Cowboys Break: Big Questions Through 8 Games

Season thirteen, episode number seventy. Welcome to another edition of The Break, live from the s WBC Mortgage Studios at the Star. It's gonna be a good day today. We're

gonna have a big picture look at the NFL. It's the mid season Cowboys that finished half their games, and we're gonna give you guys an idea of what we think across the board, just looking at the team in a big picture way, what we think about different players, different parts of the team, and hopefully set you guys up for what will be an entertaining I'm sure second half of the season. How's everybody doing good? Awesome, awesome?

It's getting ready for tonight? Just getting ready for tonight. Oh, I know I know where you're going with that. You're gonna watch it live or I don't know, no, no, not live, not live. He's talking about you know, two years ago. On a year and a half ago, Kent Garrison actually said, do you know they're coming out with a Rick Flair thirty for thirty And I was like, no, they're not. It's like, yeah, they are, and they've been

the hell out of it. Oh my god. I mean when you do that, when you gotta promote it, because it's it's almost like ESPN screaming like we we cover wrestling too, Like you know, you don't have to watch Monday Night Raw, you can watch us. That's gonna be awesome. The amazing part about it is that people that have been watching wrestling for a long time, they're watching this thing because Rick Flair. I mean, like that's wrestling. Yeah,

we were kids, definitely that was wrestling. You know, I have three of those little wrestling figures up on my desk up in my office. He's one of them or the other two, uh sting, which you know he's a fan of of the Dallas Cowboys. Yeah show yeah. And then of course the all time greatest Randy matchamat Savage for a minute, am I cooking. Let me take a look at this. Huh, very coy. A lot of charisma, the most well knowing, the best looking, the best dress,

custom made, the longest drop of all time. Role I watch ramas. Can you tell kens excited? He's excited, But he cannot be the most excited on our staff about this. I would think it has to be Rob, right. Rob's probably the biggest wrestling fan in our group. Right, Rob's the biggest. No, He's one of the biggest wrestling fans I've ever met in my life. Yeah, right, like not our group. I mean you just be like in the world. Yeah, WrestleMania nineteen, he'd be like Toronto Triple H against the

Rock loser leaves Town match or something whatever. Yeah, all of us today, Okay, all right, let's get back barrass anyone. But does everyone know Rick Flair? No? I never would have guessed that we would start this show off with with Rick Flair. Pro wrestling. Yeah, but hey works, Hey, most pro wrestlers used to be football players. So they're talking a lot talking. Actually had sting on last year. Let's oh yeah, when he was here, he was on

talking Cowboys. Look that up? Yeah, look that up? Yeah, all right, all right, let's get into let's talk some Cowboys we've got. You look at the NFC East right now, Cowboys are sitting in second place. They are at the moment a wildcard team. You got the Philadelphia Eagles in first place at eight and one. They'll have a bye this week. Cowboys are at five and three, will go to Atlanta. Washington at four and four plays Minnesota. That'll be a tough game. Minnesota now at six and two

and leading their division. And then of course the Giants, they're one and seven and they'll be facing the OE nine San Francisco forty nine. Is that should be fun? That's my steam. Somebody will be watching that, I'm sure. All right. So here's the interesting part though, when you start looking at the wildcard race and some of the teams that are involved there. Right now, Carolina is the other wild card team at six and three. But listen to these other teams that are kind of in that

mixed with the Cowboys and the and the Panthers. You got Seattle at five and three, got Atlanta at four and four, Washington and Arizona at four and four, Detroit at four and four, and Green Bay at four and four. And the best part about that for the Cowboys is there's only one team in that mix that has a head to head tie break over them, and it's the one that's going the opposite way, which is Green Bay

at four and four. The rest of these teams either the Cowboys have already beaten them or the Cowboys play them at some point this season. So everything sits right in front of the Cowboys. Here's the question for you guys. Who scares you? You You look around the NFC right now. Aaron Rodgers is obviously out of the mix. Who scares you in the NFC at this point? That's second circuit cord or something like that. Yeah, that's that's the scariest thing you gotta face. Three judge three judge panel in

New York is pretty scary. Yeah, that that right there. And I'm not trying to funny. That's it's true. That is true. I mean because we feel like with Zeke and they can they can compete with it. I mean they can beat anyone handily. Really, um Dick can compete with anyone for sure on any place. And and we know that this league now is and I said to the other day, it's it's becoming a sixty forty league for fans. So you got to go on the road and win, but you'll have fans there at home. You

got to deal with it, you know. I mean Dak's trying to like quiet the crowd and like that only down in that chief's end zone. Like that didn't help, you know. So I'm just saying this team has a chance to win with Zeke, but with who scares you? I don't know. I'll let Dave answer that. Who's who scares this team? Well, our listeners have let me know how much they don't appreciate how much I respect Aaron Rodgers,

which so he's not an option. So if teams that have just like next level Hall of Fame caliber quarterback player are always going to worry me, Like that's the great equalizer, which so gods are one in seven day, I know that there's another team though there's another team, which honestly I don't. Oh, I don't so this point believe that they're as good as that six game winning streak indicates. But the Saints are rolling, and when they are,

that Superdome is a tough place to play. Is he the only quarterback that's that's in the NFC, that's kind of in the hunt right now, that is better than Dack definitively, Yes, I mean, I mean there are other guys. You would say it's right there with Zak, and you can kind of Carson Carson Wentz is playing better than Dak because he's doing it there. Their success is a lot of because of him. Cowboy success is a lot

of him and Zeke. But this, this goes back to the conversation we had two or three weeks ago, which Breeze is probably the only guy in the NFC that is inarguably a better quarterback than Dak. I think Russell Wilson probably deserves getting there. He deserves some credit there. And if you just want to talk resume, then you gotta throw Eli in there. And but he's not in the mixing right No, Yeah, but I mean he's about

his out of it as Rogers Breeze. Bree he's in RUSS I think, or unless I'm just really forgetting that. I mean, he's a guy that's taking his team to the super Bowl. We had this conversation though, like he's Doctor Jekyl and mister High. Yes he can be now old song, Oh, But who's who says that though? Is it Teddy Riley? I think it's Teddy Riley. Matt Matt Ryan, and Matt Stafford are probably on that list too, honestly. I mean, you're just talking about playing the quarterback position.

