Cowboys Break: Line Dancing

edition of The Break. I'm Derek Eagleton. I'm lifing s WBC Morey Studios. At the start, I got Nick Amber and Dave with me, and we're joined as we are every Wednesday and Thursday, by Bucky Brooks of NFL Network. Bucky, Today, we get to talk about the Washington football teams defense versus the Cowboys offense. Looks like teams don't even really

try to throw much against this Washington defense. And my question for you is that because this pass rush is just that good, or there really just some some real deficiencies in the running game that teams are finding more more easy to kind of exploit. This defense is loaded with pass rushers, Dave invested heavily in the defensive line and is paying dividends. They have five former first rounders

on their defensive front. Chase Young, Monte Sweat to Run Payne, Jonathan Allen, and Ryan Carrigan comes off the bench, and they absolutely can get after using a four man rush and max coverage in the back end. This is how Jack del Rio wants to play. It's how he played when he was at Carolina, when I was there as a scout. That's what he wants to do. And so they wanted to put the onus on the offense to drive the ball to length of the field without the

quarterback making turnovers. And they're banking that your quarterback will make a mistake, he will force the ball down the field or the rush would just overwhelm them to the point that he throws up a pass and air and pass under the rest. And so that's how it works. Yes, teams are being able to move the football and run the football and do those things, but when they've been able to control the game, meaning their offense doesn't give it away, their defense is certainly good enough to win

it by themselves. Well, in that case, based on the game, we just watched from the Cowboys and looking at what they were able to do and not do in the passing game and the running game. Which side Which of the two should the Cowboys try to exploit more the running game or the passing game. I think this is a game with Dallas has to be very careful. The only way that the Cowboys can lose this game is they gift the Washington football team easy opportunities in short fields.

Because offensively, the Washington football team is very challenge in terms of coming up with big plays. And so I would say maybe a little more conservative game plan, not only to protect themselves against turning it over, but also to protect the quarterback, the backup quarterback, Andy Dalton. They need to try and run it. They have to establish

the run. They have to be able to control the game from a clock management tempo standpoint, and so Zeke has to be prominently featured regardless of the fumbling wolves. Hopefully he takes care of the football. But I think it has to be a running game with some selective quick passes. Quick passes them control the game and a very ball control standpoint. Bucky, just can they go east

and west on this team? I mean I know that we always say they need to go north, but I just don't know if they have the power up front on the offensive line being so banged up. Is this one where you have to kind of try to spread the field on them or they are is watching them too fast for it? They're very fast. I mean they're fast and athletic front. You can look at their linebackers in their linebackers are non notable bull guys k Holkman

and John Boston. But it doesn't matter because the front is so good that you can't even get to the linebackers. And the way they play they want you to run sideline the sideline because that plays to the strength of their team. But their athleticism, particularly upfront, I think you

have to hit them right up in the face. You have to make this a game that is played in the phone booth, and you have to see if your offensive line, in spite of all the change, is up to the task of being able to create some movement at the point of attack. It's going to be tough sledding for the offense, particularly on the ground, but I think it's the only way that you can play against him, because you simply do not want Amy Dum to throw the ball fifty times against this pass for us and

against the coverage that they've been able to play successful. Bucky, I'm gonna I'm gonna kind of do the same thing I did to you yesterday. I mean, I hear where you're coming from. The offense needs to play clean, maybe play a little bit conservatively so they don't make mistakes. But that's what they do. They make a lot of mistakes and it's gotten them in a lot of trouble

over the last month. You know, I know you just said you can't worry about Zeke's fumbling problems, and I think I agree with you, But I mean, is there something they can do to mitigate the risk. Do you just say clean it up Zeke and hope he can do it, or you know, do you rotate these running backs? Is there a certain type of run or maybe the screen game that you can get him involved in to

mitigate that? What do you think? You know the problem with that is, in spite of his flaws, I think we all will say that Zeke is still the best offensive weapon that the Cowboys have, and so you can try to avoid the issues, but at some point you gotta put the ball in the best the hands of your best player and let him go to work. Now it's on him to be able to figure it out. The funnels five fumbles that he's had this year, for those on one hundred and one rushing attempts, that's unacceptable,

But you're hoping that he can get it corrected. Traditionally, he hasn't been a high volume fumbler, even though he has twenty in his career. I think you have to

continue to give it to him. I do like the way that Tony Pollard played, but then I think we can go back early in the year year he has some eras and miskews and things that made you queasy about him being on the field, And so right now there's not a lot of trustworthy guys that you really can lean on, and so I would like to think that you just hang your head on Zekiel Elliott fixing it.

