Cowboys Break: Facing The Giants' Offense

Break Lafness WBC Mortgage Studios. We've got a lot to get into today. We've got results from Zeke Elliot's appeal that came down yesterday. We'll talk about that. We'll talk about Morris to what's to come for Ezekiel Eliot. We'll also get into Cowboys versus Giants Today. We're gonna talk about the Giants offense and some of the things Cowboys are gonna have to face defensively and trying to stop Eli Manning and crew. But before we get to that,

how's everybody doing this morning? What you're doing? Good? Good? Everybody is doing good, very good. All right, let's jump right in. Let's talk about Ezekuel Elliott yesterday. The word comes down yesterday evening that the appeal to Harold Henderson

was denied. And so the thing that came out of that that was most interesting I thought was, and we talked a little bit about this on the show yesterday, it seems as though, even though there isn't a written rule that if they don't have something to the teams about these suspensions on Tuesday by Tuesday afternoon that they would that it would it wouldn't affect that week's game.

Sounds like it did affect this week's game. And because of that, even though the appeal was denied, Ezekuel Elliott will still be able to play this weekend versus the Giants, and then presumably the suspension would start next week. Now that's all pending. Also, this thing that's going to happen this Friday, Dave, what do you know about I guess at this point, what do you know about what's going to happen Friday and how that could affect Ezekiel going

forward beyond just this week? As far as I understand it, it's everything. I mean, Amos Mazan is going to rule on this temporary restraining order injunction I think those are the same thing. I didn't go to law school, but it's basically it's a stay. It's a stay of the suspension. He's going to rule on whether it has merit. If he rules in Zeke's favor, then the suspension is stayed while this whole thing gets sorted out in court, which, if I had to guess, we'll take a long time.

And it gives him a very good shot of being available for the whole season, if not at least for the foreseeable future. If he rules against Zeke, then he's suspended after I would imagine Monday morning, right after the Giants game, and he'll serve it weeks two through probably eight, because I think there's a bye week in there somewhere. So you got you start with Denver, and I think he'd be due to come back the week at the Redskins,

the Redskins game, I think, which would at the Redskins. Yes, so you trade a division game for another division game. Basically you lose him for the Redskins, but gain him for the Giants or maybe preferable. Well yeah, I mean so that seems to be the harder of those two games, but who knows. I feel I mean, that's another conversation, but I feel like people don't aren't giving the Redskins a lot of credit this year, well relative to the Giants. Anyway,

we'll get into that that Giants discussion. Nick. I know yesterday you mentioned you were talking about your expectations for the appeal, and so I wonder were you Were you surprised, I know you thought that you would gets decreased. Were you surprised like it won't be decreased at all? It sounds like now it's it's it's either going to be six or zero. There's no chance to I don't it's six. I don't think there's a zero. The only way with Zeros if he wins in court rights which point right,

which and which I guess when that would be served? Though, I guess that's my point. I'm sorry, you're right, but if it's gonna be next year or though if that, if he wins in court, you know what I'm saying. I mean, I think something that's getting overlooked here is the fact that I don't know if it's just the Tuesday deadline, I think also Saturday's deadline is important too

for the league. I mean because most players that are suspended go straight to that list, and the Cowboys they didn't have to cut anybody for David Irving or Demontre Moore, so they had to cut someone for Ezekiel Elliott. So if you're going to come back and say, all right, now he is suspended, you had to make roster moves for that. They don't know that Andy Jones wasn't a player that they wanted to keep and had to cut, and now the Texans have I mean, they don't know

all that. They made a roster move because of it and now they had to change it. So that I think factored into this week as well. I think that, I mean, they didn't have to do that. I think it was. It's weird to say, because this whole thing has been incredibly contentious, but it was basically a show of good faith, like, hey, you know, we didn't really get this to you. You in a manner that is in keeping with competitive advantage and your roster needs and

all that. You had to keep this guy on the team. So they're letting him play for a game, which, honestly, I'm a little bit surprised. Like I said, this whole thing has been incredibly contentious. I figured they yank him out of there so amber looking at all this stuff and everything that's time. I'm just saying out of the conversation just because I think this thing has been such a big mess since the beginning, and it's so hard for me to form an opinion on everything that's going on,

just because I really don't understand all the facts. I mean, it's been pretty confusing the whole process of it. And aside from that, I still till this point don't know what's true and what isn't. So it's hard for me to argue, like, yeah, should they reduce the suspension take it off or not. Yeah, the process of the whole thing has been terrible and that is something that the NFL should fix and that's something that you should battle against.

But at the same time, aside from all that, given the fact that the reason of the suspension, I still don't know how much of it is true or not, So I'm just staying out of it. Let's see what happens. Good for staying out of it. Don't you know that you're supposed to shoot from the hip and worry about whether or not you have it right later? I mean, that's the right way this goes in twenty seventeen. Right, It's cool to be speculated. Oh this might have and

this might not. But I'm just tired of it. I'm just ready for the whole thing to end and come to a conclusion, which doesn't seem like that will be the case. It's you know, it's like it's going to be taking a longer time. Yeah, you know. It's interesting about that opinion that you just gave. Is I think that probably is about nine fans out there, and I think that's really the issue for the NFL is they've created this secondary court essentially. But the secondary court is

not what we know of an American justice system. It's not based upon necessarily rules of what's proper, what's right, what's just. It's based upon precedence, it's not based upon anything more than basically comes down to one man's judgment, one man's judgment as to what's best for the league. And that doesn't even have anything necessarily to do with whether there are there's there's corroborating evidence that this is

true or this is true. It's I look at all the facts, I look at all the evidence, I look at all the things I think, and then I, as a single person, being the commissioner, make a decision, and I think it leaves fans like, like what you just expressed. I think it leaves fans in a situation where they don't understand the process, they don't understand the facts, and they just feel like, what's going on here? I can't

