Cowboys Break: McCarthy Get A Pass?

episode number seventy four. Welcome to the latest edition of the Break Life in the s WBC Mortgage studios at the Star. Dave and Nick are there. Amber and I are at our own homes, and we got forty five minutes from you guys of Cowboys Talk. We got Bucky Brooks is going to be joining us here in just a moment, so we could talk a little bit about the Baltimore defense versus the Cowboys offense. Before we do that, though, we do need to get a catch get caught up

on a few injury updates. Nick talked to us about the injury updates on Anthony Brown Alden Smith and surprised when Trayvon digs well, it doesn't sound like Alden Smith is too bad. I think he may just be, you know, sick, and which I know, you know, it's always kind of scary this time of year. But I think he's just got maybe a minor cold or something. I don't think it's anything major for him. Anthony Brown, I'm gonna defer

Dave on that one. I think he's I haven't. I well they I mean, that's the thing is this this week is so weird. They didn't put out a practice right yesterday. I haven't heard anything new on him. I think, you know, the extra time off will probably help him. You know, we heard that he was going to try to give it a go going into the Thanksgiving game. Obviously couldn't do it. So I'm optimistic. Yeah, I'm optimistic.

But you know, we've learned that Mike McCarthy's not going to give out information that he doesn't have to, and so you know, part of this weird week is that you don't have the normal practice reports, and I don't know if they have to they probably, Yeah, they don't have to do one today either because it's a very light football day for them with Marcus Paul's memorial. So yeah, tomorrow will probably be our first chance to really get a good look at it. Trayvon Diggs. Um, you know

he was. We saw him yesterday running a little bit um. You know, obviously out of the walking boot and with the broken foot. He looks pretty good out there, just just from you know, the nature of the injury against Pittsburgh and so um. You know, I talked to Stephen Jones yesterday and he said that he, you know, that they're really confident that he will be able to play at some point this season, and even said maybe sooner

than than they expected. So then you go back to what was expected was four to six weeks, I believe, and I think the injury was November the eighth, so December eighth, you know, that's about four weeks. And then you know I would say maybe I would say, maybe there's a chance for Cincinnati game. Maybe. You know. It's funny, is like, it's those things always depend on the player, right, Like we talked about obviously the injury itself, like the

timetable for return. But what I'm trying to say is, you know, like Zach Martin, depending on how these next few games go, You're like, yeah, maybe we don't need to see Zach again this year, you know, depending on how they play. I mean, he's he's an all pro. I've seen plenty of Zach Martin, but Treyvon Diggs, I'm like, get out there, buddy, Let's get some repsa way. Yeah, if if they lose every game between now and the and the season finale, but those two guys can play

against the Giants, absolutely play. Get in there and get some reps. Yeah, that's the thing about it. At this point, you're trying. You're really playing for next year anyway, and whether it's your draft pick or whether it is actually looking at these younger guys. So it makes a ton of sense to get him back, even if he plays for just one game, It makes a ton of sense to get him back in there and give him some reps that otherwise he wouldn't get until next season. All right, Well,

here's what's gonna do. We're gonna go ahead and flip on to Bucky Brooks. Bucky should be joining us here right now from NFL Network. Bucky, Welcome to the show. We want to talk a little bit about this Baltimore defense versus the Cowboys offense. It was an interesting game yesterday. They didn't have a lot of their parts but they played a very very competitive game. Talk to me specifically on the defense about the greatest weakness and the greatest

strength of this Baltimore defense. The greatest strength of the Baltimore defense is their ability to bring pressure and the unique scheme that they employ. They're a team that is a high pressure team. They line up in their three four defense, they bring pressure from everywhere, and then they compliment that what we will call simulated pressure, meaning it looks like they're bringing more, but it's only four and

they're dropping seven. And so they give the offense a lot to think about when it comes to all the pre snap movement and disguise. I would say their biggest weakness has nothing to do with their personnel, but their ability to stay locked and engage over the course of a sixty minute game. It's a very emotional unit. You have some guys who kind of are red liners when it comes to their emotional mentality, and so you just wonder can they keep it together. Marcus Peters and some

of those other guys. Matt Uton, We've seen those guys have penalties, and so a lot of it really depends on width set of guys show up. Because they show up and they want to be the Baltimore Ravens that play at a high level. They can absolutely obliterate with what they do on defense. Bucky, talk to me about the run defense. We keep wanting the Cowboys to be able to run the ball better and more. So, let me know, how is this going to be a problem once again or are they gonna be able to get

