The Dallas Cowboys were thoroughly outplayed by the New Orleans Saints in a 44-19 rout on Sunday.

Derek Carr and the Saints offense landed the first blow and never looked back, leaving head coach Mike McCarthy and company reeling and searching for answers.

“I wouldn’t say it’s an effort issue,” McCarthy told reporters during his Monday presser. “I think it really was they were quicker to the first punch than we were. They finished better than we did.”

The Saints dominated from the outset, scoring on their first six possessions and building an insurmountable lead. McCarthy acknowledged the Saints’ superior execution and ability to capitalize on opportunities.

“They had a perfect game plan from the start,” he admitted. “They used a combination of big plays in both the passing and running attacks in dominant fashion.”

When asked about his reaction to watching the game film, McCarthy’s disappointment was evident.

“I wouldn’t say I was surprised,” he admitted. “I was disappointed like everyone else. We did not improve from Week 1 to Week 2, that was the biggest disappointment.”

Despite the lopsided score, McCarthy remains optimistic about his team’s potential. He believes they have the talent and determination to bounce back from this setback.

“We have a lot of football left to play,” he affirmed. “We’ll learn from this experience and come back stronger.”

The Cowboys will look to regroup and refocus as they prepare for their next challenge against the Baltimore Ravens at home.

McCarthy and his coaching staff will undoubtedly analyze the game film and identify areas for improvement ahead of Week 3.