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It's time for The Break on Dallas Cowboys dot Com with Mbar Garcia, Brian brought Us, Patrick Walker, and Derek Eagleton.
It is Monday, November thirteenth, twenty twenty three, Season nineteen, episode number sixty nine. Welcome to the latest edition of The Break. We are live from the SWEC Mortgage studios at the Star. Today we talk about Cowboys big victory forty nine to seventeen over the listless Giants. That was a game that I guess we all expected that and you kind of were just hoping the Dallas wouldn't overlooked them.
They certainly did not.
Came out and gave their very very best effort and put them away fairly early, as we all expected they would. Let's start first with storylines of the game. Is there a storyline in this game other than total domination?
Show?
That's another show.
That's next show.
Sorry, that means you got to start off now.
Feel kind of way about storyline, just record.
Let's go.
Great win for sure, fun, definitely fun to watch. Is one of those non stressful games that you're watching, but at the same time as I gotta keep reminding myself it is the Giants, you know, one of those things like Okay, yeah, great, but let's let's keep it real, and it's just it's wonderful when you see the offense work that way with all of their receivers. It's great to see Dak playing the way that he's continuously playing week after week. I think his game, regardless of the opponent,
I think he's brought. He's doing really, really good and there's no much hate you can give him in the last few weeks as far as the game that he's been presenting and just seeing players like Michael Gallup keep blowing out and playing the way that he is, Brandon Cooks just now getting a custom and acclimated and being now a true part of this offense, and as well
as Michael Gallup. Kind of again, one of those things that you cannot dismiss Michael Gallup when he has bad games and all that, then he comes back and has one or two plays that you're like, Okay, Yeah, that's Michael Gallup and that's why he's here. So all you know, just great effort and everything that they did the offense, but I would love to see that carry over in games are against better teams.
I mean, there's it's a laundry list of headlines that we can pull from this, and of course Cooks being one of the biggest ones. But I'm going to go right to the offensive line play. It was much improved yesterday. And yes it is against the Giants. It was against the Giants, but it's the same Giants front that had before he left the game with concussion. Kevon Thibodeau, Dexter Lawrence in the middle, and they only allowed five pressures on Dak Prescott, no sacks. Terrence Steele had a strong
bounce back game. Was it perfect nor it was not. You could talk about the first offensive possession on that goal to go. He had one of two decisions to make on that final fourth and goal. He could have taken the rusher, the pass rusher, we could have taken the linebacker, and he went to the linebacker and that's why that run didn't get in. But outside of that, he played very well. You talk about Michael Gallup. For example, that forty plus yard touchdown passed on the right side
to Michael Gallup. That does not happen if Steele doesn't drop his anchor and protect Dak pre Scott's front side. So that gave Dak the confidence to stand in there and make that throw. So for all of the rightful criticism that we've given the offensive line over the past several weeks, Terrence Steele as well, they had a very strong bounce back game and Dak did the rest.
Brandon Cooks, Ceedee Lamb.
They just went crazy and then the fund got spread around from there with Jake Ferguson and Michael Gallup and Jalen Brooks as well. I mean, the undrafted rookie gets out there and he makes several catches for several plays. So another offensive explosion for the Cowboys. Difference being that this was not a game of inches. This was, like you said, Derek domination from minute.
One smothered a rookie quarterback. You know that was they didn't really give him any opportunity.
Even when you.
Start getting sacks on three step drops and you know, plays like that, then you know you're doing a pretty good job. Felt like on the outside, the one big opportunity that the Giants had they ended the Cowboys were able to intercept the ball because Hyatt had gotten past he'd gotten passed Gilmore and he was past Hooker and
it's just a great read. That's what you have with Deron Bland on the other side of the field, is you have a guy when his guy drives down inside and it's and now it's he just turns and he looks and he sees a guy streaking up the middle of the field and he's able to adjust and get over across from and make the play like he did. That just shows you got a very aware player and you got a defense that's locked in. They just did not give them anything running the football. They really didn't
give them anything throwing the ball as well. They mixed up the way their pressures, the way they played their front. You know, Tank got the Micah Parsons sack where you line up over the center and then you know, so they were just moving guys around, trying some different looks and it worked out really really well for them. But you know, good job of not allowing them to get any kind of momentum. Yesterday in that football game on offense.
