The following is a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.
Cowboys Let's go.
Are you ready for a break? Yes?
Are you ready for a break?
Absolutely?
Ready for a break?
Yeah, and so much for that.
It's time for The Break on Dallas Cowboys dot Com with Mbar Garcia, Brian brought us, Patrick Walker and Derek Eagleton.
It is Wednesday, November eighth, twenty twenty three, Season nineteen, episode number sixty six. Welcome to the latest edition of The Break. We are live from the s WBC Mortgage Studios at the start, and today we get you ready for Cowboys versus Giants.
We take every game.
Seriously here, so we will dive in and Brian's gonna give us his thoughts on this giant offense I'm sorry versus Cowboys defense. We'll get to the Cowboys offense tomorrow. Where I wanted to start today though, is just kind of looking at the NFC East. I was noticing the schedules and I think I tweeted about it. I think multiple people have tweeted about it. It's really looking at kind of how this is shaping up, looking at what
happened last weekend versus the Eagles. Cowboys get the loss, but there is an opportunity here for the Cowboys if you look at the next three to four weeks before they run into the Eagles again at at and T Stadium. Check this out, Cowboys over the next four weeks are going to play the Giants at Carolina, home against Washington, home against Seattle. We know Dallas has played really really well at home. Three of the next four are at home.
Three of those teams have losing records. Seattle is the only one with a winning record that Dallas will face in the next four weeks at Juxtaposed that to what Philadelphia will be looking at. They have a bye this week, which they need because they had a lot of guys that got banged up in that last game. Then they go on the road to play Kansas City, who leads their division, and then they play Buffalo in Philadelphia, and then they also play San Francisco in Philadelphia.
So my question for you guys is.
As you're looking at that, what do you think is a likelihood that Dallas handles its business and wins the next four games?
What's the tip in first?
I think they can I mean.
Again, we've seen them compete, being able to compete against teams like the ones you presented. It's now and I don't want to use the verbiage that upset fans use or the haters use because I'm not in there, but I don't know what else to use, So sorry my lack of Dictionary words. But basically it's the whole quote unquote. They can't beat good teams. They can only be like the okay teams, but they can't beat teams like forty
nine Ers the Eagles. So the ones that are like in that range, we're kind of similar to, like you know, that can happen unless something crazy happens like Arizona. Hopefully they learn their lesson and they don't take that for granted and there is full on preparation during the week where they show up and it translates into the game. But I do think, like this is not really a question can they or can they not beat them? I do think they can beat those teams, But what will
happen when they face another good, good team? What happens when even if they get into the playoffs, they start out again having to face either the forty nine ers, unless say even I believe the next Eagle games, I think the Cowboy, damn it, I will take the Cowboys. But it's at home and it changes things a little bit. They do tend to play better, and that's another thing.
The positive side is now we do have some home games kind of piling up and coming up, which hasn't you know, we've had a lot of road games and history shows under Mike McCarthy. The Cowboys do tend to win and play a lot better when at home.
I think it is very possible, even likely, and I say likely with the assumption that they've learned from Arizona, that they've learned to not overlook teams that they've learned to not you know, follow all the outside noise about Daniel Jones being done with the torn acl and will it be Tommy DeVito or will it be Matt Barkley who is activated or put up to the active roster today.
Don't worry about any of that.
Go play the Giants, and go play the Carolina Panthers, and of course you better play the Commanders who always play the Cowboys like it's their Super Bowl. Go play those sub five hundred teams as if they're you know, the Eagles as if they're the forty nine ers, as long as they do that, And then you flip to the other side and you say, absolutely being realistic, the Eagles are going through a gauntlet right now. They come out of there by week, like you said, Chiefs, that's
in Kansas City. And then they played the Buffalo Bills in the forty nine ers. Who says they don't lose all three of those games, So maybe lose two of those three games. I say all of that to say it's a situation where the rematch, the stage is set for the rematch as long as the Cowboys handle their business, and they could have very similar, if not entirely similar records when they meet at at and T Stadium to jump off, December is when we meet them, Yeah, December
two tenth. Yeah, so that the rematch is really what's going to tell the story of the NFC East. For me, I think Sundays told a lot, but that's not the whole story. The real story gets told on December ten.
I'm focused on five games for Philadelphia and it even goes past the game against Dallas. Three of the five are on the road. They catch a break, they get Buffalo at home, and they get San Francisco at home. I think those are two difficult places to play, so they'll carry those games at home. The games I think they had the best chance to lose is that Kansas City and then the Dallas game, and then the following
week at Seattle. I think that you need to carry that thing a little further, you know, and maybe, like I said, I think it'll be a tough stretch for them to go those five games. They've been very fortunate with the way that they've at times played very sloppy football and tried to give games away and people haven't been willing to take them. I think the next five games that they're going to play against teams that will
take those games from them if they play sloppy. But it's going to be if they go out and beat Kansas City after the bye Buffalo. I mean, it really is going to be about that. To me, that first game, How do they play against Kansas City? You know, that will tell me a lot about how they managed the buy. It used to be with Andy Reid there. Andy always won after a bye. They were one of the best teams in the league when it came to records after
a bye when he was in Philadelphia. But they're games, They're losable games to me, are the ones that they're going to play on the road the next five.
