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It is Thursday, December seventh, twenty twenty three, Season nineteen, episode number eighty four. Welcome to the latest edition of The Break. We are a live from the s WBC Mortgage studios at the Star and it is our job day to get you ready for Cowboys Versus Eagles, a day we're going to focus in on the Eagles defense versus the Cowboys offense. We get some updates here at the beginning of the show. Patrick, let's start there first.
Yesterday I was out, but I did see the news that won Mike McCarthy had a little medical issue that was going on. What do we know at this point about him in his availability.
Yeah, a little bit of a medical scare happened in real time while while we were doing the show yesterday. But Mike showed up to the facility yesterday to try to go through his normal rigamarou and he didn't feel well, had some abdominal pain. He was gonna try to tough through it, but you know, his Knights of the Roundtable, Dad and his coordinators, they looked at him and said, you don't look well, go get it checked out. And
so he did, thankfully. But it was found out that he had a cute Appendicidi's so good that he caught that early because I don't wanted to burst right because it could be life threatening if at birst. So he underwent surgery yesterday and I'm told that he is released and he is recovering now when the expectation remains that
he will be available to coach against the Eagles. I spoke with Bones Fossil yesterday in the locker room just to kind of get a sense of if the Cowboys know if Mike is going to be up in the box orf he's going to be on the sideline, and Fossil doesn't know quite yet, but my speculation, pure speculation. My speculation is that Mike is going to be on the sideline. I think Mike wants to give that energy to his team and show them that he's there for
them and do everything possible. So as long as there's no setback, knock on Wood, because it is a medical situation, the expectation is he'll be on the field or at least in some capacity present so that he can coach against the Eagles.
You know, that's the one where I was. I hear you say he'd be on the sideline. I don't even know if that is that possible, because when you've got some done before on the sideline though, like that's a different thing, like when you get cut. I don't know if you've ever had surgery. I've had surgery on my
stomach before. And for like the next couple of weeks, I was kind of walking really slow and kind of hunched over a bit to be on a sideline and standing for contact three hours and risking the fact that some play runs toward you and now you got to move quickly. I don't know if that's even possible right now.
This is a doctor's decision is going to be, you know, And yeah, Mike will probably try and tough it out and all that I was told about. Dan Campbell came one time to training camp with appendicitis and then he practiced like a week later, so he was like, you know, you feel better along the way, but this is totally a coach's decision. I was laughing because it reminded me of everybody talking yesterday. It was like when back in the day. This reminded me of Dick Cheney at the
White House when they president was out. Vice President was, I mean, everything's cool. I'm here, you know, I'm like, everybody fire behind you, everybody's talking like the White House, you know, word coach hands, everybody's good, Country's on him. Country's gonna be fine, you know. And I just it just reminded me of that. But it's almost as big as the White House, this place. But yeah, we'll see. We'll see if if, if the doctors allow him, Mike,
Mike will try and fight through it. Yeah, I'm sure it would, and but yeah, it's going to be their call.
It's interesting because I did read yesterday North Turner. I suppose he had one years ago. He had some similar situation happened on Friday, and he coached the game on Sunday. What I didn't hear was whether he was in the booth or on the sideline, which to me is it. That's a huge difference. But you know, and you know I talked about that yesterday Ambro. I just, man, that seems that seems like a big stretch to be on a sideline.
A few days later, Let's look at the positive.
Just make sure Cable is standing next to him, ensure no content.
Cable will make sure. And by the way, Cable is what is it his actual title, He's.
Like the head of security or he's always say this version of basically Ryan calls him the Viking because he looks like is big and strong and.
He looks right off the boat.
Yeah, that'll make sure nobody gets to Mike. If Mike he looking right in front of no.
But I started the more I thought about it, I'm like, if he is, let's say where he does have to be on the booth in a booth maybe and just maybe this helps just going to see the different the game in a different perspective. And against Seattle, we were questioning some of those calls that happen later in the game, and some of those decisions. Maybe you by him being in a separate environment, you you think differently. And I'm thinking this game is going to be a very close one.
