WEBVTT - Cowboys Break: Different Story? 0:00:04.080 --> 0:00:06.640 The following is a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com 0:00:06.680 --> 0:00:18.799 and the Dallas Cowboys Football clubs. Are you ready for 0:00:18.840 --> 0:00:22.520 a break? Yes? Are you ready for a break? Absolutely? 0:00:22.680 --> 0:00:26.880 Ready for a break? Yeah, and so much for that. 0:00:27.080 --> 0:00:32.240 It's time for The Break on Dallas Cowboys dot Com 0:00:33.000 --> 0:00:38.559 with Nick Eatman, David Hellman, and bar Garcia and Derek Eagleton. 0:00:40.000 --> 0:00:43.640 It is Wednesday, December twenty third, two twenty, season sixteen, 0:00:43.640 --> 0:00:46.560 episode number eighty six. Welcome to latest edition of The Break, 0:00:46.600 --> 0:00:49.199 presented by Geico. We appreciate you guys join us. We 0:00:49.240 --> 0:00:52.120 got forty five minutes of entertaining conversation about the Dallas Cowboys. 0:00:52.120 --> 0:00:54.240 Were getting you guys ready for Cowboys versus Eagles that 0:00:54.280 --> 0:00:57.640 happens this Sunday at three thirty I think it is 0:00:57.680 --> 0:01:00.720 three twenty three thirty somewhere in that time frame, and 0:01:00.920 --> 0:01:03.240 so we'll get you guys ready for that. We will 0:01:03.280 --> 0:01:05.720 be joined by Bucky Brooks of NFL Network here coming 0:01:05.800 --> 0:01:08.480 up in the second segment. But before we get to that, 0:01:09.040 --> 0:01:10.560 I want to talk about a few things that Mike 0:01:10.600 --> 0:01:14.840 McCarthy brought up this morning in his press conference. One 0:01:14.920 --> 0:01:17.280 of those things, obviously, we've been talking a little bit 0:01:17.319 --> 0:01:21.160 about injuries. He did get a few injury updates. Dave, 0:01:21.240 --> 0:01:24.199 tell me where are we with Leyton vander Esh, Antoine Woods, 0:01:24.360 --> 0:01:28.120 Xavier Woods, and Michael Gallop As far as their availability 0:01:28.160 --> 0:01:34.560 this weekend, Leyden Vanderesh and Antoine Woods are not practicing. 0:01:35.240 --> 0:01:40.080 Neither is Xavier Woods. Actually, Mike McCarthy was was pretty 0:01:40.120 --> 0:01:43.000 forthcoming that he doesn't think it's likely that any of 0:01:43.040 --> 0:01:47.200 those guys play this weekend. Michael Gallup is limited, Ezekiel 0:01:47.240 --> 0:01:51.120 Elliott is also limited, So that's encouraging. We'll see what's 0:01:51.120 --> 0:01:54.040 going on with them. But those three defenders all look 0:01:54.120 --> 0:01:55.920 like they're going to be out. What do they do 0:01:55.960 --> 0:01:58.720 at defensive tackle? I mean, Antoine Woods obviously is playing 0:01:58.760 --> 0:02:02.279 a lot for them, and maybe I don't know, maybe 0:02:02.320 --> 0:02:04.600 he's their best defensive tackle. What do they do with 0:02:04.720 --> 0:02:07.400 defensive tackle? Just as far as the rotations concern, well, 0:02:07.400 --> 0:02:09.720 I think you're gonna see Tyrone Crawford in there. Some 0:02:10.200 --> 0:02:11.880 we've already seen him in there, but if you if 0:02:11.880 --> 0:02:14.280 you go back and look at last week's game, you know, 0:02:14.360 --> 0:02:17.720 I thought I saw Alden Smith in there on pass 0:02:17.760 --> 0:02:20.560 rushing situations way more than than I have in any 0:02:20.600 --> 0:02:23.160 other point this season. Maybe that's happened, but it just 0:02:23.160 --> 0:02:25.079 felt like it was it was different and seeing it 0:02:25.160 --> 0:02:27.400 from that, that's not going to help you on third 0:02:27.440 --> 0:02:31.840 and two. You're gonna need Gallimore, you need Um Hamilton, 0:02:32.200 --> 0:02:35.120 and then I don't know, I can't think of anybody 0:02:35.160 --> 0:02:37.600 else that's on the I mean even on the right. 0:02:37.760 --> 0:02:42.200 Is Ellie still here? Aku? Yeah, we could they could 0:02:42.320 --> 0:02:44.880 use Ellie on cou He was a healthy scratch a 0:02:44.919 --> 0:02:48.360 couple of weeks ago. He really struggled against Baltimore, so 0:02:48.919 --> 0:02:51.880 you know, obviously not lighting the world on fire, but 0:02:52.480 --> 0:02:55.560 injuries create opportunities, so he might have to get in 0:02:55.600 --> 0:02:58.560 there because of that. Yeah, I mean, it's it's gonna 0:02:58.600 --> 0:03:01.760 be I don't know. It's interesting that defensive tackle position 0:03:01.840 --> 0:03:04.040 is one that's been a problem all season obviously, as 0:03:04.040 --> 0:03:05.720 far as you know, you look at all the positions 0:03:05.760 --> 0:03:07.760 where you've had issues with injuries, this has been one 0:03:07.760 --> 0:03:09.520 that went back all the way back to training camp 0:03:09.639 --> 0:03:12.679 when they lost their first guy for the season. So 0:03:12.800 --> 0:03:14.840 they're still kind of mending that back together. But it 0:03:14.880 --> 0:03:17.840 seems like over here the last few weeks they've actually 0:03:17.840 --> 0:03:21.200 gotten a little bit better. I thought, and I think 0:03:21.200 --> 0:03:23.560 this is a pretty big deal that you wouldn't have 0:03:23.600 --> 0:03:26.079 Antoine Wood, who I think has been playing pretty good. Well, 0:03:26.080 --> 0:03:28.680 you've seen good work from defensive ends and I know 0:03:28.720 --> 0:03:31.880 that's not defensive tackle or anything, but also some of 0:03:31.919 --> 0:03:34.960 the ways that they've utilized some of their secondary guys, 0:03:35.080 --> 0:03:38.440 you know, getting some pressure. We saw Jordan Lewis being 0:03:38.480 --> 0:03:41.200 able to get to the quarterback. So maybe that's a 0:03:41.240 --> 0:03:44.200 way that they can just kind of balance off what 0:03:44.280 --> 0:03:47.600 they're missing in that area, just create some more pressure 0:03:47.640 --> 0:03:51.000 from those guys behind. I don't know, but we'll see 0:03:51.040 --> 0:03:54.400 what happens with this other quarterback. Yeah. The interesting thing 0:03:54.480 --> 0:03:56.600 is that the Eagles team, I think it was a 0:03:56.600 --> 0:04:00.160 couple weeks ago, they had a really nice running day 0:04:00.160 --> 0:04:02.320 on the ground, and so I think they can post 0:04:02.360 --> 0:04:05.200 some issues for a defense with regards to their running game, 0:04:05.200 --> 0:04:06.800 and that's the part where it's probably going to be 0:04:06.800 --> 0:04:10.040 a bit of a challenge. Let's talk about another thing 0:04:10.040 --> 0:04:12.000 that I thought came up, and this is a little 0:04:12.040 --> 0:04:14.120 bit of a different topic. It's not so much football, 0:04:14.120 --> 0:04:16.600 but it is a little bit football. But Mike McCarthy 0:04:16.640 --> 0:04:19.520 was asked about the schedule for the team this week 0:04:19.720 --> 0:04:22.160 and he made the comment and I thought was interesting 0:04:22.200 --> 0:04:26.440 he said, the players, the entire football staff will be 0:04:26.480 --> 0:04:28.080 at home with their families where they should be on 0:04:28.160 --> 0:04:30.960 Christmas Day. And it made me. The reason why it 0:04:31.000 --> 0:04:32.720 made me think for a second is because I do 0:04:32.800 --> 0:04:34.840 think sometimes and you guys know we work in all 0:04:34.839 --> 0:04:37.960 of this. I think sometimes we take ourselves very very 0:04:38.000 --> 0:04:40.520 seriously in football, like we think of it as you know, 0:04:40.560 --> 0:04:43.840 you got these essential workers like doctors and nurses that 0:04:44.120 --> 0:04:45.800 you know, they work every day of the year, there's 0:04:45.839 --> 0:04:49.600 no day off, there's no holiday, whatever, And we kind 0:04:49.600 --> 0:04:51.800 of put ourselves in that category a little bit because 0:04:51.800 --> 0:04:54.919 we can sometimes we had games on Christmas Day. Well, 0:04:54.760 --> 0:04:57.599 we're right, it's right underneath, it's just beneath that in 0:04:57.640 --> 0:04:59.640 my opinion, okay, And that's why I wanted to ask me, like, 0:04:59.760 --> 0:05:01.560 do you I think this is a situation where he's 0:05:01.600 --> 0:05:03.839 doing the right thing with his team by saying, Hey, 0:05:03.880 --> 0:05:05.720 I don't care that we got a game coming up 0:05:05.720 --> 0:05:08.279 on Sunday on Friday, it is important for you to 0:05:08.279 --> 0:05:10.159 be at home with your families because that's what you 0:05:10.200 --> 0:05:12.440 should be doing on Christmas Day. I think it's good 0:05:12.480 --> 0:05:14.760 to say that. I also think let's not forget that 0:05:14.800 --> 0:05:17.840 Friday's the day that they really don't practice anyways. It's 0:05:17.880 --> 0:05:21.080 a day that he's changed the schedule way back before 0:05:21.520 --> 0:05:24.200 knowing even knowing Christmas was probably on a Friday, So 0:05:24.640 --> 0:05:27.520 it's convenient. But I mean, I'm not saying it's not true, 0:05:27.880 --> 0:05:29.960 but it's I mean, because if it really was how 0:05:29.960 --> 0:05:32.320 he felt, then he would boycott the Thursday Thanksgiving Day 0:05:32.320 --> 0:05:33.799 game and say, oh, you should be with your family. 