WEBVTT - Cowboys Break: How Much Better Is The Defense? 0:00:05.400 --> 0:00:07.920 The following. He's a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com 0:00:07.960 --> 0:00:19.680 and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club. Let's go. Are you 0:00:19.720 --> 0:00:23.800 ready for a break? Yes? Are you ready for a break? Absolutely? 0:00:23.960 --> 0:00:28.160 Ready for a break? Yeah, and so much for that. 0:00:28.360 --> 0:00:33.520 It's time for the Break on Dallas Cowboys dot Com. 0:00:32.640 --> 0:00:38.640 Were with Nick Eatman, David Hellman, and bar Garcia and 0:00:38.960 --> 0:00:47.920 Derek Eagleton. It is Thursday, August thirteenth, twenty twenty. It 0:00:48.040 --> 0:00:50.800 is season sixteen, in episode number fourteen. Welcome to another 0:00:50.960 --> 0:00:53.680 edition of The Break. We are very happy to be 0:00:53.680 --> 0:00:57.520 back with you guys, starting up the sixtieth anniversary of 0:00:57.560 --> 0:01:00.000 the Dallas Cowboys. I'm here live at the Start. Nick, 0:01:00.120 --> 0:01:02.160 you're here live at the Star, but we're separated in 0:01:02.200 --> 0:01:05.240 different offices. Amber at our home studio, Dave at his 0:01:05.280 --> 0:01:08.360 home studio, and of course our producer Chris Beam helping 0:01:08.440 --> 0:01:11.120 us get everything going here. We appreciate you guys joining us. 0:01:11.120 --> 0:01:13.720 We got a lot to talk about today. First of all, 0:01:13.840 --> 0:01:16.559 welcome back to my crew. It's good to see you guys. 0:01:16.560 --> 0:01:23.720 How's everybody doing today. I'm wonderful, I'm happy, happy to 0:01:23.760 --> 0:01:28.600 see you guys. Let's go. So last night, it gets 0:01:28.640 --> 0:01:31.759 really interesting. I made all the show notes for today 0:01:31.840 --> 0:01:33.760 and we were talking about it. I think we were 0:01:33.800 --> 0:01:35.160 all on the same page. We had a lot to 0:01:35.200 --> 0:01:38.400 talk about. And then news breaks at the Cowboys go 0:01:38.440 --> 0:01:42.800 out and agree to terms with a pass rusher that's 0:01:42.800 --> 0:01:46.640 a pretty good pass rusher, Everson Griffin agrees to terms 0:01:46.640 --> 0:01:50.320 with the Cowboys, reportedly a one year, six million dollar contract. 0:01:50.640 --> 0:01:52.520 Think about this. This guy is a has been in 0:01:52.560 --> 0:01:54.520 the Pro bowls for has been to the Pro Bowl 0:01:54.560 --> 0:01:58.720 for the last five seasons. He's accumulated forty four point 0:01:58.720 --> 0:02:01.440 five sacks over those last five seasons, averaging about nine 0:02:01.480 --> 0:02:04.320 point five sacks a year. Only year he had under 0:02:04.400 --> 0:02:06.440 six sacks was twenty and eighteen, when he only had 0:02:06.680 --> 0:02:10.360 he only played eleven games. So my question for you 0:02:10.360 --> 0:02:12.639 guys is, first, what was your reaction when you first 0:02:12.639 --> 0:02:15.639 started the Cowboys made this deal. Let's start with you, Nick. 0:02:17.560 --> 0:02:20.600 You know, it's like what else from one day? You know, 0:02:20.639 --> 0:02:22.120 I mean we've had a lot of a lot of 0:02:22.160 --> 0:02:23.919 news that day, and you know it was a good 0:02:24.000 --> 0:02:27.120 camp or two to the entire day. I think it'll 0:02:27.160 --> 0:02:30.400 be it'll be a good addition, but you know, I 0:02:30.680 --> 0:02:33.079 don't look at it as it's gonna put them over 0:02:33.120 --> 0:02:36.160 to the top unless the defensive tackles are better, Because 0:02:36.160 --> 0:02:38.359 if the defensive tackles aren't better than I don't think 0:02:38.360 --> 0:02:40.919 he's gonna be much different than Robert Quinn who got 0:02:40.960 --> 0:02:43.200 