Cowboys Break: Reading Dak

Mortgage Studios at the Star. We are getting you ready for Cowboys versus Eagles that happened Saturday night. We will be joined in the second segment by Bucky Brooks of NFL Network to talk a little bit about that game and the matchup specifically between the Philadelphia defense and the Dallas offense. Before we get to that, though, we do

have some things you got to talk about. Mike McCarthy finished his press conference a few moments ago, um he did announce that there were two more additions to the the COVID protocol list. Who's been added and what are we looking at here? Anthony Brown has been added and that's the one that's really uh. I mean, I know that Tyron Smith is also on the list, but I mean Tyren Smith was on a different list, like you ain't playing list, So I mean that one doesn't surprise me.

We gotta go. People say, oh, we don't even need Anthony Brown at Anthony Brown haters, but they're there. Yeah, Oh they're definitely there. They don't need him for Saturday, Yeah they don't. They don't need him for Saturday. Well, you need a team to play football, yeah, they God, if it was something you said, everyone else they got guys, it'll be okay. I actually like the idea of being able to see Kelvin Joseph play a little more. I mean,

in a game that there's relatively little consequence. I'd love just to see him get some more snaps and see what he can do. I don't want to make light of a global pandemic that has ruined our lives for a couple of years and caused a lot of grief, but like, don't be over dramatic. Her day, but that's not over dramatic. Has ruined our lives. It's ruined a lot of people's lives. This thing sucks. Yes, no, no, that's not dramatic at all. This thing, it has changed

our lives, no doubt, has changed our lives. I don't know about forever, but definitely for nowass the point being, um understanding the severity of this whole thing and not trying to make light of any But I'm just gonna keep talking through this nonsense, understanding that you shouldn't make light of it. Like this is working out in the cowboys favor in my opinion, I don't. I didn't want Michael Parsons to play in this game, and I don't

want them to be sick. That's my point. But yeah, Tyrant Smith, rest that ankle, buddy, Hope get get better for next week. Anthony Brown not the same caliber player of the as those two guys, but a veteran that I don't need to see play in this game. You don't have that much to gain. So for the fifth time, I'll say, I don't want these guys to be sick, but if they're not on the field, then that makes me feel better about what they'll be available to do

in the playoffs. And there's gonna be more. I mean McCarthy made it. I mean he just said there's other guys that are sick. They're sick, and if they have symptoms then they're probably i mean not gonna play either. So they're not on the list yet. But that was interesting. I mean, and it's always so fluid. But yeah, Mike was basically like, they don't have it right now, but ask me again in a few hours, like, who the hell knows, Like, yeah, it's almost like we're working on it.

I mean, like the Eagles is gonna put twelve on there, like their copies are gonna do the two and they know what's going on. And I'm not saying the Eagles all those guys are not don't have COVID or whatever. But you know, this is a way to kind of manipulate the system here. If you if you wanted to go that route, you could. You could definitely do that, and teams are probably are stretching that a little bit.

Let's talk about Michael Parson specifically. You mentioned him. How does this work from the standpoint, because I think at linebacker you do start to wonder a little bit about numbers. Javon Curse, j Ron Curse, I'm sorry, is right now limited In practice, He's a guy that can jump in and play some nickel linebacker. Without him, you do have Keyan O'Neil coming backward. He concerned about numbers a little bit at lineback, of being able to have enough guys

to play the game. Yeah. Um, j Ron Curse is a guy that helped with that last week. He's in, he's limited, so I probably want to watch him this week. Kean O'Neil's back from covid. Um. They signed a guy, I forgive me, I don't remember his name. They signed a kid out of Oklahoma or the practice squad bond. Yeah, it's his last Okay, okay, can come personal stuff working? Sure? Sure, sure, sure? Um I lived there eight years, did you really? Maybe that's my problem? Uh, they could call him up. I

bet you they will call him up. Donovan Wilson is not a linebacker, but he's a he's a box guy. He's a guy that you can use to help. You can talk about this more. But like he made it sound, I mean he even said they run the ball like Oklahoma, like they run the ball there, and so you would need linebackers. Yeah, the Cowboys. The Cowboys comfort level with

not having a lot of those this year. Has been kind of amusing because like when Jason Garrett was here, it was like you couldn't have enough, Like they'd have seven on the fifty three man roster, and this year they've got like four. And Mike's like, yeah, it's I mean, it's fine, Yeah, we're okay. Have they used Donovan Wilson in that role? I know he's not a big guy

like not. No, I know they've used him at around a lot of scrimmage, but not necessarily as a nickel line No, they haven't used him the way they've used Curse. I'm just saying, I mean he was doing it against the Cardinals. He missed a pretty key tackle in that game. He just I mean, he plays closer to the line

of scrimmage. They've used a lot of three safeties. Looks he's not a linebacker, but when you're just talking about the numbers, he is a guy who can be on the field and make tackles or be in position to make them. Anyway. I want to go a little big, bigger picture here with regards to the COVID talk, there were questions from the media with regard to what should the team be doing to try to mitigate their risk, should they be bubbling, should they be at the hotel?

