Cowboys Break: Kicking Around Options

Life and Yes, WBC Mortgage Studios at the Star. What I thought I might have to host the show, didn't know and senior all day, I thought it was going to be sixty. But I do have. I do have, like a job outside of just getting ready for the show. Yeah, you're right, no respect. I'm saying you might miss it. You thought I was gonna miss it? Possible. You have missed shows in the past where everyone in a while, it happens, we get everyone happened off and during the season.

There's never a time when I missed the show. When I'm not when I'm happy to miss the show. I love coming in doing the show with you guys. Danny joining us again today, special guests, Thank you for joining us always. Yep, Dave, Hi, Hi Derek. I ever know why I went up an active there puberty puberty date right there with a beard with a beard, right, a full grown beard. Hi. All right, we got a lot of stuff to talk about today. It's a gumbo show, so we'll dip all around the NFL and around the

Cowboys and what. It's nothing. Sorry, we'll just see what the where the show takes us. We got a lot of stuff we can talk about, all right. So I want to start first though, with injuries for a few guys coming out of this game. A couple of guys that were injured going into the game, but I just kind of want to get some status on where they are. Lyle Collins talking to me about where he is at this point, and he did get hurt during the game, left the game. Um, where what do we know about

him at this point? No two knees are the same, No two injuries are the same. But it's an MCL sprain and we're talking about it like he's gonna have a chance to play Sunday, which is one of those this is insane type of things, because that's what knocked that l football is that's what's knock Dan swine Woods out since September fifteenth, It's been three weeks and all the difference Again, two different knees, two different sprains, two different guys. I get that. Still kind of crazy to

think he could play six days after spraining his MCL. Yeah, yeah, And I think when you look at the team, and I hate to do this, you know, you look at it all. You're playing an O and four team against the Jets, and they do have some talent though up front, so you know off the quarterback back, you do have their quarterback back. Yeah, he's the they named him the starter. He's going to start. Good. Good for him, So does change things a bit, Sam Arnold, for those of you

aren't familiar, wad you go that? Well? Because there, Yeah, he's not the best, but I mean there'll be a better football team with him. He'll have some games where he's like really really good. So for some reason, the gutboys tend to make some players become really really good. So it happens. Yeah that really what I was talking about was going back more to Lyle. Let's say he doesn't play, I think the who starts Cam. That probably

depends on Tyrn Smith, which he is. They're optimistic about him coming back from his ankle, which is again promising crazy high ankle sprain, and might be on the field two weeks later. If if it's if Tyron plays, then I would say it's Tyrant and Cam. If Tyrant doesn't play, then it's probably sixty minutes of Cam and Brandon Knight. Well take I would, honestly, I think i'd start Brandon Knight. I think I would at right tackle. First of all, tell me how did he play this last Sunday when

he had to play in relief of Lyle Collins. I think he played well based off of that um But I think that yeah, I think we're grading, you know, on We're not grading on a curve there. We're like, hey this this guy. Um, No, we are actually because he comes in it's like, oh man, it's Brandon Knight. He's never played before. It's not too bad. But yeah, Dak almost got killed a couple of times. But I

think he hung in there pretty good. Almost died. But I thought he played very well for an undrafted rookie who spent more time at guard than tackle the last two months to come in cold off the bench in the third quarter. I thought he played very well. It's not he wasn't perfect, That's not what I'm saying. But I thought he handled the circumstances great. But if Lyle Collins, that was Lyle Collins, we would be wondering if he you know, why did they sign him? Yeah, but get

I gread on a curve. Yeah, you I always say that. I mean, yeah, I hold him to a different standard than Brandon Knight. Yeah, and I grade on a curve when it's progress reports. But when it's time for the end of the year of report card that I mean, it is what it is. I mean, Yeah, we disagree on We always always will mean, Dad, No, we we will always disagree. We've done several times. Is Blake Jarwin better than Jason Witten? Well, you know what I mean?

Stuff like my expectations for a player always influence how I perceive, like how I grade them. You know, So Antoine Woods gets a higher grade last year for where he was coming out of training camp as opposed to a Malie Collins or any other you know, then how you would even grade him this year coming out? Yeah, my expectations for him are different than the Yeah, anyway, that's a different conversation. But speaking if he was warming up kind of going back to injurance, he was warming

up with them. I mean, no, he wasn't going to play, but he was warming up. Yeah, he confusing me. He had that jersey T shirt on. What what was he wearing? It was like, do you have his jersey? He was just wearing his jersey. Yeah, he bore his jersey with sweatpants and just kind of, you know, kind of like kind of high school vibes, like trying to we one of the guys and you know, I don't mean that it is that's what back to the high school. You still got the jersey, that's right, you know. And he

