Cowboys Break: Ready For “Nooch”

Yesterday wasn't really that fun town going around here. It was pretty cold. Now it's a beautiful day, it's still the break. And I know it's episode fifty five because yesterday it was fifty four. I'm Nick Eatman, Amber Garcia, David Hellman, Derek not with this today. But this is the fun Town RV tailgate at the Tostitos Championship Plaza and a lot more fun than yesterday. If it's a nice, beautiful day, you got people out here on the field,

you know, and we're at the Star at the Tostitos Plaza. Actually, like you probably want to be out here today as opposed to yesterday. We're just adapting on the fly. Man I love it. It was actually weird to see nobody out here because usually this is a this is a spot where a lot of kids will come and play. And I don't know what the school situation is. I guess, you know, some kids. Hopefully we don't get a ball. Oh yeah, beyond alert, beyond high alert. Yeah yeah, this

is there's a little soccer game going on here. But anyways, this is a fun place to to to be if you want to, you know, if you want to come out and enjoy this whole Star district here, all the restaurants and all this um. You know, this isn't just a nice area here for in Frisco. And uh, this is a it's a beautiful day. I actually we couldn't said this yesterday. This is this is what I like. This is what they had in mind over here, Jeffreies who got this together here for the rvtail GA. This

is exactly what they thought. This is what I think about when I think about like a Friday during football season. Yes, the weather is gorgeous. It's the last day of the you know, the last day you really got to work football on all weekend. You can wear a hoodie Halloween just forget about the global pandemic and the very bad Cowboys team that we're about to talk about, and life's still pretty good. You know, That's kind of my point.

Speaking of Halloween, and Jerry Jones said in his uh in his radio hit today on one to five dot three The Fan, he said, you know, it's his favorite holiday. He said he loves the tricks of bad comments on Twitter that I love tricks. I think he was referring to trick plays. I wouldn't be surprised. I mean, going up to Philadelphia with a seventh round rookie quarterback, who I think what he throw? How many pass does you

throw on Sunday three? Yeah, yeah, I think pull out all the stops, Jerry, I don't think you're given anything away. If that's what you were hinting at, I think people kind of already guessed that. All right, let's get to

that part. Andy Dalton's status you just said, Ben de Nucci's probably gonna start so based off of what Mike McCarthy said, and he was on the radio for the Fan this morning and then he talked to the media, it seemed like a different tone in just an hour and a half because earlier this morning about seven am, it was we'll see, we'll see what happens on Saturday,

and doesn't look like there's a lot of scene going on. Well, McCarthy does his Friday morning radio hit at like six thirty, and you know that's when they're just getting to work, so he's got two or three hours to meet with the trainers And how's Andy Field? Not good? Okay? Cool? And that's the great thing about Jerry too, is he's like, yeah, Andy will be ready next week. He's like, okay, cool,

we can just dispense with the fake drama. Like I think from the moment Andy got hit on Sunday, you probably should have been like, he will not be back against Philly. So I don't expect him to play. I don't know if he's going to travel. Typically, I feel like guys with concussions probably don't. You probably don't want

to put that strain on him, you know. I think I think he actually will because I think this is gonna come down to not practicing a whole week, Like like, I don't think he'll be ready to play, but I mean they had to get this other guy ready to play, and because of that, it's not just a This isn't just Dack to Dalton. This is Dalton to Denucci, and you've got to figure out all these, you know, different things. I mean, there's probably doing a lot of different things

to get him ready. So the whole offense has changed this week, I would imagine. So therefore, I bet you Dalton maybe goes. He maybe even is active, But I don't think he plays. That's going to be very surprising. I mean, and I don't know much about concussions, Like how do you fully evaluate that. It's such a they've got a they call it a protocol because it's a whole battery of tests. Yeah, it's something very very um you have to be very careful with that and what

it implies. So I just don't unless you know for sure that he would be able to be on the field, there's no reason to make him travel at all, And especially with all this COVID stuff, I don't think that they I mean they take the path is this an Eatman special? Like, oh no, it really isn't, because I don't know. I would be kind of shocked if he's active. Just again, I mean, if why give him a jersey if he can't go into the game and Okay, you know what, again, I'm just speculating maybe he's not even

maybe he just travels and maybe he's not active. Yeah, I mean if they feel and again, like Amber said, like you, no, two concussions are the same. And you know, if he's if he's still not feeling great, maybe you don't want to put him on an airplane and subject him to all of that. But like, if he feels fine and it's really just the safety aspect of it

and not his own symptoms, then maybe he goes. And you know it definitely if he's available to go and be a veteran voice for the Nuchi to listen to it, I mean that makes a ton of I don't mean to bash your question, but why does it matter? What

do you mean? Why does it matter? I mean, why are we here trying to guess, well, who are your three quarterbacks that are going to the game, because they've taken three quarterbacks to every game this year, every game, even Garrett Gilbert last week was there, So who are the three quartermin But if he can't play, he can't play. Well, I'm saying who. I still think he travels though, I think he travels I don't know if he can go. I would I would support that because Ben needs all

the help he can get. You know, another thing that Jerry said this week or said today, was about this game. The trade deadline is next week. He said, nothing is gonna nothing from this game is going to affect what happens in the trade deadline. Now, hey, maybe that's a trick. Maybe he has a trade trick, a piss leave or something.

