WEBVTT - Cowboys Break: Where The Game Turned 0:00:04.519 --> 0:00:07.080 The following is a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com 0:00:07.120 --> 0:00:19.240 and the Dallas Cowboys Football Clubs. Are you ready for 0:00:19.280 --> 0:00:22.960 a break? Yes? Are you ready for a break? Absolutely? 0:00:23.079 --> 0:00:27.280 Ready for a break? Yeah? And so much for that. 0:00:27.520 --> 0:00:32.680 It's time for The Break on Dallas Cowboys dot Com 0:00:33.440 --> 0:00:38.959 with Nick Eatman, David Hellman, and bar Garcia and Derek Eagleton. 0:00:40.360 --> 0:00:43.839 It is Monday, November ninth, twenty twenty, Season sixteen, episode 0:00:43.920 --> 0:00:47.199 number sixty one. Welcome, Welcome to the latest edition of 0:00:47.280 --> 0:00:49.720 The Break. We are alive in the SWBC More studios 0:00:49.760 --> 0:00:52.640 at the Star got Nick David Amber and we're gonna 0:00:52.640 --> 0:00:55.600 talk about the Cowboys lost yesterday. It was a competitive game, 0:00:55.680 --> 0:00:59.560 but it lost. Nonetheless, Cowboys lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers 0:00:59.560 --> 0:01:03.440 twenty were nineteen. And as we typically do on Monday's 0:01:03.480 --> 0:01:06.399 following a game, we're gonna start with some storylines, some 0:01:06.480 --> 0:01:09.280 big picture storylines that you take from the game. It 0:01:09.360 --> 0:01:12.679 seems a bit repetitive because there have been so many losses, 0:01:13.000 --> 0:01:15.240 but maybe you guys have something different that you take 0:01:15.280 --> 0:01:17.039 out of this game than you've taken out of others. NICKO, 0:01:17.080 --> 0:01:19.959 let's start with you. Oh well, I mean, no one 0:01:20.000 --> 0:01:22.360 likes to talk about moral victories or anything like that, 0:01:22.440 --> 0:01:25.480 but I mean it was that's where we are. You know, 0:01:25.959 --> 0:01:28.680 when you when you bring a guy in for that's 0:01:28.720 --> 0:01:30.679 never played in the NFL, I mean, never started a 0:01:30.680 --> 0:01:32.560 game before and he goes and plays like that. I 0:01:32.600 --> 0:01:36.160 thought that the team, you know, rallied around him. I 0:01:36.160 --> 0:01:38.320 thought the energy from the stadium was good. I mean 0:01:38.520 --> 0:01:40.560 both you know, the fans from both sides there. I 0:01:40.560 --> 0:01:43.160 thought it was a good atmosphere. The Cowboys played their 0:01:43.160 --> 0:01:46.160 best game on defense, but ultimately they're just not good enough. 0:01:46.160 --> 0:01:48.600 Their offense wasn't good enough to get over the hump 0:01:48.600 --> 0:01:50.480 and score when they need to. Field goals don't win. 0:01:51.080 --> 0:01:57.400 Field goals don't be undefeated teams, and they didn't amber. Well, 0:01:57.440 --> 0:02:00.000 I know it was a loss, but it's kind of 0:02:00.000 --> 0:02:02.400 a weird feeling because in a way, I feel like 0:02:02.480 --> 0:02:06.120 they won and it brought back some little hope and 0:02:06.160 --> 0:02:09.639 the talks of like, okay, well maybe and just maybe 0:02:09.960 --> 0:02:13.720 this team can actually start turning things around, because I 0:02:13.760 --> 0:02:15.919 think this is the first time that we actually see 0:02:16.200 --> 0:02:19.720 all three faces be able to find some success in 0:02:19.760 --> 0:02:23.000 the game. So it was a good thing. It brings 0:02:23.000 --> 0:02:25.520 back all the time. Okay, well, maybe they can get 0:02:25.520 --> 0:02:28.160 to the playoffs, and maybe they can beat the teams 0:02:28.200 --> 0:02:31.520 down the line, because the rest of the schedule are 0:02:31.560 --> 0:02:35.160 gonna be teams that aren't necessarily as competitive as the 0:02:35.240 --> 0:02:39.359 Steelers are currently. So it's it's going to be interesting 0:02:39.440 --> 0:02:42.800 to see what the second half of the season brings. Dave, 0:02:44.760 --> 0:02:49.040 you said that, Amber who said that. Nobody else said that, 0:02:49.160 --> 0:02:52.800 Nobody forced you to say it. You're popping back on 0:02:52.840 --> 0:02:56.120 the bandwagon of your own free will you see? They 0:02:56.160 --> 0:02:58.720 always do that to me. I'm just pointing that out. 0:03:00.000 --> 0:03:02.080 Expect me to say that, right, that was not supposed 0:03:02.120 --> 0:03:08.200 to be something. Yeah, seriously and seriously exactly. Um, it's funny. 