But also the quick rhythm passing game. Because they play so much zone, it should be an opportunity for us to see more slants, quickouts, little things the Cede Lamb and Mary Cooper and gallop and maybe those guys can break tackles in space. There's a way to attack this Washington football team. You just have to be smart in

the way that you go about doing it. And so a mix of the run and the ball control passing game should give you opportunities to move the chains and move the ball consistently into scoring range where you can't score some touchdowns and field goals against this squad. On that note, Buckie, the Rams of all the teams that the Washington football team have played at their at the best day, passing the ball against this Washington football team defense,

they gained three hundred yards of the air. How were they able to be successful? What were some of the things that they did, and maybe the Cowboys have the capabilities to do that could lead to some of the same success. We're one of the Rams married their run game with their pass game, the same things that gave us issues early the first game of the year, where they were running fly sweep action, complimentary play action passes

down the field. That's where they were able to hit the Washington football team with The Cowboys don't operate with that kind of dynamic scheming when it comes to their running game. But you can put the Washington football team in the bond if you're able to create some form

of concern about the running game. And so however you get to that running game, whether it's throw early, run later, throw on first down, get back to running on second and third down, you have to make them make a decision that we have to drop LANDA Collins in the box. We have to create some one on one situation, some single high safety looks, and you have to attack them when you get that. You have to use Zeke as the threat to make them change the way that they

played their coverage. And then when you get them in those situations, you have to cash in on those opportunities when you have one on one on the outside with Michael galloping al Maria Cooper. Because as much as I made like how Kim the Fuller is playing, Ronald Darby and Favorite Moreau are just guys and they've been able

to protect him by playing this soft zone. If you can give them in a situation where they're having to play more man to man, are having to play more one on one situations, that's when the scales tip to the Cowboys when their offense is in control. You talked about the pass rush, and then we all know the struggles that the Cowboys offensive lines are dealing with currently.

Last week, I feel that there were instances where I'd be watching the offense and seeing Andy Dowton and I'm just like comeing in the get out, go run, get out of there, go for it, And it didn't happen. And I know that the running and his mobility, it's not necessarily his strength at quarterback. But is this a game where maybe the Cowboys give him a little more wiggle room and liberty for him to kind of just kind of move around a little more and just and

not be so static. I mean, like, ideally you would think that the veteran would get the ball out of his hands he held onto it. Now, some of that is rushed because he hadn't played, and as you guys know, when you're the starting quarterback, you take up all the reps where Andy Dalton hadn't gotten those reps, and so he is still adjusted. I would expect him to be a much better player the second start as opposed to his first start, because now he's more comfortable as the starter.

I think this is also a game where Mike McCarthy has to have a conversation with Kellen Moore to feature the quick game. Make Andy Dalton get the ball out of his hands by calling routes dead are quick, try to avoid being tempted or I'm gonna take shots. I'm gonna go attack this coverage. We're gonna set him up. Just let the playmakers work and so Andy, get the ball to Mary Cooper and Ceedee Lamb and Michael Gallant

and let those guys do the work for you. Five yard passes via air yards and let those guys break tackles. When you look at a Marey Cooper and Ceedee Lamb, they can go to work when they have the ball in the hands, let them do it. Get it to him on the perimeter, and let them do all the heavy lifting instead of trying to call these deep and intricate pass routes where one year old line can't protect and to Andy darn is going to be tempted to hold onto it waiting for a receiver to uncover. I mean,

I doubt that, this is my opinion. I doubt Ezekiel Elliott fumbles this week. However, do you feel like when a guy's trying not to fumble, he's still gonna be Ezekiel Elliott. I mean, he's just gonna be like two hands on the ball. Wait, looking at me like that, I'm just listening. Okay, he's not gonna find it's not the ball. But is he gonna run? I mean, he's gonna get more than five yards doing it. Because everybody's talking about the fumbles. He's going back to the lab

to look at fumbles. I mean, all I'm saying is is that he's not going to be a guy that's gonna sit there and say eat because he's worried about the football all the time. So I mean not Nick. Now, Nick, you bring up a good point, because certainly it's going to be in his head and it's also going to be in the minds of every Washington football team defender. Because he has put the ball on the ground, and he's put it on the ground consistently the first part

of the season. Every defender is going to Pope, Pride pool swipe at the ball when he's running it. Now, the thing that Zeke has to be able to do is he still has to remain an aggressive runner while being mindful of the ball. And so what you try to do is you try not to over coach him when it comes to the fumbling walls. You tell him to be mindful when you're in traffic, put two hands on it, covered up. Understand, when you're going for extra yards, you do put the ball in jeopardy. But you still

