WEBVTT - Talkin' Cowboys: Too Much Cook? 0:00:03.960 --> 0:00:06.480 The following. He's a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com 0:00:06.519 --> 0:00:17.400 and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club. This he's Talking Cowboys, 0:00:17.880 --> 0:00:21.279 Screaming live from the Dallas Cowboys World headquarters at the 0:00:21.360 --> 0:00:30.120 Star in Frisco, et flowing to the sty and now 0:00:30.160 --> 0:00:35.199 your hosts Isaiah Stanback, heck My Harrison, Rob Phillips, and 0:00:35.440 --> 0:00:40.879 Kyle Yeoman's It's a Wednesday edition of Talking Cowboys from 0:00:40.920 --> 0:00:44.760 the s WBC Mortgage studios at the Star in Frisco. 0:00:44.920 --> 0:00:48.839 Hunt Day edition here on week eleven of the NFL season. 0:00:49.159 --> 0:00:53.360 The Minnesota Vikings coming up on Sunday afternoon, and we're 0:00:53.360 --> 0:00:56.280 gonna break it down for you today as Vikings offense, 0:00:56.640 --> 0:00:59.720 Cowboys defense, and we're gonna hit some of the recent 0:00:59.720 --> 0:01:04.000 store winds surrounding this Dallas Cowboys ball Club. But first 0:01:04.319 --> 0:01:07.240 let me introduce the panel. As always, Isaiah stand back, 0:01:07.280 --> 0:01:11.800 our residence super Bowl champ are Great Cowboys insider, mister 0:01:11.920 --> 0:01:18.200 Rob Phillips and the always incredible, always smiling heckm Harrison 0:01:18.480 --> 0:01:22.080 on the top right hand corner of your scream the 0:01:22.080 --> 0:01:24.520 whole show. Now, just because I said you smile all 0:01:24.560 --> 0:01:29.960 the time, Yeah, why you're you're a happy guy. You're 0:01:29.959 --> 0:01:32.800 a happy dude that there's nothing wrong with smile. Let 0:01:32.840 --> 0:01:35.520 it happen. Let it happen, Kyle, just let it happen. Well, 0:01:35.840 --> 0:01:39.920 we've we've found nicknames, and I've found like a go 0:01:40.120 --> 0:01:43.280 to saying for every guy on this show, but the 0:01:43.280 --> 0:01:45.880 one that I've loaned known the longest. It's harder to 0:01:45.920 --> 0:01:48.800 get the right thing because I could call you so 0:01:48.840 --> 0:01:51.600 many good things, but I got to find something that 0:01:51.600 --> 0:01:56.160 that comes to me naturally. Well we've Kyle, y, I 0:01:56.200 --> 0:02:00.880 got a nickname for you, don't you say? You say yeah, 0:02:01.040 --> 0:02:04.120 don't sell come on, let's go. I think Twitter has 0:02:04.160 --> 0:02:06.440 figured it out. We just we just haven't been able 0:02:06.480 --> 0:02:08.120 to announce it on this show. Oh no, this one, 0:02:08.200 --> 0:02:11.560 this one would be like FCC rules, like not not okay, 0:02:11.639 --> 0:02:13.840 Like if if you were to say this nickname on 0:02:13.919 --> 0:02:16.720 you have no idea. Robbie, are you peanut butter and 0:02:16.800 --> 0:02:18.880 jelly guy or a peanut butter and jam guy? Oh 0:02:18.960 --> 0:02:21.240 my god, say that again? Are you a peanut butter 0:02:21.280 --> 0:02:22.880 and jelly guy or a peanut butter and jam guy? 0:02:23.000 --> 0:02:30.040 Just wondering, just random question. All jelly baby, jelly rope? Yeah, same, 0:02:30.800 --> 0:02:33.040 I'm more of I'm more of a jam guy myself, 0:02:33.120 --> 0:02:37.359 if I have to say so, more of a jam guy. 0:02:37.639 --> 0:02:40.760 But anyways, with that Ding said, let's go ahead and 0:02:40.800 --> 0:02:43.280 move on. Robi, I was just asked on the fan 0:02:43.320 --> 0:02:46.080 a moment ago, and there's been a report that surfaced 0:02:46.120 --> 0:02:49.440 around the Dallas Cowboys and in surface around Jalen Smith. 