Cowboys Break: Speculating On Coaches

of The Break. We are live from s WBC Mortgage Studios at the Star. And yeah, it's one of those days. It's that day following the playoffs, following a playoff loss when everything just kind of comes crashing to a halt. Cowboys loose to the Rams thirty to twenty two out in LA. And we're gonna break down for you guys for the next hour what we think happened in that game,

why the Cowboys are now sitting outside the playoffs. We might can get into a little bit of talk on some I don't know if it was news, but something Jason Garrett had to say this morning about the offensive coordinator, which I think it's a big topic right now for fans. But let's start first with that game and let's go around the table. I know there were a lot of

things that went wrong for the Cowboys. I want each of you to tell me which do you think What do you think was the biggest problem for Dallas in the game against the Rams. Let's start with you, Nick. Well, I'm gonna steal everyone's then and say that they couldn't stop the run. That was the biggest problem. And they obviously couldn't run the ball, but they couldn't stop the run at all. I had no answers for it. And the defensive line, as good as they played all year,

they did not show up in that game. And that's too bad because it was a great opportunity for them to really show what kind of hot boys that they were and have been all year. And they didn't stop the run. They didn't even touch golf at all. They couldn't get any pressure. And it was brought to my attention. And I don't know if I believe this first drive of the game two off sides almost maybe change their

aggressiveness a little bit. I mean, it seemed like a bit that they didn't do anything on that side of the ball all game. Yeah, I think you can extend that as well to the linebackers too. Up. The whole front seven kind of no showed in this game. You know, we talked a lot before the game about misdirection and pre snap motion and all the you know, the play fakes the Rams like to use. And they did it, and I'm positive the Cowboys spent the whole week preparing

for it, but man, it didn't look like it. They couldn't get pressure on golf, they couldn't stop the run. Jalen Smith and Layton vander esh looked like first and second year players for the first time all season. Really. Yeah, not a good game by really anybody in the front seven, although I will I mean, and certainly that's the story

of this game. The Cowboys defense has been the one thing you could hang your hat on for most of the year, but you know, the inability of the offense to really keep themselves on the field to help the defense with that problem is is equally important to mean one of ten on third down, especially as good as

they've been since they traded for Amari Cooper. You know, I don't have the stat in front of me, but I know they were top five in the league, and third down conversion percentage after they traded for Cooper one of ten. That's pretty bad too. So those are the two things that really stand out to me. Okay, amber Well again, just to run overall both team, one that

could run, the other one that couldn't. It's amazing to me to see that the Cowboys were only able to rush the ball fifty yards, three of them being Dak, forty seven of them being Zeke. The fact that we've seen this happen before, to where as soon as defenses take away the running game for the Cowboys, they don't really find the answers of how to make it happen. And Dak, I thought he threw the ball a few times. He had some nice shots there, but it just wasn't enough.

And he got two hundred and sixty six yards in the passing game. But at the end of the day, they just can't they can't find a solution as soon

as defense take away their running game. You know, I just think in what she just said about they took away the run, and that's what I was in the press conference and Jason Garrett said, you know, they just stopped a run and that they were committed to it, and that's fine, but it's just, you know, dak Is, it's frustrating for fans because on one game you're like, Wow,

what an unbelievable performance against Seattle. He was great, and he was great at times or really good at times against the Rams, but like, if they're taking away your run, you've got to be able to beat them, and he couldn't and they couldn't, and so it's just frustrating. Something has definitely got a change there. So when we get to that other topic you've got that you alluded to, I I'd like to comment on that. Let me ask

a question though about that. There's a lot going I mean, but I think that when you when you start talking about them, you know they were committed to stopping the run. The first thought that comes to my mind is this is a conversation that goes all the way back to training camp. We all talked about the fact that guess what, guys, if you're gonna roll out there without a number one wide receiver, teams are gonna try to stop you. And what did they say? They said, we've been facing eight

nine men fronts. Zeke said, we've been facing eight men eight nine men fronts until it since I've been here. My thought is, if if that's what they knew, and if that's what they always said, we can still run against that, are we starting to see now and I don't even want to say starting to see? Did we see this year and it become very apparent that this team doesn't have the offensive line that it once had.

That could maybe press the issue when team said we're definitely gonna put eight nine men in the box, We're going to be committed to stopping the run, and the Cowboys would say, we're still gonna run. Have they now been shown they cannot do that with how they were currently constructed. Yes, I mean well, whether or not they want to accept that is a different question, But yes,

they've been shown that. That's that's I said that yesterday. Um, this team still calls plays and runs its offense, in my opinion, at least as if they have the twenty fourteen or twenty sixteen line and it just plays. But the play, the one you're talking about, fourth down, fourth down, fourth in a very long one. That's this this and we've said it till we're blue in the face. Sorry,

if we're repeating ourselves. I have at least is uh this this team Jason Garrett, Scott Nahan, the Cowboys, whoever you want to pin on their whole thing is like, well, we're just gonna do us and execute as well as possible. We're not. We're like, we're gonna line up and we're gonna beat you. Except that that hasn't worked for them, especially in those obvious types of situations. It's not all their fault. Nobody could have predicted that Travis Frederick would

come down with an autoimmune disease, etc. Etc. The point still remains, this offensive line is not the just jaw dropping dominant unit that it was in previous playoff fronts, and they have not adjusted to that fact. It's not it's not, but you can. You can still do things with them, and you've seen them being able to so. And again, there are certain plays that happened throughout the

game that I thought were good but missed opportunities. There were, okay, the Blake Jarving one where he was just completely open um and he got the ball. You remember that one. Um. The point is they can get certain guys to be open Beasley where he had a nice place and for some reason, he didn't execute it to where he turned and caught the ball. D just threw it at him, and it seemed like the ball was intended to just go to seek Um sorry basilely on that play. And

it's just the connecting parts. It's just they're just not always on the same rhythm. And I believe, yes they're not. The old line is not at the level we once saw them. But at the same time, you can't accomplish things. Okay, you're right about that. That I completely agree you can't do it. But it's it's a complete arrogance and or delusional or whatever. It's like, Steph Curry, as great as you are shooting, don't go in there and try to dunk on on check. That's not what you do. Everybody.

