Cowboys Break: Should We Be Impressed?

The Break, presented by Geico. I'm lying from the SWBC Mortgage studios. At the start, got Nick in here with me. We got Dave and Amber on from their remote remote locations. And before we get too far into the show, we gotta start for by telling my dude, Dave, Happy birthday, man, Thanks buddy. Yeah, I appreciate how many years is this is? I'm being I am thirty two. Is not that depressing, And yeah, until I think about the fact that I was twenty four when y'all hired me. So yeah, I

don't know where that time went, but here we are. Yeah, it's funny that that at some point, Nick, we probably should tell the story of how we hired Dave and like that interview we had with him and how that all went down. That could that could be kind of interesting. Maybe that's an offseason kind of story. We didn't even recalling that. You don't remember that? Mean you were sitting in my office? Is me and you sitting in there interviewing Dave? So I don't know. We'll talk about it

at this point. Just go ahead and say it. I don't remember it. What was on the phone? We didn't We didn't even meet him in person. I think you're mixing your guys. I thought the Rowan was the one that told us about it, but I thought that was the reason why we were doing about phone. But anyway, we'll talk about that birthday. Happy birthday, Dave Man, thirty two years old. You were twenty four if you were a baby. Now you're a grown man with a dog baby.

So yeah, it's awesome. All right, let's jump in. Let's talk a little bit about this. Cowboys win. Cowboys get a big win yesterday, thirty to seven, if you can get big wins at this point in the season. But Nick, I actually wanted to start with you. You were actually there and and I know one of the things I heard you talk about last week on the radio when you did your hit was the fact that this team, it really needed the win. You saw when it happened, when they got a win a few weeks ago, how

much it helped this team. They really needed a win. What was it like yesterday with the team after they got this big win. It was, you know, it was one of those things. It's like and they've been getting beat up for a while. You know, you've been getting hit with a baseball bat for a while. You finally just grabbed the bat, you know, and you did a

little hitting of your own. I mean, that's it. Just took it out on the Bengals and they're not very good, but that's what you do the teams that are bad. You kind of put them down and keep them down. And that's what they did. And you know, they were excited for Andy Dalton. This is his first season with

the team. But you wouldn't have guessed that yesterday standing outside the locker room, they waited for a while for him to I don't know who all he had to say hi to on the field, it felt like everybody, but they finally, you know, McCarthy was like where's Andy, you know, And they finally comes in, and when they did, they just showered him with water and you know, yelling excited for him, and they knew it was a big

win for him. But you know, it was just one of those games they lost six out of seven, so it was good for them to get a win. Yeah, let's let's go onto our storylines of the game. Will go around the table. Everybody give me a storyline from yesterday's game. And but let's start with you. I was hoping you did not start with me, because this is not a good day for me to be on this show. I don't know what it is, but I'm in a very pessimistic mood today. And yes, I am glad the

Cowboys win. Wont yesterday. That's great. They needed to win, especially against the team like this against the Bengals that if they had they lost, I mean, we would have

lost it completely. But at the same time, I just find it very, very hard to be excited about this win just because it is against It was against the Bengals, and you look at some of the plays, and yes, on the defensive side of the ball that they were making plays, creating place, but at the same time, the Bengals were just absolutely terrible and a lot of plays

were mistakes of their own. So it's just it's one of those times where, yes, you are happy for the team, but at the same time, you got to take a step back and look at what you really went into this game with and the situation and who the opponent was, and it's like one of those things that I know the team has talent. I know that DeMarcus Lawrence is a very talented player. Jordan Lewis we've seen his talent as well. So players like that, we know they have it.

We just haven't seen it this year. And it just sucks that it gets to the point of like Week fourteen, a game against the Bengals, for you to get that out of them, and not being able to see it all throughout the season. That's just that's what I'm having

a hard time to dealing with right now. Just kind of very very mixed emotions and it's just hard to be completely excited about what we saw yesterday or a list for me, Dave ag this offseason, you know, hopefully, you know, maybe we can get some vaccines and we can actually hang out together and we'll go get a beer, and I'll just try to teach you how to ride the middle man, like you can't. You don't. You don't have to. You don't have to be up here after every win, and you don't have to be way down

here after every loss. Like it is what it is. I think you know, you and I both picked the Cowboys to lose this game. And I don't feel bad about doing that, honestly, because they've been inconsistent all year. But they showed up, locked in, dialed in, ready to go, something they haven't done enough this season, and they beat a very bad team. Like, we don't have to be overly impressed by that. It was nice, and I agree

with Nick that they probably needed it. I think Mike McCarthy needed it to, you know, he needs to install the culture that he wants moving forward. But we don't have to be impressed by anything they did yesterday. They just kind of did what they were supposed to do. And that's even with like, the Cowboys are not a very good team. They're much better than the Bengals, clearly, they beat them by twenty three points. But I mean, even being bad, they were supposed to do that. I

didn't trust him to. So I give them a lot of credit for showing up and playing up to their capability, but it doesn't mean that they're suddenly good. And for that matter, if you want to have the conversation about tanking, it also didn't really change their draft status. You know, the Chargers won yesterday as well, so the Cowboys are right back in the same spot they were on Saturday, and we just kind of go on like job, doesn't

really change my opinion of the team. But nice of them to go and put a nice performance on tape. It's funny. That reminds me of that old Chris Rock stand up where he says you don't get credit for doing what you're supposed to do. It's like that guy that says I take care of my kids, Like I get it. But and I do disagree a little bit because I do think they should get credit because they're just as bad as anybody else. Like you can't delineate with this team, like, well they played a bad team.