understand what's going on with this whole situation. I'm sorry, Go ahead, Oh, I was just gonna say, even if the facts and the evidence it's all there, let's say he should deserve the suspension. Even if that was the case, it's still hard something. It's still something hard to argue with when the process it's completely messed up, so it's like one thing against the other, and you just don't know obviously whether the evidence, like if it does deserve

the suspension, I don't know. But if he does, I mean he should get it. But at the same time, it's the process is so messed up that it's just a hard argument. How does the NBA and MLB avoid this, Because I mean, I know that they've got six hundred two thousand guys in their league. They're definitely not all angels. They definitely all they definitely guys in those leagues get

in legal trouble. But and maybe it's because I'm not what neck deep in it like I am with the NFL, but just don't doesn't seem like they have to deal with this where like literally every year in the NFL there is a situation like this where a fan base or a player is fighting the league about something arbitrary.

I mean, it's Zeke right now, it's it was Tom Brady, yeah, I mean it's just every year, Like I said, I think you can go back and find an example where there's this like contentious court situation where nobody really understands what's going on, and it kind of just maybe maybe maybe that's their answer, right there, is what Derek was just saying. Maybe that you know, Adam Silver just kind of he's a commissioner of the NBA. He doesn't really try to be sheriff of like the the league as well.

I mean that that might be part of it, But you know, I think I think if you're the Giants, they have a right to be frustrated with this as well. I mean, this is this is one of the star players of the league that's going to play in this game because they didn't get their stuff together for a few days. They missed it by a few days, so

thirteen months that they waited on this. Then I think they tried to just kind of throw it in there and say okay, and then that maybe the Cowboys would back down, or the ze Zeke would back down, and maybe they would try to appeel it and get it reduced whatever. But he took it to a higher court, and it's going to take it to even higher one. And now, I mean because of all this that the Giants are the ones that, you know, they have to

face this this player. And I don't if he's gonna I don't know how great he's gonna be or good he's gonna be. But it's just kind of a weird situation that came down to a couple of days. Well, they had so much time to do this. Dam they want to play him anyway. That's what land That's what Landon Collins said yesterday. He's wrong. I mean, he's lying. He doesn't want to play You don't want to play Zeke over over, you know, Darren McFadden and Alfred Morris.

I bet I think Ben McAdoo probably feels that way. But I bet Landon Collins wants to play him like when you're like that, when you're that dude. Damon Harrison wants to stuff Zeke like he doesn't want to stuff Darren. To be honestly, I think they probably look at it, well, we've stopped him before, we think we can stop him again. Okay, you're Orlando Skendrick, you want thirteen or not? Probably not.

I mean, I don't know that the Cowboys have a defensive back on par with Landon Collins or gen Norris Jenkins for that matter, So well, yeah, that's but no, I mean I'm joking around. I know. It's just like when you're a competitor at that level, you probably they

probably do want thirteen. Scandrick would never tell you that he doesn't want thirteen, And to be honest with you, I think I kind of would believe him that he's okay with the idea of going out and covering Beckham and even if he gets beats some plays, he feels like, I'll hold own I'll win my fair share as well. I don't think he's I don't think NFL players buying large are afraid of the competence. That's the scary part though, holding your own and maybe give up a player. Two.

That was Brandon Car's game against Beckham last year. He had a really nice game against them, but they he gave up a slant over the middle. I think Church or Wilcox or one of the two didn't didn't do their job touchdown and that was the difference in the game. So you know, these games are so close that you know you can't just it's just one or two players here and there could change everything. Let's jump right in.

Let's talk about Cowboys versus Giants. We're gonna talk about this Giants offense, and I guess let's start with the quarterback. Last year when the Cowboys played at the Giants, Eli had pretty much almost exactly statistically the same day. In both those two games. He was nineteen for twenty eight hundred and seven yards, three touchdowns, an interception in the first game, and then seventeen to twenty eight one hundred ninety three yards, a touchdown, an interception in the second game.

Nothing that was spectacular from a statistical standpoint, but enough to win. He got gave his team in the end zone three times in the first game, got him in the end zone one time in the second game. Um, what was there anything that stood out in that game that you can remember back that you thought that he did particularly well or didn't do particularly well against the Cowboys. Well,

he's he gets the ball out quickly. And so, I mean, I know later on we're gonna talk about their offensive line, and I think that's one of the ways that they get past having a line that's not so good is because he doesn't he doesn't sit there and hold the ball for very long. And you have to have quick, speedy receivers or strong receivers to do that. And so that they've kind of surrounded himself with with some really

good playmakers, both young and old. I guess if you'd say Brandon Marshall's old but um my NFL standard, but yeah, but very productive and so and so I think that he's got good weapons around him. He gets the ball out quick. Um, he's never been the most mobile, but sure does play every game. I Mean, you can say what you want about a dumb faces and the you know, whatever they call it, but he's tough. You know, he's

stuff as nails because he doesn't ever miss games. Yeah, and he's not like he's avoiding a lot of big hits. You mentioned that offensive line. That offensive line gave up only twenty two sacks last year as suspect as they are, that's third best in the league. So yes, that's him exactly. And then my point is as a unit, they know how to get the ball out. They don't take a lot of a lot of sacks because of their their

play for however good or bad. We think it is that that means something, and that that means something, especially now that he has some better weapons than he had last year, indus receivers and tight ends. Yeah, and the thing that I'm maybe not scarce, but the thing that I'm looking at is that he they have surrounded him with guys that he can get the ball too quickly. Odell Beckham doesn't Brandon Marshall. Maybe he's more of a traditional, like you know, deep threat. I don't think of him