0:02:49.520 --> 0:02:52.000 I want to first know if you've read this, because 0:02:52.000 --> 0:02:53.560 it came out early in the wee hours of the 0:02:53.600 --> 0:02:59.000 morning today, But Jaylen Smith potentially moved on from depending 0:02:59.000 --> 0:03:01.400 on a contract, Sitch and depending on the rest of 0:03:01.440 --> 0:03:04.040 the season. Have you heard anything like this report and 0:03:04.080 --> 0:03:07.920 what do you think about what was said? I have 0:03:08.000 --> 0:03:10.320 not heard that report. What exactly was the report? So 0:03:10.360 --> 0:03:13.480 the report came from Dallas News today and ultimately it 0:03:13.639 --> 0:03:16.480 said that depending on the rest of the season, the 0:03:16.560 --> 0:03:21.080 last seven games, that if Jalen Smith's play continues at 0:03:21.120 --> 0:03:24.560 the at the rate that it has been over the 0:03:24.560 --> 0:03:28.200 first nine games of the season, then ultimately they would 0:03:28.240 --> 0:03:30.560 either have to take a pay cut or Jalen Smith 0:03:30.600 --> 0:03:32.760 would have to take a pay cut, or they would 0:03:32.800 --> 0:03:34.640 move on from his contract and that would be a 0:03:34.639 --> 0:03:36.640 lot of deadweight on the cap, but they would still 0:03:36.720 --> 0:03:39.360 do it regardless. That's a report, like I said, not 0:03:39.480 --> 0:03:42.320 confirmed from anybody here at Dallas Cowboys dot com. But 0:03:42.680 --> 0:03:44.880 that's ultimately what Dallas News was saying. What do you 0:03:44.880 --> 0:03:50.120 think about the prospects there on the topic of conversation, Well, 0:03:50.160 --> 0:03:52.400 that's that's actually kind of been out there as like 0:03:52.640 --> 0:03:55.840 scuttle butt. You know, I think Albert Breer had a 0:03:55.920 --> 0:03:59.119 report a couple of weeks back that, you know, if 0:03:59.160 --> 0:04:01.840 things like the same thing, if the production or the 0:04:01.880 --> 0:04:04.600 way things are going continues the rest of the season, 0:04:04.680 --> 0:04:08.160 you could see him being an offseason cap cut, you know. 0:04:08.400 --> 0:04:11.080 And that's not again, yeah, you're right, that's not confirmed 0:04:11.080 --> 0:04:14.280 by the team. In fact, every time a coach or 0:04:14.280 --> 0:04:18.280 an executive is asked about Jalen Smith, it's he's a cornerstone, 0:04:18.320 --> 0:04:21.800 as Jerry said last week, or he's having an outstanding 0:04:21.839 --> 0:04:24.880 season for us. So publicly, what they're saying about him 0:04:24.920 --> 0:04:27.800 is they love his effort and overall they like his production. 0:04:29.279 --> 0:04:30.920 I think when you look at what the defense has 0:04:30.920 --> 0:04:35.119 done overall this season, it hasn't been good enough. And 0:04:35.360 --> 0:04:37.800 you know, he's he says it himself, he's the leader 0:04:37.839 --> 0:04:40.480 of the defense, especially when Laton Vanderesh is out. So 0:04:41.839 --> 0:04:43.960 it's interesting I mean, we'll just see how it goes 0:04:44.000 --> 0:04:46.039 the rest of the year. There is a lot of 0:04:46.080 --> 0:04:48.640 time left. There are seven games left for this defense 0:04:48.680 --> 0:04:51.480 to build on what they're doing, and he's got to 0:04:51.520 --> 0:04:53.000 be a big part of that. And we're going to 0:04:53.040 --> 0:04:54.599 get into this matchup and he's got to be a 0:04:54.600 --> 0:05:00.599 big part of this particular matchup too against Minnesota EMA. 0:05:01.160 --> 0:05:04.520 That's interesting, Kyle. I mean, I hadn't heard that, but 0:05:05.040 --> 0:05:07.680 I believe that from the contract that Jalen has, it's 0:05:07.680 --> 0:05:11.360 gonna be really difficult to move him. And I don't 0:05:11.440 --> 0:05:14.800 see a Jaylen Smith taking a pay cut, especially with 0:05:14.839 --> 0:05:18.080 the new contract that he just signed, so that I mean, look, 0:05:18.120 --> 0:05:20.719 that would be an interesting dynamic the way that we 0:05:20.839 --> 0:05:23.400 handled that. But man, this defense has been so bad 0:05:23.440 --> 0:05:27.320 that everybody's just finding something to one guy after another 0:05:27.360 --> 0:05:30.040 to get rid of it. Jaylen Smith has the life 0:05:30.040 --> 0:05:32.240 shine on him and has been for a while, and 0:05:32.279 --> 0:05:35.560 so I'm hoping obviously with it. If it's he's got 0:05:35.560 --> 0:05:38.120 an audition for the next seven games. If this rumor 0:05:38.240 --> 0:05:41.800 is true about that, then man, he's got to play 0:05:41.839 --> 0:05:43.920 with his hair on fire. And it's hopefully