I don't see either team just completely blowing out the other one. So I think it's very it's going to be a close one, and most likely than not they might be they might end up in a situation where those decisions will be will play a huge role in this game, in the outcome. So I'm just saying, maybe maybe it's all meant to happen for his health and for the health of the team and what happens this weekend. But I do think that even being on the booth, I see positive sides to it rather than negative.
Yeah, I mean there's pros and cons to it. Obviously there's a reason DQ is up in the booth, gives him the birds. I view real life all twenty two as it's happening, So I mean, obviously that would to Amborun's point, he would give a different perspective for Mike as far as play calling, which is a huge benefit. The negative there would be that you don't have the immediate feedback and collaboration that you would have on the sideline with Dak Prescott and some of the receivers. So
it's a little bit of a trade off. But I just want Mike to do whatever is best for his health and that's the bottom line. And ultimately it does sound like he will be available to coach at the game. What his location is between him and the doctors, but I'm sure they'll get it figured out.
That's an interesting thought because I never have really noticed during games. I don't know if you guys have. I've seen some head coaches who call plays, going back and talking to their play their players while they're on the sideline. I've never really noticed that. With Mike. It always seems to me like he's up that the front, still watch, still engage with the game. Have you guys seen that much?
I think Scott Tolzine is the one guy. It's funny because Brian Schottenheimer stands at one end of the bench and it's like he stands opposite of where Mike is. Okay, and then you've got Linda Wells and that he's responsible
for getting personnel in and out of the game. Londaz Yeah, and so you'll see, so Mike is standing right there with him, But I usually see Scott Tolzine is the one that sits down with Dak and Cooper Rush when it comes to any type of work that need to go through and sequencing on their pads or things like that.
Yeah, so, I mean, it'll be interesting if he's not one that typically spends a whole lot of time with players on the sideline. Maybe that's not an effect that you feel if he's in the press box as you do other times, taking.
In assets because of the games. Is that what we're doing.
That's that's thanks to my good old trustee, next Gen Stat's website I'm looking at anyway. Yeah, so, I mean, I don't know. I mean, I'm interested to see number one. Where is he and then what's difference? Is there really a difference based on what he typically does in a game? Is there really a difference? What I do know is this offense is really really playing at a high level right now. I really don't want anything, right, I don't
want anything, Thames. But obviously this week, due to these circumstances, something's going to probably be a little bit different, and hopefully Michael just be in a good headspace to be able to do what he normally does coming off with surgery, and he'll be, as you said, his medical situation will be taken care first and foremost. All Right, let's talk about a roster move Cowboys made yesterday Peyton Hindershot activated. He is now back to the fifty three man roster.
Sean Kune now takes his spot on I R. Brian. I see your eyebrows. Raise you feel about that?
Tell you what now you feel about that? Man? I'm in a good You're talking about being in a good space right now. You know what. I think this more has to do with and he's stealing. McEwan's dealing with an ankle injury right now. That's going to cost him some time here for the next four weeks. But I think they're more confident with Hunter Lipke being that fullback role. I think it's a little bit easier for them to say if Hunter Lipkey wasn't doing a decent enough job,
then there's probably no reason to put McEwan down. You would probably say, okay, just fight through it, and you know, we'll keep playing you and you'll play special teams. But I think it's more about how they're happy with what Hunter Lipkey's done and it's allowed them to make this move. So I'm glad personally to have Hindershot back. I think he offers you another weapon. I know we haven't seen at all the tight ends. I think as a whole
have been a pretty damn good group. You know, there was a lot of questions about them coming into training camp, but they've they've more than exceeded my expectations for what they've done. So adding Hindershot back, I think that's a guy that we're going to be surprised. He might make a player two that all of a sudden it's like, oh wow, we've missed that for the last four or five weeks. So I'm totally okay with this move right now.
Yeah.
