WEBVTT - Cowboys Break: Levels of Concern 0:00:04.880 --> 0:00:07.400 The following is a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com 0:00:07.440 --> 0:00:19.560 and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club. Are you ready for 0:00:19.600 --> 0:00:23.280 a break? Yes? Are you ready for a break? Absolutely? 0:00:23.440 --> 0:00:27.600 Ready for a break? Yeah, and so much for that. 0:00:27.840 --> 0:00:33.000 It's time for the Break on Dallas Cowboys dot Com 0:00:33.760 --> 0:00:39.239 with Nick Eatman, David Hellman, and bar Garcia and Derek Eagleton. 0:00:39.360 --> 0:00:42.560 It is Susie. November twelve, twenty nineteen, Season fifteen, episode 0:00:42.640 --> 0:00:45.320 number eighty. Welcome to another edition All Break, where you're 0:00:45.400 --> 0:00:48.080 live from the s WBC Morty Studios at the Star. 0:00:48.320 --> 0:00:50.320 You got about forty five minutes to talk about the 0:00:50.320 --> 0:00:54.000 Cowboys with you guys. Today, we're gonna talk about levels 0:00:54.000 --> 0:00:57.480 of concern coming off a game like that one that 0:00:57.560 --> 0:01:00.320 we saw on Sunday. There's a lot of things that 0:01:00.360 --> 0:01:02.680 you could be concerned about with this team. But I 0:01:02.720 --> 0:01:04.640 think it's up to us, It's up to this group 0:01:04.680 --> 0:01:07.640 in here to add some perspective to this conversation of 0:01:08.000 --> 0:01:10.160 how much should you be concerned about certain things that 0:01:10.200 --> 0:01:13.280 we saw Sunday, about certain position groups, about particular players 0:01:13.680 --> 0:01:15.639 that may not have played so well in that game. 0:01:16.040 --> 0:01:18.319 But is it a real trend or is it something 0:01:18.360 --> 0:01:20.440 that you're seeing that you think will be a problem 0:01:20.480 --> 0:01:22.840 as we go forward. So I got my crew here, 0:01:22.920 --> 0:01:26.039 got Nick, even Dave Hellman, Danny no excuse me, Danny 0:01:26.080 --> 0:01:29.319 serekis joining us today as well. So let's jump right 0:01:29.360 --> 0:01:32.720 in level of concern. It's gonna be a rating of 0:01:32.760 --> 0:01:35.520 one to ten, ten being I am losing my mind 0:01:35.560 --> 0:01:38.760 concerned with this one being as this is not a problem. 0:01:38.800 --> 0:01:42.120 All right, Let's start first with the offensive line. And 0:01:42.160 --> 0:01:44.760 I heard you guys actually had some interesting conversation on 0:01:44.800 --> 0:01:47.800 that yesterday. And so before we get to your levels 0:01:47.800 --> 0:01:49.640 of concern, why don't you guys give me a little 0:01:49.680 --> 0:01:52.080 news on what's happening there on the offensive line. Don't 0:01:52.120 --> 0:01:55.080 you take care of that? Nick? And you called your 0:01:55.080 --> 0:01:59.440 shot like, babe, freaking I didn't he always done? And 0:01:59.520 --> 0:02:02.280 then later he's like he has no I didn't know anything. Yeah, 0:02:02.280 --> 0:02:04.840 He's like, I don't have a source, I don't know anything. 0:02:04.800 --> 0:02:07.480 He didn't know anything about an injury to Connor Williams. 0:02:07.480 --> 0:02:09.679 And and as I was telling you this earlier, if 0:02:09.680 --> 0:02:12.919 he would have had like a you know, like a 0:02:12.960 --> 0:02:15.320 soreness in his knee and we'll see he's not going 0:02:15.360 --> 0:02:17.480 to practice then and be like, all right, they're they're 0:02:17.560 --> 0:02:21.040 protecting him and they're trying to start Sufilo. I don't 0:02:21.040 --> 0:02:22.840 think you have to go under the knife to like 0:02:22.919 --> 0:02:24.720 prove a point here. So I do think he's got 0:02:24.880 --> 0:02:30.320 a legitimate injury. He's gonna have scope on his right knee, 0:02:30.320 --> 0:02:32.640 I believe. I don't think it's left because last year 0:02:32.800 --> 0:02:34.959 was right, he had the same thing. But at the 0:02:35.000 --> 0:02:37.040 same time, to Afilo came over and they had a 0:02:37.160 --> 0:02:39.360 game you know, seven game winning streak or whatever. So 0:02:39.520 --> 0:02:41.280 we'll see if that happens again. But I think it 0:02:41.280 --> 0:02:44.840 was just because a Sufilo, and I think he's a 0:02:44.840 --> 0:02:47.079 better lineman, and I think the Cowboys things so too. 0:02:47.120 --> 0:02:49.120 They just didn't draft him. But as I saw you, 0:02:49.200 --> 0:02:51.440 there there are tons of legitimate injuries in that locker 0:02:51.520 --> 0:02:54.360 room right now that could have surgery or decide not 0:02:54.400 --> 0:02:56.280 to have surgery. So yeah, I think he's got a 0:02:56.360 --> 0:02:59.679 legitimate injury. I do wonder though, if if it was 0:02:59.760 --> 0:03:01.480 kind yeah Connor, you know, you might want to go 0:03:01.520 --> 0:03:03.440 ahead and get the surgery, Like it's let's just go 0:03:03.440 --> 0:03:05.000 ahead and do the surgery and you could sit for 0:03:05.040 --> 0:03:06.839 a few weeks. We got a plan. I think he's 0:03:06.880 --> 0:03:09.520 a better lineman right now in his career. I think 0:03:09.560 --> 0:03:12.400 he gives him a little bit more strength, and you know, 0:03:12.400 --> 0:03:16.000 we'll see. I wonder, I was gonna say, I wondered too, 0:03:16.040 --> 0:03:18.920 how much this decision comes from them liking what Suefila 0:03:19.000 --> 0:03:21.320 did last year when he filled in for Williams. And 0:03:21.480 --> 0:03:23.359 I'm sure that came into you know, we can go 0:03:23.400 --> 0:03:26.480 a few weeks you feelab be ready. I'm sure that 0:03:26.560 --> 0:03:29.400 came into play some too. Put on my draft show 0:03:29.480 --> 0:03:32.839 hat real quick, and I'm going to defend the guy 0:03:32.960 --> 0:03:35.160 who I was very excited that they were going to draft. 0:03:35.280 --> 0:03:38.640 Maybe instead of saying, you know what, Connor, maybe you 0:03:38.720 --> 0:03:41.240 go get that surgery. Maybe they watched it back and 0:03:41.280 --> 0:03:44.280 they were like, you know what, you're clearly not right 0:03:44.440 --> 0:03:46.560 because you would be playing better than this if you 0:03:46.600 --> 0:03:50.080 were healthy. Because he hasn't been perfect by any stretch 0:03:50.080 --> 0:03:53.480 of the imagination, but I don't think he has played 0:03:53.520 --> 0:03:55.960 as poorly as he did against the Vikings. And so 0:03:56.600 --> 0:03:58.640 maybe they took a look about look at it and said, 0:03:59.080 --> 0:04:00.920 you're not helping us right, You're not going to be 0:04:01.000 --> 0:04:03.400 effective enough to help us in your current states, So 0:04:03.440 --> 0:04:06.320 go get this taken care of. Jason Garrett said he 0:04:06.360 --> 0:04:09.600 doesn't it. I mean, I don't think irs in consideration, 0:04:09.640 --> 0:04:11.480 and when you think about how far into the season 0:04:11.520 --> 0:04:14.880 we are, that I'm interested to see he You know, 0:04:15.160 --> 0:04:17.359 you don't ever want to put a firm timetable on it, 0:04:17.440 --> 0:04:20.360 just in case. But you know, when he says short term, 0:04:20.400 --> 0:04:22.760 I assume that means he can be back in three, 0:04:23.160 --> 0:04:25.600 three or four weeks. I mean, Michael Gallup had had 0:04:25.600 --> 0:04:27.880 a situation like this earlier in the season, so you know, 0:04:28.240 --> 0:04:30.640 he's a second round pick and a guy that everyone 0:04:30.680 --> 0:04:33.640 thought might be a first round pick, so you don't 0:04:33.400 --> 0:04:36.480 expect him to be a starter. But even if his 0:04:36.560 --> 0:04:40.760 career is a backup to a lot of spots, that 0:04:40.960 --> 0:04:43.960 is a valuable position, especially with this line. That's probably 0:04:44.000 --> 0:04:46.080 not what he wants or what the team wanted. But 0:04:46.160 --> 0:04:48.760 if he's your swing tackle who also can play guard 0:04:48.800 --> 0:04:51.040 and all that like, it wouldn't be the worst thing 0:04:51.040 --> 0:04:53.279 in the world. Are you? Are you saying that's where 0:04:53.279 --> 0:04:55.800 you may need to be. Maybe? I mean, what if 0:04:55.839 --> 0:04:58.880 Connor mcgovernan comes back and he's absolutely really good and 0:04:59.200 --> 0:05:03.640 Frederick keeps keeps improving, and you know, and they've signed 0:05:03.680 --> 0:05:06.599 the tackles, and so we're you know, maybe he's a 0:05:06.800 --> 0:05:10.440 backup swing tackle but also has ability to play guard. Yeah, 0:05:10.480 --> 0:05:13.919 we kind of that's a very valuable persons. Yeah, I 0:05:13.960 --> 0:05:16.960 mean we abandoned the whole moving him to write tackle 0:05:17.000 --> 0:05:20.640 thing because nobody expected Lyle Collins to resign. But now 0:05:20.640 --> 0:05:24.200 that he has, Yeah, and then you know McGovern's torn 0:05:24.320 --> 0:05:27.320 peck has kind of sidelined that conversation as well. But 0:05:27.400 --> 0:05:30.760 when the offseason gets here, I don't know, it's it's 0:05:30.760 --> 0:05:32.800 something to consider. I mean, you would as sorry, you 0:05:32.800 --> 0:05:34.880 would assume Connor Williams is still going to have a 0:05:34.960 --> 0:05:37.760 leg up, just based on multiple years in the in 0:05:37.839 --> 0:05:41.840 the strength program, starting experience, Connor McGovern has basically not 0:05:41.880 --> 0:05:44.279 played a snap of NFL football, not even in practice 0:05:44.640 --> 0:05:48.000 for the most part. But something to watch if we're 0:05:48.000 --> 0:05:50.200 