What they've done and what they can do. You can say that they're better than Dak right now, but I mean Dak is trending that way, and I'm certainly I'm not willing to concede on the Dak Wentz argument anytime soon. I mean, that's gonna be fascinating but also annoying for like the next decade. It's that debate quarterbacks. It's kind of funny when you when you have one that you really like, you might argue, Okay, this guy's better, his resume is better, or he's playing better, but you're not

trading anyone for him like you wouldn't. There's no one that's the end exactly. That's a trade for Dak talking about for a game a season, for a season. That's I guess that's kind of my I mean, the only thing, the only one that came to my mind was Stafford because I think he's in the prime of his career. And I think he is right now, of all those guys you mentioned, I think he's probably he's right up there with the way he plays and how much has heaped on him to be able to get his team

to win. Yeah, I think he's up there with those those Yeah, you're right. I probably would trade for Stafford two for one. And I'm not saying I would. That just gave me pause, Like that's the guy I think about it. You're right, he does a lot with less I mean, you know, it's like, oh, there's up doing it back there fumbling the ball in my fantasy game away and umtually one lesson the guy that was I was playing against was ahead of me and then he fumbled.

You're talking about your fantasy game right now. Absolutely am and awful. Radio. I don't care what you have to say about that, Mara. Yes, I would ask y'all to do that. I didn't ask y'all to do either. We talk about her lives day, We do talk about our lives fantasy football and can be. I don't think they do. They absolutely do. You know, it's it's a big deal for them mud hounds and mad dogs. What the mudhounds?

What a mad dog about your awful fantasy team, the mad Dogs, mad Hounds dog whatever they are, what is it mad hounds? Excuse me, the mud hounds, the mud mad Dogs. We were right there. We were close. The winning is team in all football. That's your fantasy team doing that's a thing. This morning is just gonna responsible today, one and done. She played last year, Yeah, last year. It's too stressful. Yeah, it's because we did an auction league. I'll never do that again. That ever, that sucks. Ever.

All right, here's what we're gonna do. I want to because it's the midway point of the season. I have some questions for you guys. We're gonna do like a mid season recap, and these questions again, are gonna be big picture questions about this team. And I want each you guys are going to go around the table. You guys, each give me an answer. Feel free. I'm gonna give you options, but feel free to throw in another option if you choose, if you think there's a better option

out there that I missed. All right, so' gonna start the first question. Defensive player who has had the biggest impact de Marcus Lawrence shan Lee or David Irvy you want me to say de Marcus Lawrence, No, I don't the answer. The answer Sean there you go. Yeah, the answer is Shaun, which is on this side of the table. Yeah, am Er, what do you think you agree with that? Well?

I think Sean Lee, Yeah, you've it's been super noticeable the impact that he can make in this defense, especially you know when he's not there, you see how much that affects the team. But at the same time, I would say de Marcus Lawrence, he came this season, he came in doing so well that I think it just feeds off everyone else on the line and it helps everyone everyone, you know, play better. And I think he

was a great impact. He's been great as well, No doubt you can make an impact for all three because David this defense is now take it to the next level. Since he's gotten here, he's got what six sacks in what three four d four four games? Yeah, he's on pace for like eighteen or something like that. I mean, it's that's amazing. And then you know DeMarcus has done and he's I don't think he's leading the league anymore in sacks, but I mean he's right there. He's only

half off Yeah, he's he's right there. He's played outstanding. I can't believe he couldn't get eight straight to start the season. At his first game with no sacks came after Halloween like that. Just it's remarkable when you put it in that perspective. But I really am at the point they would have won at least one of those games, Rams or Packers. They would have won at least one if Shanley had been on the field. I really do believe that. Definitely agree with you, I really do. I

mean just probably probably the Rams game. Probably the Rams, but one way or the other, I really think that would have made I mean, you're talking about razor thin margin of error. Like if he makes three plays, I mean he sniffs out a screen to Kareem Hunt that might have gone for a seventy yard touchdown, and he had at least one tackle for loss on Tyreek Hill two on one of those care I mean, those players make difference. That's the difference between Todd Gurley splitting the

defense going fifty three yards for a touchdown. Aaron Jones is his name, Aaron Jones the Packers. I just don't see one hundred and fifteen yards out of him. With Sean Lee out there, I mean, I just don't. I just think he'll stop the drive earlier, they'll sniff that stuff out. And but yeah, so to me, the answer is Sean Lee. But those other two guys are really good. It really illuminates how much injuries just matters so much

just one guy. Because even think about this, like you take you take right now, Aaron Rodgers obviously out that team would have been right up there at the top of the NFC in my opinion, and right now they are going the other way, and they're the way they look last night. It's hard for me to fathom them even making the playoffs. There I'm I'm stealing. I'm stealing this line from r. J o'choa, who's one of the

you know cowboys. He covers the Cowboys. He does really good job of it, for whatever that's worth, but he the twenty seventeen Packers are the twenty fifteen Cowboys. Like watching that team last and just trying to make it work with less than great quarterback play. You've got some playmakers on defense who are trying to make it work. But I mean, it's not like they got their doors blown off in that game last night. But you just you gotta have quarterback play in this league. You have

to ye, all right. Next question, who was or will be missed more David Irving during the first four games of the season or Brian Price during the rest of the season. I think it. I think Brian Price has been playing well and they are thin at one tech, and you know, depending on what they do here, that

could be something that matters. But I'm not I'm not ready to give him that kind of status just yet to where you know, I don't know that it's going to drastically change what the defense looks like without him. They signed Nick Haden yet, Is Nick Hayden still around? Is he available? I do wonder about that though, I mean, logic I don't know if he's around. I don't know.