Same, And like I said, you know, prior to them making the decision, I wanted to see Hindershot activated for a couple of reasons. One, if you go back and look at his rookie film, yeah he had some downs, but he had some ups. Just needs to get more control over his receiver receptions, you know, no tip drill interceptions, no drops. But when he makes a play, boys did a play. So he's flashed in a way that really made me excited to see the duo of him and
Ferguson before the Schoolmaker pick was made. But then Ferguson kind of struggled starting the season and then he's been going ever since on IR so I wanted to see him back on the field to see how he reacts to return, how he reacts to it being the Jake Ferguson show with Schoolmaker getting involved, how do the Cowboys get Hindershot involved? What does that look like as far as that trio is concerned at a top the tight
end depth chart. But also you need to see what he can give you before you get into this offseason because we're all excited about what John Stevens Junior could have been this season if not for the torn acl So we're all looking forward to seeing what he can
be when he gets back on the field. And you know OTA's and mini camp and training camp and there's going to have to be a decision made months and months from now, and you just want it as a GM and as will McLain at Scouting Department, you want to be able to have as much data and film in front of you as possible when that camp battle fire is up for So for all of those reasons and more, and the more being I believe him the shot can be another weapon for Dak Prescott. This is just the smart move.
Yeah, I mean I've said this before, even yesterday.
I have my doubts.
He's a player that had a great start of his NFL career. He did a great job last year and what he showed everybody. I'm a fan of his and I wish him the best and I hope that he can be someone that can contribute right away in this tough month of December. And to me, it's more of the timing of how things are playing out, because even prior to the injury, he wasn't having a good year. He didn't have a good training camp, even the games
that he was there, it was not good. So I think it was more on the mental side of things. Hopefully he's in a better headspace and going into this knowing that the Cowboys are opening a spot for him, which should make him feel better and given you know that they're still putting trust in him and his game. So bunch of doubts on my end, but I do I am rooting for him, and I do really like him a lot, and I hope he's able to translate good things into the field.
I do really hope that you make a good point on Brus Farres his mental headspace. I really hope that he's looking at it in that capacity as far as being thankful for the opportunity and willing to step in and make some plays versus thinking to himself, it took them twenty one days, and they almost went to the buzzer with this. They don't look at it the latter
look at it the former. You're on the field, go out there and make some plays and make them, make them right, prove them right, because this is the team that gave you a chance as an undrafted free agent. This is the team that gave you the reps last year so that you could flash. And so don't look at it as a took them twenty one days. Are they unsure? No, go out there and handle your business.
Yeah, I just want to real quick say before we go to break, you got to give a lot of credit to Lunda Wells and what he's done with his tight end. Like you talked about this group in this room, like this, this group you're talking about guys that have that he's developed, Like Dalton Schultz. We all sat on
this show. Uh you're probably you over on Talking Cowboys at the time, and we're like, yeah, I think the Dalton Schultz Show is over and this was like two of his career, but like we were like, we were like, he's not He's never going to develop and uh and and you saw him develop and turn into a really
really good player for the Cowboys. And now you're looking at a guy like Jake Ferguson in his second year who is producing well enough to where I think he's going to be a part of the conversation for a
Pro Bowl, Like he's playing at that level. And and you start thinking about that and what Hendershott was able to do as a rookie last year, and then what we saw from even from John Stevens this year at training camp, like there are this guy knows what he's doing when it comes tight in and he has a career before the Cowboys where he had a lot of production there as well with the Giants. So I just I got to give him a little love. Londa knows what he's doing.
Some people say he's actually a better off it's a line coach. Really, Yeah, that is that.
He's that type of co I would trust it if you.
Plugged him in as an offensive line coach, he would be just as just as productive.
Yeah, he knows what he's doing. He's doing a great job. And you with coaches, you always got to look at the results and look at the results over time. His results over time look pretty dark.
