Cowboys Break: NY Resolutions

Lawrence episode and welcome to the Cowboys Break. We are presented by Geico. We're laugh from s WBC Mortgage Studios at the Star. We got a lot to talk about today. We're gonna talk some get some catchup. We're gonna catch up a little bit on some injury updates, particularly in the secondary of the safety position. We'll have Bucky Brooks joining us here in a second. He's gonna talk to us about the New York Giant defense versus the Cowboys offense.

We'll talk a little bit more about that matchup later in the show, and at some point in the show, we're gonna talk a little bit about New Year's resolutions and each of these guys are gonna give us some New Year's resolutions that they would make if they were players or executives or just the Cowboys team or coaches. What kind of resolutions would they be making about the Dallas Cowboys team going into two twenty one. We'll get to that in the final segment. Let's start first, Dave,

give me an update here on the injuries. I looked at the injury report yesterday and I couldn't help but notice the number of safeties that are on that injury report doesn't look great. But tell me what's going on with the safeties. Yeah, that run of good health in the secondary lasted about two weeks. Not only Yeah, I

mean Darien Thompson was concussed against Philly, so he didn't participate. That's, you know, that's obviously a unique case, bike case thing Onnovan Wilson has an illness, you typically think that's probably not something that's going to cause you to miss a game. Xavier Woods limited with a rib injury, but Mike McCarthy said this morning that he was flying around out there, so that seems like a good sign. And then he's not a safety. But Cheeto popped up with a hamstring

growing situation that had him limited. So it's a lot of Oh and Richard Robinson is also still dealing with a niece, and that's a lot of a lot of a lot of dbs that might not be available Sunday, Nick, What are their options here, Let's assume let's let's go down the rig the list to just say, Okay, if they had one of these safeties, what are their options with If they only have one, what are their options if they have none? Where the options if they have too? Like?

What are the options based upon the number of guys that are out versus intaket? Yeah, I'm trying to think, honestly, I should know the team better. But Stephen Parker's back there, well that he is back, he's back, Yeah, that he could he can be on the team. I mean they have opened up the window he can be back. Um, Reggie Robinson is a safety. He said that maybe you have to. I mean he's been doing it all year long, so I mean he's gotta he's gotta play. Um trying

to think if there's if there's somebody else. I can't I can't think of anybody. They'll says on the I mean, there might be some practice squad guys, but you know, you might have to move some corners around. Yeah, cheeto, Okay, well let me oh, Jordan Lewis play me last week, so he might he might be to play safety for you.

Hard hitting George. I mean you, I get the I get the point in terms of like needing bodies, like yeah, and you're gonna want extra guys, but like I think Donovan and and Xavier are gonna play in this game. I feel I feel okay saying that. Okay, and let me ask you this, how susceptible do you think the Cowboys are if they don't have these guys in the game. This is a game with New York where they're they're not really known. They haven't really been the kind of

team that offensively has been killing teams. But they do have some players, particularly some of their wide receivers I can get open. How much do you think this hurts the Cowboys? I thinking I've definitely hurt them because one of the things that I've liked that the Cowboys have been able to do with their defense is some of the ways that they utilized some of their secondary guys as far as creating pressure upfront rather than being all the way back there. So I'd like when they do that.

And of course, in a game that you're already limited with guys, you can't really do that because you need them to be back there covering that area of the field. So I think that's an area that it might hurt them.

But we'll see. I was laughing inside me because as Nick and they were over here trying to name guys, I'm like, going back to the beginning of the season when we were already talking about safety, and then the Cowboys talking about, Okay, well, we have some guys that can change positions, you know, and move around and flexible in that area, and then you mentioned Cheeta already kind of struggling with something there, and then I thought of

travel Diggs. I'm okay, you're definitely not gonna move him to safety, but he's another guy that was mentioned in the past. So it's gonna be an interesting game to see what exactly happens and what happens if they actually make it into the playoffs. One of the biggest concern is injuries all over the roster, so we'll see, we'll see what happens, but hopefully these guys. Some of these guys can play a little banked up and still make

it happen. There was some good news on the injury front, Dave, what are we knowing about Ezekiel Elliott and his injury? He ain't even on the report, That's what I'm talking. They didn't even list him. That's how healthy Zeke is. So I guess that week off really did some wonders. Um So, I mean, yeah, he's not even he's not even listed. He's good to go. He's gonna play. It's great.

