Cowboys Break: Managing Expectations

show coming our way. So how are you guys feeling? What an intro? Just get right to the point. None of that fluff and the weird numbers and stuff. I'll like, Derek, catch up on the numbers. I love it. That's all right. Eighty three Terrence Williams sweet feet. I needed to get to eighty three though today. Eighty three Well, probably my best friend that has ever played for the team. Like, like, of all the guys that I've covered, I'm not really

friends with anyone except for one guy. Maybe a couple, but um, James Whitlan, that's my guy. Okay, he's worn. He's worn like six different numbers in his career, he would kind of bounced around a little bit, but he wore eighty three, and I was like, I'm kind of I'm kind of running out of numbers here. I think he wore eighty one, eighty two, thirty five, forty six, but he wore eighty three. I actually talked to him yesterday a little bit, so James Whitlan, that's my guy.

Eighty three. A lot of good ones though, Doug Donnelly, you ever heard of him? No, No, I hate this because like it just exposes me as a young person. Terry Glenn, I was gonna say, feel if it exposes year, I was gonna say, r r ip Terry Glenn. And I didn't know he wore eighty three. He was a good player. He was a really good player. I mean he Bill Parcels brought him in and had a you know, had a plan for him, and he was he was a good player for for the Cowboys for a while.

There's a few like you know how when you're a kid, like you watch football, but you're it's week like you're not fully cognizant of what's happening. So maybe there's just a few names that keep coming back to you and Terry Glenn was one of those for me, just like I just remember they would always call this. This was more during his patriot years than his cowboy years. Another one, she what's that she? When she Bill Parcels called him. She Oh, no, I don't remember that. Yeah at yeah,

I'm young, he said. He said, yeah, well, I think she's gonna be okay. And so Amani tumor was another one of those for me where I just like, you know, I just felt like he was always making plays for the giants when I was a kid. M in the break, I'm gonna tell you know, you always get on to me about stories that I've told you know, and Dave's like, heard this one, heard this one. I'm not as bad as Brian. You've heard me say that before. I know

about me, no about me. But I'm saying, I don't think have you heard the Armani Amni tumors story with Bill parcel I don't remember that. I'm I do. It's annoying because I'll be like, I don't think I've heard that one, and then you get like five words into the story and I'm like, oh, yeah, no I have, but I'll tell you the break anyways, we's sorry three all right, people see people seem to respond to Dayne mcgarrity,

good one. All right, Well, I have tons of different questions for today's shows that pants just sent in for today, But before we got to those, wanted to talk about the games that are happening tonight. We got Washington against the Eagles and then the Seahawks against the rams. Um what different outcomes here could affect in what way could

affect the Cowboys? Well, the big ones obviously the division game, which theoretically, theoretically the Cowboys could clinch the NFC East tonight if Washington and Philly played to a tie, which I get fifty dollars, I was gonna say it might actually happen now because my smart ass Nick was like, hey, do you think who's gonna write the stories. It's like maybe you could get something together in case they somehow win the division, and I was just like, that's not happening.

I'm not spending twenty minutes of my day writing that for a tie. So now it probably will happen. So we'll see. Well, if it gets into overtime, get your computer out, that's fair. If it's gonna take it takes what ten, you know, ten minutes, and it'll take probably thirty. Yeah. No, that's if if it's even if it's tied like late in the fourth, I'll get to work. How about that? Okay? Um, that's that's the only way. There's been some other talk that maybe the Cowboys would get in if Philly won,

but I don't think so. I think I think they needed a few things to happen over the weekend and it did not happen. They That's nobody agrees on this stuff. Like I had a lot of people tell me the whole segment we did about those games, a lot of people were like, this was wrong. Dave ESPN said this, and blah blah blah. I'm like, Derek got that information straight from the league. League. So I don't think there's any other way they can clench ten night other than

a tie. Obviously, they're one win away from clinching no matter what happens, right, so they just keep winning. It's almost kind of a move. The winner of this game will be three games behind the Cowboys with three to play, and still play the Cowboys. Yeah, so it doesn't matter if you know which which one which one wins. Dallas's magic number is one because nobody else in the NFC East can get to eleven wins. Let's let's discuss this though.

What do you think the Cowboys have a better chance of beating Washington if they win the game and they're still kind of in it, or if they lose and they're kind of out, Because I think Washington's the type of team that might even be more dangerous if they're just playing. They're just kind of out there playing, because that's what they were when they were two and six, you think, you don't think they handled the pressure well, and then when they get to six and six, then

they got Comma, we've seen it happen. I don't I remember if it was with Washington, but some other team. I remember that they were out and then you go to the game and they're actually playing a lot better than they wear and like competing. Yeah, you know, so it's not always like they still go out there and compete. I think it for me, I mean, and I get it,

nobody cares. The Cowboys had to do this as well, but like Washington's I can't even keep track of who's available for them, Like, so they moved the game because the number of guys that were out and now in the time since they decided to move it, like Brandon Schurf, all pro guard, one of their best players, like he tests positive for COVID, so he can't play on Tuesday now, would have been able to play Sunday. It's just it's

