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Cowboys Let's go. Are you ready for a break? Yes? Are you ready for a break?
Absolutely? Ready for a break? Yeah, and so much for that.
It's time for the Break on Dallas Cowboys dot Com with Mbar Garcia, Brian brought Us, Nick Harris, and Derek Eagleton.
It is Friday, December sixth, twenty twenty four, Season twenty, episode number eighty one. Welcome to the latest edition of The Break. We are Alive from that WBC Mortgage Studios at the Star, presented by LG. LG is the world's number one OLED TV brand for eleven years in counting See why at LG dot com. Forward slash O led Evo. Welcome to the BBO edition of Break. We're going hard Texas today. Amber did not get.
The It's really not it's pretty messed up.
It's really not because pretty much every Friday during college football season, I come representing you here.
But look at the full cast, everybody here. We're in Texas.
We've got our special guest, Tommy Yurs join us today. Nick wasn't able to join. Tommy's a Texas guy. He covered the long ONRNES. He went to tech like he's a Texas guy, so of course he's got to look into his Texas gear. So it is what it is.
Is anyone relevant wearing this color that I'm wearing right now?
Yes?
Cowboys, Yes, Yes, you are relevant. You're relevant today.
Good.
We got a lot we're going to talk about today. It is a Friday, so we'll get a catch up on some of the injury updates. We'll get into some talk around the Cincinnati Dallas matchup. Uh Amber has a game for us a little yety time in the second segment with AG and then of course we've got some fan questions in the final segment. We'll also take some phone calls if you want to call us eight eight
eight eight five five two two nine seven. We already have some questions that have rolled in from X so we'll try to get to some of those at some point in the show, as long as we can keep Himber from not hogging the microphone. Uh So, let's go, let's jump in.
I know Dark likes to promise things and then they don't happen. So he tells fans to call in to send messages and then we don't get to.
Did we get to them yesterday?
You got to one.
Did we get to him yesterday?
I didn't hear the phone ringing.
Nobody called.
Were problem. Maybe that's why Tommy's here.
Yeah, maybe we were like, maybe we.
Need maybe on air, maybe Nick needs to be upgraded.
When you miss the show, it take strays. All right, let's jump in. Let's talk about these injuries. There were a couple of things that popped out to me. A couple of full participants yesterday who've been out, Jake Ferguson, Marshawn Neeland. I assume at this point they're heading toward playing.
Yeah, that's a good sign. They're heading towards planning.
Jake Ferguson officially cleared concussion protocol on Wednesday when he returned to practice. He was going through everything with Linda Wells during the media viewing, so he should be good to go. A good sign for Marshawn Neeland, just more depth at that edge spot. He's one of their better run defenders Cincinnati not really the best running team, but still can get the job done. So him being back
is going to be important as well. Segey Lamb did not participate in practice yesterday, but he did tell us outside of the locker room yesterday that he feels like he'll be good to go on Monday night. I think that's more of just trying to rest that shoulder as much as he can.
Say.
He had an ac spraint in his shoulder. He's been dealing with that for a couple of weeks, so he expect him to be good to go. And then a good sign to see Trayvon Diggs being limited. That was kind of up in the air as to whether or not he.
Would be able to play.
That's going to be a big component for Dallas in this game, whether or not they have him. That's going to decide really a lot in terms of what they can do defensively with such a proficient pas sing attack. Joe Burrow, Jamar Chase t Higgins, Mike is sicky. So that's those are the notable ones for me. And then even to marve On Overshown limited on there with a hamstring.
I don't think that's an indication of whether or not of him, you know, I don't think that's a sign that he's going to be out, but something to keep an eye on.
I'm freaking out about it already, I'll tell you that much. I mean, you can easily warsen on stream, especially with the way that he plays.
Yeah.
Uh, that's something. And I'm still getting over that period where we had so many him stream issues. Remember that time, Yeah, several years ago that.
Everybody changed our stretching routine, didn't.
Ye, it's gotten better. We we haven't.
Stand around to talk anymore. We actually stretch. Yeah. But on top of that, Hams stay on top of that.
Yeah, something concerning for sure.
I would say, yeah, Brown, do you hear anything about Treyvon specifically? Because I do. I agree with Tommy. I think this is going to be a critical one from this.
Tommy nailed this thing, and it's a great job of him kind of covering all the bases there.
