WEBVTT - Talkin' Cowboys: Early Thoughts & Impressions 0:00:02.920 --> 0:00:05.440 The following is a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com 0:00:05.440 --> 0:00:14.920 and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club. Cowboys. This He's Talking Cowboys, 0:00:15.320 --> 0:00:18.759 Screaming live from the Dallas Cowboys World Hours at the 0:00:18.800 --> 0:00:29.840 Star in Frisco, Flowing Lives and now your hosts Isaiah Stanback, 0:00:30.160 --> 0:00:35.720 heck My Harrison, Rob Phillips, and Kyle Yeoman's It is 0:00:35.760 --> 0:00:39.639 a Talking Cowboys Tuesday here from the SWBC studios at 0:00:39.680 --> 0:00:43.640 the Star and Frisco. Welcome in everybody to another edition 0:00:43.680 --> 0:00:48.040 of offseason Talking Cowboys. We've got plenty to hit over 0:00:48.120 --> 0:00:51.680 the next hour of your time. We appreciate you being 0:00:51.680 --> 0:00:53.920 with us, but we're gonna treat you to some schedule 0:00:54.000 --> 0:00:56.880 release news, first time that we've had a show since 0:00:56.920 --> 0:00:59.400 the schedule is hit the open market. We've also got 0:00:59.480 --> 0:01:01.400 rookie Mini Camp in the rear view mirror and we 0:01:01.440 --> 0:01:04.920 will take a look ahead to OTA's as well as 0:01:04.920 --> 0:01:07.199 always joined by Chris Beam in the studio. We've got 0:01:07.480 --> 0:01:10.840 Isaiah stand Back, We've got heck My Harrison, no Rob Phillips. 0:01:10.880 --> 0:01:15.479 Today he's uh interviewing some big wig, some some quarterback 0:01:15.560 --> 0:01:17.959 who wears the number four and plays for some team. 0:01:18.319 --> 0:01:21.240 He's doing something along the way. But I'm Kyle Yeoman's 0:01:21.240 --> 0:01:24.679 glad you're with us. No Rob today, Unfortunately, Isaiah, you 0:01:24.720 --> 0:01:26.679 sat down, he said, I'm not Rob, but you've got 0:01:26.720 --> 0:01:29.440 his chair today. Our son, tan Rob, That's what I 0:01:29.480 --> 0:01:34.080 am today, just a little bit. It's a little dark, 0:01:34.160 --> 0:01:37.120 little extra son, a little dark, a little vitamin vitamin 0:01:37.200 --> 0:01:39.000 D Rob over here, don't mind me just thinking if 0:01:39.080 --> 0:01:45.759 Rob woke up one day and he was you exactly 0:01:46.160 --> 0:01:59.680 a little Dickey song o, I woke up in Iaiah, Gosh, Rob, 0:01:59.720 --> 0:02:01.960 he would never give it back. Yeah, Rob p Island 0:02:01.960 --> 0:02:04.120 would will have spent way too much time on Rob 0:02:04.160 --> 0:02:06.000 p Island. Let's say that too. We go take the 0:02:06.000 --> 0:02:07.960 whole show off the rose with this guy. It's the 0:02:08.040 --> 0:02:10.840 off season. There's nothing off the table when it comes out. 0:02:11.000 --> 0:02:15.280 Since heckma, how are you doing? I'm good man, I 0:02:15.320 --> 0:02:18.800 needed to back. I needed to Mario Brothers man, Mario 0:02:18.919 --> 0:02:22.640 Brothers coin. Chris is probably laughing too, probably call all 0:02:22.680 --> 0:02:25.960 out of his chair. Yeah man, I'm good. You know, 0:02:26.120 --> 0:02:29.560 pulling double duty obviously when the when the schedule release 0:02:29.639 --> 0:02:33.119 came out, I'm talking about you pulling double duty being 0:02:33.120 --> 0:02:37.519 excited about the schedule release. And I'm also calling softball. It. Yeah, 0:02:37.560 --> 0:02:39.880 I know. You and I were on a softball call 0:02:40.120 --> 0:02:44.480 at for ESPN and the Conference USA Championships and we 0:02:44.480 --> 0:02:46.400 were just sitting there. We were both on our phones 0:02:46.520 --> 0:02:49.200 like looking at the looking at the schedule and what 0:02:49.360 --> 0:02:51.760 was it? What was going on? So it was double duty. 0:02:51.880 --> 0:02:53.960 Luckily no double duty today, we can give you the 0:02:54.000 --> 0:02:56.919 full rundown of the schedule. Let's start with the first 0:02:57.080 --> 0:03:00.320 five games because in those first five games games you 0:03:00.320 --> 0:03:02.040 face three teams that have been to the Super Bowl 0:03:02.080 --> 0:03:05.240 in the last two