Cowboys Break: Needing Style Points?

We're celebrating here, you know, after a victory against the Dolphins, a game that we didn't necessarily expect to be flowing the way it did. Did it collect the show? Yeah? We were lying about to see our pants this morning. And at one point in the game. I guess you might say the same thing about the Cowboys. But they got it all together and anybody the Cowboys. The Cowboys had a meeting too. They were running late to the game. It took them a little bit too. We're just gonna

hit play and then what's going on? But like I'm telling you, thirty seconds ago, neither one of these two, Derek or Amber seconds ago come flying in. As you hear the open going a little flustered, Amber takes over. It's kind of like Yeah, it's kind of like what happened in the quarter Cowboys were like, oh, well we're playing playing a football game. Here we go. Let's go Cowboys for you know it that they're gonna have a great show. Cowboys do get the big win yesterday, thirty

one to six. Did the score, I don't know. The score maybe tells the story I think more than anything else, it's kind of a story of two halfs. The first half probably wasn't the Cowboys best football. And if you talk to the players after the game, they even talk about some moments where, um, I think maybe they made some decisions the quarterback in particular, made some decisions that maybe they would have made if they were playing let's

say the Saints next week. But all that, all Cowboys do come out with a big win, and they moved to three and oz and looking really good in their division, where the Eagles lose yesterday, and so the next closest team is one and two. Let's start first with Dak. Obviously, Dak is the engine I think that makes this that has been making this thing go over the last couple of weeks. He was nineteen to thirty two, fifty nine percent completion percentage two hundred and forty six yards, two touchdowns,

an interception, and also a rush touchdown. Talk to me just overall about what you thought of his performance, because I think there are a lot of different facets to that. Yeah, I mean, just like we've seen in the first two games that he didn't play as great early on. He's having a hard time i think, coming out of the gate in the first half and playing his best football. But for whatever the reason, at a halftime, the third quarter, he's really you can't say anything other than perfect, because

that's what it's quarterback rating has been. In the third quarter this season, he's been outstanding, and you know, he kind of figures it out and he definitely did it against the Dolphins, and so it wasn't his best game, but it was a very good game, especially in the second half. Yeah, it's interesting. Like I guess my main impression of this is I can't kill him too much because they woke up and they I mean, this game

was never really in doubt after halftime. But we gave Jason Garrett so much praise for the way he keeps these guys focused, and they didn't look focused when this

game started. None of them did to your point, like, no, Dak has never played a perfect game in his life, and he's thrown plenty of interceptions, but he just it was an uncharacteristic performance on his part, which he even admitted to after the game, saying, like I was being greedy, I was looking for kill shots, just doing uncharacteristic things.

Like I said on Twitter, I thought they were playing the game like a ten year old plays matten like they were just like they were like, these guys are not as good as us, and we're gonna try to win the game on every play, like every play should be a sixty yard touchdown. And that's how Dak approached it. In the beginning looked sloppy. You know, not to take any credit away from the Dolphins, but you compare the defense's first half to the second half, it certainly looked

like they were trying a lot harder. Well, I mean, they just looked flat, Like two hundred yards by the Dolphins at halftime sixty five I think after I mean, that's such a gigantic discrepancy that, like I said, whether you want to call it lack of focus, being flat, or maybe they just weren't expecting the Dolphins to try that hard. I don't know what the actual truth is, but that's what it looked like. And they snapped out of it real quick after halftime and played the way

they were supposed to. You know, I know that one matters is at the end of the game what you do and when you come off with a win. But I'll be honest, I am concerned Dak. We've seen it takes him. Like Dave said, it takes him a little bit to get going, and we've seen that in past games in previous years. These first two games of the season is taking him a little bit, but then he'll

pick it up pretty quickly. Now I'm concerned once you move into other teams that are better, if you keep having slow starts, I mean, that can come and bite you in the butt. We've seen it last year at times where they've had a slow start. Then in the second half later he comes back in he's killing and moving the ball down the field and making plays, but under pressure and sometimes it might be a little too

late for that for the light to come on. And I'm not saying this is something to freak out about. You know, it's very exciting to have the team that the Colways have at the moment, but it is something to be concerned of one about once you start facing

better teams. Yeah, the one thing I'll say about that, I actually think that I don't know if I don't know if I think he's just off to two really slow starts, because yesterday, I mean, they did score on their first two possessions, then it seemed like it kind of went a lent to a little bit of a lull for the rest of the first half, and then obviously the third quarter picks up again. So it wasn't like it was, in my opinion, wasn't like it was the first two games where they didn't score the first

