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Cowboys Let's go. Are you ready for a break?
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Are you ready for a break?
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Ready for a break?
Yeah, and so much for that.
It's time for The Break on Dallas Cowboys dot Com. Were on with Mbar Garcia, Brian brought Us, Patrick Walker and Derek Eagleton.
It is Thursday, November ninth, twenty twenty three, Season nineteen, episode number sixty seven.
Welcome to the latest edition of The Break.
We're live from SWBC Mortgage Studios at the Star and today we're gonna get you guys ready. Continue to get you guys ready for Cowboys versus Giants. We'll talk about the Giants defense versus the Cowboys offense. We got some injury updates that we will get to here in.
Just a moment.
It's some interesting comments by Mike McCarthy regarding Yrence Smith. Will talk about that as well, real quick, if you guys will indulge me here at the beginning the show, I just want to take a chance to wish a very happy birthday to very special woman in my life, my mommy.
Heym Happy birthday, to my mom.
I know she's listening because as your mom does, Brian, I know if there's only one that's going to listen to show.
My mom is listening every single day.
And as she told me this morning, she was like, I really don't care what anybody else has to say.
I'm just listening to see my baby.
So hey, mom, happy birthday, Happy birthday.
All right, So here we go. Let's get in.
Let's talk about the injury report. There were four guys on the injury report.
Real quick. Since she's listening, she's done a good job on her son, teaching him how to be a gentleman. I will say this one thing that Derek does every single time to any female. He will open the door and let you walk and go in first. So total gentleman. So good job.
Even face of the daily adversity he gets from his left side, he remains staunch a gentleman.
My mom taught me well, no doubt about it. All right, So let's jump in. Let's talk about these injuries. There were four guys on the injury report. You have Marquise Bell with a calf injury, also Diggie Zoo with a hamstring injury. Both of them were limited. Yren Smith did not practice with an illness. Cavante Turpin did not practice with that shoulder, which I don't know what it's weird because and now shoulders, so I don't know what it is,
but he's got something going on. Let's talk about those injuries and kind of what we're expecting as the week progressive.
So right now in the conversations, I've had Marquise Bell with his calf and OsO Diggi Zoo hamstring. Not a lot of concern there from the Cowboys. Yesterday was a walkthrough for Dallas. Testament to what Mike McCarthy said earlier this week is that this Wednesday was set to be lighter for them. So while the Giants had a full practice, Cowboys kind of scale back based on the GPS numbers. But I don't as we have this conversation, there's no concern about Bell nor Osa going into the game against
the Giants. Today is going to be full injury report for Thursday. We'll see if anything changes over the course of today, but not a lot of concern there. Tyler Biada, she was listed as full with the ankle. He's fine. Jy Ron cursed to he was full. Tyrone Smith, Well, Kvante Turpin, Let's go to Tyrone last Cavante Turpin. That's going to be interesting to watch because he did return from that injury in Philadelphia, scored his second touchdown for the Cowboys, but then you could see that it wasn't
there for him after that. So we'll see if he has availability for this weekend. Today will be key for him as well as tomorrow. If he can't go, obviously, the returner as a backup is going to be Rico. Maybe Deuce Von gets activated this week if Cavante can't go as welly.
Rico d punks as well. I know he's done kicks. Does he do punts as well?
I haven't seen him ever return a punt.
Yeah, either not a punt, which would mean here you go, Douce if Rico not Rico. If Cavante can't go, Deuce Europe. Tyron Smith obviously, like you said, listed with an illness, did not participate in the walkthrough. No physical issue as far as like the next thing or so, the fact that that's not listed, we're trending in a good spot there.
Mike McCarthy was asked this week about the possibility of the Cowboys keeping the formula they had last week going into Philadelphia going forward, in which he did not Tyron did not participate in the contact practices. It was walked through and mock game only, and then he had an exceptional game. Mike McCarthy said that is on the table, possibly not just for this week, but possibly going forward for the rest of the season. I'm completely on board
with that. He is no longer a daily driver. I think it's fair that everyone in the organization and Tyron understand that. So if you're only going to pull him out on Sundays or Mondays or Thursdays, whenever the game is there, we go.
Let's do it.
Because if he can continue to play at the level he played in Philly without practicing, there's your magic sauce right there.
Amber and Brian, you disagree, agree.
I just wish they'd all practice. Myself. I hate the veteran day. I get what Mike's trying to do. I think some of the issues you have on major days you practice. He doesn't practice him anyway. You know, he does a lot of walkthroughs and stuff. I applauded for keeping his team healthy, but they make a lot of mistakes during games, and I think when you practice, you practice with the intent of not making mistakes and being ready for the game. I think there's an element of
attention to detail that you lose when you don't practice. So, you know, I if Tyron's going to play the way he did, great, you know absolutely. The availability of Tyron Smith with us is it's really fifty to fifty anyway.
