Cowboys Break: Homecoming King?

to move forward and we'll see where this goes. Hopefully, hopefully the Cowboys learned their lesson last week was a nice shot in the mouth, and hopefully they wake up and get themselves back on track this week. Brian in the show today is going to give us a good overview of Cowboys offense for No Atriots defense. We're going to talk a little bit about some things that went right last weekend. We didn't really do that this week.

On Monday and Tuesday, we spent a lot of time on what went wrong, but there were a couple of things that were really good from the Cowboys standpoint in that game. On Sunday, we'll detail some of those. And let's start first though, with updates on where we are from the standpoint of injuries. Patrick Walkers through what we're what we're looking for this week, what we who are the players that we need to keep an eye on with regards to injuries.

to do what and who does what. But there's a chance if you go back to what Stephen Jones told one O five three FM The Fan a couple of days ago, it is possible that the Cowboys see a whole offensive line going in against the Patriots. He did kind of give a caveat and saying, you know, let's see how the week goes. Obviously that goes without saying, but he did make that clear. But he did say,

quote unquote, there's a possibility. So I do expect that, you know, multiple guys on that three man front we're talking about Tyler, Tyron and and Zach will get some work, maybe as early as today. But we'll see as far as any other injuries, they're all in the same breath right now. We're just waiting and see and but those are the top three guys. Obviously, Donald came back last week, and you know, he had his ups and downs. Make sense, he hadn't played, you know, since he suffered the CAF

strain in early in training camp. But yeah, so offensive lineman, we saw what happened when they were out. Offensive line didn't lose the game, but it impacted McCarthy's play callings. So hopefully those guys get back so we can see this verticality with this Texas Coast offense.

we'll be fine here, Yeah, it will. But we've also seen these guys miss two three games also, so I would keep an eye on Beyondish this week and see how much did he really practices like that Smith and Martin, you know, those are the ones I think that are probably further along than what Tyler Beyodish is.

this week because a lot of those injuries are on standby, but moving forward, once they become healthy and you got the starters again, in case a scenario like this happens again, like how do you manage like how do you split the the reps in practice and to give everybody the amount rep?

have a red zone period. Offense gets eight snaps in the red zone. Defense gets eight snaps in the red zone, and they kind of work with each other the practice there. The problem with that is usually when the starters are involved with the eight snaps in the red zone, it's seven and one. McCarthy's probably now to a point like, listen, I can't do seven and one. I have to think

about five and three, four and four. You know, with the way his offensive line is and the way they've had problems with it, it's kind of a wake up call for all his positions. You know, we need to have more guys ready. It's amazing how this team has had to deal already with injuries late in the week, and he's like, well, if this is going to be the trend for us right now, I could do something about it the way I give these guys reps. And

so that's where I think he's going. If there's eight plays are gonna run, you're gonna see a five and a three or four and a four. It's not gonna be seven and one anymore.

free agency market this offseason. Otherwise he's not available to be picked up in late September. But then the other side of that is you're adding a veteran IQ to that backup offensive line situation, whereas you have a ton of youth who've mostly played well when thrown into the fire, but at the same time they could stand to learn, you know, from a guy like Billy Price. But then the other side of that three side, the other side of that is what does this mean anything for Tomer

b Beatish's potential availability against the Patriots? Because you also have the brock Hoffman equations. Because Hoffman has been now elevated three times, so there's also that could just be transaction to transactions. So you know, again, we'll see how it goes. But I'm also with Amber when it comes to these late week injuries. We're having this conversation on Wednesday.

I don't like Thursdays anymore. So you know, let's I'm not going to dig into any optimism or anything like that until we have Friday morning show and I see that there was not some.

think it's anything McCarthy's doing practice wise. Heck, he gives him Fridays off. You know, he really doesn't practice. I mean he does a walkthrough on Saturday. So yeah, there are things that he he likes to go out there and practice pads and they're outside today. It's a warm day, so you know he's into that kind of stuff. But man,

I mean, you got to practice. You know, if you're stepping on other guy trying to get a ball, and you're stepping on a guy's foot, you know that caused you your ankle to be bad or blot your knee. Is that on mccarth football.

But the crazy part, or the impressive part, I should say, with this coaching staff, despite all these changes, all these moves, they're still surviving and making it work. So we've come a long way from back in the day. And you lose one guy, you lose one guy, Atlanta.

everybody in front of us covered. You got to take care of that guy. So I didn't see anything where it was just you know, the twist stunts in front. Usually guys have problems with, you know, to be able to pass the stunts working with other guys. Didn't see that at all. With this guy, you know, he is limited to what he can do because Biondis can get

second level blocks and Hoffman's more. But kind of a take the guy right at the line of scrimmage and then make sure that's secure and then hope for the best if he can get to the second level. But his play was was There was some apprehension me about it, but I think if you had to plug him back in, he showed himself pretty well there.