possession in one game. I think it was like the first three possession yet a pretty ugly start, right, But but so I don't think it was that necessarily. I just think overall, and I kind of agree with you, Dave, that it seemed like they were just a little bit flat. It just seemed like there wasn't there wasn't the sense of urgency. They were doing things that were uncharacteristic for them. I mean, I think Cheeto had a pretty tough several plays in that game, especially early on that just didn't

seem to be characteristic for him. I think what they did was is I mean, I think they were told all week, you know, let's don't let's come out strong, let's come out fast, and I think they did. I mean the defense did a nice drib early, the offense did a nice drop. They went down the field and scored twice. But I think then's like, oh, yeah, this is what everyone's talked about. This is gonna be terrible. And then they did hit that lull and they had to kind of wake up and say, you know, it

wasn't for that fumble right for the half. You know, the Dolphin's probably gonna have a lead at the half. If DeVante Parker catches a very wide open I think it was a slant route. It was definitely going across the middle. I mean, he walks into the end zone if he catches that pass, and they're down thirteen to ten and a half for sure. But you can't beat him up too bad because the story I think of that game is at the running game was was really phenomenal,

and you look across the board. The first time the Cowboys have had two hundred yard rushers since nineteen ninety eight and then in Zeke had one hundred twenty five yards on nineteen carries. Polette had thirteen carries for one hundred and three yards and also a touchdown. You know both started that game in ninety eight. The quarterback Chris, I know who's facing Garrett? Did he? Yep? Nice, nice little nugget, right. Yeah, Well, now you got me worried

because I'm I think he started that game. I mean, did you know you're backing in the game. But now I'm wondering if he started. I think that was the year the Eightman had a broken collar bone early in the season and they went to Washington and beat them. In Warren and Emmett Smith both had one hundred yards. Yeah, it's it's hard for me to get a firm grasp on how I feel about that game, because I mean, what I think I said thirty eight ten, you said

thirty seven seven? Would you say, Derek thirty four sixty four six? And or would you say, I mean, all you're missing is the same. Basically we were all in the ballpark, Yeah, like we were. I mean, it played out pretty close to what we thought at the end of the day, and it's a sixty minute games. I mean, if they don't look great at halftime, there's a whole nother half to play at the same time. You know, it wasn't the effortless dominance that you probably would have

preferred to see. Maybe it was naive to think it would have been, because it is still the NFL. But isn't this way they accomplished the end result? Right? And isn't this what we probably should have thought an NFL game would be like, even it gets a bad team. Because here's the deal, Nick, you talk about it all the time. You beat teams on Wednesday and Thursday, right, these kinds of teams, these kind of teams are also going to probably start off the game playing really really hard.

They're gonna give you their best shot, they're gonna try, they're gonna pull everything out like that. That's why they go for the on side kick. They're trying everything, they're gonna throw everything at you. It's when they get to the second half and they realize, man, all that stuff that we did and none of it worked, and we're still down, and then you score on them in the first possession, and then it's like, well, here we go.

And then that's when you start just taking it from them, right, and then it becomes that easier game as you go. But in the first half music you should expect these are all professionals. They're probably all going to come out giving you their very best, and it's not until a little later sometimes when these kind of games take that feel like that was the case for the Cowboys. I'm sorry, I think, Yes, the Cowboys came out and they were trying,

but not hard enough. First it just wasn't working. I talk about the other team, I'm talking about the other okay, just in general. Then with the Cowboys, a lot of those things were on themselves, like they were the ones making those mistakes. Yes, there were certain plays where the Dolphins we're doing things that I'm like, oh, okay, I know y'all. Y'all were doing those kinds of things, all right, But if if we're gonna nitpick it and that I mean, like I said, like they got to the end result

like it played out. Take the totality of the game. It out pretty similar to what we thought. But two hundred and seven yards of offense in the first half. Like, again, you're nitpicking here, but that's my column was actually I guess centered on in this room. I usually write it for other fans, but I mean I kind of said, let's don't start judging ugly blowouts here. You know, they

blew them out like they happened favorites. I mean, it's only happened when thirty five times happened twice this weekend. It's hard to do. And they covered no we're nitpicking, but like that first half performance by the defense is at least a little bit troubling in my opinion, Like just you take the you take it all in stride. I mean, this is an offense that I think was averaging one hundred and ninety two yards per game over

the first two games, and they got that by halftime. Um, and they were giving us some big chunks of yards too. I mean, it wasn't like they would just dinking and dunking down the field like they had. They hit them for some big plays. I just can't call a couple of field goals troubling. I can't not yet, not a couple of field goals. We just said, like they should have scored a touchdown. They might have had a touchdown, depending on how you feel about that contested ball between