years. Tampa Bay to Week one, 0:03:05.360 --> 0:03:09.040 open things out against the Buccaneers Sunday Night Football on NBC, 0:03:09.320 --> 0:03:12.400 followed by the Cincinnati Bengals Joe Burrow and company come 0:03:12.440 --> 0:03:16.720 to town. Jamar Chase versus Treyvon Digs. That will be fun. 0:03:16.880 --> 0:03:19.440 Of course, those two had their fair share of battles 0:03:19.440 --> 0:03:22.280 in college ball. Then you go on the road to 0:03:22.320 --> 0:03:26.120 face the Giants for Monday Night Football, back home against Washington, 0:03:26.200 --> 0:03:29.280 and then back on the road against the Rams. Three 0:03:29.280 --> 0:03:31.720 home games in the first five but two of those 0:03:31.760 --> 0:03:34.560 three against Super Bowl teams from the last two years. 0:03:34.840 --> 0:03:38.440 You've got two the last two Super Bowl champions in town. Isaiah. 0:03:38.440 --> 0:03:40.560 When you first looked at the schedule and the start 0:03:40.640 --> 0:03:43.240 that the Cowboys are faced up against. What were your thoughts? 0:03:43.360 --> 0:03:46.040 Somebody doesn't like the Cowboys. They're trying to get them 0:03:46.200 --> 0:03:52.840 yet even with this second easiest schedule, jogging about you 0:03:52.840 --> 0:03:55.480 know thirty first, I don't give a dog on about 0:03:55.480 --> 0:03:57.120 all that. Listen here, you got Tampa. I know we 0:03:57.160 --> 0:03:59.200 said first five games, but the first six games is 0:03:59.200 --> 0:04:02.240 really the threat. Okay, Okay, you got tam Bay Buccaneers, 0:04:02.280 --> 0:04:04.640 we know what they are. Okay, you got dog On Bengals, 0:04:04.680 --> 0:04:06.440 who just went to the Super Bowl and by the way, 0:04:06.520 --> 0:04:09.480 they just got better this offseason substantially up upfront, okay 0:04:09.480 --> 0:04:12.080 where they were a week at Then obviously you got 0:04:12.120 --> 0:04:14.120 New York can Washington, Okay, cool, those are always going 0:04:14.160 --> 0:04:16.000 to be, you know, competitive games. But then you got 0:04:16.160 --> 0:04:18.080 LA and then you got a Philly that's revamped and 0:04:18.120 --> 0:04:21.080 they're they're shooting their shot this year. So four of 0:04:21.120 --> 0:04:24.440 those six games I feel like are gonna be pretty 0:04:24.480 --> 0:04:28.400 dog on tough, pretty dog on tough two obvious for 0:04:28.480 --> 0:04:30.919 three of them, obviously because they've all been to the 0:04:30.920 --> 0:04:32.960 show here in the past few years. And then obviously 0:04:33.000 --> 0:04:35.479 you got Philly and we know that they've revamped, and 0:04:35.520 --> 0:04:37.960 that they're they're pretty much taking a shot directly at 0:04:37.960 --> 0:04:39.839 the Cowboys, trying to trying to get them where they're 0:04:39.800 --> 0:04:42.360 weak at in terms of loading up this offseason. So 0:04:43.200 --> 0:04:45.160 four of those six are gonna be rough, man. I mean, 0:04:45.360 --> 0:04:47.040 obviously we have a long way to go. All that 0:04:47.120 --> 0:04:49.040 kind of jazz we got OTAs, we got, We've got 0:04:49.040 --> 0:04:53.240 many cams, we got regular camp, we got preseason, we 0:04:53.279 --> 0:04:56.640 got all that jazz. Okay, however, these there are there 0:04:56.680 --> 0:05:00.120 are three out of those six teams that are arguable. 0:05:00.760 --> 0:05:02.960 There's no question no matter what team you go against, 0:05:03.000 --> 0:05:04.880 all right, but what team you ask, you know that 0:05:04.880 --> 0:05:07.080 those guys can play ball. So Bucks, Bengals and Rams 0:05:07.120 --> 0:05:09.719 absolutely off top off top. Yeah, and then the other 0:05:09.720 --> 0:05:13.520 three are divisional opponents too. It's always gonna be competitive. 