the ball move in in this game? Well, it really depends on the personnel that's available for the Rave Brandon Williams and Kalias Campbell played. Then it becomes tough sledding with the running game. If those guys are not available, then they have been gutted in the last few games, like prior to the game against Pittsburgh, three of the last four games they have been outrushed by their opponent. And so there's some vulnerabilities there when they don't have

their big guys available. But if those big guys are there, it becomes a little tougher, it becomes a little stouter. And then when they begin to add the pressure and start sending guys from the second level and attacking how you run and blowing up your running game and really attacking your protections, it can be a very long day

for the offense. Okay, Bucky, I mean, I obviously know who this guy is because of where he was drafted and where he played, But Nias tell me about Marlon Humphrey, like I don't get to watch the Ravens a ton. I know he's a good player, but like my suspicion is that he's like one of the more underrated cornerbacks in the league. Am I right on that or am I a little bit off base? I don't it just it seems like he's not getting his due for how well he's played over the last couple of seasons. He's

been a very good player. He's a Pro Bowl caliber player. He has played at that level. He does a really good job in coverage, and what he has become is the master of the old peanut punch, which is what Charles Tillman made famous in Chicago when he always knocked the ball out. Where Marlin Humphrey has become a guy

that has a knack for knocking the ball out. And so for Ezekiel Elliott and Mary Cooper and Ceedee Lamb and guys that are handling the ball on the perimeter, they have to be aware of where number fifty four is because he has a knack for prying the ball loose, and so it's not just him, it's everybody. But Marlin Huphy has been a very very good player in coverage and he's also found a way to consistently create turnovers. Bucky, obviously in Baltimore kept that game close yesterday. They had

what twenty twenty three guys on the COVID list. Do you think that it was a benefit to face the Steelers or you know, a negative thing because they're an undefeated team. I mean, they seemed like that familiarity with Pittsburgh almost helped them. Yeah, And I think Robberry games are always unique like that. Sometimes you have to throw out the record. Yeah, there's a level of familiarity with Baltimore playing Pittsburgh, and also the way Pittsburgh plays, because

Pittsburgh doesn't really try and run the ball. So it's all about defending the short passing game from the Stillers, as we saw a few weeks ago when the Cowboys played them. I think the thing about the Ravens, it was a very very solid effort, but there's a sense of frustration that is going on with the organization because this is a team that came in with title hopes and they certainly have underperformed offensively. They're struggling and they

don't really have an identity. That leads to the defense being frustrated because the offense isn't performing to that level. And so when I talk about it being a very emotional group, it's kind of like an emotional powder kig, and they can blow it any time, and if you give them enough reasons, they will self destruct. And they're teetering on the break and we've seen it the last

couple of weeks, Fucky. The Baltimore defense has allowed three hundred plus passing yards only once this season, and that was to what most people agree is the best offense in the league in Kansas City. They hit him for three eighty five. Is their past defense so good because of their pressure or is it the secondary and their coverage. It's funny because I saw Dave Hellman's tweet when he was talking about I'm trying to figure out pressure and

coverage which matters more. I would say that pressure always matters more than coverage because it forces the quarterback to throw the ball under the rest arrant, throws tips overthrows typically happen when they're hurried, and if you hit the quarterback early, it changes the way that he performs. And so for Baltimore it is all about the pressure and how they do it. That said, they're guys in the back end can be had. Marcus Peters is a gambler.

He squats on routes. He has great instincts and eyes, but he guesses and if you can protect up front, you certainly can get him on double moves. Ailin Humphrey is a little more sounding his technique. He is more difficult to kind of get on those double moves. But Marcus Peters is the one that you want to target. But it's still a sense of buyer beware because if you keep throwing the ball over there, he is going to make a play, even though he may give up

a few plays. I want to ask you this question because I've seen a few fans make this common. Despite of all the struggles that the Ravens are currently facing and having backups and all that, when you look to evaluate both teams, are the Ravens still a better team than the Cowboys currently? Yes, I would say the Ravens are a better team because their defense is more consistent

and more dominant. Offensively, the offensive line is probably a push because their struggles on offense have centered around their offensive line being unable to control the point of attack. The thing that makes them right is number eight. Lamar Jackson can make him right with his athleticism, and when they are committed to the running game and they're not trying to be cute, they can run it down your throat. What happened against to Pittsburgh still is yesterday may have

been a blessing in the size. They had to get back to running the ball out of these tight, compacted looks with these heavy for personnel informations, three tight ends. That's really how they ran over the league last year. Maybe it forces Greg Roman to get back to that because when they play like that, that's when they're the