You know, it's funny. Okay, I don't want to I don't want to heap I don't want to heap fuel onto that fire, but like it's funny in retrospect the things that you were remember because I remember in twenty eighteen, they played Washington and I remember hearing while we were already like we were at FedEx Field, and somebody kind of whispered to me like, don't be like, don't be surprised if there's some movement when we get back to Dallas, like you know, this team needs a wide receiver. Just

have that on your radar. And I was like really, And they did it before we even got back from Washington, So, um, may I mean maybe, but I tend to doubt it. I don't and to that point. To Jerry's point is like, you know what this team is right now, Like, what can they teach you something new on Sunday that's going to prompt you to go out and do some crazy deal. I don't think I buy that, do you? No? No, Well,

what if what if it's the other way? I mean I hate to say, like what if they win, but I mean like if they if they do end up winning the game, which and we're going to talk about our picks later. And I don't know if if you guys are even thinking that that's close to happening. But does that change your thought process or Jerry's thought process of like, all right, because you win, you're you're in first place, do they want to add to this and say, all right, let's let's do something here, try to to

you know, make this better. I wouldn't, at least not again, like not like drastic resources again. You know we've kind of talked about this is if you can trade for a guy who's still on his rookie deal, who's under club control, who he can be a part of the future and the present. That is a narrow group of players. By the way, that's not that's not that is a

that's like five guys. Um, I don't. I mean, okay, let's say they win in there in first place, Andy Dalton comes back next week, Like your offensive line is still a mess. You don't You're not going to have your tackles for the rest of the year. Um, I get. I mean, if the defense just plays like Doomsday on

Sunday night, maybe I'll have to change my mind. But but I like, but does anybody, even if they win, does anybody believe the defense is just gonna look great now, because then then they they're just gonna pour it in on how bad the Eagles really are? Sure? I mean, and like, it's like you just be a bad Eagle team. Get give it your best effort. I mean in this bad division, I like, I'm tanking's dumb. Give it your

best effort if you can. But that doesn't mean you have to spend valuable resources on a season that's probably not gonna go worng. Like I said not too long ago, I mean, okay, cool, you won the NFC East title, But then where those that get you once you start facing the other opponents. I mean, there's, like you mentioned, Dave, there are so many different aspects that are wrong with this team right now that let's say, a simple trade

that's not there, I just cannot see it. It's not going to fix all the issues, and it's it's tough and not to be pessimistic, and yes, you want to keep the hope alive and keep fighting, keep pushing, but at the same time, it's just it's very hard to visualize that right now. Yeah, I think I think any kind of trade that comes up next week is a trade that would happen if you were you know, five in two or I mean, like it have to would

just work regardless of the situation. Like you said, I mean, there's not many guys that most of the league thinks, oh he's he's still he's got a lot of value, but his own team really doesn't. He's kind of given up. That's what happened sort of with Amari Cooper. I mean, it was like everyone thought he was still other than

the Raiders, everyone thought, oh he can still play. That was also that was a unique circumstance where John Gruden, he signed a ten year contract and was like, all right, I'm gonna get rid of these guys that don't fit what I want my team to be and I don't know if there's a team that fits that mold right

now in the NFL landscape. So I fans wanted it to be Dallas, well, you know for and I mean that, Okay, I don't buy that either, But I don't think there's a big money guy on this team that could fetch you a price that would make it worth it. Yeah, you know, I was gonna say this yesterday too. And a lot of our fans understand the salary cap. I mean, because it's it's not an easy thing to understand, but like you can't just there's a lot of fans that

do not that. They think that if you just trade a player, you're getting rid of his contract, like oh, you know, like just get rid of Zeke or get rid of d Law. They don't understand that that money goes automatically on your cap. You can't. You take the hit, not the other team. They just take the salary. You take all the hit that you gave them, all this guaranteed money. There's no way you can trade d Law or Zeke, not him or anything right now. I mean,

if you just absolutely you're no way. Fans or butts he's got to be off my team. You could do it. But now you're trading Zeke Elliott for a third round pick and incurring that dead money on your cap and you get you get a third round pick out of No, that's not rather just give him. That's that's you trying to get rid of the like better ish player on your roster. You know, for someone else like you, you need to create some type of balance. I mean, what

are you going to trade him for? That's really I am not bought into this whole, like, oh, ze career is going downhill type of Trent. But I think it's just just like everyone else on this team, they're just having issues right now. But I agree, I agree with you. But between between what their salaries are and what they're like, you know, what they would do to your salary cap if you traded them, and what they've put on the field,

you're just not gonna get that much. And there's one guy on this team that would fetch you a heavy price. His name's Dak Prescott, and he wouldn't do it right now because he's recovering from that injury. Like I just, I just don't think they're in a beneficial situation. In that regard. Right now, I don't even think Zach Martin could get you. I mean maybe I'm not saying you would trade him, but I mean, what could you get for Zach Martin? First round pick maybe, yeah, late first