him too eight and eight. So it could be a 0:02:43.200 --> 0:02:45.840 good move, but I want to see if it's if 0:02:45.880 --> 0:02:48.040 he's gonna be a huge upgrade from what they had 0:02:48.120 --> 0:02:53.880 last year. Amber I think, I mean, definitely surprising. When 0:02:53.880 --> 0:02:56.080 I saw that on my phone, I was like, what 0:02:56.080 --> 0:02:58.600 what is going on here? And definitely something that I 0:02:58.720 --> 0:03:01.560 was not expecting to me. I see this as a 0:03:01.639 --> 0:03:05.960 great addition. I wonder if maybe they feel like the 0:03:06.040 --> 0:03:09.920 whole Randy Gregory theme might not happen after all, because initially, 0:03:09.960 --> 0:03:12.880 I remember after last season we were concerned about the 0:03:12.880 --> 0:03:15.359 pass rush and then trying to get to the quarterback 0:03:15.440 --> 0:03:18.720 last year, and then you lose Robert Quinn, which was 0:03:18.919 --> 0:03:22.880 your most productive guy last year, and this year we 0:03:22.880 --> 0:03:26.240 were talking about Alden Smith and Randy Gregory coming back 0:03:26.280 --> 0:03:28.919 and all that. You do get Alden Smith Smith back, 0:03:29.240 --> 0:03:31.080 but you still don't know what you got going on 0:03:31.160 --> 0:03:34.600 there with him yet. So it makes me think or 0:03:34.720 --> 0:03:39.600 wonder if maybe they're just kind of not seeing the 0:03:39.640 --> 0:03:43.360 whole Randy Gregory theme happening for this season, and I 0:03:43.440 --> 0:03:46.080 know a lot a lot of fans are always asking 0:03:46.120 --> 0:03:48.520 about Randy Gregory. I don't know why so many fans 0:03:48.600 --> 0:03:52.200 like Randy Gregory so much, but they do so. I 0:03:52.320 --> 0:03:54.680 just think it's it's a great addition to just help 0:03:54.720 --> 0:03:59.000 the whole line helm a g. I'm so glad you 0:03:59.080 --> 0:04:02.040 said that because it was such a perfect segue, because 0:04:02.120 --> 0:04:06.600 my primary reaction is that we're still learning so much 0:04:06.640 --> 0:04:09.120 about what this team's going to do under Mike McCarthy. 0:04:09.320 --> 0:04:12.360 I know it's technically a front office signing, I don't care. 0:04:12.680 --> 0:04:15.040 This is a head coach thing in my opinion, because 0:04:15.640 --> 0:04:18.400 under the old regime, we would have heard we like 0:04:18.560 --> 0:04:21.680 the guys we have. Randy Gregory's still out there. We 0:04:21.720 --> 0:04:23.960 feel good that maybe he can come back. We're gonna 0:04:23.960 --> 0:04:26.600 work with what we got. Mike McCarthy's like, what if 0:04:26.640 --> 0:04:29.040 we don't do that, what if we go get a talented, 0:04:29.120 --> 0:04:32.360 affordable veteran who can help the pass rush. It reminds 0:04:32.400 --> 0:04:34.919 me a lot of the Center situation, because if you 0:04:34.960 --> 0:04:37.600 go back to the draft, you think about McCarthy saying, yeah, 0:04:37.600 --> 0:04:40.600 I know we had Connor McGovern and we got Joe Looney, 0:04:40.960 --> 0:04:43.919 but what if we drafted Tyler Biadas just to really 0:04:43.960 --> 0:04:47.240 make sure we address the situation. So this strikes me 0:04:47.320 --> 0:04:49.839 as Mike McCarthy saying, why don't we go ahead and 0:04:49.880 --> 0:04:52.520 turn over every stone that we can instead of just 0:04:52.640 --> 0:04:55.280 hoping that what we have is good enough. I love it. 0:04:55.360 --> 0:04:58.880 I love the approach. I love the fact that he's talented. Dude, 0:04:58.920 --> 0:05:02.000 Yeah he's got seventy career sex or seventy five. Excuse me. 0:05:03.160 --> 0:05:05.200 Love it all the way around, not just because he's 0:05:05.200 --> 0:05:08.960 a good player, but the approach to just never stopping 0:05:09.040 --> 0:05:12.039 adding talented players. That's what good front officers should do. 0:05:12.320 --> 0:05:15.640 Love it. Can't say enough about it. So let's talk 0:05:15.640 --> 0:05:18.280 about where he fits. You look at a guy like him, 0:05:18.320 --> 0:05:21.840 and obviously with his resume, he's a starting caliber player. 