Cowboys Break: Any Pro Bowlers?

We're alive. We're in the s WBC Mortgage studios at the Star. All right, Nick, Yeah, all right, Yet they look on your face like you in deep thought, got some good for us. No, that's not that's not a great way to start the show. You suppose always pretty honest for one, right, he was abbout to say, yeah, I got something really good for you. Interesting stat. Okay, throw it out there, yeah, throw out there. You know, in the last thirty years, they've cut a kicker in

mid season five times. Okay, made the playoffs four times. M wow m The other time was nine and seven missed it on the last week of the season. That sounds more likely. Yeah, like as bad as things are, and they're pretty bad. It's pretty interesting, weird stat if you were gonna bet, if you were gonna bet right now on playoffs or no playoffs, what would you pick? No,

I think I'd still say yeah. I think i'd still say I think I still say yes, not because they're good, but just because of how little you have to do to make the playoffs right now. Yeah, but you see, I will say this, I will say this. Somebody's I'm glad it's not me for a change. I would definitely still say yes, but I would be barely saying yes, Like I would be like, yeah, maybe they could, they won't, Okay, I don't know. I would say yes, But do they

win that playoff game? No? No, no, no, no, no no no. But I don't think anybody's necessarily saying that like that. But what what do y'all see? Like? How does it works? Only three games? So we can break it down. I think they got I think they win the two NFC East team. Yeah, Eagles up there. I'd see an Eagles team that is beyond banged up and heard Alshall and Jefferies now and I are so they're not getting him back and they got they got not a lot to

work with. I don't know where Lane Johnson's at, but he's not at one hundred percent. Oh god, oh god, And what is he gonna like at this point? It's not that Dez couldn't help somebody, but come in and week fifteen and all of a sudden be ready to keep saying on Twitter that he's ready. I don't know how I see it. I mean, that's just about anybody. Anybody's stepping it, hasn't played football at how long. That's just yeah, coming off an achilles by the way, that

the last time he was on the fields when he's achillies. Yeah, the Eagles are banged up, and the one thing Jason Garrett is actually pretty good at is winning in the NFC East. The Redskins obviously, I know, I mean they've they're playing better. They pushed Green Bay the other day, but I mean I still think the Cowboys can beat him at home. Yeah, well, I mean the Redskins can

definitely win this Sunday against the Eagles too. Like Sures. Actually, Washington has been playing a lot better here these last couple of weeks since the coaching change. I think, Yeah, I'm just I just I don't see any way the Cowboys winning this game, not really. No came coming back. That's the thing they do not have to If Darren Woodston comes back, you know and plays, maybe so, but I don't as people may not see that he was just walking by. That's the great thing about working in

this building, like just randomly people. Yeah, people just walk past it. Like I'll be sitting in my office and all of a sudden, Rod just stop back and walk by, and it's like, oh, that was just rock. You know. That's it's cool. It is cool. What's weird is when you're just sitting there and you and you look up and then Rowdy goes by on a skateboard or something like that, you know, like or Jason or Jason on Escape. Yeah, now that now we would all love No Worthy, We

would love to see that. All right, let's jump into this. Let's talk about some injuries. Catch up on where this team is with regards to injuries. There were two guys that did not practice yesterday, Sean Lee with a peck and thigh injury or injuries, and Layton van Dress, who we'd alred to talk about with the neck injury. Talk

to me about Sean. How serious is this because I mean, obviously, if Layton's probably not gonna play, then you certainly are really hard pressed to figure out what you're gonna do if Sean Lee also can't play. I don't think it's that serious, Sean. I mean, you know, Sean is Sean. We know all about his injury history, we know all about how the coaches prefer to manage him to keep him fresh. I'm sure he's banged up, but he was. He was upbeating the locker room yesterday. He was talking

as if he's gonna play. He was out of practice today, not practicing, but rehabbing with Britt Brown in his uniform, kind of getting himself right. I think it's, like I said, I'm sure he's dealing with something, but I think it's more maintenance than he might not play. All right, So there were there's a whole litany of guys that ever limited though any of these guys concern you, Michael Bennett, Lyle Collins, Jeff Heath, Byron Jones, Chris Jones, Zack Martin,

Tony Pollard, Antoine Woods. I'll speak to Pollard. I saw and return a kickoff just now at practice. He's good, all right, good to go. Jeff Heath concerns me like his shoulders are. He's in rough shape. Like, kudos to him forgiving it a go, but there's no way he feels good. When when a safety has bumped shoulders, that seems like a huge problem because your job is to tackle.