But you know, the thing with Diggs is a little bit. They feel like they get him.
To a certain point and then it comes down to at the very end, then a decision is made about you know, you know, well I don't feel good enough to go and stuff.
So it's really a two way street here.
You know, the trainers, jim Maherbert Brown, those guys do a hell of a job of getting these guys ready and trying to keep them as healthy as possible.
But it's really two on the player.
You know, they're very concerned about the player and the players the one that says the final you know, hey, it doesn't feel right. I mean, we've seen digs come up to the heck with the time when you guys are getting on a plane going to a road game, you know, the commanders and stuff like that, and then all of a sudden it's not available.
Things like that.
So that's kind of where uh, they're they're they're they're they're good with how it's progressing, but they're they've now taken this approach of like, okay, we'll see, we'll work before the.
Game and then we'll see kind of thing, and it's not like, hey, he's good to go. It is a good sign.
You're absolutely right that he at least practicing, because when he doesn't even practice, then you know he's not gonna play even you know. So that's kind of where they're at right now. But it's a very much a with them and that particular player. It's been very touch and go.
Let's assume for a second they don't have Trayvon Diggs. What does this look like as far as the cornerbacks still roll out and how they match up against these receivers.
I mean, you're gonna you're gonna have to lean really heavily on Deron Bland and Jordan Lewis to do a lot for you because that room is just so so thin. Israel mccalm's seen his snaps kind of go up here the last couple of weeks too. And then they made some signings as well to the practice squad in terms of guys to bring in as well at cornerback. They
brought in Troy Pride Junior indeed Delaney. Those guys are out on the practice field yesterday, so maybe you see one or both of those guys get elevated for some extra cornerback depth to two younger guys. Pride Junior played fourteen games and his rookie he's had a pretty bad ACL injury in twenty twenty one that kept him out that season and then twenty twenty two as well. He's
been bounced around on the practice squads since then. And then Delaney had three pretty solid seasons for the Bucks, but then was injured placed on injury reserve in August when he signed with Buffalo, so this will be his first action since then. Uh So, obviously, you know you signed those guys for depth and turned to him if you need him. But it's no doubt that you would absolutely want Trayvon Diggs on the field in this game. Is he been pract Yeah, that's another good point.
Assume he's your fourth guy. If that's the case, right, I.
Would guess yeah, yeah, I think that, you know, with with Carson's situation not being very good and then and then or warre A, i'd.
Say that, right, didn't Yeah, yeah, I think to me that I just call him AO, That's what I do. But you know, that's that's one of those things where you kind of I don't know if they want to go with guys that they just signed to the practice squad. I mean, I know you did a great job of painting the picture there and it's absolutely right. But to me, you know that that we've seen Jordan Lewis play far more on the outside, and then you know with mcuamu playing some of the slot.
So if if I.
Think if you had to say no digs, you're right, you're going to go to battle with You're probably going to battle with Lewis. I'm not gonna say Lewis playing on the outside all the time, but but he's probably would get a pretty good dose of that usual more. Yeah, and you know, but this is this is an interesting group of receivers with t Higgins and you know, and then with Chase and that ball is going to go down the field. I mean that Joe Burrow is going
to if he can get protection. And that's the big if you know, I've we've talked about it leading up to this game kind of feel like the Dallas this plays in if if like Tommy's talking about that Dallas can choke the run, you know somehow that that you know, Cincinnati says, Okay, we're not going to run. I don't know why since they wouldn't try and run. But Dallas has done a pretty good job against the Commanders and against the Giants. Are playing against some quality backs and
teams that can run the ball. So here you are choke the run and now turn this thing into all right, Joe Burrow. Now Joe Burrow throwing the football. He'll throw it fifty times a game. He did it back to back weeks. You know, it's something that they probably don't want to do, but they're comfortable doing it. And so how you play these cornerbacks? And it's going to be really key, But can you get pressure, blitz pressure or just just you know, four or five man pressure that way?
All right, let's move on. Let's talk a little bit about this matchup. I have a few questions for you, questions for you guys about the Cincinnati versus Dallas matchup. Let's start first with right now, where would you rank Joe Burrow relative to all the quarterbacks Dallas's face this season. I'll throw out some of the names, Lamar Jackson, Jared Goff, Kirk Cousins, Jalen Hurts, Jaydon Daniels, Brock Purdy, c J Stroud. What does he rank?