most dangerous team. Even though Hollywood Brown and Willie Snead and those guys have been celebrated, they're more effective when they really played in a phone booth as opposed to play spread. I'm gonna ask this question knowing full well that it might not matter because off the Dallas offensive line is a mess. So I get that, but you know, you look at you look at Baltimore's front, and there's

like there's a whole bunch of names you recognize. You know, Campbell, everybody knows Calais Campbell, everybody knows Janick and gok Way. Even you know, Matthew Uton has had a nice you know, he's playing on the I believe he's playing on the tag. Had a nice season last year. But none of those

guys are really blowing it up this year. So if I'm looking, you know, if I'm looking at their front and again, I understand that they'll probably win a lot of matchups because of the state of this offensive line, But which one should worry me the most? Like, I mean, which Dallas offensive lineman has got the toughest assignment coming into this game? You know, like it's really tough because the way they can overload the front and the way

they bring pressure. They bring pressure to really isolate your offensive lineman. And so I would say the two edge rushers have difficulty, Brandon Knighte and tern Steel, because we've seen those difficulties showing up. They show up on tape. But then even on the inside, depending on where Kelas Campbell lines up, it could be kind of Williams or kind of McGovern Both of those guys could have problems.

And so this is a game where the individuals have to play well, and it's going to be hard for guys to help each other because they're going to put enough bodies at the line of scrimmage where they can create those one on ones through pressure. And then really it's about skilled on skill and right now that tips in the Baltimore Ravens favor. All right, Becky, I'm gonna ask this from any perspective that you want to take, it, would Earl Thomas have helped this team or I'll say

it this way. Are you surprised going back to summer that Earl Thomas is not in this game. No, not at all surprised. And I say this being an Earl Thomas fan because we have mutual connections my guy coach to Mac Brown. But Earl was not a model citizen in the locker room. Earl had got to the point where he was freelancing to a point that it was hard to hold him accountable, and some of his behaviors as a veteran player, rubbed not only his teammates wrong,

but rubbed the coach is wrong. And so it made it very, very difficult to kind of establish and create the culture that you want when you have a player who is so egregious in his actions. And I think that is also part of the reason why he hasn't been picked up to this point, because the reports that come out of Baltimore just about his relationships and accountability in the things that he's doing in the locker room

just made it very very difficult. And I don't know if in Dallas, when you are a new regime and you're trying to kind of establish something, I don't know if it would have been positive in terms of his influence on the younger players, on top of his willingness to freelance and do his own think in the back end. And I'll just ask this. I was going to ask, do you think he ever plays again in the NFL? Nice? Seriously, Yeah, I think. I think. I think time heals all woes.

But I felt like it was gonna be a difficult road for him getting back into the league this year, just because of the pandemic and everything and all the stuff that was coming out. When you have a full year away and you have an opportunity to kind of build up the pr campaign and show some contrition and some of those things. Yeah, he has an opportunity to

get back into the league. But I'll say this, he's not the player that he was in Seattle Age and injuries have taken away some of his skills, and then it becomes a risk and reward like and my risking blowing up my locker room, and the reward is not really what I think I'm getting. I think that is what he has to show that he not only can be a good player in the locker room, but he still has enough skills to take on all the stuff that comes along with him. Yeah, that's what I call

the t O effect. All right, Bucky, before we let you go, we do want to get to the final. Your final prediction on what you think will happen on next Tuesday. Who wins this game and why six stays away? Tough man, Hey Ben the very I think this is a tough game because Lamar Jackson comes back, and I think Lamar Jackson having the time of way to look at the game from the side will enable him to get back into a rhythm. And this is a must game for the Baltimore Ravens. So I think you're probably

gonna see the best effort from them. With mark Ingram coming back, JK. Dobbins and all the guys that set out, this is gonna be a tough one. The odds are stacked against the Cowboys, not only from a talent standpoint, but also in terms of a motivation standpoint. This is a highly motivated team coming in. Yeah, it's very interested. I was watching that game yesterday. I was just thinking to myself, if this is what the Baltimore Ravens are without half their team, it's gonna be really tough when

they get all those Well, we'll see how it goes. Hey, Bucky, we appreciate you joining us. We'll be back with you next week so we can start talking a little bit about the Cincinnati Bengals. We're gonna take our first break and we come back. We're gonna get some questions, so get your questions in. You can hit us at Cowboys Break on Twitter. Amber will get those questions. We'll answer some of those questions throughout the remainder of the show.

