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Jerry Jones: Cowboys not planning to fire Mike McCarthy

Tue Nov 19 12:37pm ET
Field Level Media

In-season coaching changes are a thing of the past for the Dallas Cowboys, owner Jerry Jones said.

"You don't need to worry about anybody in that locker room giving everything they've got and more and how bad they feel when they get beat on a play or get beat in a quarter or the whole game, at all," Jones said Monday following the Cowboys' seventh loss of the season. "I don't ever worry about that."

Jones said he regrets pulling the plug too soon on head coaches in the past, including firing Wade Phillips after a 1-7 start in 2010.

"I've regretted that. That's the music I'm listening to," Jones said.

There are no plans for an in-season move involving head coach Mike McCarthy in Dallas, where the Cowboys (3-7) are winless at home by a league-worst margin of minus-118.

McCarthy said "it's frustrating for everybody" to accumulate losses, but he knows the only thing that might save his job when his contract runs out in January is ending the season with a string of wins.

"There is good coming out of this," McCarthy said Monday night. "You don't see it because we're not winning games, but there's young men that are getting an opportunity to do more and I do believe it'll pay forward. It needs to hurry the hell up, because we need it in six days."

The Cowboys went 12-5 last season and discussed a path to the Super Bowl throughout the offseason. Expectations did not match the current reality.

Jones said he's counting on the Cowboys sticking together through what he described as tough times, similar to Dallas going 1-15 his first year as owner in 1989.

"And we've had other tough years. And this one, we didn't anticipate the record. And the way we're playing right now, we wouldn't have anticipated that," Jones said. "But, not, this isn't -- y'all have heard me tell these old stories until you're sick -- but not, you stay in this league long enough, you'll have times like this."

Jones, of course, could change his mind with the Cowboys in the midst of three games in 11 days. Their 34-10 loss in primetime to the Texans on Monday night was the third consecutive home loss by a margin of at least three touchdowns. The Cowboys also suffered a 34-6 loss to the NFC East-leading Eagles and began their current five-game losing streak with a 47-9 spanking at the hands of the Detroit Lions.

Dallas has a quick turnaround for Week 12 against former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who quickly righted the ship with the Washington Commanders (7-4).

"This is it, man. We got seven losses. We've got to go. Backs against the wall. We got to fight, scratch and claw. We've got to do everything we can to go win the next game," McCarthy said. "That's where my mind's at. That's what I'm going to coach and that's the expectation. We've got to win."

The Cowboys are in the spotlight for their traditional Thanksgiving Day game in what is set up as a matchup of backup quarterbacks -- Cooper Rush for Dallas and Tommy DeVito for the New York Giants -- and play again on "Monday Night Football" 11 days later against the Cincinnati Bengals.

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Player Notes
Gabriel Davis Nov 19 1:20pm CT
Gabriel Davis

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Gabe Davis (knee) is heading to the Injured Reserve list due to a knee injury, and his 2024 season is over. The former Buffalo Bill signed a three-year, $39 million deal this offseason to join a team that was supposed to compete for an AFC South championship. In 10 games with Jacksonville, he racked up 20 receptions for 239 yards and two touchdowns. While he was not much of a fantasy football contributor, his absence for the rest of the season could open more opportunities for Parker Washington. That said, all of the Jaguars' offensive skill players lack upside until Trevor Lawrence (shoulder) returns from his shoulder injury, which could be after the Week 12 bye.

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Tyrone Tracy Jr. Nov 19 1:20pm CT
Tyrone Tracy Jr.

The New York Giants are signing offensive lineman Tyre Phillips to the practice squad on Tuesday, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. The 27-year-old started in nine games for the G-Men last season before suffering a torn quad, but he is fully recovered. Phillips has played in 44 career games with 27 total starts since entering the NFL as a third-round pick out of Mississippi State in 2020. While New York is far removed from the NFC Playoff picture, Phillips could make his way onto the active roster and enhance the team's offensive line down the stretch for running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. and new starting quarterback Tommy Devito.

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Zach Wilson Nov 19 11:40am CT
Zach Wilson

The New York Jets fired general manager Joe Douglas on Tuesday, according to sources. The move comes six weeks after the team fired head coach Robert Saleh and just a few days after a one-point loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 11 to drop the team to 3-8 on the year. Douglas had been the team's GM since June of 2019 and he finishes his tenure in New York with a 30-64 record. He'll mostly be remembered for missing badly on quarterback Zach Wilson (second overall pick in 2021) and offensive tackle Mekhi Becton (first-rounder in 2020). His big move to acquire QB Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers in April of 2023 also has not worked out. The Jets had Super Bowl aspirations at the start of this season but will now go into the offseason with a major overhaul likely coming. New York will need to hire a new GM and head coach in the same offseason for the first time since 2015.