I would say two behind Lamar Jackson, and he might be one.
Yeah, right, might change.
My LSU bias will come in here. I say, I might be wearing this an orange for you guys and my son, but I wear I wear an LSU outfit every single day. Yeah, I don't think I'm ever going to pull for you guys in this thing. But I will say, and you're right about Lamar jack I mean, just you talk about every one of these guys. Kirk Cousins was actually playing pretty well when he faced the Cowboys. And now this is the way.
The schedule works. This is the way the NFL schedule works.
It depending on when you catch certain teams, and you catch now they're talking about playing Michael Pennock in Atlanta. Time to play Michael Pennocks And we're sitting there like Kirk Cousins was like nineteen of twenty for you know, and not throwing intercept, not doing I mean, so that's just kind of shows you where quarterback play is at times. I think when you start to talk about the ability
to throw the ball, just throw it. This is the guy that's the problem those other dudes, whether it was Hurts or or you know, or Lamar Jackson, those guys, the element of the run is what kills you there, and that's what hurts you there. So I would say that he's probably going to be the best quarterback that they play, just from the aspect of the weaponry he has on the outside, the challenge of that, and then his willingness to stand there and just throw.
Balls all day, that's gonna be a problem. And to add on to that we were talking. We've been talking about this on Talking Cowboys in the last couple of days. I think this is the best season that Joe Burrow has had resetting the pocket, because his offensive line hasn't been good, but he has moved around really well, stepped into some throws, stepped away from pressure, and made the throws that he needs to make. And that's been one of the most impressive parts to me about this thing.
And when you think about him and Jamar Chase, it is such a rare connection in terms of the fact that they played at such a high level in college and it's translated so well to the NFL. You don't see that often where two guys play together in college and then do the same thing in the pros. So they're kind of some unspoken communication like communication that they do non verbally where they're just on the same page and you don't see that.
Damn right, Tommy.
There's a couple of there's a couple of times where Burrow literally just.
Goes like this and Chase is already there.
Yeah, And so having to defend against that with a battered cornerback room, for doubt, that's it's going to be interesting to see and then you think about, Okay, you take away let's say you take away Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase's connection, You've got another wide receiver, one caliber player.
In te Higgins. Absolutely, So it's just it's just a really tall task.
I put him a number one because again, I'm like, Brian, you have to look to me. I don't look at this as just a quarterback. And I know you're asking specifically about him, but you got to look at it. Who's the cast around him, because we know like having a balanced game, how much that betters your game as a quarterback. He has the running game, he has the ability of someone that just because let's say my cup pressures him and gets a sack, he's not going to
be thrown off his game. He's gonna come back in and do what he needs to do. So he has every quality that you would want in a quarterback. And right now, when someone's trending hot, he's at at a pace right now that it's very it's gonna be very difficult to stop him. And like you said, all the weapons around him and the fact that they're scoring so many points, it's gonna be hard to keep up.
Right, on to the next question. And I want to say this.
I'm gonna say, first, we didn't even talk about brock Party in that group too.
No, and think about it.
I'm not saying but at the time, you know, I think that the whole thing what you're saying, they played some really good quarterbacks.
Yeah, that Troy. That list is the quarterbacks of the NFL. They've played.
They've played some outstanding quarterbacks.
No doubt.
Yeah, all right, let's let's talk about this. And I'm going to say beforehand, the way I'm gonna term this this question. It might jump to you immediately lack well, of course, but I really want you to think a little deeper than that. Based on the expected matchup, and we're going to assume Trayvon Dick Dick's plays for the purposes of this question, who has the greater chance of wrecking this game for Dallas, Jamar Chase or Trey Hendrickson.
That's a really good question. I think I think that they. I think Chase does. I think Chase does.
And because I feel like that, and I'm making a biggest assumption assumption here that They're going to try and find a way to take Hendrickson out of this game, whether it's by spacing him, doubling him, chipping to something something, I'm making that assumption that that's going to happen with Chase. I kind of feel like though, that he is one of these type of players that.
Even if you try and take him away, he finds ways.
Other than the last other than last.
Time he faced Dicks And you know what, he opened a media availability saying that, So he's thinking about it. He's thinking about that right off the jump. So to me, man, I just worry about his ability to make plays down the field.