0:05:33.839 --> 0:05:36.280 Then that's that's not the way it works, you know, 0:05:36.440 --> 0:05:39.080 But I think it I believe that he believes that way, 0:05:39.160 --> 0:05:41.880 but I also think it kind of fits into his schedule. Yeah, 0:05:42.000 --> 0:05:45.479 what are your thoughts? Amber? That doesn't really bother me, 0:05:45.680 --> 0:05:49.479 But I'll say this, I am still very much bothered 0:05:49.880 --> 0:05:53.279 by the comment he made a few weeks ago when 0:05:53.400 --> 0:05:56.600 you know, we had all the schedule changing and they 0:05:56.640 --> 0:05:58.919 had like a ten day period and he's like, well, 0:05:59.279 --> 0:06:03.800 I don't want over what was it, uh, not over 0:06:03.880 --> 0:06:08.679 coach over prepare? Yes, I don't want to over prepare 0:06:08.760 --> 0:06:12.200 the guys. And that comment really bother me because looking 0:06:12.240 --> 0:06:14.520 at the situation that you were at at the moment, 0:06:14.839 --> 0:06:17.280 you would think that you guys do need to go 0:06:17.320 --> 0:06:20.359 in over prepare. And I remember I asked Bucky this question, 0:06:20.400 --> 0:06:22.320 and he had. He had a good point, he had 0:06:22.360 --> 0:06:25.279 a good explanation, but it's still it didn't sit well 0:06:25.320 --> 0:06:28.279 with me. And then seeing them that they went ahead 0:06:28.320 --> 0:06:31.919 and lost against the Ravens, so that just bothered me 0:06:31.960 --> 0:06:35.160 even more. So this one about Christmas doesn't really bother 0:06:35.240 --> 0:06:38.240 me that much. But when we go back to that one. Yes, 0:06:38.839 --> 0:06:41.320 there are coaches though that have been in the Super Bowl. 0:06:41.360 --> 0:06:44.039 Obviously not any around here for a while, but there 0:06:44.080 --> 0:06:46.520 are coaches that coaches Super Bowl that think that the 0:06:46.560 --> 0:06:50.280 two week break in between is that happens you over 0:06:50.360 --> 0:06:53.440 prepare big time in there. They would actually rather just 0:06:53.480 --> 0:06:58.360 be one week. Sorry, I've heard, Dave, What do you think? Yeah, 0:06:58.520 --> 0:07:00.960 I was really hoping I would get to, you know, 0:07:01.120 --> 0:07:03.680 pop the pop Mike McCarthy's balloon a little bit, but 0:07:03.760 --> 0:07:05.440 Nick did it for me. I don't want to be 0:07:05.480 --> 0:07:09.440 too cynical, but Fridays their light day anyway, and they also, 0:07:10.000 --> 0:07:12.880 you know, with the intensive COVID protocols, they've gotten very 0:07:12.960 --> 0:07:16.360 used to doing things virtually anyway. So I don't know 0:07:16.400 --> 0:07:20.520 that it's this big gesture that it sounds like on paper. 0:07:20.640 --> 0:07:25.320 But at the same time, you know, McCarthy deserves credit too. 0:07:25.360 --> 0:07:27.640 Because you know, he gave the team time off after 0:07:27.680 --> 0:07:30.520 the death of Marcus Paul, and he's put a big 0:07:31.040 --> 0:07:33.560 he's put a big emphasis on being around your family. 0:07:33.560 --> 0:07:37.200 And I do believe, like even even in a normal year, 0:07:37.840 --> 0:07:40.320 and even if they practiced on Fridays, like I think 0:07:40.320 --> 0:07:42.680 he might do something like this because he has put 0:07:42.720 --> 0:07:46.440 some emphasis on it before. And honestly, I think I 0:07:46.520 --> 0:07:49.160 commend him for it. You know, you kind of mentioned it, Derek. 0:07:50.040 --> 0:07:52.960 You know, the NFL has this like no nonsense, no 0:07:53.080 --> 0:07:56.120 fun attitude that like, you should never take a day off. 0:07:56.560 --> 0:07:59.080 Our dear friend Brian brought us used to love working 0:07:59.120 --> 0:08:01.760 on weekends and holidays, Like if you don't want to 0:08:01.800 --> 0:08:04.800 work on a holiday, you're soft or you're week And 0:08:05.160 --> 0:08:08.720 I never agreed with that. And you know, twenty twenty 0:08:08.760 --> 0:08:11.360 has really hammered home the importance of mental health, Like 0:08:11.480 --> 0:08:14.880 being around family is good for your mental health. Making 0:08:14.920 --> 0:08:18.240 millions of dollars doesn't mean that you're not susceptible to 0:08:19.280 --> 0:08:24.880 seasonal effective disorder or COVID fatigue or whatever. And it's 0:08:25.000 --> 0:08:27.080 it's good for these guys to have that chance. I 0:08:27.080 --> 0:08:29.800 don't you know, good good for Mike McCarthy. I you 0:08:29.840 --> 0:08:32.559 know Friday is their light day anyway, but yeah, good 0:08:32.679 --> 0:08:35.520 spend Christmas with your family. Everybody should get to do that. Yeah, 0:08:35.520 --> 0:08:38.360 I agree with that. I do think that there is 0:08:38.400 --> 0:08:41.880 some value in entertainment in our country and we're part 0:08:41.920 --> 0:08:44.560 of that. There's I talked about it a lot when 0:08:45.000 --> 0:08:47.800 you know, when whole COVID thing came up, that there 0:08:47.960 --> 0:08:50.240 is value when people are stuck at home and out 0:08:50.240 --> 0:08:53.640 of their normal routines to giving them things. And I 0:08:53.640 --> 0:08:55.600 don't want to call it a distraction, that's somewhat what 0:08:55.679 --> 0:09:00.040 it is, but just things that can bring levity and 0:09:00.040 --> 0:09:02.640 and just to smile to people's faces, right, And so 0:09:02.679 --> 0:09:04.640 I think we were a part of that. And so yes, 0:09:04.720 --> 0:09:06.839 there are times when we need the best time to 0:09:06.880 --> 0:09:08.320 do that is when people are sitting home. It's why 0:09:08.400 --> 0:09:11.640 Thanksgiving games have been Thanksgiving games, is because everybody's sitting 0:09:11.640 --> 0:09:13.560 around with their families. So a few people have to 0:09:13.559 --> 0:09:16.960 sacrifice that in order to provide that entertainment for the masses. 0:09:17.120 --> 0:09:19.880 And so we fall into that category. But I do 0:09:20.000 --> 0:09:23.800 love the idea of when you can allow the people 0:09:24.880 --> 0:09:28.000 that work in the organization or throughout the NFL, when 0:09:28.040 --> 0:09:30.320 you can allow opportunities for them to be able to 0:09:30.400 --> 0:09:32.760 have those moments that, by the way, you can't get 0:09:32.760 --> 0:09:35.040 back right. To be able to have those moments, I 0:09:35.080 --> 0:09:36.800 think it's important, and I think it's a good thing 0:09:37.000 --> 0:09:39.040 that he recognizes that, and then at least in this 0:09:39.080 --> 0:09:41.400 instance and this year, it falls in a way where 0:09:41.440 --> 0:09:43.320 he can do it for his team. And you know, 0:09:43.440 --> 0:09:47.200 let's also point this part out through that the next day, 0:09:47.320 --> 0:09:49.240 the twenty six, I think they're gonna be here a while. 0:09:49.280 --> 0:09:50.959 They'll do doubles. I think they're gonna be here a 0:09:51.000 --> 0:09:53.120 little bit. So, but most of us are okay with that. Like, 0:09:53.280 --> 0:09:55.120 give me a day with my family, I'll go and 0:09:55.280 --> 0:09:57.800 I'll work extra early and i'll work extra late if 0:09:57.800 --> 0:09:59.600 you give me that day with my family because I 0:09:59.679 --> 0:10:02.160 need that day with my family. Right So, um, all right, 0:10:02.160 --> 0:10:04.079 So here's we gonna do. Um. One of the topic 0:10:04.080 --> 0:10:05.800 I wanted to hit real quick. This one came up 0:10:05.880 --> 0:10:08.440 last night. Um, kelln or at least when I saw 0:10:08.600 --> 0:10:11.960 Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator for the Cowboys his alma mater, 0:10:12.040 --> 0:10:15.120 Boise State, which Nick, I think you were the one 0:10:15.160 --> 0:10:17.160 that went up there to Boise State for you were 0:10:17.200 --> 0:10:20.440 not okay there. We've sent some people, we've sent some 0:10:20.440 --> 0:10:22.920 people up there before, I think for some work that 0:10:22.960 --> 0:10:26.199 we were doing. I talked about it. We never did it, Okay, Anyway, 0:10:26.280 --> 0:10:30.680 My point is he is, according to all records of 0:10:30.760 --> 0:10:33.080 how people talk about him, he is somewhat of a 0:10:33.200 --> 0:10:37.040 god up there um and so it obviously when when 0:10:37.040 --> 0:10:39.319 it became known that they were going to be looking 0:10:39.320 --> 0:10:42.800 for a replacement for their head coach, his name obviously 0:10:42.880 --> 0:10:45.440 was brought up. My question for you guys is, based 0:10:45.440 --> 0:10:48.160 on what you've seen so far from Kellen Moore, do 0:10:48.200 --> 0:10:51.360 you think Dallas should look at maybe paying him a 0:10:51.360 --> 0:10:53.440 little extra money to make sure that he wants to 0:10:53.480 --> 0:10:55.240 stay or is it one of those situations where if 0:10:55.240 --> 0:10:57.200 he wants to go, he goes, and you move on, 0:10:57.280 --> 0:10:59.520 you find the next offensive coordinator. Let's start with you, Dave. 0:11:02.040 --> 0:11:05.280 There's a lot of variables to that. I mean, yes, 0:11:05.360 --> 0:11:07.680 Kellen Moore is a god in the state of Idaho. 0:11:07.720 --> 0:11:10.680 He's the winningest quarterback of all time he took that program. 0:11:10.679 --> 0:11:14.560 I mean, he's like Dak with Mississippi State. It's very similar. 0:11:15.880 --> 0:11:18.640 First of all, it sucks because Kellen just talked on 0:11:18.679 --> 0:11:21.560 Monday night, twenty four hours before this happened. Would have 0:11:21.600 --> 0:11:23.520 been a great opportunity to try to talk to him 0:11:23.559 --> 0:11:26.840 about it. So we don't know if that's something that 0:11:26.880 --> 0:11:29.600 he wants to do. He is a god in Boise, 0:11:29.800 --> 0:11:32.000 but is that who they would be looking to hire? 0:11:32.240 --> 0:11:34.760 A thirty two year old who's never coached in college. 