I was right there with Brian. I mean, you're lining up nose to nose with you know, a guy who has many more reps in the NFL than you. You would think that Hoffman probably would get blown off the ball at the time or two. I didn't see any reps where he absolutely got decimated at all.

we're gonna try and tricky over here. It didn't work. We're gonna try double move over here. Your tackle, you know, struggles a little bit, and then then your guard struggles a little bit. But other than that, they were pretty clean the way they played.

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And then, of course you have the emotional component of Ezekiel Elliott and he's you know, Jerry didn't want to spoil it today in one oh five three the Fan, But there is likely some type of honoring that's going to happen for Ezekiel Elliott's ring.

seriously as maybe they took the Jets running game. They showed me they could do it against the Jets, and I think the Jets have a better running game. The fact that it didn't look like that this week makes me think they didn't put the level of focus on their running game of stopping their running game that they did against the Jets. You guys agree with that, I.

they play run defense. I think it affects their eyes when when they see something going one way, they're taught get downhill as fast as you can. It be a part of the play at the point of attack, and then the ball will bend back and you're like going, wait a minute, where's the backside help here? Where's the discipline to play? So I think it was more of

a disciplined problem with Arizona. But the way that Arizona scheme runs the ball, I think that's something if I'm playing the Cowboys, I'm like, man, maybe we could steal a couple of plays here, just trying to you know, our alignment or not having to block these guys one on one. We kind of can do some things to make them take advantage of how aggressive they are trying to get there.

but literally there's nobody sitting right there. So I I, yeah, I think that it's to me if that's the one thing about guys like when you would Tank you appreciate about him playing the run game. Tank is not going to let you fool him. You know, he's going to stay like if the ball's going inside, he's going to be able to position where he can make the play where he could you know, he could work back in. He's not four steps up the field and then trying

to redirect to get back as the ball's gone. He's going to play the scheme. He knows he knows how to read a scheme, but he knows how to close down and then when he has to make a play or he's chasing from the back side, he knows how to stay flat and then go get the ball. But he sometimes you have to have a feel of how you're supposed to play run defense as opposed and knowing where your fits are, knowing where the guys around your need to be as well.

hundred and seventy seven yards per game. Through the year, they are ninth and rush yards per attempt, only giving up three point six per rush and ninth in points allowed, only giving up twenty points per game. Brian, tell me why they're so good.

top three coverages that they'll want run. The zone coverage, the man coverage, and then that too deep look right there. They did play what we call Cover six, which is against the Dolphins. It's kind of a combo of the two and the four. That's how you get the six. It splits the field in half and it's a good blend of zone and man. So they're kind of trying to show you one thing, but it's really on the other side they're playing another. So you're kind of like, oh,

wait a minute, this looks like a cover too. No, wait, it's they're playing zone. Oh they're actually playing man over here. It's really good when it helps you defend the run, you know, because there's but against like a short passing game like the Cowboys have, it's kind of a coverage could get them in trouble. They did it against the Dolphins, didn't do it against the Eagles, or didn't do it

against the Jets. So there was something that they were worried about in the Dolphins game that allowed them to say, Okay, we got to play a little bit of this mix of man and zone right there. It's the defensive line you mentioned it. It's not one of these really household names of guys, you know. It's Goutshaw who he hurt his ankle. He's a defensive tackle, Devid Goushaw. He heard his ankle in the Jets game. He was knocked out of the game. It'll be interested to see if he

could play this week. Lawrence guy's a good player for them up front. Big guy Christian Barmore is another guy. Barmore had four pressures four quarterback hits in that Dolphins game. So there's a defensive tackle that can win inside and then get pressure on your quarterback. So I think you need to kind of account for him in that area. Well. Dietrich Wise is a long, rangy veteran, kind of an edge player. He's a better one player than he is passed. So if you're running the ball to one side, maybe

you want to run it away from Dietrich Wise. He's a little bit one of those guys that kind of has a feel for how to play. The linebackers are the heart of this defense, and it starts with Matthew Jerdon Jerdn. He's listed as a linebacker. He's kind of more of an edge but he's very similar to what they do with Micah Parsons, and he's gonna move around all over the place. They're gonna find the best possible matchup for him. You'll see him rushing from all those

different spots. He can attack the edge, he can win against blocks. He's got some power to his game. He could be a little slippery in the way he plays, and they put him inside, he can kind of like go and then avoid and then get in on the play. They're gonna need to account for him on a lot of different fronts when he's lined up again. He's like Micah in the way they move him around. They did. He did a great job in that Dolphins game I

mentioned two sacks, two quarterback hits. Josh Ucci is another player that is a linebacker, very explosive. He has the ability to get up the field in a hurry. Like Jordan, he could be really disruptive in the way he goes about lining up all over the field. He gets the blocker on his first step. He causes problems in that way. So he's a guy that got a couple of guys that can rush the passer. Juwan Bentley is the veteran linebacker. He's the thumper, He's the big guy. He's the guy

that plays with some pop. He's a downhill player. He's always attacking the line of scrimmage. He's always got to be careful about him. He could read it, shoot the gap and then make a tackle for loss. So physical, you know, be ready if you not just go up and try and just bump him. This guy's going to try and run over you in that regard. So does a good job of finishing when he gets in position.