So whether he.
Practices or not, we've seen him not practice before and he's played. He just played a great game last week. It's first time in a long time he played a really a great game. But there's a side of me that just does not dig the aspect of not practicing. I just feel like you lose something there. And the guys that don't practice are the ones that play major roles weekly.
In the games.
I'm not a fan of not practicing. And if it's walked through is whatever, I don't care. But you only have so many of these things, so many opportunities. This classroom stuff. Yeah, you can learn. You know, we've got technology now. You could take your pads home and watch tape and prepare that way and be mentally ready. But there's something to actually going out there and working on
run blocking. There's something to actually go out there and work on red zone offense, tight red zone offense, pick routes, rub routes, you know, physically going out and doing that. There's something too that I think this team lacks that right now. I think some of the mistakes you see them make is because they don't practice nearly enough.
Yeah, I completely agree with that. I would rather see him practice. And who's not to say he can't. He's not gonna pull a muscle in the second snap of the game.
You know.
It's that can also happen with you not practicing, like practicing that muscle, but with him, we've seen it, injuries happen, whatever. So that's a tough one. But maybe they why can't they come up with something where it's not just like either he practices or not, but it's like a limited type of amount of snaps in practice, like he's still getting some work in, but not for the full practice period.
I think when you're talking about Tyron, and I don't disagree. I'm you know, I've played sports, team sports, I've coached some sports, and I agree with Brian and that when you're not on the practice field, you're missing something that's just this bottom line. I think from the Cowboys perspective, you have to weigh that up against who you're talking about. If we're talking about like, for example, a veteran rest Dade for like a jay Ron Curse, I don't agree
with that. I think a guy like Jayron Curs should be on the field. But when it's Tyron Smith and you see his durability issues over the past several years, and you say to yourself, Okay, what's more important him, him Tyron only Tyron. Is it more important to make sure that Tyron is getting the practice reps or is it more important that he is available for the games? The next thinger will suffered in practice, you lost him for the subsequent game, and then you struggled on the
offensive line. So I think it's a conversation exclusive to Tyrone Smith. And if we're keeping it exclusive to Tyrone Smith, I'm fine with that because at his stage in his career, it's kind of it's not dissimilar from Zach Martin. Zach Martin doesn't technically need to practice to go out there and ball on a weekly basis. Tyron is in that same air difference being Zach is more durable. So we're not having this practice conversation about Zach.
Yeah, but they don't run the ball particularly well, and they've struggled on the right side running the ball, and him and Steal for some reason have regressed from what they've done. Is it practice, is it coaching? There's something that they're missing right.
Now on the right side.
Yeah, and I totally you know, Zach Martin, I mean he is Zach Martin's is a great player, Zach Martin, you know, I mean they give him a veteran day, you know.
I mean, well, we noticed when he was out from training camp, remember that, Yeah, he was out. And then at the start of the season there were times where I mean, it's been really all all years so far worthy oh I you know, uh have struggled with just being really good. But even with Zach, I forgot why game it was specifically that even a guy like him
was not having a good day. And that was at the beginning of the year, and we talked about it on the show, and I remember maybe it was like the reasoning behind it was a reflection of him being absent throughout training camp and missing those things.
The thing with Tyron Smith is that he could walk, He could get hurt walking up the stairs to get on the airplane. That's that's where you're at right now with Tyron Smith. And I understand them trying to protect him and all that. And but when you're when you're when you have major breakdowns and and you're and you're not particularly good in areas, you know, I don't think just walking through is the right thing to do.
And then you know they've they He prides himself on practice.
Mike always talks about how much he likes to practice and all that, but he doesn't practice these guys in that way.
You know, this team has.
Been fresh in the playoffs and all that, and it hasn't carried through to the whole playoffs.
And you know, and I think the other thing you got to consider that when you're talking about offensive lineman is continuity. We talk about it all the time. We have to work as a unit, and what have we talked about also when it comes to some of the challenges they've had have had issues sometimes when it comes to handling twist and being able to kind of pass guys off. And I've seen in the running game sometimes the issue is that guys aren't getting off to that
second level. And that's all about timing. That's all about working with the guy besides you and knowing when you're letting go and releasing that player and trade passing that player offf so you can get to the next guy. If you're not practicing that timing won't get there because we as we know, they haven't played enough games in a row, as we have been talking about, haven't done that enough to get to a point where you feel
like that continuity is right there. So I do wonder if you if you're not getting the practice time, where do you get that continuity.