0:11:35.240 --> 0:11:38.720 These are vastly different skill sets. Recruiting is everything in 0:11:38.760 --> 0:11:42.439 college football, and Kellen Moore has no proven track record 0:11:42.440 --> 0:11:44.960 as a recruiter, so I think that's important to point out. 0:11:46.720 --> 0:11:49.400 But also does Kellen Moore want that for himself? You know, 0:11:49.480 --> 0:11:52.800 there's the fact of the matter that you know, he's 0:11:52.800 --> 0:11:55.360 a thirty two year old offensive coordinator. He's probably on 0:11:55.400 --> 0:11:58.400 the fast track to being an NFL head coach if 0:11:58.400 --> 0:12:02.240 that's something that he wants. So, you know, we don't 0:12:02.280 --> 0:12:03.840 even know if that's something he would want to do. 0:12:03.920 --> 0:12:06.320 But if Boys is trying to hire him, and I 0:12:06.360 --> 0:12:09.840 were the Cowboys, I would absolutely try to incentivize him 0:12:09.920 --> 0:12:13.200 to stay because I'm I'm very impressed with the job 0:12:13.240 --> 0:12:18.520 that he's done through two years. Me personally, Amber, well, 0:12:18.559 --> 0:12:21.000 you know, I don't know much about college football in 0:12:21.120 --> 0:12:23.360 that kind of world, so that's not my area. But 0:12:23.400 --> 0:12:27.000 the comment that I would make, it's like I wonder 0:12:27.480 --> 0:12:30.040 where would you if you had to rate, where would 0:12:30.040 --> 0:12:34.120 you rate a college head coaching job versus the Dallas 0:12:34.160 --> 0:12:42.080 Cowboys DC not dc OC job. So anytime there's something 0:12:42.120 --> 0:12:45.520 related with the Cowboys, we know how much attention that gets, 0:12:45.600 --> 0:12:49.080 how big that is. So it just I wonder would 0:12:49.080 --> 0:12:52.119 anyone at that position would want to leave the Cowboys 0:12:52.360 --> 0:12:55.200 even though it's for a head coaching job at a college. 0:12:55.240 --> 0:12:58.800 I don't know, but yeah, well, I mean I could 0:12:58.800 --> 0:13:03.720 say this. Coaches look at contracts, they look at opportunities 0:13:03.760 --> 0:13:06.560 to get more contracts. And so when you when you 0:13:06.600 --> 0:13:09.520 get an opportunity to be a head coach somewhere anywhere, 0:13:09.600 --> 0:13:12.600 really you know that is a four year deal. Five 0:13:12.679 --> 0:13:15.319 year deal, that's a kind of that's something that helps 0:13:15.320 --> 0:13:18.480 your family and helps you and all that stuff. And 0:13:18.520 --> 0:13:21.200 also it's hard to relate what boyse means to Kellen, 0:13:21.400 --> 0:13:24.680 you know, as opposed to what's on the outsider says 0:13:24.760 --> 0:13:27.720 you're the Dallas Cowboys OC versus Boise State head coach. 0:13:27.760 --> 0:13:30.120 But for Kelln Moore, who's lived in that area and 0:13:30.240 --> 0:13:31.920 knows what it would be like for this family to 0:13:32.240 --> 0:13:34.640 kids to grow up, there might be different. But I 0:13:34.920 --> 0:13:39.240 will say this too everybody in the Cowboys family, fans, 0:13:39.280 --> 0:13:42.240 all that. Everybody loved Jason Garrett from nineteen ninety two 0:13:42.280 --> 0:13:45.080 to twenty ten. They loved Jason Garrett. He was this 0:13:45.320 --> 0:13:48.080 great story and all that. Now it became public enmity 0:13:48.160 --> 0:13:50.400 number one because you have this fourth down play here 0:13:50.480 --> 0:13:52.880 or losing this game here. Scott Frost is dealing with 0:13:52.880 --> 0:13:55.679 it in Nebraska too, So you gotta be careful when 0:13:55.720 --> 0:13:57.800 you go back because it's all great and roses and 0:13:57.840 --> 0:13:59.520 you're a guide and all that, until all of a 0:13:59.600 --> 0:14:02.480 sudden you made the wrong decision and you lost the 0:14:02.600 --> 0:14:05.040 unlv and next thing you know, they don't want him anymore. 0:14:05.120 --> 0:14:10.079 So it sounds great. But when the honeymoon's over, you know, 0:14:10.080 --> 0:14:11.719 we'll see, we'll see what happens. But I think he 0:14:11.760 --> 0:14:13.880 can have success and when they're and to answer your question, no, 0:14:13.920 --> 0:14:16.200 I don't think the Cowboys should do anything different there. 0:14:16.240 --> 0:14:18.520 If he goes, he goes, you know, because if he 0:14:18.559 --> 0:14:20.400 wants that job bad enough, how money's not really going 0:14:20.440 --> 0:14:22.160 to be the factor in that. And that's that's the 0:14:22.240 --> 0:14:24.440 interesting part there is You're right. I think it does 0:14:24.520 --> 0:14:27.680 come down to the fact of personally what fits for him. 0:14:27.840 --> 0:14:30.560 You know, we all know, if you've got a university 0:14:30.600 --> 0:14:33.800 that you have some allegiance too, you've been there, then 0:14:33.840 --> 0:14:36.240 there's something about maybe going back to that school and 0:14:36.320 --> 0:14:39.000 being the head coach there. Sue that that's very different 0:14:39.080 --> 0:14:42.000 than I guess even evaluating it based upon weld, I'll 0:14:42.000 --> 0:14:43.160 want to be the OC or don't want to be 0:14:43.160 --> 0:14:44.880 a head coach here, Like, it might be a whole 0:14:44.880 --> 0:14:46.360 different thing if he was asked to be the head 0:14:46.360 --> 0:14:49.680 coach at un LV, right, that may not resonate with him, 0:14:49.920 --> 0:14:52.120 but this place may be very special to him. It 0:14:52.200 --> 0:14:53.600 might be the reason why he wants to come back. 0:14:53.640 --> 0:14:55.400 Another name out there to you is hardball. He kind 0:14:55.400 --> 0:14:57.320 of figured that out as well, Like going back, going 0:14:57.360 --> 0:15:01.400 back to me. Excellent point. They coming back to Michigan. 0:15:01.560 --> 0:15:03.600 I don't know if they love him anymore. Okay, all right, 0:15:04.720 --> 0:15:07.680 that's totally fair, and I'm not trying to dog Kellen Moore. 0:15:07.720 --> 0:15:10.240 But Jim Harbaugh had accomplished a lot more as a 0:15:10.280 --> 0:15:13.520 coach when Michigan hired him. Absolutely, he had had six 0:15:13.640 --> 0:15:16.600 He had had success at Stanford and San Diego, turned 0:15:16.600 --> 0:15:20.640 San Francisco into a Super Bowl contender. I mean it's 0:15:20.720 --> 0:15:23.960 different because of who Kellen Moore is at Boise State, like, 0:15:24.720 --> 0:15:29.240 I mean, you know, he is Boise State, but objectively, 0:15:29.480 --> 0:15:31.600 does he even have the resume to do that at 0:15:31.600 --> 0:15:33.400 this point in his career. I think you could argue 0:15:33.440 --> 0:15:35.800 that he doesn't right now. If that, I mean, if 0:15:35.800 --> 0:15:38.880 they wanted him to be their head coach, it's more 0:15:39.000 --> 0:15:41.520 for me because of who he is than what he's 0:15:41.560 --> 0:15:43.520 done to this point. You know. Yeah, but we see 0:15:43.560 --> 0:15:46.040 it all time in sports, especially these days, where guys 0:15:46.040 --> 0:15:50.280 get opportunities based upon their connection, based upon people knowing 0:15:50.320 --> 0:15:52.960 them and saying, hey, I think that they are the 0:15:53.000 --> 0:15:55.280 person that may not be ready right now, but he'll 0:15:55.320 --> 0:15:56.800 be ready in five years, so I'm willing to go 0:15:56.880 --> 0:15:58.600 through that. We saw it here with Jason Garrett, like 0:15:58.600 --> 0:16:00.000 a lot of people thought he wasn't ready to be 0:16:00.320 --> 0:16:04.040 ocor head coach. Necessarily, he got those opportunities because of relationships. 0:16:04.040 --> 0:16:05.960 So it happens. It certainly happens. All Right, We're gonna 0:16:05.960 --> 0:16:07.600 take our final break, our first break. I'm sorry. When 0:16:07.640 --> 0:16:09.160 we come back, we're gonna be joined by Buckey Brooks 0:16:09.200 --> 0:16:11.120 of NFL Network. We'll be right back. This is Dallas 0:16:11.160 --> 0:16:16.960 Cowboys dot Com Radio. There's nothing as unique as our eyes, 0:16:18.280 --> 0:16:21.200 which is why Selor pioneers ways to make lenses as 0:16:21.280 --> 0:16:26.120 unique as you. Varilux for super sharp vision, Essential Blue 0:16:26.200 --> 0:16:30.520 for protection, and Crisolve for freedom from glare. Three cutting 0:16:30.640 --> 0:16:34.920 X solutions and a single unique lens. 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Get yours today at shop 0:17:09.359 --> 0:17:12.879 dot Dallas Cowboys dot com or at Stetson dot com. 0:17:13.040 --> 0:17:16.199 I'm Jay Novachek, former tight end for the Dallas Cowboys. 0:17:16.480 --> 0:17:18.440 Back in the day, I was the guy who always 0:17:18.480 --> 0:17:21.000 got the tough yards and that's why I run with 0:17:21.080 --> 0:17:23.680 John Deer today. In fact, I have a John Deer 0:17:23.800 --> 0:17:26.680 three zero twenty five E tractor that can handle any 0:17:26.760 --> 0:17:29.520 yardwork I need to do, even the tough yards way 0:17:29.560 --> 0:17:32.520 out back. So if you have one acre or a thousand, 0:17:32.720 --> 0:17:35.160 John Deer has the equipment that's just right for you. 0:17:35.440 --> 0:17:38.080 Visit a John Deer dealer today and run with us. 0:17:38.400 --> 0:17:41.680 We are the official tractor provider of your Dallas Cowboys. 0:17:41.800 --> 0:17:44.240 Here it's nineteen o eight. Don't you think we should 0:17:44.280 --> 0:17:47.400 get electricity and stop using candles to see it night? 0:17:47.440 --> 0:17:50.080 It's just electricity lights up the room fast. It's more 0:17:50.119 --> 0:17:52.720 reliable than candles blowing out, and people seem to love 0:17:52.760 --> 0:17:57.560 it nationwide. Candles, Dear, did you just run into the wall? 0:17:57.600 --> 0:17:59.840 I have a new candle please. Historically, switching to new 0:17:59.840 --> 0:18:02.159 technology is a no brainer. Today it's AT and T 0:18:02.320 --> 0:18:05.480 five G fast, reliable, secure, and nationwide. Switch to a 0:18:05.560 --> 0:18:07.880 T and T five G. It's not complicated. Five get 0:18:07.880 --> 0:18:09.800 requires compatible plan may not be in your area. See 0:18:09.840 --> 0:18:13.080 att dot com slash five G for you for details. 