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We were on with Mbar Garcia, Brian brought us, Patrick Walker and Derek Eagleton.
It is Wednesday, January third, twenty twenty four, season nineteen, episode number one hundred. Welcome to the latest edition of The Break Life in SWBC Mortgage Studios at the Star. We're talking Washington Commanders versus Cowboys today. We'll start off
with the Washington offense versus the Cowboys defense. Got lots of storylines that hit there before we do that, though, Man, some interesting little developments here around the roster over the last twenty four hours, and one that I don't know if I would say it's even likely, but I think it's worth a discussion of a player that's been released and looks like he may be available at some point here.
So let's talk a little bit about first Lyle Collins.
At the end of our show yesterday, Patrick, you reported that the Cowboys are going to have him in for workout.
What were the results of that workout? Number one? By the way, I love that hat, thank you. What was the results? What was the results of the workout number one? And number two?
Where do we stand as far as contract, no contract whatever.
Collins was exceptional in the workout. Cowboys were very, very impressed, particularly with his physical shape. I saw him walking through the facility yesterday, so he certainly passed my eye test with Flying Colors. Looks in fantastic shape, physically went through his physical past that with Flying Colors, and they moved on to the negotiation phase as we speak. It is expected that it will land. It could land at any moment, but it's not official quite yet. We saw that Lyle
Collins was celebrating online yesterday. We'd love to see it. And via multiple reports, it is expected that they've agreed to terms, but sounds like they were working through just a little bit more contractuals to make sure things get done, you know, agreeable to both parties. But as far as the expectation for Collins win, which is what the expectation is when he comes in, He's not expected to take anyone spot on the starting five. He would be a
depth piece, likely going to the practice squad. So that's the latest. Barring any type of unexpected mishap with the during the negotiations, Colin should be rejoining the team.
Brian, tell me give mess scatter report. What was he at the last time he was playing.
He was not a good player. He was broken down, He couldn't move, he couldn't bend. One of the reasons why they didn't play mcguard is because he couldn't bend very well. Wasn't in great shape physically. He was beat up really bad. He was dealing with the back, he was dealing with the knee. You know, the Bengal are a team that struggles with their offensive line, and they clearly moved on from him. He just wasn't a good
enough player. The availability wasn't there either, So there was a lot of things about that experience in Cincinnati that that really didn't pan out very well for him.
Yeah, and that's the thing I assume at this point, at least from from what we're hearing, they think he looks good now and maybe that time away could have helped with some of that that physical stuff that was going on.
That may make him, you know, a little more available to the cow.
It wasn't quite Frankly, if he's a backup, my thought is you need him to just be available to you in the event of something going wrong with ty.
I think there where you look at this is he's they're clearly going to look at him as a tackle. I talked to somebody in an organization. They want him to play tackle. They didn't want him to play guard. So if you were worried about this, I think it's more of a protection about what's going on with ty
Uh with Tyron Smith that left tackle. Now, the problem you get into is Lyle Collins is a left tackle is probably not the best answer, But that give you the flexibility to move if you had to, if you had to move Terrence Steel over and let Steal play left tackle, let Collins play right tackle. You know, you know they've got a Doga. I'm talking to folks in
the organization about it. They're like, you know, if you had to play with Lyle Collins for one or two games, you could probably be just fine doing that.
That's kind of how they're looking at this right now.
Did this all come about because of a Doga's game? Versus Miami, where there were just lots of questions about.
The mental stuff.
Was that was I think that it was really more about that, I don't know this time of year, you have to trust your players, and I don't know from my experiences when a guy has a bad game where it turns into a mental are you making mistakes? Are you're making mental mistakes? Can we trust you in these games when they put you out there? And if they can't trust you, then they're not going to play you. The games are too important now you can't afford to
miss in any way. So that's I think that's why they're they're trying to Will has always done a good job of signing guys and trying to kind of cover his positions if he can.
And you know the fact that they're getting into.
The playoffs, you know, you don't want to bring if something were to happen to Smith, Tyron Smith, and you bring in, say bringing Lyle Collins the week up, he's not going to be ready to play. Now, you're giving him a chance to at least be ready to play, you know, in the coming weeks if he has to.
The Cowboys had already had Collins on their radar after his split from the Bengals for such an occasion. So if Chumi Ydoga had played well against the Dolphins, then it's all likelihood of Lyle Collins is not in the building. So that is in fact what caused him to pull the trigger. But they at least had Collins on the on the brain already. Well.
Also, you gotta be mindful of the Tyler Smith injury, which I know we talked about it on the show already yesterday. I think where it's more pain and he's got that injury, he's gonna play with it, but still an injury nonetheless, where you got to take that into consideration also, and they're dropping like flies, like you got to bring him bodies. You literally have no other people
you can rely on. And I remember back with like, oh, I mean, it got to the point where you just decided to release him, like okay, get out of here because it was that bad and he was just not being very I forgot he was. I know, he didn't he didn't want to play guard and he wanted to be a tackle or advice which one was it?