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Back to the break. Now available within the Dallas Cowboys app under the star Stadium tab, you can pose with the pros on the Go presented by AT and T five bringing the in stadium experience to the palm of your hand. Snap a photo with your favorite Cowboy player anywhere at any time. I'm done. Welcome back. I think we lost ter welcome back. It is the break live for the SWBC Warriors studios at the Star. I don't know what happened there. I lost all you guys for

a second. I hope I didn't cut off your read Nick. But let's jump right back in. We're gonna take some questions throughout the remainder of the show. I did have one question for you guys before we get to the fan questions. Remember, if you guys have questions, you can hit us at Cowboys Break on Twitter. But this question I want, I want to go around the table and answer. The Baltimore Ravens right now lead the league and fumble recoveries,

forced fumbles. If you're Mike McCarthy, what are you saying to Zeke this week? Let's start with you, Dave. I mean, what is there to say? What is there to say? And December to a guy who's been playing running back, who was eight, who's on the biggest salary in the league, like hold onto the damn ball? Like like at this point, I'm I kind of this sounds counterintuitive, Like Mike McCarthy shouldn't have to say anything to him. Just do it, do it literally like that's I don't care that the

yards per carry isn't that great. I don't care that the explosive runs aren't there. This whole season is working against the running back position. Don't get me wrong, it would be awesome if Zeke could do that stuff. But I don't care. Just hold onto the ball like that's that's how low my expectations are by now. Just don't fumble, and and nobody should have to tell Ezekiel Elliot at that agreed. Oh go ahead, Nick agree, I just agree. I mean I don't. I don't know what you can say.

Just just hang on to the football. This defense is playing, I know, I know. Let him have it. Let's go give me a real ag ramp. Okay, right now, hear me out, hear me out. This is gonna sound stupid, but if you think about it, that's Trually, it's actually pretty smart. You get seek to play with no sleeves, right, no sleeves. You buy some um you know that perspirin or anti perspirin deodorant that makes you like protects you from sweating. You put some on and then on the

arms and then you buy some stinky ass glue. That's what it's called. There's one that they sell. It's like rat glue, and you put it on right here. Okay, I mean no one would know, No one would know, And I think that would be pretty smart. He hangs onto the ball. It stinks on there. I don't know if that would be cheating. It's just being smarter than the opponent there, I think. And that's just finding a little solution to the problem. Do you think Amber has

any idea? Who Fred Bulitnikoff is no, But yeah I think she does. I get where you're going. I mean she's saying, yeah, wow, yeah, I don't. I mean, I've been around for a long time. Anybody listening to this show has probably seen their replacements. You remember Orlando Brown just dipped his hands and stick him because he couldn't catch the ball. Yeah, just yeah, let's get some pine tar and just coat Zeke before the game. That's my suggestion.

Problem just the whole body. Just the whole body, or at least from the shoulders to the to the fingertips, the whole thing, both arms. But it's second in name. Hey, you gotta find the solution. You're right, and desperate times call for desperate measures. Yeah, Like at this point, Mike McCarthy's like, bro, I've been telling you to hold onto the ball since September. Like we're getting we're getting drastic

in here. You know what he could do is he could make um like their hotel keys could say like protect the ball on it or something, the ball the ball, because I don't know if if the hotel they're just regular That's what it was. They're just regular keys there. They don't say like the balls. Zeke didn't. Zeke didn't care about that except when he checked out on Sunday mornings he saw on his hotel key. That's what it was. I guess is that a terrible him? Sorry Jason Garrett

used to put it. Oh yeah, maybe they will. They're going back on the road. Yeah, let's let's do it. Would you guys, would you guys consider it all using less of Zeke and more of Pollard in a game like this, Uh, less meaning that Pollard gets more of the workload. I don't think so. And that's not like it's not a it's not a salary thing. It's not you know, it's not because they're like, like, because I would be afraid to do it. But I just, I mean, Zeke is still I insist that Zeke is still a

good football player. You're gonna need multiple running backs to beat a physical team like this. I don't. I mean, I'm not like it's a classic situation of like what we've only seen. We've probably the high for Tony Pollard's careers, like twelve carries. Never seen what it looks like if Tony Pollard gets twenty carries, right, And don't know if it would be better. I don't say less z more Pollard, I say more Polar, less Blake Bell or less Dalton Shoultzer.