Cheeto and m Preston Williams really thought that was a catch. Honestly, for the record, I think people that think that are that's a touchdown are crazy, Like if des Brian didn't catch it at lambeau Field, how is that a catch? And he might have had a rough first half. That's an amazing play by Cheeto Wougier that kind of got brushed aside because he struggled early on. He made a

great play on that ball. Yeah, the question I asked in the press box is how long are we doing this before we I mean, would we have to give the ball to the ref? I mean, I just he caught caught it. There's two or three steps. I mean the rule is pretty simple. If you're going to the ground, you got a main maintained possession through the fall, right right? Isn't that the rule? Okay? But like how long I mean do you run and then all of a sudden you hit rowdy and the end zone and you fumble?

Like what is he was catching the ball and going to the ground. The point if you're catching the ball and you're going to the ground, then you have to maintain possession. I would have said, but well, whatever I don't if the ball, the ball comes out of your hands before you know before what before? Yeah, I know it's it's tough. I don't think it was before you get home, Nick, But the ball comes out of hand before you get home. You lost the ball like I

spiked it, I guess. And I'm gonna talk out of both sides of my mouth here because I know it's the NFL. I know everybody gets paid. But like, they effortlessly dominated them in the second half. They went oh of seven on third down. They had sixty five yards of offense. They sacked Rosen three times. Where was any of that in the first half. Like they didn't get home on the pass rush, they gave up chunk plays

to the receivers. They weren't terrible against the run, but I mean the Dolphins they went three of eight on third down, so they were I mean a little less than fifty percent. That's pretty good for a bad team. Like, it wasn't a good performance, And I know you can't. You can't expect to just be effortlessly dominant for sixty minutes against damn near anybody. But I thought they could

have played a lot better. I think they do. Think some of that happens though as a function of the game, when you start putting the other team in a position where they have to pass, yeah, then it creates a lot of opportunity for your defense to know, Okay, they're not going to be running the ball here, let's just go get them, and then you can get more of those sacks. You can cover a little bit better because

you know they're passing. There is no doubt that there's a run or pass right because so I think that helps a little bit as a game keeps going on. And Cowboys did get a lot of their big plays defensively, they came a little later in the game when they had a bigger lead. Let me ask you this though, and I don't know what the answer would be, but

like the actual game went like this. The Cowboys were up twenty one to nothing at the half, and then in the second half they scored a little bit, gave up some of them, ended up ten to six, and the second half they win thirty one six. Are we talking about a different game at all? I mean, like, are we as worried about that about what they did in the second half? Yeah? And that's I mean, I

which is similar to the first being careful too. When we stay worried, I don't think any of us is like, yeah, I don't think any of us is like, oh my god, this teams like I'm this team's not going anywhere. It is a relative thing. It's like if you're trying to find something that's that's that's even a bit troublesome about this team, then you'll nitpick a little bit and say, well, maybe the defense just isn't playing at the expectation level that we had for them, that they were going to

be shutting people out. Right, they're fourth in the league and scoring defense. They're giving up two touchdowns like they're fine. And not only that, So fourteen point seven points per game would have won you a lot of games last year when you were only scoring twenty two. You're scoring thirty two right now, So they're fine. I mean it's early, they haven't played a good team yet. I'm not worried. But if we're you know, this is a whole hour

long show dedicated to just the Cowboys Dolphins game. We gotta have something to talk about the season. Three straight thirty points. I don't even know what one two thousand and seven, I looked it up last night. Seven and then I don't remember who they beat Week four. They want they started five and zero grams and then the next game was the Bills and that was twenty four. That was at the Romo game. That was the high Romo's best, worst game of his career. Six turnover. You know,

we got a question on that game. On that game, Yeah, let's do it. Um, I asked you yesterday. I was like, what's the cutoff line to pull a quarterback? How many picks? Usually because I was thinking about the Arkansas game or the guy just through five? Um, but um, it's not a big deal. But yeah, when yeah, when you when do you cut that a? Three? Four? But that game, like Romo, I think three is where you have the conversation.

