Cowboys Break: Run/Pass Balance?

live in the SWBC Mortgage studios. At the start, we got a lot we're gonna get into today. We're gonna talk a little bit about some topics that came up earlier in the week when the Cowboys coordinators, offensive, defensive, special teams had their press conference. There were a few topics that I thought were interesting they will dissect. We'll also get into a little talk on the Chargers offense versus the Cowboys defense. We got Bucky Brooks joining us

in the second segment. He'll answer some questions and uh and give us some scouting review on the team the Cowboys will face on Sunday. Uh and and we'll maybe get to some questions. We'll see how it goes. I don't know how much Dave and Nick want to talk today, but if they don't talk as much, then we'll maybe get to some questions. We'll see. I take offense to that, But why do you take offense? It's not a bad thing. I like the fact you guys talk. That's good. That's

why people tune in. All right, whatever, Okay, all right, okay, all right, let's go. Come on, let's go. All right, let's talk today coordinator press conferences. Let's start first, Dave, you had an interesting question for uh for for um the offensive for the offensive coordinator um. You asked him about the disparity run versus past. What was his answer

and what did you think of it? It's and I don't think it's a controversy, but it's just it's something that's kind of rankled me here over the last week because you see differing opinions about the way that the

Cowboys played that. But essentially, I asked Kellen, you know they famously threw fifty eight times and ran whatever it was like, fourteen or fifteen, and Kellen even said they checked out of half of their run calls from the game, and I just asked him, you know, it's it's so easy to put it into boxes of like throwing verse running, like Zeke hast to hit this magic number, or we didn't, we weren't balanced enough. And I was like, you don't look at it that way, do you. It's a much

more collective approach. And he went into this whole spiel about He's like, yeah, I mean, I don't care what it says on the stat sheet. I mean, we threw a quote unquote pass to Tony Pollard that traveled four inches out of Dak's hands, and that counts as a pass, but he picked up nine yards on it, and we talked about it. We've talked about it a few times.

You know, they few They threw at least three or four smoke screens in that game, just getting the ball out, and it counts as a pass, but it's effectively a run. And I love that approach. I love the fact that Kellen moore and it's one game. It's a small sample size. But that's what worries me, honestly, is that Zeke is a ninety million dollar player, and you worry that the team would feel pressure to feed him because of who he is, and that was not the case on Thursday night,

and I think that's a wonderful thing. And I, like I said, it kind of rankles me when people are like, well, Zekes go to good as torches. You gotta no, you do it. It's smart attack the defense in the way that presents the best opportunity for success. And I've thought about this over the last week is it reminds maybe my least favorite game in the time that I've covered

this team is the twenty nineteen Vikings game. Pissed me off so much because they kept running into that defense on first and second and long and putting themselves in situations and Dad kept bailing them out, only for them to go back to the run at the end of the game and it costs them in the game. It was awful coaching, and so it was really encouraging to

see them do the opposite. I've been talking for five minutes now, but it's something that I clearly feel passionately about the It's interesting you mentioned that DAK changed a lot of those plays. Nick. I think you said at twelve of the past plays that it will call pass plays. DAK checked at the line of scrimmage, just playing Devil's advocate, because I personally believe, hey, do what's best when you

get to line scrimmage. If you need to check them and you check them all to passes, if that's a better look, go for it. But being Devil's advocate here, do you think that could become problematic as the season goes on if your offensive coordinators really wanting to establish a run and sometimes you're running into situations where you know you may not get a lot, but you do need to keep balance. Do you in those instances think that could be a little problem Yeah. I mean, and

I do think it's problematic. I think that's just being Devil's advocate. I think that it is. I like the fact that you're not just going to run into a brick wall if it's not there. If it's not there, you're just doing it for the sake of running it to try to, you know, keep them honest. And I don't know if I agree with that, but I do think that you know, certain plays, those those design screens, bubble screens and all that that are really just trying to to you know, move the chains in a different

way and spread them out. They don't work as well down by the goal line. So I do think that you have to establish that you have to run because or you're just gonna kick field goals. And they did, and they and they didn't win that way, this way of Dak of carrying the team and throwing in all these yards. I mean they're two and four. They're two and four the last six games that Dak has started. He keeps them in a game, but it has to start flipping the other way, and it hasn't yet. But

I think he's amazing. I think he's playing out of his mind. But I think they need a little bit more balanced, and especially when it gets down to the goal line, they're gonna have to figure out wheys to score. And if it's just him throwing to a Marii Cooper, if they can figure that out, then they'll figure it out. But I mean, they gotta figure out ways to score. I think running the ball will help them do that.