And is there any are there any other injuries? I guess at this point it sounds like that from the rest of the injury report, it looked like it's it's pretty clean from there. Yeah, I mean I think, I mean, you know, as clean as it should be at this point in the year. I mean not if you know, obviously you don't look at the injured reserve. That's not very clean. But but yeah, for the guys that could play and be out there, I mean, it's about as good as you could hope for. Ye. All right, here's

what we're gonna do. We're gonna take a very very early break. But I want to take the break so that we can get to Bucky Brooks, who will be in the second segment. He'll be joining us as soon as we come back. We're going to talk about this New York Giant defense, which I think is the better part of this team against the Cowboys offense. We'll do that when we come right back. This is Dallas Cowboys

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your Dallas Cowboys. Here it's nineteen o eight. Don't you think we should get atricity and stop using candles to see it night? It's just electricity lights up the room fast, It's more reliable than candles blowing out, and people seem to love it nationwide. Candle god dare, did you just run into the wall. I have a new candle. Please. Historically,

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by Geico. Welcome. We are alive in the SWBC Mortgage studios. At the start, We're welcoming to the show Bucky Brooks of NFL Network. This segment is presented by Texico with techron Bucky. Let's start first with the greatest strength and the greatest weakness. This New York Giant defense was, by the way, I think is the better part of this team. Yeah. Look, they're very, very solid unit. The strength of the team is in the front line. Their defensive line is one

of the best in the business. But they do it in a different fashion. Their big body, big bullies at the point of attack and they just kind of win with their year strength and power. Lenard Williams, Dexter Lawrence, those guys really do a great job of controlling the line of scrimmage, and when they're playing well, those guys are really clogging up holes and being able to create pressure in a different way. Because this isn't a team

that likes to bring a lot of pressure. I would say the weakest part of this unit will probably be on the second level. Their linebackers are just okay, with Blake Martinez kind of being the tackling machine in their unit, but they don't necessarily strike you as having a star study collection of linebackers. In the second theory, they're very solid. They do a lot of things through schematics rather than talent.

But this is a very very complex defense to have to deal with because Patrick Graham throws a lot at the offensive coordinator to have to anticipate and kind of have answers for Bucky. The thing that's currently on my

mind right now is weather. The past two weeks, the Cowboys have been comfortable at home, playing at home, and it just now started getting cold here in Dallas, and Rainy and my sources over here on the show who have been at the facility this week, I've said that the Cowboys haven't actually practice outside this week so far, So you as someone who has played the game and all that, what are you concerned at all us too? I know that some people don't necessarily see whether as

a big deal. But this change here with the Cowboys not practicing in that kind of environment for several weeks, I mean, is that going to be a problem for them? It only depends on it. If it's wet and if it's messy, if it happens to snow, if it rains the day of the game, that can change it. But I would like to think that from a preparation standpoint that maybe Mike McCarthy has had those guys work with wet balls to get used to handling the ball. And

because that's where it really becomes an issue. Can you handle the ball when it's wet, whether you're wearing gloves, do you have sleeves on, how do you tuck it away? Those are the things that you want to know. And so when I think about this game, as it gets wet and as it gets cold, you typically want to

lean into the running game a little more. And so just giving Zeke's issues fumbling, you just want to make sure that he is comfortable going into the game because he has to know that the Johnson going to attack the ball, and does he have the right equipment, does he have the right mindset in terms of protecting the ball where you still commit aggressive running. But that makes me change my question a little bit. I'm gonna piggyback on that, Bucky. Do you what's your experience on that.

Do you feel like it's more important to practice the way you might have to play in conditions like that or more important to get a good clean crisp indoors practice, get your iro and a half or whatever and do it right as opposed to dealing with wind and all that stuff, even though that might be what you have to play with. It depends on the maturity of the team.

If I have a team that is mature enough to handle it, like I have some veterans and guys who have played in a number of games, then I think it's unnecessary. Having been in Mike McCarthy, having been in Green Bay a little bit before Mike McCarthy was there, Like in Green Bay, we never really practice outside. We practice inside because we wanted the quality of the work to be the main focus, not necessarily a less tough it out in any conditions. And so I think he

still subscribes to that theory. He wants to make sure that the practice is high quality, the reps are done the right way, and then he can deal with the weather on game day. Hopefully these guys are prosed, they kind of understand how to deal with it. I think he's probably put a greater emphasis on making sure the execution is right as opposed to trying to tough it out to share everybody how tough it is to go outside and play in inclement conditions. Okay, let's just let's

put the weather aside. Let's assume that it's not going to be insane and just from a football standpoint, My last many of the Giants defense is Michael Gallup toasting them on back to back plays to set up that game winning field goal. You said their linebackers are only okay, and I agree with you, But I think we talked about this as well, like their secondary is not anything that gets me super excited. Are they better than they were? Is that a place where Andy Dalton can take advantage

like he did last week? I mean, I think he has to pig and shooes the spot. I wouldn't say that they're like a high end secondary. But what they do is they play really great team defense and when they're on their game, they're locked in. They don't give up easy plays. They make you drive the length of the field. And actually, I think this is a game where if Andy Dalton does what he's done recently, which is really played quick game, control, possession football, I think

they will be fine. It's just about getting the ball to the playmakers and looking at the stats coming into this game. Next Yet Stats says that says week eleven, Andy Dalton has been killing it with the quick game, Almara Cooper has been torching people with slants, and then Michael Gallop backside on one on one isolation routes. If they just do what they do, they're going to be fine. This is a game where they just don't need to turn it over. They don't turn it over, they win.