0:05:13.600 --> 0:05:15.360 So one of the weird things that I do at 0:05:15.360 --> 0:05:17.280 the end of every season, because that's when they start 0:05:17.320 --> 0:05:19.440 releasing not the schedule, but the team's your opponents for 0:05:19.440 --> 0:05:21.480 the next season at home. In a way, I start, 0:05:21.520 --> 0:05:24.280 I go by, you know, least amount of wins all 0:05:24.320 --> 0:05:25.960 the way down to the win. So you start with 0:05:26.040 --> 0:05:29.440 the Jacksonville's Detroit saying, go all the way down, and 0:05:29.880 --> 0:05:32.200 I started to see started to say, tell myself, all right, 0:05:32.240 --> 0:05:34.840 so I can see where you can say, well, this 0:05:34.920 --> 0:05:38.440 is an easy schedule, but obviously things change from year 0:05:38.440 --> 0:05:41.839 to year. But once the schedule was released and the 0:05:41.920 --> 0:05:44.200 way that they kind of scrambled and put this together, 0:05:44.240 --> 0:05:46.600 I think your opportunities, like you just said, are in 0:05:46.640 --> 0:05:49.800 those first six games, three of them NFC East opponents 0:05:49.800 --> 0:05:52.599 as you just mentioned, but also teams that have been there. 0:05:52.720 --> 0:05:55.080 There's a large opportunity for this team with all the 0:05:55.160 --> 0:05:58.520 offseason talk, all the things that they've said about the team, 0:05:58.560 --> 0:06:02.360 the players that you've needed to replace. That game versus 0:06:02.360 --> 0:06:06.359 Tampa could be the measuring stick for your season simply 0:06:06.360 --> 0:06:09.400 because in those first six games you have the Bucks 0:06:09.480 --> 0:06:12.400 and the Rams, and beating those two teams may set 0:06:12.480 --> 0:06:17.080 you up for NFC seating. So although the season hadn't 0:06:17.080 --> 0:06:19.520 started yet, and the way that we are starting to 0:06:19.520 --> 0:06:21.760 look at the season that playoffs, hey, it's not that 0:06:21.839 --> 0:06:24.960 you can't do a one and done, right. You gotta 0:06:25.000 --> 0:06:28.239 go far in this league, and seating in the NFC 0:06:28.480 --> 0:06:30.160 is going to be important right there with those first 0:06:30.200 --> 0:06:32.840 six games. So I don't want to say must win 0:06:32.960 --> 0:06:36.280 already sitting there in Senagar in May. But that's as 0:06:36.320 --> 0:06:38.480 close to a must win as you possibly have. Yeah, 0:06:38.480 --> 0:06:40.800 at least early in the season, and with an opener 0:06:40.880 --> 0:06:43.240 like that. And you saw it last year, the way 0:06:43.279 --> 0:06:45.680 that they played against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay 0:06:45.680 --> 0:06:47.960 Buccaneers on the road, when they were raising a banner 0:06:48.560 --> 0:06:51.520 that set the tone for the entire season. Then you 0:06:51.600 --> 0:06:53.960 rattled off sixth straight. I don't think. I don't know 0:06:53.960 --> 0:06:55.960 if you're gonna see that again this year. There's probably 0:06:56.000 --> 0:06:59.400 a good chance that that does not happen. However, there 0:06:59.480 --> 0:07:01.720 is a measure stick, and it's that first six games. 0:07:01.720 --> 0:07:04.320 I keep looking at and I was looking at first five. 0:07:04.360 --> 0:07:07.440 But you threw in Philadelphia on Sunday Night football there 0:07:07.440 --> 0:07:10.400 in October. That's certainly a big game as well. You 0:07:10.400 --> 0:07:13.640 could go through those six games and finish two and four. 0:07:13.920 --> 0:07:16.440 Here's a good chance you go two and four, maybe 0:07:16.480 --> 0:07:20.120 even a three and three if you get lucky. If 0:07:20.160 --> 0:07:23.680 you end up going four and two, and you somehow 0:07:23.720 --> 0:07:26.680 work through that and you're above five hundred, you're feeling 0:07:26.800 --> 0:07:28.880 really good about the rest of your schedule. Yes, feel 0:07:28.920 --> 0:07:31.200 really good about not only in the division, but in 0:07:31.200 --> 0:07:34.200 the your seating for the NFC in your benchmark test 0:07:34.280 --> 0:07:36.960 that we've talked about all last year, we didn't pass 0:07:37.000 --> 0:07:39.640 a single benchmark along the way. You lost almost every 0:07:39.640 --> 0:07:41.480 one of those games. If we want to maybe throw 0:07:41.520 --> 0:07:44.040 the Chargers early on, maybe, but I don't think that 0:07:44.080 --> 0:07:47.680 because they weren't a playoff team. That's