Cowboys Break: Facing The Packers Defense

I'm Derek Heelton, joined by Nick Eatman, Dave Hellman, Amber Garcia rely from the s WBC Mortgage studios at the Star, and today we're gonna talk about the Cowboys and the Packers. Yesterday we talked about the Packers offense um and Dave told you guys why the Cowboys have no shot at win in this game. Today we'll talk about the Packers defense. That's not what I said. We'll see if Dave has a little more optimistic view of the Cowboys Cowboys champ

of being able to score against this Packer Stefens. How's everybody this morning? Good? Great, good, good good. We're just jumping right in, Actually we are. We're gonna We're gonna jump in unless you have something you want to say as a prelude to us jumping in. I don't know, maybe we could talk injuries or something before it's a cab. Actually, when I say jump in, that's where I was gonna go first. We were gonna go to I'll let you,

I'll let you host. That seems to work a lot of the time because when I host, we'll hear about it on Twitter. We do hear about it, like you and all. But yeah, and I'm like, uh, he's coming back Thursday and thirty. Do your kids do that to you? Like when my wife out of time, I saw my kids treat me like Dad, you're doing a good job. But when's mom coming back? Like you know, all right, let's jump in. Let's talk about injuries because they like

mac and cheese. Good point, Let's talk about injuries. There was a big injury for the Cowboys yesterday. Well I shouldn't say big injury. There was an injury to a player that is of note from name standpoint. People talk about him, and he'd been in active a little bit. But Charles Tapper breaks his foot yesterday. What are we expecting is going to happen, Dave, I know you were all over this story yesterday when it was breaking. I was literally all over this story because I was standing

on Charles Tapper trying to talk to his foot. Not on his foot, but I might as well have been. I mean, like, if you've ever been in the Cowboys locker room, when a popular player talks, it's kind of it's really unfortunate for the guys that sit next to him hated for him. So, yeah, they should be a podium or something. Yeah, you would think that would make them make sense. I don't know. So Tap broke his foot yesterday in practice and act it was our very

own Amber Garcia that got the scoop. She was like, hey, what's wrong with it? I felt so bad. No. I was going up to him to interview him for some almost Cowboys and I'm like, hey, can I do you have a few minutes. He's like, ah, yeah, but I can't go anywhere. I'm like, what do you mean? He's like, I just broke my foot, and I'm like, what are you serious? You said a matter of fact like that. I mean, and he's such a nice guy. He was still wanting to give me the interview, and then I

felt horrible. He was getting you know, his crutches and his little boot on, and he basically told me, he's like, yeah, man, I can't catch a break. I'll probably will be out for the rest of the season. So sucks. It is a tough situation for him. I mean, well said not that he would have necessarily had a lot of opportunities this year because that he was already finding himself inactive and that's before David Irving was gonna be coming back into the mix. Um, so it was gonna be tough

for him to find time playing time anyway. But still, when you go on ir you're kind of forgotten, You're you're out of the mix, and and that's a tough thing for players, Like yeah, I kind of feel like it's one of those things like dang, dang, that's that sucks for you. I'm sorry that. You mean, the organizations kind of happen for him. Well, you know, unless unless I don't know how it happened, unless and they had been wickery, like jumped on his foot and broke it.

You know, this guy, it's all about self preservation. It's fine. I mean, practice injuries do not happen that often, except for the two guys that are from the two guys that get a lot of grief for getting hurt who have how they end up happen to them in the same week, within like four days of each other. Chads Green and Charles Tapper got hurt at practice. Chaz is apparently isn't bad. He's practicing again. But it's I mean, it's it's a little ironic. Nobody asked me in the

media if Chaz had the Aaron Donald flew. I didn't. I didn't think that. But I don't explain what that means for people out there. They are a little slow. I think they got it. Aaron Donald pretty self explanatory. But you know what, who are we playing this week? Man? That hip? I don't know. I got feeling it today. What I tried to like research this is this like a thing that's ever happened, like in in any sport, baseball, bousketball,

and it's like it's really happened. And then now that they say, well, you know that, maybe it's like that, you know what I mean, Like this is this a documented thing that somebody one time was facing Roger Clemons and said, I don't feel I'm not up for it today or something like that. I don't know. I can see it in baseball because you play one hundred and sixty two games and guys take days off anyway, Like you just get a day off every couple of weeks

just because it's like missing a training camp practice. If you're a pro bowler, you know, you're just like, Ah, I could see a corner Thursday. I don't feel like it today. I could see a cornerback when the Vikings were coming to town and Randy, Yeah, I don't know. I have a hard time thinking a professional football player would run from it. A challenge. This is this is I know. I'm not saying Chas Green did that at all. This is an interesting segue. I'm not saying he did that.

I'm saying it was brought to my attention. We're just talking about it. But now I don't think he did He's done that. I don't. I don't know if there's a lot of people out there that believe this, But somebody tried to call us out on Twitter yesterday and was like, why can't y'all just tell the truth, Like if you know one minute Charles Tapper's a healthy and active now he broke his foot, which is it? Why? Like,

why are you guys both can't be this? Why do we even listen if you're not going to tell the truth, like we're covering up the center. I was like, dude, he broke his foot in practice, like three hours ago, Like I saw him over the weekend. He was fine and as of the time of the show he was healthy. Yeah. And I was like, this literally happened ninety minutes ago

and we're reporting it. I don't know what else you want me to say, Like, it's not like they're making this up to cover the fact that, you know, so people get off their back about taco, Like you think you think the cowboys care that fans are aggravated that Charles Tapper's sitting here, don't. Yeah, probably have no idea. Yesterday, both of you guys were like cops at a high school party, like everyone back, getting people to back up

after what they were saying, like especially you. You know that guy who tried to come at you and you and then about five seconds later he's like, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. That guy's same, so he didn't just say I'm sorry, like He went on for like an hour, like I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, Please forgive me just I feel horrible. I'm the worst person in the face of the earth. Well, your guy was the same way.