as like a quick twitch, speedy guy. He's like a long strider. But Beckham, Shepherd and then this Ingram kid. I'm terrified of what Evan Ingram might do for their offense. And the fact that you're not looking at guys that need a long time to get down the field and get open. And I think that's what it's going to look like. Talk to me about Evan Ingram. You did the Draft show last year. Talk to me about he's a rookie this year. What things coming out of college

were things that he supposedly did well? What things maybe did he not do so well? Well. It's a misnomer to really label him a tight end because he's just a big bodied receiver. That's what he is. I mean, he's he's that. He's not even as bulky as like Jimmy Graham though, but he's that Jimmy They you know, the red zone, Jimmy Graham, go up and get the ball, fast tight end who's probably not going to help you

a lot as a blocker. Having said that, and you know, people kind of derided the Giants when they picked him because they're like, you had a chance to to upgrade your offensive line and you took a you know, a non blocking tight end instead. You know, you need you need to block for Eli so he can get the ball to all these receivers. They I think they could have had Ryan ramcheck the Wisconsin tackle and they decided

not to go that way. So, but having said that, it's been it's been impressive that he's he's playing three downs, he's doing everything for them like they're not. He's not doing subpackage stuff, he doesn't have like a limited role. He's just their number one tight end, which I did not expect, knowing what I know about his skill set, I didn't think he'd be ready for that right off the bat. And no, he's not going to be Jason Witten.

But if he can do just enough to help in the blocking game and stuff, if he's on the field, you know ninety percent of their snaps, I have a feeling he's going to be trouble to deal with. Yeah, I hear Brian say this all the time about tight ends blocking. It's more about the willingness of the blocker

than sometimes is your ability to block. If you know how to get in the way, you know how to turn your body a certain way, you're willing to do it exactly, then you can be you can be an effective blocker, not be great, but you can be an effective blocker. And so from that standpoint, maybe that's how they look at it this first year is can they get him to be an effective blocker? Just you know, get in the way, make sure he opens it, you know it. Just move your body to a certain way

and just be in the way. Keep a guy from getting between you and and the ball carrier. Truth be told. And I'm sure he'd be upset with me saying this, but I bet Jason Witten that's pretty much the way his career started as a blocker. Now has he developed technique along the way, sure, but I think for the most part he's been a willing blocker. He knows how to use leverage getting the way, and then you know, he's kind of picked up some some you know, tricks

of the trade along the way. But I think that that's kind of how it started with him. You know, he's never been having this overpowering strength, but he can block defensive ends and he'll wham the nose. That the story if they it's if it needs to be, it's gonna be interesting to watch because, like I said, I mean, they had a chance they could have gotten a tackle that they could plug right in there, and I know everybody knows that that's a weakness for the Giants, and

they decided not to do it. And tight end is such a hard position to adapt to. I mean, you think about first round tight ends in the last five years, most of them don't make a huge impact in year one. Eric Ebron is a guy that's burned me in fantasy

more times than I can count. But if he plays as well as the reviews indicate out of training camp, and that's not a guarantee, I know that, but if I mean, the reviews have been great, and if he is ready to go at that level right away, that will be I mean, that sounds like it would be really good for them. I have high expectations for what he might be. And if you see, sorry, if you see some of the preseason games and some of the plays he's made with ELI, you can tell they've had

a pretty good connection. He was somewhat of a constant target for him, So the connection between them two has been pretty good as compared to Marshall, which he I believe he missed two preseason games to due to an injury. Yeah. So the only good side of that, aside from him being a great player as well, is that he hasn't had as much time in real game time with him on the field with ELI, So let's hope that works

in a positive way for that. I'll say this about Brandon Marshall, and I believe I'm right on this one. He's the only player in the history of the NFL to make the Pro Bowl with four different teams. Thousand yards seasons with four different teams. Yeah, he's one of my thousand too. He has had a thousand yards with four different clubs. Yeah, And so I know, I know, you know, there's been some Pro bowlers for three different teams, but not four. And you know, I don't know if

he has a chance for five. We'll see. But to your point, or to offset that point, I think he's picked it up with different quarterbacks you know, here and there, and most of them haven't been great. Most of them are not at the at the level love Eli Manning. So I think he'll be He'll be fine. Plus he's not he's not the guy that scares you the most on that team. Yeah, And we're going to take a

break right now. When we come back from break, I do want to talk about these wide receivers, particularly Odell Beckham. We'll talk a little bit more about Brandon Marshall and also Sterling Shepard. We'll do it when we come right back This is Dallas Cowboys dot com Radio. We the entertainment loving people, demand the best unlimited wireless plan ever from ATNT. What else do you want? Are you Unicorn? Maybe? Only at and T offers you unlimited data with HBO

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Back to the break Welcome backward, the second segment of the Breaklock from the s WBC Morgan Studios. We're talking Cowboys versus Giants today we're focusing in on the Giants offense. We've talked about Eli Manning, we talked about a new time and Evan Inglam. We talked about the offensive line a bit. Now I'll talk about the skill position, the wide receivers. Um. Let's start first with Odell Beckham. He

has he experienced and I think it was an ankle injury. Yeah, back during training camp, and by all accounts, they felt pretty happy with the prognosis because at first it was like is he gonna be Is this like gonna be a really serious and sounds very similar to the Tyrone Crawford sit right. Yeah, a look bad and everybody thought it was pretty bad and then come to find out not as bad. Still has a possibility obviously of playing this week, although I did read earlier that he is,

he has not practiced to this point. He wrote the stationary Bike all day on Monday during their practice. So let's talk a little bit about Odell Beckham and what he's presented for this team. Do you um when when he's at full strength, obviously, really really great player, but there have been some games when he's been a little limited. The Cowboys have limited him too. Not great plays, but he's made a big play, like a play that has