a lot 0:05:43.920 --> 0:05:51.279 of swiping from the Smith speculation and speculation. Man, until 0:05:51.279 --> 0:05:52.920 we get some kind of confirmation, I don't think there's 0:05:53.000 --> 0:05:55.440 much much to say there. Everybody knows that Jayalen hasn't 0:05:55.440 --> 0:05:57.720 been playing up the part, nor has anybody else on 0:05:57.800 --> 0:06:00.880 this defense. So I think everybody's up on notice. And 0:06:00.960 --> 0:06:04.159 that's that's the word now, Isaiah. With that being said, 0:06:04.160 --> 0:06:07.080 and you're talking about not only Jalen Smith playing bad 0:06:07.120 --> 0:06:09.240 on this defense. And yes, the defense is put together 0:06:09.279 --> 0:06:11.520 back to back great games, We've already addressed that on 0:06:11.560 --> 0:06:14.040 this show, but overall the defense is still a bottom 0:06:14.080 --> 0:06:17.320 five defense in the NFL. Is it a little unfair 0:06:17.520 --> 0:06:21.320 to to kind of give that kind of pressure, the 0:06:21.839 --> 0:06:24.200 chip on the shoulder to a guy like Jalen Smith? 0:06:24.240 --> 0:06:26.800 I mean, I mean we each have been critical of 0:06:26.920 --> 0:06:29.440 Jalen Smith throughout the year, but at the same time 0:06:29.480 --> 0:06:34.320 as it all warranted, Yes, it is warranted. A reason 0:06:34.360 --> 0:06:37.040 why it is because the check warrants it. Soon as 0:06:37.040 --> 0:06:39.240 you get that check, there's an expectation level that comes 0:06:39.240 --> 0:06:41.520 with the check. That's facts, whether you like it or not. 0:06:42.160 --> 0:06:45.080 And when you don't meet those expectations, that's the reason 0:06:45.080 --> 0:06:47.080 why you're starting to hear Zeke's name come up now, right, 0:06:47.240 --> 0:06:49.080 Because Zeke got paid and all of a sudden his 0:06:49.080 --> 0:06:51.560 production goes down. So people start saying, well, he's not 0:06:51.600 --> 0:06:54.039 playing up to what we you know, he's not he's 0:06:54.080 --> 0:06:56.960 not meeting what his duties are for for his check. 0:06:57.200 --> 0:06:59.200 You know, if he was making six hundred thousand dollars 0:06:59.200 --> 0:07:01.280 a year, nobody's gonna say nothing, right, but they're not 0:07:01.480 --> 0:07:04.880 making that reason why Crawford's names coming up because he's 0:07:04.880 --> 0:07:09.160 not playing nine mien dollars worth of credibility. So these 0:07:09.160 --> 0:07:11.600 are the reasons why. That's what comes along with getting 0:07:11.600 --> 0:07:14.080 a big payday. As everybody knows that as a player, 0:07:14.600 --> 0:07:16.720 you just gotta show up and show out because you're 0:07:16.760 --> 0:07:19.040 proving yourself whether you're playing for a contract or you're 0:07:19.040 --> 0:07:21.360 playing underneath the contract, every single day, you got to 0:07:21.360 --> 0:07:23.800 show up, you know, and debark. You can throw to 0:07:23.840 --> 0:07:26.040 Marcus Lawrence into that mix in terms of, you know, 0:07:26.200 --> 0:07:29.320 the criticism for him, and I think he's overall had 0:07:29.320 --> 0:07:31.760 a good season, even though the sacks aren't there, the 0:07:31.800 --> 0:07:34.880 stats aren't there, and I think early in the season 0:07:34.920 --> 0:07:38.280 the knee was bothering him and nobody cares about that. 0:07:38.480 --> 0:07:41.000 You know that fans don't care about that, and that's 0:07:41.000 --> 0:07:43.200 just that's just comes with the deal, comes with the money, 0:07:43.360 --> 0:07:47.360 as Isaiah said, And you know, we'll just see with Jalen, 0:07:47.640 --> 0:07:51.400 you know how he can progress the rest of the season. 