WEBVTT - Cowboys Break: Danger-Russ Week 0:00:06.000 --> 0:00:08.560 The following. Here's a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com 0:00:08.560 --> 0:00:20.280 and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club. Lets go. Are you 0:00:20.320 --> 0:00:24.400 ready for a break? Yes? Are you ready for a break? Absolutely? 0:00:24.560 --> 0:00:28.760 Ready for a break? Yeah, and so much for that. 0:00:29.000 --> 0:00:33.120 It's time for The Break on Dallas Cowboys dot Com 0:00:34.920 --> 0:00:40.440 with Nick Eatman, David Hellman, A bar Garcia, and Derek Eagleton. 0:00:42.240 --> 0:00:45.800 It is Wednesday, September twenty third, twenty twenty, Season sixteen, 0:00:45.800 --> 0:00:49.960 episode number twenty nine. Welcome to another edition of The Break. 0:00:50.040 --> 0:00:52.479 We are live from the s WBC Mortgage Studios at 0:00:52.520 --> 0:00:55.280 the Star, got Dave Amber. Dave's actually at the Star 0:00:55.360 --> 0:00:57.560 here today. Amber's at our own home and we've got 0:00:57.560 --> 0:00:59.880 our special guests as we do every Wednesday in third 0:01:00.040 --> 0:01:03.000 see you guys. Welcome man, Bucky Brooks from NFL Network. 0:01:03.040 --> 0:01:06.280 How's it going, Bucky Man? That's all good. How you 0:01:06.319 --> 0:01:10.440 guys doing doing well? And let me just start by saying, Man, 0:01:10.480 --> 0:01:13.119 I've really enjoyed having you on the last two weeks. 0:01:13.240 --> 0:01:15.440 Been some really good nuggets you've dropped for us. So 0:01:15.800 --> 0:01:17.760 I'm looking forward to what you have to say about 0:01:17.760 --> 0:01:22.240 the Seattle Seahawks team and particularly today the Seattle Seahawks offense. 0:01:22.360 --> 0:01:24.240 Maybe you can give us some reason to believe that 0:01:24.280 --> 0:01:27.680 the Cowboys defense can stop them, but I'm not really 0:01:27.720 --> 0:01:30.360 optimistic about that. But let's start with the question that 0:01:30.400 --> 0:01:33.320 we ask, like the big, big picture question. I ask 0:01:33.400 --> 0:01:36.560 every week to you tell me what is their greatest asset, 0:01:36.640 --> 0:01:38.920 which we know they probably have a lot, and what 0:01:39.040 --> 0:01:44.680 is their greatest weakness? Talking specifically about Seattle offense, the 0:01:44.720 --> 0:01:48.320 greatest asset is Russell Wilson. And the reason he is 0:01:48.360 --> 0:01:51.760 a valuable asset is because Pete Carroll has finally relented 0:01:52.080 --> 0:01:55.000 to the twelves. The twelve men have been asking for 0:01:55.040 --> 0:01:58.280 Pete Carroll to let Russ cook, and this year he 0:01:58.320 --> 0:02:00.520 has let Russ cook from the beginning of the game 0:02:00.560 --> 0:02:02.520 to the end. And by that, I mean they had 0:02:02.560 --> 0:02:05.360 put the ball in Russell Wilson's hands and allowed him 0:02:05.360 --> 0:02:08.160 to do what he does, which is magical. When you 0:02:08.200 --> 0:02:11.280 look at how Russell has played this year, He's completing 0:02:11.760 --> 0:02:14.440 eighty two percent of his passes, average over three hundred 0:02:14.520 --> 0:02:18.239 yards per game. He has nine touchdowns and only one interception. 0:02:18.520 --> 0:02:21.960 Pass rating of one forty. He is playing like an 0:02:22.120 --> 0:02:26.080 MVP candidate, and this is what the fan base has 0:02:26.120 --> 0:02:29.040 been begging them to do to allow him to really 0:02:29.520 --> 0:02:31.320 throw the ball all over the yard, and he's had 0:02:31.360 --> 0:02:33.560 a ton of success being able to do so. Their 0:02:33.600 --> 0:02:36.600 bigness weakness when you look at it, you would say 0:02:36.600 --> 0:02:39.400 it's still their offensive line. Their offensive line is just 0:02:39.480 --> 0:02:43.320 kind of a collection of misfits and parts kind of 0:02:43.360 --> 0:02:45.720 thrown together and they're kind of finding a way to 0:02:45.760 --> 0:02:48.799 do it. But because Russell is so elusive and they 0:02:48.800 --> 0:02:52.119 can escape, they've been able to have a lot of success. 