It's like a linebacker, and I would assume every time he makes a tackle it's extremely painful, right, I mean, that's where you get the impact, that's where you hit your body first. That's well. I was just talking about this with another writer and look, I mean, look, I get it. The team's bad. I don't and these guys make a lot of money. I don't expect you to

spend a ton of time feeling sorry for him. But at this point in the season, the stuff these guys do to be out there is nothing short of incredible. I mean, you know, DeMarcus Lawrence played half a season with a torn laboram Jeff is doing something similar right now. Tyrone Crawford has played through stuff like that. A lot of these guys are in a lot of pain, and you know, like I said, they're paid well to do it, but it doesn't make it less impressive that they can. Yeah,

but Chris Jones, is there any concern there? Obviously your punter, you don't just have backup punter sitting around, he's also your holder. Is there any concern with his injury? Well, we'll find out. I mean with if there's concern here, then they're going to go sign someone. So if they they don't do that, Like, I don't expect that to happen. I don't expect them to bring anyone on because if they were concerned, they would have to bring someone in like this week to try to at least on the

practice squad or something. Right. Yeah, I mean the fact that and he was out there today in the fact

that it's all right Thursday, That's what I'm saying. The fact that there really if there hasn't been any movement on that front by Thursday afternoon, tells you something that's not Forget the NFL is you know, really cracking down on injury report Like if he wasn't on it and all that, I mean, it just makes more sense to put everybody on it that you possibly can, because if you don't want a situation like what happened to the Lions, where you kind of something that creeps up quick and

then you put it on and then it's like, wait, why was any on there? So you just I mean, I'm not saying these guys aren't banged up, but I think any of the slightest thing is gonna put you on the list. Yea, all right, here's what's gonna do. We're gonna take an early first break when we come back. Before we get to our scatter report, which Dave's gonna give us on the Rams defense, I want to talk about the Pro Bowl voting. Today is the last day for provol Pro Bowl voting in I want to toss

out once us out a couple of names. You guys, wait to see where your thoughts are on whether Cowboys will have any guys representing this team in the Pro Bowl or should have guys representing this team in the Pro Bowl. Will do that when we come back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. I'm Jay nova Check, former tight end for the Dallas Cowboys. Back in the day, I was the guy who always got the tough yards

and that's why I run with John Deer today. In fact, I have a John Deer three zero twenty five E tractor that can handle any yard work I need to do, even the tough yards way out back. So if you have one acre or a thousand, John Deer has the equipment that's just right for you. Visit a John Deer dealer today and run with us. We are the official

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give me an ass, give me an all given? What does that spell? So? So are we gonna win? Just? Okaying is not okay, whether it's cheerleaders or your wireless network. At and T is America's best wireless network. Best network based on GWS one score, September twenty nineteen. Back to the Break Welcome Back. It is the second segment of The Break Life and Nest WBC Mortgage Studios. At the start, we're gonna talk a little bit about Pro and we

do have to talk about it. This is the final day of fan voting, So if you feel inclined as a listener to go out and fill out your ballot, then take your time to go out and fill out the ballot. But I did want to throw out some names to you guys, get your opinions as to whether you think they should or will make the Pro Bowl.

All right, somebody they are. And so when I throw out the name, I want you to tell me whether you think they should and whether you think they will, because I do think a lot of these will have different answers on should and will, right let's talk first about Tyron Smith. Should Will I'm still gonna say should yea and Will? And I think that's a testament to how how good Tyron Smith is that this hasn't been

a phenomenal season for him by any stretch. And he's I would, I mean, he's definitely one of the best three left tackles in the NFC's to ask how many games has he missed? I haven't any. I mean, okay, you got you got box tri in Green Bay, you got which I've seen him this year, have some shaky moments. You got Armstead in New Orleans. He's dealt with injuries. It's two games missed, two games. I mean he's had some penalties. Yeah, you know, he's had some penalties. He's

given up some sacks. I don't try to tell you he's he's been at its best. I still think he's one of the best two or three tackle left tackles in the FC. Yeah, I think so. And I think it's a testament to how freakishly good he is that you know this is a down year for him, because the vast majority of teams would take this season in a heartbeat. So we're all saying should and will see perfect.

We should have made this a sea an all right, Zack Martin should end will see still playing at a really high level, Spide injuries again, still one of the best handful of guards in football. Again. And it goes down to like, if you follow boxing and you're the champ, you don't just get like some split decision and take the title. I mean, you're gonna have to really beat him.

