Cowboys Break: Defending The Broncos

Derek is, but I know he's somewhere. That's got to be really really important because he hates the misshow especially game week. Not more important than his show, his baby. Yeah, but that's why. Wherever he is, that's really really important. But he's not gonna be with us today for sure. Last yesterday he said he might sneak in today, He's not gonna make it. So it's just gonna be the three of us and Kent the four of us. Yeah, well that's okay, we don't need It'll be okay, Amber Garcia?

Are we doing and we're the three best friends? I knew that was gonna happen I had a feeling. Have you played that? Have you played that one before? Of course I just knew they was gonna play that one, but really we rarely have three people, so I really have a time that I can do it. I love it. Amber How are you doing good? Dave good? I'm like, you're like about to take a test or something over there with studying out manudn't studying the Bronx. No, your opposition?

I got it? Love it? All right, let's tuck a little bit about um, just what kind of what's been going on to It's kind of weird because there's not a ton and like last week it was who's your running back going to be? I mean, who you know? How long is he gonna be playing? Is he gonna be here? Is you gonna miss six games? And your backup quarterback and all this stuff? And now it's kind of like, all right, please don't suggest to me that you're like board my bored. I'm just saying it's it's nice.

I gonna say I like it this. It's not bored. I like it. I like it. No, I like it as well. When I'm writing down what we're going to talk about, and I've got Anthony Brown on my on my list here. I mean that's that's a good thing. Yeah, it is finally some peace and quiet. Let a beast and quiet. Now we're going the other way here because before before we know it is going to be. Yeah, today, I'm just gonna happen to all right. It always usually starts with injuries. So let's just kind of run down

real quick. Orlando Scandrick, Terrence Williams, Chittabay Woozier. That's pretty much the three that came out of the game. Yes, are we expecting I know we'll see today a practice. We always always say this, and we got about an hour ago. But Jordan Lewis, but he's Jordan Lewis, He's been there. What are we expecting of those four guys? And they kind of are tied together since three of them are cornerbacks? What would you if you had to guess right now? Would you say Scandrick maybe the only

one to miss for sure? No Scandrick at all? Who am I? Who is the Terrence? Terrence? I feel complete confidence he'll play, but I bet he'll be limited or sit today because it's Wednesday and Cheeto, I'll throw a limited on him, like, I just, you know, I don't know see what he can do. That sucked. I really I went back and watch the game, and I mean it was just such a nothing pass and yeah, they weren't doing anything and the Giants really weren't even gonna score.

And then he gets hurt, like I get and I don't know. It's it's bad to speculate on injuries until you have concrete information. But I don't have a vibe like he's gonna miss playing time. May if he if he doesn't do anything in practice today, maybe it'll just again it's Wednesday, you know, cautionary, We'll talk a little bit more about the cornerback position. We're going to kind of go through each position here in a little bit before at the end of this segment, but talk about

the cornerback position. Anthony Brown. And there wasn't a whole lot going on in the locker room yesterday, which is there never is Tuesday. That's kind of the way it is. Anthony Brown did say something kind of interesting. He was talking about turnovers. He has the only turnover for the Cowboys this year. But he was talking about the fact that that Rod Marinelli basically challenged the whole defense and said the goal this year for turnovers is forty. Yeah,

you just told me that before zero. I was not there when he said that, because I was I was doing TV stuff. A little high, that's absurd, or a little behind. That's where they are right now. They're they're at one. That's absurd. They didn't have forty and twenty fourteen when they were actually getting all kinds of takeaways. I think they had thirty four. Well, this isn't like our HR system where you know, you just throw some goals out there to try to get the mean you

want to get some goals so you can lofty goals. Yeah, I mean if this team forces forty takeaways, then that they were probably a super Bowl caliber team. I mean, if you mix this offense with that type of ability to get the ball, that's a super Bowl recipe. You know. The about the one turnover that that they had, Um, that was a t that was an encouraging play. I mean that we haven't seen that that kind of you know, that kind of play on the ball from a defensive

back in a long time. Yeah, he jumped and Rick doesn't make those plays. That's more often, you know, I can't play cornerback in the NFL. I'm not trying to knock you for picking off a pass, but more often than not, when this secondary has gotten turnovers, it's just been because you know, Aaron Rodgers didn't see Barry Church and threw it right to him, or Eli literally threw it right to Brandon Carr or um, what's the other big one that I'm forgetting? I mean, remember Orlando Scandrick.

I think maybe his last pick was against the Bears in twenty fourteen, and Jay Cutler didn't see him sitting in the flat like you don't see him making plays on balls. Orlando McClain against the Dolphins, where it's just yeah yeah, um, or well Mo. Last year he had that pick of Blaine Gabbard. I think it was again he was burned. It was. It was a badly thrown ball. I mean, he made the play on it, but you not. You don't see Dallas cornerbacks jump routes and read people's

eyes and cut in front. And Anthony Brown did that on Sunday night though, So it was a it was an impressive and an encouraging He almost lost it too, Yeah, almost got away from a I amost really sure donned that they didn't review that play right, honestly. All right. Another thing that came from the locker room, which is interesting. You're starting to see t shirts and memes and all that stuff about Cole Beasley and the catch. Cole was asked about it, you know, in typical Coal fashion. He

was kind of downplated. He hadn't really you know, He's gotten a lot of people saying, hey, great catch, and he says, oh, thank you. He said, I have mixed feelings about this play because if I really would have done my job right and it would have never happened. Yeah, you know, if I would have get turned around made the catch clean, you know. He and that's a perfectionist right there. He doesn't look at it like, oh, I made this awesome catch. He shouldn't have had to tip

at two times to himself. Yeah, he said that on Sunday. He said, uh, like Witten was the hot read and it like he was like, it was so obvious that that's where the vall should go. Basically that that I figured it was going to him, and then I had turned around late and saw it coming to me, and if I'd look back half a second earlier, it would have just been an easy catch and instead, you know, all that, all those theatrics. It's funny. All the fans,