had different pants on Minesota's Quinn. So you never know what's going on with that. I think Antoino play this week just me wildly speculating on a Tuesday Omas did they miss him last week? Well, Aaron Jones looked like, you know, but Jim Brown. But but when we talked about it yesterday, I think we all agreed the linebackers were the biggest issue. So it was a defensive line

just as much a part of that. I disagree. I think when he gets to the linebacker, I mean, you don't want it to get to the linebackers all the time. And yeah, but I think again, what I was saying at least, and I'm not gonna speak for you guys, what I was saying from what I was watching, it looked like there were situations because everybody has immense gap integrity, everybody has a gap, and it looked like the linebackers weren't filling their gaps. That's not necessarily about the defensive line.

I didn't see a lot of defensive lineman necessarily getting just thrown around and moved out of the way. It just seemed like there were gaps that weren't being filled, and I thought those were the gaps that the linebackers should fill. The linebackers didn't play well, but I thought the defensive tackles got washed out of the out of

the play pretty frequently last week. And maybe they were put pressing to rush the passer because you know, Rogers is so important to everything the Packers want to do. But I don't I really, I'm not sure anybody in the front seven had a good game. I mean, not a not a great one. The guy. It actually did stand out a couple of times was Covington now as making a good play. Sometimes when you get washed out, you don't see that they're out of the picture, you know.

But yeah, nobody upfront really played well. And there's a reason he starts. I think getting you're starting one technique back would be big this week. But isn't that how Rod kind of teaches this whole thing that he kind of tells him that here's your gap, and get up your gap and get up feel and so it's it may look like they're getting washed up when really they had their gap. It's just their gap was not where the ball went, and somebody else is responsible for that gap.

Well true, I mean I'm not saying it's just on them, but it's just like with any position, you want your starter back out there. So the last couple of games, he's been out with three games he missed the Dolphins game, right, two three. Yeah, he's been out since the Dolphins game. Yeah, it'd be nice to have the stability of having your

starter back out there, right. Yeah, you would think that he can make a difference because I mean, you know, I'm I don't think the defensive tackles played their best game, Goatteth Packers. All right? Talking about cam Fleming, how did he perform last week? In relief of Tyren Smith actually got in an argument with Rob Phillips about that. Yesterday is a new and Rob, yeah, I know right, Yeah, what's that? What they are? You treat a camp? Yeah?

How do I miss that? I again, I guess Finn argument it's for it's not expect again, expectations or everything. And I like, I was like, you know, for not being Tyron and coming in and you know we've seen we've seen left tackles give up seven sacks when Tyron wasn't in there before. I thought he played all right. And like when I say all right, I mean they didn't lose this game because of cam Fleming's inability to

protect Dax. So like that's that's what I and Rob was like, you can't be serious, Like he did not play well, Like there were flags, there were sacks, there was all and he makes a valid point, yeah, you know, compared to he didn't play a very good game, But it like, did they lose because of their inability to

protect Dak from from edge rushers? I don't think like Zadarius Smith and Preston Smith had good games, like, yes, I know, but that's not why they lost, you know, and not in my opinion at least, maybe it's a part of it. Sure, yeah, I mean no, I can always yes, you can always point fingers and lost. In a game like this, there was lots of reason to go.

I mean there was because you can't just go with stats and when it comes to the left tackle of how many times he gave up a sack or whatever, because all it takes is a couple of plays early in the game, and then you have to ask yourself, did Dak play well? Did Dak look like he was ever rushing? Yeah he did. He had some throws that he normally doesn't make, and so you know, you don't have to worry about it when seventy seven's over here.

But when it's not seventy seven and you're already getting hit a couple of times, that might change, you know what, So I we max protecting more than we normally. Well, there's a lot of things that get affected by early pressure an ultimate team game, right, But if you were going to rank the reasons why they lost, like minus three in turnover differential packers averaging five yards a carry. Where do you put that? How much of that stems

from him feeling pressured? Okay, that's what I'm asking. Where do you put there? Okay, so let me ask this question. Let's let's simplify those two things. If this game you had to put it on one or the other, offense or defense as to the main reason why the Cowboys lost, which one do you go? That's stuff? Um? Defense? I put it on the defense because, I mean, look, you lose the turnover battle by three. That's really bad. But

helping the defense. It's not helping the defense. But the defense just didn't put up much in the way of resistance either. I mean again, Aaron Jones one hundred and eighty five combined yards I think seventy five receiving and one oh seven rushing. First opponent to ever rush for four touchdowns against the Cowboys in a game, I think too, if you don't have such an early deficit, allows the Cowboys to have more options in terms of running the ball and not having to rely on getting those yards.