But you might have the conversation to say, man, this guy, we're just gonna keep rolling with him because either we don't have a better option, yeah, or how many do you come out? In flag football? Before they took them out? I wasn't. I just thought it was let's take our first wasn't My problem had other problems, but that one really wasn't. Injury All right, let's take our first break. When we come back. I didn't want to ask you

guys the question around the running game. They played a really good running game, but I don't want to ask you guys, is this a division of labor that you'd like to see as a season goes on? As it split sixty forty yesterday. We'll talk about that when come right back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot com Radio. Well, a player can look good on paper, it's when he's out on the field that you really find out what

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use the code word team JB. That's get Jack Black dot com slash Cowboys The Jack Black Starter ten bucks, free shipping. The excitement of Dallas Cowboys football. It's back at at and T Stadium. Plashas going crazy in Arlington, Texas. Don't miss your chance to see the Cowboys lock when they host their NFC East Riots, the Eagles, Giants and Redskins,

plus the Green Bay Packers and boy Bolly. It works his way through Rocks the Dolls single game tickets you're on sale down, get them before they're gun first and gold far back. Prescott pushes up the middle touchdown. Visit Dallas Cowboys dot com to get your tickets today. Back to the break. Welcome back into the second segment of the Break Black in the s WBC Mortgage studios. At the start, we're talking about the Cowboys win over the

Miami Dolphins. Thirty one to says Cowboys moving three and oh, let's talk about the running game. As I mentioned earlier, Zeke and Pollard both had great days, both over one hundred yards. Yesterday. It looked like or and I didn't look like it was a split of about sixty forty. Zeke had about sixty percent of the carries, Pollard had about forty percent of the carries. They both had three passing targets. That being said, is that the kind of

division you'd like to see this thing? Because it does seem a bit high for Pollard and a bit low for Zeke. This is the third game. You would think he's kind of in rhythm at this point and in shape enough to be carrying a heavier load. Do you think that this is an intentional thing where the Cowboys are really kind of keep them closer to that division.

I think it was an intentional thing where the game thirteen to two, first half thirteen to two, and I'm sorry to cut you off a bit, but that's what that's what you know. The second half was totally different, I mean, because it was all all going to be Pollard. But in the first half, when your game's still going, I mean, and I don't think that's as good as it should be. I think it should be a little

bit closer than that. But I just think it was a nature of the game of why Pollard got it a little bit closer because Zeke wasn't split in time with him early early on. So I don't know, like ten to three something like that. I mean, what where's the six percent? Seems like they would be, you know, So let me ask you this. I know it was. It was because and I assume this is what I'm putting words in your mouth, so tell me if I'm wrong. I'm assuming what you're saying is that it was because

of a blowout. That because of a blowout you put him in. Do you think if this was a game that was maybe a ten point game that they use Zeke to salt the game away or do they still use Pollard a little bit more there? That's an instance because he's fresher. Yes, I am saying that. I think, Oh, I mean, if it's a close game, I think they use Zeke. I mean, Zeke went in Washington ten point game. They need to ice that away. It was Zeke and

not Pollard doing that. I mean, it's twenty four six at the end of the third and the Dolphins had not really given any indication that they were going to get off the mat. So I think that's part of it. And don't get me wrong, like I want Tony Pollard to have a sizeable role here, but I don't. I don't think it would be some sort of fifty fifty thing and all honesty. They came out of the half and Pollard was on the field, and like I was, I was annoyed. I was like, what what do you do? Like, yeah,

I actually like seeing that. I don't have Zeke on your fantasy team, don't I actually actually but Pollard's on

my bench. But that's beside the point. I've always said that I think that if you've got a guy that's capable like Pollard, I really wanted the Cowboys to have a running back that's a second option that you don't have to hold your breath and say what's going on every time he's on the field, because that does allow you to have a fresher Zeke, especially especially as you go down the stretcher and you get into December and January. If he's fresher in those months when the weather might

be bad, you might need a game. There might be a game where you need him to go thirty you know, you might need to run him thirty times. I want to take the opportunity now earlier in the season to keep those snaps off of him so that I'm saving him he's fresher. Once I get down to post to December and postseason, I don't think it will be normal to see him crack double digit carries unless the game's out of hand. I mean, that's I could be wrong. That's just how I feel about it. But Pollard, you're

talking about, Yeah, but this is cool to see. It's fantastic to put it on tape, show it to people. Let Pollard prove that. I mean, he's clear, like he's got juice, Like he looks dangerous when he hits the hole or when he turns the corner, because he gets there so fast. Like I like what he can bring. I think he needs to have a role, not necessarily getting for he does sixty percent of the carries. But I mean, there's so much you can do with him.

I think at the very least, I would try to get him his own series, like at least once per half, and then there's so much stuff you can do with him motioning him. I'm baffled as to why he hasn't been part of the fly sweep jet action stuff like that. Seems like it's tailor made for him, and it could be. Although they did do something interesting yesterday. I don't know if you guys noticed when they went to twenty personnel, which is two running back, zero tight ends, three wide receivers.