fans are going nuts, media is going nuts. The players sort of the receivers, that's what they do. Like they see that in practice all the time, you know. I mean, Bryce Butler talked about it, and it's like not not to like downplay it. It's just that they have seen these type of things. I mean, Odell Beckham, I guarantee that catchy made against the Cowboys two years ago, three years ago, three seas seasons as I guarantee that, like they've seen this type of stuff all the time. You know,

it's just unfortunately it's kind of become second agent. Now it happened in a game. It's a little different. I will say, I'm not trying to take anything away from Coal whatsoever. But I had a guy email me and say, well, why, First he said, why isn't this Coal catch being blown out of proportion the way that Odell Beckham's catch was. First of all, I think it is getting a hefty amount of publicity it is or whatever that it was number one on Sports Center. Second of all, and he

said it's a better catch than Odell's catch. That's what this guy told me today, and it's not. I'm sorry, I don't care what you say. A touchdown too. DALs was for a touchdown from fifty yards away and he caught it with the pads of his fingertips fifty yards away. That's that's that is the key. I mean that ball is coming from I mean it's coming down too, so I mean the hand strength that it took to catch it like that, And yeah, that was a better That was a better catch in my opinion, and this one

was it was. This was a fantastic catch. And I don't think you can undersell how important, how important it was. I think Jason Garrett said that Monday too, was that it was third and six and obviously the Giants didn't wind up scoring, but we didn't know that at the time,

and it kept the ball moving. And you know, I mean, if they had had to punt right there, New York probably gets pretty good fuel position with a chance to make it sixteen to ten, I think with six or seven minute or no like eight or nine minutes left. So I actually put that on my five plays. Don't forget about five plays, which usually it doesn't have a Sports Center top ten, top number one play on there.

But it wasn't about the catch from Beasley. It was about what you just said, what it did to extend that drive, because I did look at it. With nine minutes to go, they got the ball at their own ten. They probably would have had the ball at eleven minutes to go around their own thirty thirty five forty. It's a pretty big different difference there when they're trying to come in there. So, but it's not a better catch

than no Deels. Sorry I don't think it is either, but it's a it's a different type of catch too because he had his feet and bounds and you know, to stay on the sideline and do all that. It just just secured it though. I mean, it wasn't like it's very easy to be bobbling that ball like there when it's bouncing around your full up box. Yeah, so he did a nice job with that. Okay, let's move on a little bit to um some of the you know, yesterday we were talking about We've been talking two days

about the backup running back, talking about Darren McFadden all that. Yep, So I talked I got a chance to talk to a couple of people yesterday and I was like, let mean some inside sources, let me just see what's what's really happening here the word here, and it's really nothing new than what kind of we had talked about. There's people that believe that that that offered. Morris outplayed McFadden in the preseason, so it was it was like he

kind of had earned it. But I think the notion that McFadden is a better blocker, while he might be in his career, that was the issue right there. There were times in practice, there was a time in a game where he absolutely missed the read, just just didn't get didn't get the great guy, and so his blocking was something that they were concerned about, um at the last preseason game he played, and then some some into practice as well. So this thing about Morris isn't a

good block erb mcfatten is much better. That either has changed or it was temporarily changed. They know that he's got more juice and he's a quicker, faster player, all that, but it was the blocking that they kind of got concerted. But it's almost like sounded like a little punishment. Can I stir the pot a little bit. Bring it. The margin of error? Is that slim for your backup running back? But it's clearly not that slim for your backup quarterback. Oh,

it's clearly not. I mean, yeah, I mean we got a month worth of tape on that, but hey, whatever that's there. Well, well it's two veterans. Yeah, I mean it is two veterans. I mean that's like I guess it's saying, wow, Amber, Amber making that point, doesn't well, I mean, that's the one thing they keep talking about. It's like a veteran versus a rookie, and they rather be safe with the veterans. And you're talking about Morris and yeah Badden, who well, no you're not. You're talking

you're talking about quarterback. But when you're talking about, yeah, two running backs who've both been playing in the NFL for the better part of a decade or more in McFadden's case, I mean, I guess it really is only a matter of a couple of goofs and that it's kind of weird when you think about that. Alfred Morris is only like four years away from yeah, like a almost a seventeen hundred yards season. It was sixteen hundred and twenty twelve, thirteen hundred and twenty thirteen and like

eleven hundred, like he steadily went down every year. Yeah, he's gone down every year. But but that first year is more than what Zeke did, right, I believe so, like by a by him by a hair yea like sixteen thirty eight and rookie rushing record, I believe. I don't know if it's not it's not the rookie rookie rookie rushing rights. Yeah, let's just so based on what we saw against the Giants, do you think the Cowboys are going to keep that the way it was with

Morris as the second guy? My first thought would be, it's you should change it. But if that is an issue, if they really feel like the blocking is an issue, it's only the blitz and the rush is only gonna get a little bit worse this week, So you would change it. What about you? If no, I wouldn't change it. If well, and I think you just said you wouldn't either, I mean I think I would. I think what they're

trying to do is get his attention. I think that's what they're trying to the Number four overall pick from it nine years ago or whatever. He's not used to being inactive. I think they got his attention. I would play him this week, but if that is a concern, if blocking is a concern, and I would leave it the way it is against this team, because, yeah, it's

gonna it's not gonna be fun out there. Although you could argue McFadden's quick and he's got some receiver abilities, so maybe he gives you like an outlet, you know, for some passing yards and stuff like that. But anybody that's gonna help me block is who I want playing against this team. I think that a lot of it too is And I know the fans are not gonna like this, but I think it's it's true. They just love this guy, Alfred Morris. They love it. But Alfred

Morris brings to the team. Now. He might be limited in some ways, but from work, ethic, attitude, just being a professional football player, this guy is as good as it gets. He really is. I mean, he does the everything the right way. And I know that people don't want to hear that kind of stuff, but it does matter when you're talking about, Hey, this guy's done everything we've asked him to do. He deserves the right to play. You know, we're talking about a few snaps here and there,

let's go with it. And I think that that does factor in. I think at the end of the day, and I don't I don't think there's gonna be a set plan for this, Like you kind of get the idea that Kellen Moore is going to be the backup unless something crazy happens. But I really wouldn't be surprised if they mix and match this and you know, one guy's up because he had the better week, or one guy's down because it's a better matchup for the other guy.