been a different maker in the game. I mean the big one that you're probably referring to is last year in New York. I mean, he was the difference in that game, and I don't I think it was one of his only catches of that guy. But other than that, they've done a decent job of limiting him. I mean the twenty fifteen opener after JJ Wilcox cleaned his clock, I think he finished that game with like one catch

for I don't think he was right. I don't think he was either, and his stat sheet indicates that he had like fewer than fifteen receiving yards. I don't know off the top of my head what he had in the season opener last year, but he certainly wasn't just lighting him up by any stretch of the imagination. And that's that was kind of the hallmark of this Dallas defense last year's. They gave you a little bit, but

they didn't give you the backbreaking play. That slant that he took it for a touchdown being a rare exception. I mean, it didn't happen very often where where an opponent had a long touchdown like that from you know, thirty forty fifty yards out, and that was a rare exception that ultimately helped contribute to them losing that. And I think that you know, they have that ben, but don't break defense and to not give up plays like that. But he pretty much just split the safeties on that

because of his athletic ability. I mean that that's that's why you know, he is just so good. I think he's you know, you said, he's really really good. I think when he's healthy, I think he's probably one of the top three or four players in the league. I really I believe that. I think he's you know, I know that he wanted to get paid as the best player in the NFL, and and I think you could make an argument for him he's probably the most exciting

player um in the league. And he's he's just you know, really, he's been way better than than anyone I think could have thought. I mean, what was he drafted? Fourteenth? Twelve, thirteenth? I think I was around there. I mean, I knew it was there. He's number thirteen. I was about to say that that would be very convenient. It was like the thirteen. Yeah, he's right around there though, Like it

was somewhere between ten and fifteen. Yeah, and uh, I know the Cowboys were interested, but you know, but they didn't what year was that. It was the Zach Martin You're ok. Yeah, so they were kind of interested. I mean, I know that they wanted some defensive players, but if he was, if he was still available, they would have definitely looked into I wouldn't be surprised if they would have drafted him if he'd been there, because they had a very high grade on him. And then Eric Ebron.

People mentioned the Giants could or the Lions could have had Aaron Donald or or Odell Beckham, and I think they went with Eric Ebron instead, which he that hurts a little bit now, so but yeah, I mean absolutely, and honestly, his presence and his his health I think mean everything, because I mean, this secondary's not as bad as I think a lot of people give it credit for.

But you can, I mean think about those options. And again, Brandon Marshall's dealing with the shoulder too, but you have those two Sterling Shepherd is a fantastic slot receiver, and then we already gave a hell of an intro to Ingram, who who knows if he'll even live up to those expectations. But that's just a lot of fleticism for this secondary to deal with, to the point where, you know, what do you do with an athletic tight end like that? Do you? I mean, it's Cheeta a woozier gonna try

to play him the way Byron Jones did? Do you bring Byron Jones out of his safety spot to handle that? Um? Are you are you doubling Beckham? I would hope you double Beckham, But you know, Rod Marinelli has never really been the type to just go out of his way to focus on a guy like that. He also doesn't typically travel cornerbacks. So if all of these guys are available, all four of the ones I just mentioned are out there and at full capacity, you're stretching any secondary pretty thin.

Let me flip this that thought a little bit. Who you get Who would you guys say is the best cornerbacks of Cowboys has right now? Scandrew Skandrick right in this scenario, Scandrick when they're in three wide, when they're in nickel defense, typically he's in the slot. In this instance, you're playing a team where the least experienced guy on that wide receiver corps will probably be the guy that's

in the slot. In Sterling Shepherd, do you think this is a situation where the Cowboys should or just you personally, do you think this would be a better idea if the Cowboys were to keep Scandrick on the outside and

maybe slide someone else in the slot. I don't know who that would be, whether that's Anthony Brown do it, But do you think that's a better option because of the fact that Scandrick is your better better cornerback and you'd rather And if you're gonna do that, does that mean now that you travel him with Beckham Man that those are good questions. I think that you do need to see. I mean, I do believe that that Beckham is going to play Now, is he a hundred percent?

You know, you'll you'll find out. I mean he can. Him being out there is still going to be effective. So unless he absolutely just can't walk or run and it's going to hurt himself long term, you know, I still think that they play him, but that could affect what you do there. You know, do you travel him? I mean him at eighty five percent, he's not one of the most dynamic players in the league anymore at that point, so maybe maybe you can kind of play

it straight up a little bit. I don't really see this as a situation to follow because they've got three great receivers. I think you need to play your defense the way you want to play it, you guys, quickly, said Scandrick. But I don't think it's he's that much better than the other guys, and so I would just play my defense. I think because it's a pick your poison. It's not like, well, you know, this guy's not any good. This Shepherd could beat them all day, and Brandon Marshall

could as well. Ingram, I mean, just look at the preseason and look at last year. The tight ends can kill this team sometimes. So that's something that Barron Jones really, I think Jones and Heath they need to step up their game this year from that standpoint, the tight end covering the tight end. You know, we've seen too many games where you know, some guy you don't even really even know who he is, and he's got six or seven catches. Are you all concerned about when you look

at this cornerback group? Really, Nolan Carroll is obviously the biggest guy they got in that group, but they really don't have size at the cornerback position. And in this game particularly, you're facing a beastly wide receiver in Brandon Marshall. Are you all concerned about how that matchup works? Especially if you say Nick, You're not gonna travel anybody. So's not gonna say Nolan Carroll, you're gonna be with him. Now he's lined up on Anthony Brown, Now he's lined