It was like, I'm sorry if you like, if you think I don't know what I'm talking about, like if you don't like my opinions, or you think I'm a downer because I think Aaron Rodgers is going to play well on Sunday, That's okay, that's fine. If you think that I'm like BS and you about you know, like trying to tow the company line, because you know, the cowboys are trying to hush things up because they don't want people questioning who they're making active on something. It's ridiculous.

There are a lot of things I could say negative about you, Dave. That's not one of You're not that guy. I know that guy. I take that personally because I put a lot of value on Like what I'm saying to people is not BS. So it's at least what you believe, right, Yeah, absolutely, So when somebody comes at me like that, it's aggravating. All right, let's finish going through the rest of the injury report. There were actually

some interesting notes on the injury report. Um yesterday. Here were the guys that were on their dry report but practice fully Cheetah by A. Woozier and Nolan Carroll, both the cornerbacks. That's a good sign for the Cowboys, Lyle Collins, Zeke Elliott, Cavon, Frasier, Chaz green Um and Anthony Hitchins. Which that I think was probably the most important of all.

Burying the ladle a little bit there. Well, the reason I said it last is because I actually want to talk about him and because of the fact that he practiced fully yesterday. Are we all and do you all agree? And from the things we're hearing, is he gonna play this week? The understanding, I haven't talked to him one on one. I haven't talked to him. I have Oh, I have talked to him one on one four day. Let's listen. Yeah, that's it. That's okay. That would take

too much time to explain how frustrating that is. That's a reporter thing. If you're not really reporter, you're not gonna get it. So but go ahead, what did he tell you? You had a one on one and now it became a forty on one. Yeah, it happens, um does it? Yeah, it does us really interesting though I didn't. You don't think about all the stuff that goes in. But he's like, yeah, I practiced him pads the first time I was in pads practicing since I got hurt,

I feel fine. If he said, he said, if it were up to me, I think they could have pushed me hard enough to get me ready for the RAMS. But obviously that type of stuff's out of my hands. He basically said, they're going to go look at the tape of how I played, and and if he said, if it looks good, they're going to give me the green light. He actually said, so locker room is from one twelve five to two thirty whatever. It's in the

mid afternoon. He was like, by the end of today, I expect to know whether or not I'm good to go. So I'll go find him to day. And well, not only go find him today, but keep an eye on the injury report today. If he's full again today, that tells me everything I need to know. I feel very optimistic that he's going to be able to play in this game, which is the only thing I could think of as to why he wouldn't is just because you've got the bye week coming up, so why not give

him another basically two weeks of rest. But if he's good to go, you know, if you're healthy, you're healthy. That's what people always argue about. So so the slip side to that, Sean Lee was on the injury report as a did not participate. Are you concerned that he's

not going to play at this point? If if he's not practicing as of yesterday when last week, I thought it was kind of a game time decision type situation which would make you think he's certainly would be ready to at least practice in a limited capacity as of wedndsay of this week. Yeah, I mean hamstring. It seems to be, especially with this team, it seems to be the one injury where if it's not one hundred percent when you come when he comes back, you can see

some reaggravation there. And I think with the bye week coming up, I could see where the Cowboys would say, all right, this is one we need to hold because we cannot have a lingering issue with Sean Lee. But you know, I think today's important. A lot of guys miss practice on Wednesday anyways, just just you know, Stephen Pie has been doing it. We'll probably do it all

all year long and then we'll play. But I think if he misses another one today, I think it'd be a little bit more of a red flag that he's not going to be out there. I would, and I think we shouldn't just kind of gloss over the best player on the team being on the injury report. All right, so let's talk about that. Now he knows how to host the show. Let's talk about that. It wasn't length

the injury report yesterday. Yeah it was, And that's why you have to kind of go through it because there's some things in it that you have to kind of look a little closer. But Tyron Smith, um, not where I was going. That's not where you were going. No, Ezekiel Elliott. I mean, now he practiced, But I'm just saying, this is this kind of a new thing that I mean, I didn't know it's just a chess injury that we

it would say chess, Yeah, I mean, is that. But but my assumption with the guys that were full, especially the guys that showed up that were full, were guys that had nicks from the game. Yeah, and but if they practice fully, then my thought was that's a no, that's a no worry for now. Let's see what happens

on the injury report tomorrow. If they are listed on there as anything other than full as of today, then we'll have something to talk about, right And maybe I have a different maybe you think something different at obviously you're you're reporting, so no, no, no, no, I'm just saying that I think that that the fact that he's on there and we hadn't really heard it much about that, I think that's something just to watch and monitor. We'll

see because we've seen this already this year. Guys, Wednesday looks good. Thursday? Is that, you know, that's when Byron Jones popped up on the injury report. That's when Chad Green, I believe, for the first time, popped up on injury report Friday. New to me? Who was it on Thursday? Somebody on Thursday? But is it just me or like this is the first time I'm noticing, at least this season, when guys are popping up on the injury report as full.

Like you know, it's almost like, okay, league, we're gonna report this stuff. It's this is the kind of stuff that typically every player you can list every player because every player, Yeah, I would think every players got something right. But but it just seems strange to me. They had so many guys listed that were new to the injury report, but they all practice fully. I don't know, it just seemed weird to me. Maybe I opened up the can of worms there about who the best player on the

team is. But I think it's Zeek and I think we want to do a whole segment on that. We could. I think we did at training camp. I'm sure. Yeah, I think that's just them covering their basis. Lyle Collins is on there, and yeah, at you know, a month end of the season, I think everybody's probably fighting something. I talked to Zeke in the locker room yesterday and he seemed fine. I know, I mean, that doesn't mean he is. That's not always a great indicator, but I'm

not worried about him until further notice. All right, Well, let's talk about Tyren Smith though, because I do think that's worth at least a conversation. We've seen this happen before, where we saw him pop up on the injury report limited and we were like, ah, it's just vet day kind of thing, and then the week goes on and limited, limited, questionable, and then doesn't play. Is this something that fans should

be concerned about and keep an eye on? It is the same back injury that he's that he struggled with now for a while. Is this something that you should be concerned about. I think it's obviously his back and backs are bad and typically chronic. But I don't think this is necessarily related to the thing that knocked him out. Remember, back to training camp, Garrett said he's got some tightness in his back. This isn't related to the problem that

kept him out for two weeks last year. I think this is that same thing I think from camp, right, got it? I think he'll probably have problems with his back for the rest of his career. Um, hopefully it's not bad enough to keep him out of a lot of football games. It should certainly be concerning. I do think Tyrant Smith is the best player on this team.

