The Dallas Cowboys dropped their second consecutive game as a last-second field goal by Jason Sanders gave the Miami Dolphins a 22-20 win in NFL Week 16 on Christmas Eve ... leaving some observers with an "It's Always Something!'' feeling about "America's Team.''
And coach Mike McCarthy gets that.
"It's those big mistakes,'' McCarthy said, "that you can't make in these kind of games.''
And why not? Because in "these kind of games,'' against good teams, the score threatens to be close ... meaning the outcome can teeter upon who doesn't goof up.
For the Cowboys, it was again a test on the road that they failed, as several miscues ultimately led to the narrow loss. The Dak Prescott/Hunter Luepke fumbled exchange on the opening 17-play drive saw Dallas miss out on a likely seven points.
Then the timing of costly penalties (including Damone Clark's face-mask penalty on the game's final drive) again on both sides of the ball made things difficult in what was already a tough game.
McCarthy nevertheless is trying to fish for some positives out of Miami.
“I think the resilience the battle, the grit that you're looking for, I think we clearly have that,'' he said. "But we've got to play better than we did. You have to play above it on the road ...
"Road warriors we will be.”
Sounds good. But there is a lingering feeling with the Cowboys playing on the road that "it's always something" that hinders their efforts to win games.
Self-inflicted wounds have been a common theme, especially in the last two weeks.
The "Texas Coast Offense'' has stuttered and spluttered. And the defense, after getting run over by Buffalo, did steady the ship somewhat against the Dolphins, but failed to get that last crucial stop.
But again, the Cowboys were left lamenting several penalties at crucial times in the game which ultimately led to defeat at Hard Rock Stadium.
McCarthy insisted the team will be "road warriors" if they have to be in the postseason, but based on what we have seen this season, the Cowboys, on the road, have been anything but warrior-like.
With two games left in the regular season, the Cowboys will want to fix things at home against the Detroit Lions on Saturday and then take out some road frustrations on the Washington Commanders ... all to avoid limping into the playoffs. ... all to establish that "it's always something'' needs to be the opponents' lament.
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