And I So either way, I think you're gonna look and say, well, Morris this week, maybe he could have done more against this team. McFadden sat, I wonder what he would have done. I mean, it's always it's going to be a tough decision because they're they're interchangeable at

the end of the day. In my mind, yeah, and I don't think they're that much different, Like they played differently, but the results are not very different, and the sample size isn't large enough for me to really get worked up about it either, because I don't think either one of them is ever going to have more than six

or seven carries in a game. Well, the good news is is that a few weeks ago, even a few days ago, we thought we would really be talking about Morris and McFadden for this Broncos game, And now we're talking about who's going to get the three to four carries and not you know how many reps stuft they would take, because I guarantee if Zeke was not playing, it would be this would be a huge deal. Yeah, it would be. But I think they would both play

a lot. I mean, I don't think it would be one guy takes the amount that Zeke gets in the other way. I think it would be almost the sixty forty type split, which it probably should be. So all right, let's let's flip over to the linebacker position. I feel like yesterday we did talk or the last two days we've talked about Jalen Smith some. But I don't know

if you can still talk about him enough. You know, when you just look at at the game that he played, and and like you said yesterday, Ember, it's we're getting to that point where we're not talking about the injuries as much. We're talking about because because he doesn't talk about the injury, we're talking about just what kind of dynamic player that he can be. So let's talk a

little bit more about him. What, Dave, what do you see kind of from him like moving forward as far as just what kind of what kind of player on this defense that he can be? I mean, we expecting the middle linebacker for years to come. You think that's his best position? Do you think you know he's more of an outside guy. I'm not gonna I'm not gonna raise the bar too high too quickly because he just

played his first game. But Jerry Jones had a really interesting quote yesterday on the radio about how they see him becoming a three down line backer just like Sean Lee, really handling that role where he never has to come off the field. He's athletic enough to do everything you need a linebacker to do. Because and you know, as great as he was, you saw that in the game on Sunday, he would I mean he was sprinting on and off. They didn't want him obviously. He came out

for dime stuff. He came out a little bit for like Deacon and Nickel stuff and had justin Durant come on for two plays. So you know, I don't think he's quite at that point where he's not coming off the field ever, obviously, And I don't think that's gonna be the case this year. If I had to guess, I think, you know, and like, I can't say enough about how impressed I am with how he played, but I think you're still gonna be smart with it. You're

still gonna watch him. They only had to play fifty three snaps on defense the other night, and he played thirty six. But there's gonna be a day where they're playing probably sixties seventies snap, you know, a much higher snap count, and I don't think you want to expose him to that too quickly. Sorry, And you've got Anthony Hitchins coming back back one point here. I mean they said eights. It might be a little bit sooner than that.

Someone told me the other day he jumped off the bus to get to the game, Like he basically just two feet jumped off the bus. That seems like that seems ill advised, but yeah, good sign, a good sign, but maybe ill advised. Yeah, hopefully there wasn't a setback there,

you know. Talking more about Jalen it's almost like when you listen to him and he's he's an impressive guy to just listen to, it's like he basically willed himself back to this point like where he is right now, like absolutely no negative energy, no thoughts of I'm not ever gonna make it. It was just not if, but when I will be back and I'm ready, and like nothing would ever get in his way. It's just it's an amazing journey. The fact of like he was not going to take no for an answer to get back

on the field, and that helps a lot. And one of the things that I was really impressed about the game against the Giants is we've heard the Cowboys kind of say how they're going to rotate him and Duran and just think of them as one player. Just the amount of time playing time that they gave Jalen out there says a law, especially with how careful they've been with him throughout this whole journey. Yeah, no, go ahead. Oh I just saw you having a face that you're

about I'm I'm getting ready, but go ahead. No, No, I'm just overall, I'm just really excited and super impressed

with the outcome so far. And I think. I mean, he's done a great job, and honestly, when I see him from practice, the relationship he has with Shaun Lee, I just think of him as a young version of Shaun Lee went on the field and I said that before the season started, he blew me away with the progress that he made to the point where probably in June or July, I still wasn't sure what he would be.

And now at this point, I really do think he's capable of being an everyday starter, Pro Bowl caliber player just a matter of whin though, like he's not gonna He's still not going to be that this week or next month. I don't think. I think that's in the future, but my confidence is at an all time high that that's going to happen. And the thing that I thought was really interesting, Jason Garrett talked about that, you know, they went into this game with a plan to split

those guys and they really didn't. And Garrett said something along you know, the long lines of well, you know, games kind of unfold differently than how you anticipate, and it just so happened that, you know, we wound up in more of these situations where Jalen could stay out

there and blah blah blah blah blah. But the thing that I took from it was, well, that's really encouraging because like if you didn't think he could handle that, then it wouldn't matter, like you would have put Durant in right, like you would have found a way to get him off the field. But they're just like, well, yeah,

just let him roll with it. He's fine. And the fact that in week one he can be in a spot where you kind of play differently than you were expecting to just based on the situation on the field, and not really be worried about his leg, that's pretty that's pretty great, especially when you when you think about week one, if if you would have told us that Zeke would come off the field more for Alfred Morris than Jalen Smith did. Yeah, justin Duran Seriously, that's that's

that's impressive. I mean, like you said, we're at a and and you can't forget about it completely, and they definitely haven't, and they're gonna keep that in mind with everything that they do with him. But it's almost in a spot where you don't have to think about whether he can physically handle it. Like I said, I mean they, I guarantee you they weren't planning on him playing sixty seven percent of the snaps, which is what he wound

up getting. All right, we're gonna take our break here, can't We have the phone number out there as far as on the it's on the screen. Twenty one two. All right, we got some lines open, so give us a call. We'll try to get to a little bit more calls today than we have in the last couple days. All Right, we're gonna take our first break here. On the break, we the entertainment loving people demand the best unlimited wireless plan ever from AT and T. What else