0:07:51.840 --> 0:07:54.120 And you know, this is always what happens when the 0:07:54.160 --> 0:07:58.200 team struggles. I think we've talked about offensively. I think 0:07:58.240 --> 0:08:00.040 they're just looking at it from the standpoint of you 0:08:00.040 --> 0:08:01.600 can get healthy, we'll be back to being a number 0:08:01.600 --> 0:08:04.160 one offense. Defense can they build on what they're doing, 0:08:04.560 --> 0:08:07.760 But they've got potential for a lot of changes defensively 0:08:07.800 --> 0:08:10.000 because especially in the back end, you've got a bunch 0:08:10.000 --> 0:08:14.360 of guys up on expiring deals. So, like Isaiah said, 0:08:14.360 --> 0:08:16.160 like Heck said, this just comes with a territory when 0:08:16.160 --> 0:08:21.520 you're struggling. Heck, when whenever it comes to two tackles, 0:08:21.600 --> 0:08:24.200 I mean we're talking about production. Yes, the film doesn't 0:08:24.200 --> 0:08:27.800 lie whenever it comes to Jalen Smith, especially because whenever 0:08:27.800 --> 0:08:30.040 you look at the film, he looks lost, he looks 0:08:30.080 --> 0:08:33.800 out of communication. He just doesn't look like the leader 0:08:33.840 --> 0:08:35.440 and the guy that you need to step up on 0:08:35.440 --> 0:08:37.760 that defense. But on the stat sheet, I mean, he's 0:08:37.760 --> 0:08:40.360 fourth in the NFL and tackles right now with eighty nine, 0:08:40.400 --> 0:08:47.160 But tell me why tackles don't always equal production. That's 0:08:47.720 --> 0:08:49.839 that's tough, I mean, because his numbers are up there. 0:08:49.880 --> 0:08:52.080 But then you turn on the film and you're like, well, okay, 0:08:52.120 --> 0:08:54.520 I mean that's a tackle, but it's a tackle ten 0:08:54.600 --> 0:08:57.040 yards passed the line of scrimmage where you're tackling the 0:08:57.120 --> 0:09:00.960 god's hip. You know, well, there's still counts as a tackling. 0:09:01.080 --> 0:09:04.520 So I think for Jayleen Smith, it's just been all 0:09:04.520 --> 0:09:06.480 of those stakes that we've talked about, not getting any 0:09:06.520 --> 0:09:08.560 push in the front line, having guys in his face, 0:09:08.600 --> 0:09:10.840 not being able to get to the ball. The penalties 0:09:11.320 --> 0:09:15.240 have also plagued them. You know, you watch the Vikings 0:09:15.480 --> 0:09:17.760 in Chicago game. There was I think there was a 0:09:17.800 --> 0:09:20.360 time where Folds was hitting the head and there wasn't 0:09:20.360 --> 0:09:22.560 any flag and someone tweeted a head. If that was 0:09:22.640 --> 0:09:24.839 Jayleen Smith, that would have definitely been a flag. So, 0:09:25.280 --> 0:09:27.439 I mean, he just hadn't gotten any breaks at all. 0:09:27.480 --> 0:09:31.199 But you know, tackling wise, he is a guy that 0:09:31.600 --> 0:09:33.520 makes a lot of tackles, and I think that what 0:09:33.800 --> 0:09:37.280 kind of convolutes the whole subject of whether he's good 0:09:37.360 --> 0:09:39.559 or whether he's bad. But as you talk about those 0:09:39.600 --> 0:09:43.920 communication eras and assignment alignment kind of deals. That's everybody, 0:09:43.960 --> 0:09:46.760 the whole defense. I mean, pre snap, you're seeing these 0:09:46.760 --> 0:09:49.720 guys trying to point and move guys around to get 0:09:50.280 --> 0:09:52.840 things aligned, and it just hadn't been there for the defense. 0:09:52.840 --> 0:09:55.240 But Jalen is the guy that's definitely taken the brunt 0:09:55.240 --> 0:09:58.440 of the criticism. Now, what I would say is you're 0:09:58.480 --> 0:10:01.120 talking about the tackles, and yes, a lot of them 0:10:01.160 --> 0:10:03.920 are just down the field tackles, right, But I do 0:10:04.000 --> 0:10:06.920 think some of that's not on him, you know, And 0:10:07.080 --> 0:10:09.200 you know, there's if we got a point to one 0:10:09.240 --> 0:10:13.040 thing that has really been the biggest issue, you could 0:10:13.120 --> 0:10:15.559 argue it's the interior defensive line. Yeah, some of that's 0:10:15.600 --> 0:10:18.960 been injuries, some of that's been production, and it's not 0:10:19.040 --> 0:10:21.400 all one guy. But I do think there's there's been 0:10:21.400 --> 0:10:24.520 situations where you know, there's running backs and tight ends, 0:10:24.520 --> 0:10:27.959 they're they're up on Jalen Smith very quickly, and sometimes 0:10:27.960 --> 0:10:30.880 he's he's not getting off blocks, but sometimes he doesn't 0:10:31.080 --> 0:10:33.480 have much of a chance. And I think you know 0:10:33.679 --> 