Yeah, I don't think we can talk about this game without really starting with Dak Prescott, the way that he played yesterday and really the way played over the last three weeks. He's had Now the past three games, he's had three hundred and four yards, three hundred and seventy four yards, four hundred and four yards yesterday, he's had
eleven passing touchdowns, two interceptions. Really has as and in my opinion, in these three games, has put this offense on his back because the running game has not really been there in the way that you would expect it to. And what we all expected was the running game and the defense were going to be the strengths of this team. Really over the last three weeks, what we've seen is Dak Prescott and his arm are the reason why they are playing such good football offensively. Where do you get
how much credit do you give him for that? I know, obviously this was a Giants, but when you look at the last few games, credit are giving him for now taking the team and putting it on his back.
Move the ball against Philadelphia? Yeah, you know, and again they didn't have a running game in the Philadelphia game. I think the Cowboy's doing a much better job of There was a time during the Jason Garrett administration where they wouldn't take advantage of bad teams, where they wouldn't take advantage if you had a weakness in your secondary, or you had a weakness on your offense of line,
or you had a weakness. It seemed like that the Jason Garrett teams just would never like just say, Okay, you're not good at this, and we're going to hammer you on it.
And I think where Dak has done a really good job is the fact, yeah, there was pressure.
In the Philadelphia game last week, but their secondary got compromised in that game, and what do you do. He kept throwing the ball, throwing the ball, throwing the ball, and he was getting hit, but he was throwing the ball. And I think that's where we're at right now, is this Cowboys offense with McCarthy and Schottenheimer and the guys they've they will they were were, They're going to route combination of you.
Now they're going to throw the ball down the field.
If you're bad in certain spots, they're going to take advantage of it. And I think that's the great thing about it. Is That's, to me, is what football is all about. If you're not good enough and you know and you and you just keep running the same guys out there every snap, then you deserve to get punished for being for playing that way.
And that's what the Cowboys have been doing offensively.
I give a ton of credit to Deak obviously, and I love what Mike McCarthy's doing play called wise, but I don't think play calling was the issue for the majority of while the offense was struggling to win.
It was struggling. It was execution, like we talked about.
But if you go back to the Chargers game and Dak Prescott finally gone for dirty duck as I like to call him, using his legs, extending the play, trying to wield the offense to a victory like he did in Los Angeles, then of course you saw what he did with taking the next step with this offense with the Rams goes to Philadelphia. Yeah, you lose that game of innus, but moved the ball very well against the
Philadelphia Eagles. Now the question, and you brought it up after the drubbing at the hands of the forty nine Ers, was can Dak Prescott handle man coverage. Okay, Well, now we are in yet another week in which he has surgically dissected man coverage. He had four hundred and four total yards against the against the Giants, two hundred of those yards and three of his four passing touchdowns against
man coverage. So now that Dak Prescott and his playmakers they're getting the separation, they're making the plays, you're not seeing many drops here or there. That's going to make this offense that much more dangerous. Because they were already lethal against zone coverage. But if they're equally as lethal against man coverage, I mean, that's really a good look to opposing defense is going forward.
Well, I I'll disagree with you.
Is that Dak Prescott the first five weeks of the season, they had the lowest air yards of any them in the Colts with the two lowest air yard teams in the league. I mean him and Richardson the quarterback from something's changed, whether ceedee Lamb's go. Maybe after the San Francisco game, I know they didn't have the opportunity to practice, but somebody made an effort to say we need to play differently, we need to play differently.
Offense because we don't.
See you occasionally see like yesterday, maybe one or two slants.
The first four or five weeks, it.
Was slamp flat, slat flat, slat flat all day. The ball wasn't going down the field. And now you see routes. Whether yesterday was the first time that we saw with Cooks just run a straight vertical route, no safety help in the middle of the field, and all of a sudden.
It's like boom, just take off.
Dak lays it out there to pass the gallop down the field. I mean, the first four or five weeks of the season, this offense, somebody made a decision not to open thing, to open things up.
For Dak pressway.
Wait.
Wait, so it's always saying that the Cowboys are attacking deep middle down the field.
No, I'm saying they're just attacking down the field.
Though they are. Though that's my point. You're you're correct, but they're also but they're not.
But but but you were, you were saying that to me offensively. There was something not right, whether it's play calling or scheme the first several weeks.
But I agree with that because if you go back several episodes when we were talking about one of the Science Lab episodes was when I said the Cowboys need to attack deep middle and stop forcing teams to just allowing teams to attack only.