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To get involved by tagging game day photos on social media using hashtag troop thanks, that's hashtag troop thanks, and by learning more about our commitment to veterans at Bank of America dot com slash Military Support. Together, we can thank our troops in ways that make a real difference. Copyright twenty sixteen. Bank of America Corporation. It's Bowling Night with brands and you're hanging out together, bit up us there, but you're craving something better. But they're frost deepenside. You

don't know what to do. Pepper. You like to believe doctor Pepper, Pepper. When you crave a doctor Pepper, nothing else will do. Pick up a nice cold, twenty ounce bottle today, Doctor Pepper to your grave. I hear all this talk about what it takes to be a cowboy. Everyone's got their ideas, but I just say to myself, it's what's up top that matters. Sure, you need men with the muscle and heart to get her done. But if your scouts and coaches are listening out there, a

word of advice. Pick the man with the most well worn stetson. That's the one most cut out to be a cowboy. Stetson hats her handmade right here in Texas and have been on cowboys heads for over one hundred and fifty years. The rest of you can visit stetson dot com slash cowboy to find a retailer nearest you. Back to the break, All right, we're back here. We're gonna take some phone calls and we want to get

some Twitter questions as well. We'll do that more in the third segment here, So make sure and send your questions and comments to at Cowboys Break on Twitter. Ambers sitting through those and we'll pick out the best ones. All right, let's go to the phone line here. Mike in Arizona. Mike, what's up? Are you doing? Mister eat Man? Are you doing? Man? Man? You know what I know? I didn't come into fruition in the playoffs last year. Well your predictions that the Giants are going to get

their ask kid point? Yeah, I meant the next time. It doesn't matter when, just the next time they were gonna get it. That's right. I forgot about that, Thanks Mike. Hey, dude, you know what I give everybody love on there every time? My mom a misdia. Men, you are cowboys Google. You're an encyclopedia of all y'all little kids that don't know what that is you. You know what Eric Jorgson hate for dinner, Woody Dasler hate for lunch? Man, I give

you much pizza. Um, there's something had an observation that some people are not talking about what's going with Macca Doude's hair. Dude, he looked like Carvey Kite Talon fort Poke Fitchen or if he's going for that, Paul Riley and their offensive life is Mac the doodo by the way, and uh I'm best. Yeah, people don't mastay at Charles Tafford, who wold more? Ye in? So I love you guys, love your show, and I'll give back at you another time. God bless you go cowboys. All right, thank you? No

secrets on the show, Like what's going on now? Okay, I think he said Tapper played well, that played well, good job. Something about just said something like you don't read faces very well. He's played. No, he did not say that. What did he say? Don't worry about it, all right? Any any guy that can make a reference to Eric b Ornson on the show, I think that's always good. You guys don't know who that is. I don't know about all these compliments he gave, that's right,

he did. I don't know about eating what guys eat for dinner or whatever. But just if you're gonna talk about Eric Bjornson and Woody Danceler on the show, that's that's bringing it back. It's old school. I know you couldn't spell orson I bet I could, but you know, that's there's there's not a lot of vows in there. Um, his point was about the hairdo of the I think he just wanted to get in and make a call. I think he just wanted to talk to you and

to be honest. Yeah, all right, Mike, And I mean, we don't even know half of the stuff that he said. All right, let's go on, Let's get into the Broncos. Talk a little bit um in this game and their their offense. They get a lot of they get a lot of talk about their defense, and rightfully so one of the Super Bowl a couple of years ago. But their offense though, and that if the first game is

any indication that they'll be able to do some things. Uh. The quarterback, I thought looked looked pretty good out there. You know, he's making moves, like you said, he was running the ball around the goal line, making throws. He kind of extended plays with his feat. So, Dave, looking at their offense, what are some things that kind of stand out the most real quick? I just I want

to note this because it is important. I don't think it's quite on the level of m Odell Beckham's ankle last week, but the Cowboys are excuse me, The Broncos are facing three at least somewhat significant injuries. Are our guy, Ron Leary, the starting right guard, is in concussion protocol right now, so keep an eye on him. That's that's not a good indicator in today's NFL. Most guys aren't playing a week after a concussion. Um. I mean, you never know for sure, but so keep an eye on

Big Ron. That's something to watch. Then their defense has two injuries, starting safety Darien Stewart, who played like a man on fire on Monday night. He's got a groin injury. He is. His status is up in the air, as is Brendan Langley, who's their fourth corner. So that's three, three guys they would probably prefer to have, especially Leary and Stuart. So that's worth watching. That'll unfold as the week goes on, I'm sure. But yeah, if I'm a Broncos fan, I gotta be pretty psyched about what I

saw on Monday night. Given that you know that your bread and butter as your defense, you know that they're the reason why you're going places. So if I can get a ninety four quarterback rating out of Trevor Simeon, and that's all this gnashing of teeth about the quarterback. I'm not saying he's John Elway, but seventeen to twenty eight, two hundred nineteen yards and two touchdowns as well as a rushing touchdown, so he helped account for all of

their touchdowns on Monday night. Looked I mean he looked. He looked incredibly confident in my opinion, that's I watched it obviously. I mean, they got twenty four points, they kind of let San Diego back into the game, and then the thing that I thought was really impressive, San Diego comes back to cut it to a three point game. He gets the ball and moved him right down not just in fuel goal range, but easy fuel goal range, with I think three plays. I mean that the ball