Well guess what they're bad too. So winning thirty to seven against a bad team is still something I think for them, But it was what we expected, right, No, No, I mean I don't think anybody expected this. I think that's why, Like, it doesn't make you a better team, but it's it was. I think it's an impressive the way they did it because we haven't seen that, and frankly, nobody else is doing that to the Bengals too. Say what you want about how bad they are, nobody's gone

into Cincinnati and one like that, not all year. I mean they've played five games there, They've won two of them. The other three were three point losses or less. So they did something. I mean, it wasn't like Vegas him at twenty three. I mean it was impressive because we haven't seen them play that way. It was. It was that, yes, you're supposed to be a bad team, but this team's not supposed to annihilate a bad team. And so that's that was the impressive part for me. They're not at

that level. Congratulations, Cowboys. You're not at that point. You're you're a little bit. You're the next tier. It's not a great tier, but it's not at the tank for Trevor Lawrence level. And I will say this, I mean, I think I saw some things yesterday that I hadn't seen from this team, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. They haven't played that game at all this season.

They haven't played a game where they were creating turnovers and actually getting the turnover, like not only forcing the fumble, but also recovering the fumble and in one instance, returning the fumble for a touchdown. That's different, Like, that's not what we've seen from this defense. Maybe not what we've seen from this defense over a period of time. They may even span farther than just this season. So that

was different. And I will talk a little bit later about this defense and if that actually has any Harry overfect or any makes you feel a different way about this defense. But I do think, at least for one game and for one day, this defense was a different kind of defense than what we've seen all season. Let's go ahead and go to the moments that mattered. We'll have everybody talk about one one moment from the game that you think was a either a big moment or

a turning point in the game. Let's start first with you, Dave. I mean, had the Cowboys scored a defensive touchdown all season? Not? I mean I don't think they had. I know, you know, Jalen had the interception return to the goal line Brown but for Alton Smith and oh, you're right, okay, you're right against the feel bad season. Don't feel bad because Tank said, I don't think we've scored a defensive touchdown

all year? Had we has like yes, Anthony Brown on effect that he was like, oh yeah, so it was forget it. I've been a long October. October eleventh feels October eleventh feels like a long long time. But it was I mean pre deck, yeah, or current it was, but I mean the I mean it sounds weird to say because the Bengals fumbled on all three of their first possessions, but they were moving the ball on two, I mean they got all the way to the Dallas red zone. It was a seventy eight yard return, so

they were moving the ball. When Alden scooped that up, they got all the way to the fifteen on the next fumble that darry and Thompson forced. So you know, who knows what that game looks like if Alden doesn't give them that cushion. And I you know, Mike McCarthy said it after the game that this is maybe the first time all season where they were able to build enough of a lead that it completely changed the way

that they played the game. So yeah, I'm not saying they would have lost, but I think that game looks a lot different if Alden Smith doesn't make that play Amber. I mean, that's the obvious play to me the same.

It's it's just one of those plays. Yes, it was early on, but when Tank made the play prior to that one, to the Aldon Smith one, it was one of those moments that you're like, Okay, whoa, all right, cool, that was exciting, but then you're still not expecting the defense to be able to carry on throughout the game. So the fact that Aldon Smith went on and made that play, you know that when there are plays like that,

it it just changes the game completely. It gives a different kind of vibe and different kind of energy to the defense as a whole, gives them more power. But if I had to mention a different play than that one, it would be Tony Polar and the play that he made. I mean, it's still amazing when you get to see him getting those kinds of run, the speed that he has,

the ability that he has. It's just unfortunate that we don't get to see it enough and it's just one of those moments again that and I know we're gonna talk about it later on in the show, but it's one of those moments that you wonder what would happen if you do give Polar more opportunities with the ball, because he is a talented player. It's just not it doesn't always happen constantly, but it's just it's always so exciting to see plays like that. I mean, that was

going to be the play for me. Now, that's good. You didn't really say why though, And I thought it was important because right after halftime, you know, it was like, well they got a little momentum. Now seventeen seven, let's see what the Cowboys doing. I mean, he came right out. I thought that was a huge play. So for everything she said, yes, but also just kind of it led to another field goal. But let's not forget also this game.