Logic says you would sign Lewis Neil because he's not a one time I know that's but you carried him on your practice squad, you liked him enough to keep him around. You almost put him on your fifty three. And these guys always tend to favor their guys more than somebody else's guy. But he really doesn't fit what they need right right, and That's exactly why I asked this question the way that I did. I think conventional

wisdom would say it's David Irving. But I think when you look at the way this team is constructed, and you look at what they have on their practice squad, Brian Price really was their big body. They don't have other big bodies. I actually have Ash now, Yeah, but I don't think he's the same Like I don't. I don't see him as like you look at Brian Price. He is just a mean, he's a just a massive dude can full of dirt. Yeah, and they don't have it doesn't seem like even Ash. I don't think it's

that kind of guy, Like he's not that big. And and I just I was actually hoping before this game, I was saying I really wanted them to do more with keeping Brian Price in there and rotating Malie Collins at three technique with David Irving because I thought you would get more out of Malie Collins, you know. But I think right now, I just I don't like what

they have left at at the one technique. I don't think they have a guy that really these just a you know, basically suck up two blockers and consistently be able to hold a point of attack like that. Well, let me throw this out. Let me rephrase what I was trying to say. It's Tuesday morning, and we haven't heard anything about workouts, which we probably would have if

that was normally happen. Yeah, like tuesdays, that off day they get into practice tomorrow, this would be the day that they'd be working guys out if they were planning on signing somebody from outside. And maybe they will, but typically we hear about those types of things late Monday night, early Tuesday morning, and I haven't heard anything. No, I haven't heard anything about a workout. But don't forget that

they have worked out guys on a regular basis. And you know, I'm sure they're keeping track on these, you know, defensive tackle or if there was one in the last few weeks. So, okay, this guy's good or not. I just wonder, and again I could be wrong. Maybe they'll work a guy out, maybe they'll just bring a guy in. But you've got Irving who can play tackle, You've got Tyrone who can move inside. You've still got Malik and

Ash there. You could call up Neil and I'll say it for the million of time, even though they don't want to do it. You could also play Taco at tackle if you wanted to. So they got the options. They don't have that big body. I agree with you, But well, they'll keep they'll keep having. The assumption will be they'll keep Malik at one technique. He'll still be your one technique. Ash will be a guy that rotates

there with him at one technic. Right, and then you can Neil probably gonna if he gets thirty one teams out there with the practice squad of ten guys, I guarantee there's a big body out there. I would take him. Just just just go grab a big body. Yeah, he's got to be on your roster for three weeks, but that's okay because Brian Price is going to be you know, on ir. Yeah, I'd be interested. I mean, Malik has been playing one and Ash can play one. Maybe call up call up my guy, the LSU guy, and see

if he dish the past. I mean, I mean Jay Ratliffe was an undersized guy too. And I mean I'm not to sound, you know, like Lou Holtz here, but I'm just saying, you know, you can't underestimate the guy's heart. I mean, he this guy's here. You got it this far, and I know that. You can just see him in the locker room talking. This is talking about Lewis Neil. He's chopping at the bit to get out there. I don't I don't mean, who's to say that he won't

do something? And I get well, and I guess my point is you don't have to call him up to play one because that's where the injury was. You can play him at three and have some other guys. It's kind of massage it a little bit, but he can do something. All right. We're gonna take our first break. When we come back, we'll continue this game. We want to talk about the best win, the worst loss, best rookie, most disappointing rookie, and of course who's been the MVP.

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from the s WBC Mortgage Studios at the Star. We are going through our midseason review and I'm asking these guys questions about the team. Let's get to the questions we got. The next question is which was the best win? When at Washington with a one thirty three nineteen Week eight or the Week nine victory against Kansas City where they won twenty eight to seventeen. That's those are the only options. You feel free to throw in others if you like. Now that's I mean the Chiefs, the chief skin,

It's it's got to be the Chiefs, you think. I think it was the best game they played as a team, offense, defense, and special teams. I think it was the best team they've beaten to this point, the only one with a record above five hundred right now, if I recall correctly, Arizona Arizon's four four. Arizona and Washington are both best team, they played, best performance just all. I mean, they dominated a team that I expect to be in the playoffs. So that's yeah, that's the one. Yeah, it's the most

impressive win. It's probably not the most important, but it is the most impressive win. But I'll switch it up, but I'll say that the one two weeks ago was was a better win. Um not from a surprising standpoint, because obviously it picked the Chiefs to win the game, and I am surprised. But at the end of the day, beating the Redskins was probably a better win because not only is it a division win, it's a conference win to the Chiefs. That doesn't really affect you as much

other than win lost records. So I'll just I guess would just be different. I mean, I mean more impressed with the Chiefs win, but that one going they're winning in the rain like that, doing it the way they did, the defense, shutting them down like that, playing limiting their mistakes in that monsoon, and getting that win, getting a defensive touchdown, getting Byron Jones to make play. That's big win.