he hit down the seam to his tight end. I don't remember which one it was. I think it was. Was it Derby? Derby, the old Arkansas guy. Yeah, it wasn't foul, It wasn't him, But I mean, I know exactly what you're talking about. It made a great answer to yea, to the momentum that was shifting, and then and the confidence that they put on him to say, hey,

let's go down there. Let's turn this thing around. Well, fittingly enough, they got down there and were immediately sacked out of fuel goal range, which maybe you put a little bit of that on Simeon for you know, feel awareness. You can't take a sack in a situation like that. But I mean that is affect back back to back sacks minus six yards Ingram and Bosa and then minus thirteen yards Melvin Ingram. Like I said, maybe you put

a little bit that on Simeon. But then that is the other issue for the Denver Broncos is I don't have and and granted, you know Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa are great. The Chargers have a very nice pass rush, but four sacks, it's probably not what you want to see. After trying to rebuild this offensive line. You drafted Garrett Bolls in the first round, seventeenth overall to be your

left tackle. You signed Ron Leary to a big time contract at right guard, and then they brought in Minelick Watson, who was a draft pick with the Raiders for a long time. So this is a completely new look offensive line. You would think better given the money that you gave Leary and the fact that Bowls is a first round pick. Utah, that's right, I think, and I think he and he's he's the older guy, like he's ancient by first round

pick standards. He's like twenty five, I think. But um, and I think he acquitted himself fairly well for the most part. But your quarterbacks getting sacked four times in the season open around almost get the film that their their offense is like the Cowboys defense. It's like, we're not asking you to go win the game, don't mess up the game, and anything you can do will probably

be you know, gravy. So do you guys expect this game to turn out kind of similar to what we saw against the Giants given the fact that their defense it's one of the best both teams for the Broncos and the Giants their offensive line not the greatest. Now, when you talk about the Broncos quarterback, you mentioned all the things he did, But me personally, I still think he's a little shaky. He you know, he still needs to improve his game. But don't get and I mean

the Cowboys clearly have the edge in that department. I mean the Cowboys quarterbacks a little Shaky's true. She doesn't like Dak either. No, no, no, I do like Dak. Let's just make that clear. I just thought I know how he can play, and he didn't play up to his highest level. And I think that, you know, we talked about this before. Good defenses make people make quarterbacks play, you know, off their game a little bit. And then here's another one right here. But it will get to

the Broncos defense tomorrow a little bit. But to answer your question, I don't see it being like that. I definitely think Denver will score more than a field goal. I think it'll be a game more into the twenties.

I know that their defense is better, and it's a good aggressive defense, but they give up the run and that's something that Cowboys do very well, and so I think that I think that it'll I could see this game being a lot more like the Pittsburgh game a few years ago or last year than the Giants game. I would be fairly surprised if both of these teams got into the thirties. But I am I mean, I said twenty four to twenty for the Giants game. That

was my score prediction. I think it'll be something along those lines, you know. And yeah, I mean, the Cowboys have the edge here, but I think and granted I never would have thought the Giants would only score three points honestly, but you look up and down this this roster. I mean Damarius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. That's and build there, both of whom are completely healthy, unlike Odell Beckham. It's to me, that is what I would prefer in a receiving corps. If you if you could get it the

way you want it. I like that. I like the big, veteran, possession type guy who can still go deep and make big plays. And Thomas and then you're you're speedy underneath. You know, Sanders guy that that could also can also be some explosive over the top plays. I mean, both of those guys, I mean, I just think they compliment each other. Well, um, I kind of think the Cowboys have similar guys in there one too. I think Terrence and Desert a little closer than that. Of course, they

have Beasley, which changes things. But Denver's running game not not bad at all, bad night, whatever whatever you want to say about them allowing four sacks. Broncos running backs ran for four yards a carry against San Diego thirty six carries on the night for one hundred and forty yards, which is a tick under four yards a carry. But I'm gonna give Trevor Simeon a little bit of credit there because he carried six times and joked Joey Bosa for a touchdown. So I don't think that's the end

of the world. I loved his answer too about that play. I don't think I saw it, but they were talking about him getting him on the on the goal line and all that, and he said, well, he said, what you know, one of the questions was that you you you know, shook Joey Bosa there and all that. You know, we got anything to say about that? He said, yeah, well we play him again, so, um, you know, I'm not really gonna say anything about that. That's smart. He knows.

Trevor Simeon went to Northwestern. He is not a dummy. He's probably faced Bosa before. I don't know. Maybe Simeon was undrafted. I think in fourteen, maybe maybe thirteen. I didn't Actually I didn't do this today. I didn't have time, but I'm gonna go back. I'm curious. We all know about Paxton Lynch. He's not going to play a role in this game, which is all kinds of ironic. I mean, there's a story right there. But I thought about that

this week. What I really want to know is who is the who's the draft pick that the Cowboys have? I actually, I think I just know that off the top of my head. The Cowboys have MALIEK. Collins because they were not willing to give it up to get Paxston Lynch. That was the third. It was the third that not right, well, Jalen Smith too, because they were trying to trade back into the first round. Yeah, they would have had to give it up that second round

pick there. I thought it was I guarantee that they were trying to give up forty yeah, and then to get in there and then it was it was the third or a fourth round pick. Probably they probably wanted to give up the fourth, and they that Denver wanted

their third, That's right. So they were willing to give up Tap and Jalen Smith knowing that they weren't going to play, and they was like, no, we want hypothe so well, but jayl I mean, but it's not hypothetical to say Jayalen Smith and Elite Collins are probably on this team because Paxton Lynch is not exactly Yeah, and Dak as well, and well and Dak yes the important part. I mean, you just wrote yourself a story. I don't know when you're gonna be able to fit it in, yeah,

or maybe your column. I'll throw that into my collegne. That that is. I mean, it's almost like the trade that wasn't. Yeah. You know, that's why the draft is so fascinating to me, because every team can point to something like that every year and yeah, this is what we could have had. It's amazing. Um Damarius Thomas honestly