We might be talking about a completely different vibe from this game if there's not a holding penalty that negated a touchdown. So, I mean, they score a touchdown, it's twenty to fourteen, and we got a game here in the fourth quarter. But as Jalen Smith said afterwards, that was not gonna be a touchdown because look at my jersey, I mean his jersey. He got held and that did

kind of open up that free lane there. But I thought that was a big play, you know, the holding call, because it's about to be a one score game and instead they don't get a touchdown out of that. Yeah, you know it's interesting too. I'll point out on that play that both you and Amber talked about the return by Pollard. I thought that was a really, really big play. I thought what was notable is that Dallas didn't take

advantage of it in a better way. They get the ball there at the Cincinnati forty three, so they're starting in Cincinnati territory. They get some good passes. They got a pass the Bell for eleven yards, Lamb had a fifteen yard run. They had another pass to Shoultz for fourteen yards. But it was the two runs to Zeke that were for zero and one yard and then the incompletions at the end of that drive that forced them to situation where they had to take a field goal.

And to me, I was like, if they end up losing this game, I will remember that moment because that was a drive where they had the opportunity to really go up big, and they had the right start, they had the kickoff return, they got him in the right position, and they just couldn't do anything with it, and it didn't. It seemed like in a lot of ways, it was the running game that really kind of put him in the hole and they just couldn't get out of it

because they couldn't run the ball. And then when you get in those I think it's it's even more apparent. When you get in those situations where it's either goal to goal or in the red zone and you can't run, I think it's even more apparent, and it makes even harder to try to get into the end zone when you got that short feel if you can't run the ball. I did also want to mention what other thing in that first possession, Tank gets the force fumble and Jordan

Lewis returns the fumble recovery. But I heard you say this morning, Nick, and I did not notice it during the game. DeMarcus Lawrence actually didn't start the game. Tell me about that. Why didn't he start the game because he is not in the base defense. Uh yeah, capitalize that age. Huh, not in the base defense, and he kind of had a weird look. He was like, they called bass and I'm not in basse. So I went back off the field. He got back on in the

second play. So who is in basse? Like h Tank Lawrence? Yeah, in the base defense? Huh. I keep saying, I'm sorry, I just that, Yeah, I mean that doesn't make any sense. I mean, it doesn't make any sense. As I said this morning on another show, I mean, he twenty one million a year for your defensive and should be in the basse. Should be in the nickels, be in the dimes, be in the pre event, should be in the forty four stack. If you play Madden, I mean stuff like that.

He should be in. He should be in the defense. He should start the game. You might want to play him a tackle. I mean, I'm just saying, like, you might want play him wherever you can play him in. I don't know, I don't whatever. But he got in on the second play and he costs and he caused a fumble. Although after seeing that, maybe next game how to do the same thing. Maybe maybe I ought to sit him to start the game and then bring him in the second play and then maybe he makes a

big play. I don't know, maybe he should play. Put him, put him on the field out. All right, we're gonna take our first break. When we come back, we're gonna get into some performance reviews. We got to talk about Andy Dalton's day. We got to talk about the running backs. I'll ask you, guys, is Zeke the best running back on this team? We'll talk about that when we come right back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. There's nothing as unique as our eyes, which is why Selor

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candles to see at night? It's just electricity lights up the room fast. It's more reliable than candles blowing out, and people seem to love it nationwide. Candles, DA, did you just run into the wall? I have a new candle. Please. Historically switching to new technology is a no brainer today. It's AT and T five G, fast, reliable, secure, and nationwide to AT and T five G. It's not complicated. Five get requires compatible plan. May not be in your area.

See att dot com slash five G for you for details. Back to the Break. Don't miss your chance to see the Cowboys this Sunday when they take on the San Francisco forty nine ers at AT and T Stadium, and limited number of tickets are on sale. Now get yours today at Dallas Cowboys dot com slash tickets. Remember the game has been moved to noon. Yeah, it is thankfully Welcome back to the second segment of The Break live from the SWBC Mortgage Studios, presented by Geico. Let's let's

jump into some performance reviews. Let's start first with the quarterback Andy Dalton. He goes sixteen of twenty three, seventy percentage completion seventy percent completion percentage, one hundred and eighty five yards, two touchdown, zero interceptions, one twenty two point six rating. All of the numbers weren't huge obviously, as far as passing yards, he did be too bad. And then this was a bad team. How did you assess

his play overall. Nick, let's start with you. I thought he played well, you know, you know he wanted it, you tell. I mean, I don't know if they needed to throw that pass the Tony Pollard at the end.