And so who is better than I mean, Zack Martin and Tyren Smith are two guys that are I mean, they're they've been holding the belts for a long time. And again think of him like Quenton Nelson might be a better guard than Zach Martin. He's in the AFC, and you got to think about it in terms of conferences too. All right, let's move on Mark Cooper. Oh, that's Will. That's one of those I'll say, Will, That's one of those ones where like we're in the bubble so much that I can't even like, I'm I was

about to say, should. I think he's had a really good year, but how does he stack up? I mean, Mike Thomas is gonna make it christ like a backup, you know, like somebody else is unable to go right now. He's fifth in the league in receiving yards, behind in the league behind Michael Thomas, Chris Godwin, Mike Evans is two from his hamp big Buccans say, I'll say j DJ Moore and then Amari Cooper. All five of those guys are NFC yea, yeah, DJ Moore is having a

nice year. Three of those are in the NFC South. None of those guys are beating out of Cooper and all that like, like, except for Michael Thomas, except for Michael Tomah And it's because of cowboys, which and that's that's a huge part of it. He's a really good play He's good. No, he's he's had a really nice year. I think he and I don't have a problem with that, honestly, And you think he should. Yeah, all right, let's move

on to um Dak Prescott. I think he I think you will make it for sure because of all the stuff that will end up happening. But I bet he gets voted in anyways, Let's be clear about this right now, he is number one in the league in passing yards, and I know everybody still goes back to you know again, quarterback is the only position in the NFL where they track win loss record or where people assigned and a

win loss record to a player. But all that being said, you look at just the overall stats and you're comparing him to other guys in the league. He's right up there near the very top with regards to especially in the NFC, but right up there at the very top. You think about the other backs that are being mentioned as those really great quarterbacks this season, they're all in the AFC. Yeah, I mean, the one guy is Russell Wilson. But when you look at the other guys that are

their teams are up there. You don't have to put Cousins in. You don't have to put Drew Brees. And he hasn't. He hasn't had a great year. If Breese had had a full season, I would say, but he has, Yes, Jimmy Gee, I mean, I don't know, I don't know what his stats look like, but they're very they're similar. I mean, he's got a thousand and fewer yards than Dak, two fewer yards per attempt. I would say right now, the three would go would be Russell Dak and Aaron Rodgers. Yeah,

and I and then one of those. I mean, I wouldn't like I would have a problem if you tried to name Dak first team All Pro and I mean Pro Bowl has I don't want to say it's hollow, because I still think it's impressive, but it's just not as hard to make a Pro Bowl these days. You can make you can be the eighth quarterback in the league and get in. And Dak has made the Pro Bowls on the strength of lesser seasons than this, Like, I mean, this is yeah, I don't have a problem

with him, Benn either. I think Zeke next, I think, yeah, that's exactly where I was gonna go. Zekiel Elliott, same thing, same I just I mean, who who else? I mean, I know he's fifth in the league and rushing in the NFC. Obviously, Christian McCaffrey, obviously, Dalvin Cook, that's after that, that's really I mean everybody else's and Ky Gurley hasn't had an amazing season, and everybody else is kind of

part of a timeshare situation. You start going down the list farther as far as yards would be there where Zeke was. You got guys like Chris Carson, You got guys like it's a lot of AFC guys. You have to go all the way down to fifteenth. Aaron Jones. That's an interesting one because he has had I think a really good year. I don't know if you would say he's better. He's had a better year than Zeke, but he's had a really good year. He's got a lot of touchdowns. Yeah, one way or another. I think

fifteen is his number. He's been pretty good. Um, yeah, I don't how do you really judge this thing? When as far as voting, how you looking just to the stats? Well, there are two things. The fans vote based upon whatever they mean. It's a popularity contest in some respects. But then the other parts of the vote are the players. And I'm sure the players are necessarily worrying as yeah, and I don't think they're worried necessarily as much about stats as much as they are when we played this guy.