0:02:52.480 --> 0:02:54.680 Is one of the more remarkable things because when you 0:02:54.720 --> 0:02:57.640 really look at it, I don't know how many blue 0:02:57.720 --> 0:03:00.519 chip players they really have across the board, but when 0:03:00.520 --> 0:03:02.400 you put it all together, it is really working out. 0:03:02.440 --> 0:03:06.600 And part of that is because Russell Wilson is so special. Well, 0:03:06.680 --> 0:03:10.079 last week before the game, we found out that Anthony 0:03:10.160 --> 0:03:13.799 Brown made it into ir and then just recently we 0:03:13.960 --> 0:03:17.880 just heard Mike McCarthy to talk about Chitoga Woozier and 0:03:17.919 --> 0:03:20.080 how he's gonna be out for a few weeks. Can 0:03:20.160 --> 0:03:22.480 you just talk about some of the matchup that we 0:03:22.560 --> 0:03:26.359 might see there with the cornerbacks and the receivers the 0:03:26.360 --> 0:03:29.240 Seattle House, Well, it's gonna be a problem because what 0:03:29.320 --> 0:03:31.120 has happened the last couple of weeks the Dallas Cowboys 0:03:31.120 --> 0:03:33.560 and put some bad stuff on tape. And when you 0:03:33.600 --> 0:03:36.160 think about like the way teams attack, I'm sorry because 0:03:36.200 --> 0:03:40.000 you hear my dog in the back round ticking. So 0:03:40.800 --> 0:03:43.240 what they've done, they've put bad stuff on tape, and 0:03:43.280 --> 0:03:46.080 so Woozier and Jordan Lewis in particular, they've had a 0:03:46.120 --> 0:03:49.280 tough time holding up in man coverage. And so the 0:03:49.320 --> 0:03:52.000 Seattle Seahawks, the most dangerous part of their passing game 0:03:52.240 --> 0:03:54.480 is when Russell escapes the pocket. And when you have 0:03:54.520 --> 0:03:57.080 a big guy like DK Metcalf who's a big vertical 0:03:57.120 --> 0:04:00.560 stretch player, it is really problematic for those guys with him. 0:04:00.640 --> 0:04:03.320 We saw the work that he gave Stefan Gilmore, who's 0:04:03.320 --> 0:04:05.440 the reigning defensive Player of the Year. And so when 0:04:05.480 --> 0:04:09.080 you think about the dilemma that Mike Nolan has, they 0:04:09.080 --> 0:04:11.080 haven't been able to generate a pass rush with four, 0:04:11.160 --> 0:04:13.440 so they can't really play zone because then quarterbacks have 0:04:13.520 --> 0:04:15.480 too much time. When you do dolled up and go 0:04:15.680 --> 0:04:18.240 man to man with pressure, the guys on the outside 0:04:18.440 --> 0:04:21.320 haven't been able to hold up. So really, I don't 0:04:21.360 --> 0:04:23.280 know how Mike Nolan's going to be able to do 0:04:23.320 --> 0:04:27.720 it unless he gets better performers from Alden Smith, Everson Griffin, 0:04:27.800 --> 0:04:30.320 and to Marcus Lawrence. If anybody has to wear the 0:04:30.320 --> 0:04:33.279 big sumbrero this week, it's the defensive line. They got 0:04:33.279 --> 0:04:35.520 a challenge the defensive line to get home with four 0:04:35.839 --> 0:04:38.640 because you can't expose the cornerbacks down after down to 0:04:38.680 --> 0:04:43.520 man to man coverage. That's a perfect segue, Bucky, because 0:04:43.560 --> 0:04:46.440 I mean, obviously, yeah, the pass rush needs to be better, 0:04:46.480 --> 0:04:49.520 or anybody that's watched the Cowboys knows that, and you 0:04:49.560 --> 0:04:52.120 would like to think it's a favorable matchup against Seattle's 0:04:52.160 --> 0:04:55.640 offensive line. But the problem that you already alluded to 0:04:55.800 --> 0:04:58.159 is Russell Wilson. I mean, you can do everything right 0:04:58.240 --> 0:05:01.880 and he still makes you look silly. So what is 0:05:02.000 --> 0:05:06.880 the best strategy for getting after him without creating six 0:05:07.000 --> 0:05:10.560 or seven broken plays that turn into junk games. Well, 0:05:10.600 --> 0:05:12.320 I think the main thing is you still got to 0:05:12.360 --> 0:05:14.240 come after him. You can't just let him sit back 0:05:14.279 --> 0:05:17.040 and have all day, because that is a recipe for disaster. 0:05:17.120 --> 0:05:19.960 Because he is too good in terms of his accuracy 0:05:19.960 --> 0:05:22.799 and efficiency to just pick your part with surgical precision. 