Mandatory attribution: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
Jerry Jones once reluctantly fired Wade Phillips in the middle of the season because he believed his team had given up on their head coach. From the start of the season, it seemed clear that Mike McCarthy would only suffer the same fate if he gave Jones the same thing.
Say what you will about this squad, but this team didn't give up.
Both young players and veterans worked hard for the blue star on Monday Night Football. It was especially nice to see Trevon Diggs block the leadoff interception for Malik Hooker in the first half. Diggs is criticized for his lack of interest in tackling, and rightly so, but it's not because of ego or a lack of physicality. Cornerbacks just don't like tackling players twice their size. Diggs has shown that he has a lot of fighting spirit in him, even if he doesn't sell balls game after game.
On Turpin's long catch-and-run, it was Rico Dowdle who made an extra effort to block the ball downfield. The 2024 Cowboys may not be very disciplined in their tasks, but they're not quitters, and that's something to rebuild from.