I was just commenting about the fact that you said, it's not it wasn't a play calling issue. That's what I'm like to me, it was a play calling issue when when they got to when they got to after the San Francisco game, they decided that we've got to we've got to play more open here.
But in the Chargers game, the Rams game will not necessarily Eaguals game because we saw a couple of deep middles, but in the Chargers in the Rams game, they still were not attacking deep middle.
We're seeing that now versus the ball. The ball there was more passes going down the field. The last four or five weeks, we've seen more passes down the field. I'd say the first four games of the season we didn't see that.
Right If you remember, going back to the early part of the season, we actually did those breakdowns using the next gen stats, and we were showing they were basically it was all underneath stuff. It was all in it. But and I agree with both of you to some degree because Brian. I think the way I look at it is I think what happened was I think these things are always in the offense. I think that at some point they said, you know, we're not doing our quarterback.
I think I think when they went into the season, they said, we're going to ease into this new offense and we're going to give Dak time to kind of get acclimated to it. I think at some point they said, screw that, let's just go, like, let's just go, let's just open it up and let's see what happens. And I think when they opened it up, they realized, yeah, okay,
we got this. Like the quarterback knows what he's doing, he can make these throws, the receivers can get open, you can make things happen, especially if you're going to utilize the skills of a CD Lamb and not just kind of whenever go to the open man, like you're literally going to get the ball to him and make an effort to get the ball to him, even in situations where he may look like he's covered, like in the instance yesterday he makes the one hand catch, he's
clearly covered on that play. You throw the ball where he can make a play, he makes a play. I think that's what's happened as a season going on, is that more people, all of them, have gotten comfortable with this offense to the point where the coaches are also comfortable. And Mike even talked about it after the game yesterday.
He was like, we have gotten better as coaches as the season is going on of knowing what we should be calling, when we should be calling, and trusting these guys and make it.
See. But that's what I'm saying.
I think it was after the San Francisco game where they sat down and they said, we've got to do something differently here. You know, we can't sit here and just expect to keep throwing the ball underneath, you know. And they have a quarterback that and he's shown that the last four weeks that he's capable if you open things up for him and you're not and you're not worried about interceptions and you're not worried about you know,
he's he's going to be accurate and make throws. I mean he's punishing You're right, I mean he punishes people zone.
Man.
It hasn't mattered. But his eyes are down the field and the balls down the field more.
That's that's where I think we have a small divide, a divide none the less, but a small divide. The reason I say it's not as much play calling in which is why I said a lot of credit to Dak Prescott, because if you go back and you look at San Francisco and pre San Francisco, those routes were down the field, they were opened down the middle, they were opened deep. You saw Jake Ferguson deep down the middle. Open ball wouldn't go to him, ceedee lamb down the middle,
deep ball wouldn't go to him. The question was would Dak become comfortable with pulling that trigger again? And now he's become comfortable with pulling that trigger.
There's a reason for a veteran quarterback not to be not to pull the trigger.
I mean, I agree with that the guy was out yesterday for the Giants didn't pull the trigger on three strap drop.
I agree, there is no there was no reason for him to not pull the trigger outside of PTSD from most of his interceptions coming deep middle or.
Mike McCarthy and the coach is saying, don't we're gonna underneath and could.
It also be a partially that as Dak was getting acclimated to this offense, maybe he wasn't making it that far into the Maybe he was. He was getting to that, he was getting to the quick and easy throw, and he was making the quick and easy throw.
I don't know.
There was so much thought about also go to the offensive line flux at that time.
There was so much thought about getting the ball out of his hand. Yeah, there was. I mean it was it was a nauseum they talked about that, you know.
And so to me, this this offense now is better, whether it's stuff that they went back and they're trying to you actually do see combinations of routes that get guys open.
You know, you see.
Dak Prescott they run too, They run two slants as a pick and he throws the ball to the right guy. You know, you're starting to see things that I didn't see in the first three or four weeks of the season, the way that they're operating right now.
And frankly, they still have a lot of quick passes in this offense, Like this is still a rhythm offense. It's just that now, as you said, Brian, he knows when those opportunities are there, and he's looking down Phil and he's finding those when he knows that they're they and he's making that play yesterday to Ceede Lamb down the field where basically he had him running around, but CEEDI was kind of slowing down and waiting and he said go and Ceede immediately took off and he hits
him downfield. Like those are the kind of things where I think that was all a dock engineered moment where he's like, Hey, that safety's already taken by that by by.