not a great night by his standards. Eight targets, five catches, sixty seven yards, and he had a really bad drop on a second down in the second half, and then came right back and put them position in the red zone right after that. So I know, I mean, I know, they just very successfully defended Brandon Marshall. But I all always worry about these big body guys. Um, take your pick. I think da Marius Thomas missed a ton of time off in the training camp in preseason games. It just

he was battling an injury. I don't remember what it was, hip maybe or something like that, So they didn't know for sure if he was going to play until maybe a couple of days before the game. Let's let's think about this though, because let's I mean, Orlando Scandrick's not going to play in this game, that's my guess. So that leaves you with Anthony Brown, Nolan Carroll, and Cheeto Woozier hopefully maybe Jordan Lewis. To deal with these guys,

you gotta throw Ben Wickery in there. I just mean, until you see for sure that Lewis and Wusier, you're really concerned about the seventh rond Is it the seventh round pick? Who's that for? Ben Wickery? Oh? Oh yes, yes it is. I think the seventh round pick. All right, so you don't get the draft of Moud Dixon. Good point. I mean or guy though, that was your guy. He was he was for a while. Um how about you know who else was in that draft when they when

they took five, they took five seventh rounders. He saw them tho they playing for the Chiefs. Terrence Mitchell, Yeah, still playing, still holding, still getting pis. But he's out there. He had a rough night, but he is starting in the NFL. So anything else on the offense we want to go to. Well, I'm I'm I'm just sitting here wondering. Really, who's dealing with Damarus Thomas? Oh yeah, I think well, between Anthony Brown and Cheeto, I think you can hand

not handle, because he's really good. But Emmanuel Sanders I can see that. But on a cornerback group, this small Damarius Thomas is basically a tight end as far as I see it. So what are you doing with this guy? I want? And I wonder what they will do? Right, Rod Marinelli's not really the type to travel, and you need Anthony Brown to play in the slot, probably if Orlando Scandric can't play right. I don't know, though, I it's a it's a tough task for a guy that's

never played at all. But I think it might be one where they throw Jordan Jordan Lewis out there. Do you think so? Maybe I was I would welcome to the league, get in there, or maybe well you're saying throw Jordan into the slot, Yeah I could. Actually, that's not the worst thing I've ever heard, is if you're asking Jordan Lewis to play the slot, and then that frees you up to move Anthony Brown to deal with wrys Thomas. That'll be interesting. I can live with that.

I would imagine it might be a situation where they go a little bit longer there, Like maybe Lewis and Ben Wickery are active. Yeah, maybe Xavier Woods isn't at safety or I know they like to do the four safeties there, but it might be a situation where you just do three if you can get away with it. I could see it. Maybe maybe shoot Jay. We'll get to an active later in the week. Jay Ron Elliott didn't play anyway last week. Yeah, trying to get that draft pick back. All right, let's go to the phone

line here, Let's go to Peyton. I'm not sure where you're from, but Peyton. Hey, how's it going guys? Hey, where are you from? Minnesota? Awesome? Right, quick question. I'm sorry you guys already talked about this. UM. One of my biggest concerns with our offense is, I mean, we though last year multiple times was dak getting up to a slow start, and I think we pulled off some really nice comeback wins. But I mean against Green Bay. When you say some offense like that, I mean, that's

just not gonna cut it. And then my other question would be, do you guys think that Anthy Brown is kind of a gamer? Because I feel like here, like your practice season so great, but then the games steps up. So that's my questions. Thanks, Okay, I think you've got selective memory on Dak because you can talk about the Packers. You're right that they didn't cut it. He was had

a slow start there in that game. For sure, the whole offense did um and you know, they got down and they did come back to tide and so they didn't really lose the game because of that, but sure would have been nice. But I think if you go back and look at the season, I thought Dak actually was pretty good in some games where w wasn't it like the first seven or eight games and that they went down and scored on the first drive. They were on a tear there for two or so months where

they did score every first drive. Philadelphia at home. He did not play well until the end. There was some game, you know, maybe Pittsburgh or something. But I'll leave it to be fair to Peyton. I'll even throw in, um, San Francisco. They fell down to nothing in that game. I think No. Fourteen nothing. But that was the one game, the one game out of like the first seven or eight where they did not score on the first drive, right, and that's because Keith Smith had a full start. Really,

they're about to get a field goal. But it was a great memory that happened. I remember, not not really, to be honest with you, Like that's a lot of games, and a lot of it was about third down, third and two, and he had a false start and then they got pushed back and Bailey missed a field goal. I remember Bailey missing I don't remember the false start. I think that there are times where he doesn't you know, the offense hasn't done well, But I don't think it's

a trend. In fact, I think you would say he's more prepared than most quarterback, especially rookie quarterbacks. So I'm

gonna disagree on that. Just when you look at even considering those touchdowns that he did score, if you look at the overall season last year, you would summarize that, yes, I just want to know where you're going with this, you would summarize that, yeah, the first half of the game, he did start off very slowly, and he would always come back the second half and play completely different and really move. That's when he really moved the offense. That's

when they really started scoring in the game. I mean, I don't know how you guys don't agree with that. I don't think it was all the time. I mean, I do think there are better but first for all'm okay with that. Okay with a guy playing better as he Oh yeah, yeah, he was a rookie that was seeing everything for the first time. Up aside from three games where you played the division. You're seeing these guys for the first time, and I think that he kind of processes things as they go, you know. I know

he talked about Anthony Brown being a gamer. Dak is the equivalent I mean of that he's a gamer. I don't think Anthony Brown's a gamer. I think he's just a good player, good player. He has good practices too. I don't picked off. He picked off Tony in his first ever practice rep um and and he had a great training camp when he was healthy. And yeah he had a hammy, but and liked we If you compare him to the whole Dak situation, I mean he didn't.