And the most important part about that is they went on the road to get that means they still got to play watching it, but they get them at home for the second game. Amber which way do you go? They were both great, But I would have to say against the Chiefs, I thought they would have a good battle against the Redskins, but I still had in mind that they would be able to beat them. So I'll just go with the Chiefs because I definitely didn't expect

that outcome. Okay, here's a little tougher question. Which was the worst loss at Denver where they lost forty two to seventeen in week two, playing versus the Rams where they won thirty five, I mean they lost thirty five to thirty in week four, or playing Green Bay where they lost thirty five thirty one in week five. You want me to say Denver, I do not want you to say Rams, it's the Rams or I mean you can throw green Bay in there too, because you have to.

We're all painful. Has to be the Rams. They they lost because of themselves. Yeah, when you lose because of that, then that just so. Are you guys not buying into the Rams because it does. I get the impression listening to you guys talk about the Rams those things where the Cowboys should have won. I don't care anything about what the Rams have done after that. I'm just talking about the sixty minutes that we watched. They were better football team. They shouldn't have lost that game. They really

how Boys were better football to Cowboys were better. They shouldn't have lost. They made a mistake there. They let Here's here's the difference of how they've grown. They let a horrible mistake just kind of change the whole game and they couldn't recover from. I'm talking about Switzer's fumble this time against the Chiefs, worst mistake. They were able to overcome that and not let it snowball, so that there's some signs of growth there. But I think there's

really no excuse for I mean that excuse. The Rams are playing well, they're better than we thought, but they should have won that particular game. In my opinion, it's got Yeah, it's got nothing to do with whether or not the Rams are for real. It's got everything to do with holding an eleven point lead at home against a I mean, going back to that conversation, like, is Jared Goff that Aaron Rodgers type of quarterback that you're just kind of have to tip your cap. I don't

think so, at least not yet. They're talented team. Obviously, they're they're in the front running to maybe even get a buy in the playoffs. But you got a team down by multiple possessions at home. You need to win that. I mean, going to Denver, one of the toughest home field advantages in football, playing against that defense on a rainy day. Okay, stuff happens. You lose to Aaron Rodgers with a minute to go. Okay, he's a Hall of Famer.

But the Rams, that's even if they win the Super Bowl this year, I still won't think that will be, you know, a justifiable loss. And I'll say this too, I would like now Aaron Donald is going to be a beast regardless, but I would like to see Jonathan Cooper now against him. Um, I think it's gonna be different. Yeah, I think Jonathan Cooper is playing much better. I think the offensive line is more a cohesive unit. And I think I think you would see a better showing there

than than you saw there. They still score thirty points, but I think they would be better there. I mean, Sean Lee there. All I know is is they could have to might have to play at the Superdome, might have to play at all these you know Seattle, they have to go to play at the Coliseum against the Rams in the playoffs. Like okay, okay, that's fine. Whether it'll be great, it'll be half Cowboy fans there. That would be of all the destinations they could have in

the playoffs, that sounds like the most attractive. Yeah, And that's not disrespect toward the Ring now, it's just that everything he just said as opposed to Minnesota as loud as hell. Oh man, the Saints are loud as hell and have a Hall of Fame quarterback and there. I mean, I know that Cowboys fans travel and it's close, but super Dome off game. No other outdoor stadiums left in the NFC that are at the top, like Philly is

the only one. Philly. Yeah, because I'm thinking this is the team what I love about the Cowboys what they did against Washington where I think this team, better than any of those teams were mentioning, has the ability to go into inclement weather and really be able to play well much better than their opponent can. And I just don't know if you're gonna have a lot of those opportunities most seasons. But I don't remember exactly what we were just talking about, but it was something about home

field advantage and whatnot. I like this team on the road way better than I like. Yeah, just for whatever that's worth even though you mumbled it. I agree with you. Yeah, yeah, I agree with you whenever it's like a side whenever, whenever I feel like I'm saying something that might not be popular with management and owner. You think you say lower into the microphone. Yeah, exactly, awesome, Yeah, eventually you think you can have all No, I don't think when

the Chromos are playing it at home, they're good. But they're a lot better on the road than they are at home, in my opinion. Like it all right? Next question, who's been the best? Rooca the son? Jordan Lewis, Xavier Woods, Xavier Woods, Xavier whatever, Xavier, Xavier whatever. I noticed that you say that, But the basketball team that wins games is x The word is Xavier, that's how you should

pronounce it. But Xavier Woods pronounces it xavier and it's his name, So I'm gonna, I mean, is that technically the correct way to pronounce the word. Probably not, but that's what he wants. So okay, feel free? Yeah, wow, Xavier. Okay, there you go. Who's been Who's been better? No? No, no, that was the question. The question was best rookie shouts I'd say Jordan. I'm a big fan. I think we're forgetting someone can't no, who no, forgetting one of the rookies.

He's coming, you'll be in the next question. So let's just say with this Woods or Jordan Lewis, big fan of Xavier Woods. Jordan Lewis got no training camp, no preseason, came in on a moment's notice in week two, and he's probably not gonna make the Pro Bowl. But he has been solid. He has been really good. I mean, I can't think I know, he got beat by Josh Doxon pretty bad in DC on a but a dropped pass. It didn't wind up coming back to bite him. I can't think of a lot of other players where he's

been like noticeably beaten up. And at this point his career, did you say the touchdown which one oh Adams? Yeah, But I mean, but at one point you see those kind of plays, that play doesn't bother me. Yeah, I don't think of that as like, oh, this rookie that Aaron Rodgers. They should have run the ball, perfect play ball, a great catch and he had good coverage. That that happens, that's the NFL. He shouldn't have been in that position in the first place, and he broke up the first one.