So I'm with you there, Derek Um. So I mean it should definitely be concerning, But I'm again I'm not ready to, you know, assume he's going to miss this game just yet. I think that's probably more precaution than anything else. All Right, Nicky Wort, I mean like concerned maybe, but not like worried. I think you'll be out there miss a game and then you start to be right worried about it. But you know, it's just it's concerning you. You want one of your best players to be healthy

and ready to go. But I mean because that that offensive line has already had some missues and all all year, and guys that you're expecting more from with Frederick and Martin, they've been good, but you've expected a little bit more from them. Tyron, I think, hasn't he got beat? I guess what Chandler Jones two weeks ago? Yeah? But can we can we play a not fun game for a second? Who would what would you do if Tyron couldn't play? How how would you handle that? You move Chazz to

left tackle? Would you? I will say this, of all the game, of all the games they great drop, of all the games they've played this year, this would be the week where I'd be like, if I gotta go without Tyron, I'd rather do it this week than all

those other weeks. I love for Clay Matthews huh. I'm again, I'm a lot less concerned about those guys that have faced this week than I than I am from those other And that doesn't speak That doesn't speak less of Clay Matthews and the green Bay defense as much as he speaks about the high quality of Aaron Donald. And I like that. I hear you. I guess, I guess you would go Chaz Green? Would you could play Byron Bell out there? Could move lyle to the left side,

Chaz Green. I think Chaz Green too, Chaz Green and play Cooper at guard and leave everybody else the same. Then what if Chass is out, He's not gonna get hurt. Yaz is fine yesterday, he's good. If Chazz and Tiring are both out, then I would probably play forfeit. No, just go ahead and give up. I would probably play. I'd play Byron Bell at left tackle and Cooper at left guard, and I'd run everything to the right side. Sounds like a strategy. Let's roll with it. Gotta do

what you gotta do. Yeah, all right, let's take our first break. When we come back. Dave's gonna give us a scouting report on this green Bay defense and we'll talk about how that matches up against the Cowboys offense. We'll write back, This is Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. We the entertainment loving people, demand the best unmitted wireless plan ever from AT and T. What else do you want? Are you unicorn? Maybe only a T and T offers. He want limited data with HBO included and never payoverages.

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sposed defensa. You don't know what to do. He the same. You're to leave the doctor Pepper when your pepper. When you crave a doctor pepper, nothing else will do. Pick up a nice cold twenty ounce bottle today, doctor Pepper, the one you crave. 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 with a muscle and heart to get her done. But if your scouts and coaches

are listening out there a word of advice. Picked 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, Welcome back. It's the second segment of The Break live from the SWBC Mortgage studios at the Star. What was that? I

don't know is the time to read this yet? Now it's a second segment. I don't know. I'll let you know when I say, Nick, take it away. That's a good hint that now just starts reading become thing. Yeah, it has become your thing. You do it so well. Even though one of us read something they got sent over to Tommy John, Like when when Amber remember it? Well? Aunt Tommy John was actually pretty excited about that, right.

I think they were looking at maybe making her like a spokesperson for let's go what they do on here. She's pretty good at that stuff. All right, let's go day. If you give me a scouting report on the Green Bay defense. Remember last week when I said I'm tired of calling it a three four, I still feel that way because this and this is even worse than the Rams because like the Packers just basically run a blob defense.

Like I've never been more frustrated than trying to figure out who's lined up where and what they're doing in this defense because it's a base four three. I'm sorry, it's a base three to four, but really, the only constants that I can come up with are that there's typically two down linemen. Kenny Clark is your nose tackle from UCLA. He's a drag. He's a second round no excuse me, he's a first round pick from a year ago.

So he's a second year player. And then you've got another defensive tackle who's typically Mike Daniels, who's a very good veteran player. It's been Dean Lowry a lot because Mike Daniels has been hurt. Keep an eye on him. I kind of get the feeling Mike Daniels is going to play in this game, which could be big. And then everything else is a hodgepodge. So you've got Clay Matthews, he is always standing up. You've got Clay Fact not Kyler facrel out of I believe Utah State, either Utah

State or by Um. He's your other rush linebacker. And then typically you've got anywhere from four to six defensive backs on the field. This is a team that has spent a lot of capital on their secondary, whether it's Kevin King, who's your first round pick at you guys liked it. I wanted him to be the Cowboys pick at twenty eight last year. Yeah, he was there. He was probably the next highest graded player on their board besides Taco. They didn't take him. He's now starting for

the Packers and he's he's all right. He had his ups and downs from what I watched, but they trust him enough to put him on guys like Julio Jones and AJ Green and he's a rookie so and he can hold his own with those guys. Like he gave up catches to him in the snaps that I watched, but he certainly doesn't look like a liability. The other corner does Demarrius Randall, who is also a first round pick from twenty fifteen, Arizona State guy who kind of

