After the worst home defeat of the Jones era, the owner supports coach McCarthy

ARLINGTON, Texas – After Jerry Jones suffered the worst home loss of his time as owner and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, 47-9 against the Detroit Lions, he supported his head coach Mike McCarthy.

“Oh, I haven’t even thought about that,” Jones said of a possible change. “I'm not considering that. Just so you’re clear, I’m not considering that.”

When reminded of the midseason coaching change he made in 2010, when he fired Wade Phillips and named Jason Garrett interim coach after a 1-7 start, Jones bristled.

“That would be hypothetical. Do you think I'm an idiot in this regard? Or? “I'm sitting here with you. Not at all,” he said.

McCarthy is in the final year of his contract. Despite his three straight 12-5 finishes, a lack of playoff success, failure to advance past the divisional round of the playoffs and loss of two postseason games at AT&T Stadium put McCarthy's future in question early in the season.

The Cowboys are 3-3 heading into their bye week after losing to the Lions. They are just one game behind the Washington Commanders in the NFC East, but have lost their first three home games for the first time since 2010 and have been outscored by 66 points.

“Well, we’re disappointed that we’re 3-3,” Jones said. “I don’t necessarily blame McCarthy entirely for the three defeats. Players will tell you they had something to do with it too. His other employees will tell you. And the owner will definitely tell you.” She, he had something to do with it, so it's not just him.

Before Sunday, the worst home defeat of the Jones era came in 2001 (36-3 against the Philadelphia Eagles). In team history there have only been three other home defeats in which the defeat rate was greater.

For the third home game in a row, the Cowboys had to accept a large halftime deficit. They trailed the Lions 27-6 after falling 21-6 to the Baltimore Ravens and 35-16 to the New Orleans Saints. In last season's wild-card loss to the Green Bay Packers, the Cowboys trailed 27-7 at halftime.

Without Micah Parsons (high ankle sprain) and Eric Kendricks (shoulder), as well as DeMarcus Lawrence and DaRon Bland on injured reserve with foot injuries, the Cowboys knew they would be challenged defensively.

“How should I explain this? I think clearly, No. 1, we got beat today,” McCarthy said. “They are a very good team. The fact is they are further ahead of us now, at this point in Week 6.”

Dak Prescott was intercepted in the end zone on the Cowboys' second series. It was his third red zone turnover in two games. After that turnover, the Cowboys scored two three-pointers and one four-pointer on their next three possessions.

A 10-3 hole became a 27-3 hole with 36 seconds left in the second quarter.

After the interception, “I didn't feel like there was another positive play after that that we could build on to get something going,” Prescott said. “Very frustrating.”

The Cowboys will have to deal with this loss for two weeks as they have their bye next week. They return Oct. 27 at the San Francisco 49ers, who have beaten the Cowboys three times in a row, including 42-10 last year at Levi's Stadium.

“We have a bye week coming up, kind of a time to reset, refocus and go out and respond in two weeks,” tight end Jake Ferguson said. “So this is a big deal. And it’s just about coming back and fighting back.”

As the Cowboys' quarterback, Prescott knows what surrounds his position and that of the coach, but he expressed his belief in McCarthy.

“I will go to war for this guy any day. And I’m not the only one in this locker room,” Prescott said. “I feel like everyone feels that. If you heard what he said after that game – I honestly don't want to tell you – but a strong message. Strong message. And it's a defeat to be able to feel that.” Show those emotions and answer, I will follow him. And most of all, I know he said it to you, he said it, he looks in the mirror, like we all do. I'm grateful for him as my coach.

Sunday was certainly not the way Jones wanted to celebrate his 82nd birthday.

“In general,” Jones said, “my message is – I know you don't have to listen to me on this – but I'm well aware that we're in the proverbial situation right now.”