Because you're again you're you're you're playing the risk rewater equation because you're one hundred percent right. The more practice reps you get, the more continuity you build. But if he suffers the next singer in practice and he's not on the field the next game, then guess what, You're not getting the continuity in the game. So you're losing
it somewhere. And really, again that's why I said this conversation for me is exclusive to Tyrant and that you know, how do you manage that, like is he more valuable in getting these practice reps, which are valuable, But is it more valuable to get him those and risk him not playing the next one or two games, or if you say, hey, he's at a stage in his career where where he's good enough to go through walkthroughs in mock games and still also mentally build chemistry with Tyler
and then it shows on the left side as it did in Philadelphia.
It's the right side that needs to get it figured out.
They were ready last week.
They felt like that if he might something might happen to him in play three, play four, I mean a dooga was ready to go. If you want to, like watch the movie Top Gun and have somebody on cat to you know ready, you know techna, that's what I'm saying. We're all we're all fighting the mission, but we got you know, we got somebody over here in Kat too, ready to launch. If yeah, somebody goes down, that's what it is.
Yeah, you know what I mean, do we want to launch a cat? You know, we're good, we're you know, we're battling here, you know that kind of thing.
But there, that's that's that's the that's Tyrone Smith now, you know, and as great as he is that's that there's no other player I can ever remember where you need him so badly, but you're just scared every time did he ever takes a snap?
Sounds like Sean Lee. That's where they will Sean Lee too in his career.
But I just, like I said, I think practice.
I think practice is important, and I know Alan Iverson disagrees with me. But the only thing I think it is important for for football, I think it's important.
Well I'm thinking, I'm like, okay, how can I compare this in my own life or relate to Obviously, I'm no athletes. I'm not athletes whatsoever. No, sorry, so I'm sorry, that's just working out. I'm no athlete. But if I don't pick up a paintbrush all week and then I do over the weekend, it might take me. It doesn't mean my skill is disappear or gone. It's still there, but it might take me like an hour or so for me to kind of all right, let me get back in the groove in the pace. And you can't.
It's just there's no other way to replicate that moment unless you practice on the field out there, and even then, even then, practice is not replicating what you're gonna face during the game.
I agree.
I think if he has an average or even slightly above or below average game against the Eagles, then it's not on the table. As far as the conversation for Mike McCarthy and the coaching staff, I think the fact that he was able to go out there not show any rush, not need any ramp up time as far as the first couple of series or whatever, gives them confidence that, hey, if you did it once, you can do it again. So to your point, your one hundred percent correct. But that's what I mean when I say
it's exclusive. The conversation is to tyring because of where he is in his career, how elite he can still be when he's on the field physically and mentally. So he's shown you that he doesn't need the ramp up and that's why I think it's on the table for.
All Right, here's what I'm to do. I want to move on to another topic real quickly. I want to hit before we go to break. We talked a little bit earlier in the week about Martavis Bryant. Cowboys actually finalized that they signed him to the practice squad. He said something I think it was yesterday that did raise my eyebrow for a second. He said he's been running twenty to twenty two to twenty three miles per hour
in some of his training. So it brought up an interesting thought in my mind, like how fast is that relative to other NFL players? So I went on our next Gen stat website and max speed for a wide receiver in the twenty twenty three season twenty two point forty four miles per hour.
If he's telling the truth, he's running as fast as the fastest wide receiver.
We did the receipts.
They didn't say a name, they just said the fastest, well, the fastest wide receiver time this year. It's a stained speed of point five seconds sustainful point five seconds was twenty two zero point four to four miles per hour.
Let's go the chronometer and go yeah.
But my question is, if that is true, does it change your thoughts on maybe what your expectations might be for this guy, Because, as we talked about earlier the week, my expectations was literally can help you out, maybe you know as a scout type guy, but if he's running as fast as the fastest guy in the league at the wide receiver position might be able.
To use it.
I think when you talk to anybody in the organization, they will tell you they're kicking the tires on this one.
Yeah, they're just looking.
They're looking to see if they if they can find something that can help them, you know, maybe two three weeks from now, you know, that's that's where they're at. Britt Brown's gonna get this guy in the best shape
he can. The guy's gonna practice, Hopefully, he's gonna have some opportunities to learn what's going on in the playbook and get some reps out there, and then maybe maybe that for that stretch run and you get to December, you might see him on a call up, you know, and because if they feel good enough that way, don't I don't think this was one to go out and
replace somebody right now. I think this was let's get let's let's go two or three weeks, see where we're at, and then if it's if it's good to go, we'll go with it. If it's not, then there's really no harm there.