When you say balance, what do you mean? I think balance as far as is run, not not just run past, not just the amount of runs, but is where you where do you utilize your yards in the middle of the field. I mean, you have to like keep them off offset a little bit because you can keep throwing it to the wide sides and all that, but it gets tightened up down there. I mean, eventually you're gonna have to You're gonna have to work the middle, and I think they will. I think this is an anomaly game.

I think in a lot of ways, you're not gonna face a quarterback like that. You're not gonna face a defense like that. So I want to see more. I said this on the radio. I want to see more games because Tampa was so unique to what I think they're going to see most of the year. But didn't they do that? If I'm if I'm remembering as correctly, you guys have much much better photographic memories of points and games. But it seemed like they were in the

red zone this last game. And I thought on first down they ran Zeke, and then on second down Dak ran the ball. Is that accurate? And then they and I don't even know if they got an end zone on that drive, but it did seem like they ran so both with Dak and with Zeke in the red zone. It still didn't necessarily mean that they got in the end zone every time they were in the red zone, right, Yeah, I mean they got in the red zone is it three times and scored one. They scored one out of four,

one touchdown out of four. I'm looking at it. Thank you for the compliment. My memory is not that amazing, but I mean much better at that than I. They threw three straight times on the missed field goal by Zerline. They did try. No, actually they went um. They threw three straight times on the right after the quick change turnover by Treyvon Diggs. Yeah, then, which I thought that was the one that was like you probably ought to do a little bit off the different goal. I don't

disagree with that. And then they did try to run on the long drive at the beginning of the third quarter and the obviously and some of that's execution, honestly, like they did, they did try it, and that's um. You know somebody, I think somebody asked us about that earlier this week and I was like, that was a great play call. You can get Jarwin's got a block. Seke's got to do something better. I mean, it is

what it is like. You can do everything, you can make every right decision up until the snap, and it still won't work. If you don't do what you need to do. You know. What's what's amazing kind of from an ironic standpoint, where we were a month ago, you know, out in California and worried about this and that when it comes to deck, it's just if somebody would have been like, oh, don't worry about the ankle. You know, he'll run through it four times and and he'll run

an option on the gold line. They're fine. The shoulder, he'll throw a fifty eight passes against the bucks and he'll be fine. You know, don't worry about it. He's gonna be okay. That's what he said. That what he said, basically, that's what he said, and I think everybody else in the country was trying to, i mean, paying a different stories say this all the time that like next year, we're not gonna fall for this. We're not gonna fall for the bawn on the tailpipe. You know, we're not.

We're not We're not gonna do that. Like like if they say that they're hurt, it's probably not a big deal. But it's training camp. And then we do it. We fall for it because if we gotta, you know, we're gonna write about this and that, but like next year, when a guy gets pulled out for one little thing, like we're gonna be like, ah, it's probably not nothing. Well, but then you go back two years ago, you just got it that with with case by case basis. Yeah,

it just you just never know. But I will say this, I won't make a habit of doubting Z. I mean Dak when he says something when it comes to that, because what we've seen is when he says I'm good, he's gonna be out there and and I will I will follow that. I guess at this point, can I just kind of throw this out there. I mean, I said this, I'm talking about the last two seasons. We've got one game, we've got five that Dak played and they and I said, you know they're they're two and four.

I'm not I'm not blaming Dak. I'm saying this, this style of play, it doesn't necessarily is not conducive to wins, because both of those two wins were last second place. But I think there are teams in the NFL that have used that kind of formula and have one. Right, Bucks played the same style of game and one they ran the ball fourteen times for three and a half yard Brady through fifty times. I mean, it does work. The question becomes, as it worked for this team, do

you have the other pieces in place? Is the defense good enough? Is the is the kicking game good like? Those are the things. I don't know if it's necessarily Dak in the style of using Dak to just throw the ball a lot. If that's you know, yeah, and there's a lot of games that come down to the last play, last field goal. I mean that that's that's

that's going to happen. All I'm saying is is when we've seen this shift of what's the best thing they do, and right now the best thing that they're doing is is kind of leaning on the deck. It's been great and it's if you have Dak in your fantasy team, you're loving it. But it doesn't necessarily mean that they're winning games yet, and that that that could be for

a lot of different things. That's it's it's funny. It's that Thursday night was a truer showing of what they can do in my opinion, because again, and I know Dak played five games, but it was such it was so weird. I mean, getting down minus three in turnover to differential, like probably three out of the five times they played. That's not normal, but that's not normal by any teams standards, and that is you know, going back to the fact that they're not going to have Lyelle.