I mean, just just put them back and there together and maybe his snaps take over the two tight end sets or maybe some eccentric Wilson's, you know whatever, whatever they're doing. I just would like to see the rotation involve him more and maybe him and Zeke more together. That's what That's what I was gonna say. It's like

when you can't say, oh, ze versus Polar. But at the end of the day, I feel that they're not really trying to run the ball as much period, Like it doesn't matter who's the running back at that point, I personally would like them just to keep trying to run the ball a little bit more regardless of who the running back is. Yeah, and if you look at the matchup this week, it's clearly, in my opinion, favors the ability to run over the ability to pass. They

have a really good pass defense. They've given up some yards though, on the ground. Even Philadelphia hit him off one hundred and ninety fo yards on the ground. And we know the issues they have with their offensive line and that they've had all season with the running backs as well. So I think there's some opportunity there in the run game if the Cowboys can be committed to it and they can can block it up a little bit. All right, let's get to some fan questions. Amber, what

do you have over there? Um? I know you guys are going to start the draft show tomorrow, so maybe we do a little preview on here because that's what a lot of fans are asking. So here's the question for you guys. Do you the Cowboys draft for a three four defense or for a for three defense? Oh wow, that's a great question. Hadn't even a great question? Yeah, I hadn't considered it, um, I mean in the middle, in the middle of this season. It's kind of hard

to say. I mean, that's that's really that's the fun thing about the draft process is which we'll see how it changes because of the pandemic. But you know, you go to the mobile and you go to Indie and you kind of you get to talk to these people away from microphones, may be over a drink or or you just see you know, you find out who's on

their visit list. You're like, well, they're these guys, like all the guys they're visiting with it the Combine or these like six six, two hundred and thirty pound and edge rushers, like they're looking at three four. I mean, that's you know, that was how Dak Prescott first cropped up on everybody's radars, that they met with him at the Combine and then they brought him in and then Wade Wilson went out to Mississippi State. So it's hard to say that while they're still playing games. I really,

I really don't. I don't have a great answer for you, just because we're so early in the process. My answer to that is it needs to be the third question that you that you answered. The first one is is Jalen Smith coming back? The second one is what defensive scheme are you going to put him in? If he's better suited for a three four, then fire, I mean, then do that. And I think that they're right there on the edge where they can kind of do that.

Randy Gregory helps them, Neville Gallimore helps them. I think play a three four. The law could probably go either way there. So I think there's just a few pieces away. But I would figure out what you're gonna do with Jalen Smith, and I think he could be a three four middle linebacker with Layton in the middle, but you know you need other pieces if you're going to do that. I'd like to try him, as I will say, but yeah, sorry,

go ahead, Derek, Now, I was just gonna say. I think we all saw earlier this season and during training camp that they have a preference to be a hybrid defense. They want to be able to use some three four So I would suspect that they're gonna probably try to get some versatile players that can do both. I know that's a hard thing to do, but that seems like what they really want to do. Is is be a hybrid defense that can morph based upon matchups, based upon

different times in games. And so I would expect they're probably gonna get some players that may look like three four players, but they're players that also can play the four three as well. And I think they're gonna be a They're gonna try to be at least a defense that can give you multiple looks, multiple fronts. You were just talking about Jayleen Smith, seeing the fact that he's shown some coverage issues. Do you guys think that they

put a spy on Jackson? If they if they put a spy on Jackson, would it be Layton vanderash Yeah, Layton or Jalen Smith? Please, please God, please don't do that to Jalen. Yeah, that's anyone, And I mean you're right to any Jordan Lewis. Yeah, Jordan Lewis is probably the best guy you've got. And I would and he wouldn't sleep at night, Jordan Jordan Lewis, He's he'd be like, let's go Len, I got him him. I don't think.

I do not think that is a recipe for six success success with this personnel, Like if yeah, drop in, drop in z own absolutely, like keep him in front of you. Let's let's have all the linebackers and as many corners as possible facing the line of scrimmage so you can tell when he starts to move. I like that idea. I would try to drop in zone a lot in this game. But I don't think they're somebody

on this team. I don't know. There's there's probably only like three guys in the NFL that could adequately spy Lamar Jackson, you know, like Devin White and Tampa Bay comes to mind. Maybe Bobby Wagner could still do it, or like a Jamal Adams, But I don't I don't like the idea of somebody on this defense trying to

do that. No. Yeah, if you're going to rely on one guy, if you're relying on one guy to actually take down Lamar Jackson, if he gets loose in the open field, you're going to be in for a long day. You have to rely on the fact that your defense