And that'll be a big part of I think how fire players vote last year. Yeah, go ahead, just we were saying thinking the same thing. A good example of that which surprised me is that Byron Jones could get in without making a pick, without getting interception. It's never happened in Cowboys history, and so that that just goes to show that it's not just stats. People are looking a little deeper than I think. The advent of you know, everybody can watch all twenty two Pro Football Focus is

throwing out these grades every week. People are breaking down advanced metrics, and I do think people are paying more attention to just your baseline stats. But at the end of the day, that still carries a lot of weight. So you know, we mocked the segment to start with, and here we are, we got like six guys going I mean at this point, we we have not I don't think we've not said any of these guys shouldn't

be going, right. Keep now go to the offensive line, A perennial Pro Bowler and Travis Frederick Well, I wasn't gonna throw his name out because I didn't think that he was play but let's talk about it. He's made what four Pro Bowls? He's not gonna make it this year. Nobody's made more Pro Bowls in Cowboys history than Jason Witton at eleven. You don't think there's a chance Travis makes it just because he's a Dallas Cowboy. There is a chance. I just don't think he would make it.

I just I'm gonna say no, I'm not sure, because he did have a year removed, so somebody did have to replace him. Kelsey in Philadelphia easy, the guy, I mean, the rookie in New Orleans. McCoy's playing really well. I don't yeah, I mean, I'm not trying to dog Travis. I'm not convinced he's played a Yeah, I couldn't see Witten making I mean, I'm trying to think of the other tight ends in the NFC. But honestly, got go ahead, No, you go ahead. I was gonna say, you definitely got Hurts.

He's definitely gonna get in. I mean, if you're talking about name and and just because he's been so good the last several years, because he would be, but he would be the guy that would get to NOD before really a good year at all. He did not right, but he's not. I don't even know if he's got more catches on his on his own team than Goddard. It seems like Goddard had Goddards, Goddard could be a consideration. What does this? What does this tell you? Though? That

answered the question that we were talking about earlier. For all, for all of their awards, Dak has played some really bad games. The offensive line hasn't been on its level. We got let me throw something until you don't. I don't think the offense is the main culprit in zach Ert problems. This year leads the league in receptions for we're tight ends. What yes, seventy nine? Next closes got

seventy five. Travis Kelsey, he just wasn't what what we've been accustomed to him doing, Like he's been putting up wide receiver type fantasy numbers in past years. This year it's probably the same thing with Travis Kelsey. I had him in my league and I was like, kind of disappointing. But for a tight end, it's still I think y'all are really good production spoiled by the fact that he literally set all the records right yere right, Um, But you got guys like George Kittle and yah Zac Garts,

and these guys are gonna get in. Even a guy like Austin Hooper probably gets in before Jason. But I will tell you this, Jason Witten right now is seventh in the league in the league in receptions among tight ends, and what is he in the NFC. In the NFC, that would be one, two, three, he'd be fourth, two offensive linemen, the quarterback, the running back, and Amari. I think that's that's on the offensive side. That sounds defense. All right, let's not talk about the defense. No, let's

start talking about the defense. Uh, let's start with Tank. There's is nine of the guys that have more sacks. I don't think either. And now he's made it with less sacks. But this year, I mean no, I don't think and I and I think he has. He has played better than a lot of people want to give him credit for. Still not convinced. That means Robert Quinn he can't. He can't. Forgot his suspension was for for

portance enhancing drugs. So he's He's the one guy that I would really feel adamant about putting in the Pro Bowl, and he can't make it. Sorry. Jalen Smith neither. No, I'm sorry, Will, I'm sorry. Will. I forgot the game, Yeah, I forgot. Should he probably? But I think, I honestly think, I'll say he absolutely will make it to the Pro Bowl because he's leading the league in tackles. He is a Dallas Cowboy, and there's eight of them that get invited,

and somebody's gonna make the Super Bowl. Somebody's gonna have a Nie Scope. Somebody's just not going to feel like doing it. And so even if he's not the league's first choice, eventually he'll make it. Here's another reason why he will or he definitely could, is because you know you have to kind of jump in there and beat somebody out that's doing it for years. Well, one of the linebackers in his way, he was late in Vanderish and he's out for this year, you know, to not

make it in the Pro Bowl. So there's a spot available that was there last year. It you know, it definitely could happen. But you guys think he should. No, No, I don't think even I mean do we I know, I know that we've seen a lot of plays where were like, man, that wasn't very good, but it is

something to be leading the league and tackles. I mean that that is something right that actually that that kind of plays into what we were just saying about Byron though like typically you're yes, that is like the metric people have always used. But we have all of these avenues to tell us the real story. Now, it just it just doesn't mean it's much. I can separate my feelings from just I just can't separate how I feel