I have faith in Dak to make this work because of how much he's grown as a quarterback, but having an iffy offensive tackle opens you up a little bit for turnovers. I mean, Cleveland's a great Terrence Steele gave up a sack in that Browns game that I believe Dak fumbled it right, Yeah, changed, Yeah, it changed the course of it. It really where it started to kind of get away from him. And that's I don't worry about Dak having time or making throws and that type

of stuff. I think he can keep things going. But that does give me pause because it was the turnover problems that really it was that that sank them more than the way that they were calling their offense last year. So they, you know, credit Kellen Moore in the offense is sorry, this is what we've got. We know what we've got here in the interior, we know what they've got. We're gonna We're gonna do these things on the outside. Is it. Is it gonna be as tough in the

middle at San Diego? I'm sorry, dang it, it's over Wednesday. Wednesday, dang it, Chargers defense, and uh no, it's probably not going to be a stout in the middle, and you're gonna get an all pro guard back in there with Zach Martin. So I think they can. They can maybe run the ball a little bit more, be a little bit more balanced in the play calling of of where they distribute the ball. I'll be surprised if it's that

skewed again this week. Yeah, But but you know, games take a life of their own, and that's that's that game did that, Like you said, the Bucks played that way, you know, back and forth, and it was just an entertaining game it was, which I agree with you. It's funny though, because again going back to when Dak was healthy, like of the game's Dak has played in the McCarthy era, I think somebody every week, somebody gets up there and they're like, yeah, it's a weird game. I'm like, when

are you gonna play a normal game? Right when a quote unquote yeah, Like, when are you gonna play a game that's not weird, Like they all sort of follow a bizarre script when you really boil it, like the Rams game Week one maybe even no, no, no, no, no no, no, you can't call that one not weird, because it was the strangest thing I've ever heard of a football game other than maybe a junior high game, where you just just because nobody was there, nobody like CD caught like

a thirty yard pass and no one't even you just hear CD lamb on the catch, like, oh yeah, it was so that one was weird. Atlanta, I mean, top five weird all time. You know, Cleveland that was pretty weird, Top five weird all times. Seattle was a Seattle was weird too. Tony Pollard put him behind the you know, he put him in the hole with the safety pay the Diggs play. Yeah, Tyler Lockett had a thirty burger and fantasy by the second quarter in game. You know,

the whole reding was weird. I mean the whole season really, but yeah, those those games, particularly twenty twenty was kind of weird, just a g little weird, a little different. All right, we're gonna take our first break. Go ahead, Dave, you guess him, No, I just now, I mean, we're still weird, but just we're just normal weird. I guess I don't know. I don't even know if that means, but it sounds about right right. Were gonna take our first break and we come back. We're gonna have Bucky

Brooks join us. He's gonna give us a breakdown of the Charger offense versus the Dallas defense that when we come back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot com Radio. Before there was a draft, you could sized up a cowboy by three simple factors. The crease in his hat, the bend of his brim, and his unbending attitude a man. Stetson didn't just protect him from what life throw at him. It projected a rugged, unstoppable spirit. Stetson hats are still American,

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to the Break. Check out the new Miller Lighthouse, located outside the AT and T Stadium where Dallas Cowboys game day traditions are born in joy yard games, Cowboys cheerleaders, performances, beer gardens, and more. For more information, visit AT and T Stadium dot com slash Miller Lighthouse Miller Lighthouse. Your tailgate just got jealous. Welcome back to the second segment of The Break live from the s WBC Markets studios

at the Star. Got Nick and Dave with me, and we also got on the line normal addition to our show every Wednesday and Thursday. Mister Bucky Brooks from NFL Network, What up, Bucky? How you going good? Good? It's time to get a little insight on these chargers first. Before we get to that, though, I'd love for you just to give me kind of a quick review of your thoughts on the Cowboys versus Buccaneers really interesting because the Cowboys say much better than I anticipated in the game.