I mean, like you, that's a fifty fifty kind of situation. He got fifty. I mean, I for a guy that didn't have a training camp. I don't know how you could want more from a third round pick who's starting in his rookie season. Yeah, he's been he's been good. So Jordan, Jordan, Jordan, everybody, Yeah, all right now most

disappointing rookie UM Taco Charlton, Ryan Switzer, Chidobe Ewoozia. I'm gonna cop right out of this and just say Cheeto because he's he's not playing, and I mean it's not his fault, but he has He hasn't played since Green Bay and he's only played in three out of eight games. Cowboys are optimistic he might finally start practicing this week. Maybe he can play against Atlanta. But he just I mean, he was a top sixty pick. He's the guy. He

I mean, he was. You thought he would, you know, have a prominent role in this defense right away, and he just hasn't happened for him. This is a good one. You can make a case for all of them. You can, Um, I mean, I'm gonna Gowitzer hasn't done anything. He hasn't done anything positive for the Cowboys. He's he's affected games, but he hasn't really affected them in the right way. And let me clarify the question when I'm saying disappointment disappointing.

Disappointing has a lot to do with expectations. So with that being sid, who is who's been the most? Like when we when training camp started, even the rookie minicamp, there was so much hype around Ryan Switzer that you expected it to turn out pretty good, you know, once he got out there on the field. Now on Taco, speaking of Taco, I would give him the advantage of just being like, okay, the position, it takes a while to learn and to the point she's trying to make.

The day one talk on Taco was this is gonna take some time. He's raw. He's probably not gonna do that much. The day one talk on Switzer was like dunbar punt returner going to the house seven times, like all that. I mean, he was the leading returner in college football. I get yeah. I mean I'm going with a lot of different voices a day. I mean, this is like in a world where Lance dunbar Is at Los Angeles ran. The Cowboys needed a new punt returner.

His name, Ryan Switzer is the newest here you go, So I get what ambers I mean, there was a lot of hype on Ryan Switzer and not much of it has materialized to this point. But he is also a fourth round pick. And let's not forget he missed what two or three weeks ye siderable time, He magnificant time. He missed a junk of training camp. No, no, I don't want to clarify those words. I'm just saying it was.

It was a good amount. I mean, for me, the thing about Switzer is my expectation was that I didn't expect much from the receiver him at receiver. I did expect him to immediately come in and give something with punt returns. And not only has he not really been the guy expected there, he's actually made mistakes there that I thought were a little bit and seemingly uncharacteristic of a guy who is who is so proficient at returning

punt and quietly benched quietly, yeah, he was benched. I mean, his job is to be the punt returner, and that's really what he does. And they're saying that when it gets down to the ten yard line, they're gonna put a guy that doesn't practice as much as him, that had a concussion the week before, and he's gonna make him the safe punt returner. That's a problem. So, I mean they're basically saying that when it comes to making

decisions down there, that Beasley is better than Switzer. He probably just doesn't do it all the time because Beasley actually runs route and play I mean, and it's more of a part of the offense switchers out there, but he doesn't do it as much. So I still I agree with everything y'all just said him. But Cheeto not playing. I mean, Chito was supposed to be one of the four or five, like, I mean, he was going to be a real member of this secondary and it just

hasn't happened for him. You know. That's the epitome of disappointed, but very injuries versus performance. No, sure, but I mean he just he just disappointed that you haven't. Yeah, he hasn't made an impact on this season whatsoever, which again, I mean, yeah, I'm not it's not his fault. It's just a statement of fact and one of the things that I think that disappoints me there it with Cheeto specifically, is that he actually was out there during training camp

more than Jordan Lewis. And so if you would have told me, okay, by mid season, one of these players will still be battling a hamstring injury and the other will be out there playing and playing pretty well, it would not It would have been the flip, and I probably would have been a little less disappointed that Jordan Lewis wasn't doing it because he was battling this hamstring thing. Going back that far, it just kind of flipped. I

have never been really down on Taco. I really haven't either because the expectations right, hey, yeah, I'm okay with it with him, I'm in I'm in a weird place. I think I said it a couple weeks ago, where like I said, the expectations were never high. He was always going to be a project. I think it's fair to expect a little bit more like when you're talking about your first round pick getting seven snaps a game and not showing up on the stat sheet, that's problematic.

But if he I think since he started playing a bigger role, since de Monterrey Moore was released. I mean, he's got a sack, he's he had some pressures in San Francisco. His performance since the bye week has been on par with about what I wanted. But the first five weeks, I would say not so much. And it helps that you've got the guy leading the league or right up there in sacks and Crawford on the other side.

If Benson Mayowa was having you know, had one sack and was ahead of him, and Ebony's or Ecuban was ahead of him, then that's one thing. And I was just about to ask you that question, is the success of the defensive line? The reason why you're not so because you feel like, hey, Taco has time because these other guys are playing so well. If they were getting very little pressure in very few sacks, I think there'd probably be a lot more pressure, like why is this

rookie that's a first round pick not doing more? And I'll say that there's a I don't know what category he would go in, but a rookie to be somewhat excited about. And I know you don't have to say sell this to Dave, but Noah Brown, from from a standpoint of he you know, young guy does his job. He's already got that NFL body. He's gonna he's gonna

kind of keep getting better and improving. And I think that when you're talking about free agency and next year and all that decisions that they've got to make, I think they're gonna be really happy with Noah Brown and getting the playing time that he's getting right now. I mean, I know he was an active this last week, but they try to get him active. I mean, if if, if they have a chance they make him active and he has a little bit of a role by going

in there and blocking, he'll be Okay. This may be a really tough question to ask, but I'm gonna ask you guys, anyway, is his upside as good as say, an undrafted guy like a Miles Austin is. Does he have that kind of potential or is he just one of those guys that his ceiling is kind of He can be a you know, he can be a thirty catch a year type guy that really blocks well and makes a few big catches for you here and there. Like, what is his upside? What what do you think is

the max for for where he can go? I'm I mean I'm not trying to cop out, but I don't even know how you answer that. Well. I think Miles Austin, though it was a phenomenal athlete like now, it took him a while. You know, he had to run a lot of you know, routes in the backyard to really get to the point where where he is. But but you know, I just had to go out to the house run some routes. It is true. I wish we had, uh, mister Garrett on the talk a little bit about that.