0:05:22.960 --> 0:05:25.200 So you have to pick and choose those moments. I'm 0:05:25.240 --> 0:05:28.080 gonna say this the best. The biggest part of the 0:05:28.120 --> 0:05:31.640 game will be early down situations. Canna, Dallas Cowboys win 0:05:31.720 --> 0:05:35.359 first down many can they hold the Seattle Seahawks the 0:05:35.440 --> 0:05:38.040 four yards of fewer because if you can get the 0:05:38.040 --> 0:05:41.200 Seahawks in the long yard situations, now you can dictate 0:05:41.240 --> 0:05:43.800 the terms. Dallas hasn't been able to do that the 0:05:43.880 --> 0:05:45.640 last couple of weeks. They haven't been able to really 0:05:45.640 --> 0:05:48.760 get the game on their terms, and so defensively, they 0:05:48.800 --> 0:05:51.240 have to find a way to win early downs. And 0:05:51.320 --> 0:05:54.240 because Seattle has kind of flipped the script before, they 0:05:54.240 --> 0:05:57.159 would run then pass on third down, very predictable, but 0:05:57.279 --> 0:06:00.200 now that they're throwing more, Mike Nolan may have to 0:06:00.200 --> 0:06:02.280 develop some early down pressures to hope that they can 0:06:02.279 --> 0:06:04.560 get them behind the chains and then they can pick 0:06:04.600 --> 0:06:06.200 and choose when they mix in some of the man 0:06:06.240 --> 0:06:10.760 in zone on those second and third down situations. Bucky, 0:06:10.120 --> 0:06:12.720 you've been putting out this article. I don't know if 0:06:12.720 --> 0:06:16.600 all fans know about the five bucks. It's five points 0:06:16.640 --> 0:06:20.520 that you put out on Tuesday. It's great stuff, especially 0:06:20.600 --> 0:06:24.159 yesterday you said McCarthy eats the curve is gambling happening. 0:06:24.240 --> 0:06:27.560 I thought that was pretty awesome. But another one you 0:06:27.560 --> 0:06:30.200 said was tempo tempo tempo. You think the Cowboys on 0:06:30.279 --> 0:06:33.080 offense need to have a faster tempo because that was 0:06:33.120 --> 0:06:37.039 what was working against Russell Wilson and this offense. Is 0:06:37.080 --> 0:06:39.920 it smart for the Cowboys to have that high tempo 0:06:40.000 --> 0:06:45.480 and try to score with the seattle here? Yeah, because 0:06:45.520 --> 0:06:47.760 I actually think that what the Cowboys can do. I 0:06:47.800 --> 0:06:51.040 think a couple of things when they discovered when they 0:06:51.080 --> 0:06:54.680 go tempo and play faster, not only is Dak Prescott 0:06:54.720 --> 0:06:57.039 in more control, but what it does is allows you 0:06:57.080 --> 0:06:59.760 to dictate the terms to the defense. Meaning Atlanta was 0:06:59.800 --> 0:07:02.520 having a lot of success with the pressure upfront the 0:07:02.520 --> 0:07:04.760 first quarter. They were able to blitz, they were wearing 0:07:04.760 --> 0:07:08.000 them down. But when you play faster, you limit the substitutions. 0:07:08.040 --> 0:07:10.960 Those pass rushers they can rush the entire game at 0:07:11.000 --> 0:07:13.840 the same level. What that also does is when they 0:07:13.880 --> 0:07:16.679 begin to get tired and fatigue, it creates bigger lanes 0:07:16.720 --> 0:07:20.120 for the run game and Ezekiel Elliott. Now the beauty 0:07:20.160 --> 0:07:23.800 of playing with tempo. They can play fast but not 0:07:24.000 --> 0:07:27.440 really play out of control, meaning they can play what 0:07:27.480 --> 0:07:30.760 I call up tempo no huddle, but slow the game down. 0:07:30.760 --> 0:07:32.640 So if you think about how the Rams played against 0:07:32.640 --> 0:07:35.480 the Cowboys in the first game, Jerry Golf was go, go, go, 0:07:35.640 --> 0:07:37.280 but a lot of times they would sit into line 0:07:37.520 --> 0:07:41.120 wait fifteen ten seconds on the playcock before they would go. 0:07:41.160 --> 0:07:43.679 But what it does is it limits what the defense 0:07:43.720 --> 0:07:47.120 can do from a communication standpoint, so they're reluctant to blitz. 