Cowboys Break: Ready to Compete?

edition of The Break. It is Thursday, December first, twenty twenty two, season eighteen eight, episode number eighty one percent by mill of lte. We are it is the only beer of the Dallas Cowboys a day. We're talking Indianapolis defense versus Dallas offense, and we'll get into that. I don't know how much did you guys get through the Indie offense versus Dallas Stephen's yesterday, I'll finish it off. It took like thirty seconds, say like Jonathan Taylor's good.

So Amber didn't go down the list of all the great yeah, Shell and all the great she had great notes. I had that that that did she I just sent over to you just like I don't like she's won more awards than anybody in this room. That is fact. That is a fact. She's done some of those stats just a little bit, you know, after after Brian kind of said the same thing like twice, it was like, it's going to come down to the Cowboys offense more than anything. And then once then we start talking about

Jeff Saturday. Yeah, I heard about that, you know what that that thing with the Jeff Saturday I you know, Nick, I appreciate let me bring it up, ear us talk about it, because to me, that's listen, there's there's qualified you know, men and women that do these jobs and they don't do them well enough, you know. I mean, then there's people that kind of figure it out and manage people and you know, they kind of get everybody organized, and you know, so I don't always feel like that

NFL people have the right. I worked in the league thirteen years working in front offices. Nick covered a lot of that. There were a lot of times when Nick walked in there goes, do you know what the hell you're doing? And and you know what, I looked at him a couple of times and said, you know, you're right, we really don't know what we're doing right now, do it? And so, you know, That's the thing about it is if you find all walks of life, it really is,

it's all walks of life. You find the most qualified people. Yeah, but sometimes the most qualified people can't get the job done, you know. And I think I think the Colts could have won all three of these games that Jeff Saturday has been head coaching if you go back and watch, like I said, I went the Philly game, the Steeler game. I mean, yeah, they mismanaged the Steeler game at the end. But did they lose those games because he doesn't know

how to coach because he's never been a coach before. No, I don't know. I think I think the Steeler game hurt because he didn't have an idea. But there's Andy Reid, My my buddy. Andy Reid is one of the most successful coaches in NFL history. He blows game management situations all the time. The great Bill Parcels had Ray Hanley, who was a running backs coach back in the day in the eighties. That was Ray was his clock management guy.

Bill Parcells knows how to finish out games, but he had Ray Hanley there kind of saying, okay, coach, you need to have two more you know, you'll need two more first downs. You'll need this to happen. You'll need this to happen, you know. I mean the great ones do need help. And you know if these games are hard to finish at the end, we all slipped there and like, no, man, you gotta call time out here,

spike it here? No, what are you doing? I mean, all we look, how about the game it ended in, you know, the playoff game against San Francisco, you know here, and you run the ball and you're trying to get to the line to spike and you're like, why why'd you do that? You know kind of a thing. So, I mean it's it's hard. These games are hard to manage at the end. I will say this on the on the Jeff Saturday thing and Nick, you and I had this conversation. Yes, yes, atle bit, No are you pro?

You're pro? Like HI are the most qualified? Yeah, but but just hear me out on this because I do think one of the points I made to Nick yesterday was before Nick was promoted to director of Editorial, where he is managing all of the written content and the topics that we hit on a lot of our shows.

If before that happened. If there was somebody, let's say, a contractor type person that we had in our building who was coming in and just going on air doing a video, right, and and we thought, man, this guy's really good, he really understands the content all that kind of stuff. We're going to promote him to director of

editorial and he's gonna be Nick's boss. And let's say he had never written a single article in his life, right, Nick would have some feelings about that, right, because all these years Nick has been the person that's been from the time Dallas Cowboys dot com. But you know, you would not hide it well. From the time from the time Dallas Cowboys dot com. He's been the one that's been up late at night trying to figure out what we're writing and what we're gonna put on the website.