0:10:36.560 Neville Gallimore coming in, maybe you know Antoine Woods, we 0:10:36.559 --> 0:10:38.160 talked about him a couple of days ago. Maybe they're 0:10:38.160 --> 0:10:41.360 shoring that up and that will only help the linebackers 0:10:41.400 --> 0:10:48.080 going forward. Isaiah, Yeah, I mean Rob just said, Rob 0:10:48.160 --> 0:10:49.920 pe just say it is true. I mean it's not 0:10:50.000 --> 0:10:52.600 It's not all on them. I think we've we've Randy's 0:10:52.679 --> 0:10:54.640 just deef as a line into the ground. So we 0:10:54.720 --> 0:10:57.320 know that, I mean, we know where where the problems are. 0:10:57.360 --> 0:10:59.760 And we know that linebackers can't do their job of 0:11:00.000 --> 0:11:03.440 actively if they don't have a presence in front of them. So, um, 0:11:03.640 --> 0:11:06.600 he does not deserve all the flat um. But you know, 0:11:06.640 --> 0:11:09.199 there's other things aside from just tackles that that you 0:11:09.280 --> 0:11:11.600 that you that you're hell responsible for or just coverage. 0:11:11.880 --> 0:11:15.240 There's communication. Um, there's you know, assignments in terms of 0:11:15.240 --> 0:11:17.560 being a line properly. There's so many things that don't 0:11:17.559 --> 0:11:19.480 show up in the stat sheet. Um. And I know 0:11:19.520 --> 0:11:21.439 it's hard for fans to understand because they just look 0:11:21.480 --> 0:11:24.040 for stats. There's so many things. I mean, there's there's 0:11:24.040 --> 0:11:26.679 a reason why guys make special teams, you know, as 0:11:26.720 --> 0:11:29.280 guys make rosters based off a special teams. There's personal 0:11:29.280 --> 0:11:31.880 protectors back there that literally that's all they do and 0:11:31.960 --> 0:11:33.920 they do it so well and they communicate so well. 0:11:33.920 --> 0:11:35.520 But guess what. You never see their names show up 0:11:35.520 --> 0:11:37.120 on a stat sheet, But why are they on a 0:11:37.160 --> 0:11:39.640 team Because they do their job effectively. So there's a 0:11:39.679 --> 0:11:42.000 lot more than just tackles that come with playing a 0:11:42.040 --> 0:11:45.480 linebacker position. Is you know, Kyle, let me let me 0:11:45.480 --> 0:11:48.240 say this. Let me say this, Kyle. The thing about 0:11:48.360 --> 0:11:51.480 Jaylen Smith is in the NFL, you have so many 0:11:51.559 --> 0:11:55.920 great linebackers, good linebackers to judge him against. Uh, we 0:11:56.040 --> 0:12:00.480 got two really good linebackers coming uh with this Sunday 0:12:00.559 --> 0:12:04.360 and that's yeah, Hendricks and Wilson. I mean, these guys 0:12:04.360 --> 0:12:07.280 are doing everything that you need from a linebacker position. 0:12:07.320 --> 0:12:11.679 That's covering guys, getting interceptions, sacks, all of that. And 0:12:11.720 --> 0:12:14.080 so those are the things that when you look at 0:12:14.160 --> 0:12:16.640 Jaylen Smith and you look at late vander As, you go, well, wow, 0:12:16.640 --> 0:12:19.520 why aren't our linebackers playing like that? When you see 0:12:19.520 --> 0:12:21.840 a guy like Roquan Smith, you're like, wow, look at 0:12:21.880 --> 0:12:25.640 him running downhill making tackle. So that's the thing that 0:12:25.679 --> 0:12:27.920 we are looking at with his defense and saying, Okay, 0:12:27.920 --> 0:12:29.760 why aren't we getting any of that? But when you 0:12:29.840 --> 0:12:32.000 turn the tape on and you see a defensive lineman 0:12:32.200 --> 0:12:34.760 getting pushed ten yards down the field, and that is 0:12:34.800 --> 0:12:37.360 the reason. So I mean, I don't want to be 0:12:37.480 --> 0:12:40.280 the person who dumps all on Jaylen Smith at one point. 