For those that don't know, here at the Star where we are at the practice facility, there is a hotel. It literally is attached to the practice facility to where players if they wanted to stay there, they could literally stay in the hotel and walk immediately into work, never

really being exposed to the outside world. I guess theoretically, what are your thoughts on that, And is that even realistic to expect these guys to just stop their lives and now go and live in a hotel for a month during the playoffs if it happens to be a month real quick. Just to be clear as far as the protocols right now, they're only really getting tested if they're feeling sick. That's my understanding is when you have symptoms,

you get tested. Yeah, and then as of now, there are multiple other guys from what McCarthy said, that are feeling sick. Yeah, so okay, So you know, just to clear up the protocol and he also pointed this out out and I think that, you know, I think Derek, you know, I talked about this yesterday. I mean it we should also remember that, you know, people people got pharmacies were open in the last one hundred years, you know,

doctors that were were employed. I mean, like people get sick for other reasons, and especially this time of year, and it happens, especially spreading, especially in Texas when it's eighty degrees and then twenty in the same like three days, So it happens, and so that people are getting sick, you know, and then with COVID, it's like all symptoms, every symptom in the world is seems to be a

COVID related symptom. Sou I just I say all that with like, there's other reasons why these guys are getting sick this and that. My answer to your question is no, I don't think the players should do that. I don't if players wants to sit at court side of the matterfiscan and makes to sit there. I mean, there's twenty thousand people there and they have jobs to do. You have a job to do, and you've got to be ready to do your jobs, regardless if it's on TV or not. You have a job to do and you

got to be healthy. And that's that's the world that we're in right now. So no, I don't think the player should do that. I don't think Ceedee Lamb should be criticized for going and sitting there with it. You know, he's got a mask in his hand. He didn't have it on his mouth, but he had it in his hand. Now, I don't think he should be criticized for that. Zeke, they want to do that, they should do that. That's

my opinion. Yeah, I struggle with that because there was a time in my life where I would have been really fired up about that, like just like that's really selfish, how can you do that? And now and even with like cases spiking, maybe maybe it's just COVID fatigue and I like, I'm not making as much money. It's not my job to be available on Sunday. But like I'm I'm living my life like I try to be careful. But but I watched Las Use Bowl game in a bar the other night. I'm preparing to head to the

super Bowl. Like these guys are finding to get this right now. But yeah, he is, he is, He is prepared. I mean he is to need to get get there because they get there, he'll be there. No, but right, but I mean, sorry, Dave, He's not like my cap Parson no, you know Mica Parson. He's not Michael Parsons in and yes he is. He is in our on our staff. He is Michael Parsons on our staff. And I mean that like, are we talking about me? Yes?

Like I thought we're talking about Michael Parson. That's ridiculous. But it's not ridiculous. It's not ridiculous. Are you gassed me up? Let's go. I'm here for this. I'm saying a little bit. I get hopped up from a money standpoint, obviously not. But what I'm saying is is that everybody's got a job to do, and we need you to do and right now we're down some too. Our staff is down, and so everybody's got a responsibility to do

their job. And you're right, you're living your life. You're doing that and you're you're being as healthy I think as you can be. But like, but okay, I'm sorry, And I know the guy in that's listening right now doesn't care so much if David's going to write the story or I write it or write, but he does care if Michael Parsons plays or Luke Gifford plays. I

get it. It's a big difference there and the thing is, let me interrupt you there, because I strongly disagree with that, like Dave and any of us can do our job somewhat remote from home or whatever. These guys, and I'm not trying to criticize anybody. I'm not saying to stay at home, be like you're in jail or anything. No go out and whatever, but take all the precautions that you need when you know you are this stretch of the year where you need to be available. And I'm

not saying for this weekend. Okay, we know this game doesn't really matter that much, but at the end of the day, looking forward, there's only one chance. You know, there's only one chance for you to play in that game, and you need to be available. So therefore, take all the precautions that you need. It sucks to be wearing a mask, it sucks to kind of stay away from crowds and stuff like that, but this is a one time thing that you cannot replicate or you're a do

over like. So it's very different than what you're trying to say. And I get it. I agree with everything you just said. You're right and that, and I think it's it's easy to just kind of be dismisses, a dismissive of it right now, because like, honestly, again, I hope he I hope he doesn't feel bad. I'm hoping Micah feels better soon if he's feeling sick. But like, I was kind of relieved when I heard he was on the COVID list. I was like, great, you know,

but he's tearing their acl on Philly on Saturday. Let's go. That's just me being like a callous. It's also the chicken pox kind of thing, like, yeah, oh, one of my cousins gets chicken fox. There, all the kids over so you can all get chicken fox at the same time, so you're done with it, right. I'm kind of that. I'm all in faith, like anybody that you're nervous about, get him on the COVID list for this game like that. Get like it sounds callous, but it's a it's a