He was? He just you do what you're told, Just do what you're release Les.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, So anyway, I'm sure clearly what we saw on his Instagram, he seems to be happy to be coming back, so definitely something something and someone that's familiar with the offense. What year did he leave.
After twenty one? He spent one? Yeah, he spent one year with the Bengals. It was a three year deal signed March last year, but it only extended the one year.
So it's pretty different the offense from the last time.
He was the same quarterback, same tyrants. Yeah, so I mean as far as familiarity, there's.
Familiary different, but a lot of familiarity.
Here, so that helps with the players.
Maybe a different, different offense than what they were running back. Then, does this say anything for you guys about where they think Austin Richards is.
I think it does by default. I mean we talked about awesome a couple of weeks ago, if that, and I think they would like to see more from Austin Richards from Austin Richards before they throw him out there, especially as we approach the all important playoff games where it's winner go home. I don't think that they feel that there's a trust level there that they have with him quite yet in his first year development. If that were the case, he would have been taking snaps already
over like Chiumydoga, for example. But the fact that it's Chillingeydoga getting the nod again against the Dolphins instead of a guy like Austin Richards based on the importance of that game as well, it tells you where the team is and the coaching staff is mentally awesome. Obviously that doesn't mean that they're out on him, but most certainly they want to see more and I don't think they think he's ready.
A coaching deal. Yeah, clearly.
All right, let's uh.
One of the guy I wanted to talk about, running back Dalvin Cook.
He was released by the.
He had been on waivers.
He's not He's not on waivers, okay.
And now this morning, Well, when I asked somebody in the organization last night to comment about it, he had not been released on waivers.
So I'd be careful what you're doing.
Right, Okay.
Well, let's just put it like this as we have to do. Yeah, this is all just based upon us talking speculative.
There you go.
The reports are that he will be released and will be on waivers as a four PM today. That is what NFL tom is reporting, the NFL network is But so.
Last night at about six o'clock, he had not been on waivers.
So being clear, this is not tampering.
We are we are talking just among the four of us us friends talking about what the.
NFL dot com and network our report.
All right.
So all that being said, uh NFL team, all right, So let's just start there, though, Brian, I I want you to give me kind of a scouting report on Dalvin Cook, the running back. Obviously, last year I thought he was still a really good back in Minnesota. I thought Minnesota made a move that was probably more about money than ability. But then he gets to the Jets, hasn't played very much. I think he has sixty or seventy runs this year. So where is he right now in his career as a running back?
Yeah, he should feel real comfortable coming here and not getting any run block and if that's the case, because the same thing happens to him at the Jets. He doesn't have the explosiveness he once had. I watched a couple of games. Actually, with our ability, we can watch all his carries and his most productive game was against the Atlanta Falcons and only had thirty eight yards on the day.
He hasn't played a whole lot.
He gets limited carries, he still catches the ball very well. He does not pass block at all, and that will drive these guys crazy here because they rely on their guys to be able to blitz, pick up and stuff like that. He struggled to get to the edge the inside stuff. Again, they didn't block for him very well, you know, the handoffs, which just seemed very much of getting into the line. You know, we've seen him at
Minnesota with his ability to make people miss. He couldn't make people miss, but the Jets they just don't block, and so he's having to make a lot of people miss. I don't think the Cowboys are going to do anything with him, That's just my guess. I think they're you know, even with the situation I saw today there was a report that they put a dud on on ir now, so you know that's you know, to bring up Fooko there.
So we'll see.
But I think it's going to be about you know, getting Rico daddle back at using Hunter lipkey, you know, trying to get him some confidence or get the coaches some confidence. In him, But I really don't see them going after this guy right now if he becomes available.
And just to be clear for everyone listening, every veteran that is waived is subject to the waiver claim, So if a team wants him, they first have to place a claim, and then if they clear waivers, that player does then prede signed anywhere. I've gotten a lot of questions on that on yesterday because they're saying, well, what if it was mutual, it doesn't matter if he's waves slash released, got to go through waivers after the trade deadline. I don't think Brian's wrong. I would I would speak
on it. From my aspect, I would bring Dalvin Cook in because I know that to Brian's point, he struggled with his limited reps in New York, but it's also largely due to the fact that, well one, he's not as explosive as he was in his prime form. But that offensive line in New York is just it's abysmal. It's abysmal when I know that the Cowboys have had their issues blocking for Tony Pollard and that's been one
of the reasons that Pollard hasn't been as successful. But I would love to see if Cook can do anything here as RB three, and that means if needed. So for me, you've now moved Deuce font Ir. I wonder, and I said this yesterday, I wonder if Hunter Lip kids kind of stealing the doghouse from that fumble because it felt like it was it felt like he was in Looking at the last game against the Lions, I say, you bring in Dalvin Cook, you put him on the
practice squad. You have as much veteran talent depth at positions as you possibly can, which is one reason they're looking at bringing LiOH Collins back. Because you want talented, proven, veteran depth. You're going into the playoffs. You do not want it to be a situation where, knock on all the wood, you're in San Francisco in January with your season on the line and one of your top running backs goes down with injury, and you're like, where do we go from here?