And he's been putting in all the work. And then all of a sudden, somebody that came in and did a show for us that we thought was really good. Now he just jumps into that seat. I think he would have some feelings about that, right, He would feel some kind of way about that. And by the way, if you own a company, you have a right to hire who you choose to hire. Sure, now that also does that doesn't mean that we can't all have an opinion about it. We can all have an opinion. We

can't change it. The owner gets to make the decision. Sure, well, we can have an opinion about it. And my opinion is that I do think there is something too the person that that's been doing the work, all these coaches that's been all those hours, all these years trying to work up to that, that are currently on that Colt staff. You can't tell me there's not at least one of them that deserved an opportunity to get an eight week try out. Right, Well, you had some coaches on that staff,

like Gus Bradley who did have an actual job. He got to run Jacksonville. I think they were good for one year of his tenure there. But to me, you know, I mean, I respect what you're saying. I just don't think like that you could say the most qualified gal or guy get always go in there and get the job done, you know, And I think to have an open mind find about maybe having a taking a different path is kind of the best way to do things, you know Itcause if you're saying Okay, because I said

this yesterday. You look at what urban Meyer did and all his college stops. He was a program builder everywhere he went, Bowling Green, Utah, Florida, Ohio State, all those places. And I'm sitting there thinking, Man, I wish the Dallas Cowboys would interview urban Meyer. I wish they would talk to urban Meyer about this job, because I thought he was the most qualified job guy for the job. In reality, he was actually one of the worst NFL coaches we've

ever had. Like everything that you ever saw at Bowling Green, Utah, Florida, and Ohio State, it was like it wasn't even the same guy. So to me, I kind of understand if you want to take a different path because sometimes the

most qualified people can't get the job done. Yeah, but I think I think that's also I mean, that's saying, okay, so in the instances where there's an exception to the rules, So you're saying in most I don't think in most since the most qualified person can't do the job, like I don't know, I'm not saying that, you know, but I'm saying is that you to just always feel like that the guy with the the gal with the best

resume is always going to get the job done. I think that's I don't think that's the right way to approve it. And that's not I don't think anybody's saying the person with the best resume is going to get the job done. It's saying the person with the best resume has the best chance to get the job done because they have done it, because they have put in the work to get there. That's the point. And they've earned the opportunity because of what they've done on that resume.

That's the point. And so when you don't do that, what ends up happening is that's where you start getting into the bigger conversation of well, if you're not really promoting people who have done the work and have proven that they had they deserve the right opportunity, then what starts to happen is now that exclude certain people, and certain people don't never get the opportunity because it's just kind of a it's just kind of a i'll hire my buddy kind of thing, and that never is a

good thing in today's society. The problem, sure, but but look, like I said before, the right of an owner and the beauty of being able to own your own thing. Is you get to make the call. Yeah, it doesn't mean we don't get to have an opinion about it. And that's just maybe he didn't feel like the owner didn't feel like that anybody on that staff deserved that opportunity to have a tryout, that that might be their such and they might want to clean house completely when

this thing's all send up. Maybe maybe Jeff Saturday's here is doing a favor for the owner. You know. Now you get people to come up, call out and call him out and say, well, he hired his drinking buddy and all that. I think that's unfair. But you know, the like you said, the owner has the right to put in there he wants. Maybe I could say he's evaluated his staff and he's looking at these guys. He goes, none of these guys can teach lines the red meat,

you know that kind of thing. I mean, these guys can't coach, you know, it goes, I don't. I don't know why I have him here. And to me, I I say, I don't have a problem with always thinking that to me, always thinking that this is the most qualified person I understand about. You know that maybe it gives you the best chance, but that's not always guaranteed.

Oh nothing, that's I mean, But I'm more willing to say, you know, let's try something different here, Let's not let's not hire Urban Meyern and then all of a sudden recks our franchise for the next three years. You know. That's the things I would worry about. West say something, Um, there's a couple of things. I mean, there's I thought it was kind of um hypocritical of the whole the whole situation. I think I talked about with you before.

It was that if if the head coach, Frank Reich was such a problem, um, you know, so they got rid of him, you know, then they bring in a guy Jeff Saturday that obviously he's gonna need to lean on the assistance. But if the assistance were so good to help him, then why was Frank Reich the guy that was the problem in the first place. So the

whole thing doesn't really add up that well. But you also made a good point too, is like the whole situation, they kind of can bypass what the rule is if the interim coach, if you don't have to use the Rooney rule, to get an interim coach, and then when you get an interim coach, you don't have to use the Rooney rule again to promote him. Then you're bypassing the situation. That seems that seems unfair to me, like like there's a rule for a reason, and they've kind