He was just going into the pain and try dunk quite acting like like you can do that. Why do you think, Oh, I see you, I see Donald, I see you, Sue, I see all that stuff. We're gonna run it right at you, yell, and you know what I actually want to do those five plays if they won the game. I was gonna put that fourth and one way early in the game when they went right at him and they got it, and then Cooper got the penalty and all that stuff. But that almost was like,

we got this, We're gonna go right at you. Well it happened later on a full yard and they said, yeah, we're just gonna run over you because we got Connor Williams. And that's not to say and Looney and Zach Martin. Apparently Zach Martin played pretty bad too, I will and I don't. I don't think they were horrible by any stretch of the imagination. Dak only was sacked once. I thought, I mean, Aaron Donald didn't register that we can talk

about that. I thought Connor Williams held up pretty well, Like and that's the point, like this is not a bad offensive line, but it ain't the Great Wall of Dallas. And to just line up, to quote Jason Garrett on a long one and just plow right at him it maybe it's just not the best idea. And the equally frustrating part was they had a great play call for a similar situation because they used it five minutes later when the game was gone. I mean, like, yeah, get

your quarterback moving. Sean McVay made a great call as well, like misdirection, multiple options, play action, give your quarterback a chance to do two things in one play, or even it's something as simple, how about motioning your wide receiver across the formation every time you run the ball, not giving it to him, and then on a crucial third down you do and he gets nine yards like stuff like that, stuff that we haven't seen from the Cowboys

all year. And straight up they thought, or I don't know this for sure, but they certainly appeared to think that they could just line up and run it however they wanted. And it's not true. Let me ask you this, Do you think that because and obviously Garrett made it clear that they were committed to stopping the run, that the Rams are committed to stopping the Cowboys run. Are you at all surprised that the Cowboys didn't take an approach or should they have taken approach that maybe they

should just start throwing it a lot more. And the reason why I say that is because we did. We did see I know it was at the end of the season, but we did see in that New York Giant game. They win in that game, and they were aggressive offensively with the passing game that would suggest to me that maybe it might have built a certain level

of confidence with them. You would think that kind of success could that you maybe say, hey, we know they're committed to running the ball, let's at least show them that. We'll go at them with the passing game, and then we can come back to our run once we get them to back off a little bit. But are you surprised it didn't take that that strategy. Yeah, And no excuses. I don't think they were. They were really that they

weren't as healthy as they have been. And this again, this is not an excuse, but you know, Beasley and Jarwin didn't practice week, didn't know if they were going to play, and and and does it matter you know, well, yeah, I think so Beasley's running across the field and there's a ball thrown right at him. He doesn't even know it's there. I mean, they were off and so I think that kind of limited him a little bit. And

also they only got sacked once. But we all we know that that clock has got to be a little bit less in Dack's head because they do bring the heat. I mean, there were it was a fight every single snap. Um, but there were some things that they could have done and for sure, and I agree with you Dave about what watch what the Rams did. That's what Tavan was supposed to bring. Doesn't even have to be him, just somebody faking it across and they just get away from

it and they don't do it. I feel like I never saw tavon Like I know, it was hard to watch the game from where we were seating standing, It sucked. The press box more talking to got a much better view than what we can. Yes, yes, but from the very little I got to watch, I feel like I never really saw a Tavan do anything. No, because he didn't. And that's that's very very unfortunate and disappointing. Like it's ridiculous. Nick Nick said, they got away from it. Yeah, you're right.

Training yea from training, got away from it after training camp. Um, you look good at training camp. That's I'm I'm reluctant to say I can hear I can hear the DAK haters lining up on me already. I'm reluctant to say that they need to just be back in the shotgun chucking it because that's not Dak's game. Like you're probably you're probably not as as highly as I think of him, You're probably not going to win a game if he's

just back there throwing in fifty times. And that's not just because of where he has a quarterback, but you're also limiting the best player on your offense, Ezekiel Elliott, in that situation. I mean, I know you can throw him the ball, but you still you are limiting him by not leaning on the run game. I just think you need to be more creative in the way you try to execute that. So you don't think it's necessarily a situation where you have a problem with the Cowboys

relying on the running game as their primary thing. Do if that's a problem to be more consistent with, or you have to be more creative in how you do it. They built the team to run the ball, so if they can't, if that's not a viable way to win games, and then they're kind of screwed. Um, So no, and and it's worked like they've won. They've had three winning seasons in a row leaning on the run game. And even when Tony Romo was here, twenty fourteen was all

about the run. As you know, as many great plays as he and Dez made, it was all about the run. So no, I I don't. I think it's a viable strategy. But but that's that's why. But still a viable strategy. We just said earlier that you don't think the offensive line is the same what it was. So is it still a viable a viable strategy if the offensive line doesn't play up to a certain level. Yes, but you just you're gonna come up against opponents that can make

you uncomfortable and make you have to adapt. And I would argue Jason Garrett's whole thing is like, well, we're not gonna adapt, We're gonna do us like we're just not executing. And I don't believe that. I don't because you will all there will always in life, forget football in life, like you're gonna fail, Like that's just gonna

happen and you have to change up. I mean the thing about when you look at when you look at the four teams that are remaining in the playoffs, you would say all four of them are extremely creative in how they run their offenses. I mean, you look at all of Andy Reid out in Kansas City, you look at obviously Belichick in New England, but you look at Sean Payton in New Orleans. You look at Sean McVay out in with the Rams, like that's what the NFL is.

And that doesn't mean I'm a big believer in the fact that you can win in the NFL with running in good defense. But I think that the thing you have to do is if you're gonna do that, you can't line up and just run the power. You know, power run the ball the whole game like that's just that doesn't I don't know that that would work over an entire season, and certainly when you get to the playoffs where you're playing everybody's good, every team is good.