The Patriots secondary is an interesting one because they got a star in the making with a rookie Christian Gonzalez, who was from Oregon. Actually he's a local kid. I think he's from Hebron High School over here. But he's a tech. His kid starting Colorado and then went to Oregon, and but he is a The Patriots are the staff as they've put him in some seriously high leverage spots when it comes to coverage with this. In the Jets game,

he shadowed Garrett Wilson sixty percent of the game. He played press man coverage and Nam forty three percent of the time in those games. So there you go, right there, big time coverage to rekill the week before, he shadowed him sixty percent of the time of the game twenty nine percent press man coverage in those games. The Eagles went after him. In the first game, they targeted him twelve times. They had eight receptions ninety for ninety nine yards.

I would expect that Gonzalez is going to travel with Ceedee Lamb in this matchup. You'll see it. I mean, that's it's it's clear. They just said, okay, you go with him, and you know what, it doesn't matter if Lamb goes in the slot, Gonzales will go in the slot with it. So it's not just like, oh wait, we can get him off him if we put Lamb in the slot. No, Gonzales will go down inside and play there. So this guy's a sticky, relentless cover man.

He's got movement, he's got elite ball skills, really really good player. Miles Bryant plays on the other side, opposite. He's gonna flip when they travel, and he'll also kick inside in the slot when the Patriots go nickel. He defends the ball well. He puts himself in good position to make plays. Movement, redirection skills are solid with this guy. You got to be aware of him blitzing off the slot. Sometimes they'll play him tight and then all of a sudden,

it's a slot blitz. That's how they get some they get some additional pressure that way. Their safeties are Kyle Dugger, I think is better than what Jabrill Peppers is. Dugger is better of the two. Like I said, the staff uses him in a unique way. He'll play deep like half the time, he'll play down in the box a quarter of the time, and then sometimes you'll see him actually go in the slot and play. So they feel like that he could cover in a lot of different ways.

Before he was they didn't use him that This is kind of new for how they've used him, and you'll occasionally get him on the blitz. So that's you know, Jabrill Peppers, I mentioned him. He's a veteran player. He's got a number of tackles, but you'll also see times where he misses tackles. He'll be in space and all of a sudden, the balls come in to the edge and he's trying to wrap up and he gets knocked off and then he's on the ground. That's happened to

him a couple of different times. So, but he's the one guy that they like to bring on the blitz. I mentioned about Kyle Duggart coming, but Peppers is the guy that they'll rush generally opposite though they'll try to stunt and then they'll bring him off the edge. So it's a good defense. It doesn't have a lot of household names, but the one you need to know about

is Christian Gonzales, the corner from Oregon. He is a very very talented player that again they use in a lot of those high leverage situations.

heart of that. But they also are still without Jonathan Jones. We'll see if Jonathan Jones, the cornerback, returns this week. He's not played since Week one as he deals with an ankle injury. So they're down one of their outside starting corners there, so maybe a point of attack there, particularly if you see that Belichick is deploying a strategy that has Gonzales shading cd lamb. Okay, well, here's Brandon Cooks. It's time for a big game, and this is where

you have optimism after. This is where you also have optimism after seeing Michael Gallup come on strong against the Cardinals, because now it seems like the Cowboys have figured out what Gallup looks like in the Texas Coast offense, which was a question that we had you know, last week or a couple of episodes or so ago. So I think that outside of Gonzales and I tweeted this after that interception, Gonzales is as advertised, you are going to

have to be careful with targeting him. But if Jonathan Jones is inactive, and then that brings up backups on the outside, on the other outside, maybe you target them, have Cooks line up against him and say beat them to death, right, Michael Gallup, beat your guy to death. So the secondary, like you talked about with Jabrill Peppers, he'll take risks, it'll cause him to be over aggressive in his tackling angles, he'll miss those tackles and ceedee.