0:03:08.240 --> 0:03:11.520 I guess my takeaway is I feel very right and 0:03:11.639 --> 0:03:14.200 very wrong all at the same time, because a couple 0:03:14.200 --> 0:03:16.320 of weeks ago, I remember being like, you know, the 0:03:16.440 --> 0:03:19.720 NFL seasons have these ebbs and flows, like no, only 0:03:20.000 --> 0:03:22.880 only two teams have gone undefeated in the regular season ever, 0:03:23.240 --> 0:03:26.160 and there's no NFL team that just gets blown out 0:03:26.240 --> 0:03:28.519 every week, week after week, like not even the O 0:03:28.680 --> 0:03:31.680 eight Lions got blown out every single week. So you 0:03:31.760 --> 0:03:34.000 knew the Cowboys were going to turn it around at 0:03:34.040 --> 0:03:37.440 some point and at least play competitive football, but I 0:03:37.560 --> 0:03:40.080 sure as hell didn't expect it to be against the Steelers, 0:03:41.320 --> 0:03:43.680 of all of all the teams, you know, the last 0:03:43.760 --> 0:03:46.280 undefeated team left in the league. Maybe not the best 0:03:46.280 --> 0:03:48.720 team in the league, but certainly a very good team. 0:03:49.040 --> 0:03:52.880 And to see them display that type of competence, particularly 0:03:52.920 --> 0:03:56.400 on defense, it was it was impressive. I don't know 0:03:56.440 --> 0:03:58.320 what it means, you know, I don't think they're gonna 0:03:58.360 --> 0:04:00.240 make the playoffs, but if they play that way the 0:04:00.320 --> 0:04:02.400 rest of the way, they're definitely gonna win a few 0:04:02.400 --> 0:04:04.680 more games. Yeah. That's the interesting thing is when you 0:04:04.760 --> 0:04:06.720 looked at the matchups, and I was having this conversation 0:04:06.800 --> 0:04:08.280 with my wife before I was leaving to go to 0:04:08.280 --> 0:04:10.280 the game yesterday, and I was like, you know, me, 0:04:10.520 --> 0:04:13.840 I try to be optimistic in just in life in general. 0:04:13.840 --> 0:04:16.520 So when I'm watching teams like that i'm rooting for, 0:04:17.040 --> 0:04:19.720 I typically am more optimistic than the average person. But 0:04:19.760 --> 0:04:23.000 I was like, I can't find a scenario but which 0:04:23.080 --> 0:04:26.440 the Cowboys can win this game. What they do the worst, 0:04:26.720 --> 0:04:29.880 which in my opinion, is the offensive line, is actually 0:04:29.920 --> 0:04:32.920 what matches up to the Steelers greatest strength, which is 0:04:32.960 --> 0:04:35.960 their defensive line and their ability to get after the quarterback, 0:04:36.240 --> 0:04:38.040 and so I just couldn't see a scenario where they 0:04:38.040 --> 0:04:40.839 could make it work. But they found ways yesterday to 0:04:40.960 --> 0:04:43.280 make things work and keep themselves in the game and 0:04:43.360 --> 0:04:45.960 keep fighting. And we saw a lot of things from 0:04:46.000 --> 0:04:48.880 the team yesterday, including the offensive line play, including the 0:04:48.920 --> 0:04:52.159 defense where they haven't been great all season, including the 0:04:52.240 --> 0:04:55.280 quarterback play. Well, they haven't been great, and yesterday they 0:04:55.279 --> 0:04:57.040 were able to get some things that they hadn't gotten 0:04:57.080 --> 0:04:59.360 and were able to put