I don't know that you can line up like that and expect to get that level of of of consistency and be able to win when teams say, hey, we know exactly what you're gonna do, and if we know exactly what you're gonna do, we can stop you exactly. And when you have other teams are the opponents and they're studying what you do. They know what you do. They've seen throughout the season that you don't really get creative, you don't really give them any surprises. This is exactly

what you do and we're gonna take it out. Now, what are you left to do if you have a quarterback. I mean, that's the point of having a quarterback to throw the ball. So if they take away your running game, you should be able to figure it out and throw the ball and make it happen somehow. This is more about the it's the Dallas defense, but I think it fits within the larger narrative. Did y'all see the quotes

coming out of the Rams locker room immunity? Like we could tell based on how Collins was shaded what they were going to do. Based I mean, if he's over here in his hand is placed this way, we know what they're doing. Like that's not encouraging. And like I said, that's the defense. But it just goes to show you this team can be really really good when they're firing on all cylinders and you can't deal with it. But when you are ready for it and you can stop it,

then they don't. They don't have a plan B. But yeah, and that is the larger narrative because it's not just the offense, it's the defense. And so that comes down to just the overall I don't know if it's just the message, but it's the overall strategy of what they at least preached publicly publicly, which is nameless, faceless opponent. We don't adjust to them. We do what we do and that's good enough. And maybe that just doesn't work.

Maybe you have to think again. If you look at the most successful strategy in the NFL over the last twenty years, I don't think anybody doubts it's been the Patriots. And what do they do every single game? Every single game, they have a different strategy. They morph their offense in there every year to fit whoever they're gonna play, and that's why they have to have versatile, smart players. But they do it and that's how they're so successful. And

not everybody can. Nobody's been able to replicate it. But the fact is that's a complete opposite strategy of what is publicly said here. Well, I mean you're right about that. You said, nameless faceless opponent. Well, you think that if if Aaron Donald lines up here or he lines up over here, that it doesn't really matter block him. I mean, I remember back in the eighties when Lawrence Taylor was lining up. I mean, that was the first thing you

had to do was figure out where he is. And when you have dynamic players and they have more than one, you have to do that. So you can't just just say it doesn't really matter. We're gonna blog, you know, next man doesn't matter. Connor Williams block it whatever. I mean, it didn't. It didn't work, and you had to get them on the move, get away from their best guy. And it's just like I said, it's kind of an arrogance. It's kind of this. I'm I'm getting upset. No, I

was sad. I was sad after the game. I was disappointed. But now that we're discussing it and just fans talking about it, now, I'm getting fans are pissed right now based off of the story we put out an hour ago. Oh well, yeah, let's take a break and let's come back and let's talk about that a little bit. Uh. There was an art I mean, I'm not an article.

There was a phone interview that coach Garrett did today with one or five out three the fan where he did mention that it looks like he expects the offensive coordinator to return. We'll talk about that when we come back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot Com radio. If you're like me and you love I mean, if you have a thing, then cutting the chord is scary. But then I found out I could switch it DirecTV now and still get

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Aflso done for the Cowboys for this season. They'll start over again. Actually in another week. It all starts over because Senior Bowl starts up next week. Here. We keep people of people all day yesterday We're like, we're gonna miss you guys. No, they were like we're gonna miss all y'all, Like well everything, you know. I'm like, we're not going anywhere. Raft Show starts Thursday, Senior Bowls Monday. I'm Cowboys are coaching in the Pro Bowl. So I'm

positive somebody's going to that, no doubt that. You Yep, awesome, I'll be there. Yeah. So there's I mean, there will be stuff obviously. That's the NFL. It all flips over so fast. We are literally a month and a week I think from the combine. So this thing starts over and it gets moving. The NFL has done I think they're idiots about a lot of things, but they have done a masterful job of making sure that they're never out of the spotlight ever. Yeah. So anyway, all right,

so let's let's talk about this. This comment that Jason Garrett made on a radio program that he in radio interview he had a little earlier this morning. He was talking to the guys over at one or five out three the fan here in Dallas, and he mentioned he was asked about coach Lenahan and said that his expectation is that coach Lenahan will be back. My question for you guys is do you think that is accurate? And if yes or no, tell me if you think it's

the right thing. Let's start with you Amber. Well, first of all, I believe that's what he should say as a head coach. I mean, right now, given the situation, what else could you possibly say. You don't necessarily call all the shots. You know, you have to have meetings and talk to the managers and the family and all that stuff and then have it figure it out. But should he be back, Um, probably not. And it just breaks my heart because there's a difference, like the thing

is decides to be nice. No no, no, no no. It breaks my heart because we see these people if we talk to them right right, and and then you know they're nice people. Lenahan, it's such a nice guy, always a smile on his face, is very polite, very respectful. But then you have to put that aside and look at the business part of it and see how this season turned out. And as far as that, and we talked about the relationship with the quarterback, the quarterback is

not changing. Dak is not going anywhere. I don't think so at least so that that would be the biggest change that you have to make is change the offensive coordinator. Dak needs somebody else that could really get the full potential out of him, and I don't think the best match is Lenahan. He's not coming back. I'm that's just gonna That's just what I believe one hundred percent. I just don't think he will be the offensive coordinator. I

don't care what Garrett said. I know Stephen Jones has said something here recently in the last which that that kind of helps my point a little bit, and he kind of answered it differently, and I think it's more important. Sorry Jason, but I think what Steven says is more important than Jason, because I think they ultimately will make that decision. Um. I just don't think there's any way, and I've said this in fairness, Scott, I don't believe Dak is a great quarterback for his system. What he

calls open sometimes is not what Dak is. His strong suit is. I don't think they're a good marriage together, and I think that it's time to go because he has called some plays this year that should have been better plays and they're not. It's just a different This system was supposed to be for Tony Romo and this offense, and it's worked pretty good at times. But I don't think that they're good together, and they got to make

a change, and I think they will. And when you're picking out of those two, you're sticking you're right, it's a lot. Well, first of all, our friend, our friend Jeff Kavanaugh with the fan, which God bless the Cowboys because it's like the only team in the league where like the owners and the general managers talk three times a week and the coach talks, so Jason get a lot of access. Jason Garrett had his interview this morning.