0:12:40.280 --> 0:12:42.480 But at the same time, you know, you have that, 0:12:42.600 --> 0:12:44.760 like you said, the unfair assessment of the job that 0:12:44.800 --> 0:12:47.760 he's doing based off of the causing effect of other 0:12:47.800 --> 0:12:50.440 people not doing their jobs. Hey, I can tell the 0:12:50.440 --> 0:12:52.440 holiday seasons right around the corner you up here window 0:12:52.480 --> 0:12:55.280 shopping already, the talk I ain't got that TV? Why 0:12:55.320 --> 0:13:00.280 they't got that TV? And antist you know, I'm just saying, man, 0:13:00.320 --> 0:13:01.840 you got plenty of up there to look at, and 0:13:01.880 --> 0:13:04.880 it's like, wow, that's a linebacker, you know. So I 0:13:04.960 --> 0:13:07.240 want one of those two nass Santa Claus could bring 0:13:07.240 --> 0:13:10.360 you a linebacker this year maybe if you want, I 0:13:10.360 --> 0:13:14.880 mean potentially, but whenever, and Rob, I want you to 0:13:15.200 --> 0:13:16.679 start us off on this, but I want to all 0:13:16.720 --> 0:13:18.839 of you to answer this question. But whenever it comes 0:13:18.840 --> 0:13:23.680 to the most disappointing player specifically on the roster. Now, 0:13:23.760 --> 0:13:25.679 I mean, we could talk about Don try Poe, but 0:13:25.760 --> 0:13:27.920 he's not on the roster anymore. He's not necessarily a 0:13:27.920 --> 0:13:31.240 problem moving forward. But is Jalen Smith that player? And 0:13:31.280 --> 0:13:38.320 if it's not Jalen Smith, who would take that place. Oh, 0:13:38.360 --> 0:13:40.600 that's a good question. There a good question. Ka why, 0:13:41.160 --> 0:13:45.200 I mean, hey, you gotta be careful, p be careful. 0:13:45.240 --> 0:13:48.120 Pe he trying to get you to the principal's office. Pee, Yeah, 0:13:48.200 --> 0:13:50.320 I mean why not? I guess final, I mean, I mean, 0:13:50.360 --> 0:13:52.640 I guess if you're talking about a guy that's, you know, 0:13:52.800 --> 0:13:55.360 the leader of the defense, and like I said, and 0:13:55.679 --> 0:13:58.040 what they've the way they've struggled against the run, the 0:13:58.040 --> 0:14:00.480 way they've struggled in space, I think you know, you 0:14:00.559 --> 0:14:07.160 might have to say that. Heck, Bun, I'm gonna go 0:14:07.160 --> 0:14:10.480 with what Rob said exactly what Rob just said. It's 0:14:10.600 --> 0:14:14.160 word for word. Just doesn't heckma just doesn't want to 0:14:14.160 --> 0:14:16.680 be called into the principal's office. We can talk negatively 0:14:16.720 --> 0:14:19.160 about players on this show, Guys, we can do that. 0:14:19.160 --> 0:14:21.360 That's a possibility. It's a part of this I understand. 0:14:22.280 --> 0:14:26.680 But when it's I get it. Man. It's just the 0:14:26.680 --> 0:14:29.560 thing about it is, when you're just historically bad, there 0:14:29.560 --> 0:14:31.880 are a lot of fingers to point at everybody. It's 0:14:31.920 --> 0:14:35.000 not wrong. I mean, that's the It's just a thing 0:14:35.040 --> 0:14:37.200 about Jaylor Smith. He's just taking the brunt of it. 0:14:37.280 --> 0:14:39.720 Like five weeks ago done, Terry Paul was taking the 0:14:39.760 --> 0:14:41.760 brunt of it. So I mean it ain't just him. 0:14:41.800 --> 0:14:43.920 If you want to look at Xavier Woods and talk 0:14:44.000 --> 0:14:46.880 about Thompson, you know, we can even go to our 0:14:46.960 --> 0:14:49.080 rookie that we pray so much. He's giving up a 0:14:49.080 --> 0:14:51.080 bunch of big plays as well. So I mean that's 0:14:51.200 --> 0:14:54.080 enough blame to go around without just patting it all 0:14:54.120 --> 0:14:57.320 on one guy and saying you are the biggest disappointment. 0:14:57.760 --> 0:15:03.680 My man. That's good point, Isaiah. I'm gonna goal with 0:15:03.680 --> 0:15:14.560 with heckma said, okay, so now let's I'll bring positivity 0:15:14.600 --> 0:15:16.840 back into this just so everybody can can have some 0:15:16.920 --> 0:15:19.840 more fun. But I'll bring positivity into it and flip 0:15:19.880 --> 0:15:23.000 that script. Who's been the most impressive and most improved 0:15:23.080 --> 0:15:25.920 player whenever it comes to this football team that's still 0:15:25.920 --> 0:15:27.840 on the roster right now. And I'm not talking about 0:15:27.840 --> 0:15:29.920 from year to year. I'm talking about from week one, 0:15:30.080 --> 0:15:33.760 hang on to week nine. What's that you're gonna drop 0:15:33.800 --> 0:15:36.960 that grenade? You gotta fall on it too. Yeah, has 0:15:37.000 --> 0:15:39.920 been the most disappointing for sure. Yeah, No, he's That's 0:15:39.960 --> 0:15:41.840 why I asked the question, is because I think he's 0:15:41.840 --> 0:15:44.160 been the most disappointing. I would throw Zeke into that 0:15:44.200 --> 0:15:49.160 conversation as well, especially because of like Isaiah said earlier, 0:15:49.200 --> 0:15:51.840 you get that contract, you're gonna have to have the pressure, 0:15:51.840 --> 0:15:53.960 and I think Zeke would definitely be in the conversation 0:15:54.000 --> 0:15:57.240 for most disappointing through the first couple weeks of the season. 