I think he wanted that second touchdown Um. And you know I thought for him the drive after the Darien Thompson fumble at the twelve, that was a really big drives were the first time they had the ball, you know, you know, with not a short field, and he had three big third down completions there, two to Cooper, one to cd UM. I thought, I thought that was a really nice drive there, and so he did a good job, all right, Amber again passive missed Amber here on Monday. Sorry,

but I just can't help it today. Yes they did, they did a good job, but I thought they could have done a lot more. And there were some really great play, some really great passes, throws and all that. But what is the problem in the red zone? Why can't the Cowboys just guess past that? Why can't I why can't they just make it into the end zone a lot more? They're still all shrunkling in that area.

Prior to that, everything seemed pretty good, But it's just that area right there that they just don't I don't know what the deal is. And yes, that touchdown towards the end of the game with Tony Pohler it was good, But honestly, I was like, I remember when we were watching the game. I don't know if you were there, Derek, but I was just like, Okay, they've only actually scored one touchdown in the whole game, and that's it. The other one came from Aldon Smith and the other ones

were field goals, So what's the deal here. I would be expecting them to be able to get in the end zone a lot more. And it's hard for me to judge that Tony Polar won because it came so late in the game. I wonder, okay, was the defense just kind of losing up by that point, But I just I'm not. I wasn't super impressed with what they did yesterday, all right, Dave. I mean, I thought it was Andy's best start since he's taken over, you know.

And and it's hard to it's hard to weigh at all because again, you know, the Alvin Smith touchdown kind of changed everything. That they had a commanding lead from the beginning. That's obviously that's going to change the way you play, Like You're probably not just eager to be whipping it around the yard all day when you've got a three possession lead in the second quarter, and you know you don't want to put your year banged up

offensive line in that situation. So, you know, I struggle between, well, yeah, they're not very explosive verse well, they don't need to be in a game situation like this, But yeah, I mean, you get the ball at the thirty two yard line, I expect a little bit better than seven plays for sixteen yards in a field goal. It does seem like this team gets bogged down. It's funny now because it was a blowout, but you know it, you would prefer to see Andy find Amari Cooper wide freaking open on

that slugo in the fourth quarter. You know it's a sixty yard touchdown if he just looks to his left. And it's just stuff like at where you're like, Andy Dalton played well and the offense was fine, and they won by twenty three points. But this certainly hasn't been an explosive offense since Dak Prescott went out. And again, I know that the offensive line is compromised, so it is hard to judge the whole thing. But I mean they look they look like an offense that's being run

by a backup quarterback. And that's not a bad thing because that's what they went and got Andy Dalton to do. But you know, there there are some plays that they have left out there on a consistent basis in the time that Dak has has been out of you know, out for the season. I want to go back, but I do think he played. But but Andy's not any backup quarterback. I mean, he's a guy who's been a starter,

so it's not just your typical backup guy. I mean, this is at a point that you you I get it completely different offense with Dak Prescott in and with the offensive line healthy. But at the same time, I mean, this is a game where you you expect this team to be absolutely competitive with a guy like Andy Dalton

at quarterback. I would argue that they mostly have been other than I mean, and I no, I agree, but I said, I just made that comment in response to what you said that this looks like a team that is playing with a backup quarterback. Well, okay, let me let me a very good backup quarterback. I mean in May when Andy sign we were like, well, you know, the Cowboys probably maybe have the best backup quarterback in the league, Like they should still be able to effectively

run their offense with Andy Dalton. And other than the Washington game when he got concussed, and really that was probably the low point for the offensive line on the entire year. In all of the other games, they've looked like they could win games with him in at quarterback. I mean, they didn't get trounced by Baltimore because of what the offense was doing that I mean that those are defensive lapses. So yeah, for the most part, I feel like they've gotten pretty good return on investment. Now,

you know, I don't know. I don't know if like I guess what I'm trying to say. As I think Andy Dalton's window as a you know, big time starting quarterback who can win you a championship, I lean toward thinking those days were probably over. But that doesn't mean he can't be a very serviceable quarterback in this league. I don't know that they ever were here. I mean, that's an interesting gay go ahead, and I just don't think it's that. I don't think this is really that

hard to figure out. I mean, this offensive line is not going to win any weightlifting contests. I mean they're agile, they can move, they're young, but they're not very strong. And so when you look at when you when you have a hundred yards to play with and fifty three wide and all that, they you know, you might pass it, you might run it. They can be effective, but when it gets down there and it's just me versus you and who's tougher and stronger, they don't push people back.

And this is not anything new. I mean even four or five years ago, Travis Frederick, Zack Martin, Tyrn Smith, this was the worst third and one team in the league, or even third and goal. So they have a hard time knocking people off the ball when you get down inside the five, and it's hard for those receivers to really find room. You have to just run people over, and they're not good enough to do this right now.