can rally to him. And that's about playing zone defense, like you said, Dave, and everybody being able to see what's happening, and if he starts to break the pocket and starts running, everybody can kind of try to converge and corral him because he's just too fast and too elusive for them to do it any other way. And

that's what makes him so good. That's what makes running quarterbacks so good, because when you start start thinking about who could match up and like a spy, well, where does the spy have to have to sit or stand close to the line of scrimma? Okay, so then what happens when they run the ball and I've got Jordan Lewis gonna spy, but really number sixty three's coming off the tackle and he wants to just get him out

of the way. That's a mismatch. So it's really hard to find someone that that can run with him but also can can play run defense that close to the line of scrimmage. I mean, that's that's what makes these guys so good, the running quarterback. Ye let's go ahead and take our final break. When we come back, we're gonna have some more questions. You can hit us at Cowboys Break on Twitter. We'll get some of those questions and we're also asked some other questions lined up. We'll

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at the Star we're taking fan questions. You can just at Cowboys Break on Twitter, Amber, what do you have? Should we hold out on all the criticism we have been making this year and wait until we actually give them a full season and see how that a full offseason? Sorry, and then see how that season turns out. There won't be any talk radio, there wouldn't be any shows, there wouldn't be five shows on our stuff. I mean, they

just that's that's what happens. I mean, I mean, there's that's why people talk about the draft so early and all that stuff, because they're like, like this is okay, well this we know what this is like, we got to move on. So if you can't sit there and wait, nobody waits anymore, well we should probably give them the ben for the doubt. Yeah, well let's just come back and say I'm sorry. Later, that's what they'll say, I'm sorry. And McCarthy is actually a pretty good coach if that happens.

But I'm saying right now, it's just easy because because think about it, we do this too. Every single play we do like the overview, like you know what that he's just not very good, even though like he gives up gives up a sack, it's like he's not very good, and it's like, well, it's it's the classic. It's the classic quarterback thing too, is like you have you, you and I. But also like every fan listening, you've seen every snap of Dak Prescott's career. You've probably seen thirty

five percent of every other quarterbacks snaps. Like, I mean, you watch a lot of football, but you know you're not watching Rogers if the Packers are playing at the same time you're you haven't seen every snap of Pat mahomes career. I Pat Mahomes makes three awful decisions a game or you know three you know, but you don't see that, and so you don't wait to weigh with it. You don't weigh it the same way and that you

do it with your team too. So see the Super Bowl win well and absolutely I'm not I'm not saying Dak is as good as no, but you just you weigh it differently when you're into the minutia of your team verse just sort of seeing the overview of everybody else's. But doesn't it see like with every snap, you're every

fan assists there like they're the judge. Like they've listened to the jury, they've listened to the both sides of this, and they finally they said, here's the decision on every play, like this guy's really good or the he can't throw, you know, and that's that's what we do. So that's a nice question, but like, there's just too many people, too many bloggers, too many people that just want to have the answer and want to have an opinion about it.

So well the other thing too, I mean it's a sliding scale, right, Like, do I think Mike McCarthy deserves to get fired after one after this terrible season. No, not with everything that's gone against him, Not with the circumstances. Do I think he should be absolved of all blame.

Absolutely not. And I'm gonna do what I just criticize people for doing because I have not watched every snap of the Carolina Panthers season, but I know that Matt Rule is in the exact same circumstances with an untalented team. I mean, before the season, the Panthers were viewed as a contender for a top five pick, and I mean they're taking people to the wire. They took the Saints to the wire, they went toe to toe with the

Chiefs on the road at Kansas City. Therefore, you know they've got a better record than the Cowboys right now, and they've done a lot of it without Christian McCaffrey, so they've had their own injury issues. So no, Mike McCarthy does not get a complete pass for this season. But I also you know I'm not trying to fire him either. Sorry, what's up, Derek. I will say this, Dave mentioning Carolina that a lot of people believe that

that Matt rule. Butcher that that game and time management in that last game against Minnesota, and that was the reason they lost. He didn't take enough time before they scored, and it ended up giving the ball back to Minnesota and they went down and scored and won the game. So there's something like you said, if you're not watching all the players, you don't miss, you miss some of the nuance. But I will say this, I believe, I believe,

and I've come to this conclusion on this. I think it's fair to criticize because I think there have been some things that are worthy of criticism from Mike McCarthy and from his coaching staff. I would caution anybody from burying them. I wouldn't be making just grand statements about whether he can coach or how good he is as a coach, because at the end of the day, they didn't and I know it's an excuse, but it's also