Yeah, Lunda has been phenomenal. And I love the relationship between Lunda and the scouting department because it's you know, as well as Lunda is developing this talent, and he is most certainly doing that, the collaboration that leads to just them spotting the right kind of talent and the
right fits for the situation. Because I know there was some not me because I was on the Fergie train last year, but there were some that were wondering, Okay, well, with Dolton shouts you lose him, You're losing over eight hundred yards of production. You're losing Dak Prescott's statistically his number one target. What does that look like? Okay, well, you look at Lunda Wells and he says, Jake, you're up. And then he says, schoolmaker, we can develop you while
Jake is you know, So, Jake's hit another level. I think last game he tied Jason Whiten for the most receiving touchdowns through the first couple of seasons. So when you're in that conversation this early. It's good stuff.
And actually that's another reason why I'm a big believer that gives Schoolmaker time. It's gonna work out, trust me, because I have faith in Lunda. Lounda knows what you're doing. They're gonna he's gonna that's fine. I'm just saying I just Londa on this one. He'll get it right. He'll get him to a point where he needs to be. And I think in a year or two we'll look back and be like, yeah, he was just growing and.
Thanks to Jake, he has time to develop because he didn't have to come in kind of like Masie Smith didn't have to come in and immediately be that guy because of Jonathan Hankins, Olsa Chauncey. Same with Schoolmaker doesn't have to come in and be the definitive air to chokes because Jake Ferguson, He's wearing that crown, and I think he's gonna keep wearing that crown.
All Right, We're gonna take our first break, come back. We'll talk about the Philadelphia defense versus the Cowboys offense. We'll be back Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio.
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Back to the break All right, it's that time of year. It's NFL Fan of the Year time. Sean polite Ny is your twenty twenty three Cowboys Fan of the Year and now he needs your help. Vote for Sean to be given the ultimate title of NFL Fan of the Year, presented by Captain Morgan. By casting your vote at NFL dot com slash Fan of the Year. You all your Eagle fans get out there and vote for Sean. He's your guy. Welcome back.
It is the second segment of The Breakway, a live from the SWBC Mortgane Studios at the Star. This segment brought to you by blockchain dot Com. All right, let's
talk about the Philadelphia defense versus the Cowboys offense. Okay, I'm gonna start with a bigger picture question, Brian, if you had to identify one thing, that one problem that the Philadelphia defense posed for the Cowboys offense when they met earlier this season, what would you identify that to be and has that area improved for Dallas since that time.
I was going to lead this thing off by saying, this game is going to come down to how will Terrence Steel plays right tackle? And it really it's whether it's Hassan Reddick, or it's a sweat or it's any number of Brandon Graham, anybody that they put over on that side that's going to rush him. You know, it's offensive lineman. You've heard me say this a bunch. They play seventy plays. If they have three bad plays, it's usually a really good game. If they have six bad plays,
it's probably a pretty bad game. And Terrence Steell had his moments where he was actually pretty good watching the tape last night. Again, they've got to figure out a way to maybe help him, and now that comes at a price. The price is do you get in his
way and mess him up when he's blocking. There's a lot of these offensive tackles that don't like help on the outside because backs tight ends, people get in the way of your technique, and so you have to be very mindful of can your offensive tackle handles somebody that's helping him. You know, you could chip guys, you can you can? I think the way that Cowboys can do it in this game. Is they can try and widen Reddick. And I mean I mean widen is you make him play,
You make him wider in space. When you put a man to his side, he has to he's gonna on the outside shoulder. So if you know that's that would how I would do it. I would go back to the plan. Several years ago, they played Joey Bosa in a game. Actually it was Terrence Steele's first start, and it was there were times where they didn't always allow Steel to block one on one and you know, we're probably past all that, but I would just make sure I would keep Reddick as wide as possible.
Now, but you don't think he's he's improved since they played the Eagles.
Oh, he's improved, but I'm not going to take another chance. I'm not gonna he was he was. You know, I've seen him play very very well. But that right, that right tackle spot wrecked your games last time you played.
Yeah, is a problem.
Yeah, yeah, that's the problem. And so yeah, you can improve, but you also, you know, you also got to make sure that you don't let it happen again. What happened the first time that you played him a week nine. Now. I'll say this though too. Last week I saw Reddick against the forty nine ers shift to the other side.