Cooks who's coming across the field.
You got opportunity downfield, go and I'm just gonna loft it up and you go get it.
And another example of that would be in one of the handful of times where he was actually pressured and then hitting. I posted the clip on Twitter last night that big Gainer took Cooks over the middle that ends up on you know, over on the sideline. Deak stands in there, sees Dexter Lawrence coming and he just grown man throw. He puts that on a dot and it's
a huge play. Now does he make that play earlier in the season first three or four weeks, probably not, which goes to what I was saying, I felt like he needed to be more comfortable and just trusting the playmaker would make the play. Standing there, make the throw because thankfully, yesterday the offensive line gave him protection quite a bit actually, and then the times they didn't, he still trusted that his playmaker would.
Make the play. Hell that was that particular play. Ceedee Lamb.
Deck steps in the pocket, pocket breaks down, He's like, the hell with this. He runs out right and he's like, I'm just gonna throw to that open spot. Ceedee Lamb turns around, comes back and gets the ball. It's a big play. That's the kind of game that Dak Prescott in this offense can have when the trust is there and when Deck is willing to pull the trigger.
Yeah, he was trying to throw that ball away. M Lamb just was able to get away from Holmes. That was a good play on his partner.
What it took was CD getting pissed and getting mad on the sideline that one game, and after that they came back and since then they've been better offensively. And I don't know what kind of what happened there, but they make it work. They made it work, and everyone listening to this podcast. They know the full trajectory of Dak Prescott since the moment he got here. They know how much help he had from the O line seek everybody else. We also have seen the transition of players
being gone and you getting new talent. You've seen the transition of changes in coaching staff. Also now the change in the scheme and everything. You've moved every single part possible, but your quarterback. So this is the moment where Okay, now it's all fully on Dak, and I think now he's fully shown what it looks like without even a running running game. He's not getting help from the run game. So he's taking on that. And that's what it's been impressive for me to see and what I've been hoping
and wanting to see from him. And where finally we've gone like three weeks one is now consistent. It's becoming something consistent, him being able to just feel comfortable. You don't see him going back to last year or hesitating, second guessing, being cautious because of that previous injury. He's come boy again. He's using his legs, escaping and running whenever he can or sees needed and possible, and just feeling more comfortable with his receivers, just being everybody on
the same page. So I think he's currently doing everything that everyone has been asking for him to do. Ask a quarterback, all.
Right, we're gonna take our first break. We'll come back. We'll keep talking about this game. We're gonna talk about the receivers and the running game. What's going on with the running game. They had a good overall total production day from the standpoint of the numbers, but there still are some things that make you question. We're going to talk about that when we come back. Dallas Cowboys dot comor and you.
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It is the second segment of the Break. We are a lot from the s WBC mortgage studios at the Star. We're talking the Cowboys win over the Giants forty nine to seventeen. They scored total of what is that, nine eighty nine points in two games and only allow seventeen.
That's pretty I think Block would be pretty proud of that effort, to be honest with.
You, and that's why this segment block that effort. I think, my god, Brian, well, I'm glad I got you here.
With all right, let's let's pay bills.
Yeah, let's continue talking about this offense they do. Let's talk about the receivers.
Yesterday we had two huge performances and I'll ask you guys this question. Check out these numbers so you had. On the one hand, Brandon Cooks goes nine catches for one hundred and seventy three yards on touchdown.
By far his best production of the season.
Ceedee Lamb goes eleven catches one hundred and fifty one yards a touchdown. He also has a rush for fourteen yard touchdown as well. He is the first player in NFL history history to have three back to back to back games for one hundred and fifty yards and ten plus catches, which was more impressive.
To you this price keep growing up.
It's right, I think the one that was like, it's like the price and right.
Doing right on up right on the class.
Today's press sint yesterday's press. Now it's always going to be obviously, what Cooks did impressive. Needless to say, uh he fell only fourteen yard shot, breaking his single season career high as far as most receiving yards in the game. But we're talking about NFL history and NFL history being made is always going to be the more impressive of compared against anything. So seeing the the heater that Ceedee Lamb is on, and I like what Dak Prescott said
yesterday in the press conference. He said he's not going to describe what Ceede Lamb is doing as being on a heater. He feels this is this is what Ceedee Lamb looks like.
And I like that. I like it a lot.
