In the aftermath of a crucial 20-15 victory over the New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy wore a mix of satisfaction and relief on his face as he made his way to the team buses. The win was a much-needed boost for the team, which had suffered two consecutive home defeats prior to the matchup.
McCarthy acknowledged that the team’s stars, including quarterback Dak Prescott and receiver CeeDee Lamb, performed well, but it was the contributions from the back end of the roster that truly made the difference. One such player was cornerback Amani Oruwariye, who secured an interception of a Daniel Jones Hail Mary attempt to seal the win. Oruwariye, a practice squad player, wasn’t even sure he’d be playing until Thursday morning, but he rose to the occasion, making a crucial play when it mattered most.
Prescott recalled Oruwariye intercepting him on his first day of practice, saying, “Honestly, when I threw it, I’m like, ‘Who is that?’ I said something to him the next day, ‘That’s the only one you’re going to get the whole time you’re here.’ He goes, ‘No, I’m a ball guy.’”
Oruwariye’s mindset was inspired by Kobe Bryant, as evidenced by the T-shirt he wore after the game. “That was my mindset. I was getting in my Mamba mode. I got it tatted on me too,” he said, showing the inside of his left arm.
The Cowboys also relied on rookie Marshawn Kneeland and Chauncey Golston at defensive end, who pressured Jones enough to force several incompletions in the final quarter. On offense, fullback Hunter Luepke’s production may have looked modest, but his contributions were crucial, including converting a fourth down and prolonging Dallas’ first scoring drive.
As the season progresses, the Cowboys’ depth will be tested further, particularly with injuries to defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence and edge player Micah Parsons. However, McCarthy remains confident in his team’s ability to respond, citing the example of his 2010 Green Bay Packers team, which used 77 players on their way to winning Super Bowl XLV.
“We need every single one of them,” Prescott said. “Coach talks about it all the time. Everybody that dresses up, everybody else has to support them.”
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