So for some reason they were trying to run him not on the as the left end, but as the right end in this game and against Trent Williams, which I really didn't understand, but it might have been because the forty nine ers were able to run the ball going to their left. They had the Eagles had a problem with the toss sweep perimeter plays on the outside, so they might have put a Reddick over there to try and maybe keep people from or from the forty
nine ers running the football. Adam to that side, but there's kind of going to be a game going on here. They can't let whoever's playing left end just go after steal in this football game. And I trust Steele, but I do I do want to give him some help in certain situations. It didn't have to be all the time, but I just want to make sure that we're covered on that right side.
How much has the loss of Dean Cunningham their line hurt them? And way what you what is? How's it manifested itself?
Than being well, I'll tell you what, when you when you look at Dean and Cunningham both they both were playing okay before in week nine, they were okay. You know, going back and looking my notes, you know, teams have had the ability to throw the ball on these guys when they were in coverage. There was a time where you know, these guys had been targeted quite a bit, and all of a sudden, it's you know, eleven for eleven,
you know, you know, twenty five to thirty two. I mean, they'd had struggles in some areas where and now they signed Shack you know, Shaq Lindard to play. It's created a problem. Nicholas Morro can't play. And then Christian Elias was their starter last week against forty nine ers. They cut him Wednesday to make room for Shaq Lenard. That just shows you a guy who was actually more productive. Moro I thought was the worst player on the field defensively for the for the for the Eagles, he's likely
going to start now. They think that they might get Cunningham him back in this game. They think he's dealing with a hamstring injury. But if that's the if that if he doesn't answer the bell, then you're gonna see Moro and you're gonna see Lennard playing probably the majority of the linebacker in this football game.
If you were having to make that decision for the offense, with the Cowboys offense, how do you best exploit what they're doing at linebacker?
Well, the problem is that, you know the thing is with I know watching Shaq Lenard play, I know what he could do. He's not going to get fooled. Moro, you can absolutely fool you. You can get him to go one way and then take the ball back the other. You can manipulate him. Shack Linard doesn't let you manipulate him like that.
Yeah, he's too much of a veteran for Yeah.
He's not gonna let you. He's not going to look at motion. And and that's what San Francisco does. They've they've taken good linebackers and made them look foolish in space, by the way, with their orbit motions, that's the motion that goes around and then all the way around.
You know.
They they do things to kind of try and with you. If Moro's playing, I'm doing everything in my power to make him see the wrong things because he'll make a mistake and he'll go the wrong way and then all of a sudden he'll leave a vacant area there. I don't know with Leonard if he would do that, but and and having cutting him back would help them, but they are they are clearly in trouble at one of the linebacker spots.
With Moro plan, yeah, I'd say make these linebackers cover and shack Leonard. You know, he has to ramp up. We'll see if he even takes the field. And if he does take the field, maybe a handful of snaps, whatever the case may be, shack Leonard. Is he excels at run defense, not so much in coverage though. And then behind this linebacker Cord, which Brian will get to momentarily,
they have a secondary that struggles. So if you're talking about pressing the linebacker corps, this is a game where you revert back to setting up the run by virtue of the pass. Go out and pass and first stretch them horizontally. That could be on bubbles and those types of screens, even if it's a handoff, but if it's like a ceed lamb end around or Cavante turpin end a round, make those linebackers play sideline the sideline and
just stretch them out, and that's what you do. And over the course of a game they get more and more fatigued, and then you know the secondary can't really back them up as far as coverage is concerned. So I think that's how you attack this linebacker corps. They can They're going to be again, this is the same
Eagles defense, although personnel has changed. Their defensive line is really good against stopping the run, and the linebackers aren't poor stopping the run, and the shack Leonard are actually good at stopping the run. But as far as coverage is concerned, that's the liability for the Eagles linebackers.