have to let Zeke be Zeke. And so it's that fine line where you emphasize it and you touch on it, but you don't want to overtalk it because you don't want him to be a tenantive player. He has been a dominant play, a top five runner because he has played a certain style. You have to continue to encourage him to play the style while Steel being mofuled of

just taking care of football. I don't think anybody who listens to this show really needs to hear a lot about the actual pass rushers on this team, Like Washington's given Dallas fits for years, and that was before they even had Sweat or Chase Young. But I'm curious. Landon Collins strikes me as a very similar type of safety to Buddha Baker. And we saw what Buddha Baker was able to do the other night, due does Washington? You know, are they gonna ask him to do that type of stuff?

Are we gonna have to worry about him lifting or do they trust those you know that front four to do it all themselves. Well, when you put put it on tape and you see Buddha Baker go crazy, certainly Jack del Rio will have to add it to the play sheet. He'll have to at least test him to see. I was worried if you're gonna say that fixed it,

if they fixed that issue. But I mean, when you see the Cardinals have so much success being able to dial up pressures from all angles and the confusion with an inexperienced offensive line, yeah, you may get some of that. That's not their normal emo. They typically don't like to dial up pressure because when you dialoup pressure, it exposes

them in the back end. But I do believe now that they've seen a team have success, it will maybe lead to a couple more blitzers and pressures that you may see from the Washington football team, even though it's not their normal way of going about doing their business defensively. Yeah, even though that's not what they do. I think for the next several weeks, we could probably expect the Cowboys are going to get a lot of that because this offensive line and what they put on tape there against

the Cardinals. Final question for you, Bucky, we get to the moment of truth. Who wins this game and why? I mean, I think this is a game for Dallas to win. I don't think the Washington football team has enough offensive firepower to score unless the Cowboys give it away. And so if the Cowboys just can win the turnover battle, and I don't even really worry what that looks like plus one or whatever, as long as they win the turnover battle, they should be in a position to win.

I think the key to the game really rest on Zekiel Elliott and how he approaches it. Is he tentative and timid like Nick has been alluding to, or does he just play? Because if he plays like Zekiel Elliott, he can have success. We have seen him have success against his team before. He just has to tote it and they have to be confident enough to tote it because we know that the recipe for disasters andy Dalton

throwing the ball fifty times. Zeke has no choice but to be good because they have to give him enough opportunities to be good, and I think he will and I think the Cowboys should be able to win this game. But it's gonna be a touchdown a less. I think it'd be very similar to the New York Giants game Real Quick Bucky as a follow up to that. Do you think Zeke is good enough to be able to

have success even with this offensive line? Yeah? I mean it's tough, like normally depended upon your offense some line as a runner, but I think he certainly is good enough. I think the thing it comes to a commitment not only from Zeke, but from the play caller and everyone involved. Has Mike McCarthy stood in front of the room and said, our path to success is running the football with Zeke Elliott. When they have that declaration, that's when you'll see things

start to change. And I just don't know if they've gotten to that point because it's not only Zekiel Ellett in the offensive line. Does Kellen Moore know that that is the best course for them to be able to win? Does he have a clear understanding of how to do it? And I think as the losses mount, Mike McCarthy at some point has to put a bigger imprint on this

offense and the way the team is managed. And I think we're nearing that point at two and four he has to kind of step up with all the criticism and the whispers. He has to kind of turn this around, and I'm hoping that he'll do that. All Right, we appreciate you, Bucky ell as good stuff as usual. We'll catch up with you next week when we talk a little bit more about Cowboy's next opponent. Let's take our

first break. When we come back, we're gonna talk a little more about this Dallas offense and the matchup with the Washington football team. Defense. Will do that when we come right back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. We're back in a tasty treat that's sweeping airwaves and taste buds. It's new Doctor Pepper and Cream Soda. Let's take a listen, Doctor Baban cream Soda. Is he a new Combonut's music to My Ears? Okay, Doctor Times Music

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wait to take you to yours American Airlines. You are why we fly back to the break. Hey, PBR fans, stuck in your seats now for the Do you even know what PBR stands for? Professional bull Riders Association. I don't know where they age. Oh I was thinking about That's not my I'm thinking of it. You're thinking of beer. Let me finish this. Let's start over. PBR fans, locking your seats now for the twenty twenty PBR unleashed the Beast World Finals and don't miss a second of the action.