an explanation. They didn't have the ability to meet with their team as much as they would normally do, to be able to set up things, to be able to get their team accustomed to the things they want to do, and get them prepared for a season. So all those things consider, I wouldn't bury him yet. I would just say, you can criticize the things that he does that you think aren't good, but I wouldn't bury him just yet. I think this team will be much better when they

have a little more time. I think they'll be in they get a lot of these players back that have been injured, these frontline players that have been injured. I think one of the thing, Sorry, Amber, go ahead, I was just gonna say that. I think that one of the things too, regardless of who the head coaches or any of that, I feel that every season we start off training camp thinking or seeing the potential that the team can have and thinking that maybe maybe this might

be the year. And there's a lot of people who think that at the beginning of the season every year. So when you start seeing it play out not the way that you expected, there's more criticism there and you just attack things differently because it's not the outcome that you want to see happening. I would you gonna say

something today? Yeah, I was just I agree with everything Derek said, And that's like, I'm not interested in burying anybody, but specifically specifically on the defensive side of the ball. I just don't think there's an excuse that holds water for how bad they've been. And like the pandemic all I'm with you on that, all of that, I get it, you know all of that. It's it's out there and

it's fair. And that's I bring up Carolina as that's my reference point to say, well, that is a brand new coaching staff that has had all of the similar challenges. And I haven't watched every snap of their season, but but this is the worst defense in the league or has been for long stretches of the season. I just that stuff doesn't hold water for the amount of ineptitude we've seen at times. In my opinion, you know how many times we've heard Brian say, you know, brought us

would would say coaches have to know their team. You have to know your team. And I think that's just been a big challenge for all coaches and all news staffs, but it seems like it's been a bigger one for this staff. They just haven't really figured out. And how can you know? You're like, what's your name is it? Say Beyond or say okay, Google play corner, go out

there and play against the Steelers. Go I mean like that, that's been a challenge for every team, But I'm just saying I don't think he really understands what he's got. It's taken some time. And then they goes back to what we said Yester here about the aggressive plays. Wow, you know you don't have Aaron Rodgers cashing the checks that you're you're trying to write. You don't have it anymore, So you've got to figure that out. Yeah, I'll say this,

Dave on on what you just said. I think with the one thing we've learned about that defensive staff and their decision making, I guess it goes all the way up to McCarthy. Is either one of tw things. Either they don't like change, or they're very stubborn, because we've seen them in situations where they've needed to make some decisions and they've been so against making those decisions until they're forced and their hand is forced to finally make decision and you find out later that it was the

right decision, right. And so, either they don't like change or they're very very stubborn. I don't think either one of them is good for them. And that's what we've seen this year, and I think that's part of the reason why this defense was so bad for so long. Here's another question that fits into this theme and this topic.

With all the questionable decisions that we've been talking about, especially in this past game that we saw the Cowboys play, how close do you think that McCarthy is to losing his team amongst the players. I actually, and this is totally this is like anecdotal. You would honestly be the best person to answer this, because you travel with them, you're a little bit closer. But I sort of feel like I get impression that they're tighter than they were a month and a half ago. Like I think that

that part of it doesn't worry me. As much. Maybe maybe I'm wrong, Like I said, I don't get to go into the locker room five days a week like I used to, so maybe my read on it is not as good. But like it, really it felt to me like he was on the cusp of losing this team during the like the first time they lost to Washington. Yeah, I mean, when DeMarcus Lawrence is saying that they're spineless on the record to a reporter, that's not good. Um,

But I don't I don't know. I don't get that sense recently, even even though they you know, they just lost, you know, they lost a pretty embarrassing game to Washington the other day. I still don't get that sense. We'll see because right now, since the worst decision he's made this season, they're they're down twenty one, nothing like that. That's what you know. We don't know. We don't know anything other than like he made a really bad decision

and everyone knows it but them, and you know. But then and then they came back and they gave up three straight touchdowns, and so we haven't seen any kind of response. We'll see if they come back and have some life there. And and like Amber said about the watermelons. I mean, what is it this this week? You know, what, what is it before him? It's got to be something. And I think that that that kind of helped, and you know that they played better, and but they're going

to have to figure something out. I think it's a very very good question because I don't I don't know. I think I think it's been a roller coaster. It's been up, it's been down. Right now it's down. Let's see if they come back. You know, they had plenty of time to rest here. Do you guys think that the Cowboys give de Nucci or Gilbert any playing time before the end of the season if it gets away from him. Absolutely? Yeah, you know, I mean this this reminds me, of course it does, because it was the