up on Scandrick. How do you feel about these corners in their size and the size they give up against big wide receivers. Fun little wrinkle here, which it's I mean, they haven't practiced yet this week. I have no idea what he's ready for. But ben a been wickery. He's not huge, but he's five eleven, two hundred. He's in this group. That's a big Yes, he's bigger than what they've had during the preseason. So if he can get up to speed, that's a bigger physical guy that can

help you with this. I don't know if you throw him out there against Marshall or what you do with him, but it gives you a little bit of a boost in the size category, which assuming he's healthy. Again, nobody's practiced. But Cheeto is on the bigger side too. I don't think he's quite six foot, but he's right in that, you know, five eleven six foot to you know, close to two hundred pounds. So you should would have a little bit more size for this game than what you

have had. But I'm I'm with Nick. I like Orlando Scandrick in the slot. I leave him in there if he can nullify or do his best to nullify Sterling Shepherd and let everybody else just kind of piece it together outside. I think that's I'm fine with that, because there is there is that advantage of like you just you said a little bit earlier, Sterling Shepherd, he's one of those targets that helps Eli get the ball out quick.

You nullify that, maybe it does create an extra second, an extra second and a half to where maybe your defensive front can possibly get home. Well, be Beckham was going to go all over the place as well, So I means sometimes he'll be in the slot some and it'll just be a cat and mouse game of you know, at times they'll play Scandrick here, they'll move Brown out, they'll move guys around, and you know, I just think

it's gonna be a good matchup. I mean, those three receivers are definitely better than the Cowboys three or four corners. But cowboys that are gonna beat them? Oh oh hey, not even not even Friday. Okay. But I mean, let's know that the offensive line is not great. I mean they're struggling with that. So aside from that, I'm just picturing this whole thing how it plays out. Yeah, Eli gets rid of the ball quickly. He still needs some improvement on his completion game. But aside from that, you

talk about he took about back him. I don't think he'll be at his fullest. Obviously, he's coming off from an injury. And I don't even I see that because you drafted him in fantasy last year and he wasn't that great for you? Did I have him last year? I thought so, didn't you? No? No, I think I think my team wouldn't have been last. Oh you were last. I was one of the last ones. Yeah, but the last one. Why we're not playing this year? Yeah, I'm out? Um No, but I just don't see him playing at

his fullest. Um. Yeah, what is it? A six time pro bowler or something like that. Probably time pro bowler. I mean the guy has eight eight seasons of his eleven seasons where he's had one thousand plus yards. I mean, this is a this is a really good wide resunderrated players, I agree with recent history of the league. Yeah, it's funny because when you start talking about the best receivers in the league, his name is rarely among those top

three or four. But if you look at his numbers and what he's consistently done, and especially if you look at the quarterbacks, he's done it with his best hard to not say he's he's up there. Best quarterback EVERT was Jay Cutler. Yeah, and good luck with that. And I think that there are players on this team and around the league for sure, but on this team that can look at Brandon Marshall as an example of a

guy that was very knuckleheadish, say the least. I mean he he had some issues, like yeah, polar and I mean he had some I think they had some domestic issues. Yeah, And and I think, you know, he's turned his his

career around. I mean I remember in two thousand and eight when the Cowboys practiced that with them, Um and pac Man Jones was like talking, you know, he was he was sitting there talking smack to Brandon Marshall, you know about how you know he felt like to was better than him or something like that, or he's no, he's no t O. And then Brandon Marshall came back

and said, well, he's no Champ Bailey. I mean, I can't believe it's been nine years since that, but I was remember thinking like, who's who's Brandon Marshall, Like, who's this guy? Is he any good? You know, he's pretty good he's been the best of all. Well, I don't know if he's been better than t O. No, he's not better than THO, but he's I mean, he's he's

got himself a nice little resume. I'll say this, if if he would have played with the quarterbacks that To was played to, To played with, yeah, then he probably would be as good, if not better than t O. Wait To played with, played with Romo, he played with Garcia, Stephen, Steve Young, Stephen like he played with Donovan mcnabba, Donovan McNabb. All of those are better than the best one that

Brandon Marshall play with. And Jay Cutler. Yeah, I agree, no doubt about all right, Yeah, no doubt about you say, Donovan McNabb. Yeah, Donovan McNabb is better than Jay Cutler, Yes he is. You don't even think about you not think Donovan McNabb is good. Yeah, yeah, he's better than Jay Cuble. We argued about Donovan McNabb. We have if anybody had been listening back in the day. We argued every time the Cowboys played the Eagles about how I

felt about McNabb versus how he felt about McNab. So, oh good, I don't really like Cutler either, So either I don't care, I don't care about McNabb either, I don't care. I don't care, all right, m One other thing I wanted to to ask you guys about with regards as the secondary um, wish you feel more comfortable with taking Byron Jones and sliding him down and let him kind of take on tight end responsibilities or would you rather have him back on the deep end rather

than Heath who do you feel like is more? Would you feel more comfortable with being as your your center fielder because they do run a lot of single safety high This goes I mean it goes back to not to sound like Brian brought us, but it's terrible how much time those rookies missed because ideally this sounds like something Cheeto could do if he'd been practicing for the last three weeks. I mean, maybe he can do it, but we don't know that. And how much time when

he was practicing, how much time he's spend a safety? None, so I was, but I'm thinking more of just like an in the box kind of like traveling around like you know, Byron wasn't really a safety when he was doing that as a rookie. You know, he was just more of like a big nickel. That's the way I

thought of him. But I haven't seen Cheeto in three weeks, and I don't know if I liked the idea of taking Byron, you know, down out of the safety spot, because I really like his athleticism when it comes time to clean up messes, which I'm sure there will be some in this game, so I trust that he could do that job better than anybody else. But I don't that sounds we don't like what you have to give up on the bounds, like it leaves you awfully vulnerable