best guard in football who's still like in his prime. Maybe, But it gets like, but why are you doing? That's already somebody just like right now tuned in and said, would you trade that? No, we're not. We're talking about We're talking about that nobody's tradeable. At the risk of sounding like a Sunshine pumper, I think I said this on our affiliate on one oh five point three earlier this week, is like, I think this team reminds me of the eighteen forty nine ers more than a team

that just needs to absolutely blow everything up. Like the Niners lost Garoppolo and a bunch of other guys early in that season, and they had an awful year, and I mean, that's what happens when you lose that many guys. But they turned around. They drafted Nick Bosa two overall, they added a bunch of other talent, and they got to the super Bowl the next year. Now I'm not suggesting the Cowboys will get to the super Bowl next year.

I need proof of that. But like Jerry said it today, like the core of this roster is still pretty good. They just need to a clean up some things, deal with some talent issues perpeted, most notably on defense. And there's also the freaking health. There's also the intangible, the attitude, the motivation, the working as a team, because that needs some work. All of that is very real, but it's

also very fixable. I think this season twoy fifteen for me. Yeah, just the fact that like this team was bad early before you know, it was bad, and then it got really bad with it with without a quarterback. Do you get a high draft pick? You get a high well I would say you get a high second round pick, but they didn't really use it because Ja that didn't play. But I mean you you can get some some players and next thing you know, you get these tackles back

and everything. I think next year could be really good. I hate talking like that. We're you know, we say that every freaking year, like no, no, no, every oh next year is we don't know that for sure, we don't know. I think this, I think this team would have been a good football team. I really do this year. I mean, like, at what point they lost to the Rams? I think the Rams are a good team, But but at what point do you draw that? I agree with you, But at what point do you draw that line? Like

that goes back to the whole they were. You know, they didn't have Lyle Collins, but they were watermelon kick away from losing to Atlanta, who is not a good football team. They got destroyed maybe no, no, no they're not. They're not. They got destroyed by the Browns, which you know they were already hurt then, but they still had Dak. I think they were probably a middling football team before all of the injuries happened, and now they're just not

all right. Good, We're gonna we're gonna take our first break here. We're gonna actually talk about the Cowboys and Eagles game. We can talk about next year. We had a lot of games later this year. I think we'll be able to talk about. I think it's that's a fitting topic of conversation for the week before the trade deadline. It is where does this team think it is? Yeah? And as bleak as it looks right now, I don't think it's as bleak as some people want to suggest. Okay,

well we'll take a break. When we come back, we're gonna talk about the injuries, and also like when these guys are coming back, what does that actually look like? We'll get their status, but also what does it look like? We'll be right back here on the Cowboys break. We're back in the Tasty treat that's sweeping airwaves and taste buds. It's new Doctor Pepper and creep Soda. Let's take a listen Doctor Pepper, bad and cream sodas he a new

Combonut's music to my Ears? Okay, dot time Glass Music to My Ears and MOUs new Doctor Pepper and cream Soda. What delasis du bay 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 since eighteen sixty five. Stetson hats are American maid with pride right here in Texas, and Stetson is proud to be on the field with Americas. Want to show your Texas and team pride too, You can by purchasing your own stepson. You can look just like how the flag guys do on field at every

home game. Stetson hats the official crown of all self respecting Cowboys and your favorite football team. Get yours today at Shop dot Dallas Cowboys dot com or at Stetson dot com. It's funny as we travel places, often we find the places we want to travel aren't really places at all. They're people, their grandparents, moms, old friends, and new nephews. That's why at American Airlines we've been using enhanced cleaning measures so you can feel confident every step

until you get to them. So as always, our people can't wait to take you to yours. American Airlines. You are why we fly back to the break. We are back here the RV gay funtwn RV Tailgate, here at the Tostitos Championship Plaza, and all of a sudden all a big sucker game that we had out here is gone. It's just like yesterday. Other than the sunshine, I got Dave Amber, I'm Nick even An, We've got Derek Eagleton. Uh, what's up? You just you couldn't bear to to not

be with us? You got Actually, what what happened was our producer Chris Bean hit me up. I was listening. He hit me up in the first segment and said, can you say you guys? And I was like, yeah, whatever, you guys, eat, I'm here for you saying. I thought you were about to say something serious and real, so so I decided I jump on. I mean, I've heard of throwing someone under our bus. You just threw Chris under the RV here that he's in here working. Wow,

how's it going? I missed you guys. I missed you guys. I was ready to get back on the air, you know, so I was. You know what I thought, really, Derek? I thought, you know you you you and I both we we like to pick the Blue and Silver team usually when it when it works. I thought maybe that you didn't want to pick the other team, so you just decided not to be on the show. Oh no, I was gonna put it on Twitter or somewhere that I'm not picking the Cowboys this week. So I'm sorry,

I'm killing the final segment. But it's okay. I just can't do it. I just can't do it, not this week, not just week. I can't do it. Well, I mean nobody can. I mean, I mean, yeah, you're not gonna I mean, this is this is my point. Who's the Eagles quarterback? Wentz? Okay? Well, I mean it's easy. I mean, if you don't, if you don't really say who the quarterback is, and if it is it's a seventh round pick who's never started a game, the disrespect for Nuci Maine, right,

I don't know. I mean I've already heard your score. Oh no, I'm not gonna pick the Cowboys to win. But it doesn't even smell like a touchdown. No, but like it's it's you know, I was talking about this on Twitter yesterday, like in time, like you can either be miserable about the current situation or you can just embrace it and try to find the fun in it.