That'd be nice. He's watching tape. But I think that it's hard to compare that to Miles, because Miles it took him at while. He didn't he just kind of blew up there in Kansas City that day. And that was and I don't did you see that coming now? That to me will go down as one of the top five games of all time. No, did you see Miles Austin coming out the years before that? Did you see anything in him that said, man, I think this guy really had no if he can ever get over

the this. A week before that, I was like, this guy, get him out of here. The week before it was Denver. I guess he didn't play. Well, it's like, what are they still doing with this guy? And then he had to start a game and then he just had two fifty and another dumb we've been and then he was

off and running off and running for two or three years. Literally, we've been I mean, we've been saying that since the draft really and it's a good comparison though it's well, the well he has that body, right, he's he's got He's baby Deaz, That's what I'm trying to say. And it's ridiculous for me to say that his ceiling is eighty nine catches, eleven hundred yards and sixteen touchdowns, which for three or four years there, that's what Dez was

reeling off. But he's that type of receiver, like he's he's not the eighty yard Antonio Brown guy. He's the red zone mismatch. And we saw him make some plays like that in training camp. We saw him make some plays like that in the preseason where I think it was the rams where he just shook off a bunch of tacklers probably would have gone to the house if he hadn't just had a case of the whoopsies fumble. Yeah,

just randomly fumbled it. But he is a big body like he can box defensive backs out, he can go up and high point the ball. He's a good blocker like. I think he could be a receiver in that des mold. Whether he'll ever reach All Pro status, who the hell knows, but he has that type of potential to be that type of player. We'll take our final break and come back. We'll talk about who has been the MVP for this

team during the first half of the season. I got two offensive guys for you, and I got two defensive guys. We'll do that when we come right back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. To work this big land, you need equipment with values rooted as deep in Texas soil as you are. Like John Deer compact tractors with a six year power train warrant to him. Big features that help you work less so you have more time

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a good one here, all right. Tommy John gives you. Tommy John gives you the feed feeling of freedom ware It accounts. It's got a contour of pounds that nestles the boys. What boys are we talking about here? With over three million pair of sold. We've put in the hustle to make sure you're nestled. This one is probably the worst reading that Tommy John ask but you can still shop exclusive Cowboys underwear at Tommy John dot com for Slash Cowboys Live read seven has to go. I

really don't like referring to them as the boys. I don't like that. No, I didn't work weeding boys a nuts. Okay, all right, um yeah, so um let's get back to the game. Here the midseason review. Here's our final question of the game. Uh, it is the question of who has been the MVP for the Cowboys during the first half of the season. Here your candidates, Zeke Elliott, Dak Prescott to Marcus Lawrence and Sean Lee. Try to think about this and don't take the obvious answer. Well, to

go with Dak. He's the most valuable player. I mean I was talking about this earlier this morning. Aaron Rodgers is the NFL's MVP. There's no doubt about it. You can't see what's going on here. He is the MV as we saw with Manning years ago when this team just fell apart. But they don't. They don't. That's not what they want to give it to. It's like who's

having the best year? I get it, But so thinking about that from that standpoint, though, MVP most your bull player, man, who's provided the most of this team in the first half of us Oh, that's a different question, is it, Because if you're talking about who's been most valuable, then it's probably the guy that if he's provided the most.

Take him away and you probably don't win the five games you've I would say I'm going with Dad just based on the circumstances, like the things he's been able to do given the scenario that he's been put in. That's the only reason I'm not saying, like I wouldn't call it MVP necessarily. But but but you know what, you make a good point, and the Cowboys are lucky that they haven't had to see that, because when you talk about drop off from Morris, I mean from Zeke

to Morris. We haven't seen it yet, but you know, I think they could. They could manage it, and I think that I'll be able to manage it. You know, with Shawn Lee, they really couldn't manage it. But Cooper Rush is one play away, So I think actually the

answer is Dak. I want to say Zeke, And my logic here is like, okay, well, Zeke can be the first half MVP, and Dak is about to have a chance to make his case probably if Zeke is suspended and the Cowboys keep role, and then Dak is going to get all of the credit in the world and justifiably so m he could in the league if he keeps playing this way without Zeke and gets the Cowboys into the playoffs. If he's not in consideration, that's a travesty.

I want to say Zeke in the first half, but I don't think I even believe that, because I'm sitting here all right. They've won five games, and every single one when Zeke had a good game, it also was dependent on Dak playing pretty damn well. And I'm even thinking, you know, Arizona, did they win that game because of Zeke or was it was it Dak? It was Dak, Bryce, well, Bryce too, but somebody had to throw those passes exact

But how much does how much? Does? I know what you're saying, and I agree with it, but just to play Devil's advocate here, how much of that is, though, dependent on the fact that the defense. The opposing defense really creates their opportunities created because of Zeke being in the backfield. Yeah, but remember how the Cowboys offensive line

was struggling. Even with those struggles, we've seen Dak being able to still keep the game going and get away and run and make the right moves that he should be making in order to keep the offense going. So that's why I'm saying like in that case, because again, Zeke, you expect him to be great. You expect him he goes up against the wall and he's gonna get those extra yards and he's great little yards, but they all

add up at the end of the day. Again, Dad, we talked about his sophomore year, let's call it that way. Whether he was gonna have a slump, is that what you guys call it slump or not? And he hasn't. He's been great given the what has been happening to this team so far. Yeah, they really do go hand in hand. And I get what you're saying, and I I say it all the time like that. My analogy is that like Zeke is the engine of the car. He I mean, everything runs through him. He's the horsepower.