PBR lands in the heart of Texas at at and T Stadium November twelveth through the fifteenth. Get your tickets now at PBR dot com or SeatGeek dot com. Yo. Let's do it all right? Hold on, Can I say something real quick? This has been bothered me for a while, definitely this week? All right? Okay, Dave Amber helped me on this because I don't really know. Is it Washington Football Team? As is that their title? Dallas? That is their name? They are the Washington team? Are they the

Washington Football team? Just like it's Dallas? Are they Washington Football Team? Well, it depends on where you look at it. Like if you look at it on thost sites where they you know where they they they have your name, they have your city, and then they have your moniker. Then they actually listed as Washington is their city and football team. They're annoying. We don't sit there and say, the Atlanta Falcons do this, the Philadelphia Eagles are this?

The Washington football team just called Washington like the Washington Dallason. That's honestly, that's what I do. Like I've said annoying ever since they made the change, I just typically call it Washington. I'm just glad it's something different than it was. It just seems like it's so cute and fun that everyone just loves to say Washington football team, washing football team business and then watching football teams, and even Bucky said at fourteen times, well you know why I do that? Now?

You know why I do that is because I've said the other name for so many years that mentally I have to do that to keep myself from saying the other name. So like literally really, as I was driving to work Monday of this week, I was thinking to myself and I said, probably fifty times, watch the football team. Watch the football team. Watch the football team, just because I had to get it into my head because I've

been saying the other name for solo. Yeah, so yeah, I said, Well, on the radio the other day, I said the red teams over under, and I think I'm at two this week. So let's see what happens in the game. Yeah, all right, so let's jump in. Let's talk a little bit more about this Cowboys offense versus the Washington football team's defense. One question I have for you guys about the offense. Can Dallas win playing more ball control and scoring twenty points per game if they

get rid of turnovers? I know Bucky was talking about that. He was saying, you know, you want to have the quick passing game and combine with your running game. That may be your way to success. And I think if you do that, you're probably gonna not You're not gonna be scoring. I don't think as quick and as many points as we've seen throughout this year. But the question is do they have a defense that's good enough to do that if they don't turn it over? Nicko, let's

go to you first. I think the defense. Obviously, the defense is not as bad as as the points they're giving up just because of the turnovers. Now, there is something to be said of you know, you don't have to give up a touchdown just because your offense fumbled. It doesn't mean you have to go right out there and just have a our fault. Might as well just give up a touchdown. I mean, you mean, show some

pride on that part. But I do think, yeah, the turnovers would would certainly help, because not only are you not turning it over, but like in Zeke's first fumble, you're at the forty yard line of the Cardinals. You're gonna drive and drive, probably get a field goal, maybe a touchdown, so you know you're it's it could be a fourteen point swing if it's seven points out of

your hand, seven points to them. So yeah, I think I don't know about twenty but but I think that, you know, it could be that if this offense was not turning it over, probably twenty four twenty eight would would probably win amber I think. So, I mean that's a huge part of it. The defense obviously needs to do their part as well. Well. I mean, aside from that first game of the week. Aside from that game, they've given up thirty plus point every week, so that's huge.

But again, turnovers don't help. But I absolutely think that against Washington, if the offense, the Cowboys offense, is able to knock out all their their turnovers, they can definitely win that way. Dave number one, I mean against against an offense this lifeless. Yes, they can do it. The defense can do it against this offense. I mean, you know, the Giants scored thirty four. It's really probably more like seventeen or twenty if if not for turnovers and mistakes

by the offense. So it is possible. I don't know if we lost Dave there and making his great point, but let's do this, let's do this, let's I want to I want to throw out something real quick about what that point. You were just making compassionate about it too, sepoldn't um we have two spots done here. Um No. I was saying that, you know they the Cowboys are averaging seventy point nine yards on every scoring drive, every scoring drive they've had that the average is seventy yards

per drive. That's doing it the hard way. Yeah, and that and that even counts like if you get if you get a field goal. I mean, you're only get in twenty thirty yards, you know, so it's just the yards that you're driving, do you happen to know? And the other opponent, the Cowboys opponents are fifty four point one, so I mean they they're having I mean you see some of these yards for the for the other teams, you know, thirty yard drives, the seventeen yard drive, thirty one,

thirty eight. Cowboys hardly have. They only have two this year. They're less than fifty and both of them were field goals, so they're not they're not getting any turnovers obviously, any big plays on the punt return or anything for short fields. And it's like you're right doing it the hard way. And and the interesting part about that is you can expect to maybe do that to some level of success, maybe not winning, but some level of offensive success if

you've got all your pieces in place. And I'm talking particularly about the quarterback. Without that, as we saw last week, that is a that is a tough ask with this offensive line and Andy having to play a little different, Like that's not Andy's game to be able to deal with a bad offensive line and make people miss. That's not his game. So when you're asking putting him in that situation, now you're saying, Okay, every drive you're gonna score,