He and Zeke Wild both line up in the backfield. He goes across the quarterback and then the quarterback throws the quick little pass out there to him in the flat and let's him make a play, which to me, I kind of thought that two for a second, like he was gonna get out there and then try to throw.

But my point is what it does. It gets him out, It gets him in motion, it gets him already moving, and it gets him out in space where now he can get some blockers in front of him and try to make some moves, which I think it's very similar to what you're trying to accomplish with the jet sweep, So I think it's kind of a similar type thing, right, Tavon Austin, We'll see, you know, we'll see what the

week holds for him. We haven't seen him since Week one, But like Tony Pollard, can do all that stuff and I'd like to see it. And again, much like Tavon, he's the type of guy that can impact a defense without ever touching the ball. So very excited about him. Definitely think he's got a role to play. But I just don't think you're gonna see him crack one hundred

rushing yards very often in games that aren't blowouts. I mean, I just unless he's got a couple of really big yeah, but you know what I mean, Like, he's just not going to get the carry count to get close to those numbers unless they're not worried about the outcome. Yeah, I'm all good with that. I just again, I love the idea that they have a running back who's actually Kapello as a number two guy. Use him. Don't let him sit on the sideline. Use him, even if you

got to put him and Zeke out there together. Use him. Get out because I'll tell you this the play I just describe to you. If they do that enough times, that's gonna open up things for Zeke running up the gut because they're gonna teams are gonna have to respect the fact that when Tony goes out there, he might get the ball, and if he gets the ball quickly, they gotta have a linebacker out there trying to stop him. So I think all that stuff plays in together. It's

just one more weapon. Don't let him sit on the sideline and waste away. Absolutely no, I completely agree. He's too good to just wait for Zeke Tanita blow right. Um. So it's and you know, for all they've been hyping him since they picked him, and it was like you kind of roll your eyes at some of it, like, Okay, Kamara really, but he's living up to it. I'm not saying he's Kamara because Kamara put on a show yesterday, but yeah, I was sitting there watching it like, oh,

that's next Sunday. Yeah. I talked to Jordan after the game. I was like, you know, you can tweet it was the best Devon got show is the nose tackle for the Dolphins And he said, uh, he said, if that's the best O line in the league, then what am I? And Jordan Lewis quote tweeted him and said, oh and three the best. He's awesome. I love Dan's he and the thing about it is is that everyone's like, oh, they got him, and you go ask Georgian and be like,

what they are? There are one thread they haven't won. He asked, what what you know? I mean he actually said he like. He tweeted later and was like I feel kind of bad. I didn't need to do him like that, but it was good. The people people respond They were like, you didn't feel bad enough to delete the tweet, Like I'm here. He is a gym, Yeah

he is. I talked to him. I said, you know, this week there's gonna be a lot of Kamara Kamara stopper and stuff like that, and so he was just like okay, Like yeah, because most guys would be like, oh, don't be calling that. Don't be calling me that. Basement. Yeah, okay, I mean he only played what ten snaps in that game? Seven it but it but Kamara didn't do anything and he made the one play that that probably yeah, almost

in the game. It's gonna be I know we'll talk more Saints, but like this is this is gonna be a tough game. I mean, it doesn't matter who the quarterback is. I mean, you go to more, it's gonna be tough. Sean Payton is a hell of a coach and he's gonna he knows how to get guys ready to go. So they they had it. They had a great game plan against Seattle. We got to watch some of that game, and you know, you've got to tackle. You have to tackle, and they have been pretty good

at tackling, you know, the Cowboys. I wouldn't say they've missed a lot of tackles this year. But and they faced Barkley, you know, I mean they that was not with the best game. But this will be interesting. Part of it is the expectation because one of them was all Pro and the other one is a near pro bowler and just signed a contract extension. But Jalen Smith and Layton Vanderesh like they haven't been bad, but they're

gonna need to play better. They're gonna need to be expect like to beat the Saints of the world and stop guys like Alvin Kamara. They're gonna need to be you know, and they happen. Not to try to be like an apologist for them, but I do think because they're so good and so young, and they're both badasses, I think that they get kind of like there's a lot of times I feel like people say, wow, that wasn't a great play by them, but look who they're