So So when it comes to that, I mean, something clicked after the San Francisco game, and Ceede Lamb has been playing out of his mind through these past several games.
He yeah, he had. He has been the best receiver in the NFL in the best several games so especially when you look at how story the NFL is, when you look at how storied the Cowboys are as a franchise as far as wide receivers that have come through here to see him achieve that, and we still have several more games to go in this regular season for him to do it again, and he's about to go against a Panthers team, who if the Cowboys don't play down a competition, he might have another shot at it.
So yeah, Ceede Lamb, he made in the field history. That's going to take the crown for me.
Yeah, then you're gonna need other guys to step up to because not everybody is going to be the New York Giants out there playing in the secondary. I mean, teams are going to try and figure out And Ceedy even said it after the game that he's facing his share of double teams, and he's right about that.
He's doing a great job.
I think the most impressive thing about these wide receivers is how well they compliment each other and help each other when it comes to route running, and and you're seeing that a lot better. You know, we mentioned the crossing route that he had when he had a twenty five yard game.
And when you watch the play, it's really two clear out routes.
Gallop and Lamb get up the field, and then McLeod is playing man coverage and he can't stay with he can't stay with Cooks because you got the clearouts which clears the area. Now you've got to a cross or coming all the way and the Dak. We all know when Dak runs to his left or moves to his left and he could square his shoulders, he could throw a.
Really good ball.
And so you know, that's the thing that I've really am impressed by that. It's just like, you know, you got others as like Lamb is having this incredible run here, but what he's doing, he's running a clear out. Gallop running a clear out, you know, taking their guys, not being lazy, getting.
Up the field, doing what you're supposed to do.
Patrick talked about a little bit of offense with some execution and stuff like that.
That's what you got to have.
You know, if you're going to be successful with these huge chunk plays, it's usually somebody else doing some dirty work to get the other the ball. And that's what the Cowboys did yesterday with their receivers.
You know real quick and before you before you throw that in.
I also want to say it was a similar thing on that playoff talking lout earlier where Lamb goes downfield and Dak tells him keep going. I mean it was Cooks that came across on the crossing the route. He occupies that safety, so the safety can't go deep with CD.
He's got to take a choice.
And it was one of the things we talked about after the San Francisco game where I was like, they weren't doing enough in my opinion in the offensive scheme of forcing defenders to have to make a decision, force a safety into situation where he said, I got to take one of these two guys, and somebody's going to be open. Somebody's going to have an opportunity. And I thought,
that's what we saw yesterday. We saw a number of times where safeties were having to make a choice, and whatever choice they made, cowboys took advantage of the other.
I'm glad Jerry got to convince him to wear number eighty eight jersey because he I mean, he fits right in he he's been he just looks so natural and comfortable and a lot of times I'm watching and there are many many plays that I don't think he's gonna catch it, not because I don't I think anything less of him, but because you know, you just think, oh no, he had his double team like you mentioned, and then he catches it, and my damn.
The catch was ridiculous.
It was amazing.
It was amazing, right, yeah, m That's why I only had one.
Obviously, the catch he made and I think you guys remember this one. He he pivots inside and then he goes horizontal, and usually they try and scoop that ball he caught or he put his hands and went over the top of it, and that just shows you right there how locked in he is that he could lay horizontally and the ball and be going away.
And turn around and catch the long hand. Yeah, I mean, I mean, the one.
Handed catch was great, but it was almost like he was a soccer goal trying to stop all but the way he was able to put. The only chance he had was to turn his hands over, and he did, I mean that quickly. He made the adjustment and caught the football. Is one of the best catches I've seen in a long time by receiver having to adjust and go back and try and get a football.
And Brian, you talking about a guy being in the zone, Dak Prescott when he tried to throw the ball out of the back of the end zone.
Here's Ceedee Lamb.
I don't know where he came from.
Here, Ceedee Lamb coming out of nowhere, nearly making another spectacular one hand to grab with the defender draped all over him. So it's Ceedee Lamb is in one of those zones wherein if the ball is anywhere near him, you just have to assume. Now he's going to figure out a way to get that ball.
This is Oklahoma Ceedee Lamb.
They said.
I was like, man, this dude is what he was in college. He's going to be remarkable and he's reaching that plateau. Now he's one of those guys he get the ball in his hands. You find a way to get the ball in his hands, because he makes things happen when he gets the ball in his hands. All right, let's talk about the running game. This is an area where the Cowboys. You know what, Actually, we're going to take a little break because I know this conversation is
probably gonna last a bit long. We going to take our final break we'll come back. Let's talk about the rushing game, talk about week Oldodle and Tony Polltt.