It wasn't a pretty game for them, but I thought they adapted and adjusted the hand of the energy I've dealing with the defending champions about Dak Prescott was very impressive getting the ball out of his hand um. I think the football world got a chance to see why some have touted him as a top five play at the position. I think he showed all of that and

that was the really impressive part. Vicho Elliott won't get enough credit for the job that he did and passed the section, but for those who take shots to him for the lack of run game production, I think his value as that pass protector really showed up. And the defensively they took the ball of the head four turnovers and so it was a winnable game. I think they are rude the job that Blake Joeward did down to the goal line on the option player that should have

been a touchdown. But I think there's things to build on. But they don't have to step up a play because the team they got coming on deck, it's a really good team. All right, Let's move on to that team. The Chargers tell me, as we like to start, what does their offense do best and what is their greatest weakness? For one, this is a well coached football team for a young guy. Brandon Staley has a clear vision for

how he wants the team to play. They do a really good job of avoiding the self inflicted team that hurt teams, and then they got a lot of talent offensively. I would say the best thing that they do is that combination of Keenan Allen and Justin Herbert is real. Keiman Allen is I mean look and he going all the way back. He's kind of like an N one

mixtape street ball artist on the perimeter. He is going to be a problem on the outside in terms of his rout running ability and his ability to create separation. And then Justin Herbert just plays the game at a maturity level that it kinds beyond his years. And so this is one where the Cowboys coverage and pass rush has to step up because this is a passing team,

not a running team. What does he I know we look at dynamic running backs, but you know, Austin Eckler, he's a guy that kind of does so many different things, Like how can he hurt Now? I know he wasn't one hundred percent healthy this last game, but how does he really kind of hurt teams with his ability to kind of do so many different things? You know. And I'm gonna say this, I'm gonna be friends like he he's okay, you know what I'm saying. Like, I don't

think he's great. I don't think he causes like sleepless night. I think he's the beneficiary of playing with telling the troop around him and his his production is more of a byproduct of teams wanting to take away other guys and they will live with him doing what he does. He has not been a guy that since he has been given the RB one role that has really lived up to expectations when it comes to it. But if you let him get his space and work one on

one on your linebacker, your linebacker can't cover. He certainly can give you problems. But as to others that were you more than Austin Eckley coming out of back there, So Bucky. I used to hate talking about cornerbacks traveling because in the Rod Marinelli era they didn't do it. It felt like a waste of time. But we saw Treyvon Diggs go with Mike Evans a little bit last

week and he did an amazing job. So my question to you is, do you think he's up to that challenge against Keenan Allen or maybe do you try to stick him with Mike Williams and sort of handle Keenan Allen by committee? What are your thoughts on that? Yeah, so it's really two different thoughts on how you do it right. So if you travel, you're a corner. You can go good on good, meaning look, I'm gonna go Traylon Digg versus Keenan Allen and you have to handle

him without help. I'm not sending a linebacker or safe you're anybody in your direction. Or I can take Trayvon Diggs and lock up your number two, double team your number one and see if I can force you to your third option in the passing end. Not knowing DQ well enough when it comes to those that because I don't know how he'll elect the handle of that. But the one thing about traveling, look, it's easy for the

guy who is the traveler. It's harder for everybody else if they don't have the IQ and the flexibility to move around and play different things, even though it seems like it'd be easy, like, hey, everyone's playing a man to man, but man, it's different playing inside and imposed

the outside. So you have to know your personnel and know, am I okay with Jordan Lewis maybe having to go outside, or I'm okay with Anthony Brown maybe having to play in the slot if you match it up that way, And so you have to feel like what gives my as the best opportunity to succeed. And sometimes you may

flue traveling. Sometimes it may say, hey, let's play right and left and just come a line up and play whoever's on our side, Bucky, when you When I went back and looked at some of the stats from that week one game between the Chargers and the Washington football team, the Chargers are now after one game, fifth in passing in the league, and that's against one of a defense that most of us believe is one of the better defenses in the league. Certainly has a great pass rush,

good defensive front. What did they do in this game? What did the Chargers do in this game to have success against a really really stout Washington defense. They're guys the firm were better than the guy. For the Washington football team, Ray shown Slater was not worried or intimidated or fearful of Chase Young at all, and he played that way very early in the game, and after a