Where do you stand with Malik Davis.
Last year going into the season, I had a lot of promise for Maliite Davis because I love the way he flashed last year when given the opportunity. But in seeing his three elevations and the lack of utilization from Elite Davis or the lack which goes to lack of coaching coaches wanting to put him into those situations. For example, against the Lions, they really beat that horse with Tony
Pollard absent Rico Dalda. That's a situation where had Elite Davis been able to be elevated, I would have liked to see what they've done with him. But I don't have a good sample size for twenty twenty three to make me confident right now going into the playoffs and Elite Davis. But I'm willing to see what that looks like.
If you bring in Dalvin Cook, put him on the practice squad, let him and Elie Davis kind of battle that out, and then if the situation presents itself where player X I'm not going to say names because I'm superstitious. If player X at the running back position goes down with injury in the playoffs, then you look at the leak and you look at Dalvin what they've done in the practice squad. Thus far as you say, Okay, that guy or this guy, I just want the option is well, if they're.
Not going to play Milik Davis are they going to elevate this guy? Are they going to ellen? Yeah?
Are they going to elevate I mean you're talking about that that there's not a big sample size and the elevations you weren't overly impressed with. Is there a reason then do you think they would elevate Dalvin Cook?
I think it's just it goes to one is proven, one is not as far as the league is concerned. In the league, so in the situation where playoff game might be on the line, if you lose one of your top if you lose this guy or that guy, you look and you say, well, Malik, we believe that you can do something for us. But we know what Dalvin Cook has been able to do in this league. And if Dalvin has come in in the practice squad and at least impressed in any fashion, then I say, okay,
you go with Dalvin. If he comes into the practice squad, minimum money, low risk, and he's not impressed, then in that situation, you say, okay, elite, get in there and let's see what happens. Not just the option is what I'm asking for. So for those that are and or speculating that those of us who would like to see Delvin Cook in Dallas. I know, because of the headline name, people say, well, why do you want him to replace TP? That's not what most of us are saying.
Do you guys feel like it's Pollard's fault or the line's fault that he hasn't had success this year?
I think it's been both.
Yes, I think it's been both, and I think at different times it's been both. Because here's the thing on the offensive line. I don't think it's one particular guy that's a problem when it comes. I think they all take their turn.
They the tight ends in their too right right.
I also think there are a number of times when I've seen where it looks like Tony has opportunities and just doesn't seem to get there, doesn't see the right hole to get into. So I think there are times when both things can be true, and if they could all get on the same page, and at least when when when somebody's gonna mess up, let them all mess up on the one play and you just put that one away and move on to the next one and
then get it right. I just think too often, too many people are making mistakes, including the line, including the tight ends and including the running back.
I wonder though, too, that the Cowboys did have an opportunity because he did become available, and you know it was named that we kind of kicked around, but they didn't go that, right. I wonder if they're I wonder if they're holding that thought still. And I wonder if they're holding that thought thinking that, well, we know we
like our guys, which they always say they do. And I wonder if though it's a situation where they're watching him play at the Jets and say it's not worth it for us right now because they're gonna have they would have to. You talked about the practice squad stuff and all that they're having a hard time finding roster spots for guys right now. That's that's that's you know, that's a big thing for them.
Here's the thing I would I would wonder. I think this decision for the Cowboys comes down to one thing. Do they think he can come in here and be a short yardage back, because that's a role that they clearly have not identified an answer for.
Right If they don't think that's the case, I don't know that.
I don't know that.
There's another role that really necessarily makes sense here, right.
See the thing about it is, if Hunter Lipkey doesn't fumble, we're talking about Hunter Lipkey, the short yard is.
Absolutely but after that fumble, they're not sold right now, right right, So that's my point.
They're still kind of searching for what's that going to be.
Who's gonna be our guy that we can rely on in those situations? And unless Dalvin Cook can do that, which it sounds like from your scouting report, yeah, you don't necessarily trust he could do that any better than anybody else.
I don't think.
I don't think Dalvin Cook gets much help with the Jets. I just don't feel like that Dalvin Cook is Dalvin Cook that you saw averaging six point two yards of carry against you last year Tooeah, Yeah, you know, I had a really good year that like he was a's it's it's really kind of falling apart for him a little bit. You know, he doesn't have the explosiveness that he had at one time and stuff, and it's really it's a strange.