you're gonna have to go seventy yards. The likelihood of you doing that regularly is is probably not that great. Dave you back? Am? I am? I back? Yes, you're back. I'm sorry, y'all. I don't I don't know why this only ever happens to me. It's it's you. It sucks because I was nice and riled up, like I was, really, where'd you lose me? Like? What was the last thing I said? Tell you what you were going to say? That? Do you trust the offense to actually quit turning over

the ball? Okay? Exactly? Okay, so yes they can. They can hold Washington to twenty points if they don't turn over the ball. But why do we think that they won't? Why do we think that they won't do it? Like, it's not an aberration, it's not a rough patch, it's what they've done all year. I will bet any of y'all an ice cold Miller light. I mentioned PBR, so I want to throw out one of our sponsors instead, I will buy you a Miller lighte if Andy Dalton does not get strip sacked on Sunday. It is going

to happen. One of these guys is going to rip through this line and hit the crap out of him, and the ball's gonna be on the ground. They're going to turn the ball over. I refuse to believe that they won't until they prove me otherwise. And that's what that's what troubles me is. Yeah, this Washington offense is putrid, like the Dallas defense might actually have a chance against them, but they're gonna get some help. I promise you they are.

You know, one thing, do you trust the I was gonna ask, do you trust the cop of the Washington offense and our defense to actually be able to Well, do you trust the Washington offense to capitalize on those turnovers? I mean he goes back to the defense. I mean, do you trust the defense enough to actually stop them from scoring touchdown suddenly? Well, I mean that's that's hard to predict, right because I mean, you know, maybe maybe they turn it over on the Washington thirty, or maybe

they turn over at midfield. But what I mean, you know, Dad, there's been a strip sack that sets Seattle up on the three yard line. I mean, any offense can score if they're inside the five, start to drive or you know, or the defense say that Washington is going to get seven to ten points off of turnovers. Just based on

everything we've seen so far this season. You know, I think that one thing the Cowboys have got to do in this game, and really in a lot of games, is they have to throw the ball down the field way more. I mean, like even the safeties aren't playing that far back and you can spread them all over the field. Find your mismatch. Fine, is it Cooper is a gallop? Is it CD? Whatever it is. But they need to take shots down the field because I said

this for years. You do that early in the game, it's gonna let everybody know what you're trying to do. It lets them know if it pushes them back, and you can kind of offset. You know, you're getting the shotgun three steps block it, Max protect throw the ball down field. You have playmakers that can go make plays. They can run by people and guess what they throw flags in this league for past interference, which in this offense you could take it forty yards. You know, Lord

knows that the Cowboys defense gets called for it. So I'm just saying they need to do that. Back off the pressure a little bit. But let me ask you this, does that work in an instance where you're playing a team like the Washington football team that does not necessarily blitz. So that means if they're playing they got seven let's say they got seven guys back, they're only rushing four.

They got seven guys back. Even if you max protect, it doesn't mean you're gonna get it guy open because you got three guys in a route and you got seven guys defending. Like, how do you how do you manage that against a team that doesn't blitz as much? Well? And stop? I mean, you know, do it. I mean you don't have to. I mean, you don't have to run deep if they're gonna play that far over the top. But I mean you can find within that group, you

can find a favorable deep ball. They're not just playing, you know, prevent blanket coverage back there. I mean, and if not, then then you're tied end. Better get to work this week. If that's the case. If they're gonna do that and take away your deep ball and only rush for then you're tied end. Better work it this week. With Dalton Schultz. And you know, that's something I think Andy Dalton would like to do is throw it kind of down. But we've seen he's got a nice deep ball.

These receivers got to go make a play on the ball, and I think they can and I think that would kind of offset a few things there. Well. I mean, I think one of the things they got to consider is I think you're right with the tight end, but also think they're gonna have to you should we should

expect to see them flood particular zone. So if you got seven guys playing, one way to beat that is go to one part of the field and put a lot of receivers in that area that with route combinations that get a guy open and then get the ball to him as quickly as you can. So there are ways to do it. I don't know if the deep ball is going to be the answer this week. I do think though there are ways to be able to beat a defense like this. Now is all still as

predicated on can you stop those four? Because those four are gonna be coming and they're better than your five. So he even went just five verses four, you're not gonna win those matchups. A lot of times this weekend, so we'll see how that all plays out. Let's go ahead and take our final break when we come back. I didn't have another question about the offensive line, and we also need to catch up on an injury update on Alden Smith. Will come right back. This is Dallas