Stephen Jones follows it up three hours later, and he says, no comment on anything with the coaching staff, but they need to take a deep look at why they fell short. It's a little early to spec you about speculate about players and coaches, which, yeah, it's never too earlier. It's

never too early. Let that's first of all. Yes, But I mean, hey, this is they they got to go coach the Pro Bowl, which is like, I obviously, I'm sure nobody with the Cowboys organization wants the Eagles in the NFC title game, but I wonder if maybe they were, like, it would be nice if the Saints could go coach this Pro Bowl and let us take care of our stuff. So now no, let the Cowboys do their coachings. Yeah, that's that's what I mean. At the end of the

at the end of the day was happy. Yeah, now I could just enjoy the rest of the playoffs, like I don't have to worry about Like I really hate this team. I prefaced it, but point being, it's it's just kind of a weird situation. So I agree with Amber. I don't I don't think there's really much else Jason Garrett can say, because if he says anything else, then there's even more speculation about his dead, lame duck offensive

coordinator that he basically just fired. So and Stephen can't say that, by the way, Steven can say it more in that kind of way, and if he becomes news, it becomes news. He doesn't have to go into the coaches meeting room with like Jason does and then have to look the guy in the EU if he doesn't happen to leave, right, which, so I weigh all of that at the same time, like, I think there's not a lot, So I don't believe I don't believe Garrett.

I don't believe that that means anything. But at the same time, I wouldn't be surprised by any result, because we all were sitting here last year saying the same stuff, like we thought the whole freaking staff was gonna get fired last year, and not only did that not happen, but they elevated everybody stayed and got promotions too. So nothing would surprise me at this point. And I honestly would be kind of surprised if they knew for sure. I mean, we're two days out of this thing, you know,

so I don't know what to think. I would not be surprised if if Scotland Ahan came back. I would not be surprised if he was replaced, I would I would trend toward replacing him. I think twenty one points per game. As much as much as they improved after Marii Cooper, it wasn't substantially they finished they scored They averaged twenty two points a game after they did that trade. I looked this up today. They scored thirty points in three games, which ties them for like tenth worst in

the league. Like, the only teams that did worse than that in terms of scoring points are all miserable, Like they're bad bad teams. Do you guys give Lenahan the offensive coaches any any leeway for the fact that there were a couple things that would just kind of unexpected that hit them this year that they had to manage. First being obviously they lost Jason Witten when they didn't expect Jason Witten was not going to be playing for them.

Then they lost Travis Frederick when they didn't expect they would be losing him. Do you give them any amount of leeway for that and say, well, maybe this was just these were unforeseen circumstances. And for half the year they didn't have a number one wide receiver, which I don't think was was So I don't think that was something that was I wouldn't put on the coaches. I think that was a situation where they knew des wasn't going to be here. I think they didn't have the

opportunity to get a number one receiver. And wait, no, no, listen to what I'm saying. Okay, they actually went out in the in the off season and we're trying to sign a number one wide receiver, which is questionable. I know you and I've had this conversation as to whether you really think he's a number one or not. But the fact is they didn't get him, and so I think they really just kind of said, this is what we're left with we're gonna have to deal with it.

We'll have to get a number one receiver next year, so we just got to make it work. The opportunity became available to get Cooper, that's when they get him. All that being said, there's a lot of stuff there that happened. Do you give him any leeway for that? No? Okay, First of all, I mean they deserve a ton of credit for recognizing what was wrong. They went out and

got Amari Cooper. They put themselves in that hole. Whether the coaches are part of it, whether I don't care, like that's they spent all offseason selling that as like they you know the guy the meme on Twitter where the guy taps his brain. They're like, Oh, we don't need a number like they thought they were. We've talked about that for doing. You think they really believe that, because I don't. I think they that was what they were selling publicly. I don't think they really believe they

didn't need a number one receiver. That all goes back to and I, you know, I get it in relationship and ships play a big part of that. But they didn't have to get rid of Dez Bryant. In their minds, maybe they did. Maybe they thought that this was a situation where he wasn't providing for they were getting in the weeds. Here we are. They didn't give it. I don't think that they set Jason Garrett up for failure, but they didn't give him the opportunities to go win.

They really didn't that. They didn't replace Dez with anybody. They didn't even use his money for anything. They had a chance to get Old Thomas, they decided to go with the Connor Williams and play him. That just tells you how much you know they're gonna go with a young team. They didn't do anything. They couldn't do anything really at tied in when they lost Witt, and they didn't go get a veteran presence. The only reason they got Cooper that I don't care what they say. They

did not say anything about turning this around. Every time you asked him, they said, he's twenty four. They got this for the future, and someone else is going to coach him. Well, lo and behold they make it turn around. But I don't give him any pass for the offense because they don't do the things they need to do to win. And this is a stat I told you about earlier about Dak. I mean, they don't run him. When he runs, they have success. I went and looked

this up. When he gets two carries or less this year, oh and four, when he gets four carries or less, they're like one and five or something like that. And then when he gets six or more, it's like ten and two. Run the ball with him. That's what he does. He's an extra running back, so run him. That's what he does. Use them to his strength. Okay, so do you think this last game at least I know that this isn't for the whole season, but do you think this last game at least them not using it maybe

has something to do with the knee? No? No, right, he didn't look like he was having issues. And I'm not saying it was it wasn't. I'm just saying that this He was on the injury report this week, and he did have a knee and he didn't run. There was times where he was out there open and and you know about there to throw it, and he forced it in there and didn't run. There were some times where he didn't run, of course, but and I'll believe that I would if if they had been running him

throughout the sea and using it that quality. But I would not use anything that's right they like, I mean, how many games were that was just a non factor. So no, and he's a freaking warrior anyway, So knee or no knee, he would have done what needed to be done. Going back to your other point, something something unforeseen and crazy happens every year to every team. It's like,

it's not an excuse. That's the NFL. The Atlanta Falcons are probably sitting there right now saying, if we don't lose Dion Jones and Keyan O'Neill for most of the season, we're in the playoffs, like we had this great offense blah blah blah, Julio Ridley. But guess what, Yeah, you lose, you lose your two Pro Bowl defenders, and the whole thing changes. Like that's that's the league. Uh So. And and Joe Looney played great in place of I mean when that happened, I was like, this season sank fast.