And maybe say the same thing about.
Polar Can a running back ever get that back? Have you seen running backs get that back once? They're not that can they get that back. Could it be a situation where because you're not playing as much, you're not as.
Into us like Adrian Peterson and stuff that have gone to different places.
Yeah, but he's all time special, right, But that's.
But yeah, but that's what I'm saying.
If you know, you'd have to be It's it's hard once that goes away and you see you can maybe say that some of the things that Zeke's done in New England, you know, has been a positive thing that you didn't see with Dallas.
You know, I don't think that bringing down you bring him. I don't think much changes. I don't like the way that the Cowboys have handled the running back position from the beginning of the season. We can talk about the O line having their struggles, which is true and obviously it correlates. It goes hand in hand with the running back the running game. But at the same time, you saw flashes from Hunter Litke at the beginning of the year, we were excited about him. You saw flashes with Deuce
and you're like, Okay, we're intrigued, we're excited. Let's see he has the quickness of speed, and then all of a sudden he just disappears, right, and you don't. You don't don't give them the opportunity to be out there and get those reps, even though the other running backs are not being fully successful, and you talk about a good amount of time where you could have given them just sprinkles of it. And then this last game you
throw Inducevoon out of nowhere. Obviously you can't expect him to be successful being thrown like that back into the fire. Then Hunter Lipke with that fumble, if it was really a communication issue, you can't. You gotta move past that. And we ain't got time to be angry and medn't nobody We need, we need your help, and let's let's
figure this out, let's communicate, and let's get back in it. Uh, Milick Davis, I think it's unfortunate that we haven't really seen him because last year it was very promising everything that we saw from him. Honestly, when he when the starters came out, you felt like you weren't missing the starters. He was doing things similar to what you were getting with Tony Poller orco.
Everything was injured last Yeah, Yeah, that's why Malik ended up getting those reps last year.
And when he came out, they were still being productive. They were still running the ball, they were still getting into the end zone. I don't know how many touchdowns he ended up with, but given the small amount of reps that he did get, he took advantage of all of it. So it's just kind of unfortunate that you never saw him again.
What I think is should be intriguing to everybody outside is that they took they activated an edge rusher for a running back instead of replacing a running back. They're out of elevations with Malik Davis. They're out, So you know, if you had the opportunity to switch it back for a back, there must be something going on there, because I don't I don't see how Fojoko helps you right now.
I really don't.
Probably on the field.
I'm trying.
I'm trying like hell to get Fouler on the field. I can't even get him on the field, you know. And the one thing in this team is and I don't even want to talk about health. I don't even want to because the minute you start talking about it, it goes south on you. But that is that's the intriguing thing to me, is they make a roster move to get a edge on instead of getting a running back who probably could be a little bit of a
difference speaker. So maybe they don't really care about adding another running back one way or another.
Yeah, it might be going back to that. I think what you were alluding a few minutes ago. Maybe they really do believe that Lipkey's gonna be their short yardist guy and they're going to start working at and they gave themselves no more options, like, we don't have any other options.
There are no These are the three we got. That's our option getting.
Doubt back, you know, you get dabble back. I think we all like that the way that Dawdill plays.
No I'm saying I'm saying this is assuming that they made this move because they think Dowall's going to be back. Oh no, and they're believing in the fact that they're going to give Lipkey another chance. He's going to be incorporated into this thing, and that's going to be their three backs and they're going to ride with that through the playoffs because at this point Deuce cannot come back before put them potentially a Super Bowl.
I just thought, so that's too much trauma from January in Santa Clair, when I saw Tony Pollard go down, the offense looked completely different. Now I get it. It's also different in the aspect of this is much more of a pass first offense, yea than it was at that point, So that's also true. But yeah, I'm having those flashbacks. And again, me wanting Cook on the on the practice squad is simply because I want to feel
comfortable with my insurance options. It's not because we all know I'm on the record and we're all on the record believing in Rico dald Or what he can do, believing that Tony Pollard when he gets the right blocking and his vision is on that particular day, he can be Tony Pollard from twenty twenty two to twenty twenty one.
But in the situation, in a situation where insert like you know, hypothetical here, then I would like for them to be able to at least look at Hunter, Malik and Dalvin who's proven in the league, and say, this is what we've seen from each of you thus far in practice, we're gonna go with this guy or that guy that guy. I don't like the fact that, like what you just said, this is who they have so ride with it and not when the season's on the line.
Give me all the options, all the options, and just kind of let it sort itself out organically.
I think this team is only going to go as far as Dak Lamb and Parsons carries it. I agree that's where they're.
At right now.
I was gonna say, we're talking about injuries and what happened in the past, but I'm like, okay, either way, it's not being productive on or off the field, is still not happening.