towards him at this point. And then, you know what really really bothers me is one the whole celebration thing. And I'm not talking about this past game. You know where he did come back and apologize. I'm not talking that specific, man, talk about the zone you're talking about. I'm talking in general general. You know, where the defense is not necessarily performing well and the kawis are not necessarily winning the game at that point, and then you make it play and he's like, oh, let me swipe

or let me join somebody else's celebration. That bothers me so much and it shouldn't, but it really does. And it just it makes me not necessarily dislike him, but when I look at him playing the way that he does, it makes me be more critical of him. You know that makes sense. Shout out to Brian brought us. I think today is his birthday. Birthday he would have T shirts. He had T shirts had a lot of sayings. He has a T shirt that said f FOFL. First to

finish last. Yeah, finish first or finish last or something like that, and uh, this is the year you would wear that shirt. Yeah, okay, because they are fighting for their lives. And I think people all have a problem with with you know, this is the biggest game of the year right now. I mean, you got it. You got to hang on. And on Wednesday before the game, you've got a guy saying, hey, don't forget to vote for me for the Pro Bowl. If it's his account,

if he runs it, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter because you know, if somebody is the ghostwriter of his account, which is definitely could happen with him. I just think that that's a bad look. It's tone death is what it is, and it's him. I mean, it's it's not aware of And then if he wasn't aware, then just look at the comments underneath. Yeah, it wasn't pretty. It didn't go well. So anyways, I mean, I think you have a problem with that is what she's saying as well.

But as you know, do you know what the record is for most tackles in a season for Cowboy? Oh gosh, probably like one eighty something. Ye Eugene Lockhart two hundred and twenty two tackles in nineteen eighty two twenty two, they went one and fifteen that year. Somebody had to tackle. Somebody made tackles on on a bad team, and you probably get a lot more opportunities the worst of the team. And that's that's what I'm saying. I mean, the lead

in the league. Does anybody remember do you even remember the name of the tight end that went forty yards on the screen in Chicago? I already forgot his name. You know what I'm talking about, though? Right? Well, somebody got credit for that tackle? Is that good? Is that? I mean? Is that an impressive thing? No? I mean there's something to be said for making tackles, but you'd rather see tackles for a loss. That's not all that

that you'd want to tell you a lot more. Not all tackles are created equal, right, Um, But I do think the popularity of the Cowboys and the stats and the fact that a lot of guys bow out means he'll probably make it if I had to guess. And let's also be clear about tackles that you know, the NFL does their own set and the Cowboys, I mean, the other teams do theirs. So he's got one hundred and forty one total tackles. I bet you the NFL

list is less than that. That's discrepancy between team stats and league stats is crazy because I'm ESPN credits him with one hundred and twenty right now exactly, and right now that actually puts him second on I'm on the NFL's website, and right now the NFL has him second, tie for second. The guys ahead of him both NFC guys Back Martinez and Bobby Wagner, Jordan Bay Seattle, and then Jordan gets his tie with him one hundred and twenty.

So there are guys in the NFC who have as many, if not more tackles than him, and you would probably argue that those guys are probably having better seasons as well. Yeah, without some of the negative plays that he's had. One of those guys is going to need biceps surgery, and one of those guys is going to make it to the Super Bowl, etc. So and if Jalen gets the call, I mean he's in, oh for sure. Okay, one other guy real quick, Byron Jones, should Will you know what?

I think? Byron is having a really nice season and it's not fair. But like he rode the momentum of that wind Street last year to the Pro Bowl, and it was like, well, look how well their defense is playing. And a big part of that is because this guy's locking down his side field and they're not even looking over there. But it doesn't feel as important when you're not winning games or playing well. And so like he was probably better last year, he was better last year,

but he's still playing well. But it just kind of gets shoved aside when you're not winning games. It was like an alternative to me, do you think And then again, if somebody's hurt, somebody whatever, then maybe squeaks in. I just think there's a difference between like, well he doesn't have any picks, but look like he's locking it down for this number five defense for a team that's eleven and five. Did they go eleven and five last year

or ten and ten and six? And they were the three seed in the playoffs, four seed, so four they were they were seen as like a hot team riding that way of going in the playoffs last year, and this year, if they make it at all, they'll just be limping in. And I think stuff like that matters. I agree. So basically, they're gonna probably have as me when this thing gets announced, they're probably gonna have as mini Pro Bowlers as wins. I've written that story before.