0:18:13.080 --> 0:18:20.320 Back to the break. Welcome back to the second segment 0:18:20.359 --> 0:18:23.120 of the break. Oh, I gotta I gotta say something 0:18:23.160 --> 0:18:24.680 real quick. All right, I'll tell you about AT and 0:18:24.720 --> 0:18:27.200 T Stadium at home. You get a chance to eat 0:18:27.240 --> 0:18:29.560 the food at AT and T Stadium and you get 0:18:29.600 --> 0:18:31.679 to bring it to your house if that's something that 0:18:31.720 --> 0:18:34.960 you're wanting to do, Cowboys cheese, steak, nachos, Cowboy rita 0:18:35.160 --> 0:18:36.920 when you're watching the Cowboys at home, you can bring 0:18:36.920 --> 0:18:39.080 it to you. Place your order online, pick up at 0:18:39.080 --> 0:18:41.719 AT and T Stadium every week this season. Really just 0:18:41.800 --> 0:18:44.200 one more time here in the regular season. Check out 0:18:44.200 --> 0:18:46.200 the menu at at and T stadium dot com, slash 0:18:46.240 --> 0:18:48.199 at home or maybe in the playoffs. It would be 0:18:48.280 --> 0:18:50.320 taste even better. I will tell you this. I'm gonna 0:18:50.320 --> 0:18:52.280 give you a little, a little quick story. I was 0:18:52.640 --> 0:18:55.280 for Thanksgiving Day. My family had the opportunity to go 0:18:55.400 --> 0:18:58.080 and attend the game in one of the suites and 0:18:58.600 --> 0:19:01.199 the food we got a package. They package up some 0:19:01.240 --> 0:19:03.080 of the food that's left over there, like you can 0:19:03.080 --> 0:19:04.240 take it with you if you choose to take it. 0:19:04.280 --> 0:19:06.720 So we took it. Man, that stuff is good at home. 0:19:06.760 --> 0:19:08.240 I heat it up for the next two days. That 0:19:08.320 --> 0:19:10.760 stuff was really really good. I was like, Okay, I'm 0:19:10.800 --> 0:19:12.879 kind of down on this, you know what you call 0:19:12.920 --> 0:19:15.400 it at and T Stadium at home. I'm down with 0:19:15.400 --> 0:19:18.639 that because and y'all know I love food, so so 0:19:19.080 --> 0:19:21.640 I was like really impressed with it. The quality of food. 0:19:21.840 --> 0:19:24.040 It lasts for a couple of days. Good stuff. And 0:19:24.200 --> 0:19:26.760 I can't imagine how much arm twisting went on there 0:19:27.160 --> 0:19:29.119 for you to eat it. Like Derek's like, I'm not 0:19:29.160 --> 0:19:31.879 eating that. That's two days old. You're like eat it, Like, no, 0:19:32.040 --> 0:19:34.119 that was not you know me, That's not a problem now, 0:19:34.119 --> 0:19:37.800 I do know you. I'll eat leftovers. It's a good stuff, 0:19:38.240 --> 0:19:40.280 all right. All right, we went way off the tracks. 0:19:40.280 --> 0:19:42.880 We're joined right now by Bucky Brooks of NFL Network 0:19:43.160 --> 0:19:46.320 presented by Texico with techron Bucky, Welcome to the show. 0:19:46.400 --> 0:19:49.199 Let's start first with the biggest story that's been in 0:19:49.200 --> 0:19:52.960 Philadelphia the last several weeks. We've seen now, Jalen Hurts 0:19:53.080 --> 0:19:54.879 is the starter. He is probably going to be the 0:19:54.920 --> 0:19:57.520 starter for the rest of this season. Start there with 0:19:57.560 --> 0:19:59.960 me and tell me what is Jalen Hurts doing now 0:20:00.320 --> 0:20:02.679 that maybe wins wasn't doing it all the time that 0:20:02.760 --> 0:20:06.480 he was a start of this season. So this is 0:20:06.480 --> 0:20:09.080 funny because I think Dallas fans like love him and 0:20:09.160 --> 0:20:11.280 hate him. Jalen Hurst, to me, is the closest thing 0:20:11.280 --> 0:20:13.840 that I've seen to Dak Prescott in a long time. 0:20:13.920 --> 0:20:16.359 And this goes back to the summer before he was 0:20:16.400 --> 0:20:19.520 even playing his final season Oklahoma. I talked to Will 0:20:19.600 --> 0:20:22.280 McClay about the comparison because Jalen was at the Star. 0:20:22.320 --> 0:20:23.920 I was at an event and I was like, man, 0:20:23.960 --> 0:20:26.320 this guy has built like plays like Dak Prescott. He said, 0:20:26.359 --> 0:20:28.440 you know what, you're not out of bounds. And thinking 0:20:28.480 --> 0:20:31.800 that and fast forwarding to Philadelphia, I think the best 0:20:31.800 --> 0:20:34.320 thing that Jalen Hursts has done. He has brought a 0:20:34.440 --> 0:20:37.960 level of leadership and poised to the huddle that has 0:20:38.080 --> 0:20:40.800 enabled this team to kind of go to the next level. 0:20:41.160 --> 0:20:43.720 Whatever is going on with Carson Wentzon, that team, it 0:20:43.840 --> 0:20:47.080 just doesn't jib you aswered Jalen Hursts, and this team 0:20:47.080 --> 0:20:52.000 plays better. He is a more dynamic runner than Carson 0:20:52.040 --> 0:20:53.920 Wentz is. He is a guy who has a little 0:20:53.960 --> 0:20:57.280 more composure than Carson Wentz had displayed doing his struggles, 0:20:57.480 --> 0:20:59.920 and I think what he's done. He's also forced Duck 0:21:00.040 --> 0:21:03.520 Peterson to call a game that is more conducive to 0:21:03.600 --> 0:21:06.119 the Philadelphia Eagles winning than the way that they were 0:21:06.160 --> 0:21:09.080 calling the game with Carson Wentz. They scale back some 0:21:09.119 --> 0:21:11.640 of the passing, they've gone to some of the read 0:21:11.680 --> 0:21:15.520 option stuff with Jalen and Miles Sanders kind of splitting 0:21:15.600 --> 0:21:18.639 carries and attacking the defense in a different way, and 0:21:18.720 --> 0:21:20.560 its work. And then I would say, to the surprise, 0:21:21.520 --> 0:21:24.639 he has thrown the ball much better than anybody anticipated. 0:21:24.960 --> 0:21:27.959 He has been on time, he's delivered it, and I 0:21:27.960 --> 0:21:29.639 mean the number one thing that you have to do 0:21:29.760 --> 0:21:31.879 is not give it to the other team. He hasn't 0:21:31.920 --> 0:21:33.720 given the ball to the other team, which is why 0:21:33.760 --> 0:21:36.399 the Eagles have been able to win because he hasn't 0:21:36.440 --> 0:21:41.120 had any greedious amount of turnovers. But he aside from 0:21:41.119 --> 0:21:44.240 the quarterback position, looking at the team, whether on either 0:21:44.240 --> 0:21:47.000 side of the ball. Is there something different that the 0:21:47.040 --> 0:21:50.000 Eagles are currently doing from the last time the Cowboys 0:21:50.119 --> 0:21:54.960 faced them, just leaning into the run their best offensive 0:21:54.960 --> 0:21:57.520 players Miles Sanders, And so when you put the young 0:21:57.600 --> 0:21:59.720 quarterback in, you're lean on the running game or it's 0:21:59.720 --> 0:22:02.080 giving him more opportunities. And we saw he had a 0:22:02.160 --> 0:22:05.159 hundred yard game as soon as Jalen went into the thing. 0:22:05.280 --> 0:22:07.400 And when they are committed to giving him the ruck, 0:22:07.760 --> 0:22:10.480 he makes things happen. And so the biggest thing I 0:22:10.600 --> 0:22:13.600 was into the run is mass some of the deficiencies 0:22:13.920 --> 0:22:17.040 their offensive line leaks or like everybody else is like 0:22:17.040 --> 0:22:20.600 they have a patchwork outfit. But the running game can 0:22:20.680 --> 0:22:22.280 kind of cover it up because you can kind of 0:22:22.280 --> 0:22:25.280 just go body on body and kind of miss and mash. 0:22:25.280 --> 0:22:27.600 And also when you run and read options stuff, they're 0:22:27.600 --> 0:22:29.840 guys that you can't block. You just read them, and 0:22:29.880 --> 0:22:33.000 so it takes some of the pressure off their offensive line. 0:22:33.000 --> 0:22:35.680 And so it's the running game. It's all about. Mileson 0:22:35.800 --> 0:22:37.440 is the running game and the way that Doug Peterson 0:22:37.480 --> 0:22:40.919 has been calling the place. I'm glad you mentioned the 0:22:41.000 --> 0:22:44.520 offensive line, Bucky, because that's I mean that for me, 0:22:44.560 --> 0:22:47.560 it seems like the best matchup in this game is 0:22:48.640 --> 0:22:51.040 you know, Lane Johnson has given to Marcus Lawrence fits 0:22:51.080 --> 0:22:55.320 for years, but this guy, Matt Pryor does not seem 0:22:55.359 --> 0:22:57.959 to be quite as formidable. So please please tell me 0:22:58.000 --> 0:23:01.639 he's playing right like that where DeMarcus Lawrence canna make 0:23:01.680 --> 0:23:03.840 some hey, maybe yeah, he can't make some hay. But 0:23:03.880 --> 0:23:06.159 I think the main thing with all of this is 0:23:06.320 --> 0:23:08.040 stop I'll stop in the run. I know we say 0:23:08.040 --> 0:23:10.320 it each and every week. The Cowboys have to stop 0:23:10.359 --> 0:23:13.080 the run. And given the things that have shown up 0:23:13.080 --> 0:23:15.760 on tape in terms of the misdirection the action and 0:23:15.840 --> 0:23:17.760 some of the problems that have shown up in terms 0:23:17.800 --> 0:23:21.920 of being able to stop read option power read type plays. 0:23:22.280 --> 0:23:25.280 It's gonna be a problem. And so DeMarcus Lawrence. Before 0:23:25.320 --> 0:23:28.600 they can get to tee off on the passing game, 0:23:28.720 --> 0:23:30.480 they got to be able to win early downs in 0:23:30.520 --> 0:23:33.000 the running game, and that has been a problem. And 0:23:33.040 --> 0:23:35.399 so d law and those guys have to do a 0:23:35.400 --> 0:23:37.560 good job of controlling the trenches on the rundown so 0:23:37.600 --> 0:23:39.680 they can get to the opportunity to really get out 0:23:39.680 --> 0:23:43.840 to the passage. Bucky. You know, the Eagles drafted Jalen 0:23:43.920 --> 0:23:47.240 Hurts fifty third overall, so second round pick. They obviously 0:23:47.320 --> 0:23:50.960 needed some help in other areas. What were they hoping 0:23:51.240 --> 0:23:54.679 would happen by drafting him? And then, I mean, is 0:23:54.680 --> 0:23:57.439 it a coincidence that Carson Wentz has gone in the 0:23:57.440 --> 0:23:59.320 tank here? I mean, and I say this because the 0:23:59.359 --> 0:24:02.360 Cowboys were thinking about drafting Jalen Hurts, maybe not second round, 0:24:02.400 --> 0:24:05.120 but like third or fourth. So what was the best 0:24:05.119 --> 0:24:08.240 case scenario to drafting a guy without your star quarterback 0:24:08.320 --> 0:24:12.040 looking over his shoulder? Well, a couple of things they 0:24:12.040 --> 0:24:14.440 talked about Harry Roseman right after draft. He talks about 0:24:14.480 --> 0:24:18.880 wanting to create a quarterback factory. The quarterback is the 0:24:18.920 --> 0:24:22.359 most important part of the team, is the most important piece, 0:24:22.640 --> 0:24:25.479 and if you're able to develop multiple quarterbacks, it becomes 0:24:25.680 --> 0:24:28.800 a very interesting trade pond to be able to bring 0:24:28.800 --> 0:24:32.720 back assets and the like. Because they liked the personality 0:24:32.720 --> 0:24:35.359 of Jason Hurst, because they had a vision of maybe 0:24:35.440 --> 0:24:37.960 Jalen doing some of the things that Taysom Hill has 0:24:38.000 --> 0:24:40.720 been able to do down in New Orleans. Doug Peterson 0:24:41.240 --> 0:24:44.000 wanted to have that kind of athlete and making a mistake. 