Clarence Hill: Dallas Cowboys let down Mike McCarthy, themselves in bitter loss to Green Bay Packers

The Dallas Cowboys and coach Mike McCarthy tried to say all the right things after Sunday’s 31-28 overtime loss to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

They talked about it being just one game and needing to put it behind them.

But we all know the truth.

Sunday’s setback was just one game in the loss column but it was a gut-wrenching defeat personally for McCarthy and a reality check for a team that still has yet to prove it’s capable of taking the next step as a real Super Bowl contender.

To a man, the Cowboys wanted the game badly for McCarthy, who was making his first trip back to Green Bay as a head coach since being fired in 2018 following 13 years there as head coach, including a Super Bowl title in 2010.

It was personal for McCarthy, who was grew emotional last week talking about the game and had tears in his eyes after the game.

His hopes for a triumphant return were dashed when the Cowboys blew a 28-14 fourth quarter lead and lost in a field goal in overtime.

McCarthy, who bought more than 50 tickets for friends and family and stayed at his farm the night before the game, said losing a game they felt they had complete control of was very, very frustrating.

“I’m humble pied out,” McCarthy said before walking way from his postgame press conference.

The disappointment was also thick in the Cowboys locker room. Quarterback Dak Prescott sat on his chair next running back Ezekiel Elliott for several minutes just staring at the ground.

When he did talk to the media, his frustration was pointed.

“Obviously we wanted to get (a win) for Mike. And it sucks,” Prescott said. “We didn’t. There’s no way to sugarcoat it. There’s nothing else to add on.”

Prescott did add that the Cowboys “wanted to lay another brick on where we’re going and we didn’t do that. We’re gonna stick together and find a way to make this team better.”

Let’s get back to the first answer and not sugarcoat what it means for the second answer.

Prescott described the atmosphere at Lambeau Field for McCarthy’s homecoming as a playoff environment.

And if there was an ever an opportunity for the Cowboys get have their coach’s back while also showing the world they were legit by beating Hall of Fame quarterback and Cowboys nemesis Aaron Rodgers on his home turf, this was it.

The Packers were riding a five-game losing streak. They had lost two of their best defensive players for the season to injury the week before and were playing without two of their best receivers.

The Cowboys came into the game with all the motivation in the world for McCarthy, coming off a bye, rested and largely healthy and riding a two-game winning streak of their own while trying to keep pace with the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East.

To blow a 28-14 fourth-quarter lead after overcoming two unthinkable interceptions by Prescott in the second quarter makes one wonder if the Cowboys truly have what it takes to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

Certainly, Rodgers deserves credit for doing what he’s always done.

But this loss is about the Cowboys and who they still are and aren’t.

None was lost on owner Jerry Jones.

“You would like to come back after you had our bye and feel good about your health and get a game like this,” Jones said. “The fact that we let them get back in this thing and win is something this team will have to overcome. If we can overcome it, it will help us in the playoffs. But we will have to overcome this team coming back to get us.”

Jones said the Cowboys are not dismayed about their season.

But by letting McCarthy down in such heart-dropping fashion proves they still have some questions to answer themselves.

“It very disappointing for our team and I know it’s very disappointing for him,” Jones said. “I know it’s icing on the cake for Packers fans. It was a big win for the Green Bay Packers. We will have to dig deep to get something out of this.”