a mess. So like, honestly, my whole theory for this game is like, talk to me Friday, when I've had a few days to digest who's even available for Washington. It's like, I don't know, do we know who's playing quarterback for them tonight? It might be Garrett Gilbert, right, it could be I think that they're they're still testing, and again we don't. There's people that are listening that are probably no, and then they'll be listening later on

when they get announced. But I mean, as it stand right now, heineke, No, Well, okay, this was an hour ago. This is Tuesday, more afternoon for anybody listening to this later. But so get signs point toward Garrett Gilbert's starting for them against Philly. So and COVID protocols, like we've seen guys come back quickly. Cedric Wilson did it for Dallas last week, but it's typically been like eight to ten days for people, So we don't know right now if

Heineke or um, who's the other guy? Um, yeah, Kyle Allen, which will be available Sunday. Either. You know Garrett Gilbert, I mean obviously was we've seen him at training camp. The one thing that I liked about him, I mean, we all saw what he did against Pittsburgh was that. I mean, he was only here for like a couple of weeks and he played. He played well. He was ready. He's one of those those journeyman quarterbacks are going to

stay ready. He's got a good deep Ballum, you have to get after him, though, I mean you kind of you if you get after him. He's not he's not that nimble, but I mean he did. I think he did run the ball pretty well in that game. If I remember so, he it was one of those things where you're like, okay, I didn't know you had that in yet. Expectations were like Danucci level, you know, he was down there. My expectations for that game. I was just like, is Dallas gonna score points? Are they gonna

put together a competent drive? And he played really well. Be a war intent they should I'm I'm not gonna go that far, but they had a chance to win. Well, he did enough. He did a pick in the end zone. I mean that would have put him up ten and then oh fifty four or got a got a couple of penalties that that cost them the game, or nine or forty five or whatever. He ran, Yeah, he ran for twenty eight yards in that game. We'll talk about the victory formation. Oh god again, what's going on there?

The things that you miss at when you're at the game, because like, you made it out onto the field, you have that access. This six foot five guy with a Jersey accent like bowed me off that. He was like, you can't be out here. So like I'm in the tunnel trying to watch on the on the JumboTron. I

did not see that. Jalen Smith did the landry shift with the offensive line for the final snap of that game, fifty four fifty four and I'm might wait a minute completely okay, So in case people are kind of confused, you've seen at the end of the game when the Cowboys win, they do the landry shift just when they're kneeling the ball down. They'll do it once or twice, however many times they have to kneel it. Well. I think it was the last time they did it with

about thirty seconds to go. The offensive line the two running backs did it, but on the other side, Jalen Smith number forty five, not only does the shift as well, but then kind of fist pumps and he looked pretty pumped. He was like like rocking out, like yes, and that's just like the Giants are like, welcome, welcome to Jalen Smith. I mean, that's what that is. And and then after

the game, it was really cool. A lot of the players, I mean they they love him, and yeah, I thought the best part was I got to see that one of the team doctors, doctor Cooper, who did the surgery with Jalen before he was even a Cowboys. So that's what kind of tipped off the Cowboys that you know, he's gonna be able to come back from this whatever. And they they kind of shared a moment there on the field. It was really cool. He was like, I

appreciate everything you did for me. I would not be standing here if it wasn't for you, doctor Cooper, you know. Was they kind of had a hug. Everything was great, but there their guy, their cable whoever, they're the guy that runs the Giants. At the end, was like, Jalen, let's go off the field, Let's go who's the last guy? And then he didn't know where the locker room was. It's actually that's a good something that I've thought about before for anybody that was curious. So Cable Johnson is

like the Cowboys head of security. And I only bring that up because if you've ever watched the Cowboys after a game, he's the big bearded guy that is always walking players off the field. So if you've ever wanted to know who that was, because I like when Dak jogs off or he's everywhere, he's everywhere, Like he's always with those guys, keeping an eye on them, making sure they're good. And I mean every team has that guy.

So just saying I think Jalen in one game or not even a week, he's probably annoyed some of their fans and team teammates. I mean, welcome to the Jalen Smith experience. Again, Like he is well liked here. He's a good dude. Don't have anything bad to say about him as a person, and that's totally understandable and fine if he's happy for his teammates, just maybe don't do it in the last couple snaps of a blowout loss to a team that you just joined three days ago,

like you're not gonna win yourself. A lot of fans I was. I was in the but knowing the situation, as we said it when he got cut, like that's what enabled him to come back from an injury that everybody said would end his career, and it's also why he regularly there. It is winds up in the news for I was looking time I was on the elevator headed down to the game, I mean headed to the field at the end and listening to the in the elevator you can hear the Giants broadcast and their announcers.

We're talking about Jalen and they said, what this guy needs is some real coaching because he hasn't really had that before. And I was like, interesting, you know, just when you think about eber Flus and Marinelli and then Dan Quinn, am I okay, yeah, George Edwards, Yeah, I was just like I was just like uncle and he goes because the thing about him is you got to put him in the right spot because there's one thing I know about Jalen Smith. This guy can flat out run.