And it is fun that a kid, you know, a seventh round rookie from Pennsylvania is going to have a chance to go up and start against the Eagles if he you know, if he's not good and they get killed, well that's kind of what you expected. If But but if he's amazing, and you know, even if they don't win, maybe he plays great and and that's a cool story. So now you just got to find the fun. Now that we're talking about de Nucci, I wanted to bring

this up. I don't know if it's just me or if you guys maybe are getting that same feeling too. But I feel like after hearing from starting last week, after hearing the way that players have been speaking about the quarterback for some reason, I feel like they somehow back up Bend Nucci a lot more than Andy Dalton. Do you get that feeling they're gonna run over there? If there's just there's like a different dynamic about it,

the way they have been responding. On my head, it seems to me that they like the Nucci better than

Andy Dalton. You're you're always trying to stoke controversy. I'm not You're always every time I hear them speaking, it's just they speak a completely different way when talking about I will I agree with you I'm not ready to say that they like him more than they like Andy Dalton, but there has been this fun, confident vibe de Nucci himself, like I think I hate I'm not trying to compare him to Romo as a player, but like he's kind of got that cocky smugness to him that Romo had exactly.

He sounded completely unfazed by being on the QB one call with the media. He was cracking jokes and he was like, I forgot your question. Sorry. You know, they asked him about his forty time and he's like, oh yeah, like I had to wind at my back just like you. And it's not like he it's not like he went to fricking you know, he didn't go to Ohio State or Notre Dame, like he's not used to a bunch of reporters wanted to talk to him. He went to

James Madison and so that was impressive. And then you know, Michael Galuve is like he's slinging that thing around man. Like there's definitely a fun vibe. I don't know if it means they like it more than they like Andy Dalton. I mean, you like when you're having fun, So the but they relate to him. Andy Dalton's thirty two years old or thirty one whatever. That a younger guy and

j Yeah. And here's also the thing to consider, Like, I think what we got to remember is like sometimes these kinds of quarterbacks, what we heard of him is the profile on him scouting report is that he is a guy with a big arm. He's a guy that's willing to take some chances. He's a guy that can can play off script, so he can he can scramble

a little bit. Those kind of guys tend to to to bring a little bit of excitement to a practice as well, right, because they can make a play here and there, and the vests look at him like wow, Okay, that's that's cool. He makes throw down feeling they're like wow, and then he gets out of some trouble and makes

the play and like wow. The issue becomes when the other defense is actually hitting him and and now he's having the playoff scripts and he's having the playoffs script every single play because there's no time in the pocket and can he keep that tas up and keep making plays over and over and over again. Now the good side for the Cowboys is we've seen in the NFL where a young quarterback with those kinds of skills can

initially start off playing pretty good. You know, he can win a couple of games and turn a couple of heads. It's when you have to do it for repeated week that it becomes a problem. So if you want to look on a bright side for the Cowboys this week, the bright side would be maybe, just maybe they can pull a rabbit out of the hat and this guy

can have one of those kinds of games. I wouldn't suspect that's probably going to happen with an offensive line as bad as there is, but that's where I think he can create that excitement that you may be hearing from some of the veterans. And let's also remember he is practicing against this defense. It's the same thing we heard during training camp where you start talking about the

defensive end playing against this offensive line. It's you know, it could be who he's playing against us getting everybody a little bit excited. So let's just temper that a little bit until we see him up against in NFL caliber Deefen in a live game. You're saying, Fletcher Cox isn't on the Cowboys defensive side of the way. He and Brandon Graham that they're not they're not the guys that that they're gonna be facing that they've been facing

all week. I don't you know, if you all asks for everybody, if you're Jim Schwartz, the Eagles defensive coordinator, and h U if he do you think he would rather face Denucci who's never started but he doesn't know anything about, or Andy Dalton, who you can get a lot of tape on even though he's a veteran and he's won games. That's a great question. That is a really good question. Um. I think at the end of the day, are you really are you really attacking the

quarterback or are you really attacking the old line? I mean they go together. I know that's kind of like a dumb statement, but here the weak area, our weakest area. I think it's it's what the old line has not been able to do, which is protect your quarterback. So it just goes hand in hand. And I think that's that's why you really look at here when you are facing or looking to face the Cowboys offense. It's like, Okay, this is the old line, this is the area we

can penetrate and attack through and get to the quarterback. Okay, that's that's fair. The Eagles are going to be able to attack this Cowboys offensive line. So I'll ask Derek and Dave that part. Because you're right offensive line, that's gonna be a problem who regardless who he had behind you.