But why did they have a deficit? Was it because of their offense? I mean, if it was, what was it at halftime. But I mean that on the defense, what if it was seventeen to thirteen. What if it was seventeen to ten, Yeah, wouldn't be a deficit. I mean we were late into the third quarter and still thirty one three. I think that lost because of the offense. That's I mean, that's a great question. That's a hard thing to definitively answer, because let's beat Garrett. The offense

put the defense in a terrible spot. The defense didn't necessarily rise to that occasion either. Yeah. I mean, it's like when Garrett was asked about the first interception, was it on Cooper or was it on dec He's like that could have thrown a better ball, Cooper could have made a better catch. Moving on, offense, could have played better defense, and both true too, both can be true. Garrett's really good. Sorry, let's make some kicks on special teams.

Let's let them in there. I got a whole segment special for special teams. We got a whole special segment for special teams. Let's go and take our first break. We come back. I do still want to ask one of the question about the offensive line. I want to ask, do you guys think that At this point, let's assume for a second that both your starting tackles are out

to the Cowboys. Consider Connor Williams and maybe sliding him out to tackle as opposed to going with Fleming and going with Brandon and I. We'll talk about that when we come right back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. Well, a player can look good on paper, it's one he's out on the field that you really find out what he's made of. That's why the Cowboys rely on more than just stats and scouting reports when building their team. When picking a tractor, it's why you should rely on

more than just specs and features. You've got to take it out and put it to the test. The Cowboys did when they name John Dear their official tractor experience one for yourself. Visit my John Deardealer dot com slash football. Do you want the most interesting, up to the minute Dallas Cowboys news straight from the Star in Frisco. How about exclusive and on command. That's right, news and nuggets

you can't find anywhere else. With our exclusive Cowboys content on Alexa, you can have all the answers, secrets, stories and more. What's Stephen Jones thinking during a game. What's Joe Looney's favorite pregame meal? We take your questions to Cowboys players and coaches and you can hear the answers directly back to you. Just say Alexa open Dallas Cowboys want to use what the pros use? How about the official men's skincare brand of the Dallas Cowboys, Jack Black.

Right now you can get the Jack Black Starter, a curated collection of Cowboys locker room favorites, for just ten bucks with free shipping. The starter includes four Jack Clack skincare favorites plus a full sized and tense therapy lip bomb. Go to get Jack Black dot com slash Cowboys and use the code word team JB. That's get Jack Black dot com slash Cowboys The Jack Black Starter ten bucks,

free shipping. The excitement of Dallas Cowboys football. It's back at at and T Stady a plashas going crazy in Arlington, Texas. Don't miss your chance to see the Cowboys lock when they host their NFC East Rid ups the Eagles, Giants and Redskins plus the Green Bay Packers and watch his way through and watch the door. Single game tickets you're on sale down get them before they're goun first to go quarterbacks, Thrushcott pushes up the middle touchdown. Visit Dallas

Cowboys dot com to get your tickets today. Back to the break, Welcome back. It is the second segment of the Break Life Nest WBC Mortgage Studios at the Star. We're doing a show. We're talking about a little bit of everything. We've been spending some time in the offensive line. Question I posed right before the break was do you think the Cowboys should consider moving Connor Williams out the tackle assuming that Tyran and Lyle both are out for

this next game? Would you consider moving Connor out there to get a better five offensive alignment onto the field and you're putting Xaviers to a Filo at left guard, or you take your thing between him and Joe. Both of them I think are really good. Xavier has been the first guy off the bench when he would probably

so this is if both of them can't play. Both your tackles are out this game, you can either go with Brandon Knight and Cam Fleming and you don't have to move any other pieces, or you can take Connor and put him at one of those positions and throw one of the other guard tell you this, have Cam out there. I would at least get Connor some practice at tackles so you can do it if if if it starts going south, yeah, I would at least get him some reps fields where he played in college. Yea, necessarily,

it's so new. I know it's changing two positions. Yeah, he played at left tackle. Right yeah, left. Yeah, it's a pretty good tackle. That's I'm kind of I'm I'm tempted to punt on this question just because I feel pretty good that Tyrant's going to be able to play. Yeah, like the just play alone. Can you know? Well, I just you know, bait, I worry that we're gonna like scare the crap out of some of our listeners talking about Okay, let's make it clear we think or Dave

thinks that Tyrant's going to play. Yeah, now play the game. Okay. Yeah, I mean you're you're trying to figure out who that you're five best, right, and we don't really know if if if putting him at right tackle, Connor Williams actually putting him at tackle, because if they both don't play, I think I put him at left tackle and I put Cam back on the right side. Put Connor at left tackle. Yeah, it's where he played. No, it's gonna play I mean because because teams are who do you