So there literally has not been a single game this year where I would say the offense that the rushing offense for the Cowboys carried them to a victim. No, not a single one. So I don't think it's going to start now. So it is what it is. As you said, Brian, like, it's about can Dak and see if he get connected and do what they do.
I think we got a real That game against the Lions was a playoff game. It was a playoff game, and you saw what they did in the four minute offense to try and kill that game. They threw the football and McCarthy went for the win for it, and I you know what, now, I look at it, I applaud him to do it because he can't run the football. He knows he can't run the football, and so you know, he can run the jet sweeps and maybe get six seven yards on those and maybe hit a big play.
But it's gonna be about your quarterback who's done a great job of limiting turnovers. It's about an all pro wide receiver, and it's about maybe the defensive player of the year. That's what this playoff front is going to be about.
All Right, we're gonna take our first break. We'll come back.
We'll jump into the Washington offense and really kind of break down where they are now versus where they were on Thanksgiving Day when the Cowboys matched up with them. We'll be back, Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio.
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Back to the break, Welcome Back.
It is the second segment of the Right We Are a Lot from the SWEC Mortgage studios at the Star. This segment is brought to you by Blockchain dot com All right, let's talk about this Washington offense and Brian Washington plant. Going into last week, they had planned to start to Kobe Brisset at quarterback Hamsham he got an injury, yeah, and they were not able to play him.
Sam Howell ended up being the quarterback.
My question for you is which, let's start here, which of those two present the most challenges for an opponent, assuming that Brissett is healthy enough to possibly go this.
S week set is because he's not going to turn the ball over. That's the That's the thing. Sam Howe will turn the ball over. So you want to play against Sam Howe? Uh, you know, because the more you pressure him, the more he feels it. Then the more he makes mistakes. Brissett's likely going to get rid of the football. The opportunities that he's had when you've watched him, when you've watched him play, he's done a good job of moving the offense, not creating turnovers.
Uh.
But you know he's he's really good at making all the throws. How can make all the throws too. The problem is how will throw you one or two in a in a game, or he will make a He'll make a critical mistake in the pocket and set.
The reason why they wanted to start Set.
Is because that of that stability, they've still got outstanding skill people that you're going to have to deal with on this team.
So yeah, it's it's.
Going to be if if he plays, uh, I expect the offense to be a little bit more efficient. Uh if if Hal has to go, if you're trying to keep the second overall pick, I would play. How if you're trying to if you're trying to send Ron Rivera out his last coaching game ever, I think he's probably done after this. You know all the things he's gone through in his life, and he's probably deserves to retire now. But if if you want to win one for him, you would start Jacobe ressetting this game.
Okay, I want you to take your analyst half off for a second, and I want you to talk to me like you are personnel guy and your experiences in that realm in the situation like this, because you brought it up and it's interesting to me in a situation like's terrifying where the team, the team and their goals may be very different than the coach and his goals.
He knows he's out. He doesn't care about next year. Probably that being said.
Can I be the owner of the Commanders and handle it?
How do they handle a situation like?
All right?
If I'm the owner of the Commanders, I walk into Ron Rivera's office and say, we have the second overall pick of the draft right now. Ron, you know the situation. You've been around a long time. You know this is probably not going to work out for you. I'm going to make a change at the end of the year. I understand. I appreciate everything you've done, but this set an overall pick means a lot to me. It means a lot to our organization, It means a lot to
our future. If Ron backs up and starts to say, now I'm really going to try and go out and I'd like to finish this thing out and all that, I would say, Ron, you're fired. Just like that, I would fire him. Yes, I would fire him, and I would name somebody interim. It doesn't have to be Eric b Enemy. It could be the it could be the special teams coach, it could be anybody. It does that point you just want to I'll coach, I'll coach the team.
It doesn't matter at that point in time. So if the second overall pick to you is that important, we saw it last year at Houston. Houston had the first overall pick in the draft. That going the last game and Levy Smith decides to give the double birds to the front office and say, I'm leaving on my own terms here. If you're gonna get rid of me, I'm gonna go win this football game.
He did.
He made some decisions that won them the game, and you're probably wondering, why the hell you didn't do that earlier.
What do you tell the players in the Hey, guys, take it easy. We're not really trying to just.
Tell the head coach. Tell the head coach.
With the player is going to do what they wanted, what they need to do because they get paid to play and put them in the right position to win. Because from a players standpoint, if you're a player, what you put on film is on film, and you're trying to get a job next year, if you know, whatever the case may be. So that's why Brian said, you're talking to the head coach because you can't rightfully welcome to a player and say laid down, because they're not going to lay down.
And by the way, that's when you get hurt when you're not playing.
They're they're going to want to go out. You know, you have an opportunity to the players.
You can get the sense of it too.
Oh no, they know the situation. They know Ron Rivera is about to get fired. But they could also have the utmost respect for Ron Rivera as players and say, you know what, it's our fault that he's getting fired. We owe it to him to play hard this last game. And there's so much on the line for There's so much on the line for them. I mean, the second overall pick is huge.