They got two first round picks at corner. Look, let's just go through this thing here for a second. You got a first round pick at corner and Demarrius Randall. You got a first round pick at corner in Kevin King. You got a first round pick at free safety. Haha, Clinton Dix you probably probably remember him, Yeah, we talked about him. Another really impressive young player. They have his safety, Josh Jones from NCY State, who they took in the

second round this past year. Quentin Rollins is a second round pick from a few years ago. Basketball player, Yes he was. He was a point guard at Miami and Ohio. Really random thing for you to know, but absolutely well, he came in here, he did, he did. The Cowboys did look like them. So yeah, that's a lot of first in second round invest a lot. And the thing is they're good. They don't look that good. Well, but

here's the interesting part thing to point out. And I was actually gonna ask you this question, but I'll throw it out there now. You look at the rankings right now, the Green Bay packers a fifth in the league in past defense, and they're only giving up one hundred and eighty eight point five passing yards per game, which is poultry. That's like almost nothing. How are they doing that with if they're not playing great? I round it up. I round it up to one eighty nine. Okay, good, it's

worth my like. Honestly, I don't really know because from what I saw, I mean, Julio Jones and Mohammed Sanu made their plays in that game in Atlanta, and AJ Green had a pretty solid day too. Bengals kind of jumped out. It was kind of like this Rams game. The Bengals jumped out to like a twenty one to seven lead and then had to hang on and go to overtime, where they eventually lost. So after three quick touchdowns in the first half, they scored three points the

rest of the way. It reminds me not in the way it looks at all, obviously, but it reminds me of Marinelli's whole clog and cover thyal just clog and cover fill the passing lanes up with defensive backs have enough bodies moving around, they shift around a lot. So actually, I have a big time crush on this formation that they're playing right here. I think I think they call it Nitro. It's kind of like their version of the Deacon, where there's like, it seems like there's nine defensive backs

on the field. So Kenny Clark and then either Mike Daniels or Odom or your down guys. Then you've got your two rush linebackers. Then you've got safeties playing in the slot, so Morgan Burnett's down on a receiver. You've got Randall and King out wide, and then there's three safeties kind of patrolling the back end. Haha, Josh Jones and what's this other guy's name. I already forgot Marwin Evans, who's an undrafted free agent that they like a lot.

But so basically you're talking six almost seven defensive back at seven if you're saying you've got four down and three back and then one true linebacker who is typically either Joe Thomas who's on the injury report this week or Blake Martinez who's a draft pick that they like. But it's just speed everywhere and like I said, they don't look as like impressive as the Arizona Cardinals did. But I think just by sheer bodies and athleticism, their goal is to just clog the passing lanes. They won't

be doing that against the Cowboys. I in no way they would do that, honestly, Like I in the three games that I watched, they did run a little bit of base defense, but like not really well. But what I'm saying is if if a team, you would think, if a team lines up with seven defensive backs against this Cowboys rushing attack, even if the Cowboys have their you know, they're eleven personnel on the field, they would run against that all day and just chew up yards,

wouldn't you think? Yes? I do, But I mean, you know, the Bengals have good running backs like Giovanni Bernard. Okay, we can go the other one too, Atlanta Tevin Coleman, and that one is a better example. Yes, it's the same thing. Honestly. The look that they gave the Falcons was a lot like what the Rams gave the Cowboys, which is four guys near the line of scrimmage. Can you can you let me? Can you let me finish. Yeah, say anything a linebacker and a safety in the box

and then let your dbs handle everything else. And they the Falcons ran the ball really well against that. But that's what they chose to play, right, And but I do I will say this, the the Falcons, their style of rushing attack is very different than the Cowboys, like. They do spread out and run the ball a lot more, I think than the Cowboys do. So I think that this is a I think of this team more of a and I don't even want to say because it's gonna sound a little weird, but a power running team.

What I mean by that is they'll they'll line up and they'll just keep pounding and keep pounding and keep pounding. I don't know that I think of Atlanta like that. Atlanta. I think the reason that they run so well, at least part of the reason they run so well is because they have such great guys on the outside. So I think it opens up things a little bit more for their running. You have to stop their best player.

I mean, sometimes we oversimplify things, but you stop their best player in Atlanta, you have to stop Julio Jones, just have to. You have to make sure you get him controlled with the Cowboys, and I'm talking about the weapon, it's Zeke. You know, you can say that Tyrn Smith is the best player whatever, but as far as the skill players, Zeke's the guy they got to get stopped.

And so I think just how because they played Atlanta one way, I don't think they could play the Cowboys the same way because I think you want to stop Zeke and then you'll take your chances. Just like you have to take your chances with DeVonta Freeman. They got to take their chances with Dez, Bryan and Beasley and Witten in those guys, Which does that Dave? Based upon the Scoutter report. Then let's assume for a second they are going to have to really focus a lot more

on keeping more their bigger guys on the field. Is that get away from what they have done so far in these four weeks to where maybe you're taking their better players off the field when you talk about their secondary I I maybe I'll be wrong. I straight up don't expect him to do that. I think they're gonna stick with that formula. I think their safeties are gonna be the key to whether or not they win or lose this game, and how well they can rally and tackle.

Like Morgan Burnett is basically a linebacker the way that they play like, he's always down in the box. Sometimes he covers and sometimes he plays linebacker, but he's always down there. Josh Jones moves down and will literally sometimes stand next to the other inside linebacker like Mark Barron

did last week. And then you've got Haha Clinton Dix, who was just a fantastic all around safety, and this marw and Evans guy who again like it never it seems like these guys are never in the same place on back to back snaps, like they're always moving, always rotating, and like they don't have those big guys like you've got your rush linebackers like Clay Matthews and and they brought in Ahmad Brooks from San Francisco you remember at

the end of the preseason. But those guys are not like the athletic type of linebacker who you know that you know, like a Sean Lee type. They don't have those type of players. It's they have rush linebackers, down linemen and then eighteen thousand defensive backs, and I think they lean on those guys being athletic and making tackles to make this thing work. Do you think they can

against a rushing attack like the Cowboys. I feel good about the Cowboys being able to run the ball in this game, and if they can't, I think it says more about them than the Packers, because the Packers they're not terrible. But you remember going into this game last year, everybody was like, they're historically good against the run, their number one in the league. They're well, they got smashed.