gonna just start the game. I'll say a seven for 0:05:50.320 --> 0:05:54.040 the the line because I do think they're getting a 0:05:54.080 --> 0:05:56.200 little bit better here at left guard. But I also 0:05:56.279 --> 0:06:00.000 think there's also injury concerns to Zack Martin with his elbow, 0:06:00.520 --> 0:06:03.120 Lall Collins with his back. A couple of things to 0:06:03.160 --> 0:06:05.400 look at this week. Tyrant Smith is coming off one 0:06:05.480 --> 0:06:09.479 of his worst games we can remember, So Frederick, I 0:06:09.480 --> 0:06:12.760 don't think played that well either. Yeah, they I mean 0:06:12.800 --> 0:06:14.800 that was they got beat up by the Viking Vikings 0:06:14.800 --> 0:06:17.640 beat him across the board. It was just not I mean, 0:06:17.680 --> 0:06:21.120 it was uncharacteristically bad. Injuries are probably part of that, 0:06:21.200 --> 0:06:25.880 but Everson Griffin gave Tyrant Smith the work. Zach and 0:06:26.000 --> 0:06:29.040 Lyle are injured. Seven's too high for me. Ten is 0:06:29.080 --> 0:06:32.599 like jump off a cliff. I'm gonna say six. Six. Okay, 0:06:32.800 --> 0:06:35.960 I'm gonna say six again. I mean, you know, you 0:06:36.040 --> 0:06:38.560 never want to overreact too much. They've played well way 0:06:38.640 --> 0:06:42.919 more often than they haven't. Yeah, and to a field 0:06:42.920 --> 0:06:44.320 I should be able to help. Well, it's hard to 0:06:44.360 --> 0:06:46.279 say you have all these concerns when you see the 0:06:46.440 --> 0:06:49.000 level of talent allong offensive line and you know that 0:06:49.080 --> 0:06:51.760 this is more than likely just maybe like a bump 0:06:51.760 --> 0:06:53.680 in the road. This isn't something that's concerning for me 0:06:53.800 --> 0:06:55.080 for the rest of the season, because you know what 0:06:55.120 --> 0:06:57.479 they're all capable of. Okay, so let me play Devil's 0:06:57.480 --> 0:07:01.080 advocate with that. There have been two really good defense 0:07:01.160 --> 0:07:04.440 is that they've played this year. Both those instances, they 0:07:04.440 --> 0:07:07.719 didn't win the battle. Does that concern you more when 0:07:07.720 --> 0:07:10.560 you're talking about this team? If they can win the 0:07:10.560 --> 0:07:13.000 division and get into the playoffs playing some of those 0:07:13.120 --> 0:07:15.400 though that caliber of talent in the playoffs. I'm gonna 0:07:15.440 --> 0:07:18.200 speak for the fans listening right now and say, playoffs, 0:07:18.920 --> 0:07:22.240 all right, let's string together some good results before we 0:07:22.240 --> 0:07:23.960 worry about what that means. Well, but the one thing 0:07:23.960 --> 0:07:25.880 we do know about this team, they can win in 0:07:25.920 --> 0:07:28.480 the NFC East, and if they keep winning the NFC East, 0:07:28.560 --> 0:07:32.280 they're gonna find themselves in the playoffs. So it's true, 0:07:32.360 --> 0:07:34.480 if they win their next two games in the NFC East, 0:07:34.520 --> 0:07:36.280 I have a hard time thinking that. I have a 0:07:36.320 --> 0:07:39.320 hard time thinking that Philadelphias. Philadelphia is just as schizophrenic 0:07:39.360 --> 0:07:41.600 as the calf. They know they could go. They could 0:07:41.640 --> 0:07:44.840 theoretically go six and ozho in the East and finish 0:07:44.920 --> 0:07:47.200 seven and nine, So I'm not willing to concede that. 0:07:47.440 --> 0:07:50.520 All right, their only other win outside the division as Miami, 0:07:50.880 --> 0:07:53.920 my thought has not beaten a good team, got it. 0:07:53.960 --> 0:07:58.000 But my thought is if they go seven and nine, somehow, 0:07:58.040 --> 0:08:00.280 Philly's gonna end up being seven to nine or less, 0:08:00.400 --> 0:08:02.760 because once again, those two teams are they're playing the 0:08:02.800 --> 0:08:05.720 same kind of football. Philly, it's really good. Well then 0:08:05.960 --> 0:08:10.720 that's so you still will win the division, right, y'all 0:08:10.720 --> 0:08:13.800 know who's who Philly has to end. They're not a 0:08:13.840 --> 0:08:16.800 good team, but they're playing. They got two Giants games, 0:08:17.280 --> 0:08:20.400 a Redskins game, a Dolphins game, and that's but that's 0:08:20.440 --> 0:08:23.000 my point is if they are, if they play like 0:08:23.040 --> 0:08:24.920 the Cowboys, which to this point they have, they've been 0:08:25.000 --> 0:08:27.840 up and down, then it may not depend on the 0:08:28.480 --> 0:08:30.920 caliber of their opponent. They may lose some games that 0:08:31.120 --> 0:08:33.400 right now you're looking at like they can't lose that. Okay, 0:08:33.760 --> 0:08:37.640 lose to the Giants. Absolutely, anybody can lose to anybody, 0:08:37.679 --> 0:08:40.000 of course. But but the whole point is, are you 0:08:40.040 --> 0:08:43.720 more concerned about these better teams, because that's where the Cowboys, 0:08:43.720 --> 0:08:46.240 like how was offensive line can bully some other teams, 0:08:46.240 --> 0:08:48.240 and they have. When it comes to some of these 0:08:48.280 --> 0:08:51.360 better lines, they've not gotten the better I mean, the 0:08:51.559 --> 0:08:53.360 last night's game was a good example. I mean, the 0:08:53.520 --> 0:08:56.520 two good football teams going back and forth, and you know, 0:08:56.640 --> 0:08:58.880 it came down to plays at the end of the game. 0:08:59.120 --> 0:09:01.480 And I think the the Vikings game is very similar. 0:09:01.520 --> 0:09:03.880 I mean, yeah, it sucks to be five and four 0:09:04.040 --> 0:09:06.319 not six and three, because that's it seems like a 0:09:06.320 --> 0:09:09.640 really big difference. But you know, if they make a play, 0:09:09.720 --> 0:09:11.960 and I'm just saying, I know that's a big if, 0:09:11.960 --> 0:09:14.880 but I mean they're right there. Whin the game. We're 0:09:14.880 --> 0:09:16.880 not even talking about all these numbers were about to 0:09:16.880 --> 0:09:18.840 throw out or aren't it all because of a one 0:09:18.960 --> 0:09:20.839 play here and there. I mean, that was a very 0:09:20.880 --> 0:09:24.040 good two good football teams I think that are playing 0:09:24.040 --> 0:09:26.280 in that game. The Vikings won the game. They were 0:09:26.280 --> 0:09:28.199 a little bit better. But I don't think it's I 0:09:28.200 --> 0:09:30.240 don't think the cow I mean, the Cowboys can compete 0:09:30.240 --> 0:09:32.440 with anyone, but they will lose to anyone if they 0:09:32.440 --> 0:09:35.199 don't play well and they're injured. So I don't think 0:09:35.200 --> 0:09:37.800 it's a panic button situation. They can they can get 0:09:37.840 --> 0:09:39.920 in here and they can be better than Philly. All right, 0:09:39.960 --> 0:09:42.720 let's talk about the tight ends, Jason Witten, Blake Jarwin, 0:09:42.760 --> 0:09:46.440 Dalton Schultz. I what's a level of concern there. I 0:09:46.440 --> 0:09:49.440 don't know about concern. It's just I mean, even yesterday, 0:09:49.600 --> 0:09:52.079 Garrett was asked why they're not using Jarmin more when 0:09:52.080 --> 0:09:54.360 he seems to be playing well when he gets the opportunities, 0:09:54.400 --> 0:09:56.240 and it's Whittenes is just that good, and it almost 0:09:56.280 --> 0:09:58.480 kind of reminds me of Wait he said that. Did 0:09:58.480 --> 0:10:00.560 he say Witten is just that good? Or are you 0:10:00.600 --> 0:10:03.360 saying that? No, I mean paraphrasing what he said. I mean, 0:10:03.480 --> 0:10:06.160 like Jason Witten is Jason Witten, right, And you know 0:10:06.240 --> 0:10:08.600 you can only play so many personal packages and it 0:10:08.600 --> 0:10:11.280 almost kind of reminds me of like Tony Pollard of 0:10:11.440 --> 0:10:14.840 you just you're not getting the opportunities that you need. 0:10:15.880 --> 0:10:18.160 I'm going to disagree with you there because you know, 0:10:18.320 --> 0:10:20.720 Zeke has been the best running back in the league 0:10:20.760 --> 0:10:22.960 for the last few years. He wasn't the other night, obviously, 0:10:23.040 --> 0:10:26.880 but we know what Zeke is and uh but what 0:10:26.880 --> 0:10:31.160 Witten is not that guy anymore, you know, And so no, 0:10:31.240 --> 0:10:32.520 I agree with you. I would like to see more 0:10:32.559 --> 0:10:35.160 jarn I'm just saying what Garrett's and Garrett's you know, 0:10:35.280 --> 0:10:37.520 Jarwin seems to swam the nose and all the start. 0:10:37.520 --> 0:10:39.760 I mean, Garrett, we saw it at the press conference 0:10:39.800 --> 0:10:41.520 where you know, he was tearing up and all that. 0:10:41.520 --> 0:10:44.360 That's this guy. But this is it's a tough situation 0:10:44.360 --> 0:10:47.920 because it's not like Jarwin is is great at everything. 0:10:48.040 --> 0:10:51.120 He's just a more athletic tight end than Witten, faster. 