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use the code word team JB. That's get Jack Black dot com slash Cowboys The Jack Black Starter ten bucks, free shipping. We're back in the tasty treat that's sweeping airwaves and taste buds. It's new Doctor Pepper and Cream Soda. Let's take a listen, Doctor and Cream Soda. Is he a new combonet's music to my ears? Okay, doctor music to my ears and mouth New Doctor Pepper and Cream sodas bay back to the break. You can tour at

and T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys. You can run on the field, see the locker rooms, and so much more at and T Stadium Tours presented by sep Geek. They're available daily. Visit at and T stadium dot com for details. Derek, don't piss off the producer. Okay, do whatever you want, but don't piss off the producer. Hey man, we gotta find our fun in this thing. The Cowboys are two and four. We find some fun in here and some reasons to laugh because right now

the team isn't given us much of though. But what's the defense? Fourteen men on the field? Sometimes, I'm sorry that ain't funny. All right, let's jump back in. UM, I want to talk a little bit more about the offensive line if at this point, I think we all probably expect that there's a very good likelihood that both Knight and Martin will miss this game. So what is

the best line combination in your opinions? I don't want to know necessarily what you think the team will do, because I think we all agree they're gonna try to minimize movement as much as possible. So cam Urban probably is your option to just pop right in there where Brandon Knight is and then keep everything else as it was last week. But what do you think is the best offensive line combination? Let's start first with Dave while

we have you, Dave woh No, it's totally justified. Um, I mean honestly, I don't know at this point, like where we are, like who who? Who? Am I to even argue that there's a better possibility out there? I mean, Okay, cam irvings Is, I assume gonna start left tackles. He's experienced, he's done it before. Ye, maybe you try Jordan Mills at right tackle. But like when they signed Jordan Mills, I heard a lot of people from Chicago and Buffalo, likesh,

watch out, Dallas, don't start that guy. So it's not you know, it's not like anybody left is like this just badass? You know. Um, maybe you know Greg Sinnott was good enough that they wanted to poach him off Cleveland's practice squad, like they took him from another team, So maybe he's worth a look. But I mean we're talking about the bottom of the barrel here. No offense

to all of these guys. I mean, they're NFL players, but you're talking about with all due respect, No, and with all due respect, but like you're you're talking about like your fourth you're talking about like your fourth option at left tackle, your third option at right tackle, your fourth option at right guard, your second option at center.

Like what are they supposed to do? I guess maybe I would try to not at right tackle, but we know that they really like Terrence Steele, so I don't think they will, So I would probably just plug Irving in on the left side and see what happened, all right, Amber, I mean, what else is there to add to that? Not much. I agree with everything that Dave said, and at this point I'm just like, okay, let's just try to keep some kind of consistency in the old line.

So okay, yes, you're gonna keep Steel. He hasn't been playing great, but that's what you got and you don't got many options. So now, Cameron Irving, that's another guy that you've had in the line in previous time. So maybe that's a guy that's just easier to maybe just plugging there as well. Obviously not obviously he might surprise us, you never know, But I so now in this year, you know, we haven't gotten a chance to really see him, and the Cowboys clearly preferred of other guys over him

prior to the injury that happened with him. So it's a tough one. You just don't have many options. And right now, I guess it's based on whatever they are seeing at practice, which are things that we don't get to see. So hopefully they make a good choice and just figure it out, figure out one way or another, trying to poor Andy, Poor Andy, Poor Andy, because it's gonna be a tough game. Amber didn't sound very convinced. Nigga, I don't think. I mean, they don't know. I don't know.

I mean, yeah, they want to play Terrence Steele, and I feel like they're they're trying that's kind of a future thing, like, you know, let's just see how this guy. Let's just keep throwing him out there and see if he can get better. I mean, where if he gets all these reps this year, will he be a better player here next season? So I mean I think that you know that that's kind of that they're gonna keep

playing him, and there's really no reason not to. Jordan Mills isn't coming off the practice squad yet they haven't done it. I mean Gregg's and not. You know, we keep hearing he's a basketball type player, a good athlete, but I mean, I don't know if he's ready. He's on Cleveland's practice squad. So I mean, I think that they said it best cam irving left side and just keep keep rolling with Steel, but that right side of

just be oddish, McGovern and Steele. It's like, you know, if you were just to say, hey, when they go play Washington, this is the three that they're going to have on the right side, not not Looney Zach Martin, Lyle Collins, but but these three. So here's which just I think about this every time they play Washington. I

talked to Lyle one time. You know, you remember a couple of years ago, like his first year at right tackle, he had a murderers row, Like he had to play Von Miller, He had to play Khalil mac that year. Like week after week he was having to play these badass left ends. And I was like, Who's who's the best one, Who's the hardest guy to play? He was like, if you want me to be honest, those guys are all good. But Karan Karagan is the hardest guy to

play like. He's relentless every snap. He never gives you anything but his best. I hate playing him, and that was coming from Lyle Collins. So Karrogan doesn't even start for this team anymore. By the way, I like good good luck, which I did. I wanted to throw I wanted to throw one more thing out there. You know, we talked about Connor Williams as a tackle and if things improve a little bit, like if when you get