0:05:22.040 --> 0:05:24.640 Does he immediately step right in and become the starter 0:05:24.760 --> 0:05:29.680 opposite DeMarcus Lawrence? In your opinion? Is that for me? 0:05:30.800 --> 0:05:32.600 It's for any one of you guys want to jump in. 0:05:33.080 --> 0:05:36.560 I mean, he hasn't had an off season, but the 0:05:36.560 --> 0:05:38.560 good thing is that nobody's really had an off season, 0:05:38.720 --> 0:05:42.000 so you know enough, he's a ten year veteran. I 0:05:42.000 --> 0:05:44.640 assume he's been taking care of himself. I assume, you know, 0:05:44.640 --> 0:05:47.400 he'll pass his physicals and all that, so I doubt 0:05:47.400 --> 0:05:49.800 he'll be that far behind. And yeah, I mean, you know, 0:05:49.880 --> 0:05:51.760 Tyrone Crawford's going to be part of that and Alden 0:05:51.839 --> 0:05:54.400 Smith as well. But yeah, I mean my expectation is 0:05:54.400 --> 0:05:59.440 that he can handle a starting caliber role for sure. Nick. 0:05:59.520 --> 0:06:01.320 Let's talk a little bit about what you mentioned a 0:06:01.320 --> 0:06:03.600 few minutes ago, and you're when you first talked about it, 0:06:04.080 --> 0:06:06.040 and you mentioned the fact that you don't think this 0:06:06.120 --> 0:06:10.600 is necessarily a game changing type move for the Cowboys 0:06:10.760 --> 0:06:13.800 unless the defensive tackles are better. Talk a little bit 0:06:13.800 --> 0:06:16.200 more about that and talk about it in the context 0:06:16.240 --> 0:06:18.440 of the defensive tackles that they've picked up this offseason 0:06:18.440 --> 0:06:20.560 and what you think you can expect from them, and 0:06:20.600 --> 0:06:24.240 then what it means for this defensive end signing. I mean, 0:06:24.320 --> 0:06:26.400 don't get me wrong, I think it's gonna be. It's 0:06:26.440 --> 0:06:29.120 it's a big upgrade for what they had, you know, 0:06:29.600 --> 0:06:32.599 twenty four hours ago. But my point is is we've 0:06:32.600 --> 0:06:35.160 seen this defense, and not with the same coaches, but 0:06:35.160 --> 0:06:40.200 we've seen this defense with personnel that Robert Quinn came 0:06:40.240 --> 0:06:43.479 in here and he got eleven and a half sacks. Now, 0:06:43.520 --> 0:06:46.239 I was surprised by that. I know Dave was Derek 0:06:46.279 --> 0:06:48.039 you argued with this, you thought he was gonna be 0:06:48.160 --> 0:06:49.720 in the top match. I don't think he thought he 0:06:49.720 --> 0:06:52.440 was gonna go eleven or eleven sacks. But either way, 0:06:52.600 --> 0:06:55.839 he was really really good. And I think Griffin is 0:06:55.880 --> 0:06:58.719 probably I don't think the expectations would be that high. 0:06:58.800 --> 0:07:03.279 So all I'm saying is unless the defensive tackles are 0:07:03.320 --> 0:07:06.560 way better, that changes the whole dynamic. Now now you're 0:07:06.600 --> 0:07:09.200 you're working with something here. But you know, to me, 0:07:09.480 --> 0:07:11.360 he's gonna be kind of what Quinn was and what 0:07:11.520 --> 0:07:13.840 d Law was. I don't know if that changes a 0:07:13.840 --> 0:07:18.120 whole lot, but I think McCoy and Poe will change that. Yeah. 0:07:18.120 --> 0:07:20.160 I actually think it's really interesting there because I think 0:07:20.400 --> 0:07:22.760 if you look at the production of what Gerald McCoy 0:07:22.800 --> 0:07:26.360 particularly has been throughout his career as a pass rushing 0:07:26.440 --> 0:07:28.680 defensive tackle, I think he's a guy that's gotten a 0:07:28.720 --> 0:07:30.760 good amount of production. You know, when you're talking about 0:07:30.920 --> 0:07:34.600 five or six sacks for a defensive tackle, that's significant. 