They were really good the first two series of the game. The Eagles came out on defense and they looked like they had a good idea of how they were needed to play and get that done. They got forty nine ers off the field the first couple, and then all of a sudden, you get a Brandon and I you play, you get a Christian McCaffrey play, And now all of a sudden, it's they got them on their heels. You know, they can't figure things out, and now all the motion
and things are making it even worse. But the first two series of the game, you were thinking like, okay, the Eagles have got this scene kind of they're on a good path right now. And then things just really really fell apart for him because again, they they they lose when we talked about their secondary, they lose coverage. Their guys in the secondary lose coverage. They lose men, like I say, more of the linebacker loses this guy. Next thing you know, McCaffrey's running wide open and it's
a huge play down the sidelines. You know, they they they've they've had their problems when teams have been able and the when they're when their edges haven't gotten home, because the middle of their defense is really more about power and strength and being bullies than it is pass rushers.
You know, if you can contain, if you can control guys pushing on you and handle the edges, their defense is in trouble because if they don't get if they don't get the pressure, then their secondary has been just you know, teams have feasted on them and and and a lot of it has to do with some of their best players. Darius Slay hasn't played the level he has been in the past, and then James Bradbury has been awful in a lot of situations, and so there's
a lot of separation. Uh, there's a there's there's guys that are just open and they've dealt with some injuries. They haven't figured out the nickel Eli Rix. Anytime you see thirty nine on the field, the ball needs to go to his direction.
Anytime pan a target on him, that's your target.
That's I'm just I'm just saying that, you know, and I have a feeling the wrong. I have a feeling they're going to try and get Darius slay on Lamb as much as possible.
Yeah, okay, I'll take that match up.
Yeah, if that's the case, that's their best mention. No, that is their best matchup. And if that's the case, then now you need to wear them out with your other guys.
Will they followed Would he follow him into the slot?
I don't think you will follow him into the slot.
Because because here's the other thing I noticed this. I was looking at some numbers this season so far seeding Lamb leads the NFL and receiving yards and touchdowns from the slot, and Philly on the other hand, has allowed the most yards from the slot with thirteen hundred and fifty nine yards. It's one hundred and fifty eight more yards than any other team from the slot. My thought is, if you're trying to match him up, guess what I'm
gonna put him in the slot. It's loot as much as possible, especially if you're telling me this guy at thirty nine is going to be the one who's gonna be lined up across from him. Yeah, guess what is gonna be a slot day for Ceedee Lamb And let's go.
You know, they they've they've really struggled and they and their safety read blanket ship is they think he's a good player. Uh, you know, he's got two interceptions at safety, but he's given up the second most touchdowns. So you know, now is this his game for Ferguson? How do they match up with him? His blanket ship going to be encouraged with him? You got I think you've got several options.
You need to figure out the right tackle spot, help him as much as you can, and then Dak let him go to work on this secondary because the receivers. These receivers can definitely get open against these guys.
And the good news for the Cowboys is you It's often said that it's a copycat league, but just because someone show the blueprint doesn't mean that you have the same twos in your tubox to be able to build that what they built. But the Cowboys and seeing what the blueprint was from phil from the forty nine ers versus Philadelphia, the Cowboys have that's the same. Yeah, the
Cowboys have those horses on offense as well. And now they've really leaned into that pre snap motion as we've talked about, because the last two weeks they've had, you know, two weeks of consecutive season highs in pre snap motion over seventy percent both times. So Brian pointed this out very astute. The San Francisco forty nine ers, they were able to use Christian McCaffrey, brand and I to get them off balance and then it was just an on slot of pre snap motion. Cowboys can and will do
the exact same thing. So credit to them for having that leverage against the Philadelphia defense that just automatically doesn't cover well. And then now you start moving people around and making them think and making them guess. That just makes it more difficult for them. Also a secondary in Philly three thousand, roughly thirty three hundred passing yards allowed.
We talked about this yesterday, twenty seven touchdowns allowed. I mean, their league worst in one of those categories, behind only the Washington Commander's Defense, and they're tied with the Commander's Defense four league worst in another one of those categories, and roughly thirteen fourteen hundred yards are basically on yach So you can, if you can get the ball in playmaker's hands, you can get this Philadelphia defense on their
heels and really just reeling over the course of four quarters.
