FRISCO, Texas -- As Mike McCarthy made the long walk from the Dallas Cowboys' locker room to the team buses outside MetLife Stadium as Thursday night turned to Friday morning, the coach wore a smile on his face.
It was a mix of satisfaction and relief following the Cowboys' 20-15 win against the New York Giants but not contentment. This was merely one win with a long season left to play. But following two straight home defeats, it was one his team badly needed.
And it came with not only his stars, such as quarterback Dak Prescott and receiver CeeDee Lamb, performing well enough, but with major contributions from the back end of the roster, including a player with a last name some teammates don't even know how to pronounce.
"If you look around the league, it looks like everybody's kind of hitting that right now," McCarthy said. "Lot of injuries, it seems like. I don't know what the numbers say, but if you can just get through these tough times. ... And it's a great experience for these guys too."
About 12 hours later, McCarthy learned the defense will be without defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence because of a right midfoot sprain for at least a month, and edge player Micah Parsons will have to work through a high left ankle sprain.
On Friday, McCarthy said it was too early to discuss how the Cowboys would replace his two defensive standouts, but they were able to go 4-1 in 2022 without Prescott after he broke his thumb in the season opener.
McCarthy knows more than most that it takes everybody. He has brought up numerous times that when he was coaching the 2010 Green Bay Packers, they used 77 players on their way to winning Super Bowl XLV.
Against the Giants, cornerback Amani Oruwariye ended the game with an interception of a Daniel Jones Hail Mary attempt. Oruwariye, who is on the practice squad, wasn't even sure he was going to play until Thursday morning. At halftime, he was told he was going in the game.
He was targeted on Jones' first three passes of the second half.
"They had [Trevon] Diggs on the other side. I knew I was going to get my fair share of work," said Oruwariye, who was signed Aug. 29. "I was just trying to get myself mentally ready and kind of knocked off the rust and then get in my groove."
Prescott remembered Oruwariye intercepted him on his first day of practice.
"Honestly, when I threw it, I'm like, 'Who is that?'" Prescott said. "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.' I like that. We'll see."
Giants wide receiver Jalin Hyatt had a sliver of space near the goal line for Jones' long throw, but Oruwariye, who had six interceptions for the Detroit Lions in 2021, leaped high for the interception that killed the game.
go up & get it, Amani!!!
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) September 27, 2024
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After the game, Oruwariye wore a Kobe Bryant T-shirt.
"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. "It's just trying to be my best self every day, and that's what I tried to do."
Oruwariye wasn't the only one.
After Lawrence and Parsons went down, the Cowboys counted on rookie Marshawn Kneeland and Chauncey Golston at defensive end. While neither got a sack, they pressured Jones enough to help force some of the eight incompletions in the final quarter after he missed on just three passes in the first three quarters.
huge TFL by the rook 💥@MKneeland99 | @WMU_Football
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) September 27, 2024
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On offense, fullback Hunter Luepke's production might look modest (2 carries, 8 yards; 2 catches, 14 yards), but one of those runs converted a fourth down, and his 11-yard catch on third down prolonged Dallas' first scoring drive.
Luepke's 29 snaps were the most of any Cowboys running back.
"Love that guy," Prescott said. "Little [former NFL fullback] Mike Alstott, that's what I call him. Wearing the No. 40 as well. One of my favorite backs back in the day too. Awesome just to see a guy come in as a fullback, show that he can play tight end, fullback, running back, can pass protect ... Just a guy that not only gained more and more of my trust, but with the coaches as well. Understanding that he's just a football player. You can put him there in any situation and he's going to get the job done."
As the season goes on and other injuries crop up, the Cowboys' depth must continue to respond.
"Coach [McCarthy] talks about it all the time. Everybody that dresses up, everybody else has to support them," Prescott said. "We need every single one of them."
Now more than ever.