0:07:47.360 --> 0:07:50.040 And then what it does is protect your officsive alignment 0:07:50.240 --> 0:07:53.160 with those undrafted free agents playing on the edges. If 0:07:53.160 --> 0:07:55.760 you can slow down the pass rush from Seattle, you 0:07:55.800 --> 0:07:57.680 give those guys a great chance. We saw that they 0:07:57.720 --> 0:08:01.000 didn't give up many pressures after this went up tempo. 0:08:01.240 --> 0:08:02.720 I think it's something that you have to use. And 0:08:02.760 --> 0:08:04.480 it's also one of the things that Mike mccarthur used 0:08:04.480 --> 0:08:08.120 successfully back in Green Bay. He look at the Seattle 0:08:08.160 --> 0:08:10.600 offense and I want to take it back to Russell Wilson. 0:08:10.880 --> 0:08:13.240 Russell Wilson right now has been hit as much as 0:08:13.920 --> 0:08:16.400 most of the quarterbacks in the league. He's now taking 0:08:16.440 --> 0:08:20.160 thirteen quarterbacks quarterback hits that ranks them about twenty ninth 0:08:20.160 --> 0:08:23.000 in the league right now. So where on this offensive line, 0:08:23.000 --> 0:08:24.960 I know you set the offensive lines kind of patchwork. 0:08:25.040 --> 0:08:27.400 Where on the offensive line, though, do you think they 0:08:27.440 --> 0:08:29.560 are most susceptible And where do you think there's a 0:08:29.600 --> 0:08:32.440 good matchup for the Cowboys to possibly expoy thinking about 0:08:32.520 --> 0:08:37.640 the Cowboys front Seattle's offensive line. So here's the thing 0:08:37.640 --> 0:08:41.040 about the Seattle Seahawks offensive line. Everybody's vulnerable if you 0:08:41.080 --> 0:08:43.600 can get them into one on one situations. The thing 0:08:43.679 --> 0:08:46.720 that has been concerning because and this is why Pete 0:08:46.720 --> 0:08:49.480 Carroll has been reluctant to let Russ cook, because he 0:08:49.520 --> 0:08:51.840 knows that the best way to protect Russell is to 0:08:51.880 --> 0:08:54.360 really lean on the running game. He knows that by 0:08:54.640 --> 0:08:57.080 leaning on the running game, he can help his offensive 0:08:57.120 --> 0:08:59.840 line because they struggle when they're forced to really get 0:09:00.040 --> 0:09:03.400 pass protection situations. I don't think it's really the matchup. 0:09:03.559 --> 0:09:06.400 I think the deal is Aldus Smith, Everson Griffin, and 0:09:06.400 --> 0:09:09.600 to Marcus Lawrence have to play up to expectations, particularly 0:09:09.600 --> 0:09:11.840 de Marcus Lawrence. And I know he's battling through a 0:09:11.920 --> 0:09:15.319 knee injury in those things, but the expectation coming into 0:09:15.320 --> 0:09:17.199 the year that he was going to be a premier 0:09:17.240 --> 0:09:20.079 pass rusher, we haven't seen that to this point. He 0:09:20.160 --> 0:09:22.000 has to be the guy that set the tone for 0:09:22.040 --> 0:09:25.280 the pass rush. Everson Griffin and Smith were supposed to 0:09:25.280 --> 0:09:27.760 be compliments. They weren't supposed to be the main andree. 0:09:27.760 --> 0:09:29.920 They're supposed to be the side dishes. We need to 0:09:29.960 --> 0:09:31.960 Marcus Lawrence to step up and be a guy that 0:09:32.000 --> 0:09:33.880 can be a factor because if he can get a 0:09:33.880 --> 0:09:37.120 couple hits early, they then slide the protection. Then you 0:09:37.160 --> 0:09:39.280 will really see Aldus Smith and Everson Griffin have to 0:09:39.320 --> 0:09:42.760 kind of big days that we want to see them happen. Now. 0:09:42.800 --> 0:09:46.920 Obviously in this game, we're gonna see Russell Wilson throwing 0:09:46.960 --> 0:09:50.040 the ball a lot. And you mentioned the running game 0:09:50.120 --> 0:09:53.120 and I just wanted to ask you about that specifically 0:09:53.200 --> 0:09:57.400 because when you talk about Seattle, Russell usually takes the spotlight. 0:09:57.480 --> 0:09:59.880 But how is the running game currently and what does 0:10:00.200 --> 0:10:02.920 how doing them there? Chris Carson has been a great 0:10:02.920 --> 0:10:05.959 discovery for them. I will say this about the Seattle 0:10:05.960 --> 0:10:07.600 Seahawks and what they've been able to do. They've been 0:10:07.640 --> 0:10:11.000 able to take late round players and really develop put 0:10:11.040 --> 0:10:14.320 them in situations where they can see Chris Carson is big, fast, physical. 