Zack Martin back, maybe you can have that conversation. You know, maybe you can play mc govern at left guard and Zach at right guard. But like, you can't move Connor Williams now like you don't have a guard to play. If you move him, like you could, you could swap Cam Irving in at guard. I think he's done a little bit of that. But now you're asking two guys to play positions they're not used to on short notice against a great pass rush, like you can't. You can't

do that right now. Maybe when Zach is healthy again, maybe it's something you talk about, but that's not possible right now. So looking at everything that's happened with the offensive line, the injuries you've had, the guys you've had to play, how they've performed. Has it gotten bad enough yet to where if you were the GM, you would be looking out there and looking at the possibility of giving up draft capital to trade for an offensive lineman,

particularly a tackle. Now. I know, obviously both those two tackles you expect are going to be back next year, but they're both I think definitely with Tyrone, his age and the types of injuries he's had, makes you think it's still not a bad idea to have a great,

a really good swing tackle on this team. Would you be willing to go up draft capital to go out and trade for a replacement tackle to come in right now and give you some help, Nicholas, let me find out this week and let me get to well, when's the buy? I mean, when's the trade deadline? As I guess it is coming up week eight? I think, is that right? Well, it's it's it's next week, I believe. Yeah, Okay, you know I mean, and I say this because it

comes to a point in any two weeks. I'm sorry too, Sorry, Yeah, any season, it doesn't matter if it's NFL, I mean, you know, NBA. I mean baseball, you try to figure out where you are, and I think Stephen Jones even said that, like where you are is for are you playing for the future or are you trying to win? And I think with this division, you're always gonna try to win because you're you're never really gonna be out of it. I mean, nobody's out of it. So I

just I think that's a good question. And don't forget about the compensatory picks the Cowboys will probably get for about four or so. I mean, so they're gonna have a lot of picks this year. Um, yeah, you could, you could possibly do that. I just feel like you got to figure out though, is is it worth doing though? Is it worth trying to get into the playoffs it's eight and eight or is it you want to just say just play it out and see. I mean, I'm

gonna wait, this will be a good, good test. You got one more game against a really really good defensive line, so you'll find out if you have any hope. And then if you if you win the game, it's like maybe, you know, maybe we do want to get a little bit better here and try to win this thing. But I mean, I don't know that that's a tough question. That's a good question. It is a tough question. One. On one hand, I'm like, Okay, do I trust that my defense is going to be able to turn things

around and do something more for my team? In that case, do I trust that we actually have a good run to make it? Because the thing it's like, yes, it sounds great, Oh you're still ahead in the division, blah blah blah, but what happens in the playoffs? I mean, yeah, you might win the division, but what happens once you start facing those other teams are playing better? I mean, you're not automatically just gonna get better all of a sudden,

unless you know there's some progression throughout the weeks. But let's say that that's the case, and I'm thinking, okay, yes, I want to win this year at least get to the playoffs, then my answer would be absolutely yes. I would be looking into trading and bringing someone in, mainly because it doesn't matter the fine. Yeah, I mean it

matters a lot. The fact that these guys level wise are a lot lower than your starters that you initially had, and to me, that creates more possibilities for other injuries. You don't know what can happen to a Leidalt and you don't know, and God forbid something happened to Zeque as well, But you don't know what the lack of good protection it's going to lead to as far as creating possibilities of injuries of other guys that you absolutely

need healthy this year. So yes, I would be looking to make some kind of trade, all right, Dave, start off with my general philosophy. I mean, just with the way this roster is constructed right now. If I'm trading for somebody, it's got to be a young guy who's in the you know, second second year of his deal at the world Like, I can't do Amari Cooper again, Amari Cooper. It worked, It was a great trade, It worked out for everybody. Oakland got a good pick and

they have a great receiver. But they had to turn around and pay them twenty games later. I can't do that right now. With how bloated this this contract situation is. There's so many big contracts on this team and not enough of them are pulling their weight. I can't. I can't add that into the mix. Like, if I'm making a trade, it's got to be for a guy that I don't have to worry about paying for a little while.