0:15:57.320 --> 0:16:00.320 But even with that being said, I have more that 0:16:00.440 --> 0:16:03.800 Zeke is somebody who could turn it around. Then I 0:16:03.920 --> 0:16:06.240 have faith that Jalen Smith could turn it around. So 0:16:06.280 --> 0:16:08.400 there's me falling on the grenade. But let me go 0:16:08.440 --> 0:16:12.280 ahead and ask that question again in terms of positivity, 0:16:12.520 --> 0:16:15.520 who's the most improved player on this team, Isaiah? And 0:16:16.480 --> 0:16:18.720 is it on the offensive side or the defensive side 0:16:18.760 --> 0:16:27.280 of the football most improved? Yeah, this is great radio here, 0:16:27.320 --> 0:16:30.040 my friend. Yeah, I know, you gotta give me that 0:16:30.120 --> 0:16:32.520 question before we get on the air. Okay, hack my 0:16:32.600 --> 0:16:37.320 goe for it. Yeah, man, I'm stuck too. I mean, 0:16:37.600 --> 0:16:39.720 if I'm looking at a guy that's the most improved, 0:16:40.080 --> 0:16:42.240 I'm just gonna go out here. And this may not 0:16:42.360 --> 0:16:45.440 be the question the guy for this question, but Albinn Smith, 0:16:45.440 --> 0:16:47.080 I mean, you've been out of the league before and 0:16:47.120 --> 0:16:49.360 a half years, so he's the most improved that comes back. 0:16:49.400 --> 0:16:51.840 He says, you know, the leader and the team in sacks, 0:16:51.920 --> 0:16:55.520 So I guess that's most improved. I can go with 0:16:55.640 --> 0:16:58.040 because everybody else if you're talking about a guy from 0:16:58.120 --> 0:17:01.000 last season, yeah, I mean, that's really not a lot 0:17:01.000 --> 0:17:03.160 to go on, especially with all the injuries that we've 0:17:03.160 --> 0:17:06.600 had offensively. If I even go and say Michael Gallant, 0:17:06.680 --> 0:17:08.919 you know, he's having a pretty good season even with 0:17:09.040 --> 0:17:11.760 all the quarterback changes, then you know, I'm just wishing 0:17:11.800 --> 0:17:13.520 on the star at this point because I don't have 0:17:13.560 --> 0:17:19.680 a lot to go on. Give me Cedric Wilson nice said, 0:17:19.920 --> 0:17:22.359 good one. Yeah, big said, I mean the volume of 0:17:22.480 --> 0:17:25.440 plays isn't the same as some of the top three receivers. 0:17:25.480 --> 0:17:27.840 But what he's done when he's been in there and 0:17:27.880 --> 0:17:30.359 his name and number has been called has been impressive 0:17:30.359 --> 0:17:33.119 in a lot of different ways special teams obviously is 0:17:33.160 --> 0:17:36.760 a pass catcher, a quarterback in a couple of plays 0:17:36.840 --> 0:17:39.600 and running into rounds and a lot of different ways 0:17:39.600 --> 0:17:44.120 they've used him, it's been impressive. See if anything round 0:17:44.520 --> 0:17:46.359 The thing is I wasn't gonna say in back of 0:17:46.400 --> 0:17:47.960 my head, I'm like the only person that was coming 0:17:47.960 --> 0:17:51.760 to my mind was was Noah Brown's. That's literally the 0:17:51.800 --> 0:17:53.560 only person that when he asked that question, I'm like, 0:17:53.640 --> 0:17:55.639 and I'm trying to run through my roller decks to plays. 