So I think that's where it comes down. It's just the line can block, pass, block, okay and all that, but they're not going to just knock people off. Not Christian Covington any serious and not ca ing back, well, let me let me take that, and I want to combine things that you just said and something at Amber said. Amber talked about the red zone and talked about how

much they struggle in the red zone. Is it your thought then that the reason that they're struggling in the red zone is because they don't have the power in their offensive line and they can't run the ball fake. Yeah. I think that's the biggest issue right there, is that you know, who's worried about CD going over the top or Michael got you You're not worried about that. You have to It's just big boy football. You've got to

knock people back. And as good as I think Connor McGovern and Connor Williams and and Looney, I mean that they could be even you know, in the tackles too, but they're not just overpowering type linemen. And I think I think that's a that's a problem that they're not built that way. Think about their tight ends. Their tight ends aren't tight ends. No one's talking about the pancake that Dalton Schultz had. It's the fact that he's got fifty catches. Wasn't this still a problem last year? I

mean different coaching staff and everything. Kellen Moore were still directing the offense. But at the same time, if I remember correctly, that we're still struggling a lot last year, and that's something that I think we talked about a lot, was their struggles with the red zone. They were great prior to that and they could score touchdowns and all that, but once they got into that red zone, it was always been it's been a problem. It's been a problem

for a couple of years. It just makes me wonder past the injuries. You know, it's a it's a problem and it's been a problem. But the one difference I think now is is nobody's worried about Andy Dalton getting into the end zone running and that that was a weapon that they did have with with Dak. I mean, that's one more when things break down and we've seen it. He's done it more than I think any quarterback in the Cowboys history running the ball in. So that's another

weapon down there. But it's the old line. To me, it's the line and not being able to knock people back. And I also will point this out last year, I think the issues were a little bit different, same result. I think they were a little bit different. I mean, I remember talking a lot about Travis Frederick and his inability to be able to hold up at the point of attack. Like we knew he wasn't the same player last year. He was not as powerful as he had

been earlier in his career. And the same thing with Connor and Connor Williams, and so I think you still had problems right there in the middle with regards to power. So I think it was the same problem different players. I think it was the same problem though, and it crept up on them and it was a problem for them in the red zone. It was a reason why they couldn't really push people back and be able to

get some of those critical yards in some of those situations. Dave, do you agree with what they're saying or do you have a different take on maybe why they're not as good in the red zone. I'm really reluctant to and maybe I shouldn't be. It's the NFL. You gotta do what you gotta do with who you have. But I'm reluctant to criticize Kellen Moore win And I mean, how many how many Day one starters is he working with

right now? He's got his three receivers, and I guess technically you would consider Joe Looney a day one starter and Connor Williams. So what that's that's fun. Yeah, So he's got all right, he's got half of his offense. He's still he's missing a lot of it, is my point, including the guy that's supposed to make it work. So I'm reluctant to bash him. And I mean, you know, I think play calling was a fair criticism last year.

Amber is totally right, like this was an issue last year when they were much healthier, So I think you need to look into that. Um. I hesitate to criticize the play calling when you're so compromised right now, but I do think when you factor in that it was a thing last year, it's probably a a It's a worthwhile conversation, even if I, like I said, even if I'm reluctant, because yeah, I mean they had everybody last year and it was still an issue. Ye. All right, UM,

here's what we're gonna do. We're gonna go ahead and take our final break come back. We still do need to talk about the running backs. We've talked about how good Polo looked yesterday. Is he now in a position where you should consider giving him as mini carries as zekeday? He got very close yesterday. We'll talk about that when we come back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. We're backing the tasty treat that's sweeping airwaves and taste buds.

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for you for details. Back to the break, all right, don't miss the Virtual Christmas Extravaganza, presented by Albertson's and Tom Thumb, the most eletrifying holiday show of the season, can be watched on the Dallas Cowboys Facebook and Twitter. On December twenty fourth at six pm Central or on demand at Dallas Cowboys dot Com Slash Christmas. Welcome back to the final segment of The Break, presented by Geico Live from the SWBC Mortgage studios at the Star. Let's

jump right in. Let's talk about the running backs. Yesterday, Zeke goes twelve carries for forty eight yards four yards per carry average. He had about thirty two He had thirty two snaps in the game. Poler, on the other hand, had eleven carries, one less thirty nine yards three point five average. He had nineteen snaps in the game. A question for you, guys, is is this the right distribution and use of the backs or should Pollard be a little closer to fifty of the snaps not necessarily carries,

but the snaps. Should they be splitting carries between these two guys and splitting rips. Let's start first with you, Dave. I think it's an important caveat. I'm pointing this out on Twitter yesterday. I mean, Zeke wasn't even a guarantee to play in this game. I mean he said he was going to, but he's questionable on the injury report with a calf. He's gonna gut through it. He said

after the game that it was sore. And then on top of that, you know, the Cowboys had a multiple possession lead really from the jump, so you know, that's the smart way to play it in these circumstances, like, yeah, limit your injured running backs touches when you have control of the game and when he's hurt. So I think that's a big part of it. Having said that, Yeah, obviously, for a variety of reasons, Tony Pollard just seems to have more juice. Like when he hits a hole, he