On top of that, yeah, I mean you are right to be concerned about the long term future of Tying and Lyall, but they're still here and they're still counting towards the salary cap, and I've I've got to try my best to get them right for at least the next few years. So if you want to make it, if you want to trade a Day three pick for a serviceable tackle who can just help you get through the season, I would do that because you need a third tackle anyway, like they need to get a guy

next year no matter what. But it can't be like your first round pick. I mean, even with the concerns about Tying and Lyle, you can't spend your first round pick on a position where you already have to twelve million dollar guys. I just don't think that's smart roster building. So if you can get a guy for a Day three pick, knowing that you've got compics coming, I would

do it just to keep the season afloat. But like a major trade is something that you do to get over the top or save your season, and without trying to sign like a pessimist, I just don't know that that's realistic for this team right now, so I wouldn't want to commit too much. You know. The one thing I will point out is actually, I personally think that they have to address offensive line in next year's draft.

I think it's actually just as important as addressing this defense in next year's draft, because you look at the players that they have on this offensive line, and it's an offensive line that's really banged up, and I think you have to account for the fact that you're not going to have Tyren Smith for every game of the season next year. I think for the rest of his career,

you probably have to account for that. Now, if he happens to do it, great, that's great because I think when he's playing, he's still wanted the best out there. But I think you have to account for the fact that you might not have him for full sixteen games. So I think you gotta address the offensive line, and probably a player that can move around a little bit there can maybe help you out of guard, can pop

out the tackle if you get an injury there. But I think you have to And so my point is, if you're gonna have to address it in the draft anyway. Then I'm looking around at teams, and I agree with you, Dave. I'm not looking at those top notch guys that I'd have to give up a first or second round pick four. I'm looking for those guys that maybe I give up a fifth round pick four. And it's a guy that comes in and he is a very solid tackle. He is a and I know fans are gonna roll their

eyes right now. He is a Doug Free. He is a guy that has some wartz, but a guy that is serviceable, that is better than what I have right now, that I think can be a future swing tackle as well on this team. Honestly, I disagree completely. I think if you're gonna trade, I would trade a guy that's in the last year of his deal that the team knows that they're not going to resign. They're still pretty good.

They might get something. I mean, I don't have a name, and I don't want to throw a name out there for tampering, but I'm just saying, oh, I thought you' on the couch. No, on another team, he's a second round pick, a former first round pick maybe, and they're not going to sign him. He hasn't been that great, but he can. You know, let's just get instead of lose him in free agency, you give him something. Because think about it. Would the Cowboys right now for a

fifth round pick? Would they trade Terrence Steele for a fifth round pick? Um? Yeah, they would want to. Yes, they may not have enough bodies. They would want to. They might not be able to. Yeah, they have enough bodies for it. I mean even if the guys got back, even if you even if let's say Tyman wasn't now, you think they would trade for a fifth round pick, maybe a sixth. I mean, I don't think it's a

no brainer. I mean, teams don't what I'm trying to say, his teams don't want to get rid of young lineman. There's not many out there, so there's not going to be a lot of young lineman you can just go and get. I don't know if the Cowboys would just be willing to just trade maybe a fifth round pick, but I mean they wouldn't trade him for a seventh round pick or sixth round pick. Probably. I mean they

feel like they got a good young team. Saying Larry Allen got thrown around by Reggie White and he was the best to ever play. I'm just I'm not saying he's gonna be Larry Allen. I'm just saying he let these guys keep going, keep going. He's a big, strong guy. He looks the part. You know, he just gotta. I'm you're a believer. You're a believer in his upside. I think you have to. I mean you, No, you don't

have to. I mean I'll put it like this, Yeah, I haven't seen enough that makes me believe in his upside. The coaches obviously have seen more, and they do believe in it. I'm asking you, do you believe in his upside. I don't think he's gonna be right now. I can't say he's gonna be a great player, but I know this. You play football to get better. I mean, you get better by playing football, and teams most teams don't have the luxury of throwing out a rookie you like that

to play. He's having to play. I think he's gonna benefit from it. My point all along is that's our that's our guy that we're talking about. A lot of teams wouldn't want to part ways with a young tackle. That's all I'm saying I got you all right. We appreciate you guys. You going back to borrow. We're gonna tell you what we think is gonna happen on Sunday. Cowboys will take on the Washington football team at noon

and we'll get you guys ready for that. Till then, For Nick Eatman, Helm and Amber Garcia, I'm Derek Eilton. 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.