0:07:35.640 --> 0:07:37.720 And I think that that that I think he will 0:07:37.720 --> 0:07:41.560 be more more disruptive. I think they will require teams 0:07:41.600 --> 0:07:43.600 to pay a little bit more attention in the middle, 0:07:43.840 --> 0:07:45.960 and I think it does help them from that standpoint. 0:07:46.000 --> 0:07:49.280 I think both these defensive ends, but the two starting 0:07:49.320 --> 0:07:51.960 defensive defensive ends, at least the way I'm projecting it, 0:07:52.560 --> 0:07:54.840 I think will be even better. We'll be able to 0:07:54.880 --> 0:07:57.360 produce even more than last season. I think Tank's going 0:07:57.400 --> 0:07:58.920 to be better than he was last season. So I 0:07:58.920 --> 0:08:00.760 think it's ultimately going to be a good move for 0:08:00.760 --> 0:08:05.440 the Cowboys. You know, did you have some point? But 0:08:06.560 --> 0:08:09.160 I was just saying real quick, in twenty eighteen, which 0:08:09.200 --> 0:08:11.480 is not that long ago, you know, there was a 0:08:11.480 --> 0:08:14.360 Pro Bowl being played that that had McCoy, that had 0:08:14.480 --> 0:08:17.480 d Law, that had a Griffin, all on the same 0:08:17.640 --> 0:08:19.880 you know line, they're probably playing at the same time. 0:08:19.920 --> 0:08:22.440 So you know, just to be two years ago and 0:08:22.520 --> 0:08:25.240 to have those guys now on one team, that's pretty good. 0:08:27.200 --> 0:08:29.320 Talk to me about what this means for the other 0:08:29.360 --> 0:08:33.680 defensive ends, particularly Crawford Alden Smith. How do you think 0:08:33.760 --> 0:08:40.560 this affects them, if at all. We'll start with you Amber. Honestly, 0:08:40.600 --> 0:08:43.479 I think this whole thing just goes back to experience, 0:08:43.679 --> 0:08:46.160 just because of the whole like not having an offseason 0:08:46.280 --> 0:08:48.280 right now, I think your users going to have to 0:08:48.360 --> 0:08:51.560 rely on the guy that has the most experiencing who 0:08:51.600 --> 0:08:57.800 can perform better during practice. I mean those guys are great. 0:08:57.800 --> 0:09:00.200 Tyland Crawford, I think he's a great piece to have 0:09:00.600 --> 0:09:03.840 just because of his flexibility and in case you never 0:09:03.920 --> 0:09:07.600 know why player, what happens or what's going to happen 0:09:07.679 --> 0:09:11.400 this offseason with the whole COVID or whatever other injury 0:09:11.520 --> 0:09:15.320 a guy may suffer throughout the process. I think having 0:09:15.720 --> 0:09:20.400 Tyrone Crawford not just set in a single spot, it's 0:09:20.440 --> 0:09:22.480 just going to help them out and just keeping him 0:09:22.600 --> 0:09:25.920 being like keeping that flexibility with him to move around. 0:09:26.080 --> 0:09:29.360 And as far as Alden Smith, I don't know. I 0:09:29.360 --> 0:09:31.400 don't know. We just have to if we haven't seen 0:09:31.440 --> 0:09:34.520 of him for such a long time. So I think 0:09:34.600 --> 0:09:40.640 that he's just has to whole experience disadvantage on his side. 0:09:40.840 --> 0:09:42.920 But you just never know how players are going to 0:09:43.000 --> 0:09:47.920 perform at the moment of everyone getting back on the field. Dave, 0:09:47.960 --> 0:09:50.080 what are your expectations of Alden Smith? I mean, he 0:09:50.160 --> 0:09:53.440 is a guy that and I