the same thing 0:07:47.720 --> 0:07:50.640 for these games. Tampa Bay is a benchmark Cincinnati LA, 0:07:50.680 --> 0:07:52.200 and then you don't have another one until you go 0:07:52.240 --> 0:07:53.880 on the road in Green Bay a little bit later 0:07:53.920 --> 0:07:57.040 on in the season. So those first six games are 0:07:57.200 --> 0:08:00.600 crucial to set the tone. They're tough or not. I mean, 0:08:00.920 --> 0:08:04.280 she's aren't easy. I don't care what people say about 0:08:04.280 --> 0:08:06.720 the easy versus a hard wreck. I don't give a 0:08:06.720 --> 0:08:09.400 dog on This is last year. That is last year. 0:08:09.480 --> 0:08:12.040 Teams have loaded up since last year. Teams have added 0:08:12.040 --> 0:08:14.800 players through the draft, Teams have added players through free agency. 0:08:14.880 --> 0:08:17.320 Teams are not what they were last year. Let's just 0:08:17.360 --> 0:08:19.000 go ahead and lay out on the table. Okay, so 0:08:19.080 --> 0:08:20.760 you can look at last year stats and all that 0:08:20.840 --> 0:08:23.200 jazz all you want to. Coordinators that moved around, head 0:08:23.240 --> 0:08:25.840 coaches have moved around, personnel has moved around. These are 0:08:25.880 --> 0:08:28.560 totally different teams. So yes, there might be core members 0:08:28.600 --> 0:08:31.160 of teams that are still in place. However, there's new 0:08:31.160 --> 0:08:33.320 players there, Okay, so there's gonna be a different look. 0:08:33.480 --> 0:08:36.920 So Tampa is Tampa TV. Twelve's back. Sorry everybody. All right, 0:08:36.920 --> 0:08:39.480 we're gonna have a showdown again from last year. Boom, 0:08:39.480 --> 0:08:41.800 all right, hopefully it goes that goes our way. You know, 0:08:41.800 --> 0:08:44.120 you got the dog on Bengals. Okay, these boys bought 0:08:44.120 --> 0:08:47.440 out last year somehow, some way, and their win percentage 0:08:47.559 --> 0:08:49.959 probably brings the win percentage down for the Cowboys a 0:08:50.000 --> 0:08:52.120 little bit because they were ten and seven as a 0:08:52.160 --> 0:08:54.440 division champion. They were the four seed in the NFC 0:08:54.679 --> 0:08:56.320 or excuse me, the AFC, and then they go on 0:08:56.360 --> 0:08:58.559 a run. That Bengals team is not a ten and 0:08:58.640 --> 0:09:01.319 seven ball club anymore. A team that's going to win 0:09:01.480 --> 0:09:03.719 twelve thirteen games and they're not going to give and 0:09:03.679 --> 0:09:05.360 they're not gonna give up ten sacks a game. Now, 0:09:05.760 --> 0:09:07.400 you know, with what they did with their offensive line 0:09:07.480 --> 0:09:08.920 this past year, and we knew that was a major 0:09:08.960 --> 0:09:11.760 weakness for them last year. So they addressed the areas 0:09:11.760 --> 0:09:13.600 that they were weak at, and they were weak at 0:09:13.840 --> 0:09:15.800 major weaknesses, and they still found a way to make 0:09:15.800 --> 0:09:18.080 it to the dog our superball. Yeah, so there you 0:09:18.120 --> 0:09:21.920 go with that. Giants Okay, Washington, Okay, La. They just 0:09:22.200 --> 0:09:24.520 I don't know how they got through their salary cap bows, 0:09:24.600 --> 0:09:28.920 but they did it. They bent the rules, yeah, exactly, 0:09:29.160 --> 0:09:31.760 and they loaded up even more. Yeah. The thing for 0:09:31.800 --> 0:09:34.680 me is looking is looking at the schedule and seeing 0:09:34.760 --> 0:09:37.800 where the boot Eagles following our schedule, because it's always 0:09:37.800 --> 0:09:39.720 about who we played before and who we play after, 0:09:39.760 --> 0:09:42.840 because that's such a big NFC East matchup for us. 0:09:42.840 --> 0:09:44.760 And you look at where they are, I mean, we 0:09:44.840 --> 0:09:49.840 play the Los Angeles Rams before we go before you know, 0:09:49.880 --> 0:09:52.400 before Philadelphia. Yeah, and then you look later on the 0:09:52.440 --> 0:09:56.280 schedule and we have the Tennessee Titans after we play 0:09:56.360 --> 0:09:59.680 the Philadelphia I mean, and so those are the tough 0:09:59.679 --> 0:10:01.600 