New York Giants are tenth in points allowed, top ten. Ironically, the Giants allowed the most points they've allowed in a game this season to Dallas in their Week five matchup. That was thirty seven points. Now, one of those was a defensive touchdown by Anthony Brown on a funnel return. What did Dallas do that gave New York Giants fits.

I guess I don't know if you'd even call it fits, But how were they successful against this Giants defense to the point where they got more points than most teams get And do you think they can replicate that without having Dak Prescott? You know, it's really a crazy game, right because the Giants hadn't scored many points going in and then they go up and down the field with ease, and so it kind of changed the tenor of the game.

The Cowboys had to change the way they attack. You saw a little more up tempo, they were chasing points, and so they were able to kind of put the Giants on the heels with the rhythm of their offense. I think this is a game where if you want to play that style, you can do it. I just think this has to be a collective and collaborative effort with Mike Nolan, Kellen Moore, and Mike McCarthy on the same page in terms of how this game needs to

be played. If Mike Nolan feels like he can control the Giants offense, then it doesn't need to be a high risk, high reward game for the offense. If it gets out of hand and Mike Nolan can't control their offense, then Kellen Moore has to be a little more aggressive and a sert I think really a conservative game plan where you running, you feed Zeke, you throw it to the playmakers on controlled routes and you just kind of let those guys work and then you have to cash

it in in the red zone. I think that's more than enough to win. I think the magic number for the Cowboys going in this week has to be twenty four. If they score twenty four points, that should be more than enough points to beat the New York Giants. You know, we talked about, we talked about so many different elements that the Cowboys offense currently has, and we saw them

enjoy all of them last week. But I still feel that sometimes when a defense is able to take away one element, one of their elements, sometimes I feel that they just kind of panic a little bit and don't really know how to adjust and figure it out. I mean, if this is a game that where that happens, could that be the case where the Cowboys where Kellen Moore doesn't really find the right way to adjust, or maybe given the fact that they have been enjoying it for

three weeks in a row. Maybe they still find the power and energy to figure out whichever way. You know, it's interesting because you bring this up, and I think everyone has to realize the games are not only big for players, but they're big for coaches. And this would be the biggest game to Kellen Moore is coached in just because of the implications that are on the line.

And so this may be a game with Mike McCarthy may need to have a stronger influence on how Kellen Moore calls the game just to make sure that he doesn't deviate from the game plan if the score appears to get out of whack early. And so I think this is where you want to make sure that Zekiel Elliot is heavily in the game plan. And I think this is where we talk about think players not plays

is really as simple as playing a video game. I have better players, Let me get the ball to the better players, and they're going to make the plays needed to win. So that means as if your Ellie needs to touch it, or Mark Cooper needs to touch it, Ceedee Lamb and Michael Gallant need to get their touches, and then Tony Pollard has to get in there, and however you distribute that, it just has to be about get the ball to the best players and let those

guys go to work. Bucky. Last few weeks, Derek and I have kind of both been on board with us thinking that that Terren Steele has surpassed Brandon Knight maybe at the tackle position. Yesterday, I believe you said if Zach were to come back, you would put play him for Terrence Steele. Do you feel like that Steele is the weaker link when it comes to the tackle position, or Brandon Knight or is it both? I mean, I mean I think that both are susceptible to getting guy

against high end pass rushes. I think I worry a little more about Terren Steele just because maybe I've seen it and maybe they just flash more, maybe just stands out more when he gets beat at the line of scrimmage. I just like, oh my gosh. So I think both guys need to be protected, and I think it's really important that the play caller always understands exactly what he

has in front of Andy Dalton. It's easy to get seduced into thinking, hey, we have everything solved, and he just threw for two hundred and seventy seven yards were good, So now I can open it up a little more. I think they always have to be mindful of who is the personnel on the front line. The reason why the offensive line has played well of late is because they have played a certain style is running the ball, quick rhythm passes with occasional shots. They don't need to

change up, They don't need to do anything differently. If they just kind of continue to play the way that they played, they should be successful against the Giants. Kind of going off that buck you mentioned it at the top is the defensive line, and they play with strength. Obviously, the Giants have been famous for their defensive line for a long time. I know these names, like I know Leonard William, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Dexter Lawrence because they were

all big draft picks. But I don't feel like I have a good read on who they are as players and what they do as a front that makes them scary. Just I mean, can you give us some more detailed thumbnail of what this looks like and how they win? Yeah? I can tell you, like they are different because they have three big bodies up front and they just kind of let those guys eat. They don't necessarily overdo it.

When it comes to their pressure packages. They will do a lot of twists in games where they'll exchange gaps where the nose tackler go outside the end inside, and they'll do some of those things. But really they're bigger than most people, and so they just kind of throw you around. I think if you go all the way back to those old classic Bill Parcells teams where they had big guys up front, that's what the Giants want to do. It has always been a philosophy of their organization.