it together in a way 0:04:59.400 --> 0:05:02.280 that I kind of agree with Amber that you know, 0:05:02.320 --> 0:05:04.800 you feel to day almost like it's a win, even 0:05:04.839 --> 0:05:07.039 though they end up on the losing endevid just because 0:05:07.040 --> 0:05:08.720 they played so much better than you have thought they 0:05:08.720 --> 0:05:11.839 would played. But let's jump into some of the moments 0:05:11.880 --> 0:05:14.520 that mattered. We're gonna go around everybody give me a 0:05:14.560 --> 0:05:17.800 moment that mattered from yesterday's game, and but let's start 0:05:17.839 --> 0:05:23.520 with you. I can't give you a specific moment, but 0:05:23.839 --> 0:05:28.120 I'm just gonna choose just the penalties in general, because 0:05:28.760 --> 0:05:31.200 three of them that were very costly for the Cowboys, 0:05:31.240 --> 0:05:34.440 and I'm sure we're gonna get into the We're gonna 0:05:34.440 --> 0:05:38.320 talk about them more down the line, but you talk 0:05:38.400 --> 0:05:41.800 about the one where the field goal. They missed the 0:05:41.800 --> 0:05:44.279 field goal and then they get a call a penalty 0:05:44.320 --> 0:05:46.800 call for I think it was a false start I think, 0:05:47.080 --> 0:05:49.480 and then it gets called back, they try the field 0:05:49.560 --> 0:05:53.240 goal again, they score. Then the two penalties on Jalen Smith, 0:05:53.360 --> 0:05:58.599 which very questionable and debatable, but at the end of 0:05:58.600 --> 0:06:01.719 the day, it ended up call same points on the board. 0:06:01.760 --> 0:06:04.920 The Steelers end up scoring a touchdown and then end 0:06:04.960 --> 0:06:07.600 up scoring a field goals. So I think just penalties 0:06:07.839 --> 0:06:12.080 in general in general were very costly for the Cowboys. Yeah, 0:06:12.160 --> 0:06:14.280 the interesting part about that, and then you mentioned the 0:06:14.560 --> 0:06:18.320 two Jalen penalties. Regardless of what you think about it, 0:06:18.480 --> 0:06:20.279 I'm actually interesting to hear what you guys have to 0:06:20.320 --> 0:06:24.000 think about those. They still end up being penalties that 0:06:24.560 --> 0:06:28.640 you would expect that, you know, a veteran like him, 0:06:28.760 --> 0:06:32.120 at least on one of them doesn't make that costly mistake, 0:06:32.200 --> 0:06:35.440 and on both instances it cost the Cowboys plenty. Nick, 0:06:35.560 --> 0:06:37.640 I'll start with you on that. Did you think that 0:06:37.680 --> 0:06:40.400 they were penalties and what were just your thoughts on 0:06:40.440 --> 0:06:43.760 those those major penalties that came from Jalen. I don't 0:06:43.800 --> 0:06:47.240 think the one with Claypool was a penalty. I think 0:06:47.279 --> 0:06:50.200 it was an NBA flop. Honestly, I think he flopped, 0:06:50.400 --> 0:06:52.680 and if he did that, that's a veteran move by 0:06:52.720 --> 0:06:55.320 a rookie like that. But you can't go around and 0:06:55.360 --> 0:06:57.400 be like this beast and flex and all that kind 0:06:57.440 --> 0:06:59.600 of stuff and then get pushed to the ground like that. 0:07:00.360 --> 0:07:02.240 I don't think so. I think he I think he 0:07:02.279 --> 0:07:04.440 got he felt contact and he kind of went down 0:07:04.520 --> 0:07:07.040 or your trip or whatever. I don't I don't think 0:07:07.080 --> 0:07:10.240 that was a good call. But you can't hit quarterbacks 0:07:10.240 --> 0:07:12.560 in the face and that was an accident. Doesn't matter. 