while Washington Chase Young off of him. And so, as you know, when you have a good, a dominant blue chef left tackle, it allows you to be able to do a bunch of different things. And the charges have enough confidence that now they're able to expand the playbook for Justin Herbert because they feel like he is going to be protected. And when you do that, you get five out in the route. You have a quarterback who's

a good decision maker. They can consttely put pressure on the defense because they can find Walter, they can find the matchup that they like, and they can go to it over and over again. And so because they're better up front, and also Quinton Lindsay the center the offensive lineage echether so because the lineage better, they can do more things than offer. I'm glad you mentioned rashawn S later, so I don't have to Bucky appreciate that. But well, and going along with that, I talked about this on

the show yesterday, they only pressure Herb. Washington only pressure Herbert five out of forty nine times the other day. And that's terrifying in its own right. But the thing that worries me is it fair to say Herbert is a guy he just I mean, he seems like a play extender, Like I just feel like Dallas is going to be playing a bunch of six and seven second plays. Is that accurate? And what can they do to kind of combat that and get Herbert to get rid of

the ball a little bit faster. Well, it's a combination injective in the Washington ball team. They really don't like to bring pleasure. They're not like a blitz happy team. So they're different than the Buccaneers were played. They're different than the Ravens are play They're not going to challenge you to pick up all the exotic and the line of scrimmage. If it is that with Cowboys, you gotta

eat it up. I don't think you're good enough to just line up and say, hey, we're gonna rush for play seven and our guys have been in the yor guys. I think Q has to be creative and how he attacks Herbert. He has to kind of make him pass some difficulty uncovering and figuring out what they're doing, and some of that may be from packages, moving Michael Parsons around, moving people around, put in different spots, guys in different spots, so maybe they can't get the protection lined up right.

But you have to use some creativity to just disc up the rhythm of the quarterback because Justin Herbert is too good. If you're going to make this a seven on seven game, he is going to win in those games and he's already shown that as a second year player. You know, Bucky, we talked about you talk about Parsons from our view or my view, I'll say I'll speak

for myself in the from the press box. The first half looked like a Markeat looked like a rookie from you know this playing his first ever game against the best quarterback in the world. The second game, he looked like the guy that everyone's kind of expecting. Did you see the same thing? What do you What did you see out of Micah? Yeah? We look man. The game is big for rickies particularly, is a big stage, is

a prime time game the football world is watching. Is different like you guysn't been arounded enough to know there's something different about playing Thursday night, prime time, Monday night, Sunday night, because all eyes are on you, so it's taking a while to settle ends. The second half, we saw the Michael Parson that everyone wanted to see. We saw the versatility, we saw the speed to tire of

the explosiveness. We saw the disruptive playmaking potential. And I like the combination where they had Michael Parsons and Keanomel on the field at the same time. I do wonder how they're going to continue to reshuffle the deck when it comes to the linebackers to put the best eleven on the field. But I think Mike is going to be fine. I think he has an opportunity to be a difference maker, and they need him to be a

difference theaker just when he gives the Chargers. Let's talk about the Chargers and what I think was probably their achilles heel in this game. If you look at the numbers, they averaged nine plays per drive, which was second in the league last year. I mean last week they average forty seven yards per drive, which was fourth in the league. But the only average two point two points per drive, which suggests to me they moved the ball a lot and pretty effectively and then bogged down when it came

to getting the ball into the end zone. What happened as far as their offense was concerned that kept them from getting as many points as their yards suggests they maybe should have had a couple of them. Just saying that, want about the sas that you put. If you have nine and tim played and the Nastional Football League average, man, it's the odds work against you. The more plays that j haveb because the eyes could get something bad is going to happen. A ton of the negative play a

turnover is just hard. It's the same drive. So the number one thing is they're not getting enough exclusive plays. They can accumulate a lot of yards, but they're not getting the chump plays because the score point in the NFL, you have to have explosive plays twenty five plus passes being able to throw it outside of the rid zone into the end zone for touchdowns. And so they go from twenty to twenty. But then the red zone. The Washington football team plays a really good rid zone defense.