put I put him 0:09:54.080 --> 0:09:57.200 in a category of a guy that required very little 0:09:57.240 --> 0:09:59.640 from the standpoint of risk for the Cowboys, but at 0:09:59.640 --> 0:10:03.280 the same time, the potential upside for the Cowboys I 0:10:03.320 --> 0:10:05.959 think is huge, especially if he can get back to 0:10:06.440 --> 0:10:08.200 and this is the part that's a little bit risky, 0:10:08.360 --> 0:10:11.199 he could get back to what he was before his 0:10:11.559 --> 0:10:14.480 career was cut short. I think back in twenty fifteen 0:10:14.480 --> 0:10:17.120 was the last time he played. Maybe, So what are 0:10:17.160 --> 0:10:19.840 your thoughts on Alden Smith and what you think your 0:10:19.840 --> 0:10:21.880 expectations are for him? I guess at least from a 0:10:21.880 --> 0:10:24.120 standpoint of not only played, but but where they can 0:10:24.160 --> 0:10:26.520 use him and how quickly they can use him. That's 0:10:26.559 --> 0:10:28.760 honestly for me, that's part of the beauty of this 0:10:28.800 --> 0:10:31.800 Griffin signing. I mean, yeah, and it's it's totally fair 0:10:31.840 --> 0:10:36.400 to be excited about Alden Smith's upside, and the same 0:10:36.440 --> 0:10:38.400 thing kind of goes for Tyrone Crawford not you know, 0:10:38.440 --> 0:10:41.240 he was never an Alden Smith type of talent, but 0:10:41.280 --> 0:10:43.439 both of those guys you feel good about what they 0:10:43.480 --> 0:10:45.800 can do. The question was always can you lean on him? 0:10:45.920 --> 0:10:48.720 Can you expect Tyrone to stay healthy after two hip surgeries? 0:10:48.840 --> 0:10:51.120 Can you expect Alden Smith to get back to that level? 0:10:51.400 --> 0:10:53.720 With Everson Griffin in the mix? You don't have to 0:10:53.760 --> 0:10:55.600 count on that as much, so they can be you know, 0:10:55.640 --> 0:10:58.640 whatever they can provide you is great. And this honestly 0:10:58.679 --> 0:11:01.520 makes Alden Smith that much more exciting because if it's me, 0:11:02.040 --> 0:11:04.960 I'm putting him on the field in obvious pass rush situations, 0:11:05.240 --> 0:11:08.040 I would have a Nickel pass rush package where he's 0:11:08.040 --> 0:11:10.360 on the field at the same time as Griffin and 0:11:10.640 --> 0:11:12.880 DeMarcus Lawrence. You know, Mike Nolan hasn't asked me for 0:11:12.960 --> 0:11:16.800 my opinion, but that's something that I would consider. Put 0:11:16.840 --> 0:11:18.920 that guy in on second and third and long and 0:11:19.000 --> 0:11:20.880 let him go to work, and you don't have to 0:11:20.920 --> 0:11:23.680 worry about him holding up against sixty to seventy percent 0:11:23.720 --> 0:11:26.640 of the snaps. So this should help him do what 0:11:26.720 --> 0:11:28.800 he does best, which is get after the quarterback and 0:11:28.840 --> 0:11:32.120 passing situations. So in a way, I think adding Griffin, 0:11:32.360 --> 0:11:34.560 you know, makes me even more excited about Aldan Smith 0:11:34.600 --> 0:11:38.880 because I'm not asking him to do as much. Yeah, Nick, 0:11:39.160 --> 0:11:42.320 I'll take that a little different direction. Some of the 0:11:42.600 --> 0:11:45.320 I know you and I've had some conversations about some 0:11:45.400 --> 0:11:47.920 of the younger defensive ends on this team's particularly guys 0:11:47.960 --> 0:11:50.400 like Jolkes Jackson. I think Jelks was one of your 0:11:50.440 --> 0:11:52.120 guys that was a pet cat for you last year 0:11:52.200 --> 0:11:55.480 during training camp and you kind of liked Obviously, Armstrong 0:11:55.520 --> 0:11:57.560 played quite a bit last year, and then the Cowboys 0:11:57.640 --> 0:12:01.080 draft Bradley and I so you look at those