And I was like sorry, I was like, I'm sorry, I thought you said run Like I mean, okay, You're just like yeah. I mean that's why people keep getting signed, because you look at him and you're like, this guy can play right. It's amazing. And we do it too. I mean, I try my best to keep my tabs on every team in the league, Like I pride myself on having a functioning knowledge of every team, but it pales in comparison to when you're just watching every single

thing that a team does. And I mean, if the Cowboys signed I'm sure we've done that before. Like I'm trying to think of like, oh yeah, just like, oh, this guy was a tough fifty pick last year. Every free agent last year. Yeah. Haklin Dicks is a great example. Yeah, great example. And so they get to Gontarry Po, they get to go through that process. There are tons of players and we've talked about this before, how you always think that your coach is going to be the one

who can coach this guy. And I feel, I mean, we've experienced it we know, we're like, okay, go take and we're done with this person. And then the other coaching from whatever team can be like, well I can I can do it. I can turn things around for him, which I think that dan Quinn did try with him, clearly he did try. And then we'll think about if you're a Detroit or Minnesota in there, like the Cowboys have signed j Ron Curs, good luck, good luck with

that special teams. And then I mean, the Pro Bowl gets announced tomorrow. I don't know if he's gonna make it. At safety, I kind of lean towards no. I leaned toward no just and that's not his fault. That's it's a popularity contest. But that being said, who are the safeties in the NFC? To tell me that guy from the Vikings Adrian Amos, Harrison Smith, U Savior Woods, I don't think so. Now, well, we'll find out tomorrow, find

out tomorrow night, tomorrow. Now, so in the meantime, let's go ahead and take our break because I do have a lot of questions that people sent in that I want to get to. So we'll do that right after this break. At ATNC everyone new and existing customers get our best deals on every smartphone. Why because you deserve it. We're turning your living room into your office and your gym. We're teaching Grandma had a video call and teaching her again.

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time for the third break. All right, welcome back to the break. Okay, here's a question that I just saw. I just saw just now, so I don't I didn't get time to look into it and get much information. But this guy says that after struggling in the first half in twenty fourteen the playoffs where McCarthy played, he McCarthy put a wide receiver in the backfield in the

second half to get mismatches and it worked. Should the Cowboys are the same to allow the receiver free release and more options, that would have been time Montgomery, Right, Yeah, I would assume. So, I mean, we talked about this last week, Like, I love the idea of getting Ceedee Lamb involved in the run game, just to mix it up and help the fact that your guys aren't healthy.

But I know, I don't want ceedee lamb like carrying the ball out of the backfield on a regular basis, opening him up to get hit somewhere between ten and twenty times a game. He's also tackles. I think he's also talking about in there, lining him up back there to get him an opportunity to get a free release and still run the ball some but also be in the pass coverage, but just not have to do it from the lane of scrimmage. I just don't think he's the guy for that. I don't. I don't think he.

I think you're wasting him a little bit. Yeah, I mean, do we need to scheme up ways to get CD a free release? Like he plays in the slot predominantly since gallops back and he's open. He's got. It's not like he can'ah, he's not like he's struggling to get open. He dropped the ball three times. I love it. I love it when a player lets me off the hook because I don't want to bash guys. CD said it himself he played terrible, so I don't have to be the jerk that says it. He knows it. He played

a bad game. Well. I did receive lots of questions about the whole white receiver groups also not only dropping passes, but also making plays in like contested catches where it's just kind of hard to catch the ball. Also, what's happening with Amari Cooper. He's disappearing and things like that. So when you when the road games again, Oh, that's not nah, he hasn't been doing that though. That hasn't been a thing in like a year and a half. Yeah, I mean his best game of the year this season

was on the road Vikings. Yeah, I mean, it is a dome, I get kind of he kind of took a while to get going, I mean, and not a lot of that was Cooper rush. But I'm just saying it was that one drive at the end and then he balled out made some great plays. This is this is it's a classic case of like it's always it's

it's always the thing that they're not doing. Like when everything's humming and the receivers are all balling out and everybody's kind of getting involved, it's like, man, we're so we're so blessed to have three receivers that aren't like demanding the ball and these guys are always there. Whatever. Michael gallup doesn't need to get this, that, and the other. And then you see a mar gets targeted five times, finishes with two catches for eight yards, and you're like,

hell are we doing? I mean you gotta I mean you gotta find a way to get a guy that talented involved, even if the opponent is doing everything they can to limit him, which I bet you Kellen Moore would say something along the lines of like, yeah, why do you think I'm calling receiver screens like it is an obvious way, Like you can't take that away, Like if that's what you decide to run, he'll be open for it. And to be that's it's kind of amusing to me. A lot of these screens haven't worked, and