Well, first, we want to believe you, Martavis. We need those receipts, my friend somebody.
Yeah, we need the receipt.
But but I'll say, if we're talking strictly on if the speed, if that's accurate, if that changes my thought process, The answer is no, if we're talking strictly speed, because you have speed, you got Cooks, you got turping, you got speed. You wouldn't necessarily have speed with that size.
I was about to say the size, you have speed.
With that size, but I'm right there with Brian. It's still a look Sie situation for the Cowboys. He his signing doesn't, as we have this conversation, displace anyone. It doesn't displace Gallop, Tobart, Turping, it certainly doesn't displace Cooks. And then you know Seede Lamb's going to be Ceede Lambs. So I think it's just, you know, it's kicking the tires, like Brian said, And if it works out for you, then you figure out what that success looks like schematically
for you. And if it doesn't, then what it really cost you, you know, pennies on the dollar of that, So.
It could be a bigger red zone target.
Though, yeah, you know that there are ways you can figure out how to use him. I would think, you know, and again, the success as we talked about how do you define success?
Maybe it is can he make a play for you?
Like literally you get into one of these type games, can he be the guy? Can he be the difference in that Philadelphia game when you're figuring out how you can try to get in the end zone there at the end of the game. Maybe he's that difference maker for you. And if you can find a guy that can play that kind of role, it's a good thing for you. December and into the playoffs.
How successful would you say the Cowboys have been at utilizing New York acquisition new talent when plugging them being the offense, because it makes me wonder like people that come into mind, why Hilton?
T Y Hilton?
I remember the first time it was a game against Philadelphia, he had like a thirty It was yeah, and he I think there was a time where Ty Hilton as a plug in player, Like his first four receptions were all first downs. So that was kind of one of those Wow, Okay, here's the guy off the couch all of a sudden gets plugged in.
The game and now he's helping you win games.
It's possible it's a little bit more of a gap between t Y and Martevias simply because of how more recently t Y was in the league. Yeah, and this is a guy t Y at at height of his career. He was in a Hall of Fame discussion, right, So different caliber there, but you know it's still possible. I mean, different position, but you know Jason Peters came in and contributed. So yeah, so it's definitely possible. If that's what you're asking. It's just a matter of waiting and seeing what happens
with it. Basically, it's got the skill set.
I'm just saying. I was, Yeah, I was thinking more those offensive when it comes to offensive weapons, where sometimes they struggle to find the right spot or the right way, Like look at Kevanta Turpey. I mean different copletely, different story here, but how long it took them to get to the point that there are now in finding ways
to use him. So it's more like Hollar guys like that, Like sometimes they struggle and it takes them a while to really when it starts clicking and they start taking advantage of those guys.
So yeah, I was trying to look it up.
I had I didn't realize until I was kind of reading around about him yesterday. He actually played this last year in the XFL. Yeah, and I hear it here just looking at some of his receiving numbers. He had one hundred and fifty four yards receiving on fourteen receptions. So not anything that you're like, oh my gosh, that was that was like.
A wonderful season. But he has played football.
Because I was thinking he's coming right off the couch, he actually has been playing football, so that that does help a little bit. And then you see what you can do here. Obviously you got the trainers here that can get him into football shape, and then you see if you can take advantage of some of that size and speed to give you a little something.
And he's played on a big infil state as far as almost said programs at college football on the brain, as far as organizations will concern Pittsburgh Steelers. I mean, there's a lot of eyes and bright lights in Pittsburgh as well, and he and under Mike Tomlin, there's a lot of expectation there and he produced up there. So it's not like he's unfamiliar with stepping into big shoes and trying to get some stuff done.
All right, let's take our first break. Will we come back.
We're going to jump into the Giants defense versus the Cowboys office. We'll be Backdallas, Cowboys dot Com Radio.
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All right, here we go.
Let's talk about the New York Giants defense. Since the last time the Cowboys played them, they did trade away what I think is probably safe to say their best defensive player, or at least among their very best defensive players in Leonard Williams. Brian how much did that change their defense when they traded him away?
It hurt them in a way, and because they're trying to kind of figure out what's going on inside it tackle, but you're still going to have to deal with Dexter Lawrence, you know, he in my opinion, you know, with Thibodeaux is listed as an outside linebacker, he really plays like an edge.
Jihad Ward is the other one.