0:10:51.320 --> 0:10:54.200 So with Schultz, but that doesn't mean Choltzon needs to play. 0:10:54.240 --> 0:10:57.120 You'd be surprised to hear this, but I'm not going 0:10:57.160 --> 0:10:59.920 to play by the rules on this particular one because 0:11:00.040 --> 0:11:03.839 and listen, I'm wrong all the time, like I'm I'm 0:11:03.880 --> 0:11:05.880 always wrong. I thought they're gonna beat the Vikings. Definitely 0:11:05.880 --> 0:11:08.280 thought they're gonna beat the Jets. A lot of stuff 0:11:08.280 --> 0:11:10.920 I say is wrong. But the minute Jason Witten unretired, 0:11:10.960 --> 0:11:13.760 I called this from a million miles away. I was like, 0:11:14.360 --> 0:11:17.959 tight end will be a problem spot. Jason Witten will 0:11:17.960 --> 0:11:20.840 be Jason Witten. It probably won't be good enough, but 0:11:21.000 --> 0:11:23.120 he's going to command a certain amount of it, you know, 0:11:23.160 --> 0:11:26.200 snaps and attention that you're not going to get better 0:11:26.280 --> 0:11:28.920 from your younger guys while he's here, and you're not 0:11:28.920 --> 0:11:30.880 going to draft a guy because you don't know how 0:11:30.920 --> 0:11:33.559 long Jason Witten is going to be around. I don't 0:11:33.559 --> 0:11:36.760 think it's killing this team, you know, in the I mean, 0:11:37.000 --> 0:11:38.800 in the grand scheme of problems, you're going to say 0:11:38.800 --> 0:11:41.000 something else that scares me way more than tight end. 0:11:41.080 --> 0:11:45.480 But it's just a subpar position right now, and there's 0:11:45.480 --> 0:11:48.600 nothing they can do about it right now. And that's 0:11:48.440 --> 0:11:50.240 just it just is what it is. That's kind of 0:11:50.280 --> 0:11:52.400 my take on it is, You've got so many things 0:11:52.400 --> 0:11:55.000 that you can put in the priorities as far as problems, 0:11:55.480 --> 0:11:57.440 this is so far down the list for me that 0:11:57.520 --> 0:11:59.720 my level of concern on the tight ends is really 0:11:59.760 --> 0:12:02.120 really small because I don't I'll put it like this, 0:12:02.240 --> 0:12:04.760 I don't think that anything the tight ends did or 0:12:04.800 --> 0:12:07.840 didn't do in this last game one or would have 0:12:07.920 --> 0:12:10.600 won or ended up losing this game for the Cowboys. 0:12:10.760 --> 0:12:12.800 I don't think the tight ends were part of my 0:12:12.920 --> 0:12:15.360 equation at least on why they lost game. But but 0:12:15.480 --> 0:12:18.240 you know, maybe someone needs to tell Dak because you know, 0:12:18.440 --> 0:12:20.360 after the Jets game, Deck's like, I'm gonna throw it 0:12:20.360 --> 0:12:22.240 to the Hall of Fame tight end. Okay, I get 0:12:22.280 --> 0:12:24.960 that same with this last game, the Vikings third down 0:12:25.040 --> 0:12:28.360 critical play, that he's not winning those plays. He's not 0:12:28.440 --> 0:12:31.400 winning those fifty fifty balls where it's fighting with a 0:12:31.600 --> 0:12:35.000 with a defensive backer or a linebacker. He's not He's 0:12:35.080 --> 0:12:37.480 not that guy that's making that play. He's not getting 0:12:37.520 --> 0:12:41.440 those pass interference calls. So it's I don't know if 0:12:41.440 --> 0:12:45.040 it's your best option, especially with critical pivotal plays in 0:12:45.080 --> 0:12:47.440 the game, when the game's on the line, he's like, well, 0:12:47.440 --> 0:12:49.880 I'm just gonna throw it to the goat. Well, but 0:12:50.040 --> 0:12:51.720 if but if he's throwing it to him, he's throwing 0:12:51.760 --> 0:12:53.240 it to him, because I don't think he's just throwing 0:12:53.240 --> 0:12:55.200 it just blindly. I think he's blown throwing it to 0:12:55.320 --> 0:12:57.840 him because he sees, Hey, maybe he's a man coverage, 0:12:57.920 --> 0:12:59.720 maybe is not. You know what he said though, what 0:12:59.760 --> 0:13:02.360 he's said is I'm going to take the goat every time. 0:13:02.440 --> 0:13:04.560 And I don't know if that's you. I mean, do 0:13:04.559 --> 0:13:06.720 you really think he's saying I'm just gonna I don't 0:13:06.720 --> 0:13:08.280 care when I come out of the huddle, I don't 0:13:08.280 --> 0:13:10.559 care what I see I'm throwing into Jason Witt. I 0:13:10.600 --> 0:13:13.040 don't think that's what he's saying. I just think they're 0:13:13.080 --> 0:13:15.560 in they're in a unique spot, and not in a 0:13:15.600 --> 0:13:17.520 good way, because, I mean, what do we just talk about. 0:13:17.640 --> 0:13:20.280 Connor Williams was the fiftieth overall pick and we're like, well, 0:13:20.360 --> 0:13:22.120 you know what, so what this is the NFL. If 0:13:22.160 --> 0:13:23.760 we got to move him to swing tackle next year, 0:13:23.840 --> 0:13:26.160 that's what we're gonna do that. Jason Witten is not 0:13:26.160 --> 0:13:28.320 going to be your third tight end he's not here 0:13:28.440 --> 0:13:31.240 to play six snaps and be on special teams. It's 0:13:31.280 --> 0:13:33.640 just not going to happen, right, And that doesn't mean 0:13:34.240 --> 0:13:36.120 and I don't have his snapcount in front of me. 0:13:36.200 --> 0:13:38.600 I bet it's it's not ninety nine percent. You know, 0:13:38.720 --> 0:13:40.600 you were. You pointed out he wasn't on the field 0:13:40.600 --> 0:13:43.440 for the for the door do or Die drive, But 0:13:43.520 --> 0:13:46.640 he's still going to command a certain amount of snaps, 0:13:46.760 --> 0:13:49.240 attention and respect all that stuff. And it just is 0:13:49.280 --> 0:13:51.240 what it is. As we know, they have two tight 0:13:51.320 --> 0:13:53.640 ends on the field as much as they do anything else. 0:13:53.679 --> 0:13:55.640 I mean this year they use two tight ends quite 0:13:55.640 --> 0:13:56.920 a bit. And there are a lot of times, just 0:13:56.960 --> 0:13:59.560 like in that last drive, in games where Jason they 0:13:59.559 --> 0:14:01.360 only have one tight end and Jason's not in there, 0:14:01.400 --> 0:14:03.160 they have Blake Jarwin in the game. As a matter 0:14:03.200 --> 0:14:04.920 of fact, there was one series this last game where 0:14:04.920 --> 0:14:07.240 they had two tight ends and Jason wasn't on the field. 0:14:07.280 --> 0:14:10.520 So I think they're moving it around. Jason's the starter 0:14:10.920 --> 0:14:13.240 and has more snaps than anybody else. I don't think 0:14:13.240 --> 0:14:15.439 it's a situation where they're not using Blake Jarwin. I 0:14:15.480 --> 0:14:17.760 think they're using him fine. I just think it's just 0:14:17.800 --> 0:14:19.760 one of those things where Jason just happens to have 0:14:19.920 --> 0:14:22.080 more snaps, you know. All right, let's move on. Let's 0:14:22.120 --> 0:14:23.880 take our first break. When we come back, we'll talk 0:14:23.880 --> 0:14:26.240 about the running back position. We'll talk about the running 0:14:26.240 --> 0:14:28.640 offense and particularly the running defense. Will do I want 0:14:28.640 --> 0:14:31.120 to come right back. 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We've talked about the 0:16:39.480 --> 0:16:41.720 offensive wine, the tight end position. Let's talk about the 0:16:41.800 --> 0:16:45.880 running back in Ezekiel Elliott I've seen some I don't know, 0:16:46.120 --> 0:16:47.840 I don't even want to characterize, but I've seen some 0:16:47.840 --> 0:16:49.880 tweets that have been floating around over the last day. 0:16:49.920 --> 0:16:54.240 They've been questioning Zeke's effectiveness looking at these games where 0:16:54.240 --> 0:16:56.880 they've had struggles trying to run the ball. Do you 0:16:56.920 --> 0:16:59.480 guys see anything in Zeke that that gives you a 0:16:59.560 --> 0:17:01.680 level of concerned I mean, and I'm talking about the 0:17:01.760 --> 0:17:04.399 separate from the offensive line, just Zeke as a runner. 0:17:04.480 --> 0:17:06.680 Are you at all concerned about hit him and what 0:17:06.720 --> 0:17:10.040 he's doing at the running back position a little bit? Yeah, 0:17:10.080 --> 0:17:13.800 because you want him to be a little bit more 0:17:13.840 --> 0:17:17.560 of an explosive player, because that's how you get those 0:17:17.560 --> 0:17:20.760 big yards. That's how you want the guy that's that's 0:17:21.000 --> 0:17:22.639 paid as one of the best in the league to 0:17:22.840 --> 0:17:25.440 kind of every once in a while get a twenty five, 0:17:25.600 --> 0:17:29.160 thirty five fifty yard run. Have that in his arsenal. 0:17:29.200 --> 0:17:31.639 I'm not saying he doesn't have it, but most of 0:17:31.680 --> 0:17:34.280 his big plays in his career have been screened. Now 0:17:34.359 --> 0:17:36.840 that's on the Cowboys for not, you know, running one, 0:17:36.880 --> 0:17:39.200 because I think that they saw it once or twice 0:17:39.280 --> 0:17:42.120 or fifteen times. Dalvin Cook did it, so you'd think 0:17:42.160 --> 0:17:45.439 they can try it. But the explosive plays, to me, 0:17:45.520 --> 0:17:48.480 are becoming a little bit of a problem. So what 0:17:48.600 --> 0:17:51.240 I'm sorry, the lack of explosive guys fat of Zeke 0:17:51.880 --> 0:17:53.959 or a little bit of a problem. I think he 0:17:54.000 --> 0:17:56.840 has one run of twenty or more yards this season. 0:17:58.240 --> 0:18:00.680 The longest rush of the season is Dak the Redskins 0:18:00.920 --> 0:18:04.600 two yards. I'm almost positive he's got a boatload of 0:18:04.640 --> 0:18:07.760 twelve to fifteen yard runs. And I've said before that'll 0:18:07.800 --> 0:18:11.520 do the trick more often than not. Like Zeke himself, 0:18:12.119 --> 0:18:15.080 I'm probably at like a two and a half or three. 