I mean, and I don't mean that as disrespect to Joe Looney, but Travis Frederick's a hard guy to replace. I thought Joe Looney is one of the most unsung success stories of the entire year. So no, I don't I don't want to hear that. Honestly. Yeah, they actually got when you think about what you're saying, the guys get hurt all the time. I mean when you think about injuries, season ending stuff. I mean, the one to Frederick was was tough, but Looney stepped up and played well.

Hearns they lost Hearns way late in the year and he wasn't much of a factor anyways. I mean, they didn't really have those guys and we thought though when Sean Lee went out, we thought her, here we go again, and then it actually opened the door for vander Estra play as well as he did throughout the year. But they didn't have a lot of those major injuries. But

I think they were very lucky this year. And when you look at it, yes they didn't have a tight end just overall with the talent they have, and yes the tight end position that was a problem, and then having their number one wide receiver that was a problem.

But you're saying they were lucky to get to the playoffs that I think she's saying they're lucky in terms of not a whole lot and having wrong for them between the exactly when you look at things that could have gone wrong as far as the people they have on the whole team, whether it's on the defense or offensive side of the ball, they have a lot of talent. They have a lot of talent, and I think they they could have done a lot more. And we saw

the changes that happened once Amari got here. But even then, there's a lot of things that had you done differently coaching wise and like calling certain plays and stuff, you could have done better and most likely we would be talking about the next game. I mean, let's I'm this is all off the top of my head. Seventeen year left tackle has his worst injury problems ever. Sean Lee. You can kind of see that coming. So that doesn't

even count. Um Zeke, I mean Zeke's whole situation last year, which when we went to when we went to training camp, that that that seemed like ludicrous to think that wasn't even in the was not that was the thing. Like I'll straight up a minute, like people kind of like people would tweet me and be like I'm hearing whispers that Zeke's in trouble and be like, what are you

talking about. Nope, didn't see that coming in We were shocked when we got the news, like what sixteen, but you lose your starting quarterback in the third preseason game. They handled it beautifully, Still could didn't see it coming. I guess you could argue based on fifteen, which again lose your starting quarterback in week two fourteen, Sean Lee a much younger Sean Lee gone before the season even starts. Thirteen And something happened in thirteen. If I had it,

happens every year, got hurt at the end of the year. Yeah, that was all the way in Week sixteen though, but yeah, I mean it happened. Time to get hurt. Yeah, bad time to get hurt, Tony, But right about that, Every single year it happens to every single team, you know, and a lot of people want to blame Garrett as well, you know, Garrett Lenahan. I mean there's a lot more angst towards Lenahan than than Garrett. But I mean this this is one of the youngest teams that has ever

made it to the playoffs. I mean, we saw that staff the other day out they don't have a starter over thirty and it's the first time in what thirty one years an NFL team made it to the playoffs without a regular starter over thirty I mean that's that just goes to show what kind of young team this is. I think it was impressive what they did and turn things around again. I don't think if Dak is your guy, I don't think this offense is the right for him.

And no disrespect to Lenahan, He's been a good coach over over his time as an offensive coordinator, but not in this setting. They need something different better than need something fresh. And I just do not believe he will be back. There's no way you can do it, and Well is not going to tolerate it. They will they He'll tolerate it, but you'll tolerate It's sorrycause you don't have any choice at the end of the day that

the fans can't make the call. If the fans can make the call, a lot of things would be different, but they can't. I agree with everything you just said, except I cannot rule out the possibility that nothing changes because of everything you just said. Turn around from three and five too. You know, they finish eleven and seven, they make the playoffs, they win a playoff game, No starters under thirty, third youngest team in the league. Damn

near every important piece coming back. I can see not balanced. You'd you had to lean on your defense, which in your defense got got gashed game over, season over. You saw that twice here and in both those situations they were not even come their offense and never really carried them once, not once a game. Maybe I mean Jacksonville, but the defense played great in that, maybe the Giants

game when you know, but the defense failed you twice. Yeah, like legitimately failed you twice this year, and they got drummed in those games. Allow me to clarify. Allow me to clarify. I am not making that argument. I do not believe what I'm saying, but I have to say in the hypothetical in the art, in the scenario I'm imagining where Jason Garrett and Jerry Jones are having this discourse. This is what Jason Garrett is saying. He's like, look what we did with the team we had will only

be better. I don't believe that, but I can see the argument. You're right about the Pro Bowl. This this has to be better add for them because without terrible time coaching the Pro Bowl, without it. You do things what you want to do, and you don't have a timetable, and when you have to make it, they can immediately start actually doing the reevaluations of what went wrong, what went right, and making that Now you have to make

the call, is this guy going with us or not? Yea, which and even if he goes with you, that doesn't mean that it doesn't just puts everything off right. Scott Linahan could see he could go out and spend the week in Orlando and coach the Pro Bowl and talk to every media member that's out there, and it doesn't

mean anything to me. It doesn't like, it doesn't mean anything until probably yeah if after the like, if nothing has changed a week after the Super bowls over, then then I start to think, like, Okay, this is just where we're at. Dave and I are going to have some fun conversations. I think when you're in Mobile and there's Steven, Yeah, I'm going to talk to Stephen and then you're gonna take what we get from him and run it over to Yeah, to Jason Yeah, and that'll

be interesting. I'll tell you who I'm not gonna go gonna be a fun week. I'm not going up to Rod Marinelli and asking him about and we'll talk about that a little bit later. Real quick before we go to break, though, I do want to ask you guys about Kellen Moore because you were talking about how this offensive coordinator may not be the best for Dak. Does the question also come up? Is this quarterback coach to an experience? And we've talked about that throughout the season.