on the back end. If that's what you want to do, that's what That's where I would rather see him. Is that the center field or type, even though you know, I think we've seen more plays from Jeff Heath in that role than we have up closer to the line of scrimmage a covering. So you know, you wish you could have Byron Jones do both, but I think it got one of them. Yeah, I would probably put Heath up closer to the line of scrimmage, and that's where

they might rotate, That's where Frasier might come into play. Yeah, I mean I would, And that's a great segue actually, because one thing I think is worth mentioning is okay, Giants o line. I know they're not great. Eli gets rid of the ball quick. We know that too. What about the run game, It's not anything on inspiring on there. Paul Perkins, I think is going to be their starter at this point. He drafted Wayne Gallman. They've got Shane Vereen, who's more of a you know, he's that Lance Dunbar

type guy Roles kind of guy. You um. I think they averaged two point eight yards per carry in their last preseason outing against I think it was the Browns. So I do think Paul Perkins is better than jin though. I think they'll have a better running game this year if the offensive line can block anything well. And I guess that's it's not a knock on Paul Perkins because the Cowboys liked him in the draft too, like he's

a solid back. And I think Gallman's pretty good too, But I don't just I don't know how much fear that offensive line puts in your heart that they're gonna just block you up and run wild on you. So if there's a game where you can get away with playing a lot of nickel and dime and against these receivers and tight up just more dbs, get them all. I want eight on the field and just figure it out.

And fortunately, maybe you can get away with that in this game, because again, this running game doesn't strike a lot of fear in my heart. You've got Sean Lee to help clean up anything that gets past the line. So that is something I think works in the Cowboys favor is that the giants ineptitude in the run game maybe frees you up to play a more pass heavy defense. All right, let's take our final break, will come back. Let's get some questions. The number is two one eight seven,

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Back to the break, Welcome back. It's the final segment of the great class in the s WBC Mortgage studios at the Star, Let's jump in and get some questions. You guys can call us a numbers two one four eight seventy twenty one O two again two one four eight seven two twenty one out two. You can also hit us on Twitter at Cowboys Break will start with a phone call from Phil in France. Phil, what up? Hi? How you doing? I have had a hot and sunny

hill from move going in France. I want to first to express my sympathy to and tell the people in southern Casis that I keep them in my praise and I wish them the best, to be confident and to be motivated and proud to rebuild what mother Nature took awaits and fans. I'm sure you'll be welcomed in Dallas and it's her area as I was when I was in there at different times. I love all these shows and I watched every one of them live or on replay.

I watched, I watched some on Twitter and noticed a lot of non Cowboys fans were watching two and trying to make noise with dumb sentences. I want to stay polite, correct and respectful on air. Then I wondered why, and I discovered that it was because you have the best streaming team shows on the NFL, and they are jealous. Sorry for you, cowboysaors. We fand feel we have the best team because of its great honored GM organization and players, and because of you all who are working for so

hard for Dallas Cowboys dot com. You're the goat. I want to rant a little bit about the Ziki situation and being from far, I'm gonna lean the way the great conspiracy and I'm gonna sound like an alkhalead. Maybe I mean all thirty one of other teams and especially three in our conference, the marriage and Commissioner himself, and he's Darling Crafts Pats leading. They don't want their eskicked for another ten years like in the nineties. I mean,

the league don't want any more Cowboys dynasty. Now. I'm just gonna say that I'm not afraid by the Wei giants. I think if we eat them hard and bad and they'll surrender a b j lest year, let Manny feel the heat and he'll beat all of the place right to connect with his wide receivers and tight ends. Go Cowboys for taking Michael, and I wish you a great day. Thank you. We appreciated. I got a drop. You're the goat, bo cool. That was awesome. Both y'all talk to him, right.

That made me wish that I still kept up with my French. I think I think I was just gonna say, let's let y'all just go both. Y'all could have talked to him. You're fluent, right a French. Yeah, It's been probably like ten years now since I've constantly spoken, but yeah, I'm sure you can still piece it together, piece it together.

The thing about I know this from experience, when you communicate to a French person that you can speak French, all bets are off like they're just they're coming, they're gonna go. They're just like, oh, okay, well and then it's just you're lost. The floodgates are open. And so anyway, but one thing he did point out that thought was kind of interesting. He was talking about Eli Manning. He was like, no more Cowboys Dynasty, That's what he was talking about. Yes, that was one of the things that

wash that stood out to me at Cowboys Dynasty. But when he mentioned about Eli Manning, he said, you put pressure on him, he'll be throwing the ball all over the place, and although he gets rid of the ball quickly. That is one thing that that you could say about elis when he gets pressure. And I don't know, you can't say that about a whole bunch of quarterbacks in the league. But when you can get pressure on him, then even though he might get it out quickly, it's

probably gonna be a bit more erratic. And that's when you have opportunities, right. I said this, yeah, and I said this yesterday. Actually, somebody emailed the mail bag this morning and said, basically the gist of the email was, I don't remember y'all writing about the defensive line giving the offensive line this much trouble last year or so is the offensive line taking a step back? Or is the defensive line just better? I think you could probably.

I mean, ron Leary is better than whoever's going to play left guard, and Lyle Collins is still learning. So I think it's fair to say that this offensive line is not as good as last year's was, at least not right now. But I still think that the defensive line has improved, honestly from and no they're not the Broncos but or the Seahawks, but I think they're I think they're a little bit better than I thought they would be. And I wonder, especially if this offensive line.