Yeah, this is you know when you it was and it's just so clear watching the play that's the struggles that they have, and you're like and you're thinking, like, man, this is supposed to be a really good defense, and they're really not. I mean, they struggle in a lot of areas.
The one thing they can do they can stop the run and they can rush your passer. Outside of that, behind that is bad.
They're fourth worst in the NFL in passer rating allowed at just under ninety nine. Their secondary is just a meal to be had.
When you go back, I remember, you know, going back and watching the game, there's things you forget. Dak did a great job even when the pass rush got home of escaping and then finding Lamb along the sidelines, finding ferguson wide. I mean there were when Dak has been able to escape. Man, he has made some really really good throws against these guys. So you know, hopefully he
won't have to do a lot of escaping. Hopefully a lot of stuff will be from the pocket that they got that thing taken care of, and he can he can work from there.
And Derek, you talk about how can you apply pressure and stress out those linebackers.
Dak in his.
Legs, Yeah, Deck and his legs he ran in the game last.
Absolutely if dek in jist that as another option for the Cowboys, that's something else the linebackers have to worry about. And they're just not designed in Philadelphia to handle all of those particular weapons and threats. So Cowboys offense is cooking and firing on all cylinders for a reason.
All right, let's take our final Breakley, we'll come back, and that question for you guys about Michael Gallup. I started looking at some of his snap counts. Le's decline quite a bit here as the season is going on. I want to talk to you a little bit about that will do when come back Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio.
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It is the final segment of The Break, live from the SWBC Mortgage studios at the Star. I had a question for you guys. I was looking at Michael Gallups snap counts over the season. Check this out. In weeks one through six, he was averaging forty four point seven snaps per game. That's second on the team behind Cede Lamb. Cooks was a little bit under him at forty four,
so they were about equal at that time. Since then, starting week eight through thirteen, that would be after the bye, through the last game, he's only been averaging thirty snaps per game. Down about fourteen snaps per game. That has him third on the team, tied with Jalen Tolbert, and Cooks is up a little bit to forty nine point three. Essentially, everybody below him has increased their number of snaps, including Brooks. All of them have increased their number of snaps per game,
and Gallup has dropped pretty significantly. Do you think that's more about the fact that they want to get more guys involved, or do you think that's more about the fact that they were not happy necessarily with what they're getting from Gallup.
I think you could argue that it was a combination of the two. But outside of Gallop lighting the field on fire like Ceedie Lamb was doing, the inevitable plan was to get Jayleen Tobert involved more if no one else, to get Cavante Turpin involved more if no one else. So, because the Cowboys knew going into this season they were going to want to get Turpin involved more, they were going to have to get Cooks his looks, they were
going to have to get Jaylen Tobart his looks. That that means it was inevitable that you would see a downturn in Michael Gallup's snap count, and then the question was simply what would Gallup do with the opportunities he was given. And it's been an up and down affair, more up lately than down, So kudos to him for
kind of being resilient in that aspect. But yeah, but when they were the down moments, then of course that then shifts more reps over to guys like Turpin who's been producing, Tobert who's coming through in critical situations like the seventeen yard reception, that's helping out your quarterback. That's
going to earn you more reps going forward. So I wouldn't put too much stock in them having any thoughts of at the moment being over quote unquote Michael Gallup as much as it is because he's started playing well, he's kind of on a consistent trend of you know, he's not lighting the field on fire, but he's doing what he needs to do when the ball comes his way,
critical possession receptions and things like that. But when you're trying to get Tobert involved, and you got to keep Turping involved because he's earned that, something's got to give.
Yeah, you do have a lot of different weapons that you want to keep active. Yeah, for sure that you do want to keep active and give them something you know you don't, so you can have different looks to show at different times depending who you're playing. But with Gallup, I'll be honest, like, sometimes he be he has become
forgettable and that's not something good. And the times that I do remember and we've talked about it, like he has those moments that Okay, he's playing bad and not catching the ball, not doing much, and then all of a sudden he makes a really good play. You're like, okay, yes that's why, there we go. But yeah, here we go. But it doesn't happen very often. And I do agree with him improving, but it's just not enough when you
do have other guys that are making bigger plays. I think they've given him plenty of chances, and sometimes he works out sometimes it doesn't.