of found a loophole to bypassing. Yeah, that's what they wanted. Well, the point is it's it's the spirit of the rule as well. The spirit of the rule is we're trying to create an environment where everybody can get an equal opportunity, and this kind of decision flies in the face of that. That's the problem. And again, once again, as an owner, you got a right to do what you choose to do. I think the NFL has decided as a league something like the Rooney rule is a good thing for business

because they want diversity in their coaching ranks. They think it is a good thing. So if you really think it is a good thing, and you think it is something that you want to get to having diversity in your coaching ranks, specifically the head coaching position, then you need to abide by your own rule or at least push for teams to do it as as frequently as possible to make sure you achieve the objective of having diversity in the coaching right. And this was not that situation.

It just that it didn't rise to the level of what they're trying to achieve. I don't think or at least what they're stating that they're trying to achieve is that run that was not. But honestly, I think it's a good conversation now, and I love the fact that we can have conversations like, yeah, but we don't have to always agree on everything. It's fine. I think it's a very very difficult conversation because it can go either way.

On one hand, yes, you can agree on the process of how things should be for in order for it to create more opportunities to other people. On the other hand, you can also argue, like in today's world, at the same time, you have to abide by so many new things and so many new rules, and then it leads to maybe you're not possibly doing what you want to do, like you know, if this is what I own, this is mine, this is what I want to do, I have the right to do so. But then again it

goes back to the other thing. Well, at the same time, you gotta you know, goal kind of because people there are a lot of people that put in the work, the sweat the hours and then never get a chance to really get on to the top and show what they can actually do. So I think it's a very complicated topic that has many many layers to it, and you could definitely argue and give an excuse to either side. Yeah,

and that's fair. I think it comes back to if the NFL again, if the NFL is saying that our stated goal is to create diversity, right, and these all owners that have agreed this ruining rule is something that we want to do. If that's what the goal is, then you need to do it to be able to get to the goal, right, And that's my thing. I Again, owners have a right to do what they choose to do.

They have decided in this instance as a group, as a league, that their stated goal is we want to create diverse How big how much do you base on people you hire on interviews? Who who? When you when you interview people? For me? Yeah, how important is that? That's a big part of it. It's not all of it. And by the way, it's different kinds of interviews. Like we we just went through a process where we were hiring someone and we literally had I literally interviewed the

same person four times. Some of that was interviewing them on the technical proficiency, sure, some of that was just getting to know them as a person and getting to know what they're kind of how their makeup is. Some of that was getting them in front of other people who are influential in our organization. Some of that was getting them in front of people who they may be

working with and getting their opinions. So it's it's all trying to figure out you know, you're trying to get as many data points as you can, because let's also be honest, when you're trying to hire somebody, you're only getting the representative. You don't really get the real person.

You don't know the real person. That's kind of like dating, right, You kind of have to figure it out as you go, but you're you're having to make a definitive decision on whether you're gonna hire them or not before you know. If there's a big problem in this league that guys and gals interview poorly, that's the problem. That's the problem that guys and gals don't go into this into these some of these jobs in the NFL and don't interview well.

And all of a sudden that you know people and you sound like to me that and I've worked with you before, so I understand this. You know you you take the attention to detail to try and get through

the interview. A lot of times these front offices will interview somebody and it's a one time kind of a thing, or they'll look at like, oh, this guy told me you need to hire this guy, or this guy you need to hire this gal, and they interview them and they don't come off as a very good interviewer, and then you're all of a sudden, that's what's going on right now in Kansas City with with Eric B. Enemy. Eric. You talk to people around the league, they will tell

you Eric B Enemy does not interview well. You know now, somebody's going to have to make a gut feeling on that, a gut call and say, listen, I don't care about the interview. I don't care any office can he coach my team. That's where That's where because you you you you just told me how how much detail you put

into it. Teams in the front office might not go to the links that you're going to, but that's but that's the way, that's that's the way this And my only experience is working in the NFL and then working in media. And I know when people when I hear people like why does this guy not get a job? Like Andy Reid wanted to keep Mike Kafka, who's the offensive coordinator with the Giants, It wasn't he was trying to get rid of Eric b Enemy. He was like, man, Eric,