Which game of the next four for Dallas do you think is the one that troubled you most?
I'd probably say I want to say the Seahawks because right now I do hold the Seahawks in high.
Regard as they saw yesterday. Yeah, exactly.
But advantage to the Cowboys because that game, unlike Philadelphia having to play Seattle, they have to go to Seattle.
Seattle, the Seahawks have to come to all them.
That's a cross country right, Yeah, it's a tough.
So especially after traveling to Dallas.
Now you know, hell, they might they might just sc ahead and go halfway and say it to stay what they might do.
It's not an easy flight from Dallas, Like that's probably all this trip Dallas has to take when they have to go up to Seattle.
So I want to say Seahawks. I think the most competitive one on paper is going to be Seahawks. But advantage Cowboys because they get the Seahawks at home. Keeping on the commanders of that four game pack, that four pack keeping out on the Commanders. They gave the Eagles
a run for their money. On two separate occasions they scored more than thirty thirty or more And on two separate occasions, don't get caught slipping against the division rival that once that whose season is back to going down the Bowl and all they have is bragging rights and that's what makes them play up to the Cowboys.
So for me, I'm going to say Commander.
Commanders on a short week in having to deal with their skill on all out side and yeah, and their quarterback does have a His first start in the NFL was the win. I know it was Week seventeen last year, but you know, he could be very streaky in the way he plays.
It's a it's a division game.
I would think a little bit differently about it if you'd already played the Commanders and you kind of had an idea of where they're at. But you know, at that point in time, you know, we might be hearing a lot about the Commanders. Is you know, are they the point where they've quit yet? I don't think they've quit, but you know, maybe by the time you get to
Thanksgiving they might have. But there's a lot of skill on that team, there's still the pass rushers on the edges that you're going to have to deal with in that game, and so that one worries me the absolute most.
Yeah.
To me, what's interesting about the Commanders is that whether or not they're having a good season, let's say they're having a bad season, they're always there's always a little something. There's always a little something that they got in store for the Cowboys in that game. So you can't it's not like the Giants that now year after year we kind of take it as like, Okay, that's Dallas has beaten.
Yeah, they haven't defeated deck since twenty sixteen, so it's been a while.
So it's one of as opposed to that.
Regardless what the Commander situation currently is, they always have something to do for the Cowboys. But also Seattle. I think Seattle, despite the travels and all that and the game being at home for the Cowboys, they they're a team that I always see be extremely competitive against the Cowboys and just have that little extra aggressiveness. Yeah, so I think those two for sure, But I would be leaning more tours Seattle mainly because of the current state.
Yeah, I think I think for me, it's the commanders. This is not the first time we've seen the Commanders have to come in here on Thanksgiving Day and get a win, and that happens, and so I just.
I believe y.
Yeah, I mean I remember the year was at r G three. I think came here one year Thanksgiving and and uh and put a put a whooping on the Cowboys.
So yeah, so it's it.
It happened.
Yeah, it happens for sure. And that's that's the one that's scared. When the when the schedule first came out, I was like, I don't care what the records are, Thanksgiving is gonna be a hard game.
Be a hard game. So we'll see how that that plays out.
But I do think it's interesting here that you know, as much as you hate to see the loss as a Cowboys fan, if you're pulling for the Cowboys, you hate to see a loss against the Eagles, but you look at this next these next four weeks, it can really change a lot. And and Brian, you even mentioned going beyond that. If you go beyond that, and you gotta also look at the Dallas schedule, and Dallas schedule
gets really tough. After that, that's when you start getting into your Buffalo's and your Miami's and your Detroit like, there's some tough, tough games coming up after after that.
For Dallas, the way that Philadelphia finished is twice against the Giants and once against Arizona.
So they'll be cruising by then.
They might be sitting people by then exactly, so it'll be it'll be interesting. But I guess, I guess the point of this whole conversation is that it is not done. The NFC East is not done. They have a two and a half game lead. But but Dallas has an opportunity here to make them, hey, if they can do their part when the games are supposed to win and put themselves in position by the time they face the Eagles in week was that fourteen thirteen?
Week thirteen?
I mean, it works out favorably for the Cowboys as far as most of their games to this point have been on the road, and then you're going you drop a close when the Philadelphia they're about to go on a three game gauntlet. You're about to go on I don't want to say easy, but one that's not as challenging, and you're at home where you've been dominant. So again, by the time this rematch ques up, they should they could very likely have a similar schedule, similar records.
Sorry, looking at it, I'm just like, this is be a rough ride because still I don't know how long can this O line stay healthy? And we still have it's not an even number, but we still have a whole half of the season, and and look what the first half of the season has been with the struggles of the O line, and mainly I think it all comes just straight from being not being healthy.