This Giant's offensive line is as leaky as people give it credit for. I wonder how they'll do, Like I kind of feel like maybe they'll get some pressure on this guy. You know, you don't forget that at this point last year, Leary I don't think was the starter, right, that is true. And then Doug Free. So I think the line did get a little bit better because Doug Free was injured kind of the start the year or two. So overall, I think the five guys on the line

got better as the year went on. Um, But we'll see about what you're saying. I mean, I think that they they'll be able to dial it up on the defensive end and get some pressure. And you're right, I mean Eli will throw some some bad passes. I mean, that's why he makes those faces, because he will make some bad decisions like a lot of quarterbacks do when

when they get pressure. So that's actually when you asked, like, what stood out about the two main My two main memories from last year, well, the Beckham, the Beckham touchdown in the second game, the Terrence sideline debacle, which really wasn't a debacle because it would have been like a sixty yard field goal anyway, and then Eli threw like one of the worst picks I've ever seen the Brandon Car Brandon Carr, I mean, on the first possession of

the third quarter. It was just it was like he felt He's like, I know, you haven't had a pick in two years. I'm like, literally, it wasn't a pretty exciting moment. I saw, like the play happened live, dropped that one. The play happened live, and I was like, Brandon Car got a pick, Oh my god, blah blah blah.

And then I watched the replay and like literally all Car had to do was just kind of sink down to his knees and catch it because the I think it was Beckham or the receiver, whoever it was, was just standing there, like, and what do you do if you don't remember it? Just just know this that Larry Brown had two more difficult interceptions in the Super Bowl thirty against the Steelers than than what he had. It

was something else, that's for sure. But you know, I kind of agree with you that I do think the defensive line is better. I also think this is also a function of every time a defensive lineman were to beat an offensive lineman during training camps and became news. Yeah, it's because the offensive line is so good that if they got beat then it was like, oh wow, wow,

they beat beat Martin on that play. You know, that was a huge deal if somebody beat Martin on a play when you know, vast majority of time Martin was you know, he's steady, you weren't gonna beat him. So I think it's a little bit of both. But I do agree there are they are better. I think they're better.

They don't have the guy that you have to game plan around, right, which is a problem, But of any I mean DeMarcus Mayowa, Paia Malik and when he gets back, when they get back to Montremore, and David Irving, I mean, and Tyrone Crawford too, I'll throw him at Like can't you can imagine all of those guys getting five or six? Right? Like, yeah, I don't know. I said you can imagine, I didn't say it was gonna happen, Like, like one of those

guys will get five or six. I think three or four of them will probably have between four and six. I mean that's what they did last year. Honestly, I think there will be one guy that gets up to probably about six or seven, and I think it's probably gonna be Malik. Malik had five and a half last year, Tyrone had four and a half, Mayowa had six. That right, I mean, that's a solid start. If you can get two other guys to come along with you and get

five or six, you maybe cooking a little. So yesterday talking to sound right, Yeah, I don't know if it's going to happen, but I can imagine all of those guys getting into that range. Um talking to tyr Own Crawford yesterday, and he was just saying, how he feels pretty good. You know, he's not going to be one, but he feels pretty good. He said that he didn't think when he was on the field when he got injured that he would be at this point talking even

talking about week one. But then I asked him about often playing defensive tackles since they only have three tackles, or playing some end. He was just like, yeah, yeah, sounds good. Okay, like you're not really It was pretty funny. I was there, I watched it. He kind of ignored Nick right away. Yeah, I kind of like talked myself out of the question, you know, like, based off of

his I fell embarrassed for you. Don't worry about that. Yeah, that's just part of be interrupt Yeah, but I kind of, as I said, like, do you um so usually we usually when you ask a question, you kind of like open open it up for them to cut you off with the answer. So I was like, yeah, they kept

three tackles. You've played a little bit of both. Do you see yourself playing you know, some defensive tackle or you're gonna stick to end where you've been most of the time, or and he was like, or you're just not gonna say anything because it's weak one. Yeah, okay, cool, thank you. I don't think you even say anything. I don't think this question basically just waiting for the next question. Bro. That just okay. But I got the answer by by

no answer, I got the answer. He's gonna played defensive tackle. And that's something he probably didn't want to say, probably right, Yeah, he probably. I mean, I don't want to put words in his mouth, but he probably doesn't want to do it. He probably like, can I just play a position? Can you just Oh? Yeah? But I would bet he's probably he's gonna do like a lot of these guys have done over the years. With Rod Marinelli, he's gonna probably be doing both. Yeah, there would be times you look

out there and he's at defensive tackle. There are times you look out there, look out there and he's at defensive end. Like there got a lot of guys that do that, and that's what they've kind of built this defense line to do, is to be flexible and have guys that can jump out the position to position. It's a shame because you know, I had a couple of coaches say that he has finally, you know, just healthy,

and he was. He was looking really good like and not only was he was he playing, you know, was he really athletic, but you could tell he was taking on kind of that leadership role. Like that day he just kind of went off at practice. He just was just fighting everyone, you know, because he had seen the day before that they were getting beat. So he wasn't doing anything like winning in practice, but he was just gonna say, well, if anything, I'm just gonna fight. And