strategical thing like and that. And notice Nick brought up CD because I don't give a damn what Amari does. He had COVID like a month and a half ago. He's fine, not even a month and a half ago. So um no, I mean I agree with you. I guess, like I said, maybe it's just fatigue, because we all know people that have taken it super seriously who have still gotten sick, especially in this omicron window where like

it doesn't seem like it matters what you do. I just I know people who have taken it very seriously, who wear a mask everywhere to this day, who still tested positive for this thing. And so I, like I said, I agree with you. I just I don't think I have the energy to get worked up about it anymore. It's been two freaking years. Also, a few weeks ago when we got all the coaches and a bunch of people,

that are you getting sick? In my mind like this, this is why this is so surprising to me, because I'm thinking even when Jerry got on the radio and was saying like, well, everybody now is COVID free because you got the vaccinated and the suit didn't vaccinate, you know,

they got sick and everybody's like free now. But then these news are starting to come up and you're like, well, crap, like this thing is still I mean, not that it's not going around yet, but we thought, or I thought that the team had already gone through that kind of spread and got to know, it is a different strain, and we're seeing the difference and we're seeing how contagious this thing really is. It's different in a good way, not in a bad way. It's I think it's different

in a good way. Yeah. The good thing about it is it's not getting people. Doesn't seem like it's getting

people as sick, but certainly it is spreading like wildfire. Yeah, the NFL is gonna have to make a decision at some point, and it probably will be after the season, but they don't have to make a decision on how to clarify this because right now when we when it's called the coronavirus, it's still it's got that like you've got COVID, you know, and especially with omicron, like you said, I think it's it's it's definitely not as serious, especially in not the some there are and I'm not trying

to say that. You know, there's people in the world that are dealing with it, of course, but I mean from the NFL standpoint, I think the players for the ninety nine percent of the players that have been come back and then and they're they're fine. They're gonna have to just change it. I think next year they'll change how they view this and how they treat it, and

it's it's already changing. I think that that's part of it too, is also with the way that they've changed the rules and everything like, and I'm not saying this is ideal, but you can test positive on a Tuesday or a Wednesday and be back like they're they're bending over backward to make it possible to get back. These are also in accordance with the CDC. Course way of course, these are recommendations from the CDC. What just the NFL

kind of doing their own thing the meme. The NFL was probably very relieved when they saw the SEC do that. I'm sure they were very happy for it to happen. But let's just be clear. The CDC put out the recommendations within the NFL. The meme's going around for the CDC are fantastic. By the way, all right, the numbers will go down in the playoffs. That's my prediction is

they will go down. Well. One thing to note in the whole conversation is that, and Mike McCarthy mentioned it, there are players who are opting to take the OMNI offer and are staying over there at the Omni Hotel and kind of bubbling themselves. I know I saw a player there are a couple about two weeks ago when

I stayed there, so I know this is happening. Mike McCarthy said, it's happened, So that means that there are some that are doing it, and maybe when we get to the playoffs, say maybe more who opt to say for this period in time, as Amber was saying, I have a short window of something that's really important to me. Anything I can do to give me the best shot possible to be available, I'm gonna do it. And maybe

that happens over the next couple. I would love nothing more than when they get back from Philly if they all check it into the Omni and don't leave until the season's over. Whenever that is. That's their choice. Not only is it their choice, I just don't think it's realistic to ask sixty five young wealthy men to do that. It just I mean, have fun and you can try. Just hearing you say that, it seems like that's just

so ludicrous, right sixty five. I mean, I'm saying, not Ludacris, but just ludicrous that it would even happen like that, you could really convince that many guys to say, yes, we are all gonna just do this. If I would settle for getting what's up, no, I go ahead, I would settle for getting buy in from like the core guys. Like if we can get I wouldn't be Dak might not be at the OMNI. But I don't think Dak's doing much of anything these days besides watching tape or whatever.

But like, if I could get Dak and O Line and Micah to just huddle up and bubble, I'll take that, Like that's a win for me. But you say you're also you know, assuming that you know, like when you when you say like a CD or Dak that you know, everybody's twenty six years old and single and either going

to the bars or going home. When there are players that have kids, there are players that have wives, or of course necessarily you know, it's easy to just hotel, you know, so there's a lot of different Yeah, but I mean, you guys are married with kids, and y'all go bubble up at a hotel every summer for work and don't come home for a month, and it's just understood that that's part of your professional obligation. I mean

very Hey, I'm with you all the whole time. I know it's challenging, but you can get to hear us. I get to about it. Oh well, I mean I I yes, I get to hear about it. But you still you do what you gotta do sometimes. All right, we're gonna take our first break. We'll come back. We got and we got a Bucky Brooks Nifel Network joining us in the second segment to talk Philadelphia defense versus Cowboys offense. We'll be right back. This is Dallas Cowboys

dot Com Radio. At ATNC, everyone new and existing customers get our best deals on every smartphone. Why because you deserve it. We're turning your living room into your office and your gym. We're teaching Grandma had a video call and teaching her again. It's the button on your left Nanna, Okay, your other laughs. It's not complicated. Everyone deserves something new, so ATNC is given everyone new and existing customers are best deals with every unlimited plan on every smartphone, even