0:10:14.520 --> 0:10:16.200 They've done a great job of not only use them 0:10:16.200 --> 0:10:17.840 as a runner, but this year we've seen them become 0:10:17.840 --> 0:10:21.040 a bigger part of the passing game, catching screen passes, swings. 0:10:21.040 --> 0:10:23.920 We saw him catch the wheel, routed the railroad down 0:10:23.960 --> 0:10:26.320 the boundary against the New England Patriots. You have to 0:10:26.360 --> 0:10:29.560 deal with him and they haven't gotten to the running game. 0:10:29.800 --> 0:10:32.240 But just no, Pete Carroll wants to run the ball. 0:10:32.280 --> 0:10:34.800 I will say this though, because they're very aware. The 0:10:34.880 --> 0:10:37.080 last couple of times that the Dallas Cowboys that played 0:10:37.080 --> 0:10:40.840 the Seattle Seahawks, Dallas's offense has been able to control 0:10:41.120 --> 0:10:43.480 the game because they've been able to run the ball 0:10:43.679 --> 0:10:46.800 and kind of play keepaway. Pete Carroll is very aware 0:10:47.000 --> 0:10:49.240 of that, and so they may try and come out 0:10:49.280 --> 0:10:51.679 fast and kind of put Dallas in a hole and 0:10:51.720 --> 0:10:54.920 make Dallas chase points. It is a fascinating matchup to 0:10:54.960 --> 0:10:58.840 watch because look, sometimes matchups makes fights, and this is 0:10:58.840 --> 0:11:01.280 a great matchup for what a reason Dallas typically play. 0:11:01.280 --> 0:11:03.080 He's very very well a gains to see how will Seahawks. 0:11:04.080 --> 0:11:07.640 It's another wonderful segue Bucky, thank you, because I'm not 0:11:08.160 --> 0:11:11.040 I'm not saying this is a great idea, but I 0:11:11.080 --> 0:11:13.120 don't know if the Cowboys have a choice. I mean, 0:11:13.160 --> 0:11:15.680 you know, we just learned this morning. It doesn't sound 0:11:15.679 --> 0:11:17.680 like Cheeto Woogie is going to be available for the 0:11:17.720 --> 0:11:22.600 foreseeable future. Anthony Brown is already on injured reserve. That 0:11:22.800 --> 0:11:25.720 seems like it leaves Treyvon Diggs as the best option 0:11:25.800 --> 0:11:30.120 to deal with DK Metcalf. Just from a side it 0:11:30.200 --> 0:11:33.600 sounds weird to say have a rookie shadow their best receiver, 0:11:33.840 --> 0:11:38.679 but you don't have a choice in my off base here, No, no, 0:11:38.720 --> 0:11:40.199 I think, actually think it'd be a great twist. And 0:11:40.280 --> 0:11:42.600 here's why. The reason why is because Trayvon Dix has 0:11:42.640 --> 0:11:45.000 been in the SEC He's seen DK Metcalf. So all 0:11:45.000 --> 0:11:47.680 of that superman stuff that DK Metcalf has given the 0:11:47.720 --> 0:11:49.720 rest of the league, Well, when you're Alabama and if 0:11:49.760 --> 0:11:52.840 you dealt with oh Miss, they may have his kryptonite 0:11:52.840 --> 0:11:54.839 and treyvon Dix has the length to go toe to 0:11:54.920 --> 0:11:56.840 toe with him. Now, the thing that you have to 0:11:56.840 --> 0:11:58.720 do if you're treyvon Dix, you have to have a 0:11:58.760 --> 0:12:01.120 plan for how you want to end him, Meaning you 0:12:01.120 --> 0:12:03.320 don't want to go nose to nose each and every 0:12:03.400 --> 0:12:06.320 down with him. Because DK Metcalf welcomes the physicality at 0:12:06.360 --> 0:12:08.280 the line of scrimmage. So maybe you want to play 0:12:08.320 --> 0:12:11.320 a little shadow technique, playoff and make him run. The 0:12:11.360 --> 0:12:13.640 one thing that we'll say about DK Metcalf, if you 0:12:13.720 --> 0:12:15.600 let him get going and do the things that he 0:12:15.640 --> 0:12:18.280 likes to do comfortably in terms of run the vertical rouse, 0:12:18.440 --> 0:12:20.280 he's great, but he's still not a great guy when 0:12:20.280 --> 0:12:23.280 it comes to stopping and starting. You have to challenge him, 0:12:23.440 --> 0:12:25.559 you can't back down, and you have to see if 0:12:25.559 --> 0:12:27.920 he can be the consistent player. He has been great 0:12:27.920 --> 