Oh they had five wins at five Pro bowl I mean, it'll happen like that. It'll be very close to whatever their win total is. It to the Pro Bowls nine. We were at six to seven on this on this list, so it's gonna be the same. It's gonna be right there. And there are guys that that because of their name recognition, could still make that jump to fair I know, he only has what four and a half five and a half sacks, but again, Tank could see the same thing happened for him, and he's been to the Pro Bowl

enough to kind of have the name recognition. Cam Jordan could be in the Super Bowl. The Neil Hunter could be in the Super Bowl. Like again, you kind of win. Know. Then the list gets narrowed down as guys drop out for various reasons. YEA, all right, we're gonna take our final break. We'll come back and we're gonna get into the Rams. Dave's gonna tell us about their defense. We'll also take some calls. In the final segment, you can call us at eight eight eight eight five five two

to nine seven. This is a break ready, okay? So are we gonna win? Just okaying is not okay, whether it's cheerleaders or your wireless network. At and T is America's best wireless network. Best network based on GWS one score. September twenty nineteen. Ladies and gentlemen, it's that time again for tailgating with the Auterbox boys. Autterbox the company that builds wildly overproductive phone cases the one and only, but cases are just the start. Auterbox is the official outfitter

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has the tickets to the events you love. It's the easiest way to find, buy and sell tickets. Plus, with their deal score technology, they'll recommend the best seats in the house at the best value. So the next time you're craving this, download the Sea Geek app and let's go see Geek. Hey, Cowboys Nation. This season, when the Cowboys win, you get to experience the sweet taste of victory because if the Cowboys win the next day, Duncan

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Welcome Back final segment of the Break Lift. Miss WBC Mortage Studios at the Star Nick don't miss a chance to take a photo with Santa at the Stars holiday season on now through December twenty fourth, and go to the Fans Team set on Fans United at the Star. You also have to pick up some gear there along the way. Visit the Star in Frisco dot com slash Santa for some scheduling details. Check it out, check it out, check it out. We want to do that. Oh, we

got that, we got the thing. We got to work thing. But that actually might be a good time to do it. Anyway, we could just run through there, shouldn't take long. You can actually get an appointment. I'm here for it. We need to take that photo. You gonna be around the while we've done the RAMS defense yet, Nope, what we're doing here, we will. We're also scheduling our picture. Come on, get in the freaking spirit of the holiday. I'm all

confused on our scheduling on our breaks here. I guess pro Bowl took up a lot of the time there, a lot more than we thought. If my mentions are any indication of our listenership, they'd rather we talk about coaching searches than the RAMS defense. Anyway. I just don't think that's right with It's not the building, it's not that. No,

you're right, you're absolutely right. Not right. I'm just saying if anybody's just chomping at the bit to hear this Rams defensive preview tweet me because I bet you don't exist, That's all I'm saying. But I am okay, you know what. And we're professionals, damn it. Yeah, and that we do our jobs no matter what exactly. We come to work. We bring our lunch pail every day. The Rams are good at defense and they've only gotten better since they

traded for Jalen Ramsey. That'll make you better. Only time will tell if it was smart. Honestly, I still don't think it was because why they gave up two first round picks and they have not signed him yet. He's not obligated to stay with them. I mean they can tag him. But when's he up this year? Yes? Or sixteen seventeen, eighteen nineteen, so he's got He's got an option year and left year. Yeah. So I got this

year plus another year. Yeah. It's a lot to give up for a guy that you immediately have to pay, much like a Marii Cooper, but they gave up even more h and but he is right up there with the very best cornerbacks in the league. It's just scary and the Cowboys are going to have to face this problem too. Once you start paying these guys, it's no longer like it's no longer a fun little luxury that you draft well. You have to like, you have to draft well once you start paying these contracts. So I'm

fascinated to see how the Rams do it. But for now, they have a lot of talent on their defense. Aaron Donald, you know all about him. Jalen Ramsey, you know all about him. Eric Weddle is there still a good player? Obviously training towards the downside of his career. They kind of, you know, I don't want to overhype him as as Bruce Smith, but Dante Fowler they've kind of resurrected his career.