kinds 0:12:01.080 --> 0:12:03.840 of guys. How much does a signing like this affect 0:12:03.880 --> 0:12:06.760 those guys, Because again, we're talking about a roster where 0:12:06.760 --> 0:12:10.000 you make at the most five pass rushers and that 0:12:10.080 --> 0:12:12.280 fifth one probably is going to be a guy that 0:12:12.360 --> 0:12:16.320 does both and someone like Crawford, Right, so maybe two 0:12:16.360 --> 0:12:19.120 of these guys at the most can actually make this team. 0:12:19.160 --> 0:12:20.680 How does it affect those guys and what do you 0:12:20.679 --> 0:12:23.680 think that all shakes out? Well? I think it's it 0:12:23.720 --> 0:12:26.360 affects them a lot. I mean, yeah, those guys were 0:12:26.360 --> 0:12:28.839 pet cats because they had to be better than Taco, 0:12:28.920 --> 0:12:31.160 They had to be better than Dora's Armstrong. You know, 0:12:31.520 --> 0:12:33.640 you thought that they had a chance to play a 0:12:33.640 --> 0:12:36.240 little bit more. And now if you're trying to figure 0:12:36.240 --> 0:12:39.520 out how Tyron Crawford and Halden Smith get on the field, yeah, 0:12:39.559 --> 0:12:42.040 it's gonna be tough for a guy like Jelks who 0:12:42.080 --> 0:12:45.120 has never played a snap, Joe Jackson, who's played about 0:12:45.280 --> 0:12:49.959 fifty snaps. So yeah, to me, I think it comes 0:12:50.000 --> 0:12:52.440 down to who was the most discipline this year in 0:12:52.480 --> 0:12:55.560 the offseason and who has helped themselves the most in 0:12:55.600 --> 0:12:58.280 the weight room. You know, who comes back in the 0:12:58.360 --> 0:13:02.160 best shape, whether b Jackson or Jilkes or Armstrong, you 0:13:02.160 --> 0:13:07.280 know somebody. There's really only one spot there. Who takes it? Now, 0:13:07.280 --> 0:13:09.040 this question is going to be for everybody. I want 0:13:09.080 --> 0:13:12.040 everybody to chime in on this. I think the common 0:13:12.760 --> 0:13:15.960 thought right now by most people that observe the Cowboys 0:13:16.040 --> 0:13:19.040 is that this offense is on a different level than 0:13:19.040 --> 0:13:21.319 the defense, that the Cowboys success this year will be 0:13:21.400 --> 0:13:25.679 driven by how successful the offense can be. How much 0:13:25.720 --> 0:13:29.280 do you think this signing in I don't know, in 0:13:29.320 --> 0:13:30.920 whatever terms you want to put it in, whether you're 0:13:30.920 --> 0:13:33.480 being optimistic or pessimistic, how much do you think this 0:13:33.640 --> 0:13:37.360 signing um makes the defense a little closer to being 0:13:37.400 --> 0:13:40.560 able to pull its own weight and really compliment what 0:13:40.640 --> 0:13:43.199 this offense may be able to do, especially if it's 0:13:43.240 --> 0:13:45.240 the high powered offense that we expect it to be. 0:13:45.800 --> 0:13:52.160 Let's start with you, Amber. I think it's a it's 0:13:52.160 --> 0:13:54.440 a I mean, we've said it's a great addition, and 0:13:54.480 --> 0:13:57.160 obviously that that's just a plus. That's something else to 0:13:57.720 --> 0:14:00.480 have in there and someone with experience. But the thing is, 0:14:00.480 --> 0:14:02.960 to me, we talked so much about the offense, because 0:14:03.000 --> 0:14:07.079 we've seen the offense, I think we have a clear, clear, 0:14:07.720 --> 0:14:11.079 better picture of what this offense is going to look like. 0:14:11.320 --> 0:14:13.240 I mean, they have the addition of City Lamb and 0:14:13.240 --> 0:14:16.880 other guys in there, but we have overall just a 0:14:17.000 --> 0:14:20.000 better vision of what that whole offense is going to 0:14:20.080 --> 0:14:23.440 look like. As opposed to the defense, there