0:24:44.080 --> 0:24:47.560 Carson Wentz has been hurt a lot in Philadelphia, and 0:24:48.200 --> 0:24:51.280 the way that you can really look at the quarterback room, 0:24:51.359 --> 0:24:54.560 as they paid him this money, they committed a huge 0:24:54.640 --> 0:24:58.360 chunk of their salary cap to the quarterback position. Well, 0:24:58.640 --> 0:25:01.479 you still need backup backs and it's cheaper to go 0:25:01.520 --> 0:25:04.000 in draft one that you can get cheaper. And you 0:25:04.040 --> 0:25:05.800 look at the total amount of money that they're committing 0:25:05.840 --> 0:25:08.640 to the quarterback position with their starter in their backup, 0:25:08.920 --> 0:25:10.800 it is in line with what you want to spend. 0:25:11.040 --> 0:25:13.040 And so it was a little bit about maybe we 0:25:13.080 --> 0:25:14.920 can develop a guy and trade them off, but also 0:25:15.280 --> 0:25:17.280 maybe we can get a cheap backup option that can 0:25:17.320 --> 0:25:19.919 come in and play in a pinch. We're joined by 0:25:19.960 --> 0:25:22.760 Bucky Brooks off NFL Network presented by Textico with Techcron 0:25:22.800 --> 0:25:25.879 Bucky and Philadelphia is right now thirty second in sacks 0:25:26.000 --> 0:25:30.000 allowed with four point two per game. It actually looked 0:25:30.000 --> 0:25:32.399 like they'd fixed this problem against New Orleans where they 0:25:32.400 --> 0:25:34.720 didn't give up a single sack, but then last week 0:25:34.760 --> 0:25:37.639 against Arizona they give up six. What did they do 0:25:37.720 --> 0:25:40.040 in that game against New Orleans that maybe made them 0:25:40.080 --> 0:25:42.680 a little better in that respect than they've been most 0:25:42.680 --> 0:25:47.480 of the season. Well, in New Orleans, New Orleans didn't 0:25:47.480 --> 0:25:48.919 really know what they were doing, so they kind of 0:25:48.920 --> 0:25:52.760 played on their heels. Sometimes the read option stuff can 0:25:52.800 --> 0:25:54.800 do that. It can make you pause and hesitate. You 0:25:54.800 --> 0:25:57.080 don't want to blizz because you're fearful of what's going on. 0:25:57.680 --> 0:26:00.680 The Arizona Cardinals took a different tactic. We're gonna bliss 0:26:00.760 --> 0:26:02.200 him and we're gonna blow it up on the way. 0:26:02.480 --> 0:26:04.919 And so they blissed him and they attacked them. They 0:26:04.920 --> 0:26:08.480 brought cover zero blitzes where all out pressures and zero 0:26:08.520 --> 0:26:11.600 man no safety help in the middle, and they challenged 0:26:11.640 --> 0:26:14.400 him and they were able to get home. Now the county. 0:26:14.440 --> 0:26:17.760 That is, are you willing to live with your corners 0:26:17.920 --> 0:26:22.400 and coverage like that? Patrick Peterson had a tough time 0:26:22.440 --> 0:26:24.080 because I want to say he had three or four 0:26:24.280 --> 0:26:27.440 po penalties in that game, and they went at Patrick Peterson. 0:26:27.840 --> 0:26:30.920 So Mike Nolan isn't a guy that typically likes to 0:26:30.960 --> 0:26:34.960 bring pressure like that, and so I don't know if 0:26:34.960 --> 0:26:36.800 you can have that same kind of success if you're 0:26:36.840 --> 0:26:38.520 not willing to dial it up and bring five and 0:26:38.560 --> 0:26:43.399 six man pressures on random downs. Okay, we've seen that 0:26:43.480 --> 0:26:48.000 the Cowboys most recent success in those games has come 0:26:48.080 --> 0:26:51.640 from the defense being able to create takeaways and take 0:26:51.640 --> 0:26:54.359 the ball. You mentioned earlier how much the Eagles are 0:26:54.400 --> 0:26:58.159 currently protecting the ball. If the Cowboys aren't able to 0:26:59.320 --> 0:27:02.960 get a take away, a single one, whether a fumble 0:27:03.160 --> 0:27:06.840 or an interception, can they actually win this game, because 0:27:06.880 --> 0:27:10.800 that has seemed to be the recipe for success for 0:27:10.840 --> 0:27:14.920 them in this past couple of games. Yeah, they can 0:27:14.920 --> 0:27:16.879 win the game. I mean from a talent perspective, they can. 0:27:16.960 --> 0:27:18.360 They can win the game. They can. They can beat 0:27:18.440 --> 0:27:20.400 him if it's an even game, you don't have turnovers 0:27:20.440 --> 0:27:22.440 or whatever. The Cowboys can win if they play the 0:27:22.560 --> 0:27:25.600 right way. Offensive, defensively, and special teams. I do believe 0:27:25.600 --> 0:27:28.280 that there's some turnover opportunities that will present themselves with 0:27:28.440 --> 0:27:30.520 Jalen Hurts. Jaln Hursts is fomming the ball maybe five 0:27:30.640 --> 0:27:33.879 or six times. Those fumbles have kind of bounced back 0:27:34.119 --> 0:27:36.520 into his arms, and so I think it has to 0:27:36.560 --> 0:27:38.600 be a point of emphasis when we get around Jalen Hursts. 0:27:38.680 --> 0:27:41.080 Let's attack the football. He's been loose with it. He's 0:27:41.080 --> 0:27:43.960 been careless with it. You can't knock the ball away, 0:27:44.160 --> 0:27:45.560 and then you have to figure out a way if 0:27:45.600 --> 0:27:48.200 you can pressure him and harass him enough where maybe 0:27:48.200 --> 0:27:50.480 you quicken the clock in his head and he does 0:27:50.520 --> 0:27:53.159 deliver some air and passes. To his credit, he has 0:27:53.160 --> 0:27:55.480 been very, very careful with the ball. He is being 0:27:55.520 --> 0:27:58.640 careful but still being fairly aggressive in terms of taking 0:27:58.680 --> 0:28:01.040 the shots when the shots are there. The best bet 0:28:01.119 --> 0:28:04.240 in terms of forcing turnovers is they've given up sacks. 0:28:04.640 --> 0:28:07.560 When you get an opportunity to sack him, tomahawk, chop it, 0:28:07.720 --> 0:28:09.879 try and knock it out. He has been careless with 0:28:09.920 --> 0:28:11.680 the ball in the pocket. Now, I think that's something 0:28:11.680 --> 0:28:13.560 that most young quarterbacks have to learn how to do. 0:28:14.880 --> 0:28:17.680 So the first Eagles game. I don't even know how 0:28:17.760 --> 0:28:21.280 useful the tape is between having been Denucci back there 0:28:21.880 --> 0:28:23.760 and obviously I mean, that was a low point for 0:28:23.800 --> 0:28:27.040 the Dallas offensive line. They've you know, they've stabilized a 0:28:27.080 --> 0:28:31.080 good bit, but you know, last week was really tough sledding. 0:28:31.119 --> 0:28:33.800 I imagine this week is going to be again. I mean, 0:28:34.160 --> 0:28:36.520 even with how much better the offensive line is playing, 0:28:37.840 --> 0:28:41.440 particularly Connor McGovern and Terrence Steele, are they up for 0:28:41.520 --> 0:28:44.240 this challenge of Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox? Do you 0:28:44.280 --> 0:28:47.680 think well? I mean, I think the last game, the 0:28:47.680 --> 0:28:50.760 first game, actually Cowboys had opportunities, but they decided in 0:28:50.800 --> 0:28:52.280 the rison did they want to throw the ball all 0:28:52.280 --> 0:28:54.800 over the yard with Ben Denucci as opposed to running 0:28:54.800 --> 0:28:57.000 the ball successfully like they have been. They had plenty 0:28:57.000 --> 0:28:59.880 of opportunities. I think that was a very winnable game 0:29:00.440 --> 0:29:02.760 for them. I think the key in this game is 0:29:03.160 --> 0:29:04.720 you have to be balanced. You have to be able 0:29:04.760 --> 0:29:06.440 to mix the run. In the past, I think it 0:29:06.480 --> 0:29:09.000 has to be a quick game option because making a 0:29:09.040 --> 0:29:12.280 mistake Jim Schwarzen, those guys, they're hiding some players in 0:29:12.280 --> 0:29:14.600 the secondary that they don't want to get exposed. And 0:29:14.640 --> 0:29:17.160 so if they do He's not one to really doll 0:29:17.240 --> 0:29:19.000 it up. But if they do, try to come after 0:29:19.000 --> 0:29:21.880 the Cowboys and get after Andy Dalton dead leaves some 0:29:22.000 --> 0:29:25.000 random guys on the perimeter trying to cover Cede Lamb 0:29:25.040 --> 0:29:28.200 and Maari Cooper, and those matchups go the Cowboys way, 0:29:28.240 --> 0:29:30.120 and so it's a bit of a yin and yang. 0:29:30.200 --> 0:29:32.880 But I think there are some opportunities to be able 0:29:32.920 --> 0:29:35.680 to attack. They just have to be careful and selective 0:29:35.680 --> 0:29:39.000 in terms of when they go after it. Bucky, I'm 0:29:39.040 --> 0:29:41.960 actually shocked that Dave did not ask this question already. 0:29:43.680 --> 0:29:46.320 So we asked this earlier. Did the Cowboys make a 0:29:46.400 --> 0:29:49.880 mistake with the picking Cede Lamb over Justin Jefferson? And 0:29:50.000 --> 0:29:52.720 nobody really thought that they did. But did the Eagles? 