They used the field dimensions to the advantage. They use the sideline and the end zone as extra defenders, and they were able to keep things in front and force them to settle for field goals and those things. And so it should be a defensive job. And so for the Cowboys, once again, it is understanding what are the most important things that you want to take away. Keep the ball in front of the defense, don't give them the cheat ones. Make them earn those yards and earn

the points. And so if they can do that, and know he's made link up three hundred yards. But if we can keep the twenty yard post plast page under wraps and not let often Heckler anybody's leak out, I think to the Cowboys defense will play one of them to get a win. That's really great insight, Bucky. We appreciate it. All right. We'll be gon. We're gonna take our final break when we come back. We will be we'll talk a little bit more about this matchup between

the Chargers offense and the Dallas defense. We'll have Bucky back on again tomorrow. He'll break down the Chargers defense versus the Cowboys offense. That's going to be a really interesting matchup. We'll do that when we come right back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. Hi, I'm Clint Tillison with you United aggin Turf before you can park yourself in front of the game, Park yourself in a

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Doctor Pepper zero sugar zero you deserved He is finally here. Before there was a draft, you could size up a cowboy by three simple factors, the crease in his hat, the bend of his brim, and his unbending attitude a man. Stetson didn't just protect him from what life through at him. It projected a rugged, unstoppable spirit. Stetson hats are still American, made with pride. Right here in Texas. There's still the unofficial crowd of all self respecting cowboys, and Stetson is

proud to be on the field with America's team. Find a retailer nearest you at Stetson dot com. Slash Cowboys. Back to the brink. Invite Rowdy to your next event, from watch parties to birthday parties, corporate events, special deliveries, and more. Rowdy brings games, entertainment, and photo opportunities to all occasions. Visit Dallas Cowboys dot com slash Rowdy to book your appearance today. I'm so upset. It's my mom's

birthday today. I forgot to do that. If I was willing to spend the money, wodrowdy just come to a sports bar and watch football with me? Yes you think so? Yes, Yes, he's two hours. About the money you just you pay him for two hours, he's gonna show, sit next to me, don't talk, pose for photos with whatever. Well, I know, don't don't talk. Yeah, that parts he browny, don't talk. Now, the other part of him kind of doing goofy stuff, Like I don't know how you feel about that now.

I don't want him to do goosey stuff. I just want him to sit on the stool next to me and watch football. Well you drink it's there. Yeah, it's hot and sweaty in there. Yeah. I thinking he would do that. I'll look in there. It would be interesting because when you're like especially if your team loses, because if your team loses, you get into this like weird funk of like, you know, the life is ending everybody, Yeah, my nihilistic side, right, So then you just turn and

you're like, you know what, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter because because you know the ozones dying anyways. And you look over and you see Browdy, You're like, oh, maybe maybe he sparks a little bit of you know, energy, or maybe you want to punch him in the face. I don't know. I just love the mental image of me being drunk and depressed about my bad football team and Rowdy's just sitting next to me, grinning from year to year with that permanent smile in space. Yeah, that'd

be great starring in lsu Jersey. I'll buy him one. Yeah, that would be interesting. All right, I don't think that would work, but go ahead. Everyone hates us. They want us to talk about the Cowboys, all right. I did want to have I had a couple of questions coming out of our interview with Bucky. For you guys, Nick, you I think were the one that mentioned the whole idea of traveling. We hadn't talked a lot about that from last week? What was that day? Sorry, Dave, don't

have a good memory. I don't have horrible memory. I absolutely have a horrible memory. Um. But that being said, what would you guys do? Would you would you consider traveling him this week? In future weeks, and if so specifically to this week? Which which route do you tend to go for? Do you say take away the top guy or do you say take away the second guy and I'll do it bout committee with the top guy. I think I said it earlier this week that Treyvon

did so great against Mike Evans. Keenan Allen is a He's a similar type of player. Um, although that's probably when I say that, I just mean they're both big. I don't know how similar they're. Like, Mike Evans is a big, go get the ball guy. Keenan Allen is just as much of a technician as Amari Cooper in terms of the way he gets open and his wingspan is insane. I don't I would like to maybe I'd like to see more from Trayvon before I'm ready to ask that of him. Maybe, And that's Bucky. Is it

more of Ben ask than last week? That's what I don't know, I think I think Keenan Allen's I think Keenan Allen's better player than Mike Evans. I don't know. I said that very unconfidently. I get. I mean, it's they're both really good and he played really great. If that's the way they want to go, I got no complaints. But maybe Trayvon would do a better job of working on Mike Williams and you can collectively deal with Keenan Allen.