think about a run blocker? No, And we've had this conversation, should be the guard, right You think we've had this conversation a few dozen times. Is like, I you know, I don't know that the left tackle right tackle thing means as much as it did back in the old days of the NFL. I could think, well, yeah, but it does matter from a standpoint the actual tackle himself, not so much the competition he goes against right. But there it's different when you're think about just doing anything

left handed versus right. Yeah, it changes right. So that's the part where well Dak is still right handed. So I mean, and he's not, you know, it doesn't have eyes in the back of his head like most quarterbacks other than Tony. But there's another guy in the league doing that too. Now I forgot who it was. I saw a couple mightbeve my homes. He's unbelievable. But but I mean, you still have to worry about, you know, your blind side, and I think that was affecting him

last week. I really do. I think he got a little figure happy rattled on his way to four sixty three. Really, I do, I do, don't you? I mean, I don't know. I mean he was terrible, honestly, But that's that's Deck. Deck has these moments to win for whatever reason when he's just not completely on. I mean, we've seen that. This is not new true, but he had some throws

in there. I mean, like you can say what you want, and I know it's been said probably on other shows that he really only had one pick or two picks whatever he if that's the case, he really could have had five, you know, I mean, he was lucky to have three. He got two back. The other argument, though, is that in the offseason we're hearing from John Kitna and Kellamore. You know, we want him to just rip it. We wanted to throw it. So do you see this

more as confidence, like he's willing to take more risks. Hmm. I wonder if Jason Garrett wants him to just let it rip like that. I don't know when you like, yeah, letting it rip is important, but like the too, the throw that got picked off over the middle by Sullivan, that's not letting it ripped. That's just not reading it right, same same things I'm saying, I guess just generalized. I want him to be confident and be willing to throw.

And you know, but that's like where you make like a high percentage throw where like you know, my guy's gonna get it or they're not gonna get it. Not let me forget about this safety that dropped in coverage that I just don't see it happens. I mean, I don't know where he ranks now, but I believe Brett Farr retired as the all time leader in touchdowns. He's not anymore, but he was. He might still be the all time leader in interceptions, sure so, and he was

a gun slinger like that. And then you do that Romo was guilty of that, as water Sales calls them, those indiscriminate throws, right. Yeah, so that's a good point. But a couple of those throws though that deck made it, and then he got away with some penalties that kind of wiped out some of those interceptions as well. I do think we're getting back, we're getting off the rails. I do think him kind of knowing that his whatever mental clock was a little bit, you know, shorter this game.

So if that is true, I don't I don't want to go as far as say I disagree with you, but I'm not. I didn't come to that conclusion looking at the game again. But will he be better off with Connor Williams, who hasn't played left tackle since he was in college doing that for him? Or Cam? Yeah? Cam Fleming who isn't as good as Tyring but has played a lot of left tackle in the league. Or Connor Williams who was all big twelve two years ago and hasn't done it since. You know what, I think

he'd probably feel better with Cam. I think so too, And I would feel better with Cam. Yeah. I think we're also taking it to a different level too. We're thinking about the third and nine plays where you know, here comes a rush or whatever. What about keeping it out a third and nine? And way to do that is to run the ball on first down or second down and actually be ahead of the change, which they didn't do very well. So what's their best options to

run the football? You know, like a suafilo better inside? Is it better to keep Connor in there? Is it better to run off the right thing? You know? These run back because we're just thinking about them pass But you know, we all talked about it yesterday. If they could have run the ball a little bit better, you know, then they wouldn't have been in those situations or more. But you run it more if you run it better. Well, but I thought they were running the ball fine this

last game. They were fine. They weren't like like, here's zere zere Zek and then on second down and seventy gets stuffed for for no games. So now, yeah, that's nature the run game. You're not every play is every run play is not going to be four yards like, there are gonna be some that don't work. But I thought overall, as just the running game, I think they were effectively using the running game in the first half.

I think that their offense overall was making too many mistakes, and that was more about, in my opinion, the passing game. They were turning the ball over never. I never felt like they were stuffed in that game. I felt like they fell behind and then also and then holding holding

penalties thing. I looked this up this morning. They've been flagged for holding at least three times in four of the five games, and some of those are like offensive holding on a punt return, so it's important to designate between that and like an offensive lineman holding. But that's still so thirteen holding calls this year, isn't this? Isn't

that a league thing? I thought I'd read an article somewhere saying that across the league holding offensive holdings up, and the league did kind of tell their officials like, holy crap, calm with the cold with the holding, but that an offensive past interference seemed to be two calls that this year. Like the refs for whatever reason they got a memoir or something, they were just like going crazy with them. The Cowboys need to clean it up,

