Cowboys' Mike McCarthy: Browns Loss Was 'Poor' Performance, Not Lack of Effort

Dallas Cowboys safety Xavier Woods said Wednesday that "you don't expect, we're in the NFL you don't expect guys full speed for 70 plays" following the team's 49-38 loss to the Cleveland Browns, per Todd Archer of ESPN, dropping them to a disappointing 1-3 on the season.  

On Thursday, head coach Mike McCarthy pushed back against the idea that the loss was due to a lack of effort while addressing those comments:

"I think it was a situation of trying to answer questions after a poor performance is the way I would classify it. I don't think it's a statement that can be laid up against every possible situation in football as far as hypotheticals and things like that. We've addressed our performance Sunday. It was poor. The coaching on pursuit and expectations is on-line with everybody's expectations and understanding on how you play this game."

Linebacker Joe Thomas also wasn't sounding any alarms. 

"That [criticism] is outside-the-building noise. It doesn't really affect us inside the building," he said. "If there was an effort issue, it would've been addressed inside the building. I don't think that was an issue at all. It's just communication. When we're all on the same page and we know what's going on, we play faster, and it looks a lot better."

Woods full comments were as follows:

"Our effort's been good. I mean on certain plays some guys, I mean me included, there may be a lack but overall the effort is there. I mean you don't expect, we're in the NFL you don't expect guys full speed for 70 plays. That's not possible. But you're going to push all you can. I mean we know. You don't expect a backside corner to make a play on the opposite side. If he's running full speed the whole time, it's just not possible, to be honest."

Regardless of whether the issue is effort or execution or scheme or a lack of talent, the Cowboys defense has been a major disappointment in 2020. The defense has given up 38 or more points in three straight games and, were it not for Dak Prescott and the offense leading an epic comeback against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2, the Cowboys would currently be an 0-4 football team. 

Getting injured linebacker Leighton Vander Esch will help. It's possible the team could swing a deal or two to bolster that side of the ball as well. 

Luckily for Dallas, the rest of the NFC East has been just as bad, with the 1-2-1 Philadelphia Eagles currently in first place. That has left the Cowboys just a half-game out of first place despite their sorry start. But the defensive issues remain a major concern, whatever the root cause.