parts your schedule, and when when you when you talk 0:10:01.640 --> 0:10:03.520 about you know what's going to be interesting, Where the 0:10:03.559 --> 0:10:06.440 tough patches, where can you be in trouble? We just 0:10:06.520 --> 0:10:09.400 know that those rivalry games, no matter what, they're gonna 0:10:09.400 --> 0:10:11.680 be tough. They're gonna be tough opponents. We're at home, 0:10:11.720 --> 0:10:14.800 then we're away. The travel is always the thing. As 0:10:14.840 --> 0:10:17.800 we've had Mike McCarthy mentioned being the Dallas Cowboys coach 0:10:17.840 --> 0:10:20.040 for his third season getting used to that in the 0:10:20.040 --> 0:10:23.600 amount of prime time games that we're gonna play, Buckle 0:10:23.679 --> 0:10:25.880 up and get ready because this is a schedule that 0:10:26.040 --> 0:10:28.040 is going to that's gonna have a lot of narratives. 0:10:28.520 --> 0:10:30.360 H and it's going to be very intriguing to see 0:10:30.400 --> 0:10:33.640 how this team competes talent wise with what we have 0:10:33.679 --> 0:10:35.920 on the schedule. And when I look at this schedule 0:10:36.000 --> 0:10:37.880 in terms of these first six games, right, it's just 0:10:38.160 --> 0:10:42.200 specifically we were weak on the old line last year, 0:10:42.240 --> 0:10:44.920 I feel, right, and we've tried to address that, right 0:10:44.920 --> 0:10:47.040 and we still have some pieces that we're still question that, 0:10:47.080 --> 0:10:49.840 we're still question marks. We're still hopeful all that jazz. 0:10:50.040 --> 0:10:52.960 Look at the defensive lines of these first six teams. Yeah, 0:10:53.040 --> 0:10:59.040 Tampa Bay nasty, Cincinnati nasty. New York beefed it up. 0:10:59.160 --> 0:11:01.520 That made may not be there yet, but they beat 0:11:01.559 --> 0:11:07.400 it up. Washington, Washington nasty, last nasty, Philadelphia super nasty. Yeah. Okay, 0:11:07.440 --> 0:11:11.040 So so no, I agree, we're gonna get tested quickly. Yeah, 0:11:11.080 --> 0:11:12.800 you're gonna figure out what your offense. You gonna figure 0:11:12.800 --> 0:11:14.720 out your old line quickly. So I know everybody's looking 0:11:14.760 --> 0:11:17.680 at the big picture, but in terms of how this 0:11:17.760 --> 0:11:19.960 team rolls. Defense is gonna do what they do, Okay, 0:11:20.000 --> 0:11:21.839 they dan Quinn's gonna do what he does. He has 0:11:21.880 --> 0:11:24.360 his personnel there. We're still gonna get places pieces we 0:11:24.440 --> 0:11:26.120 gotta add in there. But those guys, for the most part, 0:11:26.120 --> 0:11:28.240 you know what you're gonna get. Okay, hopefully, hopefully you 0:11:28.280 --> 0:11:30.559 get those turnovers again, chances are you probably won't. But 0:11:30.559 --> 0:11:33.120 he's gonna get pressure and make it difficult for offenses. 0:11:33.520 --> 0:11:35.679 Offensively though, you have to find a way to move 0:11:35.720 --> 0:11:37.319 the ball on the ground, and it's gonna be very 0:11:37.320 --> 0:11:39.800 difficult to do so against dominicun Sue. All right, he's 0:11:39.800 --> 0:11:44.360 not there, Okay, Who's who Cincinnati got on the front line. 0:11:44.600 --> 0:11:47.640 That's and so so I mean, you know what I mean, like, no, no, no, 0:11:47.679 --> 0:11:51.079 to your point, I think that's interesting about the defenses. 0:11:51.480 --> 0:11:53.600 And that's why I say the two people that were 0:11:53.920 --> 0:11:55.760 starting with the one person that the most pressure is 0:11:55.800 --> 0:11:58.480 out on. When I saw the schedule, as dad, yeah, 0:11:58.559 --> 0:12:01.120 I mean you talk about these or six games, this 0:12:01.360 --> 0:12:03.600 is this is it. I mean, this is and I'm 0:12:03.640 --> 0:12:05.720 saying Dak, but I'm also throwing in there and like 0:12:06.040 --> 0:12:08.040 you know, it's Dak's pitching and then there's everybody else 0:12:08.040 --> 0:12:11.120 that's going down on that. It's one of those situations 0:12:11.160 --> 0:12:13.760 where offensively, if you don't start off hot, and it 0:12:13.760 --> 0:12:16.360 doesn't even matter