But you still need a driver to drive the car and have it make the right decisions and go in the right places. And Dak has been so amazing at that. And this is such a quarterback dependent league, I'm just always inclined to give the nod toward the quarterback if you just had to right now, you have to give a six game suspension to one of them? Who are you giving it to? There? You go, yeah, I mean, it's a no question, all right. But but I also but but but wait, but let's take it back one step.

We started this conversation talking about Sean Lee and how important he was to this defense. Does this thing continue to go, Well, if he's not a part of give it you give your suspension to him, then you gotta give one out to somebody that no, it's not you, not me. You gotta give you a suspension out to somebody.

I mean, And then maybe that's not fair because the Cowboys have padded this running back position with a full of really good expectation and they haven't done that at quarterback obviously, So you know that might be the drop off. But you know, we could be one growing injury away from having a different person in here. If chas Green can't block on Sunday. Good point if Tyren Smith is out, so we might have some complete different answer there. Yeah,

I'm sorry. No, I'm just gonna say I do think that there needs to be a little bit more thought they're given to Shan Lee, just because I do believe. I don't know that they win that game against Kansas City. You guys just said they probably win the games against maybe Green Bay or the Rams if they have him out there. I don't think they necessarily win against Kansas City. I don't think they stopped that offense the way they

did without Sean Lee. Everything you said is true, But this is a this is a middling team without Sean Lee. But their offense is still good enough to give them an edge in a solid chunk of their games until they face better offenses. Yeah, this team is hopelessly lost without Like they're only as good as their offense is going to be. That's all that. That's that, that's just that's it. That's the bottom line, and so you go, I'm always going to give deference to and we're talking

about something that we haven't seen. Thankfully we haven't seen dak Be you know, out of the game. But I will say, in a weird way, this sounds counterintuitive and bad, and I get that, like kind of intrigued to see what this will look like If Zeke isn't there, I would prefer to not have to deal with that. But with that, like that's just something that's on the docket, and we all think there's a pretty good chance he's

gonna be going away. Let's talk about with that in mind, I'm kind of intrigued to see, you know, put even more on dak shoulders. I want to see what it looks like. I wish I could see it without accounting. Yeah, yeah, that would be run out there and run it through and then afterwards the game doesn't well you know this, Uh this past game against the Chiefs, I was thinking, and why aren't they running the ball more? I would expect him to have tried to run the ball more.

But then I was really happy they didn't because we got a chance to see what it would be like with Dak kind of having the receivers more involved, and they were able to do so with having Zeke kind of like as a cushion in the back and as a support. Now, maybe with Zeke away, they're able to still keep that going what No, I was gonna ask I'm asking you a follow up question that go ahead. No, do you think that that was because the game plan?

Does that represent the game plan before they knew about Zeke that they were gonna say, Hey, we're going in and we're gonna put this more on Dak, then we will on the running game. And they just didn't change it once Zeke was back. It probably did, and we talked about that before going into the face. I'm just like, y'all are making it sound like Zeke had ten carries. No, but they threw the ball more than they ran the ball this game. It was thirty three to thirty one,

So he carried the ball twenty seven times. I understand that. I'm just saying when you talk about the disparity of running versus passing, usually in most games the Cowboys are a run heavy team. They were not a run heavy team this week. I get what you're saying, but I don't. I mean, ze Zeke carried the ball twenty seven times

like he was still I didn't. I it's it's it's okay, it's fifty two forty eight, Like, yeah, that's outside of their that's outside of their tendency, but it's not so weird that it's like this crazy out no, no, no. But but I do think just that one play in the second drive when it was third and one, or was it maybe the first drive of the game was third and one, and he just goes back to throw it, and I was like, why aren't we giving the ball

to Zeke here? Like I mean that play I remember, but I don't remember a lot others of like why aren't they running it? But when we talked about yesterday, both those two touchdown drives that they had, the first two touchdown drives, they had six passes to one run. Now, of course, the last one that was in a one minute fifty one minute thirty something seconds left in a half, so of course they're gonna be throwing more than they're

gonna be running. But that first one that happened earlier in the game, there was not a time situation, and they threw the ball six times and ran it once. Like that's not typical of the Cowboys offense. And that's my point is there were moments in that game that didn't seem typical, and it does make me wonder, I know what you're saying, yes, they ran Zeke a ton of times, and that more importantly, like they didn't pull him out, which they usually do, especially in that third

series of the game. They did not do that. But all that being said, I do think there was a difference in how they call that game than they typically call games. In my opinion, I think, man, you might be right. I can't say that you're definitively wrong, but it's not enough to where I'm convinced. I think Garrett would probably say something like WHOA, each game is different in the situation You've already told us that process. He will say things that you don't necessarily believe every day

that really doesn't matter. But I don't know I would. I don't. That's not enough of a discrepancy that I'm jumping onto this thought. Probably, So let me ask that question, and I'll just ask you the question in this coming week. Let's assume for a second we get to the week end and Zeke is not available to the Cowboys. Do you expect this to be a team where they become now more dependent on the past than the run. No? No,