We'll be back.
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Can we get things giving? We've had this conversation. Stop skipping.
All right, we are back.
It is the.
Yeah, we will in Miami.
Everyone's good to Miami for Christmas? Right?
Nothing wrong?
He looked at it, are you no?
I want to be home. I want to be in my house with my warm.
Heater on Miami and it's gonna be warm in Miami.
He'll be fine. Eighty five.
Be that one time when it was pouring down sideways in that game in Miami, and then.
Three minutes later it'll be sun and hot.
Yeah, that's Miami Bacon out there.
Take me any other day of the year, but around.
Christmas you're out on that one.
You we gonna fake an injury that day? What are we gonna do? Tyron Smith?
Is COVID still the thing?
It'll be like she got her mask on all week? Yeah, all right, here we go.
Let's talk about the running game yesterday got ric O'Donnell twelve carries for seventy nine yards a six point six average and a touchdown. Tony Pollard fifteen carries fifty five
yards a three point seven average. I guess my first question is is there something that you've discerned from what you've seen, whether you're watching the game live or watching it back on tape, that gives you an indication why Dwell is so much more successful in this game, particularly running the ball, than then Tony.
Pollard was just go ahead, just go ahead. No, No, you've been analyzing this play that you want to talk about on the show.
The host lobs it up and then lets everybody else take a chance.
So this is like the old show Perry Mason, there was a lawyer Perry Mason never asked a question he didn't know the answer to.
Yeah, Derek knows the answer to this question.
Honestly, a good host should never should never not know the answer to the question.
He can come back.
What do you think the differences between Pollard and uh and Dwell right now?
Running the ball?
Okay, I'm gonna give you my opinion, since you asked. I saw several plays in the game where I thought I thought there were there were situations where he had opportunities, there were holes there. I don't think he saw them. I don't know that he saw them in time. I do think it doesn't mean that the blocking was perfect, because I don't think the blocking was necessarily perfect on all of these, but I do think there were opportunities
there on the on the table. And what I'm seeing that's different, in my opinion is I think donnad is seeing the feeld really well, and when he sees that crease, he's through it and there is no second guessing, there is no I think there are two plays in particular
that pointed that out for me. For Pollard, there was one play near the end of the first quarter where I think he was kind of going to his right pressing yeah, and there was a hole to his left, but he saw it a little too late and and he actually eventually tried to get back to the hole. He ended up getting three yards, but I think if he'd done that a step or two earlier, he has a lot of green grass. I mean, everything was blocked up on that play pretty well. I think he would
have had a big play. And also on the play, Patrick and I were talking about it in the break on the play there on the goal line that you mentioned where you thought that maybe Steele should have held that block a little longer. I actually personally think that that play was designed like that where still was to get to the second level and the running back just need to hit the hole. And is you if you
go and watch it, Yeah, he hesitated there. Pollard got the ball, he got to the hole and he kind of took a step and just pause for a second and then went And I think if he wouldn't have paused, if you would have just hit the hole, I don't think that that defensive end would have had an opportunity to crash down hard enough to get to him, and he probably gets into the end zone.
Was only a few. It was only a few.
But that's also the thing when you're talking about the difference between the backs. Right, you have a few plays in a game where everything gets blocked up perfectly right, you know, and if you don't take advantage of those, then you're going to have a very pedestrian type day.
I think there's a lot of things on Tony Pollard's plate right now. And I think it and I say it in a way of you know, he he understands that he was a franchise tag player, and he's maybe he's pressing a little bit on some things.
And is he patient enough for some of the.
You know, is he patient enough? Is he is he pressing the hole too quick? And there's really stuff that it's opening up to the left or to the right, and he's just not He's just so anxious about I got to get up, I got to get through.
I gotta you know, and backs do that.
They get to the point where and the blocking hasn't been great a lot of these snaps. I mean, he he you know, heavy box. You know, they don't block the eighth guy who makes the tackle.
The eighth guy.
You know, there was a time where Tony Pollard would make the first guy miss and then he would be into this, you know, it was, you know, Zekiel Elliot averaging like four yards of carry last year, Tony Pollard averaging five point five. And he's like, everybody's like, damn, can't you see it. One guy's quicker, one guy's making
it happen. One you know, every that was the that And now here we are and now we're looking at Dowdell and the example of the example of like the flip play that went for twenty one yards.