the latest ones. At T may temporaries dated spec at the network Specsical restrictions and exceptions may apply. Hi, I'm Clint Tillison with man. I'm Jay Novachek and we're both with Turf, the official tractor provider of the Dallas Cowboys. So if you need a tractor to bail some hay, I'm more to cut some grass or a gator to get some chores done. Get a John Deer at you at agin Turf, and then let's get to work. Hey Jay,

that's my line, well not today. Get to work with a Jaundeer tractor package that's just right for you in your budget. Visit you nantaginturf dot com. Before there was a draft, you could sized up a cowboy by three simple factors the crease in his hat, the bend of his brim, and his unbending attitude a man. Stetson didn't just protect him from what life throw at him. It projected a rugged, unstoppable spirit. Stetson hats are still American,

made with pride. Right here in Texas. There's still the unofficial crowd of all self respecting cowboys, and Stetson is proud to be on the field with America's team. Find a retailer nearest you at Stetson dot com. Slash Cowboys New Doctor Peppers zero sugar. You deserve it. I do deserve that. You deserve decadent flavor without sugar, and a day at the beach without sand getting everywhere, and a relaxing bath that your children don't interrupt. I deserve all.

That's the visual metaphor for doctor Pepper zero sugar. Everything you want, nothing you don't, a visual metaphor on the radio. I do deserve that, Doctor Pepper, zero sugar, the zero you deserve is finally here. Back to the break. Your favorite WWE superstars like Roman Reigns, the Rock, who else? I mean right now? Yeah, I don't know anything about current wrestler Biggie. I love Big Oh Dallas, don't you, Dabby Soa? No, I didn't know Dusty Rhodes of them

back in the New Day. I don't think Ray Wyatt. Maybe that sounds like something, okay. Anyways, those guys and others, you know, cocob ware and those guys. Yeah. April second, April, third two day event WrestleMania. Get your tickets on SeatGeek dot com. Welcome back, second second of the Brake Laugh Nest, WBC Mortgage Studios at the Star. We are joined right now by Bucky Brooks of NFL Network. Bucky Ellis talks

from Philadelphia defense versus a Cowboys offense. Over the last four games, I mean the last four games versus teams winning records, Philadelphia has allowed an average of thirty five points per game. In the rest, they've only allowed sixteen. Most of the games that they've had where their defense is only allowed sixteen have happened in the second half of the season. What have you seen from their defense? What is the area where they're most improved as how

they've played over the last six seven games. It's a team that's gone from zone heavy covers to more man demand and so man to man plays to the strength of the personnel that they have on the team. Darius Play and others played well locking up and because they have tight of covers, they've been able to get off the field. Before they were trying to kind of play where Indianapolis plays a lot of zone, a lot of covered to a lot of keep the ball in front,

and it just didn't do it well. It's not really a great fit for the personnel. But since they've gone to one man demand, they've been better for them now. It also coincided with them teams that are not as talented, and so when you go man the man against teams during the town team, you haven't tend the people suffocate them, and that's what the headers are being able to do. But you I'm gonna pole vault this game and maybe even hit the playoffs as well. I'm going to next year.

I can Terrence Steel is going to start at left tackle, probably for Tyron Smith. Do you think Terren Steele is a full time starter for the Cowboys next year? Not at left apple? I mean, I think you can get bogged with him, but I think it's best. The thing you know, Timer Smiths only be that you need INVESTI top pick in the left apple position. You need a blue chair player. I think Terry Smith is good. He's

gonna follow stealing. You're not a starter because when you get down to it, you got a forty million dollars quarterback. You want to make sure you have sufficient protection and elite level of protection. The Cowboys offensive line is not what it once was, and they need to address them to make sure that they have the best offensive line. Because all the money is taught up in the defense. In the offense, you want to make sure that the offense is always superior and the way that you that

is investing apps a lot. So yeah, I think they need an upgrade. Charance to Bucky. Can you make an argument for me? I guess just with everything we've seen from the Cowboys offense since the bye week, over the last eight weeks whatever it is, nine weeks, what do you what what what is to be gained from this performance? Like, let's even say they go to Philly and play a

fantastic game. I mean, I guess I'm asking you if you believe in the concept of week to week momentum, Like, does putting a good effort on tape in Philly really matter toward how you play in the playoffs? Yeah? I think so. I don't think you can flip the switch. I think how you play it's part of habit for me. So you want to create championship habits. And so if you're the Cowboys, you want to play well goin to the postseason because they kind of give you an opportunity

to play well the next week. I don't believe you can say, all right, you guys, we're going to playoff. Let's turn around, let's focus more, Let's make sure we play more attention to detail. It doesn't work like that.