I just want the peanut butter and jelly. I was thinking about it on the drive in. That's what I want from the Cowboys offensive line. I want the peanut, butter and the jelly. Earlier this season, I'm gonna tell you, earlier this season, with the injuries to the left side of the line, you had the right side of the line holding it down with Zach Martin, Terrence Steele, when Steel was one of the bright spots. Now it's kind
of flipped. So you see a game like Philadelphia, Tyrant comes back, he has one of the best games you've seen him have in recent memory. Tyler Smith allowed only one pressure in seventeen one on one snaps against Jalen Carter, so he was the Jaylen Carter start before most of that game, but then it was the right side with Terren Steele struggling. So why is it always the peanut
butter but not the jelly. So once the peanut butter and the jelly comes together, that sound which is gonna taste pretty good for the go Lies.
Let me just say I do to worry about them really coming together though.
Yeah, I really do think.
I think we're past the small sample size bit now, you know, and I know we're halfway finished. I've talked a couple of different times yes year on some platforms and stuff. My commitment to you know, running the football, to me, I don't think that's something that they're going to fix. Now, maybe they'll fix it because of the opponent, but you have to prove to me that you could be able to run the football, and they and they've yet to do that really against anybody with any real success.
That's the thing I think going forward that bothers me the most about what the schedule lays out and how it lays out, because I feel like that they're going to have to work on the protection side of things. It's going to be about putting it on Dak's back again and then trying to kind of win this thing that way through the air.
That's where their best players are.
We're going to get into this a little deeper tomorrow when we talk about the Cowboys offense. But I think an interesting point that we have not really talked about it. I don't know if I've heard many people talk about it, but one of the guys on Twitter that follows me and actually tweets some really good stuff, Josh O'Bryant, asked the question, why is nobody talking about the change in the coaching of the offensive line.
And that's something where I think we got.
Did we did that? Though we really did. I wasn't here, no, No.
In training camp we talked ye, I'm talking about the season has gone, things.
That could hurt the offense. Was the fact that the turnover of a coordinator, a play caller, a running backs coach, a line coach. That was the one thing that was my and I'm not saying me, I'm saying as a group, we brought up the fact in June, or I know one of the June conversations we have is play caller gets changed out because they don't and everything doesn't coordinate, everything doesn't mesh with you know, there was too much turnover.
And that was and I think that was a question of will this be a problem? Now I think the question it has to be we are in it. It is a problem, and is the problem related to the fat app You've got new coaching in those areas where you're having some of the challenges. And I think that's a conversation we're gonna have tomorrow when we talk about the Cowboys offense a little bit deeper, because I think it's a fair conversation. All Right, we're gonna take off
first break. When we come back, we'll jump into Giants versus Cowboys. We back Dallas Cowboys dot com.
Reydar Todd thought it would be secure to jog in the cheatah Savannah. Todd believed the big Cat repellent he bought online was reliable. And now Todd is trying to be faster than this cheetah that can run eighty miles per hour. But the good news is Todd has at and T five G. It is fast, reliable and secure, and he learned the best thing to do is stop running and toss her the backpack with the beef stew at and T five G Fast, reliable, secure, It's not complicated.
Five G requires compatible plan and device. Five G may not be available in your area. See att dot com Slash five G for you for details.
Cowboys fans, after.
That move, we've just coined the term rowdy replay.
Let's roll back the table.
Okay, there's our mascot rowdy cheering on the boys, and now he's on his phone on.
His Bank of America Mobile Banking.
App, staying on top of his finances with his virtual financial assist in Erica.
Bank of America's digital tools are so impressive. Cowboys fans just can't stop banking. Learn more at Bank of America dot com. Slash Can't Stop Banking.
Everica is only available in the English language.
Must download the latest version of the mobile banking app, only available on select mobile devices.
Message dat rag ma apply number FDIC.
Welcome back into Dear Doctor, the show where I answer life's questions with an ice cold can of doctor pepper. Sheila, let's hear from my next caller.
Would you, Dear Doctor?
My friend supported me during a tough time, But what's the right gift that says thanks for being.
The shoulder to cry out.
Okay, this one's easy, I say, give her a delicious Doctor Pepper. Nothing says thanks good better than one of a kind soda. Yes, any Doctor Pepper flavor will do. Now, just a reminder that I don't need to be a real doctor to know that Doctor Pepper is the one you deserve.
They say champions are remembered, but legends are never forgotten. United Agon Turf offers a winning lineup of John Dear equipment built to tackle any channel, John and off the field legendary John Deere Tractors, combines residential mowers, commercial mowers, compact construction equipment, hater utility vehicles, and a full line of golf and sports turf equipment. United Agon Turf the
official agonturf equipment supplier of the Dallas Cowboys. Visit United Agonturf dot com to find a location near you.
Back to the.
Break head to AT and T Stadium on Saturday, November eleventh to experience Rally Day presented by Seat Geeks, celebrate Veterans Day with a special presentation from the Color Garden Junior ROTC Drill Team plus twenty one gun Salute. Take a tour of AT and T Stadium, get autographs from Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders and alumni, play games, head outside to the Miller Lighthouse, and even play on the field. Visit at and T Stadium dot com Slash Rally Days for tickets and more information.
Welcome back.