So you know, if that right there, Lawrence Thibodeaux Ward, that's kind of their past Russian group. And as we all know, this is a very blitz heavy team. I think percent of the time they're gonna blitch you here and the down they do it on, which I thought was interesting. I was like, where they do this, it's second down, like fifty eight percent of the time they're gonna blitz, and you kind of watch the tape, You're like, Okay,
I see what they're doing here. But yeah, I think it really does start with I could very well see them in this game, guys taking Dexter Lawrence and putting him right over the nose of Tyler Biattish and say block because he's done that a couple of the games I was watching, the last two the Jets, he caused a.
Lot of problems inside. He caused problems.
Against the Raiders as well, just pushing the center back into the quarterback.
So that's where you're going to have to deal.
Thibodeau is a guy that Thibodau had one of his best games, by the way, against the Jets when he watched tab. He had three sacks in that game and he looked like the player that we all kind of thought he was going to be. So that's kind of what they got going up front with their with their group.
You mentioned Thibodeau. Where where is he going to typically? Where are you going to typically seeing him line see him line up, and who's going to be the cowboy player that's primarily going to see him most of the day.
Well, if I'm the Giants, I'm gonna put him over on the right side because he plays both sides.
Yeah he can play. So what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna put.
Him on the on on the on the Giants left your right and I'm gonna test. I'm gonna test Terrence Steele in this one to see if he can hold up. You know, these teams they look for weaknesses along the line, and I think a couple of spots that the Cowboys have had some concerns have been at their center spot and then at right tackle a little bit. So they'll take their two best players and put them in those spots.
I believe.
Thinking about the skill set of Thibodeau and the skill set of Steel and where still is okay and where he's struggling this year, how does that match up?
Yeah, that's that's the The thing with Thibodeau is he you know, for a big guy, he doesn't play with a whole lot of power. He's more of a try to kind of beat you with Try to get to your shoulder, try to beat you with some quickness, try and dip underneath you. You know, the hand placement, all that stuff could be a lot better for him. He relies more on he's gonna get the edge and he's gonna be able to get underneath you to get to
the quarterback. So, uh, I think where I think where Steel needs to be a little careful is as much as he's had some of the issues on the edge and gets over maybe overthinks it a little bit and thinks, I have to be outside. I have to be outside, and then that, and then Thibodeau comes back inside.
That's where I.
Would worry a little bit right now, being really heavy trying to stay outside on the outside foot on his right foot, and then Thibodeau taking him back inside because he's capable of doing both rushes that way.
The best who's the best stop in the run.
It's gonna be Lawrence. It's gonna be this this when you watch them play, Lawrence is the defensive tackle makes a lot of plays inside because if you run the ball at him, he's going to just disengage the blocks and get He also can work a couple of gaps down is what he can do. They've got uh uh Bobby Bobby Okarike, the okaik the linebackers a good player for them. He's he's a kind of a downhill player.
So the defensive tackle and then the middle linebacker or the two of the best players when it comes to defending the run. You're thinking about running the ball this week, or try to run the ball actually.
Like to see something a little bit of established or starting to establish that wherever you can, at whatever point, I think, just to start building up a little bit more confidence in that area of the game.
So let me throw this at you.
I was looking at some of the numbers around the Giants rush defense. They are twenty fifth in rush defense in the league. Not only that, they're twenty eighth in yards per carry. They're allowing four point six yards per carry. When you think about that and considering the fact that they've allowed one hundred and twenty five plus rushing yards in seven of their nine games, give up a WAP in two twenty two at Miami, it looks like it maybe it.
Could be a game where you could get right with your running games.
So you're seeing there's a cha, there's a chance.
There's a chance.
But but to me, it's gonna have to be can you block? Can you block that defensive tackle?
Lawrence? I think, can can you know? Then?
I mean, you know, evidently when you look at the games and stuff like that, the thing about it is to me, and when I watched the Giants play, I just the thing I worry the most about them is like, if you just commit to saying, Okay, we're gonna we're gonna throw the ball here today. We're gonna try and throw the ball the pressure there, blitz pressure. And maybe this is a time where Dallas could say, well, let's try and load up and run the ball here, and
let's try and be successful at it. But I think the Giants kind of also know that too, in my opinion, I think they're they're sitting there thinking, well, Dallas wants to try and get right running the ball here, you know, and so how do you play? I mean, they're the reason I think the Giants give up plays. And they're really their linebackers are like really aggressive, uh with him, and uh they McFadden's another one.
They overrun.
They're really they they they really bite heavy when you like give them that run action. They're coming forward because they're committed to they're committed to trying to play the run. Because of what Derek was talking about Xavier McKinny of the safety, these guys are all trying to fly down inside there to stop the run because they have had some problems with it. But Dallas has got to prove
to me that they can run the ball. You know, if you go into a game and you're playing against the twenty fifth best run defense in the league and you don't.