I think that right there. Since once that happened, the defense kind of turned a little bit, they started winning a little bit more. So it was just some energy he's taken a little bit more of that role, and I was gonna, I mean, we can have all the conversations you want about his effectiveness and whether his paycheck is justifiable, but you can't question that he's a good

soldier and the famous, the right kind of guy. I mean, he dude injuries, lay through everything, moves to whatever position they tell him to just I mean, and and he's if you're gonna identify like a leader father figure in the defensive line room, it's him. So he handles all that stuff. You can't question any of that about him. That's somebody asked me yesterday, you know, if I thought he was actually ready to play or if it was

just a situation where they needed him. I was like, he hasn't been ready to play in like two years in terms of, you know, his health. But he's just a tough, tough dude. So I mean, yeah, I think he'll be out there. That's not even a question, is it. I don't think it's a question. This place sounds like it's actually happening. All right. Let's take a question from Twitter. Well, here's a quick comment from dusting saying Phil from France

is the man. So thanks again, Phil, further call, and Rob is asking does the extra extra sorry week off adversively affect the Cowboys versus Giants due to the canceled preseason game. I really don't think that matters at all because they they all did what they were going to do. That's I don't think a single guy that will factor heavily in this game played or would have played. I mean Xavier Woods, Cavon Frasier. Yeah, they got a practice,

they practice and they didn't get hurt. So I don't think it really helps because I don't think it was an advantage that the Giants didn't have. I mean, the key players for the Giants I'm sure didn't play in their last game either, So nah, I don't think that that does anything to them. If Rob wants to ask us a question, just tell him to come downstairs. I know. Rob quit twittering from up there. Okay, I do have an accent. Okay, what big deal. Let's get over it

all right. Another question from Twitter? Okay, questions about the what is it called suspended here? It is suspended, guys. Do you guys think that it will really affect the Cowboys in this in the next games? Irving Demontre more, not having not having these guys will really affect the team. Yeah, just start with the Giants game. The guys are out for the Giants game. You think that's gonna have a big impact on this game? Does? Is Charles Tapper gonna play?

You think you think he's gonna suit up and play. I had a conversation with somebody yesterday where we were. I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if he's the seventh inactive. I don't know that for sure, but but they only have eight. Yeah, and I don't think he'll play. I saw his face yesterday. He didn't seem like he's gonna play. I read his language his face. This guy's not gonna play this week. Thought about walking up to him me

just asking him. I thought so, But just because I saw his face, I'm like, he's like, I got this in the mood, I got this. I mean, yeah, they would be short on the defensive line if he's inactive, because they only have eight right now. Yeah, if if he does play, then then yeah, I think that you certainly would. You're gonna miss what you would have had

with the Demontre Moore or Irving or both. So yeah, I mean I think that that it's it affects it because David Irvings the type of versatile player that can that can do what you say, play inside and if the Giants have some players on their line that you think you can take advantage of, David Irvings has been the type of player that you can see that can

kind of you know, he can win those mismatches. So yeah, I would would definitely like to have him out there if it wasn't if they were both healthy, I mean they're both active to play Tapper. I don't know if Tapper would be on the team, actually, I don't. I mean, when when both those guys are back, they're gonna have to make some kind of decisions. Are convince a line? Right? That's stuff to get creative like he did and some other injuries get creative. That stuff tends to take care

of itself a month over him. For Irving, I don't know so much about Demontre more. I mean, maybe you get through two games without any significant injuries and then you have to make yeah, all right real quick. I've seen a lot of questions about Twitzer. Do you guys think that we'll get to see him this week? And if so, how much well he contributed to the team. See see I think I think we're going to see Ryan Switzer. Yes, I do too, Yeah, why would mean? Yeah?

But you know, that's the thing about offense, That's the thing. I mean, everybody's like talking about Switzer, but the fact of the matter is there are a ton of guys ahead of him as far as guys that when you start just going down the list of guys that will get the ball on offense, I think you're probably gonna get to probably fifth before you get to his name, probably maybe more, I don't know. I mean at least fifth, right, So I don't I don't text a whole lot, a

lot more than most of your guys. He's going to touch the football most guy and special special teams is yeah, that's where that's where they drafted. But I guess that's what I'm saying, is that's where I was going. Was. I think on offense, whatever you get is going to be gravy. I don't think there's a lot that's built

for him. So he may get a few opportunities, I don't think it'll be a lot special teams where you'll have opportunity to make a mark, right, yeah, I mean, I mean that's where are my expectations are to start. But I wouldn't be surprised if they find a way to this week. You can get yeah, I don't get those. A little sleep yeah, a little death sweeps and a little you know, a little swing routes they used to do with with you would lucky Lucky. Yes, what they

used to do is free agent. Now, Yes, he's hurt. Though hurt free agent. I want to I would guess he was waved injured because he broke his foot. I don't know. I haven't really been paying a lot of attention to him yet. Cut him huh yeah, exactly. That's that good? All right? One more question I was used gonna say real quick, I'm really excited to see Switzer, and I know everyone is, but at least in the punt return game versus Lucky Whitehead. Oh my god, he

would annoy me so much last year. Like, you take this stuff, this stuff so personally because you're watching from up there. It's like it's like when you see a fight, you know, or boxing or stuff or something like that, you want to like you're kind of imitating the thing I want to be in it. I see Lucky last year. I have never once wanted to be okay, okay or in a box. But I'm trying to say watching Lucky Whitehead, no I haven't okay, it was clearly let's stop that, Joe, Okay.

I'm just saying, watching Lucky Whitehead from up there or anywhere you're at, especially from up high, you just see him dancing around the field. And yeah, he was a fast player, but he never really did anything, and that was annoying. It's very frustrating. You're not wrong, I mean, run to the right, run to the left, and nothing

that he's still there. I think Switzer is gonna be fine, but you do get the little bit of the backup quarterback syndrome with him because we haven't seen him yet, so everybody you know he's West Welker meets Cole Beasley meets Tyreek Hill, and you know he's not if he'd played in the preseason and fumbled some punts and everybody like, oh my god, I hate this guy. What's he doing back there? So I think he'll be fine, but I do think the hype to see him probably exceeds what

he's actually going to do. At least to start. That's a rap. We appreciate you joining us. We'll be back tomorrow nine thirty am Central to then for Nick Eatman, Dave Hellman, Amber Garcia. I'm Derek Eagleton. This has been The Break live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.