And I think the Cowboys have to be careful because even as I heard you guys talk about, oh just doesn't matter, these things don't matter, like I Philly can't beat them this and that you have to be careful about the outside noise because the perception is that the Cowboys are a super Bowl team, and they may be,

but they got to play the right way. And if you started getting into a head where you're not playing the right way the week after week after week, they'll never realized their goals and being a super Bowl champion. So they need to get back on track this week. And they need to play better in the playoffs because

the game changes once you get into the postseason. Bucky, I'm not trying to play the blaming game or anything like that, but as far as like struggles on offense, I mean, would you put it more towards player execution or kind of what Kellen Moore has been doing these past few weeks all of the above. I'm not in love with the play calling all the time. I feel like sometimes Kellen Moore gets too cute. Sometimes your team

is better than the other team. You just need to get the ball to the playmas and less they make plays, you don't have to do all the hanty designs and reverses in those things. But I don't think the players are played great. I think we saw a little bit of an effort when Dad got back on track against

Washington football team and that stuff, but inconsistent. And so I just think they need to tighten up on all the details because when you get into the postseason, the game is faster, and the consequences of dires, like the mistakes that you make in the postseason, like can end your season, and so you just want to be on it. And so I think it's just really important that everyone understands the urgency that's needed to play at a higher level,

and you've got to be on the details. And it's more important now than ever to be on it, because look, man, the margins the area so slim between the teams that move on and the teams they're gone. So there's kind of this narrative that's popped up here in the last couple of days about Dak and his ability to read coverage and disguises and teams disguising things and all that stuff.

How much do you put into that, Do you think Dak is having problems with being able to handle pre snap versus post snap reads or do you think this is just a big conversation about something that really isn't happening. So I think it's a big conversation about something that's really not happening. I think all quarterbacks get food from time, food from time to time. I don't think it's an issue with Dak. Ruscott can't read coverage, he can't decipher

what's going on. Look, he's played too good for so long to be fooled by some of the things consistently to have a major liability when it comes to being able to diagnose what teams are doing to them. That's not the fact they're not executed. They hadn't been on the same page for a long time because it was him and those guys Gallup, CD and Cooper hadn't played together for the chemistry was off. Then you finally get them together, they start playing better than Gallup goes out

and so you bring it in new pieces. He'll get back on track. He's still playing at a level. When you look at the numbers, Completion presented the best of his career. More touchdowns in the ever zone in his career. He is playing well, but Dak is a polar rising figure for whatever reason, and so people like the poke holes in his game that he's playing well. He's not playing well. I think that reason is that he's the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys. I mean, that's always been

the reason. Um, I gotta ask, Bucky, do they have a problem with kicker in your mind? Yeah? Yeah, Okay, okay, okay, well, you know, hold on, hold on because my you know, my knee might hurt in the morning. It doesn't mean I'm gonna have surgery. Do they need a Do they need to make a change at kicker? I mean, I think it's too late in the game to make a change. It into the polar season, but yeah, it's a problem.

I am not whenever I see run out, I don't get up and walk away from the TV and go get a smack like I did with Justin Tucker and Justin Tuckers runs up to the field for the Raven. I know it's money, Duran. I'm like, I don't know, and no one wants to feel okay, but no one wants to fill Okay, hold on the hold on because a lot of times we say this coach isn't like Belichick would have done this, or Aaron Rodgers would have done this, and Justin Tucker would have done this. Okay,

those are those are the goats? Like is there another Justin Tuckers? I mean, like who who else in the league is like that? Like I feel like he's the best? And then who else? Like I mean, like I think everybody had some some some struggles. You're asking me in a perfect world, because I'm looking at it like if you ask me as the general manager for the Cowboys. Yeah, I feel about it. Okay, yea, he hasn't been He

hasn't been automatic, and I wanted to be automatic. When we run onto the field with the PA and the field goal team, boom, that's my night points on the board. So I'm a little worried about it, more so for

the opposed to kild. So my follow up question of that, Bucky, you're a former personnel guy in the NFL, How does that conversation go when you have a kicker that's running out every game and you don't know what he's gonna do one game to the next or one kick to the next but you also know that whatever's out on the street may not be you might be getting the

same thing. How does that conversation go? Do you get to point where you have to start talking about contingencies and how much are you willing to accept maybe what's on the street just for the sake of doing something different. I mean, you have to get that the conversation. I think former Cowboys coach Jimmy Jeffinson, when they start missing go ahead and cut because it's harder than to turn

it around. Now I'm at the end that you cult greatly, but this was part of a two year problem where we see some inconsistencies in its play and so socialty and coaches don't like to change it. But at some point, man, the production has to be there. He has been good at times from long distancing those things. The PAT thing is the thing that concerns me because we need spat.