0:18:16.520 --> 0:18:18.800 I mean, he three hundred yard games in a row 0:18:18.840 --> 0:18:21.840 before that. He's a workhorse, He fights through contact, he 0:18:21.880 --> 0:18:24.359 does all that stuff. But just I don't know, go 0:18:24.359 --> 0:18:28.280 go flip on that tape of Dalvin Cook and just 0:18:28.600 --> 0:18:31.640 like you weren't here yesterday, but like you're holding your 0:18:31.640 --> 0:18:33.240 breath when he hits the hole because you're like, this 0:18:33.280 --> 0:18:35.240 could be this could be six yards, this could be 0:18:35.280 --> 0:18:37.960 twenty five yards, this could go to the house. And 0:18:38.680 --> 0:18:41.000 you haven't felt that way often watching Zeke. And it's 0:18:41.000 --> 0:18:42.720 not to say he hasn't been good or he hasn't 0:18:42.760 --> 0:18:46.000 been productive, but consider the price tag and you have 0:18:46.080 --> 0:18:50.160 to you have to now that it's there. Yeah, that's 0:18:50.480 --> 0:18:52.040 you want. You would like to see more of that, 0:18:52.440 --> 0:18:55.800 But most of my concern with that is more about 0:18:55.800 --> 0:18:58.359 the way he's being used. Like you can also flip 0:18:58.400 --> 0:19:01.399 on the tape and watch Zeke run into some of 0:19:01.400 --> 0:19:04.800 these boxes of five guys trying to block six or 0:19:04.800 --> 0:19:09.280 seven guys and say, well, what is he really supposed 0:19:09.320 --> 0:19:12.040 to do? Much like the Saints game, is Zeke not 0:19:12.119 --> 0:19:14.400 getting yards because he's not good. No, Zeke is getting 0:19:14.480 --> 0:19:17.440 yards because there's unblocked tacklers in the box bringing him down. 0:19:18.480 --> 0:19:22.359 And then what Nick just said, they just refused to 0:19:22.440 --> 0:19:24.399 use him creatively in the passing game, and at this 0:19:24.440 --> 0:19:26.840 point I've given up hope that they ever will. And 0:19:27.040 --> 0:19:32.320 that's that's like a nine. That's a nine, and stubbornly 0:19:32.480 --> 0:19:35.200 running him into brick walls is like an eight. So 0:19:35.240 --> 0:19:37.920 that's but I do not put that on Ezekiel Elliott. 0:19:37.920 --> 0:19:40.040 I don't think that's his fault. He's still strong, he's 0:19:40.040 --> 0:19:43.960 still grinding and making those tough runs and breaking tackles. 0:19:44.000 --> 0:19:47.520 It's just I agree, I'm not sure why we haven't 0:19:47.560 --> 0:19:51.400 seen those explosive plays we talked about when we play 0:19:51.440 --> 0:19:53.240 the Giants. I mean, se Quon is always good for 0:19:53.240 --> 0:19:56.159 at least one every time, you know, we play him, 0:19:56.200 --> 0:19:58.720 And I'm just wondering why we haven't seen those from 0:19:58.800 --> 0:20:01.000 Zeke yet. And again to a Dave, I don't know 0:20:01.000 --> 0:20:03.760 why they don't throw it to him or he's proven 0:20:03.800 --> 0:20:07.320 he can be just as consistent getting the ball in 0:20:07.359 --> 0:20:10.040 the air. Yeah, I'll say my paint by numbers thing 0:20:10.080 --> 0:20:12.520 for the millionth time. But like the way the Cowboys 0:20:12.560 --> 0:20:16.120 play it, They're like, Okay, here comes our screen. We're 0:20:16.119 --> 0:20:18.680 gonna fake the We're gonna fake the jet sweep, fake 0:20:18.760 --> 0:20:21.320 the play action. Dak's gonna look left, turn right and 0:20:21.359 --> 0:20:24.160 throw it to Zeke. And all right, we got our screen. 0:20:24.400 --> 0:20:27.119 We did our screen for the night. We're done. We're good, 0:20:27.200 --> 0:20:29.639 and the Vikings are over here like we're gonna do 0:20:29.680 --> 0:20:31.240 it this way, We're gonna do it that way. Oh, 0:20:31.320 --> 0:20:33.680 here comes another screen pass. Here we go again. We're 0:20:33.680 --> 0:20:35.359 gonna do it coming out of this look. We're gonna 0:20:35.359 --> 0:20:38.120 do it coming out of that look. And the Cowboys 0:20:38.119 --> 0:20:41.880 just aren't like that. And Kellen Moore is obviously doing 0:20:41.920 --> 0:20:43.880 a good job. They have the best offense in the league, 0:20:43.960 --> 0:20:47.920 but said, I just think they could be more creative 0:20:47.920 --> 0:20:51.800 across a bunch of different fronts. The interesting part about 0:20:51.840 --> 0:20:56.239 this is you talked about the money. Christian McCaffrey has 0:20:56.240 --> 0:20:58.880 not reached his second deal. Correct, No, all right, So 0:20:59.160 --> 0:21:01.640 check this out. Five rushers in the league right now, 0:21:01.960 --> 0:21:06.960 Christian McCaffrey, Nick Chubb, Dalvin Cook, Leonard Fournette, Josh Jacobs, 0:21:07.720 --> 0:21:11.080 all young guys, all still on their first contracts. If 0:21:11.080 --> 0:21:13.480 you go beyond that, Zeke's at six. But then you've 0:21:13.480 --> 0:21:16.960 got Chris Carson, You've got Marlon Mack, You've got Derrick Henry, 0:21:17.560 --> 0:21:23.840 Carlos Hyde, Lamar Jackson, Funny Kenyon, Drake, mark Ingram, Philip 0:21:24.119 --> 0:21:26.679 like you start going down this list, and it is 0:21:26.720 --> 0:21:29.760 the whole argument that was being made before the deal 0:21:29.800 --> 0:21:32.280 with Zeke of do you ever and I've heard people 0:21:32.320 --> 0:21:34.439 make this argument, and I think it's a valid argument, 0:21:34.520 --> 0:21:37.919 do you ever go big on a second contract on 0:21:37.920 --> 0:21:40.680 a running back in today's NFL where you look at 0:21:40.680 --> 0:21:43.719 this and this is not uncommon that you look at 0:21:43.720 --> 0:21:46.040 the top rushers in the league and they tend to 0:21:46.080 --> 0:21:51.200 be young guys on first deals. Does this change? Are 0:21:51.200 --> 0:21:52.840 you looking at this and do you guys have any 0:21:52.880 --> 0:21:55.480 questions now about whether it was a good idea to 0:21:55.880 --> 0:21:57.840 make the decision to pay him the amount of money 0:21:57.880 --> 0:22:00.199 that they ended up paying him. Yeah, I mean, go 0:22:00.200 --> 0:22:02.959 back and you know now and and make that argument. 0:22:03.000 --> 0:22:05.359 But I don't think it was a bad idea. I 0:22:05.640 --> 0:22:08.480 think we were there in training camp. We kind of 0:22:08.560 --> 0:22:11.159 knew what this team was about, what they needed, and 0:22:11.480 --> 0:22:13.920 I think Zeke is the guy that he has been, 0:22:13.960 --> 0:22:16.840 the guy that kind of makes it all go. So, um, 0:22:17.440 --> 0:22:20.359 you know, Dak hasn't. This was one of the few 0:22:20.400 --> 0:22:23.639 games that we've really seen Dak really play great game 0:22:23.720 --> 0:22:26.600 without having him out there. I guess you could say 0:22:26.600 --> 0:22:29.720 the Giants from last year, but you know, against a 0:22:29.800 --> 0:22:32.320 much better team and uh, you know, Dak's kind of 0:22:32.320 --> 0:22:35.600 been the guy that's needed Zeke. And let's be honest, 0:22:35.760 --> 0:22:38.280 he still had Zeke. I mean, he had Zeke in 0:22:38.320 --> 0:22:41.000 that game. Like he wasn't rushing for a lot, but 0:22:41.040 --> 0:22:43.600 he was there and the Vikings certainly knew he was there. 0:22:43.960 --> 0:22:46.360 So I think I think Zeke's president certainly helped Dak 0:22:46.400 --> 0:22:49.040 in that game. Um, I don't know, I don't know. 0:22:49.119 --> 0:22:51.880 I mean, I think we went in we went into 0:22:51.920 --> 0:22:54.040 this with our eyes open, like all that. None of 0:22:54.040 --> 0:22:55.920 that should be surprising to you if you play close 0:22:56.280 --> 0:22:58.480 pay close attention to the NFL. And I even I 0:22:58.560 --> 0:23:00.760 was like, it's scary have that much money to a 0:23:00.840 --> 0:23:02.560 running back. But if there's a guy that I would 0:23:02.600 --> 0:23:05.800 give it to, it's Zeke x y Z. His age, 0:23:05.840 --> 0:23:08.679 his durability, his talent, blah blah blah blah blah. So 0:23:08.760 --> 0:23:14.320 I mean, it hurts to hear that, but you shouldn't 0:23:14.320 --> 0:23:16.919 be surprised, Like it shouldn't have taken to I'm not 0:23:16.960 --> 0:23:22.080 talking to you, ye speaking rhetorically, right, So like it 0:23:22.160 --> 0:23:24.359 kind of stings to hear that, But yeah, I agree 0:23:24.400 --> 0:23:28.040 with Nick. I mean, the Vikings were so obviously keyed 0:23:28.080 --> 0:23:31.080 on Zeke and we I mean coach's fault in my 0:23:31.160 --> 0:23:34.080 opinion that they were still focusing that much on the 0:23:34.160 --> 0:23:36.880 run even late in the game, and the Cowboys did 0:23:37.000 --> 0:23:39.080 adjust to throw more, but I think they could have 0:23:39.119 --> 0:23:42.480 done more, I think, And yeah, and I agree, like 0:23:42.560 --> 0:23:45.080 that was one of Dak's first games where he was 0:23:45.160 --> 0:23:49.359 really able to carry that load on his own and 0:23:49.400 --> 0:23:52.600 they still didn't win. They could have, which hasn't always 0:23:52.640 --> 0:23:54.360 been the case. When Zeke has had a bad day, 0:23:54.440 --> 0:23:59.040 but they didn't, and so Dak will hopefully continue to 0:23:59.080 --> 0:24:00.760 grow into that guy. I don't know if he's ready 0:24:00.760 --> 0:24:02.440 to be that guy a weekend and week out yet, 0:24:02.480 --> 0:24:05.040 and so I still don't have a problem with it, 0:24:05.080 --> 0:24:07.440 even if it does kind of sting to hear those stats. Yeah, 0:24:07.480 --> 0:24:10.320 the part that's worsome for me is if you go 0:24:10.400 --> 0:24:12.600 back and watch the game, there were so many plays 0:24:12.680 --> 0:24:15.560 where it wasn't even like the it wasn't even a 0:24:15.600 --> 0:24:18.080 situation where the Vikings were just saying, at least in 0:24:18.119 --> 0:24:19.920 the situations I'm talking about, where the Vikings were saying, 0:24:19.960 --> 0:24:22.320 we're gonna put both safeties down in the box and 0:24:22.359 --> 0:24:25.280 we are committed to stopping Zeke. Like, these are situations 0:24:25.320 --> 0:24:28.520 where what the defense was dedicating to stop the run 0:24:29.680 --> 0:24:32.439 was beatable. And especially when you consider the fact of 0:24:32.520 --> 0:24:35.280 how much money and how many first round draft picks 0:24:35.280 --> 0:24:37.879 have been used across that offensive line and at the 0:24:37.960 --> 0:24:41.520 running back position, You're like, they should be able to 0:24:41.560 --> 0:24:44.560 beat the front that says run against this front, And 0:24:44.880 --> 0:24:47.120 I know they weren't. I get all that, But that's 0:24:47.160 --> 0:24:49.399 the part that's worthsome to me is the guys that 0:24:49.440 --> 0:24:52.399 you've really invested in to say third and two, we 0:24:52.440 --> 0:24:53.960 feel like we should be able to run against a 0:24:54.000 --> 0:24:56.439 four man front and six men in the box, and 0:24:56.520 --> 0:24:58.680 you can't. You get a two yard loss. Right, That's 0:24:58.720 --> 0:25:01.560 where I think there's a a disconnect and a problem. 