FRISCO, Texas – After their loss to the Eagles on Sunday Night Football, the Cowboys saw their four-game winning streak come to a halt. Head coach Mike McCarthy led off the weekly Monday press conference, and most notably said Dak Prescott is slated to likely return to practice on Wednesday.
The coordinators spoke as well, running through their thoughts on their respective units' performances and a small look ahead to what needs to be addressed before Week 7 against the Lions. Here are some highlights from those guys:
Dan Quinn:
- Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn said the Cowboys had "about" five defensive penalties, with the post snap calls being characterized as "no-brainers" that they can control.
- The Cowboys will look to focus on tackling in practice this week before they face the Lions, according to Quinn. He said the defensive had around 10 missed tackles and want to sure up the fundamentals before they see the Lions' strong running game in Week 7.
- Quinn continued to reiterate the high standards the defense holds themselves to after struggling in the first half against the Eagles before finding their stride in the second half, saying that they want to keep a strong performance for an entire game and "aren't looking for a pat on the back for something that's halfway done."
Kellen Moore:
- Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore praised the work of both Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard during Cooper Rush's time as the Cowboys quarterback. Moore said he has been most impressed with the running game in the absence of Dak Prescott.
- The consistency between Tyler Smith and Connor McGovern has been very impressive to watch them grow and work together, according to Moore. He also said they want to continue to work in Jason Peters at left guard while still getting McGovern the most reps they can.
John Fassel:
- Special teams coordinator John Fassel said he talked with Kelvin Joseph on Monday after Joseph's two penalties on Sunday night, saying he told Joseph that his play style and "intentional mindset" was great despite the penalties.
- Fassel praised the job kicker Brett Maher has done this season despite winning the job late in training camp, saying that the "hope was that he would be exactly what he has been."
- Looking ahead to the Lions, Fassel identified Detroit's knack for running potential fakes in the punt game and field goals. Fassel said ensuring that the Cowboys are very tight in their substitutions will be crucial to avoid giving the Lions those opportunities.