I mean, and much like what CD does, they could target.
Him, you know, twelve thirteen, fourteen times in this game, and like say, eight of those catches could be for I mean, he look at the Baltimore games this year, you know, and you kind of feel like Baltimore. I mean, I know Baltimore's got some defensive struggles and maybe the secondary a little bit, but man, he just light He has.
The ability to light you up. But look what Hendrickson did against the Raiders. He had ford Am sacks. You know, it's a great question. I'm going to go with Chase again, lsu.
Buiser, It's close for me.
I would lean Hendrickson only because his motor is just unbelievable and the way that he just somehow find like I think somebody put it. I forgot who said this, but he doesn't do anything entirely special in term whether it be pass rush moves or whatever, but he just has a knack for getting to the quarterback. And if I'm not mistaken, he lines up on the right side right the time.
Yeah, yeah, he's gonna be on your offenses left.
So so how good do you feel at left tackle if you're the Cowboys against a guy like that.
I don't know how great I feel.
And Cooper Rush has had a tendency to get the ball taken away from him in the backfield here a.
Couple of times we're just fumbled at the snap exactly.
So when you've got that threat, you know, the offensive line has been playing better at good points.
As a whole.
But that's a guy who who you're going to have to deal with the entire game, and he's going to give you a hundred percent every step of the way. So I think he has a bigger chance to wreck this game by making a play like that where he takes the ball away from Cooper Rush or he gets home two times on Cooper Rush.
Because if they sack Cooper Rush two.
Times and take possessions away from this Cowboys offense, yeah, it's it's gonna be tough.
My way of neutralizing him and neutralizing Chase is going to be trying to run the football. I'm gonna you know, I'm gonna I'm gonna make I'm gonna make Cincinnati's best linebackers not playing in this game. I'm gonna make Cincinnati have to defend the run. And you know what I'm
gonna get. I'm gonna get Ezekiel Elliot involved too. I'm just going to We talked about the metric yesterday of teams that have run the ball over thirty times a game against These guys have found a way to win five of the six games that they played.
The Giants the only team that have lost these guys.
I think that's a pretty good metric to me to be looking at it, Like, listen what I've seen the last couple of weeks with ric o'dowdell running the ball, a healthy brock Hoffman at right guard, you know, a better play from Steel bebe these guys I'm I'm gonna try and load this thing up and try and stay ahead of the chains and not let Chase kill me in this game, and not let Hendrickson, you know, if he's if he's having to play run defense all day,
him and Hubbard, those guys, well good, let let it happen. They've proven they can do that, you know. So that's that would be my plan going in. This game would last about ten minutes because I'd run the ball basically every snap if I could.
Yeah, well, the Cowboys have proven that they have a lot of problems on offense. So my answer would be Hendrickson because the Bengals offense, even if they take Chase, if the Cowboys take Chase out or neutralize him a little bit, they have so many other weapons that they can utilize to still score points. Now on the opposite side, Hendrickson, I feel like against this Cowboys' offense, it can take just a player like him to start throwing the game off.
I mean, it doesn't take much for the for the Cowboys offense to get thrown off. So if he has a really good day, I could see this where because this is a game that you're gonna have it's gonna come down to who can score. This is gonna sound dumb because that's how the game works. But we know the Bengals can generate a lot of points, so you cannot fall behind. And if the Cowboys offense don't get it going right off the bat, if they take a whole first half of the game three and out, say
you guys, back to the highline. Hey, guys, they need to be able to not allow a guy like Hendrickson to get to them and their nerves. So I feel that that that could potentially be the biggest problem.
Which you said is really interesting because the Cowboys offense doesn't need Hendrickson to take them out of the game. They can naturally do it themselves. You know, they can naturally you know. They drive, they drive, they drive, They get in the red zone, they try a couple of waggles, it doesn't work. They try a handoff, doesn't work. Brandon Aubrey comes in and kicks a field goal. The Dallas'
offense can naturally just stop itself, you know. So not only are they dealing with Trey Hendrickson, they're dealing with their own ghosts of not being able to finish drives with points and.
Having someone like him on the opposite side can only further that.
Yeah, where the Bengals can just yeah, they like you said, Chase, you know, t Higgins, they could score.
Yeah, they find they fit.
Best red zone team in the league, you know, and you're one of the worst defenses in the red zone.