0:29:53.040 --> 0:29:55.320 Did they make a mistake in taking Jalen Rager with 0:29:55.440 --> 0:30:00.480 Justin Jefferson sitting right there or even Brandon I it 0:30:00.680 --> 0:30:04.680 is too early, I mean, so here's the thing to 0:30:04.760 --> 0:30:07.080 Justin Jefferson. I think it was a perfect storm Justin 0:30:07.160 --> 0:30:10.760 Jefferson going in Minnesota. Now, I would say this, Jerry Sullivan, 0:30:10.800 --> 0:30:14.240 who had coached him at LSU, badgered me because I 0:30:14.320 --> 0:30:15.840 went over in and didn't rank him him the top five. 0:30:15.840 --> 0:30:17.360 When I was talking about wide receivers. I had him 0:30:17.360 --> 0:30:18.880 at five and he was like, this dude is a dog. 0:30:19.200 --> 0:30:20.840 He is everything that you wanted. I think he has 0:30:20.880 --> 0:30:23.160 proven to be an outstanding route runner, but I think 0:30:23.200 --> 0:30:25.360 the system that he plays in and Gary Kubik system, 0:30:25.400 --> 0:30:28.040 I think it just works. You know. I can't say 0:30:28.080 --> 0:30:30.360 that he would have that same level of success in 0:30:30.440 --> 0:30:33.520 other places. He's a terrific player, but I think sometimes 0:30:33.560 --> 0:30:35.640 you have the perfect marriage in terms of player going 0:30:35.640 --> 0:30:38.040 to the right system, playing with the right quarterback in 0:30:38.120 --> 0:30:41.239 those things. I think in Philadelphia the main thing was 0:30:41.920 --> 0:30:45.000 sometimes coaches can be enamored with speed on the card, 0:30:45.000 --> 0:30:48.040 and Jay Raaga ran really fast, and they wanted more 0:30:48.040 --> 0:30:50.840 explosive is because the biggest thing that had plagued them 0:30:50.920 --> 0:30:54.080 is they didn't have big playability. And I think in 0:30:54.120 --> 0:30:56.719 their mind, even though Justin Jefferson ran really fast at 0:30:56.720 --> 0:31:00.440 the combine, they didn't envision him being a the top 0:31:00.480 --> 0:31:03.600 off the defense type guy and maybe that led them 0:31:03.640 --> 0:31:08.200 to go with Jalen Raiger. That said, look, they're certainly 0:31:08.200 --> 0:31:10.880 having an answer for that because Justin Jefferson has been 0:31:11.840 --> 0:31:15.120 a revelation of first year pro bowler All the things 0:31:15.120 --> 0:31:16.680 that he's being able to do in terms of putting 0:31:16.680 --> 0:31:19.600 them numbers that are in that Randy Moss category. And 0:31:19.640 --> 0:31:22.640 so yeah, they certainly may have some buyer's remorse, but 0:31:22.680 --> 0:31:25.200 I do understand their mentality, their mindset when they were 0:31:25.240 --> 0:31:27.760 going in thinking, hey, Jalen Raiger is maybe a better 0:31:27.760 --> 0:31:30.240 fit for what we want to do offensively. All right, Bucky, 0:31:30.360 --> 0:31:32.120 we've got to the point of the show. Will we 0:31:32.160 --> 0:31:33.680 want you to tell us what's going to happen this 0:31:33.720 --> 0:31:39.000 Sunday Cowboys versus Eagles three thirty kick? What do you think? Well, 0:31:39.040 --> 0:31:40.760 I mean, I think the Cowboys to be able to 0:31:40.760 --> 0:31:43.240 win this one. I think the more that Jalen Hurst 0:31:43.320 --> 0:31:45.640 puts tape out there, the better you have an opportunity 0:31:45.680 --> 0:31:48.800 to defend. The key will be Shaun Lee and Jalen 0:31:48.840 --> 0:31:50.640 Smith and can they stop the run and can they 0:31:50.840 --> 0:31:53.720 keep Jalen Hurst from hurting them? But if the Cowboys 0:31:53.760 --> 0:31:55.840 stick to the script, they run the football, they continue 0:31:55.840 --> 0:31:59.640 to make Tony Poler like a featured playmaker without zek 0:31:59.640 --> 0:32:01.760 and the line, I think they have an opportunity. I 0:32:01.760 --> 0:32:04.240 think you have seen that this offense has been balanced 0:32:04.240 --> 0:32:06.479 and steady, and as long they're able to cash in 0:32:06.560 --> 0:32:09.120 on the opportunities that the defense creates. They should be 0:32:09.120 --> 0:32:10.600 able to get a win, and hopefully if they can 0:32:10.600 --> 0:32:12.440 get a win and the Washington football team loses, then 0:32:12.520 --> 0:32:14.320 everything is on the line the last game of the season. 0:32:14.480 --> 0:32:16.320 All right, we appreciate you joining us. That's been our 0:32:16.360 --> 0:32:19.720 segment with Bucky Brooks, presented by Texico with techron Bucky, 0:32:19.920 --> 0:32:22.080 you have a merry Christmas. We're gonna take our final break. 0:32:22.080 --> 0:32:23.640 When we come back, we'll talk a little bit about 0:32:23.640 --> 0:32:25.960 this Cowboys defense and a little bit about special teams. 0:32:25.960 --> 0:32:27.360 Well that when we come right back. This is Dallas 0:32:27.360 --> 0:32:31.640 Cowboys dot com Radio. We're backing the tasty treat that's 0:32:31.640 --> 0:32:35.080 sweeping airwaves and taste buds. It's new Doctor pepper and 0:32:35.120 --> 0:32:38.880 cream Soda. 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The Cowboys Way, where sixteen 0:33:32.320 --> 0:33:35.600 Hall of Famers and five championships shows us what success 0:33:35.640 --> 0:33:38.800 looks like. Where Turkey is always the second best part 0:33:38.840 --> 0:33:42.080 of Thanksgiving Day, Where we are all defined by one 0:33:42.200 --> 0:33:46.160 single thing, the Star, where we as fans know it's 0:33:46.160 --> 0:33:49.400 our job to keep the tradition going. Bank of America 0:33:49.480 --> 0:33:51.400 is proud to be the official bank of the Dallas 0:33:51.440 --> 0:33:54.400 Cowboys and to support the quest of living life. The 0:33:54.520 --> 0:33:58.480 Cowboys Way. Copyright twenty twenty Bank of America Corporation. Dear, 0:33:58.600 --> 0:34:00.920 it's nineteen o eight. Don't you think we should get 0:34:01.000 --> 0:34:04.120 electricity and stop using candles to see at night? It's 0:34:04.120 --> 0:34:07.120 just electricity lights up the room fast, It's more reliable 0:34:07.120 --> 0:34:10.080 than candles blowing out, and people seem to love it nationwide. 0:34:11.800 --> 0:34:14.239 Dare did you just run into the wall? I have 0:34:14.280 --> 0:34:17.080 a new candle? Please. Historically, switching to new technology is 0:34:17.080 --> 0:34:20.640 a no brainer. Today it's AT and T five G, fast, reliable, secure, 0:34:20.680 --> 0:34:23.160 and nationwide switch to AT and t five G. It's 0:34:23.160 --> 0:34:25.680 not complicated. Five G requires compatible plan may not be 0:34:25.680 --> 0:34:27.360 in your area. See att dot com slash five G 0:34:27.520 --> 0:34:35.560 for you for details. Back to the break, don't miss 0:34:35.640 --> 0:34:38.799 the last chance to see the virtual Christmas extravagands are 0:34:38.800 --> 0:34:41.880 presented by Albertson's and Tom Thumb. The most electrifying holiday 0:34:41.880 --> 0:34:44.480 show the season. Can be watched on Dallas Cowboys Facebook 0:34:44.520 --> 0:34:47.640 and Twitter Tomorrow, December twenty fourth, Christmas Eve at six 0:34:47.680 --> 0:34:50.560 pm Central on demand, or at Dallas Cowboys dot com 0:34:50.600 --> 0:34:53.040 slash Christmas. All Right, Welcome back to the final segment 0:34:53.040 --> 0:34:56.120 of the show Life Nest WBC Mortgage Studios at the Star. 0:34:56.200 --> 0:34:59.480 We are presented by Geico, and I got some questions 0:34:59.480 --> 0:35:00.799 for you guys. I want to talk a little bit 0:35:00.800 --> 0:35:03.600 about defense and special teams. I'll start first with the defense. 0:35:04.000 --> 0:35:06.319 Over the last few weeks, they've been playing a little 0:35:06.360 --> 0:35:08.680 bit better, mainly in the fact that they've been getting turnovers, 0:35:08.680 --> 0:35:11.080 which is something they were not doing earlier in the season. 0:35:11.920 --> 0:35:15.000 My question for you guys is is this defense at 0:35:15.000 --> 0:35:18.120 this point performing at a level that if they were 0:35:18.160 --> 0:35:20.480 to be able to continue this going into next year 0:35:20.520 --> 0:35:23.319 when this team has their complement of offensive players back 0:35:23.400 --> 0:35:26.240 from injury. Is this the level they need to really 0:35:26.280 --> 0:35:28.480 be at in order for this team to be successful? 0:35:28.560 --> 0:35:33.680 Not great, but definitely opportunistic and decent. Nick, No, they 0:35:33.719 --> 0:35:36.360 need to be better than this. When they get challenged 0:35:36.360 --> 0:35:39.640 by really good quarterbacks, they lose. They they've beaten some 0:35:39.719 --> 0:35:42.160 teams that aren't very good on offense. Then Nick Mullins 0:35:42.160 --> 0:35:45.400 and Brandon Allen and and I mean Kirk Cousins, they 0:35:45.400 --> 0:35:48.279 beat him. I mean Kirk Cousins and Matt Ryan. I 0:35:48.280 --> 0:35:50.439 mean they've been in the Pro Bowls. They're not going 0:35:50.480 --> 0:35:52.719 this year. Their team isn't going to the playoffs this year. 0:35:52.920 --> 0:35:54.880 But they beat them barely. I mean it took the 0:35:55.000 --> 0:35:57.680 last second to beat both of them, and they even 0:35:57.719 --> 0:36:00.399 got exposed by them in that game. So I don't 0:36:00.440 --> 0:36:03.080 think that they're there. And you can't say that the 0:36:03.160 --> 0:36:05.600 offense is better the defense will be fine. Now, I 0:36:05.600 --> 0:36:08.080 think the defense needs to be able to play better. 