They got him from Jacksonville as well. Disappointment of a top five pick, Clay Matthews, name after name after name. Obviously not all of them are on that level, Like Clay Matthews isn't who he was in Green Bay. And then a fun name that you probably remember from draft season, which is Taylor Rapp fund stat that I pulled off of Twitter. Taylor rap and Jalen Ramsey joined the starting

lineup the same week Week seven. Since that happened, the Rams are allowing fifteen points per game, which is right up at the top of the league, and they're actually leading the sack leading the season, leading the league in sacks since then, They've got forty three on the season, thirty since Week seven, which is very good. And Ramsey is a huge part of that. Rap is a big part of that too. It's it's pretty classic Wade Phillips in my opinion, Like you've got you know, he loves

cornerbacks that he can just stick out there. He won a Super Bowl with to leave and Chris Harris and Ramsey's right in that lane too. And actually Troy Hill, who's playing opposite Ramsey now that Marcus Peters has gone, he's doing his job really well too. And it allows the Rams to just kind of freelance. Donald is doing his thing and rap is really sorry, I know you're gonna but one more thing, rap Us, He's basically freelancing as a little bit of a Rover do everything guy.

He's got forty tackles a pick, three tackles for the loss, and five pass breakups and he's only been starting since Week seven. Sounds like something that Cowboys could use. Oh no doubt. Well, I wanted to throw out two. You mentioned these two guys, Dante Fowler and Clay Matthews. Right now, I guess how many sacks those two guys have. Just take a wild guess. Honestly, I don't even know off the top of my head. Nine and eight. Yeah, there you go. Yeah, yeah, and you got Aaron Donald to

deal with in the middle. If you want any they get after the quarter. If you want some basic math, they're averaging four sacks per game since Ramsey came on board. And I don't want to overstate it, but when you have a guy that can take away the field like that, it frees everybody's responsibilities up. So they have three guys over eight eleven, nine, eight? Is that they're Yeah, I don't know what he has eleven, okay, Yeah, so they have nine and eight. Fouler has nine, Clay Matthews has eight.

That's the top three. Yeah, cowboys have nine and a half five and four. Yeah, that's incredible, like Donald, that's down production for Donald and that's more than but but he gets double of course, that's exactly right. Yeah, it looks very it looks very similar to what we saw in the playoffs. Like technically I mean it's a three or four defense, but that's misleading because you know they can They'll put as many as five guys on the line like Brockers, Donald and then their nose tackle um

guy by the name of Sebastian Joseph Day. Like they're down all the time, but then Foller will come up to the line, Matthews will come up to the line. So it's very amba like Rap plays down with the linebackers a lot. So it's it's very multiple, which I mean that that sounds like Wade Phillips to me. It's you know, I think you know, Garrett Garrett said it this morning. He was like, you know, they don't they haven't really changed what they're doing. They're just doing it

at a much higher level. With Jalen Ramsey, um, he you know, I would assume he's going to follow Cooper a decent amount. It seems like they had him follow Dk metcalf a lot last week. I'm concerned argue that that Amari will have to deal with Jaylen because I think back to the Science Game, and I think part of the reasons why the Cowboys, maybe a big part of the reasons why the Cowboys offensively really couldn't get anything going was because of Mari was basically taken out

of that game. And I think Jayalen has the same ability. Jayalen Ramsey has the same ability. How much you guys are concerned that that will happen, and it will. The Cowboys haven't really shown a propensity when they don't get him involved, they haven't shown a propensity to be as good offensively. I think you know, that caller called us yesterday about like just getting the ball to Amri, and I think we sort of disagreed with him. But this is a game where making him a priority could pay

off because and obviously Jayalen Ramsey's super good. But DK Metcalf had six catches for eighty yards in this game. And that's the thing is like, it's not you know, he's not going to the house, he's not burning you deep. But I think Ramsey's willing to give that stuff up. It's like, you know, you can run your ten yard curls all day, I'm not going to give up the big play on you. Like again, Metcalf had a decent day,

but he didn't kill the Rams defense. And I think I think there's some willingness to give there just like you know, make you make your twelve yard games all you want, but I'm not gonna let you kill me. And so but if you make it a concerted effort to get Amari the ball, maybe by a pure volume you can make a difference. But what does concern me about that scenario is Ramsey's the kind of guy that'll

make you pay if you make a mistake. And if Dak isn't pinpoint accurate, I'm talking he's off just debor on time. Those those times this year when we've seen him make a throw where the defender had hit his hands and drop fell down, it ain't Ramsey. If it is his hand, it's probably going the other way and there's a chance it might go to the house. So he's that kind of athlete and that kind of cornerback. That's the part that concerns me a little bit of

the combination of both. He's going to begin pressure the whole all throughout the game, right with all those defensive guys, So at him feeling that kind of pressure and then him being able to throw precise I just don't see this going down very well. I don't know it definitely that definitely concerns me. I think if I had to rank all the concerns that you could have going into this game, that probably right up there is maybe my