Is that one of the coaching positions where you look at it and you say, maybe there needs to be some evaluation here on whether he's the right fit at this moment. And I always want to be careful of saying that doesn't mean I don't think at some point Kellen Moore can be a great quarterbacks coach, head coach, whatever he's gonna aspire to be. Just with the lack of experience, do you need more experience in that room when you have no experience, well literally little experience with

all the quarterbacks that are actually in the room. Yeah, experience, Yeah, a lot, shoot a lot more experience. Honestly, this is hard to say because we're not there to actually see what is being taught and what it's not being taught. But honestly, I have no feeling of just saying yes, I saw Kellen Moore do something this year, I can't say that, And it's hard to evaluate that because of the game. We're not in the room and you know, don't I saw something just the other day, for the

first time I had the binoculars on. That's one thing I could see was right across from me. After the whole it was a sack Lyell picked him up whatever whatever that that ruling was. They had to hold Kellen Moore back from the sidelines. He was like what, I don't know, going to charge the field and talk to the ref whatever they were holding him back, And I was just like, never seen that. I wish I would have seen that. Yeah, I would like the most un

I mean Garrett. Even Garrett was turned around like stop Kellen, just calm down over here. He's like the most field guy here, right. Yeah, I don't think I've ever seen him with even like even Dak gets fired up during games, Like I've never seen Kellen Moore fire. All right, let's take our final break. When we come back. I do want to hit a little bit on that topic you mentioned of of Rod Miranelli after the game, he was not very happy with some of the questioning. We'll talk

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dot Com. Today. Back to the Break Welcome Back. It's the final segment of The Break Life from the s WBC Mortgage Studios at Star. Nick tell us about Tommy John, Thomas Jonathan. I won't be rapping or anything today, No poems for you, just gonna tell you about Tommy John. All right. Freedom it gives you do on my own time, all right, true cowboy loves his freedom. Tommy John gives you that freedom. You know where to go. Tommy John dot Com Forward slats now Boys, you get twenty percent

off your first order. I'm talking about freedom, like below the waist you don't don't feel like you have anything on love freedom. Aretha Franklin wrote a song about that, right, thank you. This is what So I'm thinking about this during the break, Like, when was the last time the Cowboys just had a January off where they didn't have some sort of obligation after the season. They did? What

was it last year? I looked up four out of five years though they've coached their coaching there's something Senior Bowl, Pro Bowl, nothing, Pro Bowl. Yeah, that'll happen when you can't get past the divisional round. Man, all I did yesterday, I'm just talking to the Twitter verse. I just put out some news. The news is the Cowboys are covering or coaching the problem. Okay, I'm not saying, hey, look

at this, Hey guys, Jason Garrett, what an accomplishment. The way it worked, it's it's it's the way the league sets it up. Okay, if you're the highest seeded team to lose in the divisional round, you coach the Pro Bowl. That's the way it is. If the Saints would have lost day coaching. Oh. I made a comment on one of my our persecope that I do with Brian. It's like about Chris Ray Sharon getting some interviews for you know, the head coaching. Oh my god, this chick. She wanted

to kill him. It's just like, you're so stupid. You don't know what you're talking about. Like he's staying here. I'm like, dude, I'm just informing you of what is going on. This is just news that time of year. Man. Definitely, Oh, you should just hear the stuff, like, well, it's the only time he'll be coaching in February. I think the

Pro Bowls even in February. Whatever, But no, I hear you any right, Marinelli after the game in our interesting setup to get postgame interviews, rot Melon sounds like me was he was. He was not very pleased. There was a question that came from the media that basically was asking him if if to talk about a report that had come out that he was possibly going to retire, and he basically said, look, don't don't put words in my mouth. Come ask me about it. I'm telling you

I'm not gonna retire. He and he even took offense to it. I think more because this is a situation where this is probably him looking at it like I know I'm older, but I'm still and he even mentioned, he said, when do you ever see me not having energy? When do you ever see me not having you know, being able to really motivate my guys. Don't just because I'm older. Don't make it seem like I'm I need

to be put to passage. I think he was in the wrong, honestly, and how he handled that, and I I can you can say all you want to about after a game, and you know it's not the right time to ask him the question. But but my retort to that would be when is when is the right time? You're not having any more press conferences. You sure weren't outside the locker room yesterday when it was trash bag day and everyone was leaving. You don't have another one?

What are we gonna wait till the Pro At that point, we don't know if we're gonna have to be at the Pro Bowl. So so there's a report out there, and he kept saying, ask me, ask me. It's exactly what she was doing, the reporter, and I thought she handled herself very very well. She said, you know, we are asking you the question, and you've always been great to us. We're asking There was a report and I don't know if this is true or not. No one knows.

The NFL network is reporting it, so it's worth asking. And you know, I mean, he's sixty nine years always turning seventy. That doesn't mean anything. It's just asking the question about this report. And he he was mad because they gave up two hundred and seventy three rushing cards and he and I'm not I'm not faulting him. I'm just saying I thought they did their job and it just was sure he had a lot of emotions. Yeah's at that time. It's the it's the age. It's the

age old conundra. And I mean, we got a job to do. It's important and you outlined it perfectly, like well within your right to ask the question. But it's just one of my least favorite things to do. It's a tough part of the job, especially in the playoffs. That's that's the third playoff loss that I've had to go in there and be part of that, and it's

it always sucks. Fourteen at Lambeau after the death, that was the worst one in my worst I mean, I've never seen Jason Witton like Jason Witten was barking at people just and you know, you start working towards this goal in February and then it just screeches to us. It's got to be one of the worst feelings in the world. Yeah. Tyron Crawford was like, it's exactly as difficult as I remember it being, and that like that resonated with me. I was like, yeah, I bet it is.