Look who they're losing battles too. I mean, like a receiver comes over the middle and puts a move on them, and then okay, Jalen doesn't you know, I'll cover that. I think that they handled the guys are supposed to a lot. But when we see him get beat, they get beat by receivers and stuff, I'm like, well, they're not moving them to safety. I mean, you know, there's a reason why these guys are getting beat kind of like Tony pod that time Tony Pollard ran right by

Jalen and practice that whoa, yeah, whoa. I'm like, and I'm thinking, well, if he didn't like my Jake's draft. My takeaway from that was never blaming Jayalen. It was dak how did you miss that throw R? That's because it's practice and it's not a game, I guess. So all right, we're gonna take our final break. We're gonna take our final break. I did want to come back and talk about the defense. I want to dive a

little deeper into that. There were a couple of players that were missing and some guys that replace them, and I I want to talk about how well those guys performed. We'll do that when we come right back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. Your new apartment's big, such a great deal. Yeah, it's okay, just okay. What's not right above the subway? Well, I bet you don't even notice it after that's my neighbor. Hang it a deal that's just okay? Is not okay? Get a great deal

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you'll travel like a pro. Visit Cowboys Travel dot com to book your travel package today. Back to the break, Welcome back. It is the final segment of the break. We are laughing SWB see Mortgage Studios and at the Star. Nick, what you got for us? Well, obviously there was a great game Cowboys and Dolphins at at and T Stadium. They'll be back ATENC Stadium October sixth, Green Bay Packers. They're probably gonna give them put up more of a

fight than the Dolphins. You never know. Don't miss your chance to see the Cowboys at the game at a tenC stadium. Check out you get tickets at Dallas Cowboys dot com. Even though it is two weeks away. Better get on it, get on it all right. Let's talk

about the defense. Yesterday. They end up holding the Dolphins a two hundred and eighty three yards total yards of offense, only seventy two rushing yards, two hundred and eleven passing yards UM three or fifteen on third downs pretty impressive, and zero of three in the red zone again, very very impressive. UM. The one thing I think that that still does stand out is is no picks. They weren't able to get any interceptions. They were able to force a fumble, which is a good thing, UM, and we're

able to recover that. What do you think of their performance overall? Though? As a defensive unit? What do you think of their performance? I think, I mean, I don't want to rehash everything I said in the first segment. I mean they buckled down again like it's a sixty minute game. You get credit for the totality of it. I thought they played well in the grand scheme. But again, if you're looking for things to be concerned about, three takeaways on the year, which is near the bottom of

the league. They're one of only five teams in the league that doesn't have an interception yet this season. The other four are all pretty bad teams Denver, Oakland, Arizona and Jacksonville don't have an interception this season either, So the Cowboys are the only one of the five with a winning record and only five sacks. Only five teams in the league have fewer than that. Maybe Robert, I mean, it certainly seemed like Robert Quinn gave him some jews.

He looked, he looked good. I know it's the Dolphins, but his motor like he just was given them fits. He seemed like he was bending that corner every time they dropped back to pass, got his own sack, and then tank it get another sack. So that's encouraging, but through three weeks you'd like to like to see a little bit more. Yeah, that's one thing I expected in this game. Even if they weren't going to get the interceptions, I expected they were going to get a ton of sacks.

I figured it would be now part of the function of that, or at least how I thought about it was. I thought they'd get a big lead early and they would force them into a lot of passing downs a lot earlier than they actually did, and so they would get to that point in the game where they're just coming and coming and coming, and that would happen earlier, it didn't. It happened really about mid to late third quarter when they start actually being able to kind of

just go get them. But I was kind of shocked that they all ended up. We talked about it on Friday. We talked about maybe this will be the game where the defense just picks it up, gets hype, get all out of energy, you know, for this week leading up against the Giants. That's I mean, I was expecting them to come out of there a lot better. Where now I feel excited and ready for them to face the Saint. I'm not saying that we keep talking about, Okay, they

don't play bad. They're not playing bad. It's not horrible, but still it's not the defense we were talking about last year. That is, like, man, this defense is carrying the offense, basically playing for both sides, And right now, I'm just concerned what's going to happen if a game comes where the Cowboys offense is just not able to move the ball. Is the defense going to be able to help them out? Well? I mean last I mean

this last teams. Yeah, against better teams. I mean I think the last year the defense carried them because and they were the best thing that the Cowboys had. I mean this so far through three games. No, I mean, the Cowboys have probably one of the best offenses in the league. I don't know what the stats look like, but I don't have in front of me. But they're they're good. I mean, I mean, I mean, the Patriots are up there scoring you know a lot of points too.