0:25:01.680 --> 0:25:05.840 Danny used the jello analogy that, yeah, it was so great, 0:25:05.880 --> 0:25:07.760 I want to fight through the fan. This morning, Jerry 0:25:07.840 --> 0:25:09.920 was saying he was asked if he has, like any 0:25:09.920 --> 0:25:12.639 concerns I guess more about Cowboys run defense. Was I 0:25:12.640 --> 0:25:15.440 think what the specific question was and is analogy. He's 0:25:15.440 --> 0:25:18.399 great analogies. He said, It's like holding jello in your hands. 0:25:18.720 --> 0:25:21.120 As soon as it starts to like you think you're good, 0:25:21.440 --> 0:25:23.840 it's not seeping through your middle fingers anymore. It starts 0:25:23.880 --> 0:25:26.000 overflowing on the edges. So as soon as you think 0:25:26.000 --> 0:25:28.680 you're good and comfortable in one aspect of your game, 0:25:29.000 --> 0:25:32.560 something else kind of grabs your attention. Which the reason 0:25:32.680 --> 0:25:34.880 I asked you to bring that up is it's very 0:25:34.920 --> 0:25:38.120 fitting in that regard because whether it's injuries, whether it's 0:25:38.280 --> 0:25:41.159 the other talent in the NFL, whatever you want to 0:25:41.200 --> 0:25:44.920 chalk it up to, like, it's rare when you can 0:25:44.960 --> 0:25:48.840 just line up and out talent another NFL team, and 0:25:48.880 --> 0:25:51.200 it takes coaching to compensate for that. In my opinion, 0:25:51.520 --> 0:25:55.520 the forty nine ers, I believe, had they had their 0:25:55.560 --> 0:25:59.400 starting tackles for the first time in like a month 0:25:59.400 --> 0:26:02.080 and a half night which they lost. Ironically, they lost, 0:26:02.200 --> 0:26:05.200 but they also got to eight no without their starting tackles. 0:26:05.520 --> 0:26:08.439 Can you imagine that happening here? No? I can't. But 0:26:08.480 --> 0:26:10.400 that also tells you, you you know, you invest so much 0:26:10.480 --> 0:26:13.119 in a particular area of your team, and when that 0:26:13.160 --> 0:26:15.280 part of the team is just performing like all these 0:26:15.280 --> 0:26:17.639 other teams that don't invest at and it makes you wonder, 0:26:18.119 --> 0:26:20.280 is it a bad investment? Right? No, that's and that's 0:26:20.320 --> 0:26:23.080 my You know, yes, you spend all this money on 0:26:23.440 --> 0:26:25.600 the O line, but I mean, you know, Tyrone's his 0:26:25.720 --> 0:26:28.959 injury list is like a CBS receipt, and Lyle's been 0:26:29.000 --> 0:26:31.600 dealing with something. Travis is coming back from a sickness 0:26:31.640 --> 0:26:33.800 that knocked him out all year, and on and on 0:26:33.800 --> 0:26:37.240 and on and on, and it's it's unrealistic to be like, well, 0:26:38.000 --> 0:26:40.360 we spent first round picks on these guys for years 0:26:40.400 --> 0:26:41.920 and years, so we can just line up and run 0:26:41.960 --> 0:26:44.200 over whoever we want to. You gotta be more creative 0:26:44.240 --> 0:26:46.000 than that. All right, Look, I was gonna say, you 0:26:46.040 --> 0:26:47.639 look at the teams, some of who they've lost too, 0:26:47.680 --> 0:26:49.920 and you think if the Cowboys were dealing with those injuries, 0:26:50.280 --> 0:26:53.840 could they have won games? Right? The Saints didn't have Breeze, 0:26:54.160 --> 0:26:57.320 if we didn't have Dak right Cooper Rush, Yeah, you know, 0:26:57.440 --> 0:26:59.880 Giant or Packers didn't have jamont To Adams. Like we've 0:27:00.000 --> 0:27:03.400 seen how this Cowboys team performs without Cooper. It's it's 0:27:03.440 --> 0:27:07.360 just concerned. Yeah, you see the depth and then when 0:27:07.359 --> 0:27:11.119 they're putting this situation to use their backups doesn't always 0:27:11.119 --> 0:27:13.400 pan out the way it should. All Right, we're gonna 0:27:13.400 --> 0:27:15.119 say our final break, we will come back. We'll talk 0:27:15.160 --> 0:27:17.399 about the run defense, we'll talk about the linebackers, and 0:27:17.440 --> 0:27:19.080 I want to talk about special teams a little bit 0:27:19.080 --> 0:27:21.560 as well. We'll get levels of concern on all those 0:27:21.600 --> 0:27:23.760 players when we come back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot 0:27:23.760 --> 0:27:40.040 Com Radio. Ready, Okay? Oh so so are we gonna win? 0:27:42.880 --> 0:27:46.399 Just okaying is not okay, whether it's cheerleaders or your 0:27:46.440 --> 0:27:50.080 wireless network. At and D is America's best wireless network. 0:27:50.359 --> 0:27:53.240 Best network based on GWS one score, September twenty nineteen, 0:27:54.160 --> 0:27:57.040 it's time for tailgating with the auto Box boys. The 0:27:57.119 --> 0:28:00.679 autter Box it builds those crazy protective phonecase is yep, 0:28:00.720 --> 0:28:03.080 and now they're changing the side dish game with the 0:28:03.160 --> 0:28:08.000 Auterbox Trooper soft cooler, lightweight, mobile, and leakproof. Trooper is 0:28:08.040 --> 0:28:11.960 perfect for blitzing a crowded parking lot with a freedo pie. Amazing. 0:28:12.040 --> 0:28:14.480 Hey you think I could fit my seven layer salmon 0:28:14.600 --> 0:28:18.320 salad into the Trooper cooler. Yep, but please don't. And 0:28:18.400 --> 0:28:21.000 that's been tailgating with the Auterbox boys. Learn more about 0:28:21.040 --> 0:28:24.240 the Trooper soft coolers at auterbox dot com. Whether you're 0:28:24.240 --> 0:28:28.040 into being a part of this or more into something 0:28:28.080 --> 0:28:32.720 like this, Sea Geek has the tickets to the events 0:28:32.840 --> 0:28:35.960 you love. It's the easiest way to find, buy and 0:28:36.119 --> 0:28:40.360 sell tickets. Plus, with their deal score technology, they'll recommend 0:28:40.440 --> 0:28:42.800 the best seats in the house at the best value. 0:28:42.960 --> 0:28:51.440 So the next time you're craving this, download the sea 0:28:51.520 --> 0:28:55.600 Geek app and let's go seek kay Cowboys Nation. This season, 0:28:55.640 --> 0:28:58.520 when the Cowboys win, you get to experience the sweet 0:28:58.560 --> 0:29:01.680 taste of victory. Because if the Cowboys win the next day, 0:29:01.760 --> 0:29:05.160 Duncan is offering a free medium hot or iced coffee. 0:29:05.240 --> 0:29:08.160 So don't just celebrate the Cowboys success from the sidelines, 0:29:08.280 --> 0:29:11.440 head to Duncan and treat yourself to real victory because 0:29:11.480 --> 0:29:14.720 this season, Cowboys fans aren't only winning on game day, 0:29:14.880 --> 0:29:17.800 they're winning the next day too with a free medium coffee. 0:29:17.880 --> 0:29:21.640 Cowboys Nation runs on Duncan. Excludes coldbrew. Limit one for guests. 0:29:21.720 --> 0:29:26.400 Participation may vary limited time offer back to the break. 0:29:26.600 --> 0:29:29.360 You know, it's almost Christmas time. It is. It's getting there, 0:29:29.400 --> 0:29:31.480 getting a look a lot like Christmas. It feels like 0:29:31.480 --> 0:29:34.720 it around here for sure. Cowboys will host their third 0:29:34.800 --> 0:29:39.240 annual Christmas at the Star, presented by Albertson's and Tom Thumb, 0:29:39.320 --> 0:29:42.640 from November twenty second through December twenty first, taking place 0:29:42.680 --> 0:29:46.120 at the Star in Frisco. It's a family friendly events 0:29:46.160 --> 0:29:49.920 through the holiday season, including the Christmas Spectacular. It's an 0:29:49.880 --> 0:29:53.400 opportunity to take a photo with Santa Claus. They've upgraded 0:29:53.480 --> 0:29:56.160 there this year, and for more information, visit the Star 0:29:56.280 --> 0:30:00.600 in Frisco dot com. It's an awesome show, Suspect Arcular. Yeah, 0:30:00.600 --> 0:30:02.239 it's a lot of fun. You a part of it 0:30:02.320 --> 0:30:06.600 like you were last weekend, mat No I went last 0:30:06.640 --> 0:30:10.960 year as a fan. Awesome. So November twenty second through 0:30:11.160 --> 0:30:15.200 December twenty Friday Saturday, bundle up because if it's anything 0:30:15.240 --> 0:30:17.240 like it's he is right now, it should be cool 0:30:17.280 --> 0:30:19.800 out there a little bit. You never know, it could 0:30:19.800 --> 0:30:23.360 be hot. You're looking forward to Chicago. Yeah, yeah, fine, 0:30:23.400 --> 0:30:25.440 Detroit seems like it's gonna be pretty cool. I know 0:30:25.480 --> 0:30:27.959 it'll be indoors. We'll be indoors, so it's a little different. 