But if you're the Eagles defensive coordinator, do you worry more about a guy that is elusive, that can that can maybe make plays when that happens when it breaks down, or a guy like like Andy Dalton who would aware, who would be aware and recognize it better. I think, I mean, you know, in some way, it's probably nice for like to play a guy like Dalton, who you have an extensive book on how to play him and what he does well and what he doesn't do well.

You know, for that matter, he's got a pretty abysmal track record of playing in primetime. Like that's a that's a thing that goes back to Cincinnati. So maybe you would have some comfort in that. But I still think you'd rather play a rookie who's literally never on this who is adapting to being QB one on five days. Notice. I think that's probably still preferable. Yeah, I think the question here is is it easier or is it preferable, right, because I don't think the answer is necessarily the same

for both. It's probably easier to prepare to play Andy Dalton because you know, you have years of experience and tape to tell you exactly what he's going to be. If you get pressure on him, then you can force him to not play as well because he doesn't play well under pressure. That was the scout and report that Buck he gave us, and that's what we've seen so far. Right.

The flip side of that is you don't really have a scouting report on Denucci and and is he the kind of guy I keep going back to this with Dad, and I know Denucci is not Dad, but there's a there is a sizable difference obviously in the production of this offense when Dak was in there and when Andy was in there, and I think buying large, they've had similar offensive line. I think people want to make this

arguable Dak had most of this. Guys know me, he started the season without Lyonel, he didn't have tiring for much of the time. Yeah, he had Zack, but the tackles were a problem from the beginning, and they were still able to move the ball effectively, and they were still able to pull up put up a ton of points. So I just looked at it and I say, there

is a big difference right now. And I think part of that difference, not all of it, but part of that difference is in the fact that Jack is a guy that forces defensive respect, the fact that he can get out of the pocket and he can run, and so they have to be thoughtful about that and how they come after him. That's not the case with Andy. So having in the quarterback back there, they can run and it has a build to get out of the pocket and seemingly, based on what everybody's talking about, can

actually run and maybe run faster than Dak. I think it's something that you have to consider now, and I'm interested to see at least this Sunday how much that fact is in when when their offensive is trying to move the ball, and how the defense has to attack Newtie knowing that he has at a built All right, Well, I know we talked about this yesterday. We talked about the guys that are that were injured and what it's gonna look like still you know, things changed in twenty

four hours. Yesterday it was really cold and Derek liked this. He wanted to be with this, so things changed. Let's go, uh, Zach Martin, Joe Looney, Dave you think that they will play? Jack? Zach is playing zone. I'm I don't feel confident about Joe, so really quick left or right in your mind? What do you think it's gonna look like? Start at left tackle, cam Irving, Connor Williams, Tyler Beadest, Zack Martin, and Terrence Steele.

That's that's what I think it will look like. That's not necessarily what I would do you think Steel's gonna start? Why did it? Like? Yes, because he's been so bad. Okay, he's been bad since the start. They love him, They like if they were like, they're just all of a sudden like, yeah, we're gonna yank him. You listening to Joe Looney yesterday he was on the fan with with Brian broad Us. That thing was hilarious. I don't know

if you guys saw this. We texted about it. I didn't get to listen to pretty funny, but Looney basically made it sound like, hey, thanks the young pups for holding down the line and maybe he got some good reps if we need you again. I mean, he made it sound like he's playing. All right, let's go Joe and for I mean, put Joe at right guard and put Zach at right tackle. That's what I would do,

or Connor mcgovernor, I don't really care. I think I am ready to do something drastic, Like I've been the guy that didn't want to move guards to tackle, but I think you need to at this point. I would play Zach Martin at right tackle in this game. Brandon Graham has killed various cowboy quarterbacks in his career, and that scares me. I hope the coaching staff has learned a lesson about who they should play at right tackle, but I haven't seen a lot of evidence that suggests

they have. Derek. Hey, guys, I have a question. Is it a foregone conclusion that when money comes back, the Oddish is going to remain at center and Joe's gonna play a guard? No? No, I mean that based on what Nick just said, maybe he's back at center. But I've been impressed by No, I've been impressed by the Oddish. Yeah, yeah, I think I think at this and in this case, if it's close, if it's if it's pretty close like this, then I do think you go for the younger guy

that is going to you know, definitely be here. I mean, if it's close. If it's not, then then no, you got to win games, and everybody in the locker room deserves to try to win the game. But I'm just saying, if it's a close thing, I think the younger guy usually win. But if you keep talking about you know, we always hear this the whole like, oh, let's have

your five best offensive lineman on the field. So if that's the case, I mean you would want to keep the oddish there and then add Joe Looney somewhere, which would be at guard. So Steele, we keep talking about him. Clearly the staff has a different perspective. Nobody in the NFL in the last four years that I know of,

