Cowboys and Washington Football Team have never really liked each other. And now, their respective head coaches have made it clear they don’t like each other either.
The two NFC East squads square off in a pivotal game on Sunday and Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy decided to push all his chips into the center of the table, telling reporters that “we’re going to win this game” in a rare instance of an NFL coach guaranteeing a victory.
Mike McCarthy on this being bulletin board material: "What am I supposed to say? I fully expect to win every game I've ever competed in…They're working hard, we're working hard. But we're clearly planning on going to Washington & winning the game. There's no doubt about that." https://t.co/0yvtN7szjc
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) December 9, 2021
“We know what people think of us,” said McCarthy. “We know who we are and where we are. We’re going to win this game. I’m confident about that.’’
When asked to clarify the bulletin board material, McCarthy didn’t back down.
“What am I supposed to say?” McCarthy said. “I fully expect to win every game I’ve ever competed in. … They’re working hard, we’re working hard. But we’re clearly planning on going to Washington and winning the game. There’s no doubt about that.”
Naturally, that got back to WFT head coach Ron Rivera, who told reporters that he thought the statement was a big mistake.
Washington coach Ron Rivera on @nbcwashington on Mike McCarthy saying the Cowboys are going to win Sunday: “You do that for a couple of reasons, 1. You want to get in our head. Secondly, he’s trying to convince his team. … He’s now made it about him…I think it’s a big mistake.”
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) December 10, 2021
“I think it’s interesting. I don’t think it’s important,” Rivera said. “I think that’s the big mistake because as far as I’m concerned, you do that for a couple of reasons. One is you want to get in our head. And so I’ve told our players, ‘That’s interesting, it’s not important. What’s important is our preparation, getting ready to play on Sunday.’ Secondly, he’s trying to convince his team. So, again, I think that’s another mistake. Because he’s now made it about him and what he said, it’s not about his players anymore.”
And now, that reaction has gotten back to McCarthy, who took umbrage with the notion that he’d make it about himself.
Mike McCarthy: “It’s irrelevant what anybody thinks about what I said. I was talking about my team. I always coach my own team. That’s where I’m at with it. We have great confidence in what we’re trying to do. It was an honest answer to a question from a great group of people.” https://t.co/X1X16Djnrl
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) December 10, 2021
“It’s irrelevant what anybody thinks about what I said,” McCarthy explained. “I was talking about my team. I always coach my own team. That’s where I’m at with it. We have great confidence in what we’re trying to do. It was an honest answer to a question from a great group of people.”
Don’t expect to see the two coaches gather before the game, but the post-game handshake should be memorable.
It’s actually a critical game for both teams as the Cowboys have lost three of their last five games and now only lead the Washington Football Team and Philadelphia Eagles by a handful of games for the NFC East crown. If Dallas loses, McCarthy is going to have a lot to answer for, especially the fact that his guarantee failed.