I could get him. I need to get him a job. I need to get him a job. I want to keep this guy, but I want Eric to also be a head coach somewhere, you know. And he doesn't interview well. And now everybody's going like, oh, okay, well you know, well, you know, why did he not have a job. Let's bringing this full circle because of what kind of what you were talking about giving somebody an opportunity to interview

on the fly. What if Dan Campbell did an interview? Well, but Dan Campbell got an opportunity six seven years ago as a tight ends coach to be the head coach, and they did well, they performed well, and all of a sudden, now he gets another chance, and now he's coaching the Lions. Jason Garrett, I doubt he wouldn't interview well, but he got the opportunity when when Wade Phillips was

fired to interview on the fly. And I think, you know, when when you make that point of somebody, some even if it's a linebacker's coach or whatever, a young guy, give him that opportunity to interview on the fly. If the enemy didn't interview well but got to take over and they went six and two in eight game strikes, it's like, well, maybe it doesn't interview well, but he could get his team, you know. So I kind of

see that point too. I know we're all got different opinions there, but but I know Dan Campbell got an opportunity to do that on the fly, Garrett did. There's a lot of coaches that have done and some good, some bad. You know, no opportunities matter. And I think that's really the crux of what all the criticism that

I've heard, it's really about opportunity. It's about was their fair opportunity for everyone in this instance who could be more qualified in this instance than just kind of hiring somebody that you just kind of feel comfortable with, because that's where you can get into a lot of issues that don't go to war, creating the right kind of diverse city at you want. I remember I remember working in Philadelphia and talking to Jeff Lurry and Joe Banner

about Andy Reid. I remember, I mean, like like it was yesterday, and you know, and again, you know, you talk about things this is what I know, a B, C and D, and then all of a sudden he comes in and he is prepared, he's ready to go. He's got all the questions covered, he's got his staff, he's got this, he's got all that stuff covered. And Joe, Joe and Jeff Lurry, they they're like, and we gotta hire this guy. Yeah, we gotta hire this guy, because again,

sometimes you only have that one shot. You know. Andy was never an offensive coordinator or anything like that. And you know, I mean he went from being like really a position coach to be in a you know, to be in a you know, an NFL head coach, and sometimes you do. Sometimes you just have to be just being prepared going in there. I think goes a long way. And in these in some of these jobs, people lose because they don't interview. Well, it's just it's it's it's

it's sad in that way. I am interested to see how Jeff Jeff Sarry does on this because Nick, you brought this point up to me yesterday. He's not the first former player that's wanted to jump right into the head coaching seat for an NFL team. We know of some guys who've wanted to do that and they didn't

get that opportunity, but they've wanted to do that. And I'll be interested because that could And it happens in the NBA, where you got guys who are who are former players that become head coaches and they don't go through the ranks, they just jump into the head coaches seat. I do think in basketball is probably a little bit different, but I do think it happens a lot more over there.

It'll be interesting if Jeff Saturday is successful, we may start to see more NFL players going directly from playing right into the coaches seat and right into the head coaches seat for NFL teams. And now so I think for Jeff Saturday and for a lot of players who want that kind of opportunity, this is a real big moment for them, because if he has success, I guarantee you in a league where they always are looking to

emulate what is working somewhere else, it will become a trend. Yeah, I'll ask a question in them break, just probably gotta get to it. Yeah, and that was not even on my rundown. So we fill this whole first segment. No, it's good. Actually it was really good because I didn't have a good first segment. So this is perfect. Right, We're gonna take a break, gonna come back, and we're gonna talk about the indefens versus the Dallas offense. We'll be back Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. Todd thought it

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There we go, all right, let's jump in. Sorry, indie defense versus Dallas offense. Brian, what's the best thing this indie defense does? I think they're not gonna let you try. They're not gonna let you run the ball like you probably want to run the ball. But you know, to me, that's that's okay. You'll figure out ways around it here, because I think you can throw the ball on these guys.