has really tried to make Joe Looney a starter. Nobody. No. So that's why it makes me wonder, like is he really a better guard or is he just a great option for a backup because he can play three spots on game day. I don't know. I mean, he hasn't been bad when he started. No, you're right. I mean he was the starter for a playoff team in twenty eighteen. They did give up fifty six sacks, but he played

well enough to help him get there. Um, I mean I would rather play him at guard and move a guard to tackle, like I Beotis has been good in my opinion, not an O line coach, but that's what I've seen. And yeah, to Joe's on. Joe's got nine games left on his contract, and Tyler Biottish has three more years, and it seems plausible that he's your starting center going forward. You might as well just just get

in there, young buck and get ready. All right, Derek, before you take us to break here, I want you to tell me what you think the defensive backs are gonna look like. Cheeto's gonna come back. What would you do there? Cheeto comes back? Where you are you gonna bench Diggs? Do you want to play him on the other side? Anthony Brown is the third corner? What do you like there? Yeah? I think at this point I take this opportunity to be able to give Digs an

opportunity to do a little watching from the sideline. And that doesn't mean I don't play him at all. That means that he'd be my third cornerback, which, by the way, as we came into the season, I think that's what we all expected, was that he was probably going to be a third cornerback. Maybe by halfway through the season he had gotten enough rests and seeing enough stuff to where now he is more prepared to be a starter and maybe slide him in at that point. We did

it in reverse. Now the time for him to be able to sit back and look a little bit and maybe learn from another vantage point and still get in there and play at the third cornerback. So I would definitely kind of scale him back a little bit. Again, I'm trying. I'm thinking about him as a future player. I don't want to kill his confidence right now, and he's taken a bit of a beating here. He got to play some good receivers and he's taken a bit

of a beating. I think I scale back on him a little bit and let him kind of catch his bread. Do you want to hurt Jalen Smith's confidence at all? Sean Lee comes back, Are we worried about it? I'm really not worried about Jalen confidence at this point. I think Yalens no one's ever been worried about it. I

think Jayalen loves Jalen, and that's good. Everyone's good. I loved himselfs But I think I think that, yeah, if I get an opportunity to get Sean Lee back, I'm going Sean Lee and I'm going vander Esh And to be honest with you, I'm kind of judicious on how much I wanted you, Jalen. I'm good with us and Joe Thomas in there, as opposed to just assuming that that Jalen's my third my third linebacker. I'm just and I've been saying it since early in the year. I'm just.

I'm I'm at this point pretty sold on the fact that Jalen Smith is just not playing good football. He's too sporadic. He'll make a play every once in a while, but then he'll have three or four bad plays, and I just think that's a big part of the problem they're having on defense. All Right, we're gonna go to break. There, gonna take us to break. Sure, let's go to break. We'll come back and we'll talk about I don't know what whatever Nick and Amber and Dave have planned it

right back abos dot com. Since eighteen sixty five. Stetson Hats are American maid with pride right here in Texas, and Stetson is proud to be on the field with America's team. Want to show your Texas and Team pride two you can by purchasing your own Stetson. You can look just like how the flag guys do on field at every home game. Stetson hats the official crown of all self respecting Cowboys and your favorite football team. Get yours today at shop dot Dallas Cowboys dot com or

at Stetson dot com. I'm Jay Novachek, former tight end for the Dallas Cowboys Back in the day. I was the guy who always got the tough yards and that's why I run with John Deer today. In fact, I have a John Deer three zero twenty five E tractor that can handle any yardwork I need to do, even the tough yards way out back. So if you have one acre or a thousand, John Deer has the equipment that's just right for you. Visit a John Deer dealer today and run with us. We are the official tractor

provide of your Dallas Cowboys. 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 Clack 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. We're backing the tasty treat that's sweeping airwaves and taste buds. It's new Doctor pepper and cream soda. Let's take a listen, Doctor back and cream soda? Is he a Newcombonet's Music to My Ears? Okay, Doctor Back Times, Music to My Ears? And mouse new Doctor pepper and Cream SODA's just bad? Back to the break? Are you looking for something to

change up your dinner routine? Help support local Frisco businesses by choosing one of the Star District restaurants. For more information on delivery, take out, curbside, pickup, and dine in availability, visit the Star District dot com this. It's exactly where we are. We're here at the Star District. We're also at the Tostitos Championship Plaza at Ford Center. This is the funtwn RV tailgate, but right behind us is the Star District. Lots of great restaurants out there, Dave, what's

your favorite? Oh, I'm a Meekasina guy for sure. Yeah, I could eat. I could eat there like every day, honestly, Yeah, Derek, I don't know, Derek. You know what I will throw out is we had an opportunity the last couple of weeks to hit up Wallburgers, and we're gonna do it again this Sunday night. And I didn't kind of impressed with it. And I'm kind of a snob when he comes to Burger kind of just stop it at snob man, No, no, no, wreck that. I'm not a snob when it comes to

regular life, not at all. Just fo. You're right, You're okay, all food just not I'm a food snopka Yeah all, And I'm I'll live with that. All right. Let's play a game. Let's play a game called more or Less or Less? All right? Um, should let's start with this Tony Pollard's touches. He's averaging five point eight touches offensive touches a game. Should he get more or less? You know, it's I'm the I'm the give Tony the ball guy.

