DALLAS — The Dallas Cowboys made a quick decision on Monday when they discovered that coach Mike McCarthy would enter COVID protocol and miss the Week 13 Thursday night game at the New Orleans Saints.
Rather than splitting coaching duties, as the Arizona Cardinals did in Week 6, or going with a special teams coordinator as acting coach as the Cleveland Browns did in the 2020 AFC wildcard, Dallas chose a proven commodity in defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.
“I think it’s important to realize that Dan Quinn has had years of working with what he’s going to do Thursday," Cowboys owner, president, and general manager Jerry Jones told "Shan & RJ" on 105.3 "The Fan" [KRLD-FM] Tuesday. "He’s had years of on the field experience in the current environment. I mean, it hasn’t been that many games or that many weeks or that many months since he’s been out there making those in-game calls. We’re so fortunate to have him and so fortunate to have him as recently as he’s head coached and been on the sideline."
Quinn was the coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 2015 through the first five games of the 2020 season when he was fired after an 0-5 start. Quinn led the Falcons to a 43-42 record during his tenure with a 3-2 postseason mark, including an appearance in Super Bowl LI.
"He was an obvious choice there for Mike to make," Jones said. "He made it, the team really believes in him — I’m talking Dan Quinn — and believes in Mike’s decision to put him in there.”
Quinn spoke with the team after practice Monday and, according to quarterback Dak Prescott, the message was one of brotherhood and endurance.
"We have created an environment and a brotherhood that we can push forward when adversity hits," said Prescott. "Whether it is losing players, losing a coach, or coming off a couple of losses — we are going to be able to push forward. We have to be able to trust our training and trust everything that we have been in and our brotherhood. Just continue to lock arms and know we are going into a hostile environment. It is going to require us to be our best."
The Saints are a familiar foe for Quinn, who faced the Saints twice a year while coaching in the NFC South. Quinn compiled a 4-6 record against New Orleans with a 2-3 record in the Caesars Superdome.
Although Quinn will continue to make the defensive play-calls against the Saints, moving from his perch in the press box down to the sideline, receiver CeeDee Lamb has also observed the defensive coach effectively communicating with the offense.
Said Lamb: "DQ does a great job just talking to all of the guys. He’s a team player, communicating with all the guys. He talked to us more often than I thought he would. Great guy, very outgoing and he’s a team-first player. He’s literally doing anything he wants to, like, win."
The Cowboys have not beaten the Saints in the Superdome since Dec. 19, 2009. A victory would also help Dallas break their losing streak and overcome the stigma of a frustrated, inconsistent team.
Do you think Dan Quinn will steward the Cowboys to a victory on Thursday in New Orleans? Share your thoughts with Mark on Twitter @therealmarklane.