I the player that I would attack would be Stefan Gilmour is so and I know that sounds crazy from back in the day that that would be the guy you attack. But he seems like the guy to me that struggles the most. He really doesn't really want to get involved. He plays off, he gives space, he doesn't

drive on the ball like he once did. And so you know, he watched the games, the last three games that I've seen that teams have kind of found Number five on the field and they've made plays in front of him, they've made plays intermediate on him, they made plays on him down the field, and he's really kind of not interested in tackling. So you could throw the ball to his side, you could break a run and

get some yards after catch throwing after him. That was a time where you wouldn't throw the ball at this guy. But I think he's just trying to kind of hang in there and get going there. I mentioned that about up front though, the force Buckner number ninety nine. They're gonna put him likely over he's a defensive tackle. They're likely going to put him over McGovern and just see if McGovern can handle him one on one in this football game. And so that would be a little bit

of a challenge with what's going on there. Janik and Gakway is their best pass rusher. He plays as really that right defensive end. You know, he's the guy that you kind of have to worry about in the passing game. The way to beat the Colts though, is that they will find ways. They don't score enough points on offense. We talked about that yesterday. Put a lot of pressure

on there there. If you can score on their defense, find ways to run the ball, you know, which will be like I said, it'll be a little bit of a difficult task, but I feel like you can you can make a little traction. I think throwing the ball is going to be a good way to travel in this particular game. Put up some points on the game on the board. This team has hard time scoring points, so that would put a lot of pressure that would take them likely out of their running game and then

put it all on Matt Ryan. So defensively, just kind of be ready for that. You know, it might be a little bit tough sledding run in it, but I feel like you can make some throws on these guys. How different I mean, obviously, when you take out an All Pro player, I mean it's gonna be bad. But they don't have They changed his name with the linebacker Leonard. Yeah, Darius, not Darius Leonard. Shack Leonard is his name now, Ye, Shack Leonard. He doesn't play, Nope, he's not in this Yep,

he's not shut out to the bros. You know his name, but you know, okay, his name Shaq Shaquille heard of him changing his name. He's just Mama call him Darius. I call him Darrius. I don't think mamma calls him that anymore. Sure, I don't know. I didn't talk to her. Did you talk to him? Gosh, they miss him, they miss uh they missed play around. I think they I think they miss and I'll tell you this, I do I feel like that they I think they miss Matt Eberflus too a little bit, you know, with the way

the defense is and stuff like that. But this is a I can say, I just kind of you like that Dallas can protect well enough to make plays and scoring is going to be the key in this one, you know. And okay, you don't need me to tell you this former NFL scout guy, but the points because you could put so much pressure on their offense. You know, if you can make them one dimensional they give up sacks,

that's going to be a big thing for them. If they have to sit there and throw the ball a bunch in this game, it's gonna be a problem for them. So that means attacking their defense. That means attacking guys like Gilmore in this game means in blocking in Gackaway off the edge and then not letting the Forest Buttner kind of wreck shop in the run game. Make sure you get bodies on him to take care of those things. How are they with like turnovers and get in their

hands on the ball. Because if this is a game that the Cowboys do decide to kind of go on the passing game, throw the ball a little more. I mean, I think there's chances out there because we've seen it

happen with that kind of throwing it in yourself. Yeah, the games I was watching too with they created a turnover to start the second half against the Eagles where in Ghakway came from the backside and hammered the ball out of Hurts his hands and then all all the Colts could do was manage a field goal out of that. And they had the ball in the you know, inside the red zone inside of Philadelphia and you know, and you know going in and they couldn't really do anything

for it. So, like I said, if you're going to throw the ball, if you're going to throw the ball, which I think you can, just make sure that you take care of that guy. I you know, as far as the interceptions and stuff like that, you know, I was kind of they were. There were some passes and stuff that were knocked down more so, but then getting their hands on balls. There's more past defense and things

like that. Not watching all their games but the last three games that they played, but I just I kind of feel like you can throw the ball in these guys. I mean, I'm not I'm not worried about I'm not worried about the dak mistake in this game of maybe an interception or something like. I am worried about though, if in fact you don't block their edge rusher who can cause problems in the pocket. Yeah, it's interesting, Brian, because to hear you say that, I actually thought you

were going to say the exact opposite. Because their numbers kind of paint a little different story. I'll throw out some of the numbers and I want you kind of explain a little bit maybe why these numbers may not be the whole story. Right. They don't blitz a lot, right are sixteen They are sixteen percent drop back, So I think they're at the bottom four of the league when it comes to the mouth that they blitz. Not