They're nineteenth this year. They're giving up an average of one hundred and eleven yards per game and four point three yards per carry. Who's the backup a cornerback for the Packers Randall? Marius Randall and beause he's been starting for them. Actually, he got kicked off the field. He got benched against the Bears and left the stadium because he was mad about it. So he was wait, he got he was got bitched during the game and then left the stadium. Yeah, but he just he went home.

He just he got benched and he got he went in the locker room. He got sent back to the locker room too. Okay, I got an argument with the coche. Yeah, so they said they said, go in, you're they done. Yeah, McCarthy had an interesting um exchange with the media, not the most interesting of the of the week, but he had one, and he was basically was like, I don't have to tell you guys anything what goes on with our you know, with our team and with what you

know the Personneils that moves that we make. And yeah, apparently he wasn't there. He wasn't there when they when the media got there later, he was gone. So that that happens though, I mean we're supposed to do wait for the media when guys get kicked out. Well, it depends if he if he left, if he left right after the game was over, then yeah, no, nope, no harm. But if he left, like in the second quarter, I don't know at what point he got kicked out. They told me go to locker room. But if he left

at that point, then that's kind of a problem. Right, Yeah, I guess. So he's been your starter for most of the season. I'm not one hundred percent sure if he will be this time around. Um, you could look at von Devon House might be back from a hamstring injury. Like the Packers are banged up I'm sure y'all saw their injury report. That's another guy always seem to be banged up. It never seems to matter another long at their quarterbacks playing, right. That's what I tried to say yesterday,

and you killed me for being a pest. I did not kill you for being a pessimist. Um, you just said that the guy was god like. He is the god of quarterbacks, straight up, all right. I think Brady's got the best resume of any quarterback in the league, but he's the best quarterback. If I was picking playground style, I'd take Aaron Rodgers from with you. Sorry. Um. Nick Perry's another He's another one of these guys that can play linebacker. He might be playing in this game too,

he's been dealing with some injuries. Um. But the point, the main point being is I think I think you can run on these guys because I don't think they have the capability to play like heavy Year. Because it's the Cowboys. I think the Cowboys would be smart to try to spread it out, even though you know they love to do They're twelve and thirteen personnel, but I'd be trying to run out of eleven and ten personnel. If I were them, Yeah, because I think, like I said,

I think you can. They're nineteenth against the run. You know, for point of emphasis, the Giants were allowing one forty three, are allowing one forty three game. The Rams are one fifty one. Those are the two bad ones, and then the Cardinals are eighty eight eight, which puts them at ten. And the Cowboys ran for one hundred yards on them, So I think you can run the ball. I will differ a little bit with you on on a strategy point.

I actually think the Cowboys ought to run more of the twelve and thirteen personnel this week because I want to force them to make a decision. Are you gonna stick with having all those defensive backs on the field, And if you are, I want to have my bigger guys on the field, and they're gonna have to deal with bigger guys then spreading them out and actually playing into their hands and running it that way. Not to say I wouldn't run from eleven, I certainly would, and

that every week I would run from eleven. I think it's a it's a good matchup for the Cowboys. But that being said, I think this is the week we actually I bulke up a little bit more, enforced them to put their bigger guys on the field or keep the smaller guys out there, and that creates mismatches in the in the blocking. I think, if if there's one thing I will say, it's that they have the personnel and the creativity of scheme to do some wacky stuff.

Because there was a third down against Atlanta where um, what's his name, dean Dean Lowry, who's Mike Daniels for all intents and purposes, since he wasn't playing, Uh, Mike Lowry, No, no, sorry, Mike, he was. He was the only down linemen in their formation. Yeah, he's the only guy in a in a stance when the play started, and they had Clay Matthews, uh fact, Roll Martinez all kind of Russian, and then two outside corners, two deep safeties, two slot safeties, and a nickelback like

it was. And then and they got a sack out of it because like, I don't think the Falcons even knew what all to do because they were about there were three linebackers, a down lineman and and a defensive back all coming and they were all sounds crazy. It's trying to visualize it. It's very bizarre to watch like it's uh, it's it's interesting. So I'm sure they're gonna

do some funky stuff here. But like I said, I you know, at the risk of oversimplifying it, if the Cowboys can't run the ball well in this game, I think that's more on then than on something the Packers are doing. And when you think about trying to confuse Matt Ryan, it's been in the league, what ten years, um, and then you know they're gonna do the same thing to Dack. They're gonna try to do things that are that are going to confuse him. You would do that

to any quarterback, especially a young quarterback. Which works if they could force the Cowboys in situations where they have to pass, as they've been in some games this year where you get the second half and they feel like they gotta throw, If they feel like they can continue to run the ball throughout this game, I think advantage Cowboys. But that's where you know, you know, the quarterback of

the other team matters. Let's not forget last year the Cowboys had needed I wouldn't call them plays, but they were special plays with Lucky Whitehead that kind of broke the game open a little bit. They needed a jet sweep and then also a play that we hadn't seen before with him lining out of the backfield and yeah, you know, making a probably his only really catched down the field all all year, I mean his whole career, one of them, and that was a huge play in

the game, that kind of chone third down. So, um, all I remember, I mean not all I remember, but my most vivid memory of that game is that zek ran for one fifty seven and his ability to run it will set the tone for the second half. And then yeah, a couple of touchdowns. Yeah, and he embarrassed that guy. Oh yeah, that was that what Saucy came from. That's where it really kind of took off because that guy, he made that guy stumble over his own feet. And