It changes the way that you have to conduct and manage the game, and so it should be able to knock those down like there's no exclusions from missing PAT like those other kids I can live with. So the pot needs to be money all the time. Hey, real quick, before we let you go and before we get to your prediction for the game. I did have a defensive question I wanted to ask you about, how do you

assess Kean O'Neil's play this year. It seems like he's gonna probably be playing quite a bit this week without Michael Parsons. How do you assess what he's done as a Cowboys? Sure, I mean, I think he's been telled, he has been asked to do a lot. But I think he's in cella in the role that they put him there. Anytime the other guy who's making a transition from safety to the linebacker, you're gonna have some bumps

in the role. But I think the packaging, the way that dan Quinn had packaged him and tried to use him parlier of the season played to his strength now with Michael's Parsons being out, and maybe a good thing because now dan Quinn gets an opportunity to dig in his bag a little bit and kind of see what he could come up with and what could help them down the road versus maybe so Rams versus Camp or versus somebody else who was really prolific in terms of

pulling the ball all over the yard. So I think he's been good enough, and I think he'll do a good job for them. He's not Parson, but he's good enough. All right, let's get your prediction. What do you think's gonna happen Saturday night. I mean, it's so up in the air because I don't know how the Cowboys are going treated. Yeah, I would expect that Cowboys, you win, did a better team. They've only divisioned, that work has only division whenever he so, So I would expect them

to win. The one thing that they just got to come with the right mind frame, the right mentality to take care of business and to put themselves in the best position when it comes to seating if they play the Cardins or whoever. You just want to feel good going in for the next week, even though the records we said you start all over. You want to do that.

And pole point, you guys are talking about not being worried about the guys being out and about I will say this, Championship teams begin to make some changes to their behaviors to ensure that everyone is available, and so it takes sacrifice in something. Sometimes it's like not going out, sometimes it's not drinking whatever, But you want to put

your team in the best position to win it. And what you don't want to do is have a COVID situation prevent you from having your stars available in the postseason. So you may just want to have that conversation with the team, like, hey, guys, let's just dollar back a little bit, make sure we can get everybody to the part. All right, thanks for that book. Yes, good stuff. We'll see you next week. We're gonna take our final break. We'll come back. We got some more talk on Cowboys

versus Eagles. Will do that when we come right back to This is Dallas Cowboys dot com Radio. I want to use what the pros use. How about the official men's skincare brand of the Dallas Cowboys, Jack Black. Right now you can get the Jack Black Starter, a curated collection of Cowboys locker room favorites, for just ten bucks with free shipping. The starter includes four Jack Black skincare favorites, plus a full sized and tense therapy lip bomb. Go to get Jack Black dot com slash Cowboys and use

the code word team JB. That's get Jack Black dot com slash Cowboys. The Jack Black Starter ten bucks free shipping at ATNT. Everyone new and existing customers get our best deals on every smartphone. Why because you deserve it for turning your living room into your office and your gym. We're teaching Grandma had a video call and teaching her again. It's the button on your left, Nanna, Okay, your other laughs.

It's not complicated. Everyone deserves something new, so ATNC has given everyone new and existing customers are best deals with every unlimited plan on every smartphone, even the latest ones. Eighteen Team A Temporaries ladies sat at the network'spising. Restrictions and acceptance may apply. Hi, I'm Clint Tillison with man. I'm Jay Novachek, and we're both with nag Turf, the

official tractor provider of the Dallas Cowboys. So if you need a tractor to bail some hay, a'm more to cut some grass, or a gator to get some chores done, get a John Deer at unantagin Turf and then let's get to work. Hey Jay, that's my line, well not today. Get to work with a John Deere tractor package that's just right for you in your budget. Visit unantaginturf dot com.

Before there was a draft. You get sized up a Cowboy by three simple factors, the crease in his hat, the bend of his brim, and his unbending attitude a man, Stetson didn't just protect him from what life throw at him. It projected a rugged, unstoppable spirit. Stetson hats are still American, made with pride. Right here in Texas, there's still the unofficial crowd of all self respecting cowboys, and Stetson is

proud to be on the field with America's team. Find a retailer near stew at stetson dot com slash Cowboys. Back to the Break, Nicholas, welcome back. We're in the second five second of the break life in this WBC

Mortgage studios, and I think they've stopped. I mean I've got some I got some old ones about rally days and stuff like that, but I mean they've kind of stopped sending I think, should you should have just given me the like go And I'm already talking to Dave as I was talking to Himber I know we just kind of had in conversations. Did you have some of

you were trying to say they're in the break? You know, um about the Kicker situation about I will say this I actually went and did the math, which is not a strength of mine, but it is. I'm okay, simple math. I'm pretty pretty okay. And in this case, so zirline missed the field goal and they lost by three. If he makes the field goal and then everything kind of plays the way it played, they lose twenty six to twenty four. They don't lose twenty five twenty two. They

lose twenty six to twenty four. If he would have made the field goal, they still lose by two based off of everything that would have happened. That's why it's it's it's tricky to just say that, and especially in the first half because Arizona scored to make it nineteen to seven or whatever. But if the score was nineteen to ten, they kick it, they probably make it twenty to ten, and then the Cowboys don't go for two and all this kind of stuff, and next thing you know,

they lose by two. It's one of my least favorite things in football is you miss a field goal on like the first or second possession of the game. He lose by three, and yeah, like the kicker should make the kick that I'm not, but that's not you didn't lose because of that. You lost because you punted three straight times between the second and third quarter. Like there's always a million reasons why you lose. It was a

part of the reason why I lost it. You can't just retroactively add three to the score, Like that's not how it works. You know, they miss He missed the field goal early in the game, and and it was like, well, you know, he sucked and they lost by two. He also had a forty eight yard or to take the lead that could have been the game winning field goal. You know, but but they got bradied. But um, I like using that as a verb good job, I mean