I mean because I and I'm thinking about it. Like Zach Martin twice in the season opener, remember uncharacteristic on his part Lyle had one in Washington. I believe Connor had one that negated a big play against the Dolphins. Tavon had a huge one against the Packers. I know he's called for one, the one where they it was a home game, because I remember that the camera just showed say, yeah, that's right, that might have been said,

that's inaccurate. That might have been the Giants too. Yeah, yeah, I remember point being, they've done it a few two times, two times too many. It would be nice if they could clean that up. All right, let's move on. Let's talk about the defense. I didn't get a chance yesterday to talk about DeMarcus Lawrence. You look at the statuet after the game. He had one tackle, and I think people forget about the one play which I thought was

a phenomenal play. He probably should have been credited with something I don't know whatever that it was just a phenomenal play. But that play where Rogers ends up with an incomplete pass. But it was Tyring that made that play. I'm sorry, not tired. It was a DeMarcus that made that play. What do you guys to think about him?

And not only how he played in this game, but really going back to the last two games, there's a lot of criticism out there right now about DeMarcus Lawrence and him getting the big contract and now, according to many people, fans out there saying that he's not necessarily

living up to that contract. What are your thoughts? You know, I don't I don't agree with it because you gotta remember DeMarcus um sort of like Byron Jones in the sense of like, if you really watch the game and study it and don't just look at stats, you'll see what he's really doing. And but unfortunately, and I don't I don't like to call out the fans, especially the ones that are listening. These are are die hard fans. But you gotta be above that. You gotta be better

than that. He's made the Pro Bowl the last two years. The first year he had a lot of sacks. Second year, what do you have? Last year? Like ten maybe ten and a half half. I mean he was there was a lot more players in the league that had more sacks. But they're seeing what a complete player that he is. And yeah, they didn't play well in this last game, but you know, they played really well the game before. But it's like it's like it doesn't matter so much,

you know, as long as they're not winning. I think he's doing a good job. He was on pace for ten sacks before this last game. He could get a sack in this game and probably get back on that pace. I think he's playing fine, but not going to ever judge him by the numbers. He's more of a player than that. We've talked about that too, and he's been being double teamed, and it's it's an issue of we've said every player who gets a big contract, this is

the criticism they have. Dak hasn't even signed a new contract and he's getting that after this week's game. So I don't I don't think it's DeMarcus is playing terribly. I think it's again which we've talked about too, the offensive line of defensive line. You can't just look at the stats. You have to look at the game and see what they're doing that isn't showing up in the numbers. I mean, I've I've been beating the drum defending him

since the season started. I don't feel differently, although I mean just in general, like nobody you go watch the Saints game, you can see the effort held him out of the end zone, all that good stuff. I don't think anybody on the defense had like this commendable performance against the Packers, Like they were unsound against the run. They were, you know, out of alignment, didn't. I mean, they got they deserve credit for putting pressure on Rogers

in my opinion, but they didn't keep him containing. Garrett said it yesterday, he got out of the well quote unquote way too often that, but go throw on the tape and like you can see what the Packers did. Like the tight ends are staying in with Lawrence. They're using receivers to kind of shoulder him and chip him as he's coming off the line. Like offenses are planning to stop this guy, like you can while you can

see it. And it sucks because I can hear fans and to some degree I sort of sympathize or agree with him. Is like, you know, it's not like opposing offenses aren't doing that to Khalil Mack. And he still seems to be able to put his stamp on a game, you know what I mean. So he's a different level of dude. Yeah, well, I mean he he's not getting paid that much more than DeMarcus, I know, but he's

still like he's better than everybody else. And you're right, but everybody, that's what fans want, and when you're losing games, that's what they're gonna say. They're probably entitled to say that. I mean, if DeMarcus Lawrence has got to put up with people saying he's not playing well enough, his gigantic paycheck is going to hit on Tuesday morning and he should be fine. I think he's played better than a lot of people want to give him credit for it.

I don't think anybody played that great of a game against the Packers. So I'm just kind of lukewarm on it right now. But I don't think there's some sort of problem with DeMarcus Lawrence. Definitely not. And like, who's doing who's saying this like it's just a general fan complaint. I mean, you see it on Twitter and fans are questioning it, And to be honest with you, I mean there's some radio shows that are questioning in and saying, you paid him all this money. It is what it is.

And to be honest with you, this is no different than every single person that's played with the Cowboys has gotten a new contract. They are held in you said at the beginning of this show, they are held to a different standard once you make that money. There's a different standard that's attached to it because there's a different amount of money that's being paid. So I get it. The only point I'm making is and what the question

I'm asking is is it really warranted? And everything I've seen suggests that he's playing really hard, and he certainly is still being disrupted. And that's the part that you pay for with DeMarcus Lawrence, especially in situations where teams are making a concerted effort to take him out of games. Canny still be disruptive and canny create opportunities for other people.