That could change their fate, the second and fourth yeah.
Yeah, second or seventh, or the way they fall down the list even first. I mean, you know, you never know, So to me, I have that discussion with him if it's that important ownership. Now, ownership might step back and say, Ron, if you want to win this game, go win this game.
That's the fear I have playing this team.
Now.
They've got they've got a lot of talent, they've got a coach that they'll that they'll they really like, and they'll they'll try and play hard for But he has nothing to lose. He could go for every fourth down, he could go for every two point conversion.
You know he can.
As a defensive coordinator, he can blitz Dat Prescott every single snap if he wants what happens. Okay, Okay, that's fine, Ye, Dallas. The most pressure in this game is on Dallas. Indeed, that's that's the problem you run into. And I guarantee you people listening to me right now, they're going to Cowboy fans are seeing the thirteen and a half point spread and they're going, ah, broadest, it's the Commanders.
It's not.
No.
These are the types of games you worry.
About because the team you're playing has absolutely nothing to lose. The Arizona Cardinals, Yeah, the Arizona Cardinals last week, go to Philadelphi.
You know why they played hard. They played hard for their coach.
Their coach made it important like that was in a game like Mike McCarthy, that Green Bay game that was important to him and six seven other dudes that were on that coaching staff. You know that might that might be the game that Mike McCarthy had enough of. Kellen Moore, you know it just said, you know what I'm gonna I'm gonna start calling the plays.
Next year, I'm going to call him, you're gone. You know that these.
Games, they these types of games bother me a lot because the pressures on you to go out there. And Dallas hadn't exactly played great on the road. You know, tell me the last time he got a road in Carolina? Right, that's it.
Last couple of weeks time's been out hadn't been so good.
So I like, I say, Commanders have got to get to If as the owner, I would tell Ron Rivera we're going to lose this game, and if he doesn't want to lose this game, then I would fire him.
So often the phrase trap game is thrown around, and I just kind of batted away because I'm like, no, you know, these guys know what's what's up up for stakes, and not that they don't this week, but when you talk about this particular opponent, everything Brian said is what's terrifying about it because you don't know which Commanders team
you're going to get, No question you could have. You know that the ownership went to Vera and he conceded, hequiesked, and he said, okay, well that's fine, we'll start sam Our coach down, But then you don't know what you're going to get from the players. Maybe the player said, as we want to go out on a high note for Ron Rivera, and or we do not want the Cowboys to get what the Cowboys want to get on
our field. Or you could have it where the players have already started to check out and they're going to make business decisions on the field because they don't want to risk themselves to injury or things like that and not be able to play next year when the new regime comes in, maybe for a new team, whatever the case may be. You quite literally have no clue what
you're walking into. And that's what's terrifying, because one Brian said, most of the one hundred percent of the pressure is on the Cowboys for all the reasons that we're talking about. NFC East title is on the line. Number two seed in the NFC, which goes with at least one home game. You win that game, you get another home game that's on the line. We've seen how poorly you've played on the road, and then on top of that, you don't want a three and six road record going into the playoffs.
You need this win on every imaginable level and you don't know what you're walking into.
Yeah, the part that worries me the most about this game. In addition, what you guys are saying is typically this is the time of the year, and Nick always says this, and I think it's so true. Is bad teams lose these games sometimes because of what they're doing on Wednesday and Thursday. It's not that they don't give effort on Sunday, it's that they don't see any future in what's happening, So they may not be studying as hard, preparing as
hard on Wednesday and Thursday. That's when they lose them. Here's where the flip side of that comes. You're playing an opponent that knows you and knows you extremely well.
When you're playing a common opponent division team, then that kind of goes a little bit out of the window because on Wednesday and Thursday, a lot of that preparation you might have to do for an uncommon opponent you don't have to do for an opponent you play twice every year, Right, And so that's where I'm a little bit more concerned in this one that they have every incentive I think as players for the Commanders just to not let Cowboys do what they want to do in
a game like that where what it means it could mean the difference in how far the Cowboys going to the playoffs, because we all know road versus home is a thing for them right now for whatever reason, as they've said, for whatever reason, can't put our fingers on it, but for some reason, it is a thing you're and that's the part I think that gives.
The Commanders a little bit more impetus.
They like or the cow probably neither.
Will not be in their stadium on Sunday, so they're gonna be like, we can handle what we can handle, and I think that's gonna make it a tough game for the count.
Dallas's existence to to get to the super Bowl depends on this game. This game is this game. If you do not if you do not win this game, you're likely not going to the super Bowl.
That's just that's that's I'm just going.
To Basically, you're gonna say you're gonna do in three games, you're going to do back to back to back wins on the road.