Irving had a good game. David Irving did have a very good game. But I don't know, man, I know there's a stack going around that. Like the Packers are extremely good at not allowing one hundred yard rushers, but they gave up one hundred and forty three yards to the Falcons all all things combined, and they were the number one rush defense when The Cowboys faced them last year and Zeke ran all over them. So I don't know that you can necessarily, especially at this point again

season you only have four games to work with. I don't know that that really tells you a whole lot right now. Yeah, but I don't know. This isn't this isn't a beefy defense, but it's an athletic one. But I don't know. I think there should be room to run. Like I said, maybe I'm oversimplifying it. Let's take our final break. When we come back, we are going to get some questions. Call us two one four eight seven two twenty one O two again it is two one four eight seven two twenty one oh two, or hit

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with us you'll travel like a pro. Is it Cowboys travel dot com to book your travel package today. Back to the Break, Welcome back. It's the final segment of The Break live from s WBC Mortgage Studios at the Star. Now, Nick, take it away. You know, if Tommy John was an undrafted rookie playing, probably would play. I would safety. I would think he covers the tight ends. So he's trying to make the team. If he does his job well. If he does his job well, he has a good

chance to make the team. But what is he really How's he really going to make the team as an undrafted free agent? Special team special teams. The more you can do, That's the thing about Tommy John. Yes, great underwear, but we forget sometimes about special teams, the T shirts, the socks, The more you can do, that's what Tommy John does. They have mind blowing fabrics for the underwear, but it's also could be felt with the undershirts and the socks, So make sure and go to Tommy John

dot com Forward slash Cowboys for your first order. Is a guarantee if you do not like it, if it's not the best underwear and socks and T shirts, you'll get your money back Tommy John Forward slash Cowboys. Between the socks, T shirts and underwear, they cover you better than any safety I know, right, you know what I mean. Awesome, they've made the team. They've made the team. They've made the team. Yeah, they've made my team. Right, yeah, once

again the half laugh. I deserve that. All right, We're gonna get some questions. Call us two eight seven two twenty one O two again it's two one four eight seven two twenty one O two, or hit us on Twitter at Cowboys Break. We start with a call from Anthony and Florida. Anthony, what up? Hey, how y'all doing great? Are you? I'm okay? I like too long point out something with this defense and this theory of the offense

keeping a defense off the field. So I'll let them use you guys, And it's a little scenario if I can Mixamber. You are responsible for Nick, Derek and Dave right now. You are everything that depends on if they can't without you, you must keep your job and everything to support them. You lose your job. How do you think they're gonna eat? That's the scenario with the defense. You want the offense to be responsible for them by keeping them off the field. It works in certain scenarios.

It worked last years, give us a thirteen and thirty records. But you meet the great Aaron Rodgers, who if the offense is taking them, taking them up and down the field, the scoring keep it the beats off. Aaron Rodgers is like quick strike. He matches some point for point. So the first person that makes a mistake and say nine out of ten, it's us like we get an we lose.

So you have to have accountability and discipline on your defense or go out and get you either safety or a corner that's as stood at least one or stood pass Russia. You just can't have the defense then stagment like that because it's a two headed sword. The other offense can keep them off the field. But when you get those great when you get a Tom Brady and Aaron loses, they expose them and they match them point

for point. Then if we make the mistake first they win the game, so we must focus on that defense or the guys we have must have better accountability and better discipline when you're on the field. Thank you, guys, all right, thanks, lookall lost me on the first part and the analogy didn't really resonate with me. Yeah, but

you get this point at the point. The point is that the defense, or at least I'm trying to paraphrase, I think what he's saying is that the defense needed or that that we were saying that the defense needs the offense to keep them off the field in order

to be successful, which can be a strategy. The problem is when you match up against a team like Aaron Rodgers, who can match point match you point for point, the defense is gonna have to pull its weight, and in those instances, he doesn't believe the defense is able to pull it. First thing Dave said Monday, it's the first thing you've said on the show this week. You said, this defense is not are good enough to carry the team. The offense has to carry the team, and the defense

can do its job. But if the offense isn't leading the way, then yeah, there's gonna be a problem. And it was a problem against Jared Goffin, it's going to be a problem against Aaron Rodgers. Yeah, pretty much. And he's saying that, but he's saying he's saying that that philosophy is a problem. He's saying overall the Cowboys need

to address that philosophy and they need to build their defense. Now, of course, yeah, that's those without saying, right, And my question back then would be, so how do you do that? I don't think they should. I don't think they should try to fix their defense. I mean, but no, I'm just saying, like the question that we should have asked

back is like, so how do they do that? Are you saying, because we had this conversation I think it was earlier this week or last week, are you saying that maybe they shouldn't have spent the picks that they spent on this offensive line and maybe put those on defense. And Dave, your retort retort was they split pinions. They've spent plenty of resources in the draft on the defense. They just haven't all worked out and they still are for that that I get. That's something I was trying

to say earlier in the week. Maybe I didn't elaborate on it. Well, enough. It's like you can see the efforts to fix the defense, but much like the offense, it is a multi year process. I mean, you can't fix it all in one off season, and when you're faced with the choices that they were faced with last year, they did not significantly improve. I think we probably all felt that they didn't significantly improve as early as when

the draft was over. I think you could look at this group and say, they will not be much better than they were last year. They might be just as good, maybe a little bit better. They're not going to be significantly better. But they've invested their first, second, and third round picks from this past draft on defense Byron Jones

was a defensive pick. We talked about all the picks they've spent on the defensive line in the past, some of which haven't worked out, and I think it's a fair bet that they invest in the defense heavily next spring as well. And you know, you need a guard probably, but pass rush and linebacker looked like big needs for me going into next offseason. So it's a good bet

they'll do it again. And much like the offense, it's something that takes two to four years to turn that around, and it's a very positive step in the right direction that I mean, how much younger and more athletic and cheap does the secondary look right now as opposed to last year. Again, with another offseason of good drafting and maybe some sensible free agent signings, all of a sudden, you're talking about a much better defense. It's just not

something you can fix. And how many first round picks are on the defense right now? I'm counting two? Byron Taco. For all intents and purposes, I think of Lawrence as a first round pick considering what you traded up to get him and where you drafted him. I mean he was pick thirty Four's it's close enough, okay, three two and yeah? Three? Who a half? Ever? Uh? Yeah, I mean that's I agree. I mean, I agree you can't

get it all in one year. And but but they've they've kind of been fortunate to to pick, you know, to have these guys in them third round, second round, you know, I mean, Sean Lee was the second round pick, to have MALIEK. Collins in third round. You think about Scandrick starting, you know, nine years ago, a ffth round, but uh, you know, Anthony Brown, Anthony Brown yeah. And you know another thing we were talking about the Kevin