And I think that's happening. Yeah, And I mean it goes all the way back to I mean, I remember when Dion One got five years, thirty five million, seventy year. I mean that was unheard of, you know, for a corner front page of the Sports Illustrated and you know he had three or four interceptions that year. Oh my god, like paying all this for this, But you know, they won the Super Bowl and Larry Brown, who was a good average to good cornerback at best, had nine that

year and was the MVP of the Super Bowl. I wonder why, you know, so, I mean it but it happens. Marion Barber, Terrence Newman, Miles Austin, Doug free, Tony Romo, Brandon, Carl Crawford. It didn't even get you get a deal that's above what people think you should get. Yeah, and you're not performing at a level that they think is is commissary with that and then they're going to say

that that's a problem. You can see, you can see the effect that you can see the spect that opponents are giving to him, and so that is plenty of a barometer for me. I think he's playing fine. I think I think he could be playing better. I think damn near everybody on the defense could be playing better. They have not hit their stride at all. And I'm no excuse, but I mean, you know I'm not doing the whole guys get paid too. But if you were to rank the tackles in the league, the tackle duo

everyone thanks Tyrn and Lyle. I bet you the Packers have a better tackle duo in the league are very good. Batari. Actually I saw better. I believe I saw you know, I follow Packers beat writers. Bulaga has given up I think, no sacks and he's played he's gone against the Neil Hunter, de Marcus Lawrence, Khalil mac flip flops. But he's played against him some too, like he's played a murderers row

these first five weeks and has been outstanding. So yeah, I think DeMarcus Lawrence, just like everybody else on the defense, could be playing better. I don't think there's some sort of problem or you know, he's not living up to his contract. Go out this week, get zero sacks, don't not play well against the Jets. If this, we'll sit here on Monday. Now we'll talk about some problems. If it hit doubt. It doesn't have to be d law, but like, if they cannot generate some pressure in this game,

then something's wrong. Because they've given up fifteen in the last two. I'm glad to see Dorrence Armstrong kind of step up there, not just the sack, he had some other nice plays in there too. Because of the first few weeks of the season, I was kind of like, I mean, why are you sitting down Taco, you know, for this guy. I mean, he's not like that much better, but he's starting to pick it up a little bit hider. Those guys rotate, I mean, that's what's weird about it.

We talked about this in the press box. Rod's not afraid to rotate equally. But it's like, well they don't pay equally. Yeah, yeah, And and it hasn't That's another thing too. It hasn't gone lost among fans either. It's like, well, it's third down, what's Carrie Hyder and Darrence Armstrong doing in there. I don't have an awesome answer for it, other than the defensive coordinator likes to rotate his defensive front. That's all. That's all I got for you. Like, that's

that's all we know. Right all right, let's like our final break when we come back, we got to talk about special teams. There are a couple of guys on special teams this last week that I don't know if they brought us reason to be able to talk about them on this show. So we're gonna talk about them. We'll do that right that when we come right back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. Your new apartment's big, such a great deal. Yeah, it's okay, just okay. What's

not right about the subway? Well, I bet you don't even notice it after that's my neighbor. Angus a deal that's just okay. It is not okay. Get a great deal with America's best network. Come into an AT and T store and learn how to buy one smartphone and get second one on us based on GWS one score. September twenty eighteen, It's time for Tailgate with the Autobox Boys. Auterbox The makers are those crazy protective phone cases so one and only. They're also wild about protecting parking lot

parties from sad drinks. It's why the elevation tumblers room around the crock pot, as they're made from stainless steel with a copper lining to keep temps hotter coal true. They even come at seven different sizes up to sixty four ounce. The growler I like cowauterbox drinks, I mean thinks, and that's been tailgating with the Auterbox boys. Check out all the colors and sizes of their elevation tumblers at auterbox dot com. A man's steps and doesn't just protect

him from life's elements. It projects an unstoppable and legendary spirit, just like the men wearing silver and navy on the field every Sunday. Since eighteen sixty five, Stetson Hats are American made with pride right here in Texas. They are still the official crown of all self prospecting Cowboys, and Stetson is proud to be on the field with America's team. Find Steps and Hats in the pro Shop or at