I could see it either way. I I didn't even think this was a conversation because I didn't think Trayvon Digs was good enough to take Michael Evans away like that, with due respect to him. So this is sort of opening my mind to a brand new set of possibilities that we could see as we go. You know. The thing of it, and we've done this for years. It's like a lot of times when people ask, you know, what are they gonna do? Are they gonna do this?

They're gonna put that. You know, It's not like a baseball game where you go into and you have to turn in your lineup before the game. I mean, it's everything. It's everything. You just said, double team him, you know, let let Digs travel with Keenan Allen for a series and then and then when they sit down the sideline, they're like, all right, hey, so when twenty seven follow sorry he's seven. Now when seven follows you around and then the next thing you know, he's on the other

side and you double team him. So you're gonna do a little bit of everything. But again, I like the fact that they're doing a little bit of everything. It probably makes it a little more of a challenge because the defense has to be smart enough to adapt him game to doing different things. But I think that's actually a better things. It's a breath of fresh air. I mean, Rod Marinelli just he did what he did, and he

didn't like to do. He didn't like to travel, He kept guys where they were, he didn't like to blitz somebody. During the Raiders game, a friend of mine on Twitter was like the Raiders of Blitz like once, I didn't even know this was possible, And I was like, I did. I watched Rod Marinelli coach defense for like eight years. Yeah, this is what he does. They you gotta give him some credit. Though. They did a nice job with nour Jackson. They did especially later and they did I mean they

won the game. I didn't mean to. I'm not throwing too much dirt on Rod Marinelli, not on the defensive. Would his resume? Wait what in that game? Yeah? Yeah, I thought it wasn't. But he just he doesn't like the blitz. See, he wants to get home with his front flour and Max Crosby did that a lot for him the other night. Yeah. I will say this thought, and I feel like a broken record to say it

all the time. But you know when when you say, well, Diggs travels, If Diggs travels, Anthony Brown travels, like they both travel, that's the thing like and so, yes, Diggs is capable of doing it, but that means the other guy has to do it as well. All right, real quick, before we end the show, I did want to get your perspectives on the linebacker position. Bucky talked a little bit about it this week. Do you expect to see

a similar um? Do you expect to see Dallas do a similar thing from the standpoint of how they deploy their linebackers, primarily using Parsons and and Kian O'Neil, Because in last week's game it was more about stopping the pass. I don't like it. Honestly, I think Layton Vanderesh needs to play football. I think he needs to be out on the field. I think he's a really good player when he's healthy. He hasn't always been healthy, but I'm gonna give him a shot. He needs to play more.

I think him and Parsons need to play in the nickel, and I'd put Neil in there too. He used to play safety. Let put them all in there. Make him a safety in the nickel. I think vander Esh is more effective if he's out there. I don't necessarily think you're wrong, but I just I see it kind of trend in that way where Neil and Parsons eat up the snaps because this league it's turning into basketball on grass.

It already has been, but that's not going away. Austin Ekeler what he does, and he actually did not catch a pass in Week one, but I wonder how much more they'll get him involved as he gets healthier. That's a guy that I want speed. I want speed on speed. I want guys who can move in space. Not saying jayla Hella, not saying Laton Vanderesh can't do that, but a guy who used to play safety, maybe could do

a better. We know about MICA's athleticism, so with just the way that teams like to attack through the error, I tend to think that these snap counts are going to stay the way they were, and now if they get late and more involved, I'm not upset about that. But that's just sort of my expectation. I thought he was pretty good and you know, getting interceptions and stuff his rookie year. I know that's a few years ago, but I still think he can do that. I think

he's an instinct, instinctive player. Um. I'd like to see him out there more. And I'm not saying for for Neil. I think Neil can play safety. I really do. And I think so in like Neil comes in for Donovan. Yeah, I'm fine with that, all right. I mean, you know, or Donovan played pretty well. Yeah he did. I mean, or Casey or whatever, you know, trick it up, I mean, figure figure out ways to do it. But I think vander esh, you know, his biggest achilles heel is when

he's hurt. When he's not, he's a good football player. All Right, that's a rap. We'll be back tomorrow. We'll get into Cowboys offense versus the Chargers defense. Till then for Nick even, Dave Helm and 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.