about the excuses that you have for 0:12:16.400 --> 0:12:19.320 guys coming back from injury, nobody wants here. Nobody's gonna 0:12:19.360 --> 0:12:21.800 want to hear that. And that's why the biggest responsibility 0:12:21.880 --> 0:12:24.240 is on DAK. I know that Tampa, a lot of 0:12:24.280 --> 0:12:26.199 teams aren't what they used to be. I mean, you 0:12:26.320 --> 0:12:28.679 just try to mention someone from being from the Bengals defense, 0:12:28.720 --> 0:12:30.680 and I don't think anyone thought of them in the 0:12:30.800 --> 0:12:33.360 in the breath of being a doomsday defense. But once 0:12:33.400 --> 0:12:35.160 you get down to the commanders and we know who 0:12:35.160 --> 0:12:38.640 the rams are those matchups, DAK should be DA should 0:12:38.640 --> 0:12:41.000 be looking at this like a these are opportunities for 0:12:41.040 --> 0:12:43.160 me and the other person I'm thinking about as dan Quinn. 0:12:43.559 --> 0:12:46.200 Dan Quinn is in his second season and although he 0:12:46.240 --> 0:12:49.160 has elevated the defense and we were looking at there's 0:12:49.200 --> 0:12:52.040 the Cowboys are seventh in points allowed. Then it is 0:12:52.080 --> 0:12:55.960 the quintessential bend but don't break style of defense. But 0:12:56.080 --> 0:12:58.680 in his second season, I'm thinking that they are planning 0:12:58.679 --> 0:13:01.080 to play a whole nother style. You can't depend on 0:13:01.160 --> 0:13:03.400 being a defense is going to have the number one 0:13:03.960 --> 0:13:06.400 turnovers or interceptions in the league. That's gonna have to 0:13:06.440 --> 0:13:08.800 be another part of this. You saw last season where 0:13:08.800 --> 0:13:11.600 in the playoffs we could not stop the run. We're 0:13:11.640 --> 0:13:14.720 seeing all the interceptions from our cornerbacks, but also giving 0:13:14.840 --> 0:13:17.080 up a ton of yardage. Those are the things, no 0:13:17.160 --> 0:13:19.680 matter what you do, no matter where you rank, those 0:13:19.679 --> 0:13:22.040 are the things that's gonna bring your defensive numbers down, 0:13:22.040 --> 0:13:25.440 because bring your production down. You can add the bazooka. 0:13:25.520 --> 0:13:27.360 You can ask Sam Williams, you can, you can have 0:13:27.400 --> 0:13:29.679 as many players as you like, but if you're giving 0:13:29.760 --> 0:13:31.920 up that kind of yard you're not going to be successful. 0:13:32.200 --> 0:13:35.520 And the offenses that you go up against early are 0:13:35.520 --> 0:13:37.480 gonna test you. You got to slow down the run 0:13:37.640 --> 0:13:40.520 and you gotta run the ball. That's clear and simple. 0:13:40.600 --> 0:13:42.880 That's the easiest way to solve some of your problems 0:13:42.920 --> 0:13:44.760 is figure out a way to do both of those things. 0:13:44.960 --> 0:13:48.160 And to y'all's point of talking about just how these 0:13:48.240 --> 0:13:52.000 these front sevens at the first six games of the 0:13:52.000 --> 0:13:55.480 season are just next level five of them, five of 0:13:55.520 --> 0:13:57.760 the six are in the top ten or we're in 0:13:57.800 --> 0:13:59.960 the top ten last year and rushing yards allowed per game. 0:14:00.400 --> 0:14:02.640 Half of the top ten in the NFL and rushing 0:14:02.720 --> 0:14:05.480 yards allowed per game are on your schedule in the 0:14:05.520 --> 0:14:12.000 first six weeks of the season, Tampa Bay, Cincinnati, La, Washington, Philly. 0:14:12.520 --> 0:14:14.199 You are going to have to run the ball in 0:14:14.240 --> 0:14:15.720 the first half of the season or you may end 0:14:15.800 --> 0:14:20.040 up two and four going into Detroit game in week 0:14:20.120 --> 0:14:22.920 week seven. It really is. Let's talk about the next 0:14:22.920 --> 0:14:25.680 six games on the schedule as well, Detroit and Chicago, 0:14:25.800 --> 0:14:28.800 followed by the bye week, and then you take on 0:14:28.840 --> 0:14:32.720 the other NFC North opponents, Green Bay and Minnesota, both 0:14:32.760 --> 0:14:34.640 on the road, one in Lambeau of course, the other 0:14:34.640 --> 0:14:36.320 one back in Minnesota. How many years in a row 0:14:36.320 --> 0:14:38.280 are we going to play the Vikings on the road 0:14:39.440 --> 0:14:41.640 and we're gonna hear the skull chants in our sleep? 