Rogers and doesn't sound as good rogered Roger twelve? They got twelve for both Actually yeah, oh you remember where were we in? What press box were we in where the NFL came out and said here, here's the greatest quarterback number of all time. And they're like they gave like ten number twelves And we were like, seriously, like rob oh that wasn't was that was that? It was on their social channel they did ye and Roger was not. They were like dubious lists, Hello, like what did we

end up doing? We did something and didn't, didn't they corect Yeah, I think we put something out of those kind of snarky but yeah, it was. It was like, Okay, I mean I mean the original, I mean the original ying. I don't know any twelves before him, I'm guessing, but I mean when you when you started though, I'm like when they threw Andrew Luck out there. Okay, this over Roger, all right, we made a mistake here, you know. Yeah, I think somebody didn't realize what that. That was my

point through just about the math. All right, let's talk about Blake Jarwin Dave, you asked a question too, and we talked a little bit about about Blake and what he could be coming back. But you asked Mike McCarthy the question, and I thought he had an interesting response. What was his response on on Blake and what he can bring to the offense? I just I thought it

was funny because and rightfully so. But like the first eight questions he got asked, we're all about dealing with COVID, and I was like, I want to talk about the backup tight end if you don't mind me. He was like, let's talk about the backup Mike, uh No, I did think and actually somebody else said this too, and it's it's the type of inside football stuff that I love

that you don't necessarily think about. But a big part of his answer was just the way that it opens up more lanes in the running game because you have an extra tight end a guy who can block. And he was talking about that. You're saying, oh, that's what You're right, that's what it was, and Mike said the exact same thing. It gives you like a wider varray of options in the running game. Um. He kind of made it sound like Blake has a chance to play

on Saturday. I don't know why my voice doesn't either, but interesting, that is it. I would know both are doing that today. These are good, mind, These are good mins. Like when you whisper this doesn't really matter, like it still picks up. You know you can convey it with my tone of voice. You did it earlier. You said something like this game doesn't really matter or something like that. Oh yeah, but um no, I would. I would love it if Blake could get out there and get some run.

And like that's a situation where you should play like you've been off for two months. If you're of course, always only if you're healthy enough to do it, but you kind of knock some rust off get ready. I just, like I said, I don't think it's like this magic potion that's just going to fix the offense. But I think in the running game, and again what I said yesterday about giving you a diversity of options in the passing game while not giving up ground in the running game,

I just I think it could be very useful. All there was another question I wanted to get to before we end the show. I kind of asked Bucky about it as well, and it's it's become the narrative that somehow Dak is having this issue. I wanted to get you guys's opinion. Do you think this is much to do about nothing? Because I personally think like I kind of agree with Bucky. The production this year says that I don't think this looks like a quarterback that can't recoveragees.

But obviously the offense hasn't been working the way that we were accustomed to seeing it earlier in the season. I don't know if I put that all on deck, where do you guys fall with this? I thought Dak had and it wasn't like this groundbreaking answer. It was very straightforward. But he said something yesterday along the lines of, like, I don't care who you are, I don't care what your level of expertise is, like if and like if if fifty percent of your offense isn't working, well, it's

gonna make life hard on you. And then he was talking about the running game. I mean, and there are some that can do it better than others, Aaron Rodgers being like the peak example of just a guy who can make it work. But most quarterbacks struggle when they don't have that balance. And as we know, balance isn't twenty five carries to twenty five attempts. It's can you efficiently gain yards both ways? And the Cowboys can't right now,

not on a regular basis. And I really dek reads coverage with the best of them, Like don't I don't want to hear that crap. I like he's fantastic, his accuracy has been a little lacking in the second half of the season. I'm comfortable even if he doesn't want to. I bet you his calf injury has something to do

with that. Just reworking his mechanics. I think it's as simple as saying they just don't have a way to shake defenses out of those looks, where again like find the windows versus eight guys as opposed to versus five. I mean, do the math yourself. Obviously that's a little bit simplistic, but I think that's the main problem more than anything. Yeah, I think I think he's right about that, and I think it goes a step further to I mean, we asked this the other day, and I don't think

you were on this show. There was just the three of us. We talked about any offensive players that have exceeded expectations, and really, I think Amber said Terrence, Steele and Schultz would be in there. But when you go back and look, this offensive line isn't as good as we thought they would be. And I think that took defenses time to realize they're not overpowered anyone. The receivers, as good as they are at times, we have not

seen training camp CD this year. We've seen some good CD, but we haven't seen training camp CD, which is ironic because the cornerbacks have been good. It wasn't like it was they were playing bad corners. They were playing pretty good corners. And he was he was awesome, They're not winning as much as that we thought. Dak isn't throwing the ball accuracy as well as we've seen him in