So it's just a crappy situation because we I mean, it's a fair question, but I get that he's not exactly in the mood to answer it. And do you guys think that happens? This is also about the fact that all season he's heard the rumblings because everybody's talking about it. Chris Shark, Christopher Shark, Christopher Shark. He needs to be the defensive coordinator, Christopher Shark. Do you think that maybe this is a part of that boiling over that he's like, why why, why are you guys trying

to push me out of the door. I'm not It's not like I'm not doing my job well and defense that's playing really well. I still am the defense. I'm speaking at him, I still am the defensive coordinat of this. I may not call them place, but no, not me. I got that game. I didn't call that game. Maybe

some of the others. I didn't call that one. But maybe he's maybe that's a part of it for him, at least that he still is the defensive coordinator and he still is running this Here's what Then, the ironic part of this is that when he got here, he was also the defensive coordinator without the title. If you remember, Monnie Kiffin was here as the coordinator, but Mayeronelli was also doing But Marionelli probably does a lot more than what Monny Kiffin was doing. True, I'm just saying, but yes,

I'm just saying that this stab there. Yes, well, I mean, but they have to make a decision. I mean there's teams that want Christopher Shard and now just and people ask this question, do they don't understand this rule? And I just want to get this part out. He is a he is the passing game coordinator, secondary coach. You can't block anybody from saying, hey, come be your interview for a head coach. But nobody can say, hey, I want you to be our defense. It's a coordinator and

think they're giving him a promotion that doesn't work. The only time the Cowboys have to let him interview for anything is a head coach. So I've heard that. I've got tweets from that, like what if somebody needs a defensive coordinator that doesn't work, doesn't matter. If you're a quality control coach and they want to move you up four levels, you can't do it unless it's a head And it sounds like all the head coaching positions that

he had interviewed for and taken. There's still waiting of The Dolphins have not made a final, but they are why they're waiting, supposedly waiting for It's like New England. As far as I understand, it's like a rubber stamp deal. Brian Flores. They're still in so obviously they wouldn't make him their head coach until they were out right I will.

And I think part of this too. There was a report, but Rod said with his own mouth before the game, he's I think the direct quote was like, I'll do whatever we have to do to keep Richard here, which I mean, so, what does that mean? You're going to change titles, You're going to retire. So that just adds to the speculation. Although I don't think we really need to speculate at this point because I think every head coaching job is filled, but I think will happen. Oh

you're right, Okay, well Cincinnati's waiting on the Rams guy. Yes, so you got two positions open, but it's widely speculated that both those positions are going to be filled by guys. I think, what if I had to guess, I think the Cowboys are going to take care of take care of Chris Richard one way or the other. Guess so, but they don't have to worry about it anymore. Well, what I think will happen is somebody's going to be

the assistant head coach. Not that that really matters, but I mean I think that that I think that title and I don't know if it'll be him or if it might be Marinelli. Is the assistance I actually I disagree with you. I think it absolutely matters to Chris Richard when it comes time for him to interview again, well next year or in two years or whenever, right, I mean, because if I was about to tell you our receiver coach, Jimmy Something, I can't even remember his name.

His name was Jimmy Something, and he was our assistant head coach. And that just goes to show just how much I mean, just a few years ago, just just to kind of make it work. It doesn't always matter, but I think it would matter to Chris just to have the title, to take that to an interview and say I've done this, I've had this responsibility. Maybe Rod's the assistant head it's it's possible difference one way or

that thing too. Like as the assistant head coach, does that allow him the opportunity to address the team at different times as Jason say, Okay today, you're going to be the one. Oh I like that, but I'm just like that. But my point is like there are things that I'm sure Jason can do to help prepare him for a head coaching job that that may be something that they can sweep in the potta pre staying we're

gonna we're gonna give you some opportunities. Well some things that I hear right I can hear the applause from our listeners right now at that that right there, that might have made someone I mean, you got and they haven't, they haven't smile since Saturday, But that made you gotta be careful when that happens, because because that was happening. I mean, Jason Garrett was getting groomed to be the

next head coach. I remember exactly grooming him. Remember where I was standing in that corner of that long hallway that leads down to scouting. I was standing there thinking this is going to end in an odd way because if he is supposed to be the coach. What fires Jason Garrett? Is it gonna be lack of offense. I mean, there's gonna be a just bad defense. I mean it's gonna be really weird to fire him and bring Garrett in.

And it was, and it happened, and I don't say it worked, but I'm just saying next year football is really weird that way because start, you know, this will it'll all get settled. They'll sign their free agents and their draft picks. But and like in March and April, this this team will be whole, and Jason Garrett can start his team meetings and they're gonna all start pulling in one direction and rowing the boat boat towards the

you know, another season. But real quick at this time of year, when it's all over, the knives come out like it's it's every man for himself. I mean, you know, it's like musical chairs, Jason, They're there's only gonna be one.

Like somebody's gonna get left out. Jason Garrett is probably not right now, but just in the long like Jason Garrett's got a side eye at Chris Rahard like that's I see you over there, and you know, and Cole Cole Beasley's like I'm getting the hell out of here, like or you know, and I mean this is all hypothetical, but just it's it's every man for himself when the season's over, and then he takes a couple of months and reorganized this team. Like you know, you can always

tell like what guys what they leave behind. It's suggesting how much they expect to be back on. Yeah, right, Remember like Bryce Butler last year took the cake in terms of just he's like deuces, I'm gone, and you know there's he's in the team picture this year. Yeah, well yeah, ironically he wasn't. Arm Hey, when when can I know it was him? Can I ask a question? When can I talk about Earl Thomas again? Okay, talk about Earl Thomas. We'll give you about five minutes. We

got the left on the show talk about old Thomas. Well, you know, Christopher Shard being here would help. Um, I think And so do you really think that he is a target for the Cowboys this offseason? I think he should be. Um, I don't know that's that wasn't my question. Do you think will be? Yeah, okay, I think he should be. Um. You know I do think he would.