Stetson dot com. Today, Star Sports Tours is the only official fan travel partner of the Dallas Cowboys, offering exclusive game weekend travel packages with sideline access and photo ops with current players, alumni and cheerleaders. That's not all, though, You'll get to talk XS and those with Senior Director of Player Personnel Will McClay and of course with yours truly me, Brian broad Us. You can trust the official fan travel partner of the Dallas Cowboys, and with us

you'll travel like a pro. Is it Cowboys travel dot com to book your travel package today. Back to the break free to play Dave got in? I got in? I don't think. Yeah, Dave was in first places. Didn't even love a little bit. Sorry, man, pay what we're talking about? I forgot I I would. That's awesome, go meet. What we're talking about is a free to play predictive game in the Cowboys app to win by shaking your head, Dan, I uh. You can win ten thousand dollars in grand

prize unless you start late like we did. We don't have to get a chance to do that or because we work here, but fans must be twenty one or older and logged into play. Download the app for access on game days at Dallas Cowboys dot Com slash app. No, it doesn't say all that. I just add a little bit. I realized you had. I was about to say, just read it. Just read it, readers. They're good, all right? Cool?

Check out for you to play predictive games and the Dallas Cowboys have to win cash prizes up to ten thousand dollars. Grand prize. Fans must be twenty one or older and lugged in to play. Download the app and access on gamehas a Dallas Cowboys dot Com slash app need a better read voice, but otherwise good. Shut up, Miles one's talking to you. Just gonna do Team's four and oh over there works for the Niners. Oh does he? I thought he was still working in finances financial. No,

he works for the Niners. Catch Tael. They're really good. They are really good. Which'll think about that last. They're good. There's two or three teams every year that are way better than you thought. And there's two or three teams and this is an every conference that are not as good as you thought. And I think the Niners are in that group. I hope the Cowboys are not in the other one, because they might be. Yeah, you still know at this point. The Yeah, there's all because the

schedule and all that stuff. You get a chance, and the Niners look like they're going to be pretty good. The Bucks might be a team that you know, or the Lions. What do the Lions do last week? They off? Think they were? Oh yeah they were off. I had a good new kickers, right, um, nice sege they might be good. What talking about kickers and getting new kickers? Talk to me about the Cowboys kicker? Yeah, Brett Maher he he went one of three in this last game.

He missed a fifty four yard or missed a thirty three yard or made a thirty six yard or do you guys think the Cowboys need to be looking? Yes, they should be lucky. Should they make a move there? Looking depends on who's out there there you go that honestly, Like, I'm not convinced. I'm not trying to convince anybody they should feel comfortable with Brett Maher. But like I spent the break looking at the whole break, No, not a commercial break, not the show. I like looking at who's available,

and I mean it doesn't inspire a lot of confidence. Uh. Cody Parkey j signed, He just signed like the double joint guy. Yeah, the double joint guy that was like the villain of the NFL playoffs. Yeah, it's so bad around the league that he just got signed. But I don't understand kicking. Blair Walsh who missed like an extra point length kick in the playoffs a few years ago. He's out there, uh kai for bath. I think he's

trying out or he tried out with the Titans. But like, he's probably the most experienced NFL kicker who's available right now. Maybe you can explain this to me, Dave. Maybe Danny, I don't know how much you know. I know, Dave love soccer. Explain to me how soccer is the most popular sport in the world. Almost every country has players that play it. They're countries that are that have players that play it extremely well. Yet the NFL can't come up with thirty two good kickers in the NFL, Like,

what's the problem. Are they not tapping into those? So I would assume there are guys that finished playing soccer that have great legs that can really kick the ball, that all you gotta do is just teach them. The difference between teaching kicking a football versus soccer ball, But I would assume that it's the same similar principles, right, I'm saying something some of the ones that are done, like some of the ones that are reaching towards the end of their soccer career people who I mean, it's

different than the NFL. But in college soccer players don't play football and went to college and just yeah, right, I just don't understand why there aren't more kickers. What it's one thing for quarterback that is a unique skill, right, but there's tons It seems like there are tons of soccer players in the world. Why is there not somebody that's said, you know, I'm going to create an academy to turn soccer players into the NFL kickers to make a ton of money. Carley Lloyd. Yeah, I don't have

a great answer for you. I know, honestly, what's funny is like Australian rules football is revolutionizing the punting game in American football, like half of it seems like half the good punters and college and occasionally pro football or