We're called the Giants because we feature big people. We won't big people, and we want to beat you up. And so Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams and those guys they just wear you down with those body blows. Over the course of the game. They'll sprinkle in an occasional blitz or whatever. But they believe that their guys up front can whoop your guys just on their sheer strength, power and explosiveness. Are they capable and kind of aligned to be able to take care of the weakness as

you called it, those two tackles? Are they Is that what they do or is their pressure typically more in the middle of their defensive line. Yeah, they're more in the middle of the front line. They would do some games and they're trying to mix in some things and they're trying to bring some like slot corner pressures and things to create one on one matchups. But typically when they're getting sacks, the sacks are happening inside the tackle box,

not on the edges. What they're lacking is that one high end outside pass rusher that can get it done. Leonard Williams has been terrific, but that's not necessarily his thing. To win with speed quickness off the edge, they just kind of do it off of game games and tactics and schemes with big bodies executing it really well. As opposed to a I have Superman on the edge, he is going to leap tall buildings in a single batting and overwhelm to tacle. So it shouldn't be that kind

of problem. It's just one that you have to be mindful of, and you have to be mindful protection wise. Of a they're gonna do a lot of preestaff disguises. Who is really coming are they bluffing, are they really coming after us? Or are they just kind of trying to mess with our protections to create one on one matchups. All right, let's real quick. We got to get two

predictions from you this week. We need to know first what's going to happen in the Dallas versus New York Giant game and then second, obviously the game that is just as important, Washington versus Philly. What do you think happens in both games? Okay, this is difficult because my dad is gonna be mad at me because my dad coached texta Lawrence in high school. So I'm gonna go Cowboys winning, and I'm gonna say that they're going to win because they're not gonna take They're not going to

turn the ball over. They're gonna play a very conservative style and that's going to an with them to win because the Jazz will turn it over and they don't have the creativity that I think offensively to really challenge him. We'll see if it changes on Game Bay, but I think the Cowboys get it done. And the Philadelphia Washington game, I think it's really important that Philly has talked about

the no had rule. Jim Schwartz has said, we don't want anyone getting the hat and a T shirt on our field, and they removed Dwayne Haskins, and we don't know what's going to happen with Alex Smith. And I know people got excited about Taylor Hankey coming in and throwing the ball all over the yard. That is the easiest time for a quarterback to come in when no one knows who he is and there's no pressure because

they were down by so much. I don't believe that he is going to be good enough to consistently drive the football down to field. But that team, I think Philadelphia wins, and I think the Cowboys winning. I think the Cowboys going to the playoffs. Are you hearing about Alex Smith at this point? He is a practicing right now. Yeah, they say he's practicing in those things. But man, I just think it would be kind of iffy for him to hold up the entire game based upon just how

he went out that last game. Even if he plays, he's not going to be at four strength, and so they'll be very limited in terms of what they can do. And to be honest, even when he was playing, their offense wasn't explosive outside of the Thanksgiving Day game. Yeah, my question is really by Terry McLaurin as well, because without him, I don't think it like they just don't have the firepower and they're receiving threats to even take

advantage of anything that Alex Smith could do. No, they don't have Terry mclauren is if he in terms of Willie played and Terio Gibson hasn't been the same because yet I think a turf toe injury or something like that limiting him. So they really don't have a lot of explosive weapons on the outside. And then defensively, they're good upfront, but they also can get gout and so we'll see. I think that game would be a very very tight game, which is gonna drive me crazy because

the last game of the evening. But we'll see how it works, all right, man, Hey, we wish you a very very happy New year. Man. We appreciate all you've done for this show throughout this season. Hopefully next week we'll be having you back talking some special I mean talking to some other playoff football. But we'll how that goes.

This weekend, we're gonna take our final break. When we come back from that break, I have some questions for these guys about the matchups between this matchup between the Cowboys and the Giants. We've also talked a little New Year's resolution, so do that we come back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. We're back in a tasty treat that's sweeping airwaves and taste buds. It's new Doctor pepper and Cream Soda. Let's take a listen, Doctor pepper and Cream Soda. Is he a new combone. Let's music

to my years? Okay, doctor time, music to my ears and mouth, New Doctor pepper and Cream Soda delics, just do. There's nothing as unique as our eyes, which is why SLOR pioneers ways to make lenses as unique as you. Very lux for super sharp vision, Essential Blue for protection, I'm Krisol for freedom from glam. Three cutting up solutions in a single unique lens. So whatever your needs, insist on selor this nit your local SLOR experts and find a perfect lens for you to see more, Do more, Lord.

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Bank of America Corporation. Dear, it's nineteen o eight. Don't you think we should get electricity and stop using candles? To see it? Money? It's just electricity lights up the room fast, It's more reliable than candles blowing out, and people seem to love it nationwide. Well, candle, dar, did you just run into the wall. We have a new candos. Historically, switching to new technology is a no brainer. Today it's AT and T five G, fast, reliable, secure and nationwide.