0:07:12.760 --> 0:07:17.120 They don't care about about that. Layton Vanderresh was an accident, 0:07:17.520 --> 0:07:19.520 he said after the game. The guy was up around 0:07:19.560 --> 0:07:21.720 his neck and if anybody's gonna get a guy's hand 0:07:21.760 --> 0:07:23.920 off his neck, it's gonna be Layton Vanderresh. He's not 0:07:23.920 --> 0:07:26.560 gonna have anybody on around his neck area who was 0:07:26.600 --> 0:07:28.320 trying to get his hand off. And when he did, 0:07:28.440 --> 0:07:30.960 he moved and he hit him in the face. So 0:07:31.280 --> 0:07:33.560 bad luck for Jalen and Layton on that. But I 0:07:33.800 --> 0:07:35.720 don't I didn't agree with that call, which was the 0:07:35.760 --> 0:07:38.720 biggest play in the game. I think because if you 0:07:38.720 --> 0:07:42.640 know that that Alton Smith penalty, I mean fumble, they're 0:07:42.640 --> 0:07:45.320 gonna get another field goal. They're gonna be up seven. 0:07:45.360 --> 0:07:47.520 This time it was eight forty six and the fourth 0:07:47.800 --> 0:07:49.680 left in the fourth first and ten at the fifth 0:07:49.720 --> 0:07:53.040 the Pittsburgh forty seven. And on that play is when 0:07:53.080 --> 0:07:56.360 Crawford shows up, makes a great play, gets the ball out, 0:07:56.360 --> 0:07:58.680 forces the fumble, all of the Smith recovers it, and 0:07:58.760 --> 0:08:01.200 he gets it to the Pitsburg twenty one. You're right 0:08:01.640 --> 0:08:03.800 at the worst case scenario, you're assuming they get a 0:08:03.840 --> 0:08:06.280 field goal. Best case scenario, maybe they get a touchdown 0:08:06.640 --> 0:08:08.600 that late in the game. That was a huge play 0:08:08.640 --> 0:08:11.280 in a huge moment for this team. Dave, what do 0:08:11.360 --> 0:08:15.840 you think of the two penalties? Well, I'll talk about 0:08:15.920 --> 0:08:19.960 him briefly, but that I think that hides over the 0:08:19.960 --> 0:08:22.640 bigger point. But I mean, okay, the Claypool penalty was 0:08:22.680 --> 0:08:26.800 bs and especially on a game, on a game swinging play, 0:08:27.000 --> 0:08:30.400 you know where Pittsburgh scores on that drive. Obviously you 0:08:30.480 --> 0:08:32.959 like Dallas's odds to get some type of points. If 0:08:32.960 --> 0:08:37.480 that play stands, that's just really bad luck. The roughing 0:08:37.480 --> 0:08:39.719 the passer was a penalty, like, there's no way, it's 0:08:39.800 --> 0:08:43.080 it's not fair the game is slanted toward quarterbacks, but 0:08:43.200 --> 0:08:47.400 welcome to the NFL. Honestly, you talk about Claypool flopping that, 0:08:47.440 --> 0:08:49.800 I thought it was a great job of salesmanship by 0:08:49.840 --> 0:08:53.640 Ben Roethlisberger because if he just takes that hit and 0:08:53.760 --> 0:08:56.360 stays up, there's probably no flag because that you know, 0:08:56.480 --> 0:08:59.520 Cam Newton and Dak never get those calls because they're big, 0:08:59.559 --> 0:09:02.199 strong guys and when you hit them, you know, it 0:09:02.280 --> 0:09:05.840 doesn't look like they're vulnerable. And big big Ben his 0:09:05.960 --> 0:09:09.000 name is Big Ben. He's a gigantic guy. Like if 0:09:09.000 --> 0:09:11.720 he just takes that hit and stand and stays standing, 0:09:11.840 --> 0:09:14.120 they probably don't flow to throw the flag. And I 0:09:14.120 --> 0:09:16.360 don't know for sure, but it looked like he kind 0:09:16.440 --> 0:09:19.480 of let himself go down to emphasize that he got hit. 0:09:19.559 --> 0:09:21.360 That's what it looked like to me. If you go 0:09:21.400 --> 0:09:23.360 back and watch the replay, like he's looking for the 0:09:23.400 --> 0:09:25.520 ref as soon as he hits the ground. So I 0:09:25.600 --> 0:09:28.480 just think that's a great job of veteran gamesmanship by 0:09:28.520 --> 0:09:32.680 Ben Roethlisberger. It's unfortunate for Jalen, but it's absolutely a penalty. 