a blitzing team. But here's an interesting part. They're eleventh and sacks, right, so they're getting pressure with the front four not having to send a lot of extra twist fronts. Is where the overload one side on the front. Here was the interesting part. Right now they are fifth and pass defense right now, they only give up on average one hundred and ninety point six yards through the air. They have not allowed a single game this year where

a team through for over three hundred yards. They're averaging under two hundred yards passing. Why are those numbers not really telling the full story. I don't think they've played teams that can throw the football, to be honest with you, though, I mean, that's that's when you and especially you go back and you look at and I could say the last three games. I'm trying to go back and look at the Jeff Saturday games and you know they fire

coordinator and all that stuff like that. I just know that the teams when I'm watching like the Raiders, the Eagles, I'm watching the Steelers, and you know, you're talking about teams of that kind of thing hurts and car you know, but then pick it, you know, throwing the ball, that's a little bit of a like maybe not so much, but to me, I mean when when you watch those games that I just saw, I was seeing the ball go down the field, i was seeing guys making some plays.

I was seeing some catches. I'm seeing crossing or out. Said, That's why I was picking on Gilmore here because it seemed like every time there was a big play in this game, for the last three, it was on Gilmore. So I'm kind of into that point right now, where like I say, they're gonna try and overload one side and rush. I could see them doing that to Tyler Smith. They're gonna say, Okay, Tyler Smith, let's see if you could pick up twist stunts. Let's see if you could

pick up an overload side coming your way. Stuff like that. That's what I kind of feel like they're gonna try and do because they've done in these games. But they're gonna move their front and if you could pick up all the movement of the four, that's what you're going to be able to do. Because it's four drop seven. I think the Cowboys are good enough. I don't think they can cover the Cowboys. I really don't. I don't, And I don't think they've played anybody Philadelphia was that way.

Philadelphia's got receivers, but I don't think they've played a team that has receivers like the Cowboys. Do you know, you look at what this game is as far as Buckner going up against left guard Connor McGovern, you know, the Cowboys obviously have a decision to make here at some point with Tyron Smith Tyren Smith coming back, it sounds like they're gonna make the decision. He's gonna play left tackle. Then what happens inside? Does Tyler Smith move

in to guard? Could this be a game or a couple of games here where you start to see that a little bit more. Maybe Jason Peters play some at left tackle. Maybe you get some opportunities for Tyler Smith to play guard again. So when Tyrn does come back and eases into it, you're also easing Tyler Smith in there. Obviously, you gotta win the game. I'm not saying that they're gonna just blow him out and all that, but there's opportunities to maybe get Tyler Smith more work at guard.

I would I would look into that, especially if he if he's going up against the DeForrest Buckner and go all right, well, you know, the Eagles are gonna have some some guys in there too. I'm Jacksonville's got some guys in there, and you know, I mean, let's let's give him a pretty good test. Yeah, I don't, I mean, I totally you know, I don't know if they necessarily I think they just want to make the move when

they make the move. You know. I think to me it was funny because in that game against the Giants, Tyler Smith did not look strong, you know, And now you're starting to wonder, okay, is he to the point now where he's this is the most games he's played. When you start to talk about preseason, all those snaps and now the regular season, is he losing a little bit of that power? Is he losing a little bit of that strength? And it might be three games in four in twelve days might be a little bit of

a problem there. So I would I would hope that, you know. And maybe it's the fact that they were on a short week that he didn't look great. Also at that part of the year where he's used to the season being rap rapping up. No, no, that you always talk about the rookie wall and stuff like that. But I mean to me, I kind of I kind of feel like that, you know that you you're in a situation where if you're gonna make this move, just let him play the tackle spot. He got to play

a little bit of guard. What gave us at the Minnesota game that he got to play a little bit. That's when we kind of first saw what was going on there. Maybe if you can build a little bit of a lead and you know, and and find a way to kind of move some guys around. But I have a feeling he is going to continue to play left tackle until they get tied and the and the plan is to get through this week and then now

we should see next week. You know, uh Tyrn Smith, maybe that clock start for him and then get him back going for this one of these upcoming games. To the point of Buckner, Um, what is it that he does well, what's his game like and how does that match up against these real drinks and weakness at McGovern. Yeah, he's really long and you know, and that and when you start to talk about hit the way he comes off the ball, he's not one of these guys that's like plays real tall. He's a long guy and he

gets a lot of leverage when he gets pushed. So what happens is he puts you at a disadvantage because his hands get inside of you first, and now he's got you extended and now you're trying to fight to get your hands inside on him. He wins a lot of times at the point of attack, just because of his length and the power, the upper body power that he has. But yeah, and he's good because I can say the four man rush and the twist game stuff.