Lamb has some some real history with Jalen Mills with the Wave. You remember that, Yeah, right, So, I mean you know he can Jalen Mills can be had as well.

the calf on the last play. I was curious about how they played him, how they played coverage against him, just to see if Belichick's like, listen, we can't do this. This guy killed us in this area they had. He dealt with nineteen pressures in this game, no sacks. They played fifty five percent man coverage in the game. Dak was seventeen of twenty eight for one to ninety three, three touchdowns in the game, had the lone interception there

forty five percent zone coverage. He was nineteen of twenty three for two point fifty two. He played Cover one against him. That's that single high look. They played Cover three with him, which is we talked about is kind of a zone coverage area. They played Cover two only twelve percent of time. They played this Cover zero, which was no safety help man all the way across the board. Prescott had three touchdowns in that game when he played against and then only played the coverage ten percent of

the time. Dak played it perfectly in that game. No safety help, no help in the middle of the field, true man to man defense. It's designed to get a lot of pressure. They didn't get the pressure, they didn't get the sacks and Dak ate them alives Belichicks might look back at that game in life, Hm, maybe we don't want to do this to this guy in this protect time. One of the best games that Dak's played in his career.

back and we'll talk a little bit. I want to talk a little bit about Zeke Elliott and what he meant to this offense last year and if the Cowboys may in some respects miss him this season with the issues that they're having in gold to gold situations and in short yardage situation. We'll be back Dallas Cowboys dot Com.

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I looked at. I looked up from the standpoint of gold to go situations. Last year. There were thirteen times when he got the ball in goal to go situations. Eight of those times he was in the end zone at a sixty two percent. It's way better than where they are right now when they're in goal to go situations. He was only stuffed one time, which is another stat you look at, was he hit behind the line scrimmage?

Tackle behind line scrimmage? He's only stuffed one time, but eight of the thirteen times he ended up in the end zone. That would have made him third in the league behind Jamal Williams and Jalen hurtson what they do in Philadelphia where they just basically push the Christian zone. Right, that being said, does Dallas miss Ezequielae this year?

if Ezekiel Elliott was there as a running back. Now that's not to say that the guys that they currently have are not doing a good job, because they are in credit to them, but it's a totally different type of running back, and I think that's why last year it worked so well him with the combination of Tony Poler and then finally being able to find the right balance between the two and playing them to what their strength are, because we know Zeke doesn't have the same

type of explosiveness anymore as a guy like Tony Poller and being too able to make those cuts escape, but vice versa, like Tony doesn't have the same strength that Zeke has. So I do think they miss him. I still don't think going back and looking at it now, it would change like you had to make that decision. It's what I'm trying to say, like it had to be that way, But they do miss a guy like Ezekulative.

But I think with the talent that they currently have, if they start scheming things differently and coming up with different plays, I still think that they can be more effective and make it work with the guys that they currently have. So at some point I don't think you would need a guy like Zeke if you change things up, but currently, yes, it would be freaking nice to have.

out yet who that person will be. That's where I think the issue is not necessarily that you missed Ezekiel Elliott down there, but we talked about, for example, handing it off to Peyton Hindershot instead of maybe giving it to Hunter lip Key.

do or they do not miss Ezekiel Elliott. So for me right now, I just think that they missed the comfort of knowing that if you're in gold to gold, if you're in short yardage, you just hand it to the hammer. But the reality is they haven't established who the hammer is, and I think it might and should be Hunter Lipke.

I there are things about Key when they've talked about him being a fullback that I'm like, I've never seen this guy block. And there's times where he's been a good blocker and there's other times where he's not been as good. But the one thing you can't discredit Hunter Lipky for is his toughness and carrying the football. Third and one, nine yard run with a loaded box, He's going to find a way to go forward. He's going to find a way to knife through there, get a yard,

get two yards, get whatever he has to do. They could, as Ambar says, they could scheme up things, but you can also, like I say, just hand him to Dan ball going straight ahead. He's proven to me just watching him play, whether it's the game against the Raiders in the postseason where not the postseason, but the preseason where he had all those carries. He's his vision, His ability to make things happen is impressive in his power, and

the power is impressive. You don't need to hand the ball to Ezekiel Elliott at four million dollars a year when you got a guy that's very very capable of doing the same thing. And I'm I think we're gonna get to the point where Hunter Lipkey is going to become that guy where they you put him in the backfield just like the Eagles run the tush push. You know, we're gonna You're gonna put Hunter Lypkey in the backfield and he's gonna be the guy. That's That's where it's

gonna come to North Dakota State again. The state of North Dakota love you. Not happy with me a lot. The state of California is another one that doesn't like me very much, especially in the Bay Area. It's not a fan of mine.

basically they left the defensive end unblocked. He runs nice right in and tackles Polo for two yard loss, and I'm like, that's just getting cute for no reason, like you want to power ahead. You're in goal to go situations, power the ball in. And I don't think they trust that. They don't trust the backs, they don't trust the offensive line, whatever is. They're not trusting enough in their ability to just power the ball ahead.

it's just just give him the opportunity. He will make do for you if you if you give him that opportunity.