0:12:30.079 through the first two weeks of the season, But is 0:12:30.120 --> 0:12:33.040 that really the DK Metcalf that we think we're gonna 0:12:33.040 --> 0:12:34.600 see for the rest of the time. I think if 0:12:34.600 --> 0:12:36.920 you Trevon Dicks, you have to see if he's really 0:12:36.920 --> 0:12:39.000 that guy, and if he is, you tip your cap, 0:12:39.120 --> 0:12:40.720 you go on and you play the next week. But 0:12:40.960 --> 0:12:42.720 I think you have to challenge him. I don't think 0:12:42.760 --> 0:12:45.320 you can give him easy access and let him have 0:12:45.360 --> 0:12:46.760 the kind of days that we've seen him have the 0:12:46.800 --> 0:12:50.360 last couple weeks. Black he's been the best defensive player 0:12:50.360 --> 0:12:54.480 on the Cowboys team in the first two games. You're 0:12:54.480 --> 0:13:00.199 a pick, I guess, so it's just who's in the 0:13:00.200 --> 0:13:04.120 bad No, I guess. I guess. I would say Jalen 0:13:04.240 --> 0:13:06.319 Smith has been the best in terms of just kind 0:13:06.320 --> 0:13:08.199 of being able to be active and make plays. And 0:13:08.240 --> 0:13:10.400 I know he's undergone a lot of criticism like the 0:13:10.440 --> 0:13:13.439 first week, but I think, um, he's been pretty solid. 0:13:13.480 --> 0:13:15.719 I think the rest of the squad has been up 0:13:15.720 --> 0:13:18.240 and down. I think guys have had moments, but I 0:13:18.280 --> 0:13:22.079 think the most consistent player has been Jalen Smith. And 0:13:22.280 --> 0:13:25.200 I think it's troubling because we thought he would be 0:13:25.280 --> 0:13:27.040 one of the Blue Chippers, but he has to get 0:13:27.080 --> 0:13:28.640 the rest of the game to come along with him. 0:13:28.679 --> 0:13:31.160 DeMarcus Lawrence and Everson Griffin and all the Smith and 0:13:31.160 --> 0:13:37.960 those other guys. I see everyone making faces. Hey, hey, Bucky, 0:13:38.000 --> 0:13:40.240 just so you know, we had this conversation yesterday at 0:13:40.320 --> 0:13:42.600 Nick throughout Jalen Smith. So he's sitting over there right now, 0:13:42.920 --> 0:13:45.440 just waiting. He's got something for us in the next segment. 0:13:45.720 --> 0:13:47.959 And I laughed at him when he said it, but 0:13:47.960 --> 0:13:49.920 but I'm sure he's got something for me as soon 0:13:49.960 --> 0:13:54.280 as we get to the next the season. I think, 0:13:55.080 --> 0:13:57.440 I don't think he played that great against the Rams. Yeah, 0:13:57.440 --> 0:13:58.959 I thought the Rams was a little shaky, but yeah, 0:13:59.000 --> 0:14:03.000 go ahead, Hey, I mean somebody's I mean, somebody has 0:14:03.000 --> 0:14:05.199 to lead the team in tackles. You know what I mean, 0:14:05.559 --> 0:14:07.319 somebody has to be the best player. I mean you 0:14:07.480 --> 0:14:09.520 Gene Lockhart was the best player on the worst team 0:14:09.520 --> 0:14:12.040 back in the eighty nine. That just happens. Somebody's got 0:14:12.040 --> 0:14:14.720 to do. It doesn't mean he's playing well. I thought 0:14:14.720 --> 0:14:19.920 you might say Tristan Hill. Honestly, I mean, I mean, look, 0:14:20.760 --> 0:14:23.440 he's played well, but in terms in terms of impact, 0:14:23.520 --> 0:14:26.680 I think Jalen Smith has probably made a greater impact. 0:14:27.400 --> 0:14:30.000 And look, they hadn't made many impactful plays, but I 0:14:30.040 --> 0:14:32.080 think he has been able to kind of step over. 0:14:32.440 --> 0:14:35.920 He was like surprisingly given the calls because they didn't 0:14:35.920 --> 0:14:38.360 expect Lve to go out, and so he's kind of 0:14:38.400 --> 0:14:39.840 had to do a lot. But I think he settled 0:14:39.840 --> 0:14:42.960 in the second game. And let's be honest about the defense. Look, 0:14:43.000 --> 0:14:45.960 the defense didn't play well early, but they did play 0:14:46.080 --> 0:14:48.600 well in spots. They were put in a tough situation, 0:14:48.640 --> 0:14:51.800 a lot of sudden change defense, playing on short fields, 0:14:51.840 --> 0:14:54.160 and they were able to hold the Falcons the field goals. 