You haven't done that yet. You haven't done that, So it's just you don't have anything to really put.
I think nineteen seventy eight was the last time they did that. That's how long ago this has been. I mean, I know it's history and all that stuff like that, but you know it's the Giants. Sure, but this team has shown you so far that going on the road for three straight games would be very difficult for them to win. But give them two home games. There's a good shot they're going to get to the NFC Championship game.
Ye good shot. And by the way, the weather may not play nice, so.
You well that has it has flipped, I've seen it.
But the temperature is still the temperature, so it'll be upper thirties at kicking.
But I talked about I don't worry so much about temperature unless you're talking like Chicago temperature. Right, I'm not worried so much about temperature. What I'm more concerned about is what's the wind and is the precipitation. Well, it doesn't like either one of those factors will be in it. So you give me an up a thirties day for grown men running around.
That's going to feel really good, like a breeze.
The game's gonna be a darkness at the end, and yeah, it definitely.
Will, maybe even by the beginning, like it gets dark so quick quick during this time of the year.
But again I just think for me, I was worried more about the precipitation, and earlier it was shown that was actually going to be snow that day in Washington, that worried me a lot. But without the precipitation, without the wind, I think Dallas should be.
My only concern when it comes to temperature is just the receiving game, and not necessarily for guys like Jake Ferguson who played at Wisconsin and you know those kinds of guys who know how you know, big tim they
know how to catch in those temperatures. But for the guys who you know, the southern bred guys, your Texas boys, you're Georgia boys, you're etcetera, etcetera, even without the precipitation, catching that ball and you know, thirty six degrees on, yeah, once the sun goes down, that hurts, and now you might be in a situation where it guess what you might need to lean on a little bit more running
game exactly. So that's why I look at the temperature as much as I would look at the precipitation as well. All of that matters, but most certainly, if you're a Southern boy and this is where you grew up playing football, you're maybe not Jake Ferguson, who's out there practice dipping his hands in ice water because it's it's normal for him. So that that's my only concern. And I say all of that to say I would love for the running game to get going against Washington and find some momentum
to take into the playoffs. I will love it. I need it. I need to see it.
My hope is at this point, living in Dallas, they've got used to that temperature because that's not an uncommon temperature.
Michael practice outside too.
Yeah, my hope is that they're comfortable in a upper thirties, you know, temperature type game. They should feel, I should think at this point, living in Dallas, you feel their own benches.
That's the question, Like that is the question. All Right, we're gonna take our final break.
We'll come back.
We got more to talk about.
I want to talk about Curtis Samuel because he was the Washington Commander's player that probably had the best day against Dallas last year. Talk about how the Cowboys control him. We'll do that when we come Backdallas Cowboys dot com Radio.
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Back to the.
Break, Welcome Back.
Final segment of The Break Live from the SWVC Mortgage studios at the Star Man. We've been talking and we just ran over. We ran over in both segments. We don't have much time left here. We got about six minutes, so let's see what we can do here. Curtis Samuel last game against the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day, caught nine passes four hundred yards?
Yes?
Is he how many play?
How many receivers have.
Gone over hundred yard against Cowboys this year?
He was the first.
I know he was the first, But have they had have they had one sense that? Because I know Tyreek did not? Uh, Saint Brown did not. I don't think he didn't go over a hundred?
No, no, he didn't. Ninety Yeah. I want to see no one.
Is he the only hundred yard receiver and he only had one hundreds?
But double no?
No, you're right, yeah, okay, So tell me how do they how did they put put the clamps on Curtis Samuelis.
You really don't because he's kind of like ceedee lamb and they're now moving him around all over the place. They've kind of figured these things out, and so what happens is when you try and double him, they put him in the slot, they'll move him, they put him wide,
they move him. He's the one guy that moves the most of all the Commander receivers, and so having to double him, I think it's going to be more more about trying to be able to play him once he's on the move, if he shifts from one side to the other, maybe you could bracket him a little better, you know, in and out the Cowboys play somewhat single high safety, though it's hard to you know, bracket guy like that, but you can maybe cheat, you know, cheat
hooker to that side and and help him. But I kind of feel like, though, man, they've done a great job in the history of Terry McLaren of covering him, and every time you're like, mcclarten, yeah, it's but yeah, he's so underrated as a player. Terry McLaren is, and so I always worry about him. But you know, you're absolutely right about Samuel. I mean, he's he's like he's second on the squad. Now in targets receptions, I mean he's only.
Had one drop.
I mean he's he's done a really nice job, super reliable player. But they're going to move him around a bunch, and so how you take care of him likely will be just some of the one on one coverages you'll have in that game.
When you look I'm.
Talking about I'm talking about Samuel now, not the mccla, but McLaren's good too.