sometimes it's frustrating. But like CD took a screen forty yards in New Orleans and set up one of their only touchdowns that night. Amari got a screen. I think it went for three yards. If he slips one more tackle, maybe it goes a lot further. That's tricky territory for me because I like that idea of like, Okay, if you're gonna bracket this guy, I'm gonna come up with a way to get him the ball just hasn't been

working and it is. It is frustrating. There's so many plays to throw off of that though, that they don't seem to do. Like I mean, I'm fine with the bubble screens, but you know, faking it like the guy the guy that's in front that's about to block, Like, why don't you fake the bubble screen? And he blocks for a half second and then takes off. I mean, that's going to be there. They did that in week one. That was how CD got his first touchdowns, right, and

they set it up the play before. I don't think we've seen it since. Yeah, I mean I understand saving it call, but let's go Well then that puss is a question that when you start looking into play calling versus player execution, how much do you put into the two? I mean, do you think there's one that's lacking more than the other? I do think, I mean execution is a huge part of it. Like the offensive line hasn't played well. Connor Williams goes in the running game seems

to have a little bit more juice than it did. Again, it sounds maybe people think it sounds crazy, but like if CD catches those three balls, I said that yesterday, that's anywhere from like forty to sixty yards of extra offense and God knows what happens. I mean, one of CD's catches is a perfect example of that. It was like a little crosser or an end and he caught it, and he danced and made like three guys miss and turned like an eight yard catch into an eighteen or

twenty yard game. Like that stuff matters, So execution is a big part of it. But having said that, I just feel like Kellen is he's frustrated right now, like he doesn't trust the stuff that he trusted or I always use baseball analogies, like people have figured out where his curve goes, so he hasn't come up with something to work off of that. I asked him about that yesterday. I was like, Okay, well you're seeing you're seeing all this too high, and I mean, is there anything you

can do to break out of that? Like I know that sounds like a dumb question, but what do you do? And he just I don't know. He had this kind of tone of exasperation where he's like, teams are testing our patients right now, and we just have to find a way to work through that, and they haven't done as good of a job of it as you know what I feel about, Like how Dak feels right now. I think that's the same way, yes and and I don't I think I said that yesterday too, is I

don't think he's been that good at it. Like I think Dak gets frustrated to a point and he's like, screw this, like the fumble. The fumble was that the fumble was screw this. We're making a big play and and it didn't. You know, oh, such a terrible play because it's like with eight minutes to go and you're up by fifteen and you want to get a first down. That's fine, but like he he's getting sacked, you know, like he's like he doesn't think. He's like, well, what

do you mean? Liked CD didn't block the edge? You know, CD is supposed to block the end, and then he doesn't, shockingly, and he like goes to the right and he's about to throw and he gets hit. It's like you just assume that your lanky wide receiver who's lighting the ass anyways, is going to block the edge on defensive end, Like

there's got to be a better play than that. I think CD is a willing blocker for who he is, but he's not going up against he can't weigh He weighs like one hundred and ninety pounds, like just maybe don't is on the other side. I mean, I don't know who who got him. There wasn't was it? Oh see, he's in their Ring of honor, Nick Kiwanuka, I don't know who's rushing in the past. I don't remember who it was, but Lorenzo Carter is pretty good. If I the Ring of honor, yeah, seventy two when he was

he was up there on Sunday. Yeah, I mean, if I were them, anybody that was part of a pass rush that won me two Super Bowls is automatically and yeah, yeah you're in. So I was thinking about this looking at looking at CD's numbers going back to Pro Bowl, so you would think there's always guys that have numbers, and he especially because they don't share it was Lorenzo Carter.

He's a pretty good He's a pretty good player. So DeVante Adams in justin Jeffersonson, Jefferson got enough stats for that, right, He's I think he's like leading the league's close well, the guy that's leading the league is Cooper Cup and he's finitely Yeah, that's three. So after that, I mean I was like looking at the NFC East Washington Giants Eagle. No, nobody, Arizona has Hopkins. He's not doing anything this year too. He's hurt, right, he's been. I mean, he had to

have enough stats for it. So then you got Seattle at calf Locket would be my guess. I haven't Locket some my fasty team. Now he's eleventh in the league and yards and he's got five. Carolina and guy's putting up hollow numbers, probably DJ. They have no quarterback. He hasn't been doing much. I got it right here. I mean justin Cup, justin Jefferson, Davante lock Done does get interesting. Chris Godwin is now out for the year. UM debos deep Deebo Samuel's going to be in for sure. He's

a running back and a receiver about him. Then you got Locket, yeah, I mean, and then CD he's up there, CD. I mean, CD's gonna hit a thousand yards, but there's a bunch of guys in front of him. This there's

a chance for him to make the Pro Bowl. There's a chance, but his name is CD Lamb, it would be it would be as like an alternate I feel like though, um, but yeah, I mean this, Not that anybody cares about this at the end of the day, because there are loftier goals, but this little slump is probably going to cost some guys in terms of that. Like I would have guessed Amari and Lamb were definitely in the Pro Bowl and Zeke. I thought Zeke was