Switch to AT and T five G. It's not complicated. Five G requires compatible plan, may not be in your area. See att dot com slash five G for you for details. Back to the break. The pro Shop has a huge selection of Jersey's cold weather gear After Christmas. Deal's playoff yo off stuff maybe up to off for every fan. Visit your local Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop or shop Dallas Cowboys dot com for your new gear. Today gets stuff like sweatshirt Derek's wearing, or the cap Amber's wearing, or

the that's it. I don't think they have Hawaii sweatshirts over there, but I was looking to see what. Yeah, you know, I'm meant to wear. I got a really nice I got a nineteen sixty like vintage hoodie as a gift. It was really nice. I meant to wear it on the show, but I forgot. It's really dope. It's got like the old helm At logo. Yeah, is that the one you've worn before. I think you've worn

another one before. I actually liked I thought that was that's actually yeah, No, that's uh, that's one that I got for myself. That's it's a Tommy Hill figure. Yeah, that was sweet. Like, I guess we have a thing with Yeah, I like it a lot. So, yeah, there's all kinds of dope cowboys stuff, even though I'm not wearing it right now. Yeah, well, I guess the Warriors. Yeah, okay, all right, let's jump back in. We're in the second the final segment of the break locking s WBC Mortgage Studios.

At the start, we are presented by Geico and I have a series of questions here for you guys about this Cowboys versus Giants matchup. Let's start first Evan Ingram. Ingram leads the New York Giants in receptions, Darius Slayton leads them in receiving yards. Gallman has has been good at times this season, and Dallas as struggles stopped in the run. So all that being considered, who do you think is the most dangerous offensive threat for the New

York Giants. Let's start first with you, Nick. Oh, it's hard to lose to the team like that. I mean, if those are your three best players, yes, you better not lose to them. But I mean the defense is you know, they make they make average players into really good players. So I would say it just seems like the tight end would be the one that just keeps the getting the drive moved, you know, just move this. Chaine and Uh I think they can figure out the

running game. But I just it would be Ingram, I think would be the one that would kind of you know, because he's matchup would be against the safety. They don't have any linebackers, if they don't have any cover linebackers. So Ingram, all right, Amber, Well, um, I know that you cannot always rely on the weather channel, but if the weather is right, I am concerned about it. So I would assume that if it is raining, raining and windy, And I don't mean to be meeky right now, but

to say it is how I feel at this moment um. No, I think that that because of the weather, they might limit the passing game a little bit more and just have to rely more on the running game. And honestly, I don't mind trust the Cowboys just yet with them trying to stop the running game, and that's something that they've struggled with all year, I mean even in past years, So I think that that could get away from them in this game. So I would have to say my

biggest concern might be the running game. Dave. You know, like two or three times a year, the Cowboys play a quarterback and Nicks. Just like you can tell me whatever you want, that guy sucks. I don't care. I don't care. That's just how that's just what I think. That's how I feel about Evan Ingram. I'm just like tight ends typically do well against the Cowboys. Like he's going to the Pro Bowl for some reason. I don't care. I don't he doesn't he doesn't scare me, and I

just I looked up his stats before the show. Like in his years in New York, he's had like one really great game against the Cowboys, and it was last year, you know, when it was all garbage time because the Cowboys were up big anyway in the season opener. Like he he doesn't have this crazy history of hurting them, so maybe it's famous last words. I'm not impressed by

Evan Ingram, Um, Darius Slayton. I do think he's a pretty damn good player though, um, And you know this team has had problems in coverage over the over the season, and you know, not not thrilled to see that Cheeto's got another hamstring growing situation going on. So I won't be surprised if he hits them outside for some big games. You know, you're right, David the quarterback this year that I thought about that they beat the Cowboys like twenty

five to three. It was Kyle Allen, So yeah, you know, and I've thought that never. Oh, I can't wait. I can't wait for our group text on Sunday. If Evan Ingram has like eight catches for one hundred, you know you're talking about Evan Ingram making the Pro Bowl. And after the game the other day, I was talking with Dalton Schultz and the interview was over and I asked him a little bit about the Pro Bowl. Should have seen the look he gave me when I said about

Evan Ingram making the Pro Bowl. He was just salty, very salty. Yes, I like, it was just kind of like he is he had this like double season, like what. And then we both kind of agreed that the guy from Green Bay probably should have made it. He's only got ten or eleven touchdowns. Yeah, but uh yeah, yeah he didn't really he didn't really think that Evan Ingram should make the Pro Bowl over him. Yeah. I'm trying to look up his stats. I was literally trying to

do that right now. And it's like like like a little yeah, a little like a hundred more yards than Sheltz, I want to say. And he's got like, I think one touchdown, No, no, no, Schultz has more touchdowns yeah, yeah, numbers for giants. The dude doesn't catch well, He's got sixty one catches on one hundred five targets. Like that doesn't seem very good to me. And when I'm trying like Irack. I racked my brain to think of his biggest play. It was a drop against the Eagles that

would have let them clench that game. Yeah, so in fantasy no, no, did You're not me too? You're not putting him in the Pro Bowl? No, I mean it's not this is you know, this was the year to sneak into the Pro Bowl for tight end because Kittle it will probably be there every years. I don't know what I guess he's done. Maybe he has not been the same, but uh, you know it, and you know jarwin him, he'll make it every year once he gets back. Maybe I don't know. I don't know. Isn't that a

looted with like um name recognition type of stuff? I mean, if he has tight end position, just anyone. And not to be rude with with Dalton Shoals, because I think he has done a really nice job this year, especially me who was trying to cut him earlier this year. But at the end of the day, I mean, you asked about the tight end position just around the league. I mean, Dalton Schultz is not a name that's gonna be popping in anyone's head, is it. Yeah, it's not.