he hits it at a different speed. I think everybody would agree with that, regardless of what the reasoning is. I'm very comfortable with him getting more touches for a variety of reasons. The Cowboys aren't going to say this, but it's looking like a long shot that they're going to make the playoffs. So why rack up meaningless mileage on your star? I mean, why do that? Like, Zeke doesn't need to touch the ball sixty seventy times over

the next three weeks. If anything, he needs, like, let him get some rest and get ready for a season that won't be so difficult. I do think It's funny, though, go back and watch, you know, the long run that he had. I think it was in the fourth quarter. If Michael Gallop holds his block on his cornerback for half a second longer, I doubt Zeke scores, but he's going fifty sixty yards for sure, And so it's just funny to think what we'd be talking about if Zeke's

stat line was twelve carries for ninety eight yards. You know, so I do think that's interesting anyway, I digress. Yeah, I'm very comfortable with Tony Pollard getting more work over the next three weeks, Hamber. I do want to see more of Tony Poler, But at the same time, I'm always I'm still hesitant as far as saying, oh, yeah,

I want to take snaps away from Zeke. I still think that Zeke, even though we haven't seen the old Zeke this year, I still think that he has it and it's just a matter of time and getting him back into the groove or something. But I think that, you know, we're not really going to be having this debate any for much longer. I think I'm right with Dave.

I think that this next few weeks is going to be an opportunity for us to get to the point where we do get to see more of Tony Poler and kind of put that whole debate to rest for a little bit as far as depending on how turns out, because if Pauler kills it, then the debate is gonna only grow even bigger. But I think that in the next few weeks we'll we'll hopefully get a better idea of what that really would look like when Pauler gets

more placed rather than Zeke. Yeah whatever, Yeah, I'm just I'm just saying that I don't I don't really have an answer, Like, I want to see both of them. I definitely want to see what Pauler can do. But at the same time, I'm not ready to take away

snaps from Zeke yet. Yeah, all right, glad Nick, I think you know, whether or not it matters to anyone else, I think Zeke wants a thousand, you know, he's I think that's a that's a thing for him, and I think he's gonna and you know, he's had opportunities to sit out. Okay, there's other players on this team that probably wouldn't have played, uh, you know, short weeks calf bruise. You know, he you know, he's come back and he's played and and you know it matters to him, and

so I think he'll he'll play. But I mean, I don't disagree that that that you know, there's no there's no need to have twenty five carries for him. It's a healthy balance, and and yesterday was a good example of that, you know. And it's not just third and one short yardage that they go with the bigger back. I mean, Paulard's getting some snaps in there, and he got some around the goal line too. So I think I think what they're doing in this game is pretty

good balance. Yeah, I think it's going to be very interesting. Go ahead, Dave, Good Dave, No, I just you know what's funny, Nick as you like you say he wants a thousand, and I don't disagree at his current average. If he keeps up his current average, like he would hit a thousand in week seventeen, just in time for the season to be over. I mean, if it were up to me, no chance in hell, like there's I mean, you know, it looks more than likely that either New

York or Washington's gonna win the division. If there's nothing to play for in week seventeen, shoot, maybe even in week sixteen, I would be like, sorry, buddy, I want to say what Rico Dowdle looks like. I'm like, a shame about your no thousand yards. But we'll get him next year, hey, And I don't. I haven't talked to Zeke all year. I haven't. I mean, he's not a player that I that I talked to after the game because he always goes to the podium, so I haven't

talked to him. I have no idea that that that that's what he wants or I just I would imagine that it would be a big deal to him, but I don't know that. And I don't even know if there's a contract incentive or anything like that for him,

but you know, he wants to play well. I do think this is going to create a very interesting dynamic if if Pollard plays more, if Pollard just keeps playing at the rate that he's playing, and he starts really you know, knocking down some big runs and keeps looking like and that's the thing, like, I don't know that his stat line is so much better that we all are like, oh my god. The production is so much better.

It's just it looks different when he gets the ball, the way he hits holes, it's different than what you're seeing from Zeke. And I really think if he has some big runs here down the stretch, I think it's

going to create a very interesting conversation. Maybe not an interesting conversation with coaches and executives, but I think among media people in US, I think it's going to create a very interesting conversation in this offseason and heading into next season about how you distribute the ball because you're gonna have your guy back, and you're gonna have a lot of the pieces you hope back on the offensive line. If you think Pollard gives you more juice, then that's

a better person to have in there more frequently. With all the other weapons they got on this offense and an offensive line that can create some gaps for him. So I just really think that right now it's a very interesting time for Zeke. And and I heard what you were saying, Nick about him getting a thousand. I personally think if if I were him, and I'm not gonna speak for him, but if I were him, I would be thinking, I'm trying to keep this guy off the field, because the last thing I want is him