0:14:55.120 --> 0:14:57.680 It wasn't ideal because they've given up some plays, but 0:14:58.800 --> 0:15:00.720 I think overall there's something he's built up on. I 0:15:00.720 --> 0:15:03.800 think the main thing for Mike Nolan is to identify 0:15:03.840 --> 0:15:05.680 what is the best way to play. And I think 0:15:05.680 --> 0:15:08.320 when we look at Mike Nolan, here's the thing. I 0:15:08.360 --> 0:15:10.800 think we thought he was going to be more aggressive 0:15:11.120 --> 0:15:13.400 than he has been, but I think he's kind of 0:15:13.400 --> 0:15:16.240 had his hands tied behind his back because he hasn't 0:15:16.240 --> 0:15:17.720 been able to really get the coverage from the young 0:15:17.760 --> 0:15:20.080 guys on the outside. I was going to ask you 0:15:20.120 --> 0:15:23.360 the real quick on that touchdown to hayden Hurst and 0:15:23.880 --> 0:15:26.720 Jalen was in there or safety? What was your thought 0:15:26.800 --> 0:15:30.480 on It's hard to say what the Cowboys were asking 0:15:30.480 --> 0:15:32.440 the players to do, but what do you think was 0:15:32.480 --> 0:15:36.520 the breakdown there? I think it was just a blown coverage. 0:15:36.600 --> 0:15:38.440 I think I just think they blew the coverage. I 0:15:38.440 --> 0:15:40.840 think they didn't get it communicated who was responsible for 0:15:40.880 --> 0:15:43.800 everybody and that's why hayden Hurst was running free. And 0:15:44.160 --> 0:15:45.880 look early in the year, when you don't have the 0:15:45.920 --> 0:15:48.960 preseason games, you're going to see some of those things, 0:15:49.000 --> 0:15:52.200 particularly when you're Mike Nolan and you're trying to do 0:15:52.280 --> 0:15:55.040 a lot, meaning you're trying to show different disguises, You're 0:15:55.080 --> 0:15:59.000 trying to mix in a variety of coverage. Unlike your predecessor, 0:15:59.080 --> 0:16:01.840 and so sometimes you get some of those things lost 0:16:01.840 --> 0:16:04.600 in translations and you have some communication issues that league 0:16:04.600 --> 0:16:07.400 guys to run free down the field. I think as 0:16:07.440 --> 0:16:09.440 we kind of continue to get through the first quarter 0:16:09.480 --> 0:16:12.000 of the season, we'll see those things tightened up, because 0:16:12.040 --> 0:16:14.600 this really is kind of like the preseason. They will 0:16:14.640 --> 0:16:16.880 begin to settle in and really understand what they're being 0:16:16.920 --> 0:16:18.840 asked to do, and also Mike Nolan have a better 0:16:18.840 --> 0:16:20.960 feel for what he has and what he's really able 0:16:21.000 --> 0:16:23.360 to do from a play call and standpoint bucket. Before 0:16:23.360 --> 0:16:24.920 we let you go, I didn't want to ask you 0:16:24.960 --> 0:16:29.160 this question about Dak Prescott and Russell Wilson. I've always 0:16:29.160 --> 0:16:32.680 believed that that if you want to compare Dak Prescott's 0:16:32.680 --> 0:16:35.280 trajectory as a quarterback to anybody in the league, to me, 0:16:35.360 --> 0:16:37.840 it is Russell Wilson. You saw when both of them 0:16:37.880 --> 0:16:40.000 came into the league. They came in on teams where 0:16:40.000 --> 0:16:42.120 they were not even close to being the most of 0:16:42.200 --> 0:16:45.080 the best thing that their teams did. But over time 0:16:45.120 --> 0:16:47.960 you saw with Russell how he became and is now 0:16:48.360 --> 0:16:50.520 clearly the best thing that they do. He is how 0:16:50.560 --> 0:16:53.840 everything works there. And my personal belief is that Dak 0:16:54.000 --> 0:16:56.640 is on that same trajectory. What have you seen from Dak? 0:16:56.680 --> 0:16:58.960 If you're trying to compare the two, what have you 0:16:59.000 --> 0:17:01.280 seen from Dak that may he says yes he's on 0:17:01.320 --> 0:17:03.760 that trajecty or not quite sure if he's going to 0:17:03.840 --> 0:17:07.919 get there. It's funny during because I completely agree with you. 0:17:07.960 --> 0:17:10.159 I wrote about this last year that I thought the 0:17:10.160 --> 0:17:14.080 blueprint for Dak Prescott has always been Russell Wilson. You 