0:36:08.080 --> 0:36:10.120 They need more They need more playmakers. They need more 0:36:10.160 --> 0:36:12.120 guys that can actually go and take the ball away. 0:36:12.160 --> 0:36:13.560 We're seeing it more, but they need more of it. 0:36:14.280 --> 0:36:17.960 Amber Now, that's exactly I mean what I was thinking 0:36:18.000 --> 0:36:21.200 as well, same a snake. I think that yes, It 0:36:21.360 --> 0:36:24.600 is good to see this defense finally playing with some 0:36:24.719 --> 0:36:27.359 kind of fire. But at the same time, I need 0:36:27.440 --> 0:36:30.600 to have a defense that I feel confident enough that 0:36:30.640 --> 0:36:33.320 it is going to be able to compete against winning teams, 0:36:33.440 --> 0:36:37.640 not against average or below average. You need to hire, 0:36:37.960 --> 0:36:42.279 you know, there are higher expectations, So that's the biggest thing. 0:36:42.320 --> 0:36:45.319 It's like, for those that think that, oh, yes, maybe 0:36:45.360 --> 0:36:48.240 the Cowboys can make it into the playoffs, what happens then? 0:36:48.360 --> 0:36:51.920 What happens after Week one of the playoffs once they 0:36:51.920 --> 0:36:54.799 start facing better teams. I don't have that kind of 0:36:54.840 --> 0:36:58.120 confidence right now because we haven't seen it. But at 0:36:58.200 --> 0:37:01.840 least on the good side is that we are starting 0:37:01.840 --> 0:37:05.200 to see a very different defense as opposed to what 0:37:05.280 --> 0:37:09.160 we were seeing earlier this year, and that's improvement, at 0:37:09.239 --> 0:37:11.719 least some kind of improvement, and the will and the 0:37:11.800 --> 0:37:15.400 fight is there, so hopefully they can build off of 0:37:15.440 --> 0:37:18.080 that for next year. But they need to do a 0:37:18.120 --> 0:37:23.200 lot better and a lot more work. Dave, Yeah, it 0:37:23.280 --> 0:37:26.560 kind of goes back to what I was saying, And again, 0:37:26.600 --> 0:37:28.719 I don't want to completely discount it, but I mean, 0:37:28.880 --> 0:37:32.440 you know, seven takeaways in two games. You can't count 0:37:32.480 --> 0:37:35.279 on that, Like, that's I mean, it's great, it's great, 0:37:35.280 --> 0:37:37.880 and it's awesome that they're getting them. They deserve credit 0:37:37.880 --> 0:37:40.160 for that, but like, you're not going to force four 0:37:40.280 --> 0:37:43.040 takeaways per game in the NFL over the course of 0:37:43.080 --> 0:37:45.200 like a full season, Like you're gonna have stretches where 0:37:45.200 --> 0:37:47.720 they're harder to come by, and that's when you notice 0:37:47.760 --> 0:37:50.640 things like the run defense one hundred and fifty yards 0:37:50.680 --> 0:37:53.200 given up to a bad forty nine ers team with 0:37:53.239 --> 0:37:56.399 a gimpie offensive line and a quarterback that shouldn't scare you, 0:37:56.560 --> 0:37:59.600 like Nick against Nick Mullins, you should be able to 0:37:59.640 --> 0:38:02.279 load up the box and commit to stopping that, and 0:38:02.840 --> 0:38:05.280 if he hits us for some throws, that's what happens. 0:38:05.320 --> 0:38:07.120 But I mean, they just they got run on by 0:38:07.160 --> 0:38:09.520 that team. They gave up they had They gave up 0:38:09.520 --> 0:38:13.160 six scoring drives to San Francisco and four possessions of 0:38:13.200 --> 0:38:16.680 ten plays or more so, four different times they let 0:38:16.680 --> 0:38:20.239 a Nick Mullin offense methodically drive the field against them. 0:38:21.200 --> 0:38:25.200 That's not great. It's awesome that they're getting takeaways, but 0:38:25.680 --> 0:38:28.200 the things that, you know, the things that you can 0:38:28.400 --> 0:38:31.360 sustain from week to week, like run defense, have not 0:38:31.480 --> 0:38:35.600 been there consistently. So I mean, it's been an encouraging stretch, 0:38:35.680 --> 0:38:38.000 but yeah, they need to be they need to be 0:38:38.000 --> 0:38:40.520 better if they're gonna be a better team next year. 0:38:40.600 --> 0:38:42.560 You know, I thought it was interesting about Nick Mullins 0:38:42.560 --> 0:38:45.000 heading into the fourth quarter. I was thinking, you know, 0:38:45.000 --> 0:38:47.800 and I told everyone around me, which is nobody, that 0:38:49.200 --> 0:38:52.040 I was like, Mullins is playing better than Andy Dalton 0:38:52.160 --> 0:38:54.719 right now. He is, like Andy Dalton's not playing that great. 0:38:54.880 --> 0:38:56.600 You know, he keep forcing the ball to Noah Brown. 0:38:56.640 --> 0:38:58.560 It's not happening, it's not working. And then you know, 0:38:58.680 --> 0:39:01.680 I mean, they've only taking the advantage of the turnovers. 0:39:01.800 --> 0:39:05.160 Mullins is out playing Andy Dalton right now. But as 0:39:05.200 --> 0:39:08.000 the game continued and it got a little bit more 0:39:08.040 --> 0:39:11.080 pressure moments, he threw two picks, and you know, Dalton 0:39:11.080 --> 0:39:13.440 obviously didn't and played the way you you know, you 0:39:13.520 --> 0:39:15.359 expect him to play. But I mean, the Cowboys took 0:39:15.360 --> 0:39:16.960 advantage of that. But I mean, I thought, I thought 0:39:17.040 --> 0:39:19.359 Mullins was kind of impressive a little bit for a while, 0:39:19.400 --> 0:39:21.600 and then he kind of became the guy that you 0:39:21.719 --> 0:39:24.480 kind of thought, all right, let's move on to special 0:39:24.480 --> 0:39:28.240 teams this year one hundred nice Wander. Nice Wander currently 0:39:28.280 --> 0:39:30.359 has forty four percent of his punts that have been 0:39:30.360 --> 0:39:32.840 down within the twenty at seven of the sixteen punts 0:39:32.840 --> 0:39:35.360 that he has, Chris Jones when he was punting for 0:39:35.400 --> 0:39:38.759 the team had about twenty one percent, about half five 0:39:38.800 --> 0:39:41.920 of twenty four. Has nice Wander been an upgrade? That's 0:39:41.920 --> 0:39:44.840 a simple question with maybe not as simple an answer, 0:39:44.840 --> 0:39:49.880 but Dave, let's start with you. Absolutely, he yes, you 0:39:50.000 --> 0:39:53.200 just said, I mean, yeah, like the ball looks different 0:39:53.200 --> 0:39:55.319 coming off his foot, the way that they've been able 0:39:55.360 --> 0:39:58.720 to pin opponents deep. You know, John Fossil was talking 0:39:58.719 --> 0:40:01.239 the other night about he's had two punts in the 0:40:01.320 --> 0:40:05.160 last two games down on the opponents one and illegal 0:40:05.160 --> 0:40:08.920 formation penalties have taken those away, but you know the 0:40:08.960 --> 0:40:11.880 punter still gets credit for that when the coaches watched tape, like, 0:40:11.920 --> 0:40:13.640 it's not the punter's fault at the tight end was 0:40:13.680 --> 0:40:16.839 in the wrong spot. So yeah, he's he's been outstanding, 0:40:16.880 --> 0:40:21.160 and honestly, that's that is a low key decision that 0:40:21.160 --> 0:40:23.480 they're going to have to make. You know, I'm positive 0:40:23.640 --> 0:40:26.600 you know Chris Jones and the coaches would probably come 0:40:26.640 --> 0:40:29.400 back and say, clearly, Chris Jones has been dealing with injuries. 0:40:29.400 --> 0:40:31.640 He was dealing with one in twenty nineteen. It was 0:40:31.680 --> 0:40:34.000 bad enough in twenty twenty that he had to have surgery. 0:40:34.560 --> 0:40:37.279 But this is a bottom line business at the I mean, 0:40:37.480 --> 0:40:39.680 at the very least, I would expect that to be 0:40:39.719 --> 0:40:43.960 a competition next year. Like, you know, I don't just 0:40:44.000 --> 0:40:47.000 give Chris Jones the doubt, like, well, you've had this surgery, 0:40:47.040 --> 0:40:49.640 now be good. I mean, I know he's on a 0:40:49.680 --> 0:40:53.279 big contract, but you know, Dan Bailey got cut two 0:40:53.360 --> 0:40:55.480 and he's the most accurate kicker in team history. This 0:40:55.560 --> 0:40:58.919 stuff happens. So Hunter Nights Wander has been good enough 0:40:58.920 --> 0:41:00.799 that I'm like, oh, yeah, Like I want this dude 0:41:00.840 --> 0:41:03.600 hanging around next year for sure, at the very least 0:41:03.600 --> 0:41:07.960 a competition. Amber you know, I always forget about Hunter. 0:41:08.160 --> 0:41:10.640 And when I'm watching the game and I see a 0:41:10.640 --> 0:41:14.719 good punt, I'm like, oh, look at you, so I'm 0:41:14.760 --> 0:41:16.840 a good job. And then I look at the number, 0:41:16.840 --> 0:41:18.480 I'm like, oh wait, and then I have to look 0:41:18.480 --> 0:41:22.120 at the roster. I'm like, oh, that's Hunter. Okay. I 0:41:22.160 --> 0:41:24.879 guess I'm in one of those situations that when you're 0:41:24.920 --> 0:41:28.000 not really missing someone on the field, and is it 0:41:28.120 --> 0:41:30.759 really necessary for you to even have them at all? 0:41:31.000 --> 0:41:33.839 And I feel terrible for saying that because I absolutely 0:41:33.880 --> 0:41:36.320 love Chris Jones. He's such a nice guy and I 0:41:36.360 --> 0:41:39.520 would love to see him do well again, but it 0:41:39.560 --> 0:41:42.439 just hasn't happened. So I think the Cowboys are at 0:41:42.440 --> 0:41:46.120 this point where they probably will need to part ways 0:41:46.160 --> 0:41:49.600 with him next year. And I don't know about contract 0:41:49.680 --> 0:41:52.320 and all that, don't ask me, but just in general, 0:41:52.440 --> 0:41:54.439 based on what we've seen so far, I do think 0:41:54.480 --> 0:41:58.200 that Hunter has done enough to keep the job. Nick, 0:41:58.360 --> 0:42:01.240 I think that, you know, the only thing nice Wander 0:42:01.280 --> 0:42:05.279 really hasn't done well is run routes on like fourth down. 0:42:06.200 --> 0:42:09.279 It's really that it. I mean, I think I think 0:42:09.320 --> 0:42:12.240 he's done a better job Hunting. There's just more pop 0:42:12.320 --> 0:42:14.680 coming off off of his foot there, and then Chris 0:42:14.800 --> 0:42:17.759 Jones doesn't have that anymore. He just doesn't have that. 0:42:17.800 --> 0:42:20.040 You can look at the numbers suggest that too, even 0:42:20.160 --> 0:42:22.880 not just the average, but look at the longest punt 0:42:22.960 --> 0:42:25.400 that he's had and he doesn't even get one of those. 