showing more than maybe I'm showing right now. And maybe there are reasons why, maybe that injury is a little worse than than he's letting on. Who knows. All I know is it looked different right now. It does look different when Pollard's on the field, then when you see Zeke. All right, One other thing I wanted to hit real quick before we end the show. The defense. Hell Cincinnati's seven points. It was the first time since I think it was two thousand nineteen, Week three of twenty nineteen

that they held an opponent under ten points. So it was a good outing for the defense, something different than they've done in passed outing certainly this season. Was this a turning point for this defense? Or do you think this was just merely a function of the fact that they played a really bad offense. Nick, Let's start with you, well, bad offense, bad quarterback. You know, he's not very good,

and you're not He's not very good. They don't have a lot of weapons over there, you know, leave it to aj Green to come out of retirement and against the Cowboys and play. But I mean, but then again, let's also look at the other side though, too. I mean, other than Jordan Lewis, every cornerback on the team has been on the practice squad at some point this year. I mean Chris Westree, Are we kidding me? And Chris Westree he tried to quit last year? Yeah, I mean

if he's playing in a game. I mean same at the safety position too, So I mean the guys that they've got on the secondary for them to play that way, I mean that that was that was pretty good. And I thought Jalen probably played his best game of the season yesterday. I mean, say what you will, but I thought he had a pretty nice game. He seemed like he was physical and flying around the ball. For Jalen Dave, I'm about to sound like a hater, and I apologize

for that way. I mean, they did play a really good game. It was Nick Nick on Friday was like, I can't believe Brandon Allen plays in the NFL, So I can't forgive me if I'm not super duper impressed. The other thing, and they did it. They forced three fumbles, they scored off of one of them. They get credit for that, but everything we know about fumbles is that it's it's kind of random, you know, Like I mean, the amount of variants, there's no like you can't count

on that, you know what I mean? Like I said this yesterday is and I know he didn't pick off Andy Dalton, but like Jesse Bates made this great read on a throat to Dulman, he undercut the receiver, dove in front of it, almost picked it off Like that is that is instinctual playmaking and understanding. Fumbles are almost luck. I mean, like I said, I'm gonna jump in those

two forced bubbles. No, no, no way, Thompsons. I think I think there are two fumbles that they created yesterday that were about how they played the balls, specifically takes like that was him ripping the ball as so that I don't think you can call Tank and Tank and Darian Thompson get a lot of credit for forcing those fumbles. The one that the one that swung the entire game became because the guy had dropped it when he off

somebody's butt. Absolutely, um, but all I mean, okay, but do you really think that's the first time Tank has punched the ball when he tackled somebody else? But but I like again, but yeah, but I just don't think it's fair for us. You can't play it both ways. We can't say, on one hand, they can create turnovers and then they create turnovers to say, well, turnovers are random, Like, I just think it's I think it's unfair. Yeah, I think turnovers are random for the most part. But you're right.

I mean, I don't want to take that credit away, but I just don't have a ton of confidence that it is something that they can definitely replicate. Like, I'm not you know, I don't expect them to just force a million fumbles over these last three games. I think the the twelve games that we saw before this are probably a greater indicator of what they are than this one.

And I'm like I said, I mean, I sound like a hater because they went out and they did it, but I'm not convinced that it's something that's going to happen consistently moving forward, not this season at least. Amber. Yes, great way in, great plays, good job, But is this

a turning point. Absolutely don't think so. Yesterday when we were watching the game, Derek, you were out and I don't know much about the history of the Bengals, but you were talking about some guy that used to do the shuffle dance back when I was born, and that was the last time. Apparently Woods go ahead. Ever'm sorry, Yeah, you're like the Ikey shuffle. I'm like, what the heck is that? But just to my point, based on what you said, it sounds like this team has been bad

for a very very long time. So it's just hard to be that motivated and that excited about the kind of performance we did see yesterday. Yes, it was great, but as far as taking that and applying that into some excitement in the near future or you know what's going to happen next, It's just it's hard to get there looking at what kind of team they were facing. And I get that Nick said, yes, the Cowboys are bad as well this year, but at the same time,

it's just I'm just not there. I'm not just I'm definitely not there to say this was a turning point for the defense. It's not a turning point. It means it says that the it is at the end of the movie almost. I mean, there's no more turning points or anything like that. Um, And I think you know they got a good win at noon yesterday, but from three to six. They lost. They lost because what Washington did, and they lost. When Washington beat the Steelers, that that

was it. When Washington beat the Steelers, then they don't have because think about that. They're not supposed to be the Steelers, but they did. And if they didn't win that game, then it would be very very interesting with these two teams sitting at five and all that. I don't know how the Cowboys can win the division at this point, other than if Washington just loses out maybe and they got two teams that are they have losing records that they're playing at the end. They got Carolina

and they've got really yeah. Yeah, and Jalen Hurts. You know, he played well, but we've seen these happen. We've seen games like this before. Like you get a guy like that, he gets a spark, it's cool, and then defensive coordinators say, oh, okay, well hold on, let's let's let's we got something for him. And he'll have some struggles too, but you know it's probably not it's too late, too late to turn in the corner. It was just it was just this team's bad.