Second segment of the Break live from the SWBC Mortgage studios at the star of the segment brought to you by blockchain dot Com. All right, let's talk about this Giants offense. I want to start with the quarterback. They have lost Daniel Jones now for the season due to a torn acl They have Tommy DeVito who came in in relief of him. They also, as of this morning, signed Matt Barkley as a backup quarterback, So those are new quarterbacks on their roster. I guess first, I'll start
with Tommy DeVito. Brian, give me a scouting report. If you were trying to tell someone, here's what he does. Well, here's what he doesn't do. Well, talk to me about Tommy DeVito.
He's an older guy. He's twenty five years old as a rookie, and you know he because the COVID situations and stuff. These quarterbacks. Twenty nine five, Yeah, twenty five years old. He's not physically a very big guy. He's like six ' one right around there. He's finished a couple of games for the Giants to season, the Jets game and then the Raiders game due to those injuries that we've been talking about. His redeeming traits, I feel like his arm talent is not poor, and he's athletic
enough to navigate the pocket. He's one of those guys when he makes a decision, it's like it's certainly I'm gonna go there with the ball, or he's going to say I don't like this and he takes off running.
So there's those times.
I think with the Cowboys, you have to be ready if the quarterback of if he's not sure, he's going to run immediately. He's not going to wait around, try and move around and buy an extra second or two. When he decides to go, he's going to go. So you're gonna deal with a running quarterback, a scrambling quarterback. This week, the offensive line doesn't give him much of
a time to read. It's that the week is part of their offense, for sure, But the opportunities that he can generate with his feet are think are something that the Cowboys need to be concerned about.
So when you look at it, if there is a thing that we come in here Monday morning and we're like, man, the Cowboys defense had a problem with this quarterback, what is that thing?
Is it the running?
I think it's the running the arm talent. As I mentioned the receivers, they just do not have the ability up front to hold anybody out for any length of time, to let anybody go through their They've got talented wide receivers, some of the best skill guys that they've had there the last couple of years. But the pocket breaks down on them so fast. It doesn't matter what quarterback they have watched them all play. It just pocket collapses on him. And now the quarterback is forced to have to make
a scramble throw or to run. In Devido's case, he's more athlete. And you know Daniel Jones would run. This guy runs because he's not sure. He doesn't want to take a chance. He's rather he's going to He'll get six yards slide, you'll get five yard slide, He'll get eight yards slide. That's the kind of a quarterback you're dealing with. So Cowboys have got to be careful of that in this be careful not to let him rush.
Lane's integrity, gap responsibilities, all those things, especially when they rush this guy.
Would you spy a guy like that, because I mean, when you start looking at the rest of their team, I don't know that anybody scares you other than maybe Saquon Barkley. So would you devote a guy maybe to be able to suspend I.
Would be very mindful of it. I would you know, whether that's Marquise Bell or somebody like that, Clark, somebody to stay in that area. A lot of times the Cowboys will play man coverage or they'll play with me called mayn free where the free safety is the guy at depth is the one that's the free player. In this case, maybe the linebackers, if you know, just kind of mirror him when he's the protecting. The rush could get to him before even has a chance to break pocket.
But if he does, you just need a.
Guy right there to make sure that he doesn't get too far down the field.
The way you're describing him sounds kind of like a quarterback though. Yeah, you can manage and handle, but can also surprise you on.
Yeah, the surprising aspect of it is I think he's not just this a quarterback with with that lacks armstrength, arm talent. I mean, the one interception he threw in the Raiders game was middle of the pocket, just launches it down the middle of the Raider's safety has made a really good play down the middle of the field. They just couldn't get the ball far enough inside, but he threw it. You know, those are the great disc The ball comes off his hand pretty well. You know,
how you're able to cover on the outside. I think will be important in this game. But this the running, Everything in my mind keeps coming back to his ability to scramble, especially if he gets third down and it's third and say you've got him in third and eight, third and nine, and then he takes off running and it's a ten yard game, and that's how they keep the sticks moving.
And to support Brian's point, as I sit here and look at DeVito's collegiate numbers, and obviously he split time between Syracuse and Illinois. Sophomore for Syracuse, he took off and ran one hundred and twelve times. Now he's not the best at getting yards per tote because it was only one point one yard for carry.
So I mean that's the sacks included that exactly. So he would take off and run.
And then his final season, which was with Illinois, he took off and ran seventy three times. So he's to Bryan's point, he's not afraid to just you know, panic and run.
Well if he doesn't see what he thinks, I mean, and that's a lot of times with these young quarterbacks, if they're not sure, they're better off trying to run and get positive yards and then fight for the next play.
Yep.
So you talked about the offensive line and the problems they're having there.
Where are the most vulnerable on the offensive line?
Take your pick the left tackle. Andrew Thomas's I think is a good player.
I mean, but the problem Andrew Thomas is it's kind of falling into that. People have kind of taken a little bit of advantage to him because they get him off balance. You know, the rushers are able to that's the thing. He's really he's a big, massive guy. Run down the middle of him. He's going to be good to you. He can move a little bit, you know, his lateral slide. Things like that I think are pretty good.