But like they've had so many problems that I'm just I'm like, I can't even be bothered with something that far down the priority list this week. But well, I will say more, like he should get more. Oh my god, we got bulldogs. He should be getting Oh wow, hey check it out. Sorry, go dogs sick him? Um, he should be getting he should be getting more snaps. He should get a dedicated series per half. Um, yeah, I would give him the ball. I would try to get

him the ball ten to twelve times this week. All right, what about else? Want to I'll just point this out. This will be at Amber Jalen snaps. He's at one hundred percent. Should he be getting more than that or less? A cackle probably says it more than anything we can do. If more so, but less. He should be on the bench watching and learning how to do it. Not that he's gonna be watching people a lot much better than him, But man, I would have set him down a while back. Okay,

just to make a point. Okay, Also, I'm gonna piggyback off that because this next one, Dalton Schultz, you also wanted to be off the team. Now I'm gonna ask Derek twenty five catches for Dalton Schultz? You think he should be getting more than that? Or do you think that's that's about right? That's about right. I mean with all the other weapons, does that's offense? That's that's about right. To be honest with you, I'm very happy with the twenty five. I think the twenty five is a great

number for him through almost half the season. That that was not what I would have expected at the point when when we thought he was when we knew that he was gonna have to be their starters. So I've been I've been pleasantly surprised with what he's been able to contribute from the standpoint of a pass catching tight end. I don't think that you can expect a lot more from him. All right, All right, now, let gonna ask Dave this one. I know the answer, So everyone jump

in Denucci's swag more or less? Like? Does he need to show more? Do you like? Oh? I love it? I mean does he need does he need to temperate a little. Know why. I'm like literally shoes and say really yeah, but seriously, like what what do you have to lose? Like, you're right, what's the what's the less Miles quote that you love so much from when he was at Oklahoma State. Let let it rip like you you are in a you I mean, I hate to sound like a pessimist, but it's a damn near hopeless situation.

You might as well go have some fun, be more swaggy, honestly, and if you if you find a way to win, talk your talk like yeah, why not? This The way the place we are right now in season is absurd, so you might as well just recognize it and try to have some fun. You're saying, if he goes out and wins this game, he should just be fit fits magic at the podium. It just yeah, put put on some aviators, make a you know, d c d's you know what I mean, c d's lamb, Just get after it.

Have some fun. Funny because he looks so young. He looks like he is he's a rookie, Okay, I know, but he has like that baby little face. And then it's it's just funny when someone has so much confidence. I would go up if he if he finds a way to win. I would get on that call after the game and be like, yeah, what's up? Pay you let me get out of here. That's your that's your bad idiots. I'm Ben d Nucci. I would It might be the greatest moment of his career. Like, he might

not top it, so he should. He should top the Kurt Cousins Like you like that? Yeah, it should be like what's up? Yeah? Even I mean even if he wins, he's probably back on the bench next week because Dalton will be back, like literally, more swag, always more swag? All right, how about this? Uh, this is for everyone and it's and Jalen is not included in this. Who needs to play less? So we can't say Jones? Oh no, no, Arren Steel? Oh you guys. Yeah, I was about to say,

where are you, guys? There's no bomb pauling Derek. We're at the Tostitos Championship Plaza, Forth Center, the fun Town RV tailgate. You never know who. I thought that might be Jerry Jones, to be honest with you, So, um, who needs to play less? Terren Steel is a great answer um m mmm mmmmmm. I no, you know it would be better. I should have sent a really long text message to you guys beforehand. Then you could have looked at Tern steals the right answer. If you can't

say Jalen Smith, Arren Steals the right answer. Yeah, who needs to play more? I actually I wanted to argue. I wanted to argue with Derek in the previous segment. I like, the same thing is same thing as Tyler or be honest, get get Treyvon Diggs on the field? This like, I like, this is this is a trial by fire. This is where I see what you've got and I'm trying to mold you into a quality starter for next year when we retool and try again. Like

that's what I thought you told me. I thought you said earlier this week on the show that if Keto's delty, you'd have Keto out there playing. Yeah, I would have Cheeto. I would have Cheeto and Trayvon on the boundary and ab is my nickelback. That's what I would do. I think it's when they're in base defense, would you have would you have him on the field? Yes? Over Brown? Yeah? Okay, that's I mean I he needs to play like you need to figure out what you've got in him, and

also like I'm I'm so impressed by his demeanor. He doesn't really he doesn't seem affected by the struggles that he's had. I tell you who I think needs to play less is Jordan Lewis. I don't disagree with that.