I was just looking at that place and you're kind.
Of sitting there thinking maybe Tyron Smith might have messed up, because what happened. Everybody's stepping to their left, but Tyron Smith and you're going, whoa did they just get away with one with with with Ojilari coming up the field, and then you got Dowbell makes him miss, And now you've got a twenty one yard game because you've got beaddish up, you've got steel up, you got all these guys running interference.
But Tyron Smith kind of you don't know if he did he go the wrong way? Did he did he was he supposed to get that guy, but but.
Hewn to the second level and made the block on the second level.
But he he sho probably gone.
Yeah, you could tell he in the huddle.
It's like it's like Beaddish hits him like oh, kind of like oh, hey, you're supposed to be you know, they run into each other and it kind of works out.
But that's been the difference.
Like with Rico, it's kind of like he's been able to make guys miss and then when he gets hit, he's kind of spinning for extra yards and stuff like that.
So it looks different.
But man, there's times where Pollard he does need to see it better, but there's also times where it is blocked by nobody. Yeah, and he's and he's and he's suffered because of that.
For me, it's it goes back to what we keep talking about. I mean, as this season rolls along, I mean, the RB one Throne comes with a lot of heavy lift, a lot of dirty work, and it just it beats up on a guy. And so you're likely not going to see the twenty twenty two or twenty twenty one version of POVT in twenty three. I think that's just
not going to happen. But what's promising for POVT is when you look at the first half, he kind of struggled to get you know, the one yard here, two yard here, but then he had a twelve yard carry and the third quarter had a fourteen yard care so I saw flashes of that explosiveness again. So it's in there difference being Rico. He comes in, he's fresh legs, and he's playing loose. He's playing loose football. So it kind of goes to what Brian is talking about. There's
a mentality of it as well. Where Tony is the franchise he's on a franchise tag. He's trying to do his best to play for a multi year contract, and maybe he's pressing a bit and maybe he's overthinking it. Not so coincidentally, though Rico is on a contract, you're also quite as it's skept I mean, he's only on a one year reup right, so he's playing to stay as well.
But it's not the same.
There are levels to this, right when you're the franchise tag and you're going for franchise money. Rico is just trying to stick around me. He's like, you know, I'm just going to play football. I've been waiting for this opportunity. It's his first opportunity, right, so he's fresher when he comes into games. He's playing more loosely mentally, and his vision has just been slightly better than Tony Pollard. Like we're talking about, there's situations where you would like to
see Tony Pollard feel this and hit that. Well, Rico comes in and theoretically in that same play he sees that and he hits that. So that's why he's able to rattle off and average what six point six yards per carry yesterday is. So, I mean, it's a great thing to see that the Cowboys rushing attack took a step forward yesterday. That gives you hope for what it
could be going forward. But don't press it. Just continue to let it organically come, especially when you got guys like Ceedee Lamb going crazy and now Brandon Cooks is.
Involved as well. I mean, let the passing attack be the passing attack.
And then I think this is a perfect situation where in the Jason Garrett administration, as Brian likes to call out, I love that he calls it that. In the Jason Garrett administration and the Scott Lennehan you know era, it was established a run to set up the pass.
Well.
Now, uh, big mic is is out there establishing the past to set up the run and if that's what's working, and it clearly is by all means continuing.
Yeah, I think not everyone is meant to handle x amount of work, like an extra load of things, and it takes away from from your focus and what your best at. As an example, Uh and correct me if I'm wrong my.
Memory it was too easy.
I was I wasn't going to get too easy yourself?
Correct how far back?
At some other points, but remember when when Mike was the one wearing the communication what is it called dot green dot, and you could see his game being affected by it, and then that changed and they took that away from him. Uh So where I'm trying to get at.
Sometimes when you add something else that you have to do mentally, it messes you up where you don't you're not as you don't have the same amount of concentration, and now that takes away from from what you're you're good at it, and maybe that maybe I'm.
Just there's a lot of pressure.
There's a lot of there's a lot of pressure on him because they got rid of Ezekiel Elliott.
They moved on from Ezekiel.
Now you say you're the guy, and now he's feeling the pressure of.
Everybody in the year to prove it and everybody in the world talking about the lack of a Cowboys running game. Could you feel that.