0:30:28.000 --> 0:30:31.160 But famous last words. But like, I don't know, Chicago 0:30:31.360 --> 0:30:33.480 probably won't be any colder than it was when I 0:30:33.520 --> 0:30:37.200 woke up in Dallas this morning. The windy city. About 0:30:37.200 --> 0:30:39.240 to say, the wind changes things a little bit. Although 0:30:39.280 --> 0:30:42.120 this morning in Dallas the wind chill was ten degrees, 0:30:42.320 --> 0:30:44.760 so yeah, it was brutal. It was pretty cold. All right, 0:30:45.000 --> 0:30:48.360 we're getting a right, let's get back in. Yeah, let's 0:30:48.360 --> 0:30:51.800 talk some run defense. Uh, this last game, that one 0:30:51.920 --> 0:30:53.640 series is what I just had him my mind because 0:30:53.640 --> 0:30:55.480 it'll be honest with you, And we even mentioned in 0:30:55.520 --> 0:30:58.400 the Prescott press box knicks Nick early in the game 0:30:58.640 --> 0:31:01.040 they were actually doing a pretty good stopping the run. 0:31:01.400 --> 0:31:04.400 Their problems were in the screen game like they were 0:31:04.400 --> 0:31:06.200 having a hard time stop in the screen game. But 0:31:06.400 --> 0:31:08.040 as far as the run was concerned, they were doing 0:31:08.040 --> 0:31:09.520 a pretty good job. And then you get to that 0:31:09.600 --> 0:31:12.160 series and basically Minnesota just lined up and see it. 0:31:12.200 --> 0:31:14.040 We're going to run the ball. You're not going to 0:31:14.040 --> 0:31:16.120 stop us. And the Cowboys had no answers. Yeah, it's 0:31:16.320 --> 0:31:18.400 very old school. Yeah, And you know, you can say 0:31:18.440 --> 0:31:22.080 what you want about Tony Pollard, he is a change 0:31:22.080 --> 0:31:25.280 of pace back, but Minnesota does it differently that when 0:31:25.280 --> 0:31:27.480 they bring a guy in, they bring a guy that's 0:31:27.520 --> 0:31:31.400 even bigger and more pissed off than Dalvin Cook and 0:31:31.480 --> 0:31:33.400 he runs that way. And you don't really know the 0:31:33.440 --> 0:31:36.360 difference of these two guys, and it wasn't an advantage 0:31:36.400 --> 0:31:38.640 for them not to say that. You know, the Cowboys 0:31:38.680 --> 0:31:41.280 were doing it in another way, but they were able 0:31:41.320 --> 0:31:43.720 to just interchange them within a drive and keep it going, 0:31:43.840 --> 0:31:46.400 keep it pounding, and it was it was very impressive 0:31:46.400 --> 0:31:49.360 to see for that end. It wasn't impressive to see 0:31:49.400 --> 0:31:52.080 the linebackers and the defensive lines. Isn't it the same 0:31:52.080 --> 0:31:56.000 thing we've been saying all season? Tackling? Yeah, I mean, 0:31:56.040 --> 0:31:58.320 tackling was definitely a problem in this game. Run defense 0:31:58.360 --> 0:32:01.600 has been at least somewhat of a concern sporadically throughout 0:32:01.640 --> 0:32:04.640 the season. At times I think we were getting better 0:32:04.680 --> 0:32:09.080 at one point, and can anybody pinpoint what the deal 0:32:09.200 --> 0:32:13.640 is here, because I mean, yeah, I'm I'm way, I'm 0:32:13.640 --> 0:32:15.600 way up there, close to ten with the defense. I 0:32:15.640 --> 0:32:19.920 will say this anytime, anytime a team is getting run 0:32:19.960 --> 0:32:21.960 on the way the Cowboys got run on in that 0:32:22.320 --> 0:32:26.000 in the second half in that game, my first set 0:32:26.000 --> 0:32:29.440 of attention goes to the linebackers, and I think there 0:32:29.440 --> 0:32:32.000 were a number of times in that game where linebackers 0:32:32.000 --> 0:32:36.400 overran plays where linebackers slipped and fell, where linebackers had 0:32:36.440 --> 0:32:39.040 a guy like they had him and he got away 0:32:39.080 --> 0:32:42.520 and he's running. And so for me, the number one 0:32:42.600 --> 0:32:46.560 job of a linebacker is make the tackle. Diagnosed the play, 0:32:46.760 --> 0:32:49.720 get there and make the tackle. And I don't think 0:32:49.880 --> 0:32:52.400 enough in that second half of that game the linebackers 0:32:52.400 --> 0:32:55.240 were diagnosing the play, getting there and making the tackle. 0:32:55.240 --> 0:32:57.479 That also means sometimes you gotta run through blocks. I mean, 0:32:57.520 --> 0:32:59.840 sometimes you gotta know enough about what's coming to not 0:33:00.080 --> 0:33:02.560 get in a bad position to get blocked. Didn't look 0:33:02.560 --> 0:33:05.560 like often enough the linebackers were doing that in this game. 0:33:05.600 --> 0:33:08.440 It didn't seem like anybody was really doing it. Getting 0:33:08.440 --> 0:33:11.920 off I mean, m DeMarcus Lawrence played pretty well all things. 0:33:11.960 --> 0:33:16.000 I mean, what else is new? But yeah, get not 0:33:16.080 --> 0:33:18.840 being able to get off blocks, not diagnosing plays, tackling 0:33:19.000 --> 0:33:22.120 I think I think I read the Vikings had one 0:33:22.160 --> 0:33:27.800 hundred and forty four yards after contact. It's amazing. Yeah, 0:33:27.800 --> 0:33:31.040 it's amazing. It's it's it's incredible in all the wrong ways. Yea, 0:33:31.240 --> 0:33:34.360 So maybe they were diagnosing plays. Maybe they were diagnosing 0:33:34.360 --> 0:33:38.800 plays working righta all all season? Yeah, I don't think 0:33:38.880 --> 0:33:42.080 it's been all season. I think yeah, I think consistently, Yeah, 0:33:42.080 --> 0:33:45.120 I think there's been issues tackling throughout the season. I 0:33:45.240 --> 0:33:47.720 get a confused with Texas football sometimes, So I don't know, 0:33:47.880 --> 0:33:49.080 it's sorry for me to say for the whole year, 0:33:49.120 --> 0:33:52.560 please don't bring up college football with David. I think, oh, yeah, right, 0:33:53.280 --> 0:33:56.080 we don't have to go there. You know the guy 0:33:56.160 --> 0:33:58.720 that that's really hard to figure out here is when 0:33:58.720 --> 0:34:01.840 you just watch him plays, Alan Smith. I mean, is 0:34:01.920 --> 0:34:04.760 he good? Does he make a lot of plays? He 0:34:04.800 --> 0:34:07.600 makes some he tells you about it when he does, 0:34:09.360 --> 0:34:11.480 and you think, well, well, you know he's around the ball, 0:34:11.520 --> 0:34:14.359 he's making plays. He doesn't always make great plays, though 0:34:14.400 --> 0:34:18.600 he misses a lot too. And Jalen is very similar 0:34:18.719 --> 0:34:22.280 to this team in that you know, you see the good, 0:34:23.280 --> 0:34:25.680 he sees some of the bad at the end of 0:34:25.680 --> 0:34:27.520 the day. Though it doesn't add up like you like 0:34:27.560 --> 0:34:30.120 you'd want it to. You know, thirteen tackles, but it 0:34:30.160 --> 0:34:33.400 just seems kind of hollow. Would it be fair? And 0:34:33.680 --> 0:34:35.400 I don't have them all in front of me, obviously, 0:34:35.400 --> 0:34:38.560 but like most of Jalen's really great plays this season 0:34:38.600 --> 0:34:41.520 have been as a pass rusher, really, haven't they I'm thinking, 0:34:41.520 --> 0:34:45.880 I mean, I'm thinking Saints, I'm thinking he had a 0:34:46.000 --> 0:34:49.839 sack against the Giants. I believe. I don't think he's 0:34:49.840 --> 0:34:53.120 a great rusher, though I'm not saying one way or 0:34:53.120 --> 0:34:55.279 the other. I'm saying most of his good plays have 0:34:55.360 --> 0:35:00.000 been just screaming downfield trying to write, which I mean, 0:35:00.120 --> 0:35:03.319 that's nice, but that's not what I want from my linebackers. 0:35:03.400 --> 0:35:06.360 I want them using their instincts to get side to 0:35:06.400 --> 0:35:08.879 side and sniff stuff out before it gets started. I mean, 0:35:08.920 --> 0:35:11.000 that's what you're there to do. Yeah, And I think 0:35:11.040 --> 0:35:13.600 if you're if if we're talking about this holistically, I 0:35:13.600 --> 0:35:17.400 don't think there's a linebacker on among those top three 0:35:17.520 --> 0:35:20.319 that have consistently done that this year, and to be 0:35:20.360 --> 0:35:22.960 honest with you, the one I'm probably most disappointed in, 0:35:22.960 --> 0:35:26.160 and again it's because of expectations, is Latent. My thoughts 0:35:26.200 --> 0:35:29.600 after last year was that Latan's gonna be a bad 0:35:29.800 --> 0:35:31.880 you know what in this league. He was going to 0:35:31.960 --> 0:35:34.759 be a really, really great linebacker. So my expectation is 0:35:35.080 --> 0:35:38.000 sideline a sideline. I think about that Houston game and 0:35:38.080 --> 0:35:40.480 the way they run down that play on the sideline 0:35:40.520 --> 0:35:43.279 and stop the quarterback cold in his tracks and there 0:35:43.400 --> 0:35:45.440 is nothing that he gets out of the play. How 0:35:45.480 --> 0:35:47.719 often have we seen that this year? Like that's the 0:35:47.760 --> 0:35:50.120 part that I'm really concerned about, is they're just not 0:35:50.200 --> 0:35:53.160 flowing sideline the sideline. They're not diagnosing a play and 0:35:53.600 --> 0:35:56.120 making tackles for lasses where they just basically shoot through gaps. 0:35:56.719 --> 0:35:58.399 You're not doing any of that stuff, and so there's 0:35:58.400 --> 0:36:00.799 not the big plays coming from They're not even making 0:36:00.840 --> 0:36:03.239 the kind of plays where receiver catches a ball in 0:36:03.320 --> 0:36:06.439 middle field, linebacker comes up and dislodges the ball. Those 0:36:06.520 --> 0:36:08.440 kind of like what kind of plays are they making 0:36:08.560 --> 0:36:10.120 right now? And I just don't see a lot of 0:36:10.120 --> 0:36:12.839 those splashed plays from the linebacking win late, sorry down, 0:36:13.880 --> 0:36:18.279 Would you even consider him healthy? No? Right? Which what 0:36:18.480 --> 0:36:22.280 sucks is it? Honestly it puts us in a bad spot. 0:36:22.400 --> 0:36:26.280 Not that anybody, not that I expect anybody to have sympathy, 0:36:26.320 --> 0:36:28.719 But like Layton's got a stinger. It was bad enough 0:36:28.719 --> 0:36:31.800 that it kept him out the game after the bye week, 0:36:32.120 --> 0:36:36.120 so clearly something pretty nasty to sideline him for that long. 0:36:36.400 --> 0:36:40.840 Then he's clearly gimpy in this Vikings game, like he's limping. 