King situation and draft in Taco. Instead, they probably went into that because they go into the draft thinking, I mean, this is the draft is, you know, seven rounds and three days. But they go into it thinking Ryan Switzer is a guy they want. They they're gonna get Ryan Switzer. They're gonna get dnal Pumfrey or or Ryan Switzer. And

they ended up getting Switzer. But they also probably had an idea they're gonna get Jordan Lewis, thinking this guy and there's not a lot of people some teams are not going to have him on their board at all. We're gonna take him. We know what the situation is, we have a good idea of what happened, and we're gonna take him. So they might have looked into that a little bit more and said, you know, you remember when they said we're going to draft because the defensive

ends are going away. We think there's depth at corner. I bet Jordan Lewis was a guy there, like, we can take him. We can get him in the third round. No one's gonna take him that high, and he'll be good for us. They beat us over the head with the idea that they can find good defensive backs later, because it was so absurdly deep and honestly. However you might feel about Taco Charlton, I can't argue that they were wrong because the guy the pass rushers that were

available late. You might remember Terrell bash Him from Ohio. Derek Rivers is a guy that they liked from Youngstown State who I believe is on injured reserve with the Patriots right now. Whatever. They spare me the t J. Watt thing, because that's that's neither here nor there. They didn't think he fit their system. You can disagree all you want, but that's just how they felt. But they got their pass rusher early. I think you have to feel pretty good about what they found in Cheeto and

Jordan Lewis at this point. And the drop, their argument was the drop from Taco to the next the guys that would be available at that next pick was more significant than the drop from Kevin King down to say Cheeto or Jordan Lewis. It's gonna be one of the fun draft what ifs to say. You know, we'll see how Kevin King's career pans out compared to Taco. You see how Derek Rivers and Terrell Basham do with their respective teams. It's always fun. But you're probably going to

be an active this week, wouldn't you say, Taco. Yeah, it's gonna be hard for him than to make him active now that you've got the perennial inactive guy, Tapper. I don't know how you finagle it, but I'm sure they'll try, just because he's their first round pick. But is there a chance David Irving doesn't they don't activate him this week? I expect him to be active. Yeah, it's early in the week though, but because you would think that it would have to be a defensive end

now that would be inactive, but maybe not. Maybe they decide that if they get those other cornerbacks back that you know, maybe well, I guess it doesn't matter to wash if you Well been a down. If you feel wash well Anthony Hitchins off the inactive list, that might help you. Yeah, I mean with Hitchins coming back, and then you know, they've had four cornerbacks healthy and they've set to the last few weeks. But this week they could still sit too. But one of them might be healthy, right,

you know, I don't know. I don't know which guy that would be. I would I wouldn't be shocked if Taco is inactive. I know that's a bad look for them, but yeah, I wouldn't either. You gotta do what you gotta do. All right, Let's let's get a question from Twitter. Well, we've talked about the running game and putting that aside, let's talk about the passing game. We've seen what defenses have done with Jason went in Cole Beasley. They've been

playing double coverage on that. So if the Cowboys, if this defense, the Green Bay Packers defense, decide to go that route and do that again and do that with them as well, that leaves open does Brian and let's say Terrence Williams. And we've seen the connection hasn't been that great between those receivers and Dak Prescott. Are you guys very concerned about the guys going up against them? The cornerbacks against wide receivers. That was a Twitter question.

I'm just kidding. I made it longer, but basically, cornerbacks against UM, I'll shut up, you don't have to, I'll just take quiet. I'm just kidding. I don't want to read the Twitter questions because what she's doing is that there's probably about nine in a row that she just kind of paraphrased about six there, No, there was one, and I just added whatever else I wanted to add it. Okay, I thought it was a good question, then answer it all right. I am not as concerned as everyone else

is about Dez Bryan and Dak Prescott. That's just my own personal thing. I think. I think, yes, there's been They've thrown the ball a lot to him, and I think there are some situations where Dak's going to have to figure out in these situations where before he's used to being able to dump the ball to Jason Witten or dump the ball to Cole Beasley, and teams are starting to say, we're going to force you to do something different. This is what's called the maturation of a quarterback.

You have to learn as teams start taking away the things you like to do, you have to learn how to adjust and do things that maybe you don't do and I wouldn't say don't like to do, but just haven't been forced to do because you've always been able to take the easy throw because it's there, right, And so I think this is gonna this is a part of the learning process, as a part of him getting better as a quarterback. I think that's going to improve. I think he's a good quarterback. I think Des is

a good receiver. You put the two together, I think they can make a good combination. So I just think this is something that's just gonna have to take a little bit of time. Last week we saw a few drops from Terrence Williams. We know from his career, Like, that's just gonna be the way it is there. Because he catches a ball with his body, there's gonna be sometimes he catches it and we're gonna be like, man, that was a great catch. Other times when he bounces

off his pads. That's the thing about catching with your body. It's inconsistent. So all I'm saying is I don't think it's as big a problem as everybody thinks. I think it'll it'll work itself out, and I think that they should keep going. If that's what's open, keep going Des Bryant. It'll get better over time. I think it's alarming a little bit though, that that teams are now saying. I mean, I know he's not in the group of Julio Jones

and Odell Beckham. But can you imagine though, the fact that teams are basically saying, we're gonna let you have that,