0:14:42.720 --> 0:14:46.440 New York? Is that Thursday, or excuse me, is the 0:14:46.480 --> 0:14:50.360 Thanksgiving game? So we'll stop at the Thanksgiving game? Detroit, Chicago, 0:14:50.480 --> 0:14:54.040 Green Bay, Minnesota, New York a bye week sprinkled in 0:14:54.080 --> 0:14:56.600 between there. Heck, when when you looked at that side 0:14:56.640 --> 0:15:00.120 of the schedule, is that your rebound schedule where you 0:15:00.120 --> 0:15:03.000 you're still facing decent teams you're just not facing the 0:15:03.080 --> 0:15:05.320 upper echelon of the NFL like you do in the 0:15:05.320 --> 0:15:07.280 first six weeks. Yeah, and that's why I said, like 0:15:07.280 --> 0:15:09.680 the first six the hypotheticals there, two and four were 0:15:09.840 --> 0:15:12.440 nightmare for me. If you can split that at least 0:15:12.440 --> 0:15:15.080 see three and three or flip it, you know, I'm 0:15:15.120 --> 0:15:17.680 really I just yeah, flipp it. That's that's being on 0:15:17.760 --> 0:15:20.240 the positive side. But I think this is this is 0:15:20.280 --> 0:15:21.840 the part in the middle of your season where you 0:15:21.960 --> 0:15:24.640 really can't make some ground. But don't be mistaken. I 0:15:24.640 --> 0:15:27.640 mean the Lions, their coach is going to have them 0:15:27.680 --> 0:15:31.680 primed and ready to go. We've seen teams go from 0:15:31.720 --> 0:15:34.360 being a basement level team to putting together two first 0:15:34.400 --> 0:15:36.720 round draft picks. And then do you think the Lions 0:15:36.800 --> 0:15:39.640 or that, I don't think that. I'm just saying that's 0:15:39.640 --> 0:15:42.960 not underestimate on him and say that, oh, that's just 0:15:43.200 --> 0:15:45.640 automatic dub. I think the Bears are the same way 0:15:46.280 --> 0:15:50.440 the Packers. Obviously for Mike McCarthy. That's the game that 0:15:50.480 --> 0:15:53.600 I'm circling for Mike McCarthy because I know he wants 0:15:53.640 --> 0:15:55.400 to win that game, and I'm sure the team wants 0:15:55.400 --> 0:15:57.400 to win it for him. But I mean to show 0:15:57.440 --> 0:16:01.160 Green Bay up at a primetime Come on, Fox, that's 0:16:01.160 --> 0:16:03.200 got to be moved, right. They gotta move that too. 0:16:04.800 --> 0:16:06.480 I don't know if they will. That's the game of 0:16:06.520 --> 0:16:08.240 the week. Yeah, I don't think they. I don't think 0:16:08.280 --> 0:16:11.120 Fox lets that one go. I think that's Kevin Burkhard 0:16:11.240 --> 0:16:14.120 and I guess who was he. That game was announced 0:16:14.160 --> 0:16:17.240 before the schedule was, so I'm assuming that's one of 0:16:17.240 --> 0:16:22.880 the Fox is big, one of their premier Yeah. Good point. Well, anyway, 0:16:22.920 --> 0:16:25.880 then you got Minnesota on the Minnesota then Minnesota again, 0:16:25.920 --> 0:16:28.000 another team that I feel like we've we've done a 0:16:28.000 --> 0:16:30.680 really good job of taking care of over the years, 0:16:31.360 --> 0:16:34.400 and the Giants on Thanksgiving. This is strange to say 0:16:34.400 --> 0:16:36.240 that we're playing the Giants on things again, first time 0:16:36.240 --> 0:16:41.040 since nineteen ninety two, and not the Manders, not the Commanders, 0:16:41.280 --> 0:16:44.480 no man like every other year on Thanksgiving. What do 0:16:44.520 --> 0:16:46.240 you think about this middle part of the schedule? When 0:16:46.280 --> 0:16:48.160 I look at it, I think all five of these 0:16:48.200 --> 0:16:50.400 games are winnable. I should be winnable. I like the 0:16:50.400 --> 0:16:53.400 middle part. I like obviously Detroit, regardless of what happens 0:16:53.440 --> 0:16:56.080 in that first six games. I think Detroit's obviously based 0:16:56.120 --> 0:16:59.160 upon what happened, what took place last year with the teams. Okay, 0:16:59.200 --> 0:17:00.520 you should be able to win the