But there's some teams that have gotten him off balance and then when he becomes that all balanced player that people have been able to get around him. But you know, capturing the edge on him is a little bit tougher than on the other side. Evan Neil and I was talking to a guy at the Giants this morning, and you know, they're a mess, and he said, listen, Evan Neil. He hyper extended his ankle this past game. He's miss games already. It looks like that Tyree Phillips is going
to start. Phillips's made some starts for them already. When Evan Neil missed two games. The Cowboys really took advantage of Evan Neil in that first game that they played.
And that's their best one.
Thomas is Thomas the best one.
Neil, I think is Neil is another massive guy, but he's slow footed, and that's where I think that, uh, you know, the problems have been. But they're confident that that Tyree Phillips can can come in. He's played a couple of times. They're saying the way that Neil's been playing, it's not a huge drop off, So that says a lot right there. So but you know Neil is watching him play, rushers have consistently found a way to break
him down. Now when you look at Phillips play, he has trouble with those kind of quick, fast, twitchy guys, guys that kind of you know, have a little bit of movement to their game. So but he's he hasn't been as much of a liability as when you watch Evan Neil play.
Beyond one, I'm good And I was just going to say the bum line is I mean, when you look at the matchups offensive line versus defensive line for the Boys, that's that should be lunch for this Cowboys defensive line across the board in all fiuve spots. It's the it's a worst offensive line in New York that they're about to face here in Arlington than the one that they racked up thirty six quarterback pressures in Week one against
seven secs. So if you did that against their starters in week one and now you're dealing with you know, Avenel with the hyper extension and stuff like that, Yeah, like Brian said, take your pick, I mean.
Well, yeah, they've they've tried they've tried to they've tried to address it, and they've used first round selections on tackles. They used the second round selection on John Michael Smith's. John Michael Smith's at the center is going to be a good player. The problem is he's just you know, it's a little bit like watching be Oddish play that sometimes that he could be really really good, and then other times guys get the edge on him and he can't get over and he's not strong.
Enough to hold up power wise man.
And then they have you know, Justin Pugh, who they you know, got off the couch to come play, you know, guard or tackle for him, and you know he's done. And then the you know, the other guard, Betterson is uh, you know he's he's not you know, he's he's a
guy that traded for and he's just he's okay. So they've really really this has been the reason why they've really had problems scoring and and even moving the ball and keeping their quarterbacks up right is and it has to be super frustrating because if they've they've tried.
To invest in it, they just haven't invested the right guys.
I think we all can agree. Saquon Barkley is the one player on that offense that you worry the most about just because.
Of his raw ability.
But if you had to pinpoint one other person or two other people that are skilled players, who are the ones that we could be talking about on Monday morning that made a difference.
I would worry about one Dell Robertson. He didn't play the first time that these two teams met, and he is a smaller kind of a slot player, but he's sure handed, he has quickness, he has a feel for how to get it open. He's good run after catch. I haven't figured out yet why they haven't got the well, I should say, I see why they haven't got the ball to Jalen Hyatt, the rookie from Tennessee who is a vertical player, a downfield player.
Uh Man.
I thought he was going to be a real steal and maybe one day he will be a steal for the Giants, but they just haven't found a way to get him the ball. And a lot of it has to do because they haven't been able to protect well enough to get the ball down the field. But Barkley, Robinson, Hyatt those kind because they lost their tight end, their tight ends. Their tight ends out. You know, Darren Waller is out, you know, with another he's still with a
hamstring injury. There are a couple of their tight ends, h Bellinger and then Cager. They catch the ball well, they use them in a lot of different ways though. They're kind of a full back move guy in line tight end next to the tackle, so you'll see their tight endsually when they run the ball at the point of attack.
In some way, I think I'm gonna go with Robinson just by default, because I mean, if you as you dissect their skill position players outside of sa Quan, you're really hard pressed to find someone that you should be overtly concerned about, particularly when you look at who they're going to have to match up against Darius Slayton versus this Cowboys secondary.
I'm just not I mean, fifty six.
Percent catch percentage, Yeah, he's outside of Darren Waller. He's a leader as far as yards receiving. But is he a game breaker. No, That's why they needed Jalen Hyatt to pop off. But Jalen Hyatt has not been able to pop off. So not really concerned about Jalen Hyatt. Plus, I saw how Jalen Hyatt was deleted by this very
same Cowboys secondary. Obviously a lot of hype going into Jalen Hyatt him coming out of Tennessee Week one Cowboys at MetLife, and it was, oh, well, now the Giants have somebody who can take the top off against the Cowboys.
Nope, ah, not.
So not so the pressure was so bad?
Yeah, and it made that but which hopefully will be the same case they need to repeat it. So going to that, which is a great segue. If you assume that the pressure is going to be equal a little greater this time around on the Giants quarterback, then the release valve with Willer out is going to have to be Wander Robbers is going to have to be your slot receiver, working as much underneath as he can. So but even then, it's not a ton of concern for me.
It starts and it stops with Saquon Barkley and that's who they got.
They'll occasionally pop a run and they'll do it because what will happen is Barkley is that but he he is Uh. They're having a really hard time of getting him any type of space where they've had some successes the outside zone where everybody steps one way and they just hand the ball and then they you know, they get hat on a hat and then Barkley.
Makes a cut.