I think that's just more name recognition. That's part of it. But I mean part of this is also players voting, and I don't I don't know that, you know, it's interesting. I think players might look at it. That might be part of the reason why guy like evning Ingram gets in is because if you're playing them, you pay attention to him because you know he has athletic ability. He just it's just not translating on the field, for whatever reason, into just great production. You said he leads the team

and what catches catches? Yeah, I mean what a Schultz rank for the Cowboys fifth Yeah, I mean there it is right there, right. He should be. He should be by far the best receiving option you would think with the New York Giants, even Ingram and I don't obviously the production isn't that well that they've said it best. I mean that they try, you know, It's just he's never not that reliable. He's an athletic dude, though he definitely can. All right, please, next question for you guys

is about the Cowboys defeat. Shaun Lee and Joe Thomas split reps in place of Layton vander esh in last week's game. Tell me how they performed and was there a noticeable difference for you from what you would have seen over the last several games when Layton was there. Let's start first with you, Amber Man. I think they did a nice job. Joe Thomas has been a pretty solid guy just overall in general playing the linebacker position. And I think that Shaun Lee, honestly, that was the

game where he showed up the most this year. And I know his playing time has been pretty limited, but he has still received a lot of criticism from fans and just saying, man, this guy just simply doesn't have it anymore physically, he doesn't have the power, the run, the the you know, the energy there. But I think this was a game that he showed up once again showing what he can do and that he still has that power. So it impressed me. And you guys know

by now I'm a big fan of only. I absolutely love him, so I will always support him even if it plays bad. So he can he can do no wrong in my eyes. But no, just in general, I think shake it all you one, Dave, I didn't change the best, he is the best, um No. But I thought that overall, they did pretty nice and honestly, it wasn't a game that I was like, man, they really miss Layton. It just it wasn't And I think they

handled it pretty well, Dave. I just want to I'm not shaking my head because I like dislike Sean Lee. I love Sean Lee. He's a great guy. I just Amber's rules for like who needs to get cut and who can do no wrong or just they're my favorite. He's the only exception. Okay, all right, um No, I can't say enough about how good of a job I thought they did, particularly keeping Jalen Hurts from changing that

game with his feet. He had twenty three rushing yards on the opening drive of the game and he finished with fifty eight. So do the math on you know what he was averaging over the other nine or so series of that game, and some of that's you know, CJ. Goodwin gets some credit for that as well. We've talked a lot about that this week, but just in general,

having the wherewithal to keep that from happening. I think we talked yesterday that maybe Philly went away from the run a little bit earlier than they needed to, so that's probably part of it as well. But I thought they did a really good job, and it gives me some confidence that they can limit what the Giants are

going to try to do. Yeah, I thought, I thought, you know, Sean Lee apparently after at the fourteen, I mean after that he got down fourteen to three, he kind of got after him there on the sideline and calmed them down. So, you know, I think your linebackers coaches here next year. He's in the building. I don't know if he's the coach that's already there, or he's a player or what, but I think he's already He's

in the building for sure. I think he just needs to be a coach on the staff whenever he decides to be done playing, because I think that he can. I think he loves football so much that I think he would do a good, really good job. But I think, you know, he's still he's still got some left. I mean, if he's split in time, I mean he obviously he's not there to do it the entire time. But yeah, they were able to stop Philly from doing what they wanted to do, and they turned him into one dimensional.

All right, let's go ahead and jump. I want to jump because I want to make sure we have time for this question. It is a bigger picture question. It's obviously New Year's Eve. We're getting out of twenty twenty think god heading toward twenty twenty one. Let's hope twenty twenty one is a better year. But that all being said, if you are, I want you to put yourself in the place of the team as a whole, of a particular player, of a particular coach, maybe of a front

office person. If you want to be Jerry Jones, that's fine too, But I want you to take the role of someone in this organization and tell me what your New Year's resolution needs to be in order to advance this team beyond where they are right now. I want to start first with you, Dave Spencer money, how about that? Are you just like that's the opposite of what I'm Everybody with the last name Jones, who has power over football decisions, that's like the opposite of what my new

Year's resolution needs to be, Like I need to save. Well, maybe they work together out. Maybe that means they give you more money too, right, that would be wonderful. I didn't even ask for that, but thank you. It goes across the board and I feel I feel bad because they're gonna come back and tell me that the timing couldn't be worse because the salary CAP's not gonna grow.