leading the NFC, and he's still up there. I think Zeke still might because again you said, because his name is Zeke Elliott and and he's also still having a pretty nice season. I mean eight hundred and sixty two yards and nine touchdowns. The only guys in the NFC that are definitively better are near our Dalvin Cook. That's honestly it wow. All of the really badass running backs in the league this year in the AFC, for Connor's got for the Arizona Connor's got like twelve touchdowns. That yeah,

he's got a lot of touchdowns. James Connor, Leonard Fournette, Zeke those are those are probably the guys. But yeah, I think Zeke will make it. I do I think this costs Dak and the receivers were about Tyrant? Oh my god. Probably just in terms of availability, I would

guess not. But but the thing is with offensive lineman is like once you make it to like two, then it's just when he plays he's I think he's he's graded the second best left tackle in all the football Batri and Tehran Armstead have been out just as often as he has this year, if not more. Trent Williams, Yeah, I mean he'll make it. Trying to think of so we got Parsons, Digs and Zach Martin. We were locking that in, locking those in for sure. Uma I locked

Zeke too. That's that's he's Zeke Elliott. He plays for the Cowboys, and he's having a nice are good enough to get in? Yeah? I think he'll be there. Well, speaking of se scenes in anger, he's a guy that last year when we saw the mistakes that he was making last year, you know, the balls dropping and all that, and then you got to see Tony Poller what he

could do. Uh, And then I got the conversation going as to, Okay, well Tony should get more plays in there, and all that is Zeke kind of starting to trend downwards and all that now that you guys have seen another year out of him, and he has been dealing with an injury since like week four of the season. But are we at the point where Zeke is starting to curve down and like I actually think he's starting back up. Yeah, like he's been in a valley for a minute. But and he's not right, Like he's not

all the way right. You can see it. He had like last week. I'm looking at this season though, looking at his career overall. Are you talking about the contract? Yeah, yes, yes, oh yeah, his career because obviously last game we saw much improvement, but overall as a player, if you find me a running back, honestly, find me a running back who in a sixth or seventh year, a sixth year, in a sixth year is actually trending up, I'm gonna say, Hi,

Berry Sanders, Derrick, Henry Good Good. Actually he got hurt, so maybe not. I mean, it's so rare, it's just it's i mean, the the average, the average about three and a half. I mean, I'm more and more confident than I've ever been that they'll wind up regretting that deal at some point, and it is what it is, especially since they've rearranged the money a couple of times. But but for for for this year though, I agree with Dave. I mean, Zeke said this is the best

if felt after a game in a while. Yeah, So, I mean, you know, he's he's figuring out that that's brace is bulky. It's a bulky brace, that's what he's But he says he's it's comfortable with it. It's easy, Like you know, there's you're not supposed to pay running backs. It's certainly it's hard to argue against it. Right now with just things are piling up for Zeke. Derrick Henry's now hurt, Christian McCaffrey feels like he's played five games since he signed that deal. It's hard to argue in

favor of that. But I just I still like and I know at the end of the day, it's it's you produced. But like, I have so much respect for Zeke. Last year, it was the fact that he was kind of the last man standing on a terrible like on a decimated team. He just he had to face the music every week, and he did. This year, he's hurt, He's gotten through it. He's still playing okay. Definitely not up to his standard, but playing okay. I just I

think the guy's a warrior. So I did too. And I also, I mean, think about where he was five years ago, and you know, he was getting just so many headlines for off the field things and on the field. I mean, he's matured. There's no doubt he's done that. He's been humbled a little bit here, but I still like being great. Like it's amazing because we've seen it with players that I get some such a spotlight and

the way he's managed everything since he got here. I just wanted to say mature and not great, because as soon as you say that is when something else happens. Now, I mean, his dogs only thing that's really weird hear in the media, and that's been a while. So yeah, it's yeah, like I said, I mean, like I said, he's he's not living up to a contract of that size, but yeah, I just respect the way he goes about it. Don't Also from the Pro Bowl, don't rule out Tony Pollard.

You really like this Pro Bowl fans? Do fans like it too? Yes? They do. I feel like I always see people not the game, not the game. They don't want to watch the game, even though it's the highest

rated All Star game there is. But um, the game is it's just not a football game, and so that's what and it can't be and you wouldn't want it to be if your guy gets hurt and all that, but um, it matters, like it definitely matters when you start looking at the end of the career and all that, like what is the use three time Pro Bowl or whatever.

I'm just saying, Tony Pollard. My prediction is he will get in as a return specialist and he'll get more carries than anybody in the game, because that's what happens, that they'll play him at running back. He'll play I think he's going to get in as a return specialist. Okay, I don't. I don't feel particularly strongly about this, but all right, take your word for it. No more proll talk. I'm done. No, I'm no. I think. I just I

wish we could. I wish we could revamp the way we do the Pro Bowl voting, like everything about it, you know, like change it so that it fits the modern game. Like it we're still arguing about, like well, it's just guy a linebacker or a defensive end, like, well, right, it's just all that type of crap. I should call them pass ushers. And and the voting formula I don't like. Yeah, I saw somebody complaining about this the other day, Like, and I get it, Like we have a job to do.