Have success running the ball. Now you've really really got some problems in this one. But it's going to be have to block.
I think it's going to be about having to block the making sure that you take care of lowrence and then take care of their linebackers.
I think.
I mean, like you said, they rank pretty poorly as far as run defense is concerned, and kind of going to Brian's point, they if they feel like that's where you're going to try to attack them first, attack them in the air first, and then use that to kind of set up your run and then there you go.
There's your rushing attack right there.
Because they're not great at pass defense, which Brian will get to in a moment. So I mean, however you want to attack it, this is a game where you can get the run game going. I just wouldn't go
at it probably merely. I mean, and you're doing so well as far as explosiveness with Ceedee Lamb and Jake Ferguson, like, don't hank that, keep that going, apply use that to apply pressure and keep that momentum moving forward and then they'll start backing off and then here comes that twenty fifth, twenty sixth rank run defense unable to stop Tony Pollard, Rico Dala.
But okay, this might be a dumb question, but it's okay. If they're bad at it, that's stopping the run anyways, regardless, why does it matter whether they know or.
Because they'll throw they scheme for they'll throw extra bodies at it, they'll put more bodies in the box and things like that.
So you haven't proved it. You've proven you can't run the ball. I mean you've had well you I shouldn't say proven you you struggle running the.
Ball, shown you can.
So if yeah, if if their their their thought has to be. You know when you look at Wink Martin del their defensive coordinator, if I'm him, I'm like, okay, if I if I would worry more about Dak and CD and Ferguson than I would anybody else. Those are the guys I need. Because you haven't proven to me that you can run the ball against anybody you know, good or bad. You know that mean they just haven't had success doing it. And you know, Philadelphia, we knew Philip.
But there's team you know, there's teams that we might believe we saw last week with our own eyes. Philadelphia plays poor pass defense. You know that might be the way to beat Philadelphia. Now, don't run the ball. And it might be people don't want to run the ball because it's like, no, we'll throw the ball in these guys because if we could block their fronts, then we can throw the ball in the secondary.
But you know, honestly, I think if I were the Giants, I take the opposite approach Brian, and what you're saying, I would actually say I would come into this game saying I got a cool Dak Prescott off.
That's what I'm saying. I'm playing past these.
Yeah, I'm I'm like, I'm keeping seven back. Yeah, and I might blitz every once in a while. But also the other parts of that too, is when you got a team like Theirs, where offensively they're going to struggle, you want to keep the game close. So the last thing you do is give a big plays. So I'd be like, I'm not giving up any big plays. I'm keeping everything underneath me. I'm going to force Dallas to drive methodically down the field and not make a mistake.
That's how I think I would approach it if I were the Jackson, and maybe they will, but that's how I think they have to approach it, right. I think that's the only shot they got in approaching this game, and I.
Would love for them to approach it that way because they're going to get absolutely eaten alive. And that's why I say keep the moment. I'm going keep the electricity going in this passing attack because if they for them, I could see how that makes sense.
But that's a bad play for them. That's a bad play. They don't really.
They're no, They're they're struggling because their offense is so bad.
Their offense is so bad and affects everything else.
It affects how they have to play defense, and they have to. They have to now they're they're banged up in the secondary right now. I mean, we'll see Dorr Jackson gotta suffered. He hurt his neck in the Buffalo game, concussion and then he got to get out or is he I talked to my guys with the Giants this morning. He was there's there's a chance that he's going to be available, So that means would be him and Banks
would likely be at the corner. Nick McLeod played last week and he wasn't terrible in the game where they're bad as Cordell Flock is the nickel and he's been struggling. He plays really loose, and that's a problem for them. I mean, sometimes he's up on it, sometimes he's back. He gives up plays, he gives up routes. He doesn't tackle particularly well. So I I don't know if they want to sit there and blitz Dak in this game.
I would make, like you guys were talking about to me, make Dallas have to drive the ball, because when Dallas drives the ball, are they going to make a mistake you know, legal motion?
Are they going to give up a sack? Are they gonna you.
Know, what's going to happen in this game. So yeah, the plan for me would Yeah, I would worry, But like I said, I would worry about Dak a lot in this game. If I was the Giants, I would do everything in my power to make sure you take care of him first and then work from the others if you.
Can do it.
If you can, I don't think they don't have the horses to do it. And here's here's something that that I found that's actually promising to in the regards of a concern that you and we had coming out of the San Francisco game. Dak Prescott and these receivers excel at exposing zone coverage, but when a defense switches to man, the Cowboys were struggling.