Do you think that this should be especially watching what happened yesterday, do you think this should They should make it more of a I don't know if it has to be fifty to fifty split, but more give me more Doubtle and maybe you'll get better out of out of Pollard if you're Because we talked about this last year a lot from the standpoint of a two BAC system versus you know, just having one guy who's the predominant guy. I wonder if it should be the same
thing this year, just with different names. Now it's Doubtle and Pollard as opposed to Zeke and Pollard last year.
I think they need to work on the perimeter run game more. I mean because to me, inside run seems to be the problems that they're having.
Especially with Pollard.
You saw yesterday the toss, the things that the things where they can get the ball to flip.
You know, if they could get.
Doubt Old going downhill, he's a hard guy to deal with. That's gonna be a four or five yard play. We'll see with Pollard. But Pollard looks more comfortable to me trying to navigate the edge than he does navigate guys inside. So I would I would try and focus more on and then all of a sudden you get good at
the perimeter game. Then now defenses naturally will stretch, and when they stretch, then then your inside, your inside zone stuff and things like that that you want to do start to become a little bit better.
I mean, I agree that if you theoretically, if you play Reco a bit more than obviously you're unless it's two back set, you're playing Tony a bit less.
Which which it did a little bit yesterday, right, I.
Was want to say, because the splits were almost even yesterday as far as the handoffs concern. But it also goes to what contextually, what type of plays are attached to those reps for each individual player. So, for example, if you're Tony Pollard and the majority of your twelve to fifteen touches are going to be the dirty runs up the middle, that's going to wear on you much more than if Rico's twelve to fifteen touches tend to be off of the edge and getting him into space,
so that has to be looked at as well. I think that's definitely a conversation to be had, but it's it's more of a robust conversation than just simply saying, Okay, let's do a fifteen to fifteen split or twenty to twenty split, twelve twelve, what types of plays? I would say mix those up as well, because Tony has shown over the course of his career that he can be
explosive in space as well. So maybe it's saying, well, Rico, do more of these dirty work runs and you know, we'll share that load that way and kind of spread the screen.
Bobby and I were doing a podcast this one. I think Bobby said this and I forgot to look it up. I'm trusting him. He said that Pollard was lined up as a wide receiver twelve times yesterday, twelve.
Wow. I thought it was a few, only few times.
But no, that's what Bobby, Bobby, do you have the position? It should I should know better than to trust anything. Bobby belts, Tom Bobby, but boy, but yeah, but there was some Bobby said, there was the twelve times, and the snaps there were opportunities twelve and I felt that was a lot too.
But now he might also be talking about because there were an.
Emotions, emotions.
There are a lot of times they.
Ran empty yesterday exactly, so Paula was only running back on the field, but he was out. He was lined up out wide. So if he's talking about that, that makes it.
I'm gonna blame him if I'm wrong about it, because I think Bobby was. But there were several times at least I know where he was lined up when they went empty or they put him out there, yeah, and out in the out.
In the flat.
That's something we'll probably have to go back and chart on the film because I hear what Bobby saying.
Bobby is, I love him to death. He's really good.
As wrong could be though, because you know, based on what our next Gen friends was saying, Rico lined out White only one snap.
Not Rico. He said, I thought you said Tony.
Tony, Tony, go back and get Tony.
Yeah talk, which again I do think that's possible. Chart the games as they're going on, and I think Tony was lined up why they went empty a lot yesterday which I was a little bit surprised at, but it's starting to become a regular part of their offense now, so it didn't surprise me if he was out there twelve times.
Okay, so there you go, Bobby right, seven times seven seven.
Times he probably said seven, and I just added it up because I'm an idiot, you know that kind of thing.
Seven times, so that you know, Jerry Jones talked about that on one oh five three the Fan that maybe you were going to see something different formationally, scheme wise with Pollard and that was the little nuggety three.
So seven times they threw him outside there.
So all right, we appreciate you guys, Jonas.
That's a rap.
We we'll be back tomorrow.
We'll talk a little bit more big picture around the Cowboys, around the.
NFC East and even the NFC.
This thing is interesting, getting more and more interesting by the league in Minnesota. Minnesota Roling, all right, we're going to talk about that tomorrow. Till then for Patrick Walker, Brian brought us in Amber Garcia. I am Derek Ealton. This has been the Break live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio.
This has been a production of Dallas Cowboy dot com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club