last time they were really bad. But twenty fifteen, like they tried their best. You know, Romo came back and everybody got excited for a week and that didn't work out. They brought Castle back out there, but he was awful in a game that kind of put him out of the division race, and then Kellen Moore took over for the last three weeks. I think I think this two games swing against Baltimore and Cincinnati will decide what the rest of the season, what the last two games look

like like. If you beat Baltimore, and I mean, you'd like to think they can beat Cincinnati, especially without Joe Burrow. So if they beat Baltimore, they got a good shot to beat Cincinnati. All of a sudden, they're what five and eight and now no, and probably you're not going to see those guys. But if they lose these next two games, or if you know, if the division gets away from them, I would expect you'll see a young

quarterback start at least the last game of the season. Yeah, because they're gonna win four straight games, they're gonna go seven and eight and then they'll have everything wrapped up and then the last game against the Giants, they'll just sit back there. Wow, that would be I know we overuse this phrase, but that would be the most twenty twenty thing ever, is if they sit Andy Dalton in week seventeen because they've clinched the NFC, like, that would

just be that would be insane. I do want Andy Dalton. I would like to see him play against Cincinnati. I think, you know, yeah, I'm sure he would love that, But but I think it's a good question. I mean, like, if they don't win those two games, and he's got to make those decisions. As Garrett Gilbert, part of the future is a guy that you want to maybe use as a backup quarterback, and if so, maybe he plays more. But but I think that would have to be a few weeks down the road. You know, guys, I kind

of disagree there. I actually think listening to what Jerry has said over the last several weeks, I kind of get the impression that they feel like they're they're not necessarily looking at these young guys as being a backup next year. I would actually be shocked if they don't resign Andy Dalton to be their backup again next year, because I think if the way Jerry will probably look at this is, Hey, I think there are a lot of things that contributed to us not being very good

this year, and part of that is Dak. But I think he believes if he had his tackles right now, and if his coach would have had an offseason, I think he believes right now here they'd be contending. And I don't know that I disagree with that, and so I think when it comes down to it. I think they want to play Dalton as much as they can down the stretch because number one, I do think they still want to at least the coach does still want to try to win, and he gives them the best

chance to win. But I also think that they want to see what he can do because I think they are still evaluating whether they want to keep him next year. And I think I think I would be kind of shocked if they don't try to keep him next year and there's nothing he's doing right now. I think that's gonna make him just his high commodity where other teams are going to be jumping in trying to sign him

to be their starter. I will. I mean, I agree with that it's it's not all his fault, but Andy Dalton hasn't looked good enough that you have to worry

about him signing some massive deal in the offseason. But I don't know, man, like, you gotta do what you gotta do right now because the division is up for grabs, But you want to send a thirty something year old quarterback out there behind this offensive line in the game that doesn't mean anything in the standings and potentially get him killed I mean, like, you you have to right now because a playoff spot is still up for grabs, but if it's not anymore, I if I was Andy Dalton,

I would be like, no, I'm not doing this anymore, which he probably wouldn't say that because you know, you don't think like yeah, you don't think like a football player, right.

These guys want to go out you only get as Brian you just mentioned broad Us as he always says, you only get sixteen of these, right, So these guys want to be out there as much as possible because it's just another opportunity to compete if if a playoff spot is not and I like, you know, we're basically talking week sixteen and seventeen, if a playoff spot is not up for grabs for those two games, I wouldn't send Andy Dalton's already been concussed playing behind this line,

Like I wouldn't do that to him, and maybe they will. I don't know. But look at the way he responded to that day, the way he played against Washington. I mean, this guy was like diving head first, like he was not scared. You can tell how much he wants to play. You gotta be wired, right, so you gotta be wired the right way to play in the NFL. And I'm not trying to like Andy Dalton's a competitors, I'm not

trying to knock him. But again, they were playing for first place in the division on Thanksgiving like there were I mean there were, there were tangible things to be gained. Week seventeen, somebody else has already clenched the division. I just I don't know if it's the same story. We'll see, all right, We appreciate you guys joining us. We will be back. Remember we're not gonna have a show tomorrow. We will be doing the Draft show tomorrow, so make sure you tune in for that at eleven am. It's

gonna be an hour and a half show. Then on Monday, we'll be back. We'll get you guys ready for the Tuesday game Cowboys versus Ravens. Till then for Nick Eatman, Dave hellmant amber Garcia, I'm Derek Eagleton. This has been The Break live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.