We're trying to promote our guys. But teams are out here like retweet this for votes to the Pro Bowl, and it's like, okay, so if so and so gets ten thousand retweets, he's gonna beat a guy who's clearly having a better season than him. Because I just I don't I don't like the way and and to your point, like it's easy to say, oh this is this is trivial.

Who cares, it's as it's a BS game and everybody gets into it anyway, But like, these are the things you look at when it's time to decide if a guy goes to the Hall of Fame, and so I think it should reflect that I think we I think it should be taken a lot more seriously. What is

what I would do? Honestly, I would I would let the players and the coaches vote for the guys that make the team um and then I would leave probably eight spots open something like that and let the fans vote, you know, because then the fans are back the snubs and all that. This is who the fans want to see in the game. So okay, well, these these twelve fifteen people didn't make it the You can vote for the last eight and they'll figure out how it works

position wise, because it's the fans game. They want to see who they want to be in there. But at the same time, it shouldn't be like you said, it shouldn't be rigged because I mean, Tyler Beatis was leading the fan voting centers. Yeah, come on, well, and we've seen these played better lately. Though you gotta say about he did this last week, I felt bad. No, like Tyler.

Tyler has improved, although some of the issues. I feel like anytime which totally makes sense, but like anytime they go against like a really badass nose tackle, I feel like I noticed Dak reaching for snaps and trying to find snaps and stuff like that. But I mean he's a young guy, you know. I mean they did score against the Saints. Let's let's throw that out there. It's not like they get shut out by the Saints. Oh we're talking, oh the Bucks. I'm just saying that that

win was considered an ugly win on the road. Whatever, it looks better now than it did. Just saying you can't complain. I didn't, so I did my whole spiel. Yes, John Payton resigned yet or he did not. They just be like, we don't need you. Freaking Cardinals lost to the Lions, like the team that has been the highest league. Strange, lady lay, Strange, lady David. Does he know it's lady? Yeah? Ships or ladies, I don't know. It's just a thing, you know, Big Sheila. All right, the boat Jordan Lewis

said he would name his boat Big Sheila. Oh okay, I didn't. I didn't hear that. I was kind of confused, Okay, yeah. And the thing about it is nobody in his family, no hesitation. Was like Big Sheila, I love that. And

nobody in his family's name Sheila, no mom. Nothing like speaking of unsung heroes, Jordan Lewis isn't gonna make the Pro Bowl, but having a career year three career high and picks made that play Again, Guys are making plays on balls that we haven't seen like it sounds dumb, but I don't trust past Dallas secondaries to track popped

up pass and bring it in. Like he said, I don't know if you heard the interview about Treyvon Diggs, and I asked him about Treyvon after the game, and you know, he was just like the it's a record setting, it's unbelievable. What is what's happening? But he said, I told him last year, you were doing the same thing. Last year, you were just dropping him. He's like, He's like, you had hands on the ball all the time. He just didn't catch it all the time. Ah, Jay Lou

underrated just as a personality as a player. Glad to see he's having some still can't believe they overturned that call. That just I thought for sure that was going to be an incomplete pass. The interception by Diggs, oh yeah, same. I mean I wanted it to be a pick because only ten picks. This will be great. This is the last thing we need for I set it on Twitter

during the game. I was like, I do not trust the league to have the consistency to give this back to them when they ruled it in complete on the field man, But I'm glad they did. I just didn't. I did not believe. I did not think that was going to be a catch. Let's go ahead and take our final break. When we come back, I want to know if anybody, anyone on the offense, has exceeded your expectations so far. I want to use what the pros use. How about the official men's skincare brand or the Dallas

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Hey Jay, that's my line, Well not today, get to work with a John Deer tractor package that's just right for you in your budget. Visit unitedaginturf dot com. Before there was a after. You get sized up a cowboy by three simple factors. The crease in his hat, the bend of his brim, and his unbending attitude. A man. Stetson didn't just protect him from what life threw at him, It projected a rugged, unstoppable spirit. Stetson hats are still American,

made with pride. Right here in Texas. There's still the unofficial crowd of all self respecting Cowboys, and Stetson is proud to be on the field with America's team. Find a retailer nearest to you at Stetson dot com slash Cowboys. Back to the break, Chris, I needs some Christmas music here at any all right, this is a little different tune though, because I was going to go with the Rudolphin. All right. Want Rowdy to deliver your presidence? Now? Is

your chance. Rowdy's holiday deliveries are available, Spread the joy and holiday dance. You can surprise someone with the delivery of your favorite Man Scott book. Your holiday delivered today. Dallas Cowboys Website, Dallas coy dot com slash row Wow. Is it it's not a coincidence that you waited until Derek wasn't on. No, it was just it felt right. It was the Rowdy felt right. I don't know if it sounded right, but I respect the effort that you put into it. Yeah. Hey, forever, that's all I need.