0:17:55.960 --> 0:17:58.000 Every time he comes to the game. He's effective, he's 0:17:58.040 --> 0:18:01.199 been affective, both of those guys, right, So that I 0:18:01.200 --> 0:18:04.400 guess if I know Ah Brand would be my answer. Unfortunately, 0:18:04.480 --> 0:18:06.120 he hasn't seen a lot of plays, but when he's 0:18:06.119 --> 0:18:08.480 in there, he's blocking. When he's in there, he's making 0:18:08.560 --> 0:18:13.200 nothing but first downs right in some critical situations for us. So, um, yeah, 0:18:13.280 --> 0:18:15.640 that's that's my I guess that's my pick. I'll tight 0:18:15.760 --> 0:18:21.600 end mister Dalton Shoultz. I mean, come on, Kyle, Like, 0:18:21.680 --> 0:18:23.720 it's like I'm with I'm with Isaiah. If we had 0:18:23.720 --> 0:18:26.040 had this question before the show. Well, that's why we 0:18:26.080 --> 0:18:27.880 talk about it on the show, because we can think 0:18:27.920 --> 0:18:30.280 through it and we can have these different conversations bring 0:18:30.359 --> 0:18:34.080 up these names. I like Dalton Shoultz a lot. What 0:18:34.119 --> 0:18:36.119 about d Law? Do you think d Law could be 0:18:36.160 --> 0:18:38.639 in that conversation from week one to week nine in 0:18:38.720 --> 0:18:41.040 terms of maybe the fire that he's played with and 0:18:41.119 --> 0:18:44.920 the energy. No, why, no, no, because that's a decision. 0:18:45.280 --> 0:18:49.600 It's twice. That's the decision. Playing with fire and playing 0:18:49.600 --> 0:18:51.760 with energy is a decision you make. I'm gonna show 0:18:51.800 --> 0:18:54.000 up today and play with energy or I'm not. That 0:18:54.080 --> 0:18:55.840 has nothing to do with your effectiveness. And I know 0:18:55.880 --> 0:18:58.679 he plays hard, no no ifs answer buts about it. 0:18:58.760 --> 0:19:01.280 He plays hard, but from last time I check, playing 0:19:01.320 --> 0:19:03.600 hard don't get you picked first on the dog on playground. 0:19:03.800 --> 0:19:07.119 So um, you know, you know, we appreciate his effort, 0:19:07.119 --> 0:19:09.240 and I think he's getting better, but you know that's 0:19:09.240 --> 0:19:11.760 not what you That's not the conversation you want revolving around, 0:19:11.800 --> 0:19:14.280 you know, your franchise player. It's a good point. What 0:19:14.359 --> 0:19:17.640 about and Rob brought up Cedric Wilson? What about Donovan 0:19:17.680 --> 0:19:20.320 Wilson on the defensive side? Do you think Donovan Wilson 0:19:20.359 --> 0:19:26.520 could be in that conversation? Yeah? Yeah, I mean the 0:19:26.560 --> 0:19:28.960 thing about Donovan is we haven't really seen him. You know, 0:19:29.000 --> 0:19:33.400 we've seen we've seen Noah Brown, we've seen we've seen 0:19:33.440 --> 0:19:35.679 Cedric Wilson before. He's gotten hurt a couple of times. 0:19:35.680 --> 0:19:39.879 But yeah, absolutely. Now, I they're still kind of rotating 0:19:40.080 --> 0:19:43.720 guys back there at safety. But he just he did 0:19:43.760 --> 0:19:45.280 this at A and M he just finds a way 0:19:45.320 --> 0:19:48.199 to be around the football, and they need more of 0:19:48.240 --> 0:19:50.920 that at the safety position, at the cornerback position, for sure, 0:19:51.600 --> 0:19:54.000 no doubt about that. I like Donovan. I like Donovan. 0:19:54.720 --> 0:19:59.800 I like Donovan is tackling ability coverage. I think sometimes 0:19:59.800 --> 0:20:02.160 he it's lost in space. But you're right. I mean, 0:20:02.240 --> 0:20:04.199 he's one of those guys that you could say is 0:20:04.200 --> 0:20:14.880 an improvement, it's making improvements on the defense. Isaiah, h Yeah, 0:20:14.920 --> 0:20:19.040 you're the worst. You're the worst rain today? What are 0:20:19.040 --> 0:20:22.040 you are? You? Are you awake? Isaiah? Can we can 0:20:22.040 --> 0:20:25.920 we get some energy out? You're trying to You're trying 0:20:25.960 --> 0:20:29.040 to force me to say something amazing about people that 0:20:29.080 --> 0:20:31.720 I just don't know. If you disagree, agree, my friend, 0:20:31.840 --> 0:20:34.040 just just let it ride. I don't. I don't agree. 0:20:34.080 --> 0:20:36.200 I mean we're trying to these guys are secondary is 0:20:36.240 --> 0:20:40.440 not good. So yeah, I mean that's that's what I got. 0:20:40.480 --> 0:20:42.160 You know, I'm not going to talk about most improved 0:20:42.359 --> 0:20:45.040 when they haven't improved under coverage skills. Yes, your job 0:20:45.160 --> 0:20:47.439