0:36:40.880 --> 0:36:43.520 You could see it with your own eyes. He runs 0:36:43.560 --> 0:36:47.080 off the field, he goes to the locker room without 0:36:47.120 --> 0:36:50.040 his helmet, comes back, gets back in, finishes the game. 0:36:50.680 --> 0:36:54.120 And so for all intents and purposes, he's healthy. Like, 0:36:54.120 --> 0:36:55.799 if you're healthy enough to be out there, then you're 0:36:55.800 --> 0:36:58.600 healthy enough for me to critique your level of play. 0:36:59.000 --> 0:37:02.399 But probably not in reality, you know, But how many 0:37:02.400 --> 0:37:04.480 guys on the field are all like that? Absolutely? I'm 0:37:04.480 --> 0:37:07.240 about football is if you're out there playing, you're probably 0:37:07.280 --> 0:37:09.359 playing with an injury. And it's just a matter of 0:37:09.400 --> 0:37:12.160 how much pain tolerance can you can you handle? But 0:37:12.880 --> 0:37:14.799 and again I don't even I don't know, like Jay, 0:37:14.880 --> 0:37:17.200 we even asked Jason Garrett about it specifically. Yesterday we 0:37:17.200 --> 0:37:18.640 were like, did he come out of that game? Okay? 0:37:18.680 --> 0:37:21.000 And Jason said yes. So I'm going to take him 0:37:21.000 --> 0:37:23.759 at his word on that, even if it's probably not 0:37:23.840 --> 0:37:28.520 one the truth. But if he's and again pure conjecture 0:37:28.520 --> 0:37:30.200 on my part, I don't know, I'm speculating, but like, 0:37:30.239 --> 0:37:33.920 if he's got like a mild groin strain, no wonder 0:37:33.960 --> 0:37:35.839 he's not doing that type of stuff, you know, But 0:37:36.160 --> 0:37:38.200 if you're healthy enough to be out there, then I 0:37:38.239 --> 0:37:40.520 have to critique what I see. You know, I think 0:37:40.520 --> 0:37:44.120 the big difference is is, you know, at the linebacker position, 0:37:44.200 --> 0:37:45.600 I think those are a lot of guys in the 0:37:45.640 --> 0:37:48.960 league that make tackles, especially since that's a that's a 0:37:48.960 --> 0:37:52.600 stat that you know, teams keep by, you know, to themselves, 0:37:52.640 --> 0:37:57.120 and it changes with every everybody who's who's grading those players. 0:37:57.640 --> 0:37:59.640 But you know, I think Layton made the Pro Bowl 0:37:59.680 --> 0:38:02.120 last because he had interceptions. He had a couple in 0:38:02.120 --> 0:38:04.560 a row. He had a couple against the one on 0:38:04.640 --> 0:38:07.400 Monday night or Sunday night, and the next week as well, 0:38:07.680 --> 0:38:10.360 And I think that's right when you're really voting, and 0:38:10.400 --> 0:38:12.640 this guy's a stud and now he's making other plays, 0:38:13.080 --> 0:38:15.400 But I don't. I don't know. I think that's the 0:38:15.440 --> 0:38:17.680 big difference here. I don't he hasn't had those turnovers. 0:38:17.760 --> 0:38:20.600 I disagree with you, and I think you're right, like 0:38:20.719 --> 0:38:23.440 interceptions or splash plays and they stand out and they 0:38:23.520 --> 0:38:27.399 run on Sports Center. But just week after week last year, 0:38:28.080 --> 0:38:32.239 he's knifing back into the backfield and like if he 0:38:32.280 --> 0:38:34.400 had been playing like he was last year, half of 0:38:34.400 --> 0:38:37.759 those pitches to Dalvin Cook, they're going for negative one, 0:38:37.880 --> 0:38:40.919 zero or one because Layton vander esh is getting through 0:38:41.040 --> 0:38:43.359 two blocks and getting there before he can get going. 0:38:43.400 --> 0:38:47.280 He did it. He made a huge play against Philly 0:38:47.320 --> 0:38:49.360 on the road last year where he did exactly that, 0:38:49.480 --> 0:38:52.840 and he did that reliably. They did it against Houston. 0:38:52.880 --> 0:38:54.879 They wound up losing that game, but they both were 0:38:54.920 --> 0:38:57.480 doing stuff like that and you just don't see it. 0:38:57.920 --> 0:39:01.080 You remember Layton. I think he did it once in 0:39:01.120 --> 0:39:03.120 this game, and he's done it a few other times, 0:39:03.160 --> 0:39:05.520 and it stands out because it happened so rarely where 0:39:05.520 --> 0:39:08.080 you're like, WHOA, there's the latent that I remember from 0:39:08.160 --> 0:39:10.200 last year. How many games did he miss last year, 0:39:10.400 --> 0:39:13.399 like to start the year, how many he didn't work well? 0:39:13.440 --> 0:39:17.120 He wasn't starting until week four or five, but he 0:39:17.200 --> 0:39:19.359 didn't miss anything. He didn't miss any games. I mean, 0:39:19.400 --> 0:39:21.759 he's on pace to get way more tackles this year. 0:39:21.760 --> 0:39:25.320 And I understand that he didn't, you know, play, it 0:39:25.520 --> 0:39:28.040 wasn't starting a lot in the first few games. But 0:39:28.320 --> 0:39:30.440 I mean, I think he's still making plays. I really do. 0:39:30.480 --> 0:39:32.080 I think he's making plays. I just don't know if 0:39:32.120 --> 0:39:36.479 he's making these splash plays, especially the turnovers. I've seen 0:39:36.520 --> 0:39:38.520 some tackles, but you know where he's chasing them down 0:39:38.520 --> 0:39:41.120 and all that, But I guess they haven't. I don't know. 0:39:41.239 --> 0:39:46.040 Let's ask Corey Miller. How the house. Yeah, it's not 0:39:46.120 --> 0:39:48.040 very often. And actually the big board up there, how 0:39:48.080 --> 0:39:49.680 many times are they hitting the house? I heard it 0:39:49.719 --> 0:39:51.279 once in the game, and I want to say this 0:39:51.320 --> 0:39:53.160 last game where he did it, it was like a 0:39:53.400 --> 0:39:54.799 it was a play that I was kind of like 0:39:55.200 --> 0:39:57.319 a little nondescript, like I didn't think it was a 0:39:57.360 --> 0:39:59.400 great play, but he made a tackle his wife on 0:39:59.440 --> 0:40:01.880 six yard. I mean, so I don't know. All right, 0:40:01.920 --> 0:40:03.719 real quick, we don't have much time left. I really 0:40:03.760 --> 0:40:06.239 quickly wanted to bring up special teams because I wanted 0:40:06.200 --> 0:40:08.440 to talk about Brett Maher. Is there any level of 0:40:08.480 --> 0:40:12.480 concern with him? I don't personally put okay, good every 0:40:12.480 --> 0:40:15.000 time he kicks, oh, okay, every time he makes every 0:40:15.000 --> 0:40:18.040 time he kicks, there's a concern. Yeah, there is. I 0:40:18.040 --> 0:40:19.640 don't know if he's gonna make it. I don't know 0:40:19.680 --> 0:40:21.839 if he's gonna make it, including extra points, I don't 0:40:21.920 --> 0:40:24.320 know if he's going to make it. I was really 0:40:24.440 --> 0:40:27.040 wondering if they make that touchdown at the end of 0:40:27.040 --> 0:40:29.640 the game, was he going to make it? You know? Yeah, 0:40:29.640 --> 0:40:31.359 it was just I just thought it was gonna come 0:40:31.400 --> 0:40:34.040 down to either Maha or Bailey or both or whatever. 0:40:34.120 --> 0:40:37.440 But it didn't. It almost did. That's what's concerning. I 0:40:37.520 --> 0:40:39.640 get that they know he can make those really long kicks, 0:40:39.680 --> 0:40:42.759 you know, forty five fifty yarders, but does that mean 0:40:42.800 --> 0:40:45.160 that you have to put him in the multiple situations 0:40:45.200 --> 0:40:49.239 like that every game. Did you guys talk about that yesterday? Yeah? Yeah, yeah, 0:40:49.239 --> 0:40:52.200 there's too much, too much faith. Well, extra points that 0:40:52.239 --> 0:40:55.040 I've seen him do it, cool, but I just like 0:40:55.400 --> 0:40:57.840 which he's seen him do it. He also knows that 0:40:57.880 --> 0:41:01.560 he's missed. He's fifty percent this year, which fifty plus, 0:41:01.960 --> 0:41:03.680 so he threw him. He threw him out there for 0:41:03.719 --> 0:41:06.640 the fifty seven yard or and then twenty minutes later 0:41:06.719 --> 0:41:09.120 had an opportunity at the same kick and didn't want 0:41:09.120 --> 0:41:11.399 to do it. It's like, but but you had all 0:41:11.440 --> 0:41:14.239 this confidence in him, and so just watching him miss 0:41:14.360 --> 0:41:16.239 one kick changed all of that, even though you've seen 0:41:16.320 --> 0:41:18.680 him miss plenty of times in your life. Yeah, I 0:41:18.760 --> 0:41:22.360 just I can't fathom why you would make the decision 0:41:22.400 --> 0:41:25.000 I'm gonna take a fifty fifty shot at something, at anything, 0:41:25.000 --> 0:41:27.480 I would take a fifty fifty shot at something that 0:41:27.640 --> 0:41:30.960 early in the game where it's not necessary, Like you 0:41:31.040 --> 0:41:32.640 do that going into a half, when you have any 0:41:32.640 --> 0:41:34.439 more time. You do that at the end of a game. 0:41:34.680 --> 0:41:36.400 Maybe late in a game when you just feel like, hey, 0:41:36.400 --> 0:41:38.799 we've been struggling all game to get into position to 0:41:38.800 --> 0:41:41.799 even get a score. We gotta get something here, then 0:41:41.840 --> 0:41:44.360 maybe you take it was the first series of the game. 0:41:44.440 --> 0:41:46.359 Why I didn't understand the point of it. I really 0:41:46.400 --> 0:41:48.239 didn't understand the point of It's not gonna give you 0:41:48.640 --> 0:41:54.160 a boost to go up three nothing. Rightly, look at 0:41:54.200 --> 0:41:56.600 the percentages. What's the percentage Chris Jones is gonna put 0:41:56.600 --> 0:41:59.359 the ball in ten yard line? Probably like seventy five percent. 