He was not a great practice guy. Oh no, no, no no, no, no, and so maybe he's kind of seeing that, you know, kind I'm kind of processing through this as we think about it. I mean green Bay was a little bit of a slow start because it took that three play I'm talking about regular season green Bay, and you know they kind of needed that ninety seven yard drive to get it going right. No no, no no, no, no no,

you're talking about Atlanta last year. Yeah, no way. I mean he got the ball, went marched down the field, and I remember tweeting like, really, like, lamb all the mystique he went, he shoved it right down their throat and threw a touchdown to Beasley. I can't keep up with his I'm saying, if I remember, that was the game where I was like, hey, this guy is not

phased by anything. He went down the field and threw a touchdown to Beasley, down and right in front of us, right there at the I just feel like I remember they it had kind of stalled out and then and then that three play ninety seven yard drive kind of picked it back up. I think if we broke down his seventeen sixteen starts Eagle game that was from at the end sixteen starts, really maybe seventeen if you count the playoff, I think he'd have a mixed bag. I

think he'd have five or six one. But I think there was a report on this. I think the vast majority of the time you would say he didn't start slow. I mean, they might not have scored on their first three drives every week, but I don't think of him as a slow start. I think it's a little bit. I think you'd have some. I think you'd have four or five average ones. You'd have four or five not

so great, and four or five really good. Did you notice a significant change between the first half versus the second half in the way he played, or would you say desively? I really am not as a trend. Oh my gosh, Oh my god. I'm gonna look into it. I can't do it right either way. I don't really care, as you know, I don't care the game. I'm saying, if you're winning the game, that's all it matters. It just makes those last two minutes kind of okay. So we have a game for the borrow. Amber is gonna

Amber's right down tell us how wrong we are. Yeah, I hope so forward to it, all right. I think we need to take a break here. Oh yeah, we never Yeah, we're gonna take this last break. We'll be right back here on the break. To work this big land, you need equipment with values rooted as deep in Texas soil as you are. Like John Dear compact tractors with a six year power training warrant to h big features that help you work less so you have more time

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Cowboys for twenty percent off your first order. I think I think you got a new job on the show. I don't know about that might have been the last time. I'm surprised that you didn't get that Jerry Jones Cowboys, Cowboys there. Thanks, Thanks, all right, phone lines are open if you want to give us a call real quick. We're gonna kind of go through the positions. I was just gonna try something that this week and just see about sometimes. You know, we'll have week one to week two.

You can see some some changes or some things that the teams want to have wrinkles. I mean, I would imagine defensively, the Cowboys would love to just keep the same thing each week. But if you if you expect the whole teams to a field goal, then you really do need to figuring out where the parade's gonna be. Yeah, yeah, yeah, if if that happens. But let's kind of go through real quick, just the positions. Do we expect the same something different? What kind of new wrinkle we we could

um plan to see this week? Maybe somebody playing a little more. Let's kind of go through a little bit of quarterback. Do you expect anything obviously we want? I mean maybe the quarterback can can start out a little bit better this one obviously you want. And I'll talk to Dak about looking up to your lofty expectation back up in changes there, Kellen Moore, I just don't see

how you would make that move to Cooper Rush. I mean no, it doesn't they're not changing that as like you said, Dave, unless something happens to Dak, then we'll see it change. Well even if even that in this game, I don't want Cooper Rush dealing with von Miller. There you go right now? Just but but I mean, do you want it? Do you want Kellen Moore? Kellen Moore's already six seven years into this thing, Like you can't. He is what he is. You're not going to ruin

him if von Miller, I don't know. My theory is is like if you see him how he played in a preseason game when they're not necessarily the best guys out there, you want to put him in. Actually, but if if, But that doesn't matter. There's something going to happen, Dak. I'm chalking this one up as an l anyway. Yeah, yeah, about But I'll say this about you're talking about Cooper

Rush doing things against the second and thirteen defenses. Remember, he's got a second and third team offensive line blocking for him, and he's growing a second and thirteen receiver. So all right, running back? Would there be any changes there? You see anything like that? Backup changes? No, I'm gonna call it. I'm gonna say that. You're gonna say they go back to twenty Yeah, I'm gonna say they make

a switch to McFadden. And I honestly, when I was telling you, I was talking to some people about that that I didn't get the vibe there. I still feel like that they they like Morris, but he did say there's more juice, there's more explosiveness, and I think that that will weigh in. So I'm gonna go there. I'm gonna ride with alf. They already got a lot of juice and explosiveness from their starter. So okay, Okay, um, shoot, I would go with Alfred, but I have my doubts

on this one. I think they might kind of throw McFadden in death in there instead, but I don't know. Just based on what we saw from Alfred's Alfred receiver the Terrence, We'll see about Terrence practicing and stuff like that, because if he's banged up, they might want to I mean, if you can afford it. I mean, I don't know where you're gonna go, but you might want to go

a little bit longer there. If you had bringing Noah Brown. Wow, I'd have to say I'd make a call on that one with with Terrence and say either you can play or you can't. I don't see how they can address they can dress six receivers to this game. No, So you just have to say based on his confidence that he'd be ready to play expletives in all I think. I mean, maybe he doesn't practice much this week, but I just I'll trust in him to be ready to go.