Love the guy. I mean, one of my favorite players that have been here, that's been here in a long long because I I've thought, I've saw I saw so much potential in Jordan Lewis, and he's put up some great plays on the field in previous years, like last year, but man, I was really hoping him to be able to do something better this year and it hasn't been the case. So it's really this thing we thought. I mean, we ranked him as the best best cornerback on the

team in June yea and felt pretty good about it. Yeah, which, man, I think Cheeto was probably the right answer. I know, like Cheeto, people love to hate on Cheeto, but I think he's a pretty good player. Now with the whole thing, go ahead, I'll give you guys another name of a guy I want to see a little less of. And it's not so much about him. It's about the guys

behind him, as Laurance Armstrong. When I heard the coach talking this week and saying Doran, he mentioned Dorance as the guy he wants to see out there or that will get the benefit of getting more opportunities. I actually wanted to see more of Randy. I want to see more of Bradley, and I like, I'd rather see those guys because I think I know what Dorance Armstrong is and and that's just kind of a you know, he

says he's an okay player. I guess at best. I want to see those other guys more than I want to see him at this point. That was actually that was me that asked Mike that question. And I asked it because I was like, all right, well, let me find something for the fans to get excited about. You know, I'll you know, Brandy, Gregory and Bradley and I like they'll get some more snaps. And McCarthy was like, well, it'll it'll be Dorance Armstrong. I was like, come on, Mike,

you gotta work with me, man, you got me. He never really says anything and that he chooses to say that literally, he like, I just thought he was gonna be like, yeah, Bradley, Bradley and Randy definitely deserve more opportunities. He was like, don't forget about Doran's armstrong. I'm like, fans don't want to hear that, Mike. They don't. We've already forget. You know what something Derek doesn't want to hear is the fact that they just brought out a

bunch of wings. Stop over here, so very good here at the Tostitos Championship part. It's that time. That's it, That's what I'm got it. Okay, um, it's that time. We'll start with you, Derek pick for the game, all right. I think this is a pretty clear and easy choice this week. I think I'm gonna go with Philly, although I do think there will be some moments in this game when we will be we will all be pleasantly

surprised at Benzannuki. He will make some plays offensively, but I just think right now, everything about this to me goes back to the fact that I don't think this offensive line will be able to protect him, and I think he'll be running for his life all day. I think there'll be moments when he'll make plays I think there'll be moments when he probably makes mistakes, and those mistakes will be enough that that he ends up costing

them the game. I think it's probably gonna be a twenty four to I don't know, seventeen games Cowboys lose, but it's not gonna be a It will be a game that they're end It just won't. They just won't have enough to be able to be billy. I agree with everything that Derek said, and you know, the Cowboys do it to me every week. I start thinking that there's a little hope in there, a little bright at the end of the tunnel, and then nope, disappointment comes again,

and especially after losing in Washington, there's no way. I just don't trust the Cowboys right now. I don't trust the old line. I absolutely do not trust their defense. So, yeah, Cowboys lose, and it's gonna be an ugly score. Probably they get to score maybe maybe if they get lucky, like twelve points or something like that. But the Eagles are gonna score high twenties, all right. You know, I've brought up twenty fifteen a lot this week, and I

think that's actually what this is gonna look like. I think between the defensive changes and maybe the juice that Denucci can bring, like, I think this will look scrappier. I think they you know, they'll they'll be juiced up a little bit more. They're not going to be out of it at halftime against the terrible team like they were last year. But they don't have they don't have the firepower to compete. I don't you know, Denucci, even with Zach Martin, even if with Joe Looney back, I

think that's a matchup. I don't like this defense against Carson Winz Jalen Ragers coming back their first round receiver who's pretty damn good in his own right. So I see this being competitive into the third and then the Eagles pull away. So the final score I'm thinking is thirty one nine. Maybe the Eagles or maybe maybe the Cowboys get a handful of field goals, but I think it'll be like seventeen to nine in the third quarter, and then the Eagles kind of score to make it

look more lopsided than it is. But I just I cannot pick the Cowboys too. I definitely can't pick them to win, and I have a hard time even thinking they keep it within seven to ten points. Yeah, you can't pick them to win this game. I agree with all you guys. I think it'll be I think they'll show a little bit more heart and effort in this game. I mean have to mean. It was embarrassing two weeks ago. You become the laughing stock to the NFL or after

you what you did to Washington. So if you don't have any pride at all and come back in this game, then you don't have it. And then we're gonna find out a lot about that. But I don't don't think they have the talent to to compete. I agree a little bit more of Amber score. I think twenty seven sixteen, and I think they'll they'll you know, I think there will be an eyebrow game for like first quarter and a half, like oh, well okay, but then eyebrows for day.

I just meant more of a raised eyebrow game. I'm like, oh, you can't used to see Derek's face, like and you guys and you yeah, I can imagine. I can hear Derek right now being like Okay, d Nucci, all right, well Derek, you want to do the honors and wrap this up because I don't have the I don't, I don't. I can't go with radio as long as you so okay, well let's see. Uh we we appreciate you guys joining

us for the fun town RV helgaate. These last todays have been fun, so I guess the guys are out there. I wish I could have been option today, but we're back in studio on Monday. We'll tell you guys what went right and wrong for the Cowboys to them for Nicky even Days Held and Amber Garcia. I am Derek Eagleton. This has been the Break live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. He called in just so he could do this.

That's why, that's why. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club