You know, go beat him, Yeah, and dominate the game if you can and they did. Here's the one thing I will say, and again we're coming close to in this show. But you look at and when I when I ask about a turning point, I think, what Mike McCarthy.

You listen to what the players are saying, and what Mike McCarthy saying, I think what he's trying to convince the players of is right now is important because not necessarily looking at the playoffs, but because this is the These are the moments when you can start creating some some momentum for the future. Now, I've never been a big fan of you know, at the end of the year, you can create momentum for the next year. But I think he is convincing his team that they may be

able to create some momentum for the next season. And especially in a situation where you have a defensive coordinator who has all season I think fallen short. If by chance they can get this defense to play better at the end of the season, it might point to Okay, some of these guys are starting to get it. Some of these guys may be starting to get this scheme.

Maybe it makes you going into next going to next year, feeling like, Okay, we feel the players feeling more confident in the scheme, feeling more confident in what they're asked to do, and that may help you going into next year. So that's the reason I asked about Attorney. And I cannot play a game though quick. I know we're running out of time, but I'll play a game. I'll let David and Amber answer this defense the guys that played yesterday,

starting with the coordinator. Do we think Mike Nolan will be back as the coordinader next years on what happens these last three games. I don't think so. I don't think Hamilton. I'll just go down the list. Gallamor yes, yes, Antoine would, yeah, maybe all the Smith maybe should I think he should? Vanderesh, yes, Jahylen. Do we have enough time he would be here? I don't know if Smith for Shard, Robinson, Darren Thompson, Xavier Woods, I'll say no

to that way through the whole roster. But I'm just you know, Gregory Lawrence, d law Yeah, Crawford probably not. So my point to that is starting with the coordinator down and building all this stuff. I don't know if you want these defensive guys getting all excited about next year because they won't be here, but but there are some keys in there. You want those linebackers to play a little bit better. You want Tank to play better or play well, yeah, you want you want Gallimore to

start feeling comfortable where he is. I mean, I think there are some guys that you look at and you're like, hey, if I can get these guys to start buying in, then when we get this, all those other guys out of here, the new guys we bring in, at least what they'll be hearing from the other guys is, hey, this system works, rather than looking kind of side eye at the coach every time the coach talks, because they don't believe in the scheme, right, I know, I know,

you know, we're definitely we're out of time on the show, but we don't know that the scheme will be the same in twenty twenty one. And on top of that, they like, we are we already did this, like we were doing the oh well, like you know they'll feel

better next year, like we did that. And then they went right back off the cliff against Washington and Baltimore and so you know, like turning it around against the number like the worst freaking team in the league or one of the two or three worst teams in the league. It just doesn't. Again, all credit to them for doing it, because they could have gone out and played terribly, which is what I sort of expected to see, and they didn't, So they get credit for that. But I really dam

not putting any faith into anything beyond that. David Amber, you guys both are not too excited about this game, and that's fine. What what would be exciting in the last three games? Win them all or these like win all these last three games, have a four game No, I'm asking, like, what would it be? They just left

that because they're not doing that. But I mean, I mean beating who can beat They can they beat anybody that I if you, if you want me to get excited, I want them to play really well, look like a competent football team down these last three weeks, and still give me an exciting draft pick that we can get excited about for our draft coverage. Like that's what I want. What would get me excited is to finally if we

get to see some kind of consistency. If you know, it's great when we talk about these type of games where they get some great plays and all that, but they have been lacking consistency all throughout the season. So if they are able to find even if they lose game, but we still see some explosiveness, we still seem some of them creating plays and just being consistent in these

last three games. I think that's something that I would be excited for because it gives me a sense of just then being more connected as a whole, regardless of the team being completely different next year, which is what we are expecting, Just having that kind of mentality of you know what, maybe we are able to find some consistency here, but other than that, nothing else will get me excited. Yeah, Nick went down the list of all

those defensive guys that probably won't be here. What I want to see down the stretch is the guys that will be here play well. That's all I want to see. I just I don't care about the outcome. I don't care if they win or lose. I want to see those guys play well, particularly those young guys like Gallimore. I want to see them play well because that tells me they're starting to get it and I can have some hope, like some glimmer of hope that maybe next year they can put it together and it can be

a better season. If those guys can't get better, then you're real because they're not going anywhere. A certain guys that aren't going anywhere, if they're not playing well down the stretch, then it kind of just takes away from that hope that you can have this offseason. All right, appreciate you guys, join us. Will be back tomorrow. We'll get some big picture looks at what's going on in the NFC East. Looking like the Washington Football team will

probably win it. We'll talk about that tomorrow too then for Nick Even, Dave helm and Amber Garcia. I am Derek Eagleton. This has been The Break presented by Guy Go Live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.