Yeah, so we're going to take our first break. We will come back. We got a little yety time with ag will do that in just a second. This is Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio.
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At and T. Connecting changes everything welcome back.
It is the second segment of the break. We are a lot from SWBC Mortgage Studios at the Star and the segments brought you by blocktain dot Com.
All right, well, so this segment is presented by Yetti officially licensed. Yetti Cowboy gear is now available at stadium pro shops, concessions and on Yetti dot com. So, uh, today, we're gonna go back to a game that we played last year, which was build your Perfect Player. And I'm gonna give you guys different qualities and you have to choose one player that can represent that quality. You cannot repeat anybody, and it has to be Cowboys players are
currently on the roster. So who wants to start this off?
Me?
Okay?
So just to clarify, we're picking a position first, right for this specific game against Cincinnati.
Yeah, what position would this player? Your ideal player play?
Running back?
Okay, so you gotta running back? What would be his football?
I Q.
Give me the football I Q of.
Dak Prescott, Dak the speed of Cavante Turpin's.
I got another guy you can.
Hand eye coordination.
I probably wasn't his best displayed last week.
But ceedee lamb Okay, strength, Tyler Smith, mental toughness, Oh, I can't repeat can uh?
Brock Hoffman, he can't control himself sometimes.
So I don't know.
I want run a psychopath, right, you just don't run over everybody.
Athleticism, athleticism, give me Jonathan Mingo Okay? Interesting? And then why would you name this player.
Like a real name.
It could be it could be a.
Joke named dough too, because I am I got it one speedy mpower there.
You go, Okay, I like speedy. All right, Dearrey, you're up all right?
Uh, give me a safety because I look at this defense, This defense is starting to come together like they got a they got a difference making player on the front end in in the middle. Now give me that safety. Give me that Troy Palamalu type guy.
So I'll take a safety football.
I Q Kendricks good one speed, han eye coordination of.
Course, overshelling, strength, Tyler Smith.
Mental toughness, Zach Prescott athleticism perfect. And then name.
Okay, so I got a name for you. He is actually the nephew of one DeMarcus Ware. His name is Ransomware. You inject him in the game and he wreaks havoc. He's that safety.
Wow, much more creative than.
You're a rookie to the game. Don't worry about.
Ryan, You're up. Yeah.
I'm gonna take a corner back here. Oh yeah, I'm going to give you his name. His name is Larry Martin. Because I went from a combined to player from Larry Allen and Zach Martin. My player is going to be like, yeah, like a big tough guys when I'm gonna play here, that's my guy, Larry Martin.
Go ahead, well football IQ football I Q. I'm going to give you Deron Bland Okay, speed, I'm gonna give you overshown.
Yep, mm hmmm, hand eye coordination.
CD LAMB strength, I'm going to give you it's Tyler Smith.
Mental toughness.
Mental toughness is Dak Prescott and athleticism. That one now is going to be Michael Parsons.
Okay, I can't believe I didn't put Mike at Any of these.
Guys are poor scouts.
That is horrible.
Yeah.
Also, I can't believe only Tommy when would an offensive guy like.
Yeah, I'm like, y'all can handle the offensive side, the defensive point defense.
Come on, man, Larry Martin.
He's one of the best corners right, the best corner ever.
A bunch of pick six you give me, I'll tell you what.
And I struggle with this because you were talking about h what was the one the category? The first one you gave is this is the i Q part. I struggled with Bland because I think Bland and Jordan Lewis are very similar when it comes to, like, you know, the football intelligence because you talk about the pick six is being in the right place, right time kind of a guy. So that's kind of where I was. But Jordan Lewis needed to be on this list for something.
He really did. Maybe mental toughness.
Maybe mental tough that's the guy he is not.
He is not afraid. He's willing to go in there and does not get He's not dissuaded when things don't go his way. He just keeps coming, you know.
Right, trash talk that's on the field. It's good.
Oh yeah, I'll take that.
He has that aggressiveness and.
Hand eye too. Could be Jake Ferguson, you think about it.
I've watched Jake Ferguson in a training camp practice when they juggle. Have you ever seen they throw those tennis balls and he's like he's not even looking he's catching them. They're coming to the top of his head and he's just looking in the you know. But he's made some pretty incredible plays that way.