He Barkley still all these years of playing against him, Uh, he's still that same type of explosive guy catches the ball. Well, there's been some times we've seen where against Cotte where he's tipped balls up in the air and it's resulted in turn and stuff like that.
But overall, you.
Know, I feel like that they're gonna try and take as much pressure off, uh, you know, off the veto as they can that you know, you got to try and run the ball a little bit and and then they'll test this Dallas front to see and Dallas has done a really good job of playing the run. Bell Clark, those guys have done a good job of playing downhill.
They've held up in the middle pretty well. So you know, trying to scourge him from doing that and making them throw the football probably your best avenue here.
Now here's the best better news when it comes to Saquon, because we can all agree that Saquan is going to be the end all be off for that Giants offense.
Coming in Sequan is Oho to nine lifetime.
Against Yeah, and particularly in the dan Quinn era, He's really struggled to get going in the dan Quinn era. So it just does not boat well for the Giants, which means you know, that bodes well for the Cowboys, and I would take that all day one.
Yeah, I think I think uh McCarthy and the coaches should print out a bunch of pictures of screenshot of the game against Arizona the worst place and put it all over the building, all over the facility, because even I sit in here listening to you guys and no disrespect at all, but I'm finding a hard time caring about I mean, obviously you care about the game, but finding a hard time not dismissing what they currently have right now and all the struggles that they're dealing with offensively.
So I can understand or see where someone on that side of the building could maybe potentially drift, jump on that drift and be on that same wagon of feeling that way, especially after the type of game they were able to have against them on that first week of the season.
So it's here's a question, do you think that, And this is going to be a weird but interesting question, do you think that losing to the Eagles, and in the fashion in which they did it will help them defeat the Giants because it possibly helps them from overlooking the Giants because they can't afford to do so.
Do you see what I mean?
Yeah?
Honestly, I don't think that game really plays much into this game. What I'm more concerned about is this is the kind of game where, going to your point, Amber, I think the one thing I think Dallas's defense can do at times is they can get enamored with going to get the quarterback. And if they're looking at this game and saying, you know, we can really get our sack numbers up in this game, like let's go get
that guy because he can't beat our pass rush. And they start doing that, and they start getting playing outside of the scheme, and now you get situations where that little crease and Barkley's off for a long run, or someone overruns a play and here you go with an end round with Wandelle Robinson and now he's off and running, and you got a situation where you're you missed the quarterback because you got outside of your your lane and
he takes off running. And again I think that's exactly in my opinion, and I shouldn't exactly, but at least part of what I think happening with Arizona as well.
I think they look that game and they probably like that quarterback.
We ought to be able beat that quarterback, so we should be able to get to him and affect him. And I think what happened in the in the process is you got run on, like you over in you didn't play your gaps, and because you didn't play your gaps, you created a lot of bad situations for yourself. And
that's where I look at this game. And if you're having a hard time figuring out how Dallas can lose it, that's how they can lose is if they don't play the right style of defense as they should where they've been playing really for the last several weeks, which is stop the run first. That is your top priority. If that leads to an opportunity for you to rush the past, great, Otherwise you're stopping the run. If they have that mentality, I think they run away. If they don't, I think this becomes.
A very interesting game.
Sure playing hero ball, yep, Yeah.
All right, we're gonna take our final break we'll come back.
We'll talk about the Dallas defense and talking about that pressure rate. I was looking at some interesting numbers. Cowboys were there the pressure rate in the first four games of the season was significantly higher than when it's been in the last four weeks. I'm gonna ask you guys some questions about that and what you think maybe contributing to that. We'll talk about that when we come back. Else Cowboys dot Com Redeo.
Todd thought it would be secure to jog in the cheetah Savannah. Todd believed the big Cat repellent he bought online was reliable, and now Todd is trying to be faster than this cheetah that can run eighty miles per hour. But the good news is Todd has AT and T five G. It is fast, reliable, and secure, and he learned the best thing to do is stop running and toss her the backpack with the beef stew At and T five G. Fast, reliable, secure, It's not complicated.
Five G requires compatable plan and device five G may not be available in your area. See att dot com Slash five G for you for details.
Don't put off getting your oil change. Dallas take five Oil Change, a proud partner of the Cowboys, is faster than you think. There's no appointment needed and no waiting room. Yep, you hurt that correctly. Take five is so fast you don't even have to get out of your car. You can take advantage of Take five's fast, friendly and simple service at any of their locations across the Dallas area. And remember, at Take five you stay in your car
because they're faster than you think. Take five the official loyal change of the Dallas Cowboys.
It's the official Min's skincare brand of the Dallas Cowboys, Jack Black and right Now Cowboys fans can get fifteen percent off their seventy five dollars order. Plus because every deal needs a playmaker, your order will include a free five piece skincare set and free shipping. The Jack Black Playmaker is four of Jack's favorites and a full sized intense therapy lipball. Make a play for the playmaker at Getjack Black dot com slash Cowboys with the code Cowboys VIP.
That's get Jack Black dot com slash Cowboys with the code Cowboys VIP.