They they're gonna have to figure some things out. But sign your quarterback please, like forever, like not just so we don't have to talk about it anymore, but but because it's in the best long term interest of your team, assuming assuming he recovers healthy and everything is fine with his ankle. I really, there's only about three quarterbacks in the league that I think you can definitively say you'd feel better at giving a deal to than Dak Prescott.

He deserves it. You give yourself clarity. It helps your cap situation in the long run, by the way. And then, like I said, I know this isn't gonna be easy, but the bargain hunting in free agency is I just it's not gonna be enough to do what you want. Like you cannot. You cannot address every hole in a fifty three man roster through the draft, and they've tried their damnedest to do it and it hasn't worked yet, and I don't think it's going to just because that's

the nature of the NFL. We talk about all the time, like every show me a super Bowl team, and I can show you something aggressive they did in the offseason to acquire some talent that they didn't have. That doesn't mean you have to spend one hundred million dollars on outside contracts like the Giants did a few years ago. But you gotta look, you gotta look for better players

than just the bargain bin. And I don't I don't really think they're going to do that in twenty one, to be honest with you, but I think they need to. So I'm still gonna say it, even if I don't expect it to happen. All right, Nick, I think to kind of piggyback with that. I mean, I think this team needs to be they need to reevaluate how they evaluate the safety position. I just think you know, they've been getting by with it, and they really haven't gotten by.

I mean they try to just say, well, it's not a really big need. But I think we're seeing that that you can have a catalytic player that makes plays on the ball, and Donovan Wilson and that was a sixth round pick, pair him up with someone better. Look at the six guys that made the Pro Bowl. Five of them are on playoff teams. The other one is

Justin Simmons from le Broncos. He's a third round pick and you know, he did a nice job and he's not a high pick or anything, but but they haven't drafted anything higher than this first or second round for safety since Roy Williams. I believe at safety, So I think I think whether it be the draft or in free agency or even both, I think they, you know, they need to reevaluate how they they look at that position.

Amber I think I would go into this new year with the mentality of like, we are fighting for the present. We are fighting for the now today. This is happening this year. And with that being said, and to be fair, I'm pretty sure that's their goal every year. You know. I don't think that they go into like, oh, well, we're looking for the next year two years from now

or anything like that. But I have seen it happen in the draft where and although they have many, many necessities and positions of positions of need, I still see it happen sometimes where it's not necessarily a big the biggest position of need. But don't go ahead and draft a player because of the talent, and to me, I don't want to see that happening. I want them to go ahead and address the actual biggest position of need and bringing in talent there to fight for next year,

for this upcoming year. Also, I don't have the patience to give someone another year ago for their job and oh, let's see how they perform this next year, because you know, this year the pandemic and all. I get it, and I'm not I don't mean to be harsh or anything like that, and I don't want anyone to lose their job, but I need a change on defense. And y'all can pick and choose who that change is gonna be, but

it needs to happen. And I don't have time to keep waiting another year or see how they progress in the preseason and then the season or any of that. So I think that that's my New Year's resolution would be for them. It's just okay, let's really figure out exactly what we need to do for the present for twenty twenty one and twenty twenty one only, not twenty twenty two or twenty three. So that is refocus on

this next year. Yeah, there seems to be a theme across the board here, maybe not as much Nick, but certainly the other two. The theme is get aggressive, like let's be aggressive. Let's almost almost like as Amber is saying it, basically push all the chips into the table and say, look, we feel like we got a good enough team that if we fit fix these problems and we're aggressive all fixing these problems, we got a shot.

And I would love for you at least one year for the Cowboys to take that approach, like, hey, we got a good core, and I do I think they have a good core. We got a good core. Let's go all in and let's just really really go all in. Let's go out and it and then whatever, do what

whatever we can do within our power. Now everything can't be done, but whatever you can do within your power, staying within the salary cap, do whatever you can do to say we're going all in this year unless you what happens, it's got to be next year and then right because look at the contracts. Look at the contracts you want to get out of a't at some point look at your three worst contracts. What are they day?

The three worst contracts that they have, not the three worst players three worst contracts, Jalen and Zeke for sure, and then after them, I mean probably the Law, right. I still don't think you neednt person. I don't think the contract contract. I don't have a problems contract. Well. I bet some people do twenty one million a year for five sacks. I bet they do. I'm not saying. I mean he brings value, but I don't think his contract is that great. Either way, we can argue that

all day. Those three contracts right there. At some point you might want you want to get huh Dak's contracted bad. They need to get him on a long year deal. That's fair. It's a bad contrac so. But but I'm just saying, you know, if you're gonna get rid of those contracts, at some point, you might have to get rid of those players. So the time is now. I mean, you got to use Zeke next year, d Law next year,

next year, go all in unless see what happened? Yeah, all right, real quick, before we end the show, we do need to get picks, and I want to get two picks from each one of you guys. Tell them what's gonna happen in Cowboys Versus Giants, and tell what's gonna happen Washington versus Philly. Let's start first with you, Amber. I think that Dallas can definitely do enough to manage to win against New York. I think they can win

that game. And then as far as the Washington game against Philly, I know the quarterback situation, I know all that, but based on what I saw from the Eagles, the way they played against the Cowboys and self inflicted errors so so many penalties, I still think that Washington's defense can do enough to help their offense and also like even themselves, like score points for their own team. So I think that because of that, Washington wins and the