We're gonna let you have Deaz. We're gonna take away Winton and Beasley and and make and trying to running game and make you throw the ball to DEAs I mean as as an elite ride receiver and a top tier guy that that's usually what teams are trying to do, and they're kind of letting you do that because they're like, I don't even really think that you're throwing it to Dez sixteen times a game is going to be beneficial

for you, and it really hasn't been. So I think from that standpoint, you can say, well, this isn't really working out like we thought as far as Dez being the elite guy. Teams are letting you have Daz and taking away the other stuff. Do you think that's also because the way the Cowboys offense runs, they're about moving the chains and so that the fifty fifty ball becomes a liability to some degree except for used in a

few times a game. Now, if you're doing that more does that create But that's the problem though, if Dez Bryant and I love Daz, I do, But if Dez Briant is one of the best players in the in the league, best receivers, they shouldn't be fifty fifty balls, you know, he shouldn't be Well, I'm not talking about the jump balls. He needs to get opened and plays and slants where it's system money. Only run what he

can only run what they tell him to run. Right, He's running the route that they that they ask him to run. Right, Well, maybe they need to give him more routes where they can get him open across the field. I haven't I don't see him doing a lot of crossing routes. But the question is like, should they be doing more that in order to get him open and let him be able to catch the ball on the

run and keep going. High school teams run slants on fourth and five that the high school quarterback will throw it to the high school receiver and they make the play. And they see it in college all the time, And I don't understand why Daz and the quarterback, even when it was Tony, they didn't have it. They didn't have that slant down very well. I didn't understand that I actually this is a great opportunity to tease my column today, all right, because I decided to chart every incompletion Dack

has thrown this year to see what's going on. I like it. I found it's a little bit of a mixed back, honestly. I okay, So he's thrown fifty six in completions. It breaks down to where about thirty five of those. I don't put the blame on him between drops, throwaways, he's hit on the throw or that many Wow. Thirty five between all those categories. Wow. But that still leaves twenty one passes that I chalked up to being poor, thrown,

just not good. The second and nine slant that he missed in that Rams game may be the worst of all. The end zone slant against the Giants that cost him a touchdown, and the high throw in the end zone on that same possession on the crossing route he's thrown. He's thrown some bad balls. So it averages out to where in my estimation, and I've never played quarterback, so maybe I'm maybe I'm not giving him enough credit for

how hard some of these throws are. But in my estimation, he misses an average of four or five throws that he should make a game. Is that high, I honestly, I don't know. I feel like you'd have to chart everybody. It's probably high compared to Aaron Rodgers. It's probably not bad compared to a lot of other quarterbacks in the league. But his completion percentage right now is seven percent lower than it was last year, which is significant a lot.

And I think you're absolutely right that's I mean, defenses are forcing him to make hard throws and he's doing he's doing it. Sometimes I would I'd like to point out it's not like this is across all games. For instance, he didn't throw a single bad pass in my estimation

against the Cardinals. He only threw five in completions. So you're talking a boatload of those bad balls are coming against that Denver secondary where he's either getting rushed or is playing against the great cornerbacks, and they're playing in a game where they're throwing in a much higher clip they would they should be. You see. But you just

see some trends that I hope get corrected. Like they like they have Dez and Deck for how much they say they threw together and how much we saw him throw together at training camp, like they don't have the back shoulder ball down. Throughout that Denver game, he's throwing the back shoulder ball inside and that's how it wound up getting taken back to the house by a key

tell leap. Just stuff like that where you're like, y'all should have this down, shouldn't you, Especially with all that's been said about Dez has been healthy all offseason and

stuff like that. So it's concerning. I don't think the sky is falling, but but that's that's something that has to be better if the passing game is going to take advantage of defenses focusing on other things, which think about how much better this passing game would be if they could get that one thing down, the back shoulder back should of faith they could get that one thing down. If Dez is seeing a lot of man coverage and he already doesn't separate, we talk about that a lot.

He doesn't separate a lot. He doesn't get a lot of separation when he's running his routes. That one play clears up all those deficiencies. You don't need a lot of separation. It's a It's as easy a pass as you could think from the standpoint of how you have to get it to the receiver, and the receiver no matter where the defender is, he's got a good shot to be able to catch that ball and not get it intercepted. It just seems like that would be that would solve a lot of these Well, that's what I

wrote at the end of that. This part of my column is, Okay, let's say he throw he throws five bad passes against the Giants, but you win. That's a footnote in the story of how you won. But in a game that you lose, that can be the difference.

Misses him badly on a slant on a second and nine in the fourth quarter that probably takes the ball near midfield and set you up to go tie or take the lead, or third and ten on the final drive of the game, where he badly misses an out route that sets you up in plus position to try to throw a touchdown with forty seconds left in the game. Just little like I mean, the difference between winning and

losing can be two or three inaccurate posts. One thing that I've learned about judging quarterbacks and throws that they made is that you're looking at maybe end zone cam and and and from press box view. A lot of times we don't see what they see. We see what we see. We see the guy streaking down the field, but but they didn't see that because they had the guys, they had a hand here or they had you know, absolutely and a lot of and also times like that

past two Deaz that that he dropped the slant. I guess that was really low, but it's supposed to be fairly low. Maybe not a catchable ball, but he can't. But if you miss it low, then it just tips into ten complete. If you miss it high, then you just played volleyball and the balls up in the air and now who can go get it? So in charting that game, I don't consider that a bad throw. That's a ball that should be caught. And yeah, I mean, you know, like I said, I've never played quarterback. I'm

not it's harder. I'm not trying to say Dak is bad because you know, because of this, but these are trends that you can see on the tape, and I think it's something that probably needs to be corrected for this offense to reach the potential it's trying to reach. All Right, guys, appreciate you joining us for back Tomorrow nine thirty am. We'll have more talk for you, guys, will get you ready for the game. We'll give you some crazy predictions and let you know who he thinks

gonna win. Until then. For Nick Eatman, Dave Hellman, Amber Garcia, I'm Derek Heughelson. This has been The Break live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com. Rady. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.