The Dallas Cowboys were forced to pick up the pieces after a surprise loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 9.
Well, maybe they weren't picking up pieces. Perhaps they were, um, medicating.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy likes to place themes on weeks he deems important to the team's journey. Last year, he turned to smashing watermelons to get his squad motivated before beating the Vikings. Last week, after being dominated by the Broncos in a 30-16 game that wasn't as close as the final indicated, he turned to a soothing powder to alleviate the sting of a blowout loss.
"This past week coming off that ugly performance against Denver, McCarthy dubbed it R.A.W., meaning Red-Ass Week," NFL Network's Tom Pelissero detailed on Monday's NFL NOW. "In other words, get mad. Take it personally, and then get on the field and take it out on the Falcons.
"To reinforce that message, McCarthy actually had staff going around the locker room and handing out 'Monkey Butt' [Anti Monkey Butt]. What is 'Monkey Butt'? I'm glad you asked. It is an anti-chafing powder. It's got a variety of different uses. For instance if you're sore from, I don't know, getting your butt kicked like they did last week? Well, get yourself some 'Monkey Butt'.
"The Cowboys players got a kick of out that. They certainly got the message, went out there and did their thing yesterday against the Falcons."
Any football player who's been through a handful of hot, sweaty training camp two-a-days will likely slam the pulpit when proclaiming the benefits of an anti-chafing powder. Personally, I always preferred the preventative and healing power of Gold Bond's signature powder. The quirky-titled Monkey Butt did the job for the Cowboys, who heard McCarthy's message loud and clear, and responded by decimating Atlanta, 43-3.
Perhaps the Cowboys can ship their unused bottles of Monkey Butt to the Falcons. Dallas won't be needing it after the team's Week 10 win, and if the Cowboys can sustain this type of play into December, they might not have to turn to anti-chafing powder until next summer.