That's all we need. Let me get trophies in this world for effort, right, so these days we do. Depending on who you talk to, Is it because of my throats? A little raspies that why the singing wasn't good. Yeah, I probably should have waited for a different time. It just didn't I'm not good. I'm not good singer. It just didn't match the beat, match the song. It's okay, if we ever have a bet, you know, show No,

that's not it. But you know, ironically, I didn't think he had that music because I was going to do that. I was going to say rowdy the Cowboys mascot I was going through, and so it threw me off a little bit. I'm sorry. No, no, next tomorrow, all right, guys. So on offense, is there any player that has exceeded your expectations on the offensive side of the ball Tony poll? If there is an answer, that's it besides him, nobody else. If there's exceeded, No, but that's our fault though too.

That's our fault for for putting Dak up there. But I mean that's that's what we that's there our expectations. Yeah, so see, I don't know that's our expectations, you know. But but Dak was meeting the expectations up until about Thanksgiving, like like we didn't make this up. Dak was playing at an MVP level. That was happening. That was a real thing that happened for half the season. And so he was exceeding my expectations honestly, And it's what's that

Terrence Steele to me, he definitely exceeded. Okay, No, that's fair, That's totally fair because the expectation was basically that he was awful. So yeah, and I mean, I'm not trying to be a jerk. I mean, back and listen to the shows from week two. Was it week two? Yeah, when Lyle got suspended, everybody was just like, oh my god, Joey Bosha, don't kill our quarterback. Like and and that hasn't been the case. He's he's been solid. I mean to the point where we're wondering who the better option

is it? Right tackle, Yeah, I mean with Lyle, and that a lot of that's on Lyle for not maybe playing as well as we thought he would. But I mean, but yeah, Terrence Steeles is great. Terrence Steele is the best one I saw some some people have mentioned, some people have mentioned, be honest, and I'm not trying to dog the guy. I think he's gotten better as the

season is gone. He's been fine. But going back to me and Nick Harping on the same thing, when you don't bring in competition for the job, that raises my expectations, Like I don't I don't think he's met the expectation of like we're good here, we don't need to do anything about center souste and steal and Pollard. Yeah, and I mean and Cedric Wilson has played better than I thought he would. Um. Now, he hasn't last few weeks. He's been injured COVID and then off the COVID list

and hasn't practiced a lot. But the versatility that he brings is But also I mean that's something that you have seen from him in the past. Yeah you're like, okay, yeah, this guy, but he has he has done it over a larger sample size. Like, honestly, of what Cedric Wilson had done coming into this season was his one great game against Seattle last year, Like that was almost all of it in terms of offense. And this year he's

done it reliably. I mean, they didn't miss a beat without Gallup for most of the first half of the season. His biggest play of the game came without of the season came without Dak. I'm not sure they beat Minnesota without him going the distance. Definitely, So yeah, yeah, that's okay, that's three? Or is there anybody else? Is there anybody else? All? Right? Defense? Everyone else? All of them? Well, here's the question. At the exception of maybe, no, everyone has exceeded my expectations.

Even Tank has come in and played better than I thought he would in those three games. I mean he, I mean he's been very, very, very active for I say this all the time, like we spent half the season, like when they get these guys back, when they get these guys back, and I had all the confidence in the world that they would. What's that one guy? What one guy has not exceeded your expectations? Who Layton Vandresh

That's yeah. I don't know how high my expectations were for him in the first place, though, better than being like sixth on the team and tackles? Yeah maybe so? Yeah, I thought so too, And I guess I think I was probably I was probably more excited for Keano than what he's shown, although he maybe played his best game of the season against the Giants before we the show. Would you rather have the defense that you're having, right, now or don't stop it, stop it? No, I won't.

You can't make me wow, Say which one you have to pick one? If I if I have to, if I have to pick one, and you got. I think you guys know how much this will pain me because of who I am as a person. But like you need that type of defense to win in the playoffs, you got. I mean a pass again. The New York Giants, mediocre ass team. It bothers me, I don't. It bothers me to this day, and not even as a Cowboys fan. It bothers me to this day that that mediocre ass

team beat the Patriots. Like I believe in I believe in history. I wanted to see an undefeated team. I don't care if you don't like the Pats. I can't believe that a nine and seven bombass team won the Super Bowl over the best football team that I've ever seen. But that's what happens. When you've got a killer pass rush and you make the right players in the playoffs, you can go into lambeau Field and win. You can

go wherever the hell you gotta go. Defense travels, and so if I gotta have one, I'll roll with that. Which I hate that I'm saying that out loud. Yeah, that's what I was gonna say. Defense travels, I mean it does. I mean Tampa Bay, same thing. Tampa Bay kind of you know, they don't sneak into the playoffs, but they are a wild card team. But you can say Brady and Gronk and all, whose team of the

defense is what carried them. The defense shut down Mahomes at the end of the year and in the Super Bowl Kelsey and you know, Yeah, I'd say defense, if it's gonna be you have to do something great, and I think this defense can be great. I don't think there's more than a couple offensive lines in this entire league that can put up with what they're bringing at the quarterback every snap. Like a fully healthy Green Bay maybe, but they're not fully healthy. By the way. Tampa Bay's