Australian guys. Yeah. Other than that, I don't know. I mean, because if you're good at soccer, then it's way more lucrative to pursue that, like, I mean, I'm talking about Europeans and stuff like that, and then I don't know, I yeah, I just want to I wonder if even the put me on the spot. No, And I honestly it was more of a it's probably a rhetorical question to some degree, but I know how much you lost. I was actually hoping that you're going to say, Hey,

it's such a difference between kicking it definitely? Is it? Absolutely? It just is not translatable. Absolutely? Is it all those people tacking? Yeah, I mean there's the other people trying to kill you. There's the difference in weight and shape of the ball for that, like soccer balls or but a strong leg right, and that seems to be that seems to be the first completely different mechanic too, is it. Yeah,

it's it's all different. I mean, even with a freak like if you're doing I will say, and in my elementary understanding of both sports, I think somebody who's talented enough to kick a soccer ball across like full field length should be able to work on it for a couple of years and be pretty good at kicking fields. And that's my point. But I don't know, and I would think that I would think that I'm not even talking about your best players. I'm talking about the average

player that plays MLS soccer in the US. Could he not in a year or two develop into a really good NFL kicker with it really strong leg? Probably? But why? Because MLS guys don't make near the money that NFL players do. Probably have more job security being a solid player for an MLS team than a kicker for an NFL team. Yeah, I don't know what a guy it makes for them. It depends quakes, it's the team, It's yes, it's all. It's yeah. Both of those are teams. Sounders

are in Seattle. It's this is such a y'all are so patronizing. Yeah, no, they're both teams. I want to know they're. The spectrum of salaries in the MLS ranges wildly depending on a lot of different factors, but some of a lot of their players are paid quite nicely. And that's my point though, is not talking about the really great ones, talking about the ones that don't make a ton of money. I would think they have that

kind of strong leg. But the point is, it doesn't seem to know like there are enough kickers to go around here. And so if you're gonna get rid of maher who you're going to bring something? They don't get Kobe Jones here, Like what are they what are they gonna go do? Like I think? And Jerry said it on his radio show today on one five three the fan that basically said, just score touchdowns. Yeah, hey, that's

what the analytics people would prefer you to do. I mean, he said that his post game two he said, we we can't just say this game came down to field goals. We weren't scoring touchdowns. Here's the issue I have though, what's an extra point? Thirty four yards? The longest field goal he's made is thirty six, No, and that's I mean the well wow, really yeah, I guess this year he hasn't made it. He's four missed fifty four this week,

mister fifty four, he's missed a fifty two. And then what it was last year, Well, the last year was six of seven fifty yards or more. If you promised me he was just automatic from inside of like forty that would be a start, you know. And that's the thing that makes it troubling is like it's playing out exactly how we saw it like he struggled from up close all through training camp, and and it seems to

be carrying over. Here's the real issue that I have with with Maher Because most kickers, the great ones, they've said, just put the thirty five minutes, put it down, the laces, I'll kick the laces, I'll whatever, just to put it down. The problem with him is that we all know that he kicks better from one side or the other. And he definitely knows because on extra points, if you notice, he's on the left hash for extra points because everything

goes right well, third down Dakness is a throw. Sorry, it's on the right hash. We need you to make this kick, and what does it do? It goes to the right. He knows it. Everyone knows it. So the fact that he can't kick the ball exactly where he wants to, even in the thirty three yard ors, that's a problem for me because it's a problem for him. I will say this at the risk of sounding like

I'm carrying water for the coaching staff. I think they are doing the only smart thing they can do right now, because kicking is so mental, right, I mean, it's such a mental thing. It's so really the only thing you can do is just keep saying we believe in him, we believe in him, we have confidence, like we don't doubt you, and hopefully it carries over one day to

make a change. Hopefully, Yeah, and exactly like, but there's no sense in throwing him under the bus and completely killing whatever confidence he has, So just speak it into existence, I guess. And obviously if it keeps being a problem, they'll be forced to do something. I mean, if he misses a kick or kicks plural in this next game, then I don't think you have a choice but to

bring somebody in here. But for the time being, like we look at the list, like there's no definitively better option, you might as well just try your best to back your guy while it still makes sense to do so. Would you, guys, take a shot on a guy like Blair Walsh that once was a really great kicker and just kind of mentally fell off the map. Do you think he's done or you think And sometimes in those kind of instances, you bring a guy in different scenery

maybe gets it bad. Happens all the time with kickers, where like a guy who struggles gets a change of scenery and plays better turning it around a little bit. Yeah, he had a nice game. I'm a homer. But LSU had a great kicker last year named Cole Tracy. He made he made half a dozen big kicks for us, and like nobody in the NFL has ever given him

a chance. I saw he's in the XFL draft. Something about his approach or the way the ball comes off his foot, Like NFL teams are just like, no, you're not good enough for this league, which seems crazy to me. Like I would, at least I would at least take a look at him. Like he was clutch as hell in college. So I just don't understand enough about kicking to be able to get to the bottom of that. But if they keep if he keeps missing kicks, they're not going to have a choice but to look around.

All right, guys, appreciate you. Johnis. We'll be back tomorrow eleven forty five till then for Nick Even, Dave Hellman, Danny Serect. This is Derek Eagleton. This has been The Break live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club