Dak was struggling with that.
Well, they went into a Philadelphia game where Philly was averaging roughly seven plus ish percent zone defense, but they dropped that and it was almost a fifty to fifty spot. Okay, Dak Prescott versus man coverage in Philly thirteen for twenty one eight two touchdowns plus ten point eight so almost
eleven percent completion percentage above expectation. So Dak Prescott, and this is why I say keep that momentum going with Ceedee Lamb and Jake Ferguson, because now it's starting to come together where Dak Prescott can pick apart man coverage as well as he can pick apart zone. The Giants don't have a recourse for this. They just they don't.
The more the season is going on, the more it's becoming apparent, at least to me, that I think the issues that the offense was dealing with early in the season were growing pains. They were figuring out this offense. They figuring out how to get dak At made it in this offense, and I think now they're starting to figure it out. And that's why I think they've been on this roll these last couple weeks.
All right, let's go and take our final break. We'll come back.
I got some questions for you guys about the Cowboys offense. We'll do that in just a second. Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio.
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Back to the break.
All right, it's time for the NFL Fan of the Year. I think our buddy.
Here is Sean Polite.
Yeah, is your twenty twenty three Cowboys Fan of the Year, and now he needs your help. Vote for Sewn to be given the ultimate title of NFL Fan of the Year, presented by Captain Morgan, by casting your vote at NFL dot com slash Fan of the Year.
Welcome back.
It is the final segment of the break. We are a lot from the SWBC Mortgage studios.
At the Star.
Let's turn our attention to the Cowboys offense. Here's a question I have for you, guys, is there a noticeable difference for you between Tony Pollard of previous seasons and of twenty twenty three, Because I know there's been a lot with regard to the offensive line and their woes, but how much of that is about Tony Pollard. How different is he than he's been in past years.
He's different to me, and I'm not surprised because be clear, in what ways I think as the season where is along, he's starting to find out what it means to be RB one and have to do the dirty work and the heavy lifting that say Ezekiel Elliott had become accustomed to doing, and that's going to take some of his explosiveness, some of his home earn ability, particularly as you get midway and in the back end.
Of the season.
So because there's some plays on a film where I'm like, okay, normally the Tony Pollard previously to twenty twenty three would have hit that lane and gotten ten fifteen yards, maybe that's a home run ball. But Tony Pollard in twenty twenty three he either doesn't see that lane or he
hits that lane, but not with the same explosiveness. So just leads me to wonder how much of carrying the RB one load and doing that dirty work in the heavy lifting has siphoned some of his explosiveness, which also is why RB two, which was Tony Pollard, now it's ric o' daudo has those fresh legs and he's showing that explosiveness.
That's just the dynamical figure, go figure.
And we talked you say that sacentiously because we talked about this in training camp, what does Tony Pollard RB one look like? And we said, I know, Adburn on the same page with this. We don't think that it looks anything like Tony Pollard RB two because you have to take on more duties and you're taking more hits
because you're getting more reps. And as the weeks roll along, you start to find out this is why Ezekiel Elliott in December would deal with the PCO issue, This is why Ezekiel Elliott would deal with this ailment and that ailment. And it's just not there like it was. Not to say he can't still hit the home run. I believe he can, but this is a different version of Tony Pollard and people just need to get used to it.
You're not going to see the one you saw in twenty twenty two and twenty twenty one that now is Ricodoudo because that's how it plays out in the RB one RB two dynamic.
Yep, where are all the z caters now? It's just one of those things you presented a perfect because now I do see some people online wanting to see more, and it's okay. The stories before now to be fair, to be fair, the old line has not been what you like it to be, so there we got to take that into account. There are a lot of times because of the on line playing the way that they are, I feel like there are times where Tony is given
more responsibility as a blocker to kind of help. He's done well, but it's still taking away from you just being that guy that runs with their legs and takes off with the ball. So I think, yeah, he hasn't been that guy. He's gone. He has a lot more responsibilities on his back that he's having to endure game after game. But again, you got to look at the
old line and how that looks. And we very very well known that the old line is the one kind of create well not kind of they are the ones creating those holes for you and it just it hasn't been there for the for the running backs really this season.
Yeah, the old line and the tight ends can't get him to and through the hole. That's that's the biggest issue right now. They're trying to scheme ways of doing this, whether it's pulling guys, it's uh, you know, with some of the combination blocks, but they don't win at the point of attack nearly enough. The right side surely hasn't won like it used to win with Steel and you know, I think you're dealing with his injuries of him trying to come back.
They just haven't been as strong. And then when they have had opportunities, unfortunately they had a big run the other day, got called back for holding. You know, with scoon Maker, you know, they've.