0:17:14.160 --> 0:17:17.879 come in the league and you're given responsibilities as a 0:17:17.880 --> 0:17:20.720 game manager, and as you mature and as the team 0:17:20.800 --> 0:17:24.360 changes around you, you become the central playmaker. I think 0:17:24.440 --> 0:17:27.560 what we're seeing is Dak Prescott is ready to be 0:17:28.080 --> 0:17:32.280 that central playmaker. Yes, the offense still runs through Ezekiel 0:17:32.320 --> 0:17:35.120 Elliott and all those things like Seattle ran through Marshawn 0:17:35.200 --> 0:17:38.920 Lynch for years. But then as Dak has shown more command, 0:17:39.200 --> 0:17:42.040 more control of the huddle the passing game, he's shown 0:17:42.119 --> 0:17:45.280 more confidence and efficiency as a passer. You now can 0:17:45.320 --> 0:17:49.280 trust him do more. And part of my urging for 0:17:49.280 --> 0:17:52.160 the Cowboys to play faster is because in that game, 0:17:52.600 --> 0:17:54.720 I felt like he was the epiphany of Oh, he's 0:17:54.760 --> 0:17:57.199 ready to take it over. He's ready to take it 0:17:57.200 --> 0:18:00.480 home because everyone coming into that last game, oh, let's 0:18:00.480 --> 0:18:02.320 see if Dak Prescott can do it. He doesn't have 0:18:02.600 --> 0:18:05.680 the vaunted offensive line, he doesn't have everything around him. 0:18:05.840 --> 0:18:09.119 They've fallen behind early deficit, and all he did was 0:18:09.280 --> 0:18:13.560 show composure, poise and playmaking ability. I think he is 0:18:13.960 --> 0:18:17.399 in line to be that Russell Wilson type quarterback, and 0:18:17.880 --> 0:18:20.400 I think you can make the argument that, look, he's 0:18:20.440 --> 0:18:23.600 bumping up against the top five in terms of being 0:18:23.640 --> 0:18:25.800 in that conversation. I think we are at a time 0:18:25.840 --> 0:18:28.840 where the quarterback play from the young guys in particular 0:18:29.240 --> 0:18:32.159 is great in this league. But I think every conversation 0:18:32.200 --> 0:18:35.359 when we talk about top five quarterbacks, Dak Prescott has 0:18:35.400 --> 0:18:39.800 to be in there with Pat Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Kyla Murray, 0:18:40.440 --> 0:18:42.440 anybody and everybody that you want to put in there. 0:18:42.560 --> 0:18:44.919 There's not a thing that Dak can do that he 0:18:44.960 --> 0:18:47.760 can't do that those guys do. He does everything, and 0:18:47.800 --> 0:18:50.560 so look, I think Russell Wilson is a great model. 0:18:50.600 --> 0:18:52.840 I think he is on that trajectory and I think 0:18:53.000 --> 0:18:55.440 we have to get comfortable thinking that he is a 0:18:55.440 --> 0:18:58.240 Tier one type quarterback. All right, man, great stuff again 0:18:58.359 --> 0:19:00.639 as usual, We'll be back we'll have you back with 0:19:00.720 --> 0:19:02.399 us again tomorrow. We'll talk a little bit about the 0:19:02.400 --> 0:19:04.480 Seattle defense. We're gonna take our first break and we 0:19:04.560 --> 0:19:06.040 come back. We're gonna talk a little bit more about 0:19:06.040 --> 0:19:10.600 Cowboys defense versus the sand I'm sorry, versus the Seattle 0:19:10.640 --> 0:19:12.760 Seahawks offense that when we come right back. This is 0:19:12.800 --> 0:19:18.000 Dallas Cowboys dot com Radio. We're backing the tasty treat 0:19:18.040 --> 0:19:21.560 that's sweeping airwaves and taste buds. It's new Doctor pepper 0:19:21.560 --> 0:19:25.399 and cream Soda. Let's take a listen, Doctor bad cream Soda. 0:19:25.480 --> 0:19:33.320 Is he a new combone. Let's music to my ears? Okay, 0:19:34.560 --> 0:19:42.760 doctor times, music to my ears and mouth, New Doctor 0:19:42.760 --> 0:19:46.000 pepper and cream Soda. Delas, Just do bay. I want 0:19:46.000 --> 0:19:48.480 to use what the pros use. How about the official 0:19:48.560 --> 0:19:52.520 men's skincare brand of the Dallas Cowboys, Jack Black. Right now, 0:19:52.560 --> 0:19:55.280 you can get the Jack Black Starter, a curated collection 0:19:55.280 --> 0:19:57.800 of Cowboys locker room favorites, for just ten bucks with 0:19:57.960 --> 0:20:02.040