0:42:26.200 --> 0:42:30.200 That number has gone down so younger, stronger, Uh, you know, 0:42:30.320 --> 0:42:33.359 a nice Wanders has been really good, and he's also, 0:42:33.400 --> 0:42:35.399 like you said, down at the ball down in there. 0:42:35.440 --> 0:42:37.879 I mean, that's that can be a weapon. I don't 0:42:37.880 --> 0:42:40.160 think there's been an issue holding. I don't, you know, 0:42:40.239 --> 0:42:42.000 I don't think I don't think any of the misses 0:42:42.239 --> 0:42:45.359 have been because of that. So, you know, I think 0:42:45.400 --> 0:42:47.239 that you know this one, let's just be about three 0:42:47.280 --> 0:42:49.759 week injury and now it's like we've no one. Does 0:42:49.800 --> 0:42:52.239 anyone even ask Dave in the press conference? Did they 0:42:52.239 --> 0:42:54.600 even ask about where once Jones coming back? I mean, 0:42:54.640 --> 0:42:57.319 I just I don't think it's I don't know they 0:42:57.360 --> 0:42:59.319 do not. I don't think he's even gonna be back 0:42:59.360 --> 0:43:01.839 next year. Yeah, I really don't. I think you kind 0:43:01.880 --> 0:43:04.120 of move on from that. But I mean, I agree 0:43:04.160 --> 0:43:06.640 with what Amber said. I mean, everybody loves Chris Jones. 0:43:07.480 --> 0:43:09.520 He's a great guy. But I just don't think the 0:43:09.560 --> 0:43:11.680 injuries have effected. But I just think the numbers and 0:43:12.320 --> 0:43:15.080 he just doesn't have the same kind of punting ability 0:43:15.120 --> 0:43:17.279 that he did before. Okay, before we end the show, 0:43:17.320 --> 0:43:19.040 this is our final show of the week. We need 0:43:19.120 --> 0:43:21.480 to go through and get picks. How does everybody think 0:43:21.520 --> 0:43:25.360 this game is going to play out Sunday Cowboys versus Eagles? 0:43:25.400 --> 0:43:27.120 And I want to start with you today, who do 0:43:27.160 --> 0:43:29.319 you think? So? May I have a short answer. I 0:43:29.360 --> 0:43:32.960 think that the Cowboys can do enough to beat the Eagles. 0:43:33.040 --> 0:43:37.880 My only and absolutely only hesitation about this game is 0:43:38.360 --> 0:43:41.600 can the Cowboys actually get three wins in a road. 0:43:41.880 --> 0:43:44.840 Other than that, I feel pretty good about the Cowboys 0:43:44.840 --> 0:43:47.239 being able to take them down and beat them here 0:43:47.320 --> 0:43:51.320 at home. So I will choose the Cowboys to win 0:43:51.680 --> 0:43:59.160 against the Eagles, maybe like twenty six, twenty four something 0:43:59.200 --> 0:44:03.279 like that. All Nick, that's good? Um, yeah, I mean 0:44:03.760 --> 0:44:06.120 you're wondering if they can have that kind of consistency. 0:44:06.440 --> 0:44:08.799 This is one of those like philosophy type questions. I mean, 0:44:08.840 --> 0:44:10.399 do they have to win three in a row because 0:44:10.400 --> 0:44:12.680 they don't they don't have to win one? Or do 0:44:12.760 --> 0:44:15.920 you look at it and say, well, you know, history 0:44:15.920 --> 0:44:18.200 shows that you're not going to have that kind of 0:44:18.200 --> 0:44:21.760 consistency even though you've done it twice. So that's lingering, 0:44:21.800 --> 0:44:25.160 that's there. I just feel like they're gonna win somehow. 0:44:25.239 --> 0:44:27.640 I think they win thirty one thirty missed extra point 0:44:27.680 --> 0:44:32.719 by the Eagles. All right, Dave, So Nick, you picked 0:44:32.760 --> 0:44:37.839 the Cowboys. Dave, that shouldn't matter. Just pick no, no, no, no, 0:44:38.680 --> 0:44:43.040 You're right, this is like three weeks in a row. 0:44:43.080 --> 0:44:45.440 You're like, we all shouldn't do this. We all shouldn't 0:44:45.480 --> 0:44:48.040 do that. You know, you know why? No? You because 0:44:48.239 --> 0:44:52.759 like this team, this team pisses me off. I'm that 0:44:52.840 --> 0:44:56.960 better be a cow by, Oh, no doubt, I am not. 0:44:57.320 --> 0:45:00.000 I am not a superstitious person at all. Like I'm 0:45:00.160 --> 0:45:02.040 I'm always the guy. I'm like, it doesn't matter what 0:45:02.040 --> 0:45:04.359 what color your sleeves are, it doesn't matter if you're 0:45:04.360 --> 0:45:07.840 wearing your lucky socks. But I just know, you know, 0:45:07.880 --> 0:45:10.200 I'm the guy Like I haven't been impressed by either 0:45:10.200 --> 0:45:14.160 of these two wins. Uh, and I'm still like I 0:45:14.480 --> 0:45:16.719 want to see more blah blah blah. And I just 0:45:16.880 --> 0:45:19.640 know if I pick them to win this stupid game, 0:45:19.680 --> 0:45:23.080 they'll lose. I just know they will. Dave and Dave, Hey, 0:45:23.120 --> 0:45:25.480 that's just part of a football I thought, that's just 0:45:25.560 --> 0:45:27.719 part of being a football fan. And you're used to 0:45:27.760 --> 0:45:31.520 that and you know that world it is, but it 0:45:31.560 --> 0:45:35.840 doesn't make it any less annoying. But that's okay. I mean, listen, 0:45:35.960 --> 0:45:39.000 they still they don't they don't deserve a unanimous pick. 0:45:39.040 --> 0:45:42.720 And I don't know what Derek's going to do Christmas. 0:45:42.800 --> 0:45:47.200 He's picking. Yeah, I do, all right, I really sweatshirt. Really, 0:45:51.120 --> 0:45:53.520 I think the Cowboys should win this game, but I 0:45:53.560 --> 0:45:57.040 don't trust them, and so I'll pick the Eagles. U. 0:45:57.520 --> 0:45:59.880 I'll pick the Eagles to win like twenty eight twenty 0:46:00.040 --> 0:46:04.160 for and you know, I'm not superstitious, but hopefully that 0:46:04.200 --> 0:46:06.520 means the Cowboys will actually play well. I don't know. 0:46:06.640 --> 0:46:10.960 I don't know what I'm doing. This team has broken me. So, man, 0:46:11.040 --> 0:46:12.960 that's a tough place to be in this year. Dave. 0:46:13.040 --> 0:46:15.759 It's just twenty twenty, isn't it. It's rough man, all right. 0:46:16.560 --> 0:46:18.359 I actually think this will be a high scoring game. 0:46:18.400 --> 0:46:20.840 I think both teams will have some success offensively. I 0:46:20.880 --> 0:46:23.560 think it'll be a fun game to watch, and I 0:46:23.600 --> 0:46:26.440 think it'll feel like these teams are better than they 0:46:26.440 --> 0:46:28.440 are because of the way that they'll be playing and 0:46:28.480 --> 0:46:31.799 putting up points. But all that being said, I do 0:46:31.880 --> 0:46:34.120 think the Cowboys can get to win this weekend. And 0:46:34.160 --> 0:46:36.279 I'll put it like this, Like we say, you don't 0:46:36.280 --> 0:46:37.880 trust them to be able to do this, but I 0:46:37.960 --> 0:46:40.600 just go back to McCarthy's history. Like McCarthy was able 0:46:40.680 --> 0:46:42.439 to do this at his last stop, he was able 0:46:42.480 --> 0:46:44.759 to in the first year a team that had underperformed 0:46:44.760 --> 0:46:46.960 all year figured it out at the end of the season. 0:46:47.200 --> 0:46:49.719 Maybe it was a schedule, Maybe they're just playing bad teams. 0:46:49.719 --> 0:46:52.200 Who knows, but they did. Yeah, but maybe but they did. 0:46:52.280 --> 0:46:54.759 Maybe it was but they did manage to pull those 0:46:54.800 --> 0:46:56.480 games together there at the end of the season and 0:46:56.520 --> 0:46:59.520 win four in a row in that season. I would 0:46:59.520 --> 0:47:01.040 be interested to see if this team can do the 0:47:01.040 --> 0:47:03.520 same thing, because I do think I'm not a big 0:47:03.520 --> 0:47:06.080 believer always that things can translate from one season to 0:47:06.120 --> 0:47:08.200 the next. I do think though, when you're talking about 0:47:08.200 --> 0:47:11.400 a new head coach and guys buying in, because I 0:47:11.440 --> 0:47:14.359 do think guys look at coaches and they evaluate whether 0:47:14.400 --> 0:47:17.680 they think whatever they're telling them actually works. And I 0:47:17.680 --> 0:47:19.680 think in those kind of situations, it can have a 0:47:19.719 --> 0:47:22.120 carryover effect if you can show them that by the 0:47:22.200 --> 0:47:24.040 end of the season, we actually stuff was working. All 0:47:24.080 --> 0:47:26.240 the stuff I was telling you would work, it was working. 0:47:26.640 --> 0:47:28.400 I think that's good to have a team like this 0:47:28.480 --> 0:47:30.799 to go into the offseason feeling like what their coach 0:47:30.880 --> 0:47:32.960 is telling them makes sense and works. And so I 0:47:33.040 --> 0:47:35.200 do think they're going to get the win this week. 0:47:35.360 --> 0:47:36.960 We'll see what happens next week, but I think they'll 0:47:36.960 --> 0:47:38.319 get to win this week. I think the final will 0:47:38.320 --> 0:47:41.920 be Dallas twenty seven, Philadelphia twenty four. All right, appreciate 0:47:41.920 --> 0:47:43.759 you guy, you guys joining us. We'll be back on Monday. 0:47:43.760 --> 0:47:45.160 We'll let you know what went right and wrong for 0:47:45.200 --> 0:47:47.600 the Cowboys versus the Eagles. So then, for Nick Even, 0:47:47.680 --> 0:47:50.319 Dave Helm and Ambergarcia, I'm Derek Eagleton. This has been 0:47:50.320 --> 0:47:53.360 the Break Mary Christmas. Everyone, Merry Christmas and hope you 0:47:53.400 --> 0:47:55.640 guys have a safe and happy Christmas. Will see you 0:47:55.680 --> 0:47:57.480 guys next week. This has been The Break live on 0:47:57.600 --> 0:48:02.600 Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. This has been a production 0:48:02.719 --> 0:48:06.479 of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.