You've been thinking he should be for a long time. Yeah. Well, I mean you know, you always remember the last game, and I mean Xavier Woods and Jeff Heath they played pretty well this year. They didn't play a great game at the end. I mean nobody did on defense, nobody had a great game. But I think you can see just a guy that can make some kind of play, get an interception, you know, catch a tip ball, do do something, have some leadership there. And he said he

wanted to be here. I think he still does. I think Christoph Shard would help with that. Now, is he gonna come back from the injury? Well, I think it might lawer his price a little bit. I would do it. I would do it in a heartbeat. I you know what, he could be the Charles Haley to this team. I really believe. I mean, think about it. You had a good young team, but they need somebody. And I'm sorry

to Marcus Lawrence. I love to Marcus Lawrence, but you need to play better than that in the game, with the game on the line, You've got to be better than that. Yeah, the interesting thing about that is you need It's some some games that you'll come across, playoff games tend to be like that sometimes where you need somebody. Everybody on the team is kind of looking for somebody that's gonna step up and be that spark. And that's

when I saw somebody to tweet this. I think it was I want to say it was Patrick Crayton, but but just basically saying this is right now, this is the moment. He was talking about this during the game. This is the moment where you make the money. And he was talking specifically about about Tank because that's when when you start talking about whether you're gonna get that long term deal or not and how much that long

term deal is going to be. Those guys that get that premium dollar long term, they're typically the guys that in those kind of moments make the players that need to be made. That sparked the entire team, we can do this and come back. And who got the game ball for the Rams Whitworth Well, it was one of them. Yeah, I mean he got one of their game balls. I mean, and again I say that because I viewed Tank as the leader, and he is and I would resign him

in a heartbeat. All that I'm just saying, But I could said the same thing to Sean, to Sean Lee, Jalen Smith, vander esch Mighter played his worst game and we've seen in a while. I mean, Byron Jones wasn't playing well. That penalty Tiki tack penalty in my opinion, but that to me was probably one of the biggest plays of the game. I agree with that. That was a huge play. Thirteen to seven, You're about to finally force him to punt, and next thing you know, two

plays it's twenty to seven. That changed everything. That the Earl Thomas conversation, this this I want to write about this this week, but it's always tricky because everybody wants to know what's next. And I'm like sitting there like, yeah, making some great points about Earl, and then I'm like, we're gonna do with Tank, what's gonna happen here in a month and a half, and I'll lower his his uh you know average, we're definitely saying he's getting this extension.

I would I wouldn't. I didn't ask you that. Yes, I think they are. Yes, I think they sign him to an exten will it get done in a timely manner? And that is important because the which I mean they're gonna tag him, they have to, and they're going to get an extension done between now and February whatever. I think the deadline to tag is February, probably mid February the odd I've never seen an extension get done that quickly after a season, not for this, unless they already

had it done. I think they will. But that's true, which it's totally possible, it's so, and that My point is just that there's so many dominoes that have to fall into place before I can even think about signing a Earl Thomas or anybody else for that, and if they go to have a ton of room though, if they got a lot of money to be able to spend, if they go to de Marcus and say, listen, we're gonna get we want to sign you. Let's be fair

let's get this thing done. But we need you to get this thing done so we can do other things and sign other people. I think he would do that as long as it's not completely unfair. I mean he'll he'll make it fair, but he'll do it in a timely manner so they can go do things. He's a team guy. Do you think it hurts him at all that his numbers weren't as high as they were last year?

Number one and number two, that when he came to the playoff game they at least this one against the Ram It didn't that he didn't hurt the All Pro voters from making him a second team All Pro. Right, get all that. I'm just saying, do you think that, but you do not negotiation? You do not negotiations go right. That's I think that affects the negotiation. With all due respect to both of y'all, I think y'all are kind of trying to gloss this thing over, and I'm not

convinced that it's going to be that easy. Because when you say, when you say not that he's you're saying that you think there's a chance that they franchise him and they go into next year with him franchised or or I mean they might, they absolutely might franchise him with the intention of signing him later this year, and maybe DeMarcus says, screw you guys, I like I'm not I'm not coming in. I'm not gonna make this easy

on you like I did last year. Like it could be a death situation where the deal ultimately gets done. But we don't see DeMarcus Lawrence until August. And I don't I don't know anything, but you know, you just outlined it perfectly. He's got these stats, he's got these

all pro votes, he's got this and that. He's also got a no show in a playoff game, and well, you didn't do anything down the second half of this, as I wonder when the when the two sides eventually sit down, how close are they really and how much money is DeMarcus asking for? But here's the deal. If you just if you just franchise him again, Let's say he goes and signs it again. Now it's going to be twenty million dollars twenty million for the for him

that at least like that. That doesn't I'm not practical, I'm gonna yearse it. The Rams franchise Donald. Was it three before they finally did a deal? Was it just two? I don't remember, off it had one. I think it was two. I think he started holding out after the Are you sure fourteen fifteen, sixteen seventeen, I don't think. I think. I think they tried. This was the second year.

I don't think they even franchised him at all, because he was a fourteen pick, so fourteen fifteen, sixteen seventeen this would have been his fifth season, which is covered under his rookie deal. I don't think they franchised. He was just holding out because because he was like, I'm playing like a stud and I want better money than He's only one case in point, Zeke Elliott could do something similar. That's there's a lot of stuff. I mean,

this team is set up really well. But the question does I'm back to the last taste that they had. Sure didn't necessary, doesn't necessarily inspire you to say you need a deal right now? But do you look do you really just focus on that last week negotiating? Yes? Absolutely, just no, no, no, I'm not saying just but it becomes a part of the negotiation, that's the way it does. But you look at it as an overall too. You're you're speaking from a standpoint of of what the same

argument is. If you're if you're not on one side or the other, if you're on one side or the other, you take whatever is an advantage for you in a negotiation, and that's what you harp on. So I'm sure the Cowboys would be if they were in that type of conversation, they would say, Hey, man, we just don't know if if we're ready to spend that kind of money. We haven't seen the consistency in the playoffs that helps us

get there. Right, how about to negotiate? How about the single most underpaid player in the NFL right now, Dak Prescott. Dak Prescott, that's an interesting one. I watched and if I was gonna be going that one, I had to get somebody paid early. Then you probably think it may be your quarterback. A lot to talk about this, all right, real quick, before we say bye, I have someone asking on Twitter, what's our schedule gonna be like for the show? Now,

we will let you guys know. There's basically for the rest of this week, each show will do one more show this week. We'll let you know what day it's gonna be. And then starting next year, next week we'll go into our offseason schedule, which will be one podcast per day. Every show will do one show each week, so we will be let's say, for example, on Tuesday or Wednesday or whatever it is. But we'll give you that schedule, we'll put it out here in the coming days.

We'll be able to let you guys know, and then we'll be back all right till then, For Dick, even Dave Helmet, amber Garcia, I'm Derek Hipilson. 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