0:09:33.600 --> 0:09:36.160 But the point I was gonna make is, you know, 0:09:36.240 --> 0:09:39.360 Jalen Smith, everybody we do this all the time. We're like, 0:09:39.840 --> 0:09:42.360 I don't want to complain about the penalties, Like we 0:09:42.440 --> 0:09:44.840 gotta control, we can control. But here's all the thing 0:09:44.920 --> 0:09:46.800 I hate about the penalties. Like if you want to 0:09:46.800 --> 0:09:49.720 talk about if you want to talk about the game 0:09:49.800 --> 0:09:53.560 changing moment that was completely within the Cowboys control. It's 0:09:53.600 --> 0:09:55.679 opted to kick that field goal to go up ten 0:09:55.760 --> 0:09:57.959 at the end of the third quarter. And you know 0:09:58.120 --> 0:10:01.000 that that was the moment of the game because we 0:10:01.440 --> 0:10:03.240 in the press box sat there and had a ten 0:10:03.280 --> 0:10:06.040 minute debate about it, like we were all. Derek leaned 0:10:06.080 --> 0:10:07.400 over and he's like, all right, Dave, what do you 0:10:07.440 --> 0:10:10.200 do here? Rob, Like, what's what's your strategy here? And 0:10:11.040 --> 0:10:12.959 I don't I don't hate the call. You know, you 0:10:13.040 --> 0:10:15.200 got a fourth string quarterback, You got a chance to 0:10:15.200 --> 0:10:17.520 take a two possession lead toward the tail end of 0:10:17.559 --> 0:10:20.760 the game. But you can certainly second guess it and say, 0:10:20.840 --> 0:10:23.000 if you go forward and pick it up, you can 0:10:23.040 --> 0:10:25.280 probably take two more minutes off the clock. Even if 0:10:25.280 --> 0:10:27.800 you're forced to settle for another field goal. That's two 0:10:27.880 --> 0:10:30.679 or three minutes that Roethlisberger has less to work with. 0:10:30.880 --> 0:10:32.720 You know, they zipped right down the field after that 0:10:32.760 --> 0:10:35.679 field goal and tied it up like two minutes later. So, um, 0:10:36.480 --> 0:10:38.880 if you're talking about things that were in the Cowboys 0:10:38.960 --> 0:10:42.080 control that swung that game, that's That's what I go 0:10:42.160 --> 0:10:44.839 back to is if you're going for broke trying to win, 0:10:45.480 --> 0:10:47.200 maybe you should have gone for it on fourth down. 0:10:47.400 --> 0:10:50.880 The biggest penalty of the game. I mean, yeah, Jay 0:10:51.080 --> 0:10:53.360 those Jayleen penalties were big, but I mean you can't 0:10:53.360 --> 0:10:57.480 overlook how big the Terrence Steel penalty was before the half, 0:10:57.520 --> 0:11:00.360 because you know, the Cowboys were aggressive. They said, we're 0:11:00.360 --> 0:11:02.600 gonna go out and we're gonna make something happen here. 0:11:02.679 --> 0:11:06.480 Right before halftime thirteen six, they're up Dalton Shultz twenty 0:11:06.520 --> 0:11:08.800 yard catch over the middle. I mean, they're gonna probably 0:11:08.840 --> 0:11:11.800 go get a field goal to go up ten instead. 0:11:12.280 --> 0:11:15.640 I mean, I thought that was that was really you know, 0:11:16.360 --> 0:11:19.880 borderlines that to call that on Terrence Steele for being 0:11:20.080 --> 0:11:23.880 off the line of scrimmage like that, whatever, But I 0:11:23.920 --> 0:11:26.800 mean that the next play then you know, CD gets 0:11:27.160 --> 0:11:29.760 the fumbles and then they it's a six point swing 0:11:29.840 --> 0:11:31.640 right there and they lose by five. So I mean, 0:11:31.679 --> 0:11:33.520 I think, you know, of course, the game could be 0:11:33.559 --> 0:11:36.520 played differently, but I thought the Terrence Steele not lining 0:11:36.600 --> 0:11:39.680 up penalty. That was pretty big. Yeah, it's interesting because 0:11:39.720 --> 0:11:42.640 I actually had that when it happened, I highlighted it 0:11:42.679 --> 0:11:44.560 as a moment that mattered, and then the next play 0:11:44.640 --> 0:11:46.800 just basically took all the air right out of that. 0:11:46.920 --> 0:11:49.120 You get the fumble, and it's like, okay, well that 0:11:49.480 --> 0:11:52.400 it really didn't matter as much because the next play 0:11:52.440 --> 0:11:54.679 