You get a big body like that moving and it makes it a little bit difficult to try and stop him from getting up the field that way. But the length is as biggest thing because he'll extend and now he's got the blocker controlled, and then he's able to kind of get work off that blocker and then go make a play. All we're gonna take our final break. When we come back. We'll talk a little bit about this Cowboys offense. Some interesting numbers about this offense since

Dak has returned. We'll throw some of those out and have that discussion when we come back. Dallas Cowboys Dotcom Radio. The season is finally here. For months, we've been gearing up to win. Now it's time for the team that

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s WBC Boarding Studios at the Star. We're presented by Middle Like the only beer of the Dallas Cowboys. Let's talk about Dak Prescott. Listen to some of these numbers. Since Dak's return, Cowboys are thirty. They have thirty eight point eight points per game, that's first in the NFL. They have engineered forum sixteen point two yards per game, second in the NFL. They are fifty fifty seven point one percent on third downs, that's first in the NFL.

They are eighty four point two percent in red zone that is second in the NFL. They are operating at a level, quite frankly, operating at a level similar to what they were doing last year when they had offensively a really really great season. But based on the eye test, because I think that's where a lot of the conversation is going right now with regards to Desk Dak. Based upon the eye test of what you've seen this season, is Dak really playing this well or there other factors

that are making Dallas be this efficient offensively? Yes, you were saying those numbers. I'm just here raising an eyebrow than the other than the other. I'm like, really, really how because it, I mean, based on my memory and everything, everything that I've seen enough to say that Dak has been terrible by any means. But I don't think he's being absolutely great and like the number one you know

in the NFL either. So it's very it is very deceiving to hear those numbers because everything we've watched indicates, you know, the inconsistency. We know that's an issue. Just the misthrows where he hasn't been connected with the wide receivers, which all in all, I wouldn't put all the blame in Dak. I think it does split half and half on the receivers and him. But it's I'm curious to hear to hear, y'all spot, because that's very They're scoring points,

that's that's the thing. They scored twenty eight points at Lambeaux and they lost. Um, you know, you would think you would win that if you go on the road and score twenty eight points defense, Yeah, thirty eight for thirty eight point eight points per game since Dak's returned, thirty eight point eight. Wow. And even then it feels like every game, you know, it's always been low scoring.

They've had two forty point games, I mean, okay since his return, yeah, yeah, forty nine and a forty and and you know twenty a couple of twenty eights and then that twenty I think, you know, that first game against Detroit, I mean, Russ was was it was a problem because they struggled for a while and then they finally just kind of pulled away. And look at it now. I mean Detroit's good football team. I mean the crappy football team, you know, but but I just think that

that overall, I mean, they're scoring points. And that's when Cooper Rush was the quarterback. The defense was winning and carrying them when they weren't scoring a lot of points. Now they are, and they're becoming a lot more of a complete team. The IT test tells me he's healthy. The I test tells me the offensive line has gotten better since week one, and the I test tells me that they run the football better with the two backs. They've kind of figured that out. So the balance has

really really helped him. You know, the one game he lost, you mentioned, they scored twenty eight points. But he throws the ball forty six times. You know, That's that we've talked about. That that's something that we've always hung our hat on talking about Dak. Don't make him throw the ball forty sometimes, make him throw the ball twenty eight times. You know, make him throw the ball twenty five times, twenty six times. That's that's when his stat line always

seems to work out better. He seems to be more productive. But I think those around him, the receivers are starting to play better. Ceedee Lamb is by far starting to elevate with all the targets, gallops starting to come back around the young tight ends. You could throw the ball to one of those guys. You could throw the ball to Shoults, You can throw the ball to any tight

end and it works out for him so offensively. I think that a lot has to do with his health and how he's playing, because you're starting to see him run the option. You know, you're seeing block, You're seeing him kind of get involved with the game. And I always believe that with Dac, when he got involved with the game, he was always going to be a better player. And I think the guys around him. That eye test to me is the guys around him have also elevated

their game to help him. But I will say this, though he threw it forty six times against the Packers, if he throws it forty five times and I'm taking away third and ten at the ten yard line when you're forced it end if you throw, if you run the ball there and kick a field goal and put the Packers down ten points and nothing with their game plan, if we will just want to run and run and run,