top concern going into this game for the Cowboys. A lethal combination, you know, of the two of just like she said, the Donald and those guys up there, because you gotta get the ball out quick. And Jalen Ramsey's good enough where he's not gonna get beat quick, so he's gonna be right there. And so it's gonna take Amari Cooper running some great routes and they have to

scheme some guys open. Dak's accuracy, but his timing too, like there have been so many instances where he found a guy late and that enabled the cornerback to break up the ball, etc. You know, he's he's gotten away with a few potential interceptions and you can't count on getting away with it against Ramsey. So it's gonna have to be precise on timing and accuracy. And we know this Rams defense can stop the run. Actually, you know, talking about the Pro Bowl, Corey Littleton, who is like

not a household name by any stretch. He's right up there at the top of the league in terms of tackles as well. He's got like one hundred and fifteen and like I mean, Taylor Rapp, the solidness of the coverage on the outside, like he's freelances and he had a great play from him last week where he just basically diagnosed to play before he got going shot through the gap and got the guy at tackle. Four losses. That's the kind of stuff you don't regularly see from

the safeties here. I hate to knee jerk, and you know, draft picks are about multiple years, but Taylor Rapp and one Thornhill are both kicking ass and it's a bummer to watch. One of the things that can certainly help you against a defense like this that seems to be very aggressive, especially getting after the rush the passer is misdirection screened, those kinds of things. How much do you think the Cowboys will be willing to do those Because we've seen him in some games have a little bit

of success. They haven't had the same sustained success doing those kinds of things, but to me, it's because they don't really stick to it. You think that they could maybe stick to keeping them off balance by doing a lot of those things to take advantage of an overaggressive defense. Well, they keep saying this is under their control, They control the situation, they control their own destiny, and they're still

writing this story. So I guess it's up to them to really think, are they really willing to switch things around at this point of the season or are you going to stick to what you've been doing and clearly not working. So it is up to them to where do they want to go, what do they want to do? But I don't the Cowboys see when we talk about the pressure that Dak is going to be feeling, that is the kind of quarterback that he can't get rid

of the ball that quickly. It takes him time to digest what is going on on the field, maybe not because of his own doing, but guys maybe trying to get where they need to. What do you think it's he can't or do you think he doesn't because I'll make the argument I think in a lot of instances, Dak is his own worst enemy in that regard. Not because he's processing it's taking too long process. I think

sometimes he is waiting. He is waiting for something to come open, rather than taking what's available to him and that gets him into trouble. Yeah, well either way, it still gives you the same result, which is it's not it just it takes him way too long. So I think that if they add different elements that allows him to make throws short throws, not loan throws, and find those guys closer and just take it little by little

and then slowly get into the end zone. I think that's gonna help the Cowboys big time and hopefully allow the mistakes and lower down the mistakes and not allow him to throw those kinds of interceptions or get the ball away and like Zeke and when they him be dropping the ball creating those kind of mistakes that we've seen him before. Because the Rams they're gonna take advantage of it. They're gonna get that ball and get it back.

So I'm curious to see how the Cowboys managed to come up with different types of plays to help him them in this game. Well, we will see a real quick which shouts out to Derek who threw this at me on Twitter, which massive oversight Lyle Collins I think deserves to make the Pro Bowl. Wow, I'm missing I

didn't even about that. I think that's an interesting It goes back to our point though, is it's hard to make the Pro Bowl for the first time, like you gotta get think you gotta get there the first time, and then it just kind of snowballs. And I remember we had that conversation with Dez, we had it with Tyrn. It sounds stupid in retrospect, but at one point it was like, is he gonna make it this year? Like

he's played really well. I wonder, like, I hope this is the year for Lyle, Like I mean he should if somebody the best of everybody on the offensive line, he's right among the whole offense. I think he's had the best season. And yeah, that would I mean, again, the Pro Bowl doesn't mean what it used to maybe, but that would be cool for him. Definitely. Go Tigers. All right, appreciate you guys joining us. We are back tomorrow. We're gonna wrap this thing up for you and let

you know who we think is. I'm not sure your Mike's working, to be honest with you, all right, is it there? You go? Okay, we're gonna be back tomorrow. We're gonna tell you what we think as far as who's gonna win this game on Sunday until then for Nick Eatman, Dave Hellman, Ambergarcia. I'm Derek Eagleton. This has been The Break live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.