They say champions are remembered, but legends are never forgotten. United Agon Turf offers a winning lineup of John Deere equipment built to tackle any challenge on and off the field. Legendary John Deere Tractors combines residential mowers, commercial moweres, compact construction equipment, Gator utility vehicles, and a full line of golf and sports turf equipment. United Agon Turf, the official
agonturf equipment supplier of the Dallas Cowboys. Visit United Agon Turf to find a location near you.
Back to the Break, All right, how about this, Let's see, it's a holiday Youth camps I got to talk about right now. Tests the season for youth football and dance camp presented by a Visita line. Don't mister, Chance to learn from the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders and former NFL players at at and T Stadium on December twenty second and twenty third.
Celebrate the holidays with the Cowboys. Registered today at Dallas Cowboys dot Com. Slash Camps Welcome Back.
Final segment of the Break live from that s WBC Mortgane Studios at the Starlis Flip the other side of the ball, Dallas Defense. I prefaced right before the break.
I was looking at some of the numbers, and really the eye test is what made me start thinking this, because you look at the first four weeks of the season, and it seemed like the Dallas defense was just very, very Their pass rusher is just so aggressive and they were really just destroying quarterbacks, and it didn't seem as much like that was happening over the last four games. And then I went and looked it up and the
numbers bear that. Out first four weeks of the season, they had a forty nine point three pressure rate.
They were ranked number one in the league.
In last four games week five through nine, they were ranked fourth in the league with a forty one point eight percent pressure rate. So a difference of about roughly about what's that like seven and a half percentage point you say, if you say so, yeah, something like that, right, something like.
That Texas LSU education that you know, whatever.
Yeah, Sun goes to Texas too, So maybe you're paying for it. We're paying for it.
So my question for you guys is what do you think was the biggest factor in that? Do you think it's more about the fact that you've played better opponents in the second half, So in the first half you have the Giants, the Jets, the Cardinals, and the Patriots. In the second half you had forty nine Ers, Chargers, Rams, and Philadelphia.
Or do you think it's more about.
The fact that teams have adapted to what Dallas is doing. Maybe Dallas is even adapted a little bit, knowing they got to really focus more on the run.
What do you think is a bigger.
Factor in that decline in their past rush I mean, in their pressure rate.
I think both things are t through in different amounts. I don't think it's as much adaptation as it is level of competition. But adaptation is there as well. As any NFL season rolls along, the more and more film gets out there, and you know, opposing defensive coordinators that you're about to face, they're going to, you know, try to learn and copycat from what worked against the other teams.
Even if you actually came out the victor for that other team, they're going to be things that worked for that other team even if they lost.
So it goes to adaptation.
But more than anything, look at the level of offensive competition that they've gone up against San Francisco forty nine ers. We know Kyle Shanahan has their number until further notice like that's hands down. Even with the Los Angeles Charges, they were able to get pressures on Justin Herbert. But Callen Moore, he's familiar with dan Quinn, the defense, the defensive personnel, you know, about getting the ball out where
the areas were. And of course we talked about after that game, Herbert missed some throws down the field that could have changed that game. So Los Angeles Rams kind of an aberration there, but going in still solid offense. We talked about Pookah Cooper, Matthew is mostly healthy going that game, they had some some gamers and then of course Philadelphia Eagles and that offense. Cowboys did a great
job of mostly bottling up the passing attack. But if you look at the last four forty nine ers, Chargers, Rams, Eagles, those offenses are markedly better than Giants, Jets, Cardinals, Patriots. I think, really it's two things, but more so that than the other thing.
Same. What did I say to that?
I completely five, I completely no, completely agree. I mean the nature is, yeah, you watch film week after week and study your opponent and all that, but I do agree for sure also about the opponents just being at a higher level than what you initially faced at the first four weeks of the season.
Teams three and three without Digs in the lineup. When did Layton Vanderish get hurt? I think all of a sudden, you're in a situation now where it's.
Wait, what week was that he Layton get San Francisco.
San Francisco is coming up there and he's not going to be his windows not going to get started yet. He needs a few more weeks.
But yeah, I think even if they're ready to bring him back at that point, like I think.
It didn't sound but it didn't sound too optimistic by the way.
Yeah, Trevon got hurt.
September twenty first, So that was right befo the Arizona game.
Yeah, right before.
Yeah, they're three and three with with him out, without him in the lineup, and with him in the lineup, they were one of the most dominant.
Defenses in the league. And then you lose, You lose Layton van der Ash.
Now all of a sudden, people are having to commit other jobs or commit to other jobs to make up for lost players. I think your defense got affected that way.
Yeah, I think that's and I don't I don't know if everybody really thinks about how much the loss of Trayvon dis because you look at it and you're like, man, he got you got Bland playing really well. But it's it's a trickle down effect, right, you would have had Bland and Digs on the field and now you don't. That's that that's a there's a big effect there.
And with the loss of lv then you know, we're talking about what's Michael's splits as far as d E versus linebacker, as far as fully committing him to d as you were pre lv E lost and now lost and now you have to kind of move him around to kind of selve that wound.
That's my reason.
Okay, so there is something else to add to that.
That was good.
That was good.
I'm just an old guy.
Here's no personnel guy over there.