Had some that have got to and through and and you know when they can, they can, you know they can, They're capable of doing that. He's clearly different. I don't think he's healthy enough right now. I think the injuries has hurt him. It's unfortunate for him because he's trying to you know, he's trying to, you know, get another contract. He's playing on a franchise tag right now, and you're starting to hear the whispers Woul Dallas consider drafting a
running back in the first round. Now you're starting to hear, you know, you're starting to see people talk about, well, did they just need to move on from all these running backs and address that in the next to next year. So I think as long as the offensive line continues to struggle, you'll see Tony Pollard struggle.
And Tony, to his credit because he had a touchdown that was deleted because of the illegal formation penalty. So I mean, he's he's grinding and he's doing what he can do. It's just it's a different seat. So it's a different Tony because it's different requirements, and like we all agreed, offensive line isn't helping him at all.
But then you'd go back to the tight ends and there also.
But then when you go back and you look at let's say the Charges game, for example, dek extends to play hits Pollard, he turns that into a sixty yarder that before he was tackled. You're like, Okay, this looks like twenty twenty two Tony Pollard. But the fact he didn't feel this guy right here that felt like the twenty twenty three Tony Popp right and.
Also just he even talked about after the game. He's like that, that's one that I should have taken into the house. And I don't know if he had that extra gear at that point to take it to.
The house or not.
It's doing the dirty work.
But the one thing that keeps popping up in my head is a conversation that I know you had it with Pete. I had it with Skip Pete. He even talked about it to the media in general, is his belief was in order to get the best out of Tony Pollard, Tony Pollard needed that extra back taking that, Yeah, you needed that. In order to get the very best out of him. You have to manage his number of reps.
And I'm wondering, again, I don't know that we've seen enough to make a definitive stavement, but I'm wondering if that's all playing out now to where just that added amount of number of reps, added number of hits, that the cumulative of that, the cumulative of that maybe affects him in a way to where you don't get the same level of explosiveness that you would have gotten in
past years with him. We don't know for sure, but I do think, because I agree with you, Brian, until the offensive line starts doing their part and the tight ends start doing their part, it's hard to really evaluate him. I don't think he's getting a fair shot at this, But I do wonder if some of that is what skip Pete talked about and why he thought it was necessary to have both the Zek Elliott and a Tony Pollard in this run offense.
Do you think let's just create this scenario if Seek was still here and they were still that combo together, would they still be having the same type of issues right now?
Yes, I don't think. I don't think.
Yeah, right, so it wouldn't be the it's not that difference maker. So going back to your point, this is just me backing up your point that it is all stemming down from the O line and there's no it's no fur judgment to look at him and evaluate his level of playing playing level because there's no other I.
Think I think all of it feeds into each other. So obviously there's offensive line issues and that makes it difficult for him to be as productive as he probably would be otherwise. But you can't take away from the fact that once he became RB one, there's different tasks that are required. It's just dirty work and it's more passed pro and it's more A and B gap runs.
It's more dirty work.
So by the time you get to uh that pointing the Chargers game, late in the game where you need him to find two high gears, he found the first one and it was like, Okay, here we go. But he didn't feel this guy because he didn't find that the highest top top gear that probably was there when he would have been on fresher legs. Because Zeke had done most of the work. Well, I almost can almost guarantee you. Now, this is theoretically, but if you put
Rico in that same play, it's probably a touchdown. Does that mean Rico's better than Tony, No, but it means that Rico has the fresher legs. It's the RB two conversation. It's why and we've done We've covered the Cowboys long enough, all of us to understand how that works with fans. It's Felix Jones. You should give him more. Let Julius go and give it to Felix, and then Felix. Yeah, he's a capable running back. But then it's like, oh, well, let's give it to Lance Troy Hamburg.
Right, it's the brick.
People were like, you gotta get Joy Hamberg.
It was like, okay, well.
Look at it. The reason why we're doing radio.
Let's look at Tony and you know, get rid of Zeke and make Tony the top dog. And now Tony's the top dog. And they're like, ooh, Rico. So it's just you know, and if hypothetically, if it were Rico as RB one next season, and then they'd be like, oh dude.
It's the meme, right, it's the meme of the guy walking with the girl that's always looking at home like the other girl.
Right, it's always one at Arby two always works. All right, we appreciate you guys doing to back. Tomorrow.
We'll wrap this thing up, tell you what we think is gonna happen this Sunday, Cowboys versus Giant Stealing for Patrick Walker.
Brian brought us at Amber Garcia.
I am Derek Eagleton and this has been the Break live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio.
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