line is pretty sick. God, that would that would be fun to see that game again now that the Cowboys defense is kind of I mean, because that was Week one, you know, it wasn't even close to what he's doing now. That would be fun. I'm sure there are some others if I thought hard enough, But I mean San Francisco could be a challenge. Sure. Their defense, I mean, their

offensive line is really good. That's one game I think if you're a Cowboy fan, you kind of and they're also and they run the ball so well they can, I mean, they can take your take the pass rush element out of it if you give them a chance. Are they currently being rated against other teams as far as like defenses run the league? Cowboys? Cowboys? Yeah, all right, put me on the spot. Hang on, I can do this. We can go over whatever is anybody even behind us?

Mix shots? Wow, they can wait he's not out there with his pad just yet. I don't No, I'm not logged into football outsiders, right, I mean, there's different stats for the for the defense. I mean, but I think that they I think that they're like in the teams maybe ten twelve, but but that's that goes on yards, I mean, and right now they're trending. But turnovers, they're first in turnovers right Definitely, in interceptions they are, they're definite.

Um so they're top three in the league for sure, So you know, yes, I'm sorry to be there. They're third in the league in defensive DVOA, which again that it's it's defensive efficiency, Like it's it's just how successful you are on a per snap basis, how much you affect the other team's offense. It's good. Just take my word for it. It's good. So who are the other two? Uh? They're behind New England and Buffalo right now. Won't see them until they I mean, I'm telling like that's so,

I'm like, I hate that I'm saying it. They're just if they keep this up, which again I actually although I said this yesterday too, is like, Okay, this is happening against Mike Glennon and Asom Hill. But they picked off Brady three times, They've done They did this to Justin Herbert, they held Mahomes to nineteen points and forced to fumble, like they've done this to some good quarterbacks

as well. I'm not trying to delegitimize it. And that's before they had the guys that they really have in there together, right, like Gregory wasn't played against the Chiefs. Do you law get into the tournament with a defense like that? And like you know, nobody ain't nobody gonna be mad if you win a game scoring twenty four points against Tampa or Green Bay? So what we're here for baby, We're bringing, we're going, We're here to really you back in the defense, it's just, you know, the

offense has had me on an edge, the offense. But the offense has three more weeks to work it out and then another week to game plan for whoever they got. Hey, maybe they'll even get the buy who knows it's all out in front of them. Age, stabilities, chiefs, activities, totally different vibe than the yesterday. So it's like I won again twenty one six? What's wrong with the team. That's

the way this goes. You sit, you digest it, and then you look around and you're like, man, there's really not a great team in the league this year, right, And then you start to think and you're like, okay, well here's another for the last month. I'm just like, here's another opportunity for the offense to get it right. I mean, nothing has changed. Why I complain so much.

It's like one of those things that you're so close to it and then you know what you have but you're not seeing it reflected on the field, and like that's my thing, and I get it. Obviously, you want to win games, and I'm all for it, of course, but if we got to sit here and talk about the team and analyze it and criticize it or whatever, that's one of those things that I'm like, we see the amazing talent that they do have, why is it not translating onto the field, And what happened since Dad

got back from the injury? What's going on and all that. So that's why I get moody when it comes to that. But yes, of course I want them to win games, no matter how or what. So anyways, just when you think about like the lost to Denver or the Raiders, you know just how bad that was, especially the one to Denver because it caught everyone by surprise. I mean, what do you think is going on in Arizona? Like, because Denver's average and then they played great and dominated you.

But go to Detroit and just keep yeah, and Herbs dumped like that to start ten and one and be ten and three back to back losses, one of them to the worst record in the league. Yeah that's what. And Okay, Tampa just got shut out at home by a mediocre Saints team and also lost like they lost Godwin for the year. Four nets banged up Mike Evans is banged up, like but I'll say this, the ninety five Cowboys went twelve and four. They lost two games

to the four and twelve Redskins two games. And when the Saints went thirteen and zero to start the year and they lost the Dallas and then they lost to the Bucks at home, which was bad. I remember, being at twenty year old Saints fan. They started. It was very I said this on the radio today, it was very similar to what's happening in Dallas right now a little bit because it was different because thirteen wins is like incredible, But they lost to the Cowboys, then they

lost to a bad Bucks team. Then they sat everybody because they didn't have anything to play for and lost that game too. So you go thirteen and oh to thirteen and three, and you thought that, I mean, you would have thought the city was on fire. Everybody's just like it was this all for nothing, like we suck, We're not gonna win a game in the playoffs. And then they took the week off and won Super Bowl,

so you never know, well, we gotta go. I already saw Mickey and I am not Derek Eagleton, so I don't have that kind of power to stay here for much longer. Anyways, Thank you guys so much for listening. For Nickiman, David Hellman, and member Garcia. This has been the Break on Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club Minute