We'll see how how long that really goes. They had a chance to maybe take them out of that game plan, which would have played right back into your hand on the coach. Put that on the coach, but also put it on deck too. You can't throw that there. You gotta know, it's got to be perfect in that situation into the half two minute drill. It's got to be perfect for you to just be firing it over the

middle there. All these interceptions are right over the middle of the field, and so I think that that's something that Kellen and Dak and CD because it's all of them have got to get on the same page there. I think that's what's kind of clouding our eye test a little bit, as these interceptions at really inopportune times. But for the most part, I think, yeah, the offense has been way better and more efficient with him in there. Do you think he is the key to this thing?

Because it all came also at a time when as you just mentioned Brian, when they start to really figure out their success running the ball, and really their offense success is built around their ability to use both backs and using Pollard in more of a multidimensional role where they're even getting him out of the backfield and catching more passes. What do you think is more key to the offense success. I think it's I think it's the

two running backs. I know that Pollard had really some really nice games without Zeke being in there, but I think there's something about it. I can't remember the last time, and I probably should looked it up. When's the last time that Pollard had more carries than Zeke in a game when they were both playing? And it happened last week, you know, it happened in that game. It was eighteen sixteen, the Giants game. Yeah, and it was weird because had

more yards. Yeah. I think that you really, I think you have to The key is to have both those guys, I really do, because what happens is it's about staying ahead. For Dac, it's about staying ahead in the in the change. And you know, hell, he made a great throw in that third and fifteen, but it took like a beautiful ball and a great catch by you know Schultz, you know, or in the back of the end zone there in

that third and fifteen play. I mean it was the same play they try earlier, and you know we got it. But do you think that both these guys are top twenty running backs in the league? Top twenty? Yes, you had to rank them all. Yeah, I don't know if either one of them are top ten, but I think they're both top twenty. You're you're talking about together. I look at him together. I don't look at him as apart.

I look him as one. Well. The reason why I say one, guys, if you just rank all the running backs in the league and we don't watch them all, I think about a billity. Are we talking about their actual yards? Like? No, I'm talking about just like who's the number one back in the league, who's the second back? Two?

Top twenty? I think they're both top twenty backs. And the reason why I say that and why it's important is what other team, every single play can hand the ball to a top twenty running back because Derrick Henry, Dalvin Cook, those guys are great, but at some point somebody else comes in and then does their offense change. They always have a top twenty running back running the football, and I think that's important if they use it that way. Yeah, I would say this. I do think that Tony people.

We're just talking about skills and you're matching up against skills of other running backs the league. I do think he's developed into top ten, like right there at top ten, around ten or so. I would put him in that category. But I think your points valid still. I mean, you got two guys that you think are top twenty running backs that are one of us always in the backfield's value. I've taken the approach, like I said, of looking to me,

they're one back. Yeah, they they they It's funny. They all as if you look at what skills you need to be a really top five running back, you would say the ability to make people miss, to get the extra yards, tough yards, be able to catch the ball and pass block a complete back. Together, those guys are a complete back. That's the way I look at what you're saying. It really is is exactly the point that I'm making is they can go to their back up

whoever it is right and they don't lose. That don't lose. They can still be everything Pollard. I mean there's things like, Okay, Zeke is sometimes explosive, and but Pollard sometimes Blitz picks up, you know that that kind of thing, you know what I'm saying. So that's what I'm saying that that's something you know, the deficiency of one is overcome by the

other one. You know that they're like they cancel each other out in the way of Okay, this guy can really explode, this guy can this guy can get the tough yard, this guy can pass block, this guy could catch the ball. You know. I mean, they've got a really good balance with those two guys. All Right, we appreciate you guys, Joan us. We'll be back tomorrow. We'll wrap this whole thing up. Let you know, we think it's gonna happen this Sunday night, Sunday Night football Cowboys

versus Colts. Till then for Nick Eatman, Brian brought us Amber Garcia. I'm Derek Eagleton. This has been The Break live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.