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Mike McCarthy Nov 19 11:30am CT
Mike McCarthy

The Dallas Cowboys fell to 3-7 after their 34-10 loss to the Houston Texans on Monday Night Football, but owner Jerry Jones thinks the players still believe in head coach Mike McCarthy. "That losing the team stuff, that's so overblown," Jones said. The Cowboys are currently projected to have a top-10 pick in next year's draft, although McCarthy is in the final year of his contract. The Cowboys have lost their first five home games of a season for the first time since 1989 and they've been outscored by 118 points, the third-highest total though five home games in the Super Bowl era. It remains to be seen if the Cowboys extend McCarthy's contract beyond this year, but at this time, it doesn't seem likely that Jones will make an in-season move to fire the head coach. Dallas faces the division-rival Washington Commanders in Week 12, followed by a Thanksgiving game against the New York Giants.

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Justin Fields Nov 19 11:30am CT
Justin Fields

Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith said he wanted to use quarterback Justin Fields in more packages in the Week 11 win over the division-rival Baltimore Ravens, but the Steelers stalled out on too many of their third downs on offense. "We have two starting quarterbacks," Smith said Tuesday. "It's a very unique situation." Fields only carried the ball twice for 17 yards in the 18-16 win over Baltimore and has rarely seen the field since Russell Wilson took over under center. To be fair, Wilson has looked much better running Pittsburgh's offense than most people expected after missing the start of the 2024 season due to a nagging calf injury. Fields could get more involved in Week 12 on Monday night against the Los Angeles Chargers, but unless Wilson misses more time with an injury, Fields will be off the radar in single-QB fantasy leagues.

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Trey Lance Nov 19 11:10am CT
Trey Lance

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said after the 34-10 loss to the Houston Texans on Monday night that he regrets not giving quarterback Trey Lance an opportunity to run the offense late in the blowout. "I think the one thing I should have done at the end, and I just didn't do, was put Trey in there. I could've gotten him a series. That's one thing that I would second-guess myself on," McCarthy said. The former third overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers in 2021 has barely played in the NFL but should get more opportunities down the stretch in 2024 in a lost season for the Cowboys with Dak Prescott (hamstring) done for the year. Lance, 24, went 4-for-6 for 21 yards and an interception late in the Week 10 blowout loss to the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles. If Dallas gets spanked again in Week 12 by the Commanders, Lance should get some more action.

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Justin Tucker Nov 19 11:10am CT
Justin Tucker

Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker has struggled mightily in 2024 and missed two more field goals in the two-point loss to the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11, but head coach John Harbaugh said on Monday that the team has no plans to bring in competition for Tucker. The seven-time Pro Bowler has seen his conversion rate fall to 72.7% this year, which is his lowest mark ever 11 games into a season. His six misses are one more than all of 2023, and he's just on miss shy of tying his career worst. In the team's four losses this year, Tucker has missed five field goals. Sunday was just the sixth time in his 206 career games in which he missed multiple kicks. As a result, the 34-year-old veteran is no longer the most accurate kicker in NFL history, as his career success rate of 89.3% ranks behind Panthers kicker Eddy Pineiro (89.4%). Despite his struggles, Tucker should be considered a top-10 fantasy kicker in Week 12 on Monday against the Los Angeles Chargers.

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Jonathan Mingo Nov 19 9:10am CT
Jonathan Mingo

Newly acquired Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jonathan Mingo failed to catch a pass from four targets in a 34-10 loss to Houston on Monday. Dallas gave up a fourth-round pick in a trade with Carolina at the trade deadline, but couldn't get the second-year receiver involved at all against Houston. With quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring) out for the season and the Dallas running game unable to muster much of anything, it's difficult to see the situation improving at all. At this stage, Mingo doesn't need to occupy a fantasy roster spot, even in deep leagues.

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Ezekiel Elliott Nov 19 9:10am CT
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Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott caught all three of his targets for 16 yards and carried once for eight yards in a 34-10 loss to Houston on Monday. It was ugly all around as the Cowboys rushed for just 64 total yards and spent most of the night playing catch-up behind backup quarterback Cooper Rush. Running back Rico Dowdle had 10 carries for 28 yards, leading the team in both categories. Elliott's best days are behind him as is, but the entire Dallas backfield simply can't be trusted as the team prepares for Washington in Week 12.

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John Metchie III Nov 19 9:00am CT
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Houston Texans wide receiver John Metchie III hauled in all three of his targets for 33 yards in the Texans' 34-10 victory at Dallas on Monday night. The third-year receiver was coming off a career game last week against Detroit, and remained involved despite the Texans seeing the return of top receiver Nico Collins. The Alabama product has now played more than 60% of Houston's snaps three weeks in a row and appears to have hold of their third receiver spot now that Stefon Diggs (knee) is out for the season. Metchie won't get much volume, though, so he'll mostly be a desperation streaming option as Houston takes on Tennessee in Week 12.

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Jalen Tolbert Nov 19 12:20am CT
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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert caught just two of his five targets for 21 yards during Monday's loss to the Houston Texans. The 25-year-old posted double-digit fantasy points (PPR) in four of his first eight games this year, initially giving him some low-end WR3/FLEX appeal. However, ever since Cooper Rush has taken over for Dak Prescott (hamstring), Tolbert has fallen off the fantasy radar. He continues to play north of 90 percent of the Cowboys' offensive snaps but has just five catches for 35 yards over his last two games combined. Tolbert can be benched in fantasy leagues with 14 teams or fewer.