I agree and unconcussed. Jake Fergus, Yes, yes, health well, thank you guys for playing.
You want to give us one me?
I put you on the.
Spot, okay, position quarterback.
Okay, Okay, let's go.
She's not wrong, right, and I can't believe we did.
We didn't think I'm trying to escore points. Okay, I'm not relying on just defense.
Give yourself a Joe Brady right, Joe Burrow.
Right, Okay. Quarterback football i Q. I would go with that's like interesting one because the guy I want to pick, I've seen it. I've seen it in action. I would say football IQ. A guy like Kendricks.
Kendricks speed throw Brandy Cooks in there again, that's another guy to think about. Kind of guy, smart guy that kind of understands how to play the game.
For speed. I like turping with speed, but he gets stuck too many times too, you know, so I don't need that from my quarterback. I would take branding Cooks for speed, hand eye coordination, a guy like CD strength, a guy like overshown because he can take hits, he can hit you back to if needed when he takes off running. Mental toughness dak for sure. And then athleticism. I would go with the guy like who haven't I said, hmmm, I would go with maybe a Durrone Bland. Yeah, he's
pretty athletic, very a healthy, healthy Darne Bland. But like I said, I want my offense to score scare and well done. But again, thank you guys.
Cool, let's take our final break. We will come back. We got some questions from you guys that will throw out here and answer in the final segment, and we'll get our picks for the game. We'll be back Dallas Cowboys dot com radio.
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Welcome back. It is final segment of the break, and actually this segment is brought to you by blockchain dot Com.
Duane, all right, let's go.
Here's we're gonna do. We got some questions from some fans and we'll see what you guys have to say about this. Dylan Jewett asks, considering the number of free agents the defense has this offseason, is there a realistic expectation that Eric Kendricks gets resigned? If you w do you think the team addresses a vacancy he'd leave behind in the draft.
If he walks, I think he certainly. Yeah, absolutely drafts.
I guess that the option would be either that or do you think there's somebody already on this team that could fill that vacancy.
See, they just have not they have not played the mont Clark at all. Yeah, you know, and that's if the moon Clark. Now what about Maris Leafoul, right, you know, that's kind of.
Where I think the possibility.
Yeah, I think that would be a real possibility because you look at h kind of a very similar look to the two guys with all the hair and kind of running around and you know, crazy kind of the way that they play downhill and all. And you know, Maris has played and a lot of the nickel be a lot of the bass stuff, and he's every time he's been on the field like good things have kind of happened. There's been fumbles, there's been sacks, there's been you know, him making a tackle.
So I think if they.
If Kendricks were to move on, which you know, we'll see, he's played a long time. We interview him every week. He seems like he's still you know, rareing to go.
And all that was his deal was a one year or two year deal?
Was it a one year things this year anyway, I think.
Yeah, make sure that fact check me on that. I kind of felt like that he was looking at a one year deal.
There's a one year deal.
Yeah, so but I think, yeah, I think that we'll see. But with Clark, but I think.
That that that Maryslely, if that will be the guy that if they move on, he'll be your starting Mike linebacker.
See, even though I like the guys that we currently have on the roster, those younger guys, I still would like more of a veteran presence there because we've seen it. If one thing we've seen this season, and personally I believe so, it's how important the linebacker position is and it affects the whole defense. So I would love to have somebody. If not him, I would obviously would love to have him back, But if not him, I would hope to go and address that during free agency with
another veteran guy. No, No one does say sign a free agent. Yes, but I'm not saying break the bank either, because we don't got money. Don't worry, we don't got no money. Break the bank.
Don't worry. We're good. We got we got we got that, we got that plan right down.
If whatever would equal his current salary, So something like that.
I kind of agree with Brian in the sentiment that Marius leah Foul might be your future there. I think that the sign of that that I saw at least was when Kendricks missed game.
Yeah he's your green dot. That's a rookie. Yeah, he's a smart player.
So the question is has he grown enough to where you trust him and to get an uptick there. I also wouldn't hate if they draft a linebacker, maybe in one of the later rounds. I think there are some value guys there for you. But yeah, if Kendricks doesn't, I mean, I think you welcome him back if if you'd like to, just because he's your leading tackler. He's a veteran, he's been around a long time. He understands Mike Zimmer's system because he's played in it for so long.