I'm staying on that topic real quick. From Twitter with the rust shaking off. Does Desk and Dak have a better connection going on the road? What do you guys? Wait there? Do they will they have a better connection or are you Are they better on the road, says will they have? Oh? Yeah? Um especially I don't know way game. I just I just would let it, Let it happen, Let it happen with with this, it'll it'll be there. He's too good, he's too good not to

get involved. Uh you know, it'll it'll, it'll be there. Now to leave and Chris Harris, I mean say this secondary I hate watching Bronco games too because the crowd always yells incomplete after every incompletion. It drives me nuts, like, and that's why they do it is I'm sure it drives the opposing team nuts too, But I don't know one way to prevent that complete Yeah, complete your passes. I mean it feels the same size. I don't think where they're playing really makes that much of a difference

so much as the matchups. And this is not a favorable one for deaths. So I mean, well, it'll be it'll be a ton I mean, it'll obviously be super loud there or Denver, and we'll we'll see in practice, I would imagine today and tomorrow tomorrow when they go inside, we'll probably we'll see the music and the crowd noise, you know, cranked up. But there will be a ton

of cowboy fans too. I don't know if enough to make a difference there, but anything, but I mean, based on what I remember from last year, that wasn't something that really affected them at all. Just a crowd noise a one at Hinz Field. You've got a quarterback who has faced bigger crowds in college. I mean, and that

is a thing that is a big deal. When you go to play in the SEC and you you've played at Alabama and you've played at LSU, they call it Death Valley, you know, I mean, and the Swamp and Florida, Florida, and I mean, I mean, and they're all they're all tough except for a couple, but um but I'm just they can handle Bandy well. You know, I don't think Vandy and Ducky are preparing are preparing you to play in the NFL. But all the other ones are really loud.

And I think that and he kind of said that, you know, respectfully, when he went to Washington last year for his first road game. It's like it's loud in college. I mean, you just have to you have to learn how to deal with the signals and stuff like that. You're right, it really wasn't a huge deal. They were good on the road. They've been a good road team the last few years except twenty fifteen. They just weren't a good team. No, they were not a good team.

All right, tight End, you expect I expect the same three and for the rest of the year unless somebody gets hurt. Yes, no no changes there and no changes as far as now. The one change you might see it, tight end, is you might see a little bit more guys in there to help blocking that right side. Helped Bil Collins. If von Miller's around the edge, Um, James Hannah proved all the good stuff we say about you as a blocker, right, get out there and show it.

Offensive line. Um, they last week there are guys that were active, were Bell and and Looney. I assume they. I mean, Chaz was great. I don't know why. You you know, fix it if it ain't broke. No, you're not gonna You're not moving it. You know you're not gonna move there. And again this is another huge test. And if they passed this one, well, and then you got Arizona. Arizona's pretty stout on defense too. So this offensive line and this offense is going to get tested

by three really good defenses to start offing. And I'm sure in week four when Aaron Donald is back and going, but uh, I want to kind of take a break from that real quick. And I was thinking about Aaron Donald.

He'll play for that game. I mean, I think he'll play this week, this week probably, But from the when you think about just fantasy drafts and fantasy players, the Cowboys are gonna miss two of the top three or four players in the league in this first month here with Odell being out clearly affected the Giants three and who I'm missing Dave David Johnson and then probably Aaron Donald. I mean, not fantasy, but I mean well, I mean I think Aaron Donald will play, right, Oh, I mean, yeah,

you're right. But but David Johnson, I mean, we're talking about one of the most versatile running backs in the NFL, and he's gonna be out for two to three months and to catch some breaks. So that that's you. I mean that they're signing Chris Johnson, which you know it. I feel like Cowboy fans are always the joke is that they the Cowboys don't catch the break like the guy gets healthy enough to come back just in time for their game. So I'm gonna get a few this month.

That's nice. And I think we addressed it. I mean I said it earlier this week. I mean I I was wrong. You guys were right, or definitely Amber was right. I don't know where you stood on it. I kind of rode the fence a little bit, I mean, and that was partially because you just really want to see Odell play. Yeah, y all do. Mean he's a great player, but I typically I went off history. Those guys that they play, they play in games. You don't miss a lot of games. I was surprised that he did not play.

So so now just go ahead and keep missing games. You can miss this one if you want to, Then this next one, I'm sure he'll be back. I think it's Monday night against the Giants. Make it's the Lions. Yeah, he'll be there for that one, all right, Um any Twitter questions with her. Here's a little quick question. This guy is asking. I thought I saw some of the hardest hitting by the Cowboys defense in a long time. Do you guys agree? I think that's a trend for

this entire I mean preseason two. They hit hard and they're active. That goes back to the Anthony Brown thing that he actually made a play on the ball to get that pick. Like they make the play where they come up, they're just they fly around. That's what Rob Marinelli wants. There's I mean, I think back to the we talked about the hit on Sterling Shepherd where like three different guys all popped them right away. I mean, these there you talk about, you know, they're kind of

turning this defense over. There's a lot of youth out there, and there's a lot of talent out there, and maybe they're not gonna get everything right every time, but they should be within the vicinity of the ball quickly. And I mean that's played out so far. Yeah, I think that the physical nature of the linebackers has increased. I mean I think that that Damien Wilson and of course Jalen Smith and Hitchens has been when he was out

there training camp and he was yeah, of course. But I'm just saying those guys I think are better in the you know, just in terms of hitting. But I do think that they've lost some at the safety position because Jj Wilcox. That's one thing he could do very well. He was a big time hitter, and Barry Church was really physical as well. So I think that they might

have lost a little bit of that safety. We'll see how how those guys kind of, you know, if they become that type of those type of players, but they've gained it in linebackers, so to me, it's a little bit of a wash. So now, overall, I know we've talked about this before the season started with compare whether they've made improvements on the defense compared to last year.

After watching this first game, do you guys feel like overall, not by position, but just overall in general that these defense it's somewhat more promising than the one they had last year? I think again, and yeah, in the big picture, yes, but these guys are young, they don't know what they're doing yet, they're not proven yet. But you just look

at the talent. I mean, you got you have first, second and third round picks playing the vast majority of the important or I mean Anthony Brown's hidden gems who have and he's proven himself. But you've got talented guys playing the I mean Malee Collins should Obey Woozier Byron Jones, Jalen Smith is now playing, which is amazing. Still like you've got young, talented premium draft picks playing all these spots.

So I don't think that you I'm ready to say that they're going to be great this year, but the big picture is very very encouraging. Yeah, and if first game is any indication, they're shortinly gonna make some some big strides this year. Yeah, all right, that doesn't music means it's time to go. All right for Amber and Dave Kent Garrison running the board, I'm Nick Eatman, will see you next time to see tomorrow Derek will be

back with us on the break. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.