you fumble, and you thought I think we all thought 0:11:55.280 --> 0:11:57.880 I shouldn't say that. I thought that maybe they were 0:11:57.920 --> 0:12:01.120 getting to a point where ball security was going to 0:12:01.200 --> 0:12:03.120 be something that we could see a lot less of it. 0:12:03.240 --> 0:12:05.240 By the way, we have seen less of it. But 0:12:05.320 --> 0:12:08.160 it just came in just the most inopportune time. Not 0:12:08.200 --> 0:12:11.080 that there's a great time ever to lose the ball, 0:12:11.120 --> 0:12:13.560 but it's just those kind of moments just tend to 0:12:13.600 --> 0:12:17.000 happen to this team. They keep putting themselves in bad positions. 0:12:17.000 --> 0:12:19.719 They can't get the good things to happen without eventually 0:12:20.080 --> 0:12:24.760 giving away a bad thing. I did want to mention too, though, Dave, 0:12:24.840 --> 0:12:27.920 you were talking about that decision to go for it. 0:12:27.920 --> 0:12:30.400 It was two seventeen left and third, it was fourth 0:12:30.440 --> 0:12:33.600 and one of the Pittsburgh twenty two McCarthy makes the 0:12:33.679 --> 0:12:36.319 decision to try the attempt at field goal, they get 0:12:36.320 --> 0:12:38.480 the field goal, And to be honest with you, as 0:12:38.480 --> 0:12:41.080 we were talking about in the press box, I was actually, 0:12:41.440 --> 0:12:43.640 you know, I was more on the side of McCarthy 0:12:43.640 --> 0:12:46.320 of saying, Okay, you take your points here, because I 0:12:46.360 --> 0:12:49.520 think to that point your team has played above their heads. 0:12:50.080 --> 0:12:51.880 You're looking at how they're playing against the team I 0:12:51.880 --> 0:12:55.080 thought offensively and defensively, they were playing above their heads. 0:12:55.360 --> 0:12:57.160 You take the points where you can get the points, 0:12:57.360 --> 0:13:00.880 and you keep fighting, as opposed to let's say, you 0:13:01.040 --> 0:13:03.360 you go for it, you don't get it, and then 0:13:03.440 --> 0:13:06.800 momentum just completely shifts, and at that point a team 0:13:06.800 --> 0:13:08.880 that may have felt like they were kind of in 0:13:08.960 --> 0:13:11.040 this game starts to feel like they're a little less 0:13:11.360 --> 0:13:14.280 in the game. But all that being said, I think 0:13:14.280 --> 0:13:17.240 this is one of those rare instances in football where 0:13:17.679 --> 0:13:21.000 actually both decisions can be right. I'm interested to hear 0:13:21.000 --> 0:13:22.760 what you think and what Amber thinks on this, Nick, 0:13:22.840 --> 0:13:25.560 What are your thoughts about I just gut feeling there. 0:13:25.640 --> 0:13:29.520 I didn't hate it, honestly, maybe kind of what you 0:13:29.520 --> 0:13:32.680 were saying going up ten at that point in the game, 0:13:32.800 --> 0:13:35.360 I mean, not that you felt like that was gonna 0:13:35.400 --> 0:13:37.560 be enough. But just I mean at that point that 0:13:37.640 --> 0:13:40.959 they don't. You don't allow nine points to the Steelers. 0:13:40.960 --> 0:13:43.439 So the defense was playing well, and it just comes 0:13:43.440 --> 0:13:45.160 down to can you get the yard? I mean, can 0:13:45.240 --> 0:13:48.960 you get it? They've been running well at that drive 0:13:49.400 --> 0:13:51.520 so and I think Gilbert probably could have got it. 0:13:51.559 --> 0:13:54.640 But I just the confidence of can they get the 0:13:54.720 --> 0:13:57.120 yard versus the confidence that zirline is gonna make this 0:13:57.240 --> 0:13:59.840 kick and what a ten point lead might have done. 0:13:59.880 --> 0:14:02.800 I just I didn't hate it. I wouldn't have hated 0:14:02.880 --> 0:14:04.800 either way, that kind of like you said, I wouldn't 0:14:04.800 --> 0:14:08.719 have hated that call. I my gut was saying kick 