Cowboys don't make it because of Washington. But it could go either way, honestly, but I think that stop it, Dave. You've done that all years. But I think that always win, but they don't make it to the playoffs because Washington wins as well. All right, Dave Europe, I'm laughing because I completely agree with her. I told I told Derek in the third quarter of the Eagles game, I was like, now watched, like, what's gonna happen is They're gonna beat

the Giants. But Washington's gonna beat Philly and they'll have had this four game winning streak that doesn't help him get into the playoffs. Um, yeah, I don't trust him. I still don't trust him. But but you know, I don't feel like, you know, I keep saying like they don't deserve to be picked. I do like they deserve to be picked, especially against a bad Giants team. I think they're the better team. I think Daniel Jones will give him the ball a few times, like they can

win that game. But Alex Smith is taking reps today on Wednesday. It is Wednesday, right, No, it's Thursday. I'm sorry, it's Thursday. So he's taking reps on Thursday, which is even which is even better for his chances. But he had last week too, right, It used to be clear last week. Wasn't he taking reps throughout the week? Last

he did? He did a little bit last week. I don't know if he ever got into the full team portions of practice, which I changed my opinion completely if Alex Smith doesn't play, but I think he will play, and having a veteran, you know, he doesn't have to do a lot. He just has to not turn the ball over. I think Washington's front is gonna make Jalen Hurts his life miserable. I mean, if if Dallas's defense can do that to him, I think Washington is gonna you know, he's gonna be in for a long day.

And I think Washington will win. So Dallas gets a win, but I yeah, I'm gonna guess Washington makes the playoffs, all right, Nick, I see I see the Cowboys being in control of the whole game against the Giants, but it won't be you know, it'll be just their type of season. To keep a minute. I think they win though twenty one seventeen, but it'll be one of those late touchdowns by the Giants. He got on recovering on side kick. I mean, whatever, But I think I think

they'll win. Um, I think we'll get on the plane and then we'll be a scramble mode. As soon as we land. Everybody, you know, be like, what's the scar? What's the scar? I think the Eagles will win. I just I don't think Washington's very good. I look at their defensive line. They're great, but they struggle. The only

time they struggles when they have athletic quarterbacks that they face. Um, so I think I think Philadelphia is gonna win the game, honestly, and I think the Cowboys will go to the play will go into you know, into the front door of the player we go, here we go, you know, I don't think. And the good thing is is that you wouldn't be sneaking into the playoffs because you want four in a row. You know, you won four in a row.

And you know, you think about it. If you took a coin right now and you said you had to call it heads or tails, you had when it's six times in a row. I mean, that's almost haven't heard of. And that's what happened, you know, when you when you're going into the San Francisco game, like are they going to make the playoffs? Like, well, they got to win the next three games and watch it has to lose the next three games. Yea, and now it's down to two.

And I think both those things seem like they're likely to happen. So I'm gonna say that we'll be talking next week and about Tom Brady. All right, we will see. I actually think the cow I agree with y'all that the Cowboys will win. I think it'll be a close, and I think it'll be an ugly game. Seventeen sixteen

Cowboys get to win, and then the Philly game. I think this is gonna be the ugliest of games, and I think at the end of the day, it's going to be just about the fact that watching this defense is just so much better. I think they win a close, ugly, boring games six to three, and Washington is heading and Washington head into the playoffs after a just sucky game here they are resenting it is easybody. The six points. I ha, no real called themselves a six points. I

think that's the point before you sign off. I just I just thought about this. I can't believe we've talked. You know, we've covered this game all week and we haven't brought it up. Like Mike McCarthy's first season. I know it's not all in his control, but it's kind of funny. You know, Jason Garrett started his career with three winning in NFC sort of title game situations, and Mike McCarthy's in the same spot with Jason Garrett on

the other sideline. That's just us very interesting, very very wasting. Well. I mean also you can you can say it too, is that, you know, because they had numbers on Jason Garrett, like when it was win or go home games, this was his record. Well, that being said, what's McCarthy. I mean mcarthy's two and oh right, I mean guess if that's the way you want to put Yeah, I'm just saying. I mean they're backs for against the wall. If they lost,

they would be eliminated for the playoffs. And so they've won two, so you know they could be three and oh and even not even make the playoffs in winter go home games. All right, we appreciate you guys joining us. Man. We hope you guys have a very safe and happy New Year. We'll be back on Monday. We'll let you know what would right and wrong for the Cowboys this weekend. Till then. For Nick Eatman, Dave Helm and Amber Garcia. I am Derek Eakleton. 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.