But I do.
See the reasoning in the decline, because even I keep forgetting that game where it seemed they kept forcing the ball against the Chargers where he just seemed forced, and I was like, okay, why why, Like sometimes a single player has a bad game and it's okay, it happens to everybody, but just like you can look the other way and keep attacking somebody else. So it's it's I
don't know. I I saw it come in eventually. But at the same time, I'm glad that there are a lot more guys being involved and finding success in that, and with Michael Galla being able to still have some involvement in there as well.
Yeah, he threw a really good block in the fourth and one play the other day. That kind of it's sprung Pollard to get the first down, and so he hasn't lost interest in trying to do what he's when he's on the field.
Which is consistent with his person Yeah, it was very consistent.
He's just getting done Tobert, I think that, you know, he's starting to show some things with his ability to be on the field to block as well his route running. Uh, this is a difficult offense, I believe for my Gallup because I don't think he's a great route runner, and I think he struggles to get off the line. They have these now. The way the offense is, it's really relying on combinations of receivers running routes and working with
tight ends. So all of a sudden, though, you get cooks Lamb and Ferguson all together to run a route, it's two outs and a seam and now it's a touchdown, you know, and so you're you're using different combinations of receivers and the tight ends to create separation for each other. And I think it's been a little bit of a problem for Gallup when he's part of the combination group. Maybe his route isn't as good, maybe it is not as at depth, maybe it's not finishing. You know, those
are the things that you kind of deal with. And they're saying, well, if we're going to if we're going to attack people, we want to run this route combination. Okay, we got to go with you know, these guys that we know can can get it done. And I think that's where it's kind of but to his credit and I'm meant before, he hasn't lost interest and he's still trying to do anything that they ask him to do. And that's that's really where you're at. And that's a decision.
It's probably going to have to be made at the end of the end of the season, especially with the emergencies emergence of Cooks and then Tolbert uh and even Brooks playing some too. Yeah, you know that's going to be a question you're gonna have to answer at the end of it.
But I see it's Tolbert kind of the same way as Gallops sometimes as far as like the consistency aspect of it, where Tolbert he will have some really good plays, but then all of a sudden he doesn't. So it's just I see them kind of both having the same
as far as consistency because they play very differently. But as far as the results and all that, I think the fact that Tolbert is the younger guy, the newer guy that they did draft and brought in, I think that kind of gives them more Yeah, yeah, that gives them more reason as to why keep getting him, giving him more playing time.
I will say this, and this is a knock on anyone, but if given the opportunity, I am a firm believer that Brooks will be every bit as good as any of those receivers that are not the top two receivers on this roster. Right now, I think that guy watching him in training camp, watching the opportunity he's at with the Cowboys in South Carolina, Yeah, he's one of those guys. If the balls in his in his area. He's gonna catch it, he's coming down with it, and he makes
the play. I really am excited about what can be expected from him in the future. And I do think that that's going to shake up that that part of the roster. When we start looking at these wide receivers, they better be aware of Jalen Brooks. He's a he's a significant player. He's going to be a player in this league.
And for him to be a rookie, He's not deer in the headlights.
No, not at all.
That game that Turpin was inactive and Brooks was brought up, he went out there and had that three critical receptions in like thirty three yards and okay, and they kept him active the next week. So to your point, I mean he when he's thrown on the on center stage, all he sees is ball. Oh, he sees his football. He's not his knees aren't shaking. I mean he's out there to play.
Yeah, all right, we appreciate you guys, Jones.
We'll be back tomorrow.
We're gonna wrap this thing up. Let you know who we think is gonna win this game and what we think the score is gonna be till then for Patrick Walker, Brian brought us Amber Garcia. I am Derek Eagleton. This has been The Break live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio.
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