are so 0:14:23.480 --> 0:14:27.000 many little different parts that we just don't feel one 0:14:27.080 --> 0:14:31.400 hundred percent sure about. For example, the whole secondary. We're 0:14:31.440 --> 0:14:33.440 still trying to figure out what's going to happen at 0:14:33.440 --> 0:14:36.440 the cornerback position, what's going to happen at safety. I mean, 0:14:36.480 --> 0:14:39.720 the linebacker group is still essentially the same one as 0:14:39.840 --> 0:14:43.120 last year, but there's still question marks around it. And 0:14:43.320 --> 0:14:45.440 we just talked about the whole defensive line. There are 0:14:45.480 --> 0:14:49.360 new elements in there that, yeah, they're exciting and it's 0:14:49.360 --> 0:14:51.960 going to be exciting to watch, but we just haven't 0:14:52.040 --> 0:14:55.120 seen it yet. So I think that it's a great addition. 0:14:55.160 --> 0:14:58.280 For sure, it's going to elevate the defense one way 0:14:58.360 --> 0:15:00.320 or another, But at the end, of the day. We 0:15:00.400 --> 0:15:04.520 just can't have a full clear picture of what that's 0:15:04.560 --> 0:15:10.880 really gonna look like just yet. Dave. Yeah, I'll you know, sorry, Nick, 0:15:10.920 --> 0:15:12.920 but I'm gonna steal your talking point a little bit. 0:15:12.960 --> 0:15:15.120 But I mean they had Robert Quinn last year and 0:15:15.160 --> 0:15:18.760 they were bad. Um, So you know, adding Everson Griffin 0:15:18.880 --> 0:15:21.120 is not a cure all by any means. I think 0:15:21.400 --> 0:15:23.560 if they're gonna be better, if they're gonna be good, 0:15:23.680 --> 0:15:26.440 it's gonna be because of the coaching. You know, Mike Nolan, 0:15:26.760 --> 0:15:29.200 Jim tom Seula, having another pro bowler to work with 0:15:29.320 --> 0:15:32.560 is exciting. Um. But you know, they had they had 0:15:32.600 --> 0:15:34.760 just as much, if not more talent last year and 0:15:34.800 --> 0:15:38.480 they were mediocre or worse. So it's not so much 0:15:38.480 --> 0:15:40.400 about the players, in my opinion. I think it's it's 0:15:40.400 --> 0:15:42.760 on the defensive coaches to take this talent and do 0:15:42.840 --> 0:15:46.800 something with it, because the talent was there last year. Yeah, 0:15:46.840 --> 0:15:49.480 And I mean, you're right, the talent was there a 0:15:49.560 --> 0:15:52.440 defensive end. I think I think what my point is 0:15:52.480 --> 0:15:55.040 that you know, I never really agree. Of course, I 0:15:55.040 --> 0:15:58.760 don't like to, you know, discredit Marinelli, because I mean 0:15:58.800 --> 0:16:02.440 he was a great football coach, but I just to me. 0:16:02.680 --> 0:16:05.920 When everybody's going up to the quarterback, every single guy, 0:16:06.080 --> 0:16:08.480 then that's going to expose you to to draws. It's 0:16:08.480 --> 0:16:11.920 going to expose you too, guys because he wants these rushmen. Well, 0:16:11.920 --> 0:16:14.120 these guys aren't very vague, and so they get locked 0:16:14.120 --> 0:16:15.880 on by a gardener center and then no one's at 0:16:15.920 --> 0:16:18.040 the quarterback. So I think that the way that they 0:16:18.160 --> 0:16:20.360 changed it, they got these big guys up front, they 0:16:20.440 --> 0:16:23.640 got talented guys in the middle, and you know, I 0:16:23.840 --> 0:16:26.840 just think it'll help everybody on the outside. So but Derek, 0:16:26.880 --> 0:16:29.560 to answer your question, I think the offense is still 0:16:29.760 --> 0:16:32.240 I mean, a great offense will give you a great defense. 0:16:32.480 --> 0:16:35.120 Nineteen ninety two Colbys had the best defense in the 0:16:35.240 --> 0:16:39.520 NFL and it was because of Emmon Smith, Troy Aikman, 0:16:39.760 --> 0:16:42.800 Michael Irvan and having fourth quarter leads now Charles Haley helped. 