the past, and Zeke's not running it as well. This offense is they can have all the numbers they want, but the offense isn't dominating to the point where we thought they would. And it all just kind of it's connected to me. I don't think it's and that he's not able to read coverages. I think it's still more of a mental thing that he's dealing with as far as confidence, something that happened to him mentally whenever he got back from that injury. That has just kind of

lingered through this point of the season. And I get it, like you do need a good balance in a running game. But going back to the beginning of the season, I mean, back then, they weren't really needing them to run the ball or anything. They were having a pretty good game, but you weren't relying on the running game. So when you talk about it being perfectly balanced, that wasn't a thing. And of course, letting the opposing team know that you can't run the ball, it's gonna affect in how they

play you as well. But I just I think it's just a combination of everything that they talked about. You got the running game, then you got the old line struggling, you got Dak struggling with his own things. Then you got maybe the plays being called that maybe he isn't necessarily the best play for the moment. And then you also got receivers dropping the ball at times that they shouldn't be dropping it. So it is a culmination of everything that is just not clicking how it needs to be.

But I do think that Dak is very much capable of reading things. He's just struggling with something mental in my opinion from what I see from the outside, He's had too many fantastic games with gaudy passing numbers against too many like maybe not great teams, but good NFL teams. For like, No, that's a bogus storyline. I just think they don't have a CounterPunch right now. And I was when she was talking. I was thinking, I don't remember

how they ran the ball against Atlanta. It probably wasn't great. Atlanta and Tampa are the only good games they've played this year that I can think of where they really weren't able to get a run game going, like I just think, and I'm not Dak's not a bus driver. He's a better quarterback than that. He's shown it consistently

throughout the last three years. But there just aren't that many guys who are good enough to still be that productive with no semblance of balance, and they haven't had that. I'll challenge everybody listening if you have an opportunity, to go and look at any of the game pass on NFL dot com. I went back today and I just spent time watching the last two games, and I specifically was watching a lot of running plays to see what

I thought the issue was. And I think the big issue and I think I agree with you Dave that I think the passing game problems are a reflection of what they can't do in the running game. But the running game all is about the offensive line, and particularly in the middle. And now I'm not talking about Connor Williams.

I said, I'm talking about Beddest Like there's so many he plays running plays where his guy gets him and then sheds him and now he's right there meeting the runner and it happens consistently enough to where that can definitely cost problem, and there are other guys on the offensive line that miss blocks here and there as well, But I think overall, as a unit, I just don't think they're playing well when it comes in the running game.

And I think that's the biggest problem you're seeing right now with this offense, is because you really don't have a threat in the running game, a consistent threat in the running game. I think teams are just saying, hey, we'll play coverage against you, and we're just gonna make it really tough when your quarterbacks and your receivers to find open spots and be able to get the ball there in a quick amount of time without Dak feeling the pressure because again the offensive line is struggling to

block form. It does make me wonder and part of that is, I mean, Dak burned a lot of people in the early going in the season, and so they've probably course corrected with that. But like they were able to get it going in the first six weeks, so I don't know, maybe that gives you optimism that they can do it again, or maybe the fact that it's been so long since they were able to really get

it cranked. I don't know, but I if I could wish for anything heading into the playoffs, it's that they rediscover how to be more efficient in the run game. But now that you mentioned that, it makes me think I do recall many many plays where and maybe I don't have the right terms for it, but basically, when they are trying to run the ball, they're so tight, like there's no space, Like why can't you just spread

it out a little? Like every play? And that's why you Zeke or Pauler sometimes are just running into a wall where there's literally no gap being created in between. A lot of that is the push. They're not getting any push. Like you you watch this offensive line look down the middle, like when they have that camera angle, well you see the offensive defensive line, look and see

which way it goes. Like a lot of times watching football games, you can tell how good teams are doing by seeing which side is kind of winning that battle up front when the ball is snap, which way is everybody going? Is everybody pushing forward? Everybody pushing backwards? And it's very often that Cowboys offensive line just doesn't get

you put. They just don't get any pushed and so it doesn't create any holes because the defenders are basically being able to get in whatever gaps they want to get in and not being pushed out of the way. This is the perennial debate, and I would always, I'd always rather have a good team to follow and cover than a good draft pick. Like I'm not saying I

wish the Cowboys season was ending on Saturday. But if I could pick one draft prospect to put on this team right now, I always got a center who is a stud, and I just think they're probably too good to hope for that, right. Great thing about centers, they will drop in the draft, true, really good ones. True, Nick, Nick, I think you mentioned that the other day. You get a guard or center, that's a good chance you might get the best one in the draft at the end

of the first round. I mean, Travis was pick thirty one. Yeah, it's possible, but I just and yeah, it's January, but that would surprise me. But it would be a very nice surprise, because that's something I do think they need to address. All Right, we appreciate you guys, Joan us. We'll be back tomorrow. We're gonna talk a little bit more. Get you guys ready for Cowboys versus Eagles. That happened Saturday Night till then for Nick Eaton, Dave Helman, and

Amberg Garcia. I am Derek Eagleton. This has been The Break live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.