Troity, you should 0:17:00.520 --> 0:17:02.120 be able to win Chicago. You get to buy a 0:17:02.160 --> 0:17:06.200 week at the best possible portion off their seasons, best 0:17:06.240 --> 0:17:07.840 you could ever hope for, a right smack dab in 0:17:07.840 --> 0:17:10.560 the middle of your season. So that's awesome. Uh, then 0:17:10.680 --> 0:17:12.440 you didn't you need that by a week because you're 0:17:12.440 --> 0:17:14.880 about to face green Bay in Minnesota, and green Bay 0:17:15.000 --> 0:17:17.000 is green Bay. A run is out there, all right, 0:17:17.040 --> 0:17:19.399 he's making all fifty a year. He's ready to ball out, okay, 0:17:19.400 --> 0:17:21.560 and they're getting him some help. So you always got 0:17:21.560 --> 0:17:23.359 to be prepared for that. Obviously, we know how big 0:17:23.400 --> 0:17:26.240 of a game that is for McCarthy. But Minnesota is 0:17:26.280 --> 0:17:29.000 always dangerous to me. Minnesota is always dangerous to me. 0:17:29.080 --> 0:17:31.200 There's this Minnesota is never a team that I looked 0:17:31.200 --> 0:17:33.400 past him back. Oh yeah, go ahead, we should be straight. 0:17:34.000 --> 0:17:36.600 They're always with a new coach, even a new coach, 0:17:36.680 --> 0:17:39.280 because they're because they're key pieces. The key pieces are 0:17:39.320 --> 0:17:42.159 still there, right. Their linebackers are still there, their d 0:17:42.280 --> 0:17:45.600 line is still there now okay, yeah, the quarterback is 0:17:45.640 --> 0:17:49.880 still there, right, Receivers still there. That's just I don't 0:17:49.920 --> 0:17:52.480 hear them in that way. We played them a couple 0:17:52.520 --> 0:17:55.000 of times so far. Dalvin Cook, I respect his speed 0:17:55.080 --> 0:17:57.119 and what he does, but I just think on the 0:17:57.119 --> 0:18:00.199 outside we covered them pretty well. I agree that we 0:18:00.400 --> 0:18:03.399 last year with the backup quarterback beat them. Agreed, Dallas 0:18:03.400 --> 0:18:05.439 has done a great job against them. But personally, I 0:18:05.560 --> 0:18:09.880 just think that they have very good key players. Nah, yeah, 0:18:09.960 --> 0:18:13.120 key players. I liked their front seven. Always front seven 0:18:13.200 --> 0:18:16.000 is always a threat. The running game is always a threat. Right. 0:18:16.040 --> 0:18:18.080 They have three of the best receivers in the league. 0:18:18.080 --> 0:18:19.840 They those guys do a dog on a good job. 0:18:19.920 --> 0:18:22.479 That's a solid trio that they have over there. Um, 0:18:22.800 --> 0:18:24.920 so they're a threat in my eyes. And then you 0:18:25.000 --> 0:18:27.520 got the Giants, all right, and we'll get to the 0:18:27.560 --> 0:18:29.439 next one here aunt that, Yeah, we'll get We'll get 0:18:29.440 --> 0:18:31.760 to it here in a second. I never played in 0:18:31.760 --> 0:18:35.560 the NFL. Shocker for those if you're listening, Um, how 0:18:35.640 --> 0:18:39.320 much does it play a factor in the travel schedule? 0:18:39.600 --> 0:18:41.720 Right there in the middle of the season, you're at 0:18:41.760 --> 0:18:44.639 home against Detroit, you're at home against Chicago. You have 0:18:44.680 --> 0:18:47.119 the bye week, so you don't travel for an entire month, 0:18:47.600 --> 0:18:50.320 But then you go straight into Green Bay, lambeau Field 0:18:50.359 --> 0:18:53.480 and a high vaulted matchup where your coach is making 0:18:53.520 --> 0:18:57.160 a return as after winning a Super Bowl there and YadA, YadA, YadA. 0:18:57.240 --> 0:19:00.240 How much could laying off and at the trial novel 0:19:00.280 --> 0:19:02.119 and not being in a rhythm in terms of that 0:19:02.240 --> 0:19:04.520 chunk of time? Does that affect you at all? Or 0:19:04.600 --> 0:19:07.040 is that a non factor whatsoever? No, it's a non factor. 0:19:07.080 --> 0:19:08.840 I think Seattle has the worst right they got to 0:19:08.880 --> 0:19:12.639 travel miles, but far as Dallas. I mean, that's a 0:19:12.680 --> 0:19:14.920 great thing about being in Dallas. You're centrally located, so 0:19:15.200 --> 0:19:16.880