But and the Ravens and things like that. But Chiefs, Chiefs, yeah, they're decent. Um with my homes, no, but I just think that the offense now has picked it up. The offense is the best. You know, those games happen where all of sudden, like we saw it, what was even against the Rams, where the defense was just like off and that was the side of the ball that you

expected to carry the game. You know. But let me ask you this, is it our perception or is this defense really not doing what they were doing last year? Because if you remember last year, like they'd give up yards, they were just holding teams to field goals instead of touchdowns. And if you look at what Dave throughout the stat a little earlier about the scoring right now, as far as scoring defenses are concerned, the fourth and the league,

so they were also, I mean not to quipal with you. Yeah, they were top five or six in yards allowed last year. They're certain they're middle of the package. But because of the offense, because of the offense, it's affecting this And I've said it several times. You go, fine, by the end of the year, you look at these great offenses,

their defenses won't be rated that high. Go through three quarters of the game, three quarters against the Giants, ten points against the Redskins, fourteen points, I believe maybe even set it was in the third quarter, and then and then Miami six. So some of these points are happening kind of late. I think they're doing they think they're doing five. And I get what you're saying, David, I

just think that. I guess. The point I'm making, though, is I look at this defense, and to me, they're similar to what they were lasted they're just not getting they're not getting the pressure that I that I it's the it's the other things that lead to yards and points that I'm not seeing that I expected to see funding them. It's not necessarily I think that from a point standpoint, they're giving up a lot because they're really not And when you look at the teams they faced

so far. That's where my problem comes from. Like if you if this was the defense performing like this against better teams, other teams, then I'm like, yeah, wow, they're playing great. But again, when you talk about who the opponent have been in these first three weeks, I definitely expected them to be better. Do better, get some turnovers, because what's going to happen when you play all these other teams? Okay, I think I think we know the Dolphins aren't gonna be very good, but it is early.

It's early on like I always did. It's weird when people will say, well, you haven't beaten anybody with a winning record, or you haven't beat anybody that's won a game. Well through three games. I mean the Cowboys are the reason why they haven't done that, the reason why you haven't won a game yet because you only played three and one of them you got beat. Um. The Giants actually have won a game. So I mean, looking at the Patriots, I know they're three and oh I think

all three of their opponents are owin three as well. Yeah, so it's still early. Now that they face the Bills this week, they have their first Yeah, that'll be a good one, and you know, the Cowboys obviously going to the to the Saints, and so it happens. But I mean, it is early in the year, and it's like, we don't really know what these teams are gonna be. I mean, I don't know what the Dolphins are gonna be, but I know they're gonna win a game. I mean, they

do you. Yeah, they're gonna win a game. They're getting outscored at a better clip than either of the last two and sixteen teams. Just saying I don't know. I'm not convinced they will, honestly, because at some point you lose your will. I mean, you know, you hate to say that about professional football players, but after six or seven of those types of beatings, well, I don't know how much longer you can hang in like that, you know. I think that they'll if they can get any kind

of running game. I think Rosen was was pretty good there. I thought he moved it pretty well. You know, Now that they have an elite rusher on the with Taco, I think that they'll be able to get some such got a sack. Got a sack ya first, und I'm not treating him like that. Either, but he's no better that. Hey, he comes off the plane on Thursday plays on Sunday. No it is. But yeah, but he's he's not a leap back. No, he's not a leap jokes. The first round pick that he's got, first round might be the

best one they got. That's that's the thing, And that's they showed you how bad that they are by saying, yeah, well pick him up and he'll play him. And he played and he played pretty well. And either way, I mean, he'll help him. I think so he'll help him. I'll be the first to admit I thought they would play a cleaner game, you know, from beginning to end. I didn't think it would be so dicey in the first half.

But like I really I don't care about style points in the NFL again, you know, like I'm sweating what happens in the second half against Northwestern State when LSU's supposed to win by sick Like that's different. This is still the NFL, even if you're the worst team in the NFL. And honestly, I think most of those arguments I think people are motivated by, like, you know, you gotta go to the water cooler and deal with your coworkers on Monday, and they're like, oh, the Dolphins are terrible.