When you look at what the Cowboys have done the last couple of weeks. Last week against David Montgomery, they allowed fourteen catches for sixty five yards of four point six average. Jamir Gibbs, who I thought was gonna to be the guy that was going to give them so many trouble, so much trouble, I had fifteen carres for forty three yards only a two point nine average. You look at that and then also add in what they
did against Miami running backs. What is the conclusion and left with about this Dallas rush defense.
Well, the good plan here, we'll see, We'll see if our guy Eric Bienemy stays true to form. He hates running the football, you know, he really does. And the commanders I always ask myself when I watch the Commanders, I go, why don't they run the ball more?
Actually thirty second in the league in attempts in rushing attempts.
Yeah, I said it in week eleven.
I really do like this group, and they just don't get the opportunity like others do. And the unit, like you just said, Derek, is last in the league in attempts, but they're first in the league. A number of pressures they give up. So why are you not running the ball? Why are you not trying to help your quarterback more? If this turns into a foul weather game, maybe you'll see them try and run the ball a little bit more.
When Dallas played in the first time around, their averaging right around four point seven of carry at four point five, but they don't run the ball. I think you have to be ready with this group. They're really a talented group. Gibson Robinson. They're really a talented group. It's a shame that they just don't use them more. The thing that you have to worry about them if they're going to throw the ball. These guys are really good with the screen pass stuff, you know, And that's one of the
things Dallas rushing Dallas pressure screen. You know, now it's out the gate and all that. So I think that's what you have to be worried about the most. But if the weather turns a little foul, a little nasty, stays cold, whatever, I wouldn't be surprised that they try to run. But right now, this is not in this coach's DNA to do that. And I think that plays right into the Cowboys hands that they don't try and run the ball.
It's a great matchup for the Cowboys in that capacity because you have the run defense trending in the right direction, yeap versus an offense that hates running the ball. So you know, to answer your question, I think the Cowboys run defense. I don't know that I've used the word fixed just yet, but it's definitely repaired over what it was against Buffalo. And I mean also when you look at the macro, more often than not, they've they've performed
well against the run. It's just when they don't, it's it's a really bad day.
Well it's when they don't don't. Plus the offense.
It's not scoring points for you.
So it's that combination of both. Absolutely, they've been able to do enough just enough when the offense is still getting into the end zone. But the combination of two is to.
Brian's point about the screen, I keep an eye on that when it comes to the Washington Commanders. But then I turned my direction and attention to guys like Donovan Wilson. You saw he was able to do the screen game. You saw Joey Lewis was able to do in the screen game. And then of course Marquis Bell, who's shown that he can knife through those will be blockers and get to the ball, to the receiver and bring down the play.
So yeah, what's which changed is their offensive line. Charles Leno and Chris Paul were the starters the last time these two play, and they're no longer.
Those were guys you wanted to do kind of attack.
Cornelius Lucas and Shadik Charles have kind of taken their place, and there they've done a really a better job. When you watch in the San Francisco game and all that. Trent Scott is the starter at right tackle, and they've had to do that because Andrew Wiley, their normal tackle, had an elbow injury in Week sixteen against the Jets, and so he hasn't played. We'll see if he plays this week. But Scott would be the guy. Trent Scott, the right tackle would be the one that I would
try and go after. And I think Nick Gates the center has some issues as well, So your center and your right tackle would be the two pressure point areas I would focus on if I was the Cowboys front seven.
And based on all that you guys just said, that makes me even more concerned that Washington's gonna come into this game and say, we've got really good running backs. Yeah, we've got a team that we're playing that we're afraid
to debt. They're gonna go get our quarterback. They did sack them four times in that previous matchup, and they go into this game saying we're gonna load up and we're gonna run the ball, and then we're gonna see if the Cowboys really have fixed this run defense, because I do believe that that's the smarter play for watching. I know they haven't done it all season, but as you said, they got nothing to lose.
At this point.
They may say, Hey, we're looking at what that what Buffalo did to them on the road. We think we can line up and do something similar. We got a better chance of doing that than trying to throw the ball around the yard against this pass rush.
Which which goes to my point that I met yesterday and Amburst point as well. This is why when it comes to Tyler Smith, I'm fine with resting him and then you bring him back for the playoffs. If Jonathan Hankins can play in this particular game, I say, you bring Jonathan Hankins back because you want to protect help protect against that, but also you want to get some Russ knocked off of Hankins because he's missed a few games.
Real quick, before we end the show, Nick did just text me and told me metcalf he was the other one hundred yard receiver.
He had six catches one and thirty one.
Yeah, he stay on your show.
Thank you, Nick, I appreciate it.
I was trying to get out of my head that recovering those sailors.
All right, we appreciate you. Guys.
Back tomorrow we'll jump into the Washington defense versus the Cowboys offense.
Tell them for Patrick Walker. Brian brought us an amber Garcia.
I am doing Rick Eagleton that this has been the break live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio.
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