0:14:08.800 --> 0:14:11.600 it there though, but I don't remember how long was it? 0:14:11.679 --> 0:14:15.880 A full yard? Half yard? Was to me? Yeah, I 0:14:16.480 --> 0:14:21.080 can't fall Jason Garrett to say it was a long one. 0:14:21.160 --> 0:14:23.440 It was a long one, you know. And I and 0:14:23.520 --> 0:14:27.760 I missed the press box banter there, So, uh um, 0:14:27.800 --> 0:14:30.400 what was the what was being said there? Well? Amber, 0:14:30.480 --> 0:14:32.960 what what was your thought before you get to let's 0:14:33.000 --> 0:14:34.320 get what Amber had to say? What do you think 0:14:34.360 --> 0:14:38.120 of the of the of the call? Well, William, you 0:14:38.160 --> 0:14:40.440 were going around the room asking I told you, I'm 0:14:40.440 --> 0:14:43.120 like they should go for it. And my reasoning to 0:14:43.240 --> 0:14:46.480 that was because I know the Cowboys were ahead and 0:14:46.680 --> 0:14:50.440 things were going unusually well for the Cowboys at that point. 0:14:50.520 --> 0:14:53.560 But at the same time I've been feeling these past 0:14:53.600 --> 0:14:56.000 few weeks it's like, what do you have to lose? Yes, 0:14:56.200 --> 0:14:58.160 you you need to get the points where you can 0:14:58.320 --> 0:15:00.520 get them. But at the same time, I'm like, just 0:15:01.440 --> 0:15:04.160 do it, just try it. And it's one of those 0:15:04.720 --> 0:15:10.680 scenarios where you're never gonna please everyone because on one hand, Stay, 0:15:10.800 --> 0:15:13.920 you went for it, didn't convert, and then we weren't 0:15:13.960 --> 0:15:16.880 be having this conversation. We would be saying the opposite man, 0:15:16.920 --> 0:15:19.040 they should have what was he thinking? They should have 0:15:19.120 --> 0:15:21.480 kicked and got in three points. So it's one of 0:15:21.520 --> 0:15:23.880 the others like you don't It's never like a win 0:15:23.920 --> 0:15:26.760 win situation and you just have to hope for the best. 0:15:26.800 --> 0:15:29.760 And I guess in that scenario they decided to go 0:15:30.040 --> 0:15:34.400 the more conservative way, maybe because they really felt like 0:15:34.440 --> 0:15:37.720 they had a chance to win that game. But had 0:15:37.760 --> 0:15:40.360 it been me, I would have gone for it. Two things. 0:15:40.360 --> 0:15:42.360 A note about that drive on that drive and Dave, 0:15:42.400 --> 0:15:43.960 I'll get you just second. Two things. A note about 0:15:43.960 --> 0:15:48.560 that drive on that drive, there were two no gains rushing, 0:15:48.880 --> 0:15:51.320 two rushes that were no gain, both by Zeke, and 0:15:51.360 --> 0:15:53.440 there was one rush for a negative two by Pollock. 0:15:53.800 --> 0:15:56.920 So in that drive alone, there had been three instances 0:15:56.960 --> 0:15:58.360 where they tried to run the ball and they either 0:15:58.400 --> 0:16:01.080 got nothing or they got negative yard. That could have 0:16:01.160 --> 0:16:03.200 also played into Now they had some decent runs in 0:16:03.200 --> 0:16:05.640 that drive too, but that could have also played into 0:16:05.640 --> 0:16:07.960 the coach's mind, like we've had some some things not 0:16:08.080 --> 0:16:10.440 go well in this drive alone. I'm not certain I'm 0:16:10.440 --> 0:16:12.280 gonna be able to get this date. What we're gonna mention. 