If Zimmer was to stay too, so you know, there are some options there. But I would lean kind of towards Lefoul maybe picking up one more in the draft if he was.
Yeah, if it depends on you know, we don't know what the future holes. There's a potential coaching change and do you have a new defensive coordinator in here, and does that defense defensive Yeah, does that defensive coordinator have somebody that he worked with before. That's a young guy that all of a sudden that team that he just came from gave up on him, or Dallas can make one of those trades where you know, they send a you know, a sixth round pick to go get a
guy like that. But I think that Lea fouls the guy that's going to take over that spot if if Kendricks moves on.
That's a great point. Even with Kendricks, I think that was all about the fact that he had familiarity with what Zimer was trying to do, and Zimber want to have that guy on the defense to be able to help the transition, right right, Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. All right, we actually have our caller here. We got a car Mine out in Jersey. Carmine, what up?
Hey?
Yeah you don't. I tried to Actually I text you a couple of things too, But like always, I appreciate the show. You guys are great, Amber. I like the Yettie games, They're great. My question is, remember, like I said, thank you answering the question yesterday. I wanted to add on today because I understand that you guys think that maybe the scheme that people are having a hard time understanding it. But the difference between last year and this year was only Michael Gallop was going it's the same
offensive people except for the line. So I don't necessarily buy that, you.
Know what I mean, what are you not buying?
But I'm not really buying like people don't really understand the scheme because everybody understood it last year, you know what I mean.
Yeah, I don't know that yesterday when we I can't remember your exact question yesterday, But I don't think there was anything that I certainly don't remember me or anyone saying that the offensive problems were a result of people not understanding the scheme. I think when we talked about the defense was one point this week. We talked about the fact that it took them a little while to get accustomed to the new scheme, and it looks like
maybe they're starting to get it now. But that certainly wasn't what we were saying about the offense.
Yeah, I know what you're saying. I know I'm on the same page for you.
Guys.
Yeah, I'm pulling my hair out because I wanted to, you know, open it up.
So yeah, no, and I I remember your call. I remember your question. Now you're asking if if they should now be looking to open up the offense now that that Mike McCarthy, I mean, shouldn't because the offensive line is playing better? Should they look to open up the offense more? And that's a question to me, I think ultimately, when you say open it up, what do you really mean, like, how are you going to because if you don't have the quarterback to open it up, or are you going
to really open it up? Or do you have to play a certain kind of football because you're compromise at quarterback?
They one games? Run the football. Yeah, they've won games. They have one game.
They win the Steelers game, they won the Giant game, they win the Commander's game running the football. You know, the metrics are there for them to That just shows you right there, what's the one thing you're really pretty getting pretty decent at is taking rico'doddle and trying to run the football and be committed to doing that. And if I'm not, if it means opening it up to opening up to the run more. I'm all for that.
Yeah.
Well, the natural formula is your run game opens up your passing game. So part of what Carlin said answered his own question. In terms of the offense as shortcomings, I think it's been the offensive line. I mean, you lose a guy like Tyron Smith that left tackle. That's pretty significant. Zach Martin was playing most of the year pretty healthy last year. So you know, those are two
big changes that you've had to face. And now you add on to that that you've got a backup quarterback in there who isn't necessarily the best at pushing the ball downfield like Dak Prescott was last year, and this offense is completely different, doesn't matter what kind of personnel you've got at the skill position. So I agree with Brian. I think you got to run the football here. Rico Daddles try to. Yeah, Rico Daddall has shown you that he can. He can get you good four yards to carry,
and like I said yesterday, I'm talking four times, threes, twelve. Yeah, you need ten yards for a first down. Yeah, So if you can get him going in the run game, that's really I think how you win this. I know we'll geting to predictions here in a little bit. That's how you win the Cincinnati game. You've got to drain the clock and run the ball and keep Cincinnati's offense off the field as long as you can.
I love how you let that Texas education just shine there four times.
Thank you. Twelve That was the most math I did in Austin.
Brian's still trying to figure out LSU.
That's not what they do best. But thirteen was a yard short. You had eleven? Howd you get to twelve? Hey, eleven is still the first down? Right either way? It works all right.
One of my favorite tools in college.
Was the calculator.
The calculator you can type down answers and then findal later in tests. It was great. But I was gonna say last week was a clear show of why you should run like the only one made Cooper Rush look better. Yeah, the run game. So I think being able to have the combination of both, I mean, we've seen it, We've seen how it just helps you. So yeah, agree.