0:16:42.840 --> 0:16:44.480 But if you have a great offense, I can score 0:16:44.520 --> 0:16:48.320 points and give you leads, it'll make your defense better. Yeah. 0:16:48.320 --> 0:16:50.240 I think that's the point, Nick, and it was the 0:16:50.280 --> 0:16:52.360 point that I would have made that when you look 0:16:52.360 --> 0:16:54.920 at this team, I think the great part about it 0:16:54.960 --> 0:16:57.680 is and Dave, you've used this term that team forty Burger. 0:16:57.720 --> 0:16:59.920 I think you guys started using that back during the trap. 0:17:00.280 --> 0:17:01.960 But the fact of the matter is that if this 0:17:02.040 --> 0:17:04.160 offense really can live up to that kind of potential 0:17:04.200 --> 0:17:06.760 where they're putting up tons of points every week and 0:17:06.840 --> 0:17:09.680 they're consistent, and we saw it last year in spurts, 0:17:09.960 --> 0:17:11.879 we just didn't see it consistently enough. But if they 0:17:11.920 --> 0:17:14.920 consistently are putting up big points, now, I think what 0:17:15.280 --> 0:17:17.560 they've done with this signing is they've actually created a 0:17:17.600 --> 0:17:20.639 defense that's very complimentary to a high powered offense. You 0:17:20.680 --> 0:17:22.360 give them a lead and then you say, go get 0:17:22.359 --> 0:17:24.480 the quarterback, and now they got horses that can go 0:17:24.480 --> 0:17:26.920 get the quarterback. Right, So I think that this this 0:17:26.960 --> 0:17:30.520 move really gives them the ability to play complimentary football 0:17:30.800 --> 0:17:32.879 to an offense that they expect to be high powered. 0:17:33.440 --> 0:17:36.840 It's still going to revolve around can they be high powered? Um, 0:17:37.000 --> 0:17:38.480 and I think there are a lot of other issues 0:17:38.520 --> 0:17:40.680 that will come into into play. If the Cowboys can't 0:17:40.680 --> 0:17:43.000 really score a lot of points, or they find themselves 0:17:43.000 --> 0:17:45.760 in games where where it's more of a defensive struggle, 0:17:45.920 --> 0:17:48.960 then we'll rely more on can the linebackers play up 0:17:49.200 --> 0:17:52.000 up to par and can the safeties make tackles and 0:17:52.119 --> 0:17:54.199 cover the deep part of the field. Those are all 0:17:54.240 --> 0:17:56.560 the issues that come up um that they may not 0:17:56.640 --> 0:17:58.200 have to deal with as much if they could play 0:17:58.240 --> 0:18:00.000 with a lead. So I think it'll be it'll be 0:18:00.160 --> 0:18:03.480 interesting to see how much the offense can be consistent 0:18:03.520 --> 0:18:06.600 and how much that then affects this defense's ability to 0:18:06.640 --> 0:18:09.040 play complimentary football. We're gonna take our first break. When 0:18:09.040 --> 0:18:10.840 we come back from the break, we're gonna get into 0:18:10.880 --> 0:18:14.680 a lot of conversations from yesterday Jerry Jones, Mike McCarthy, 0:18:14.720 --> 0:18:16.800 and Stephen Jones at their opening press conference. We're gonna 0:18:16.800 --> 0:18:18.240 talk a little bit about some of the things that 0:18:18.280 --> 0:18:20.520 they discussed when we come right back. This is Dallas 0:18:20.560 --> 0:18:25.280 Cowboys dot Com Radio. Your new apartment's big, such a 0:18:25.359 --> 0:18:32.879 great deal. That's okay, just okay. What's not right above 0:18:32.920 --> 0:18:36.639 the subway? Well, I bet you don't even notice it 0:18:36.680 --> 0:18:41.639 after that's my neighbor angen the deal. That's just okay, 0:18:41.800 --> 0:18:45.480 it's not okay. 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