0:41:59.440 --> 0:42:01.359 That's what he does right there? Yeah, that and then 0:42:01.400 --> 0:42:03.520 what's the percent that the Vics are gonna go ninety? 0:42:04.040 --> 0:42:06.759 I mean, I don't know, it's smaller than fifty. Who 0:42:06.840 --> 0:42:10.439 do you don't know they did it on the next series. 0:42:11.160 --> 0:42:15.960 Who do you implicitly trust on this team? Implicitly like 0:42:16.520 --> 0:42:18.600 they're like it's a zero, you got a zero? Since 0:42:18.640 --> 0:42:20.680 we're talking about how concerned you are, I can think 0:42:20.680 --> 0:42:23.759 of a few, all right. I was about to say, like, 0:42:23.880 --> 0:42:26.720 I'm having a hard time coming up with a single 0:42:26.800 --> 0:42:31.120 one other than maybe a Marmari I trust him four 0:42:31.400 --> 0:42:33.160 for me, I don't know. I mean, maybe I'm just 0:42:33.239 --> 0:42:35.400 a homer. Yeah, but I think Forrest shown us that 0:42:35.560 --> 0:42:37.920 at times, like he's had some games where you kind 0:42:37.960 --> 0:42:41.000 of like, yeah, but even there, even when he really not, 0:42:42.120 --> 0:42:45.759 even when I'm thinking that's true, not this year, You're right, nothing, 0:42:45.800 --> 0:42:47.279 and so it maybe past this year that kind of 0:42:47.320 --> 0:42:49.920 closet for me. Right against the Packers, he was forcing 0:42:50.000 --> 0:42:52.080 a little bit, even though he went for four to fifty. 0:42:52.080 --> 0:42:53.839 But I mean he was no, he was he made 0:42:54.160 --> 0:42:56.440 little That's my point. Even even the bad games. I 0:42:56.480 --> 0:42:58.320 mean he threw he ends up threw a pick on 0:42:58.360 --> 0:43:01.520 the first play of the Giants game, and wasn't four 0:43:01.760 --> 0:43:03.840 nineteen and ninety. I'm good with you on nineteen and 0:43:03.840 --> 0:43:05.960 I'll even you know what, I'll probably throw in thirty one. 0:43:06.160 --> 0:43:08.520 Maybe that's just more it's been really good this year. 0:43:08.719 --> 0:43:10.719 I think that's not the reason you say that. I 0:43:10.760 --> 0:43:12.560 think is just more about the struggles all over the 0:43:12.640 --> 0:43:15.160 rest of the secondary. Maybe he's not giving a ton 0:43:15.200 --> 0:43:17.120 of help, but I think he's played really you know what, 0:43:17.200 --> 0:43:19.160 I don't know. I don't know if if the reason 0:43:19.239 --> 0:43:21.480 why we're seeing what we're seeing is because teams think, 0:43:22.040 --> 0:43:24.080 why even mess with thirty one when we could just 0:43:24.200 --> 0:43:26.960 go to the other side. And so I wonder it 0:43:27.280 --> 0:43:30.120 is Byron really that good or is it a situation 0:43:30.160 --> 0:43:31.960 where teams just are like, I don't really want to 0:43:32.000 --> 0:43:34.000 deal with that. If I can go over here, this 0:43:34.120 --> 0:43:36.200 is a better match. Guess what that counts is being 0:43:36.280 --> 0:43:38.160 good if teams don't even want to mess with you 0:43:38.320 --> 0:43:42.520 because it's that kind of black. But the flip side 0:43:42.520 --> 0:43:43.800 of that, if the flip side of that is the 0:43:43.880 --> 0:43:45.960 more important part, which is the guy on the other 0:43:46.000 --> 0:43:49.719 side is a guarantee, then it doesn't matter necessarily how 0:43:49.840 --> 0:43:51.640 good that guy is over there, he's I mean, and 0:43:51.760 --> 0:43:53.839 I'm not I'm not trying to take anything away from Byron. 0:43:53.880 --> 0:43:55.920 All I'm saying is, I don't know if teams are 0:43:55.960 --> 0:43:58.480 just so heavily focused on the matchup of whoever's with 0:43:58.840 --> 0:44:01.560 with Cheeto that they just say that's a better matchup 0:44:01.680 --> 0:44:04.080 rather than it being on the scheme, then that's on 0:44:04.280 --> 0:44:06.520 Christopher Shard. That's on those guys, because I'm telling you, 0:44:06.600 --> 0:44:08.480 I know football has changed a lot over the years, 0:44:08.719 --> 0:44:11.319 but I've seen Larry Brown get nine interceptions one year 0:44:11.360 --> 0:44:13.239 and win a Super Bowl and MVP. Not because he 0:44:13.440 --> 0:44:16.520 was really that good. He was opportunistic. The other guy 0:44:16.640 --> 0:44:19.400 was the best corner to ever play. So work on 0:44:19.520 --> 0:44:22.520 your defense to make that work to If Byron is 0:44:22.560 --> 0:44:25.640 that good and Cheeto is not, then why can't you 0:44:25.840 --> 0:44:29.000 give him more help and play that way, cheat that way, 0:44:29.320 --> 0:44:31.359 or give him some help. That's on the scheme. If 0:44:31.440 --> 0:44:35.200 that's if that's what's happening, quit just saying one guy 0:44:35.239 --> 0:44:37.960 over here, one guy over here, and god, I hope 0:44:38.239 --> 0:44:40.920 you know, I hope they both win. You know you 0:44:41.000 --> 0:44:42.799 think that's what they're doing. No, I mean, I don't 0:44:42.800 --> 0:44:44.600 think Cheo's getting some help. I mean, he's got safety 0:44:44.640 --> 0:44:45.840 over the time. A lot of times we see the 0:44:45.880 --> 0:44:48.640 safety running into the screen as the completions being made, 0:44:48.719 --> 0:44:51.080 So I think a safety is there is well, I 0:44:51.120 --> 0:44:53.319 mean maybe, I don't know. I don't think that they're 0:44:53.360 --> 0:44:55.920 they're benefiting from the fact that thirty one is not 0:44:56.040 --> 0:44:58.520 doing anything, like he's not giving up anything. Yeah, they 0:44:58.560 --> 0:45:00.600 need to benefit from that and maybe get even more hill. 0:45:01.040 --> 0:45:03.560 My point was just to say, it's not a long list, 0:45:04.040 --> 0:45:06.400 and that's right, and for a team with you know, 0:45:06.680 --> 0:45:09.239 an MC championship aspirations at the start of the season, 0:45:09.320 --> 0:45:11.480 that's that's not great. What I don't know is if 0:45:11.520 --> 0:45:13.480 you went around all the teams in the NFL, is 0:45:13.520 --> 0:45:16.720 it the same thing, Like why who they implicitly trust 0:45:16.880 --> 0:45:20.080 is still just a handful of guys and everybody else 0:45:20.160 --> 0:45:22.480 just kind of takes their moments when they're really really 0:45:22.560 --> 0:45:24.840 good and the Cowboys aren't getting those other guys to 0:45:24.920 --> 0:45:27.480 step up and have those really really good games at 0:45:27.560 --> 0:45:29.000 just on a rotation. You know what I'm saying, I 0:45:29.040 --> 0:45:32.600 would sack Martin I think I do. I agree with you. 0:45:32.840 --> 0:45:35.279 Is his injuries I feel like I have hurt him 0:45:35.360 --> 0:45:38.239 this year. Yeah, But I mean you know, if you're 0:45:38.239 --> 0:45:40.160 talking about the offensive line, and you could say, well, 0:45:40.160 --> 0:45:42.680 they didn't have a good game because they didn't run 0:45:42.800 --> 0:45:44.480 the ball as well as you wanted them too. But 0:45:45.040 --> 0:45:47.200 they still threw for four you know, like they had 0:45:47.239 --> 0:45:49.359 four hundred and fifty five yards. I mean that that's 0:45:49.400 --> 0:45:51.400 a lot of yards. So they were you know, in 0:45:51.840 --> 0:45:54.600 one sack and Dak could have been through or four. 0:45:54.840 --> 0:45:56.480 He did a nice job of getting out of it. 0:45:56.560 --> 0:45:59.040 But you know, they they did a good job in 0:45:59.200 --> 0:46:01.480 certain aspect. They didn't move the ball up and down 0:46:01.520 --> 0:46:03.319 the field. It's hard to just say the offensive line 0:46:03.400 --> 0:46:06.719 was terrible. They they they're short art situations weren't good. 0:46:06.760 --> 0:46:08.800 I remember during the game when they got down to 0:46:08.920 --> 0:46:10.360 the ten yard line. I think I even said that 0:46:10.400 --> 0:46:12.600 you or Rob I said, okay, that's good, but this 0:46:12.760 --> 0:46:14.480 is where it gets really tough. It's just hard to 0:46:14.600 --> 0:46:16.920 score right in here at the ten. And that's when 0:46:16.960 --> 0:46:20.320 we started dissecting all these touchdowns. When you get inside 0:46:20.360 --> 0:46:23.239 the red zone, you know, they're not as good. That's 0:46:23.239 --> 0:46:25.680 been a problem for a long time. They don't push 0:46:25.800 --> 0:46:28.920 the pile. So maybe Swiftie lokan help there. All right, 0:46:28.960 --> 0:46:32.560 we're gonna say that's in the show. Yea. We will 0:46:32.600 --> 0:46:35.000 be back tomorrow. We're on twenty five and a half 0:46:35.040 --> 0:46:37.280 hour Break. Here you go for Nick Even, Dave Hellman, 0:46:37.520 --> 0:46:39.480 and Danny Serect. I'm Derek Eagleton. This has been The 0:46:39.520 --> 0:46:45.400 Break live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. This has 0:46:45.440 --> 0:46:48.239 been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the 0:46:48.440 --> 0:46:50.040 Dallas Cowboys Football Club.