I don't.
I try to do everything in my power to keep from the defense getting put in harm's way, because if I can, now I might not score enough points. But I feel like my defense is starting to play better. You know, they've they've they're starting to get guys back, they're getting a little bit more healthy, they're they're the scheme stuff is, you know, seems to be working for him right now. So you know, I'm doing everything in my power to keep the other team's offense off the field.
Finish drives with points as much as I can bleed that clock, and and and and let my defense get after these guys. That's kind of my my plan the rest of the way.
All right, we're going to get our picks. Now, let's hear what you guys think is going to happen this Monday, Cowboys versus Bengals. Start with you, Tommy.
I think Cincinnati's offense is just too good in this game. And when you look at the season that they've had, Yeah, they're four and eight, Seven of those eight losses are by one possession. Yeah, so they might be one of the better four and eight teams ever, But that also doesn't take away from the fact that their defense has been abysmal at points in the season. They lose a guy like Logan Wilson in their second level.
That's a big hit.
So you can have Trey Hendrickson, but you've still got to find a way to be better on the outside at the cornerback, in the defensive back spots. And I've got some playmakers out there like Cam Taylor Britt who I really like. But I just don't think Dallas's offense has the firepower when they're inevitably going to.
Have to throw the ball in this game to win it.
And I think that Cincinnati's offense does at such a high level and they can score so fast that it might just overwhelm them. So I've got Cincinnati in this game thirty one to twenty one.
It's a good score. Give me the Cowboys in this one. I'm thinking that maybe the defense does get some stops and they do find a way to neutralize Hendrickson as a rusher.
Running the football.
I think this is going to be you know, they've they've played some really some tough, kind of grinded out games against the AFC, Nordy Meane, the early game against the opening day against the Browns, you know, having to kind of like you get ahead and then you're kind of trying to hang on and you know, but you're gonna have to play tough that way. The Steeler game I mentioned Baltimore was you know you rallied at the end.
I mean Baltimore tried to kind of get you back in the game at the end, and so but I kind of feel like though this is going to be one of those games. I think Dallas is going to get some stops in this game. I think they're going to their pass rush is going to cause some problems in this game because I don't think they're scared of Cincinnati running the football and what's been happening. We always every week we come on here and talk about running game,
running game, running game, running game. Cincinnati doesn't. It's their passing game, and I think that plays into Dallas's hands. Give me the Cowboys in this one, giving me the Cowboys, the Cowboys twenty six and the Bengals twenty.
I just feel like the it's going to be a competitive game. I agree with the Cowboys defense being able to compete and get some stops, but at the same time, there will allow some touchdowns to my concern and main concern comes to the Cowboys offense and whether or not they'll be able to score enough points to keep up and also early enough not wait till the last few minutes of the game. So that's the biggest challenge, and
I want to believe, but I don't know. I think even though it's going to come close to it, I think the Bengals end up winning the game thirty five twenty eight, right.
I actually think this is going to be a lower scoring game than most people think. I think this is going to be a game where the Cowboys will get some pressure on Burrow, they will slow him down again. They'll still get some points, but it won't be the kind of points that they've been scoring recently. I think this Cowboys defense is getting markedly better every week that they're playing and getting healthier. I think they're getting much
better now. A lot of this is me assuming that Trayvon Diggs is back, and I think if Trayvon Diggs is back, with him and Bland with your pass rush, being able to really see how they can use these linebackers in the pass brush pass rush when you actually have the corners out there to be able to support it, I see some turnovers happening, and I think that's how this game stays lower scoring. But I think Cowboys are
able to pull it out. I think Cowboys have some struggles, so I think Hendrickson is going to be a bigger challenge than what we may believe. I think he's going to be a hard guy to stop for Dallas unless they're willing to divert a lot of attention to him. And if so, how does that affect their ability offensively to do the things they want to do? And I do think they get the win at home twenty three seventeen final score.
Appreciate you guys, join us.
We'll be back on Monday. We'll I'm sorry, We'll be back on Tuesday.
Tuesday, we talk about what.
Went right and wrong for the Cowboys till then for Tommy Yursh Brian brought us Amber Garcia. I'm Derek Yields and this has been The Break live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio.
This has been a production of Dallascowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.