That doesn't even count, Like bs, it doesn't count. Well, it counts. It's a win, and you only need about ten of them to get to the playoffs. So you're a third of the way there. About it is. It's not like college football. People's opinions on style points actually do matter, because they do affect what rankings are, right, affect,

you know. But the NFL they have a pretty nice system of like here's the record, the top six teams go and you play it out, and so we're gonna have a story tomorrow that says power rankings and the people will click on it because they want to know what people think. But it doesn't better doesn't matter. And I guarantee you, well, let's just play somebody. Let somebody that's three and oz is probably gonna not make the playoffs. It actually happened. This is the biggest seventy four percent

of time that those teams make the playoffs. So yeah, in sixteen, in twenty sixteen, there were four teams that started three and oh and didn't make the playoffs. That's four, right, isn't that crazy? Yeah, it is, so how many did how many were four? And oh that did? Oh? I don't even know what makes the playoffs? I mean not really. Yeah, I don't think the builds make the playoffs. We will, but I wouldn't battle it right now because I don't

think they win their divisions. So then you started looking across the AFC. Are they better than the other teams that are gonna be wild cards? But I actually don't think they will. Put a gun to my head. I'm not like, I'm not sold on the forty nine ers being a playoff team there three and oh and for I mean, for that matter, we don't one hundred percent know what the Cowboys are yet. But all you can do is win the games that are put in front

of you, and that's what the Cowboys have done. Yeah, the Cowboys haven't been three now since two thousand and eight. They did not make it that year. That really, it's such a bummer of a stat because like you hear that and you're like, first time since so eait, like that's really impressed Tony and then the last time they did record if you if you you know, but when when that when it's all done for me? And You're like, what was the craziest season. I'm gonna say two thousand

and eight was. We'll be right up there, because it was because after the three and oz game against Green Bay, I wrote a column that said, this is the best team in football right now, the best football team, the best football team in the NFL. You didn't write that last night, did you? Thank you? I didn't um at all, but you know, it was just weird. It was just

a weird year. And that was the It was very similar because they were coming off a really good season and they kind of it was like Jerry's were going for it. I'm gonna get pac Man, I'm gonna get Tank Johnson, We're gonna keep TiO on this team. We're gonna go and we're gonna, you know, go over the top. Injuries happen. You know that thing about the NFL. Injuries are the biggest indicator. I yeah, injuries, and there was

some other stuff. I was gonna say. I wasn't around, but even like I remember, I just have these vivid memories of like being in I guess I was in college at that point, and like Edward, Edward or was on Sports Center every day because there was so much drama around this team, Like he just had a permanent hit where they're like, well, who got arrested this week? Or like what are the cowboys dealing with right now?

Who had who had guns in his car? Like I just remember being in college, like can we stop talking about this team for like five minutes? You know? But then I'll grew up and I'll work for them and I'll talk about him every day real quick though, But a very delightful sub story with this team right now, not to jinx him. I don't believe in that anyway. There's none of that. Yeah, none of that's happening right now. Taco was the t was the closest to drama they had.

And he's in Miami and that's why, And and you go back to that season and maybe I've just created a column for myself on Wednesday, But you know the big difference is as TiO was on that team, and TiO wasn't going to allow for their not to be drama. There's just players that are that are that way. So when you're if you're out there and you're about to send that tweet or text or message and say, if the NFL clears Antonio Brown. You just say no, no,

you don't need it. You don't need that on your team. This isn't a guy that's going to take you over the top of the Cowboys have done that before, and I'm telling you that doesn't help you. If Taco was a distraction, what would you know what I mean, So you don't need that. And I don't know if he'll ever play for anybody again. But there's I mean, so so much time left in the year for unforeseen problems to arise, but it is refreshingly football centric here in

Dallas at the time. I mean, we'll have heard, well I guess we haven't heard anything about Crawford or is that completely forgotten. I haven't heard. But that's the thing about That's the thing about the commissioner is the commissioner could come out today and like, oh, he's got two to three games, like just there is no timetable. They

do it at their own discretion. I mean, there is still the Randy Gregory thing that's kind of hanging out there that some fans are like, well, what's happening with him? But that's not really a distraction because he's not here. So I mean, there are storylines that are around the team right now, but there's nothing that is really taking this team's focus or could potentially take the sea. There is one that's potentially taking the focus, but it's not happening.

I mean, you've got a quarterback that's playing as well as anybody in the NFL right now, you're worried about anything getting paid like you know, a special team's ace. That's what he's getting paid like right now. I mean credit to Dak and Marii Cooper for really and they're falling out right now. But that may play like they're worth it. They're both may just be sitting here saying, all right, well that's gonna keep We're just gonna keep playing.

We're gonna push that price, push that price, you know. So, yeah, I don't think that either one. It doesn't seem like at least either one of them is really pushing the issue when it comes to their contracts. So it doesn't become a distraction because they're not pushing it like that. Yep. All right, we appreciate you guys joining us. We will be back at our normal time tomorrow eleven forty five till then. For Nick Eatman, Dave Helm and 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.