I honestly, I okay, You're right. I don't always believe everything Jason Garrett says, but I do believe him when he says that they're not going to change a whole lot about what they do just because Zeke's not there until it has proven that they have to, Like they're gonna make these teams prove that Rod Smith, Alfred Morris and Darren McFadden can't hurt him. Before that, they just drastically like, all right, we're it's twenty twelve. That order

Dack's throwing sixty times. No, not at but maybe I mean it'll it'll be come down to who's who's doing the best in the you know, the second half. Maybe it is Rod Smith. Alfred Morris looked like he really wanted to keep running after that one. Yeah, yeah, he just took that Linebacker's like, what's we're going. We're getting a first down either you can grab me all you want, but we're gonna get eleven yards. It don't really care what you do. Like he looked that looked like a

Zeke type of run. I'm so fascinated, Like all three of those guys, like you know, you know, they love their teammate, you know that they want what's best for the team. But like they want to play and and like I'm not saying they're like mad at Zeke or but mad at the situation, but like that's gotta be tough on them too, that like, you know, you think

you're getting your chance. You're like it's like and this offensive line, it's like you're trying to get into a Cadillac and they're like, wait a second, hang on, we're not done with the paperwork yet. Like they want to run behind this line just as much as anybody else. Yeah, poor mcfad and he was gonna get a game, we actually could play football, right, and then all of a sudden, it's like, nah, you're going to be an active again.

I think if they get a chance to do their stuff, I'm not saying they're gonna, you know, redefine the running back position, but I think they're like pissed off and want to show people that they they're talented to I'll say this, after watching last game, I feel a little bit more I guess less worried to see the Cowboys play without Zeke, like what they can possibly do without having him. I'm I'm feeling a little more confident about this team with you know, doing his app because it

was solid balance. And let me go back to this thing I wanted to talk about. Actually what I oh? And another thing, No, I guess defensive sometimes, but I don't know exactly how I worded it yesterday, but I started getting some messages from people, Oh, I'm so negative, and do you even watch the games? Yes? I watch every single game. I'm at every single game. Yes, My point yesterday was I don't think the Cowboys offense suck

at all. They've been what it's fair to say average, averaging like thirty points a game or so something like that, but they've been very, very good at scoring points. They've been good at the running game. Again, my point yesterday was saying that it was to me, at least the first time I saw them be successful as successful successful at the passing game as they were compared to every other game that we've seen. Yes, they've thrown the ball, Yes they made some good catches here and there, but

they weren't very consistent at it. And this was the one time that I thought they were actually able to have it more consistent. And the interesting part about that point, Amber is that it's not just Dak, it's the receivers like until this last game, have you seen a game this year where you had the full compliment of receivers being a part of the game and really making plays

that made a difference. Terrence Williams obviously in what he did, Cole Beasley with two touchdowns, Dez catching some balls across the middle, which I think he's probably best at, and they don't seem to find him all the time in those situations. You know, I just think that it goes

back to what you were saying. I don't think they've really gotten into a game this year where all those things clicked like they should have, certainly like they did last year, because I think they had several games last year where they had a compliment of guys all clicking in the passing game with the running game. How about this that I told you right before, And you're right, the passing game has not been there. I don't believe

Dak has a three hundred yard game yet. And the first one hundred yard receiving game was Terrence Williams, who would have won that bet. But the Cowboys have tied this team's This offense has tied the franchise record for most consecutive games of twenty eight points or more was six. It happened in two thousand and seven. It's pretty good offense right there, with Romo, Tarrell Owens and those guys Marion Barber so set they had six games of twenty

eight points or more. This one's already there and has a chance this week to pass that and might need, might need to get there against Atlanta to get seven straight. So that just goes to show that this offense, and some of its been defense and turnovers, but how this offense has turned in around and you can't just take it away. I get that. But outside of one just

abysmally horrific day in Denver for everybody involved. I mean, they've been on a role all year and they read zone problems against the Giants, but they put up twenty eight against the Cardinals, put up thirty against the Rams, thirty one against the Pack. I mean they Denver is really the only team that just completely stopped him from doing what they wanted to do. It's amazing that they did that, and now they are the team that they are.

Paul's weird like that man, like they have just completely fallen off the map after a start like they had where the two Batman back wins, including the big win of the counts. You know it all those first four or five games, Um, you know, Packers was the fifth game, But when you think about it, two of those games they had they got to play against the team missing their best offensive player in Odell Beckham and David Johnson.

And then you know, but they have to face a Denver team now that's not playing like that now Green Bays certainly not playing like they are now, and we know why. So just kind of works out that way as a schedule of the NFL, right yea. And that's the other thing that makes you feel pretty good about

where the Cowboys are at this moment. Now that can all change, but at this moment, they've been one of the healthier teams in the NFL, and so that they have not had that major injury that somebody's gonna miss the play somebody's gonna miss the playoffs by a game, you know, and I can't think who would be, but

but somebody's gonna have to face Zeke and lose. And you know, he was supposed supposed to be suspended for these six, but then it's gonna be the six and it's gonna it's gonna work out, probably bad for somebody, maybe for the Cowboys. You know, maybe it was Kansas City.

I mean, that's like Kansas City, if right. If he gets suspended at this point, basically you said it last week, Oakland becomes the benefactor because now he got to play against Kansas City, and then he would miss the game versus Oakland, so and that affects their division on that timeline as well. Then he comes back just in time to play the Seahawks, who you would imagine or scrapping for a playoff spot as well. Right, So, I mean it fascinating little jigsaw puzzle. All right, we appreciate you

guys joining us back tomorrow nine thirty am. Told then for Nick Even, Dave Helm and Amber Garcia. 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