0:16:13.680 --> 0:16:15.720 I just I just want to be clear. This is 0:16:15.760 --> 0:16:19.200 not a situation where I'm like Mike McCarthy's an idiot 0:16:19.200 --> 0:16:23.840 and they bungled this terribly. I agree with everything y'all said. 0:16:23.880 --> 0:16:26.800 I think you can justify it pretty well either way. 0:16:26.960 --> 0:16:29.760 And at the time I was even like, yeah, with 0:16:29.880 --> 0:16:31.800 the way the defense has been playing, you probably just 0:16:31.840 --> 0:16:36.160 take your points. But in hindsight, you know, playing a 0:16:36.240 --> 0:16:39.760 quarterback like Roethlisberger's like playing Lebron you know, like if 0:16:39.800 --> 0:16:41.920 you could be up by eighteen at the end of 0:16:41.920 --> 0:16:44.480 the third quarter and you shouldn't feel safe, like the 0:16:44.560 --> 0:16:47.320 run is gonna come and so you know, you look 0:16:47.400 --> 0:16:50.479 back on the game after it happened and you're like, yeah, 0:16:50.640 --> 0:16:53.440 that wasn't a terrible decision. But if you're really going 0:16:53.520 --> 0:16:56.360 for broke trying to beat a better team, maybe that's 0:16:56.360 --> 0:16:58.440 a scenario where you just put your chips on the table. 0:16:58.920 --> 0:17:01.160 You know, one thing that I will say about this 0:17:01.280 --> 0:17:04.720 is that so so they get it, Let's say they 0:17:04.800 --> 0:17:07.199 do go for it and they get it, when are 0:17:07.200 --> 0:17:09.679 you going to kick the field goal? I mean later 0:17:09.720 --> 0:17:12.000 in that I mean three more minutes, it maybe goes 0:17:12.040 --> 0:17:15.000 into the fourth quarter, they're gonna kick a field goal. 0:17:15.040 --> 0:17:18.199 I mean, the way Pittsburgh was playing on defense, it was, 0:17:18.560 --> 0:17:21.280 you know, it was just so tough for the Cowboys 0:17:21.320 --> 0:17:23.639 to get They had to get a matchup on t J. 0:17:23.840 --> 0:17:27.560 Watt against Ceedee Lamb and recognize it to get the touchdown. 0:17:27.600 --> 0:17:30.399 They finally got a touchdown there. I mean, we're not 0:17:30.480 --> 0:17:34.400 really talking about it much, but they had two great 0:17:34.520 --> 0:17:38.760 kick return and a punt return, and those two game 0:17:38.960 --> 0:17:45.560 changing field flipping plays netted three points combined. That was huge. 0:17:45.760 --> 0:17:48.159 Rico Daddle, I mean, Jim Nance doesn't even know who 0:17:48.280 --> 0:17:51.800 Rico Daddle is. You could just hear the scrambling of like, 0:17:51.800 --> 0:17:54.040 who's this guy? You know, as he's trying to figure 0:17:54.040 --> 0:17:56.320 it out, nobody knows who he is except for us, 0:17:56.359 --> 0:17:58.480 I mean because we went to camp. But I mean, 0:17:59.040 --> 0:18:01.000 you know, he he makes a great play and they 0:18:01.000 --> 0:18:02.639 get down there, they're on the seven yard line and 0:18:02.840 --> 0:18:04.639 they don't get anything out of that. I mean, that 0:18:04.720 --> 0:18:07.399 was huge. That interception was huge. Yep, all right, we're 0:18:07.400 --> 0:18:09.560 gonna take our first break. When we come back. I 0:18:09.600 --> 0:18:11.639 want to talk a little bit about some performance reviews. 0:18:11.640 --> 0:18:13.440 There were some players that had some really good days. 0:18:13.440 --> 0:18:15.600 There were some units that had some really good days. Nick, 0:18:15.640 --> 0:18:17.640 you just mentioned special teams. I think we gotta talk 0:18:17.640 --> 0:18:19.280 about special teams to do that when we come back. 0:18:19.280 --> 0:18:23.640 This is Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. There's nothing as 0:18:23.720 --> 0:18:27.960 unique as our eyes, which is why Selor pioneers ways 0:18:28.000 --> 0:18:31.920 to make lenses as unique as you. Varilux were Super 0:18:31.920 --> 0:18:36.480 Sharp Vision, Essential Blue for protection, and Crisolve for freedom 0:18:36.480 --> 0:18:40.760 from glare, three cutting up solutions, and a single unique lens. 0:18:41.520 --> 0:18:45.400 So whatever your needs, insist on Selor visit your local 0:18:45.560 --> 0:18:48.880 slor experts and find a perfect lens for you. Seemore 0:18:49.240 --> 0:18:54.000 do Moore se Lore since eighteen sixty five. 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