He's gonna be like, man, I really wish I had this player and this player now.
But it's amazing, No, it's amazing to see what this defense has become over the years.
Because going back to.
Sean Lee era couldn't win a game with that.
You could not like able to come to crumbles if he wasn't on the field. So to think that not just one, but two of key players in your defense are out of the game, out of the field, and you're still being able to play at a pretty good level to compete and and kind of hold your opposing offense or holding for you to do it at least some day. I mean, the compete offense hasn't.
I'll take I'll take my chances playing with Diggs, Bland and Gilmore in the secondary, and I think I could get past Rush home.
I think I come for sex. I think I can.
Yeah, yep, I agree, all right. One other one other thing I wanted to hit to on that note. Sam Williams, he is a guy that has been according to him it probably underused, not used enough, hasn't been given enough of an opportunity.
He put out a tweet. He did delete it later, but he was just like freexam right.
But but he did talk about later like he wanted some more opportunities.
Right.
And and so my question for you and now I do it's an interesting question because I think Sam Williams to me is a guy that I think has ability. I think he's flashed a ton now. He also has had some moments where you're like, ooh, Sam, are you doing that.
He's kind of slowly cleaned up his game.
He has, but but again that's with limited reps. So my question is, do you think think they should be trying to get him out there more or do you think they have to limit him a little bit so that they can get.
The best of him without.
The stuff that they don't necessarily want.
I personally feel like that if I see Golston out there in that position, I feel like I need to see Williams. I'll tell you another one that doesn't get enough shine or enough burn for how he plays and the number of snaps he gets is Faller. If you watch Faler on tape, Faler gets pressure. Faler is a factor in how you pass rush. He's a factor in the Twist game. I can understand where Sam's coming from, though,
I really can. You know, look at the other day, it's you know, he's almost got a little bit of a David Irvin to him. You know, you play him twelve plays in the game, and he has three impactful plays, So you're wondering, well, if I play him, maybe if I play.
Him double, that would I have six more plays?
You know?
So yeah, that's where I kind of feel like. But it's a lot about trust. It really is about trust. Can we trust you line up on sides? Can we trust you not to hit the quarterback?
Low joy?
Trust you not to stick your right hand in the face of the offensive tackle. You know, that's where it's at, you know, when you want to put him on the field on third down? Yeah, a great chance you're going to get off the field. There's also a chance he's going to commit a penalty to keep the drive going. But man, what he's a hell of a player, he
really really is. He just you know, there's times where you just you're kind of you're standing at the craps table with your dice in hand, you know, and you're just rolling them out there and seeing what happens.
Well, they didn't, they didn't stop you. Oh my god, how did I forget his name already?
The corner? Oh no, the one, the hot issue.
You don't wait the field, the boss man fat.
You know, you know Kevin Joseph?
Do you no longer know the vic.
I forget I forget. No.
But my point is, and they kind of were forced to because there was like nobody else, what do you mean, like on on special teams like he kept getting I mean, didn't stop you from you were forced.
Okay, you were forced.
But at the same time, we've seen it happen where and I think, how can you how can you improve more or get better if you don't keep getting chances?
You know?
I agree.
I mean, I'd love to see it like not hiring a person because they don't have experience, but hiring them would give them the experience kind of thing.
Start somewhere I labeled preseason.
I labeled Sam as one one of two guys, Damon being the other that would take a massive year or two leap. And he's not taking it quite yet, but he's flashed and you see most recently against the Philadelphia.
Eagles, but it's not a fault he's not taking.
Guess that's why I was going because in the game, like the Philadelphia Eagles, he gets off immediately, sack fumble didn't fall in the Cowboys favor but Sam and he was eating and then after a few reps he kind of disappeared because the Cowboys pulled back on him. So that more is on the coaching staff saying, hey, both of you guys, point how much can we expose you to?
Added reps in a game.
That's this close, And that might have been the thought process as well, because that was a hard fought, close game in that second half, and maybe there was a part of McCarthy and dan quinn that said, well, you know, is the next play that we put Sam on the field, it's either going to be a boom play and he gets this sack, or it's going to be a fifteen yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty or unsports abenity late hit hands of the face, something that really swings momentum in the
Eagles favor. So, like like Brian said, you're kind of rolling the dice. So it does go to trust. The more trust he builds, I believe, the more reps he will get. But there's also the good problem that the Cowboys have of Dante Fowler is still effective, Us Armstrong is still effective. He's one of your best run stoppers.
On top of getting pressure, Tank is still tank. Micah having more of a linebacker split than he had in the first four games should free up more reps for Sam, but again, it all goes to how much can dan Quinn trust that Sam is going to continue his upward trajectory with the boom and the downward trajectory with the bust.
All right, that's a wrap.
We will be back tomorrow.
We'll jump into the Cowboys offense versus the Giants defense. That will be a little more of an interesting, interesting matchup, you know.
But again, they did lose.
They did lose one of their best defensive players by a trade, so we'll see how that is effected. Then we'll talk about that tomorrow. So that for Patrick Walker. Brian brought a Sam regard to im Derek Eagleston. This has been The Break live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio.
This has been a production of Dallascowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.