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Luke Schoonmaker Nov 19 12:10am CT
Luke Schoonmaker

Dallas Cowboys tight end Luke Schoonmaker caught six of his 10 targets for 56 yards during Monday's loss to the Houston Texans. While Schoonmaker typically operates as the Cowboys' No. 2 tight end, he was bumped up to the first-team offense early in Monday's game after Jake Ferguson (concussion) was ruled out. The 26-year-old has shown off his ability to step up on offense before, catching six passes for 43 yards when Ferguson was sidelined back in Week 2. If Ferguson's concussion forces him to miss Week 12 against the Washington Commanders, Schoonmaker would temporarily become a fringe top-12 fantasy tight end.

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KaVontae Turpin Nov 19 12:10am CT
KaVontae Turpin

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver KaVontae Turpin caught each of his three targets for a total of 86 yards during Monday's loss to the Houston Texans. The bulk of his production came on a 64-yard touchdown on the first play of the second quarter. This was Turpin's best game of the year, bringing his season totals to 20 catches, 267 yards, and two touchdowns. The 28-year-old is a talented big-play threat but doesn't have the volume needed to justify rostering him in leagues with 14 teams or fewer.

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CeeDee Lamb Nov 19 12:00am CT
CeeDee Lamb

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb turned 12 targets into eight catches for 93 yards during Monday's loss to the Houston Texans. He also tallied a 13-yard rush. Even with the Cowboys' offense faltering under Cooper Rush, Lamb was able to be productive, turning in 18-plus fantasy points (PPR) for the fourth time this season. This was his highest fantasy point total this season in a game where he failed to find the end zone. The Cowboys' No. 1 receiver should continue to see heavy volume moving forward, which will allow him to remain in the low-end WR1 tier for fantasy purposes.

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Rico Dowdle Nov 18 11:40pm CT
Rico Dowdle

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle rushed for 28 yards on 10 carries during Monday's loss to the Houston Texans. He also caught two of his five targets for an additional six receiving yards. Even as quarterback Cooper Rush racked up production in garbage time, the Cowboys' starting running back was not able to get very involved. Between his subpar volume and reduced efficiency, Dowdle will drop to the low-end RB3 tier next week against Washington.

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Cooper Rush Nov 18 11:30pm CT
Cooper Rush

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush completed 32 of his 55 pass attempts for 354 yards, one touchdown, and one interception during Monday's loss to the Houston Texans. He also fumbled twice, but both were recovered by the Cowboys. All in all, Rush put together a solid fantasy showing by racking up yardage during garbage time. This was enough to reward fantasy managers who may have opted to stream him in Week 11. Moving forward, Rush will drop back down to the QB3 tier. He faces the Washington Commanders next Sunday.

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Tank Dell Nov 18 11:20pm CT
Tank Dell

Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell finished his team's 34-10 victory at Dallas with four catches for 54 yards on seven targets. Interestingly, it was exactly the same stat line as No. 1 receiver Nico Collins, who returned to the lineup following a prolonged absence. Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud completed passes to eight different receivers, but running back Joe Mixon accounted for all three of Houston's offensive touchdowns. Dell and the Texans will look for a breakout day against the Tennessee Titans in Week 12.

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C.J. Stroud Nov 18 11:10pm CT
C.J. Stroud

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud completed 23 of 34 passing attempts for 257 yards with no touchdowns and an interception in a 34-10 victory at Dallas on Monday. The second-year quarterback saw the return of top wide receiver Nico Collins, but running back Joe Mixon did most of the offensive damage by scoring three touchdowns. Stroud completed passes to eight receivers in the game, but has now thrown just two touchdown passes in his past five games. The Houston signal-caller will look for a better performance in a solid matchup in Week 12 when the Texans take on the floundering Tennessee Titans.

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Nico Collins Nov 18 11:10pm CT
Nico Collins

The Houston Texans saw top wide receiver Nico Collins haul in four passes for 54 yards on seven targets during a 34-10 victory at Dallas. The star wideout's return to the field after a hamstring ailment landed him on injured reserve was a bit underwhelming, as he finished with exactly the same stat line as fellow wide receiver Tank Dell. However, it was running back Joe Mixon who stole the show, scoring all three of the Texans' offensive touchdowns in the convincing win. Collins and the Texans' passing game will have a great chance to break out against a reeling Tennessee team in Week 12.

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Dalton Schultz Nov 18 10:50pm CT
Dalton Schultz

Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz set a season-high with five catches for 33 yards in the Texans' 34-10 victory against the Dallas Cowboys. The big tight end drew seven targets, which tied for the team lead, but did most of his work within short yardage. The former Cowboy still has not scored this season, but Houston has only two passing touchdowns in its past five games as a team, so receiving touchdowns have been few and far between. Schultz and the Texans will look for better against the struggling Tennessee Titans in Week 12.

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