The following is a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.
Cowboys Let's go. Are you ready for a Break?
Yes?
Are you ready for a break?
Absolutely?
Ready for a break?
Yeah, and so much for that.
It's time for the Break on Dallas Cowboys dot Com with mbar Garcia, Brian brought Us, Nick Harris, and Derek Eagleton.
It is Thursday, September fifth, twenty twenty four, Season twenty, episode number twenty three. Welcome to the latest edition of The Breakwere Alive from the SWBC Mortgage Studios at the Star, presented by LGLG is the world's number one OLED TV brand for eleven years in counting. See why at LG dot com Ford slash o leed E. It is moving closer and closer to the beginning of the NFL season. Actually, the NFL kicks off tonight, first game of the season,
Chiefs Ravens. Should be fun. We'll get you ready for Cowboys Browns. That's what we're going to spend the most of this show doing. But I think maybe towards nnis show. We'll see if we get some picks on the game for the night. See what you guys, think about what's happening around the NFL for tonight Worthy anytime. If you're thinking, you were thinking, I got a host the show tomorrow, why I'm taking things that I'm gonna use tomorrow.
You gotta give us your pick though, for Cowboys versus Browns?
Do you want to make it now?
Go ahead?
Cowboys score Cowboys by three? Give me? Give me seventeen fourteen.
Okay, you're very close to mine.
You were seventeen thirteen on the radio. Yes, I was a good job. By the way. The wait, what were you on the radio?
Seventeen thirteen? Cows seventy thirteen?
Yeah, actually that's better than seventeen fourteen. Can I change my seventeen thirty fighter?
Wow?
No, But we're not gonnat too far into that. But yes, that's my that's my belief. I believe, I believe the Cowboys him. But I actually think we're gonna get into today This Cleveland defense is ain't no joke, Like this is gonna be a game. This is gonna be a tough one. But I also think it's strength versus strength, and that's what we'll spend a lot of time talking about today. As we talk about that matchup between the Cowboys offense and the Browns defense. Let's start right now,
though with a couple of injuries. Cowboys have only one on the injury report that didn't.
Keep scrolling for their practice report.
It's good's names over there, but let's start with with the Cowboys one person, John Stevens. Uh, he did not practice with a hamstring injury. I guess my question is how serious is this and then we'll talk about maybe what the chances are if he doesn't play, What what does it look like for the Cowboys.
Yeah, I think I think this is something to definitely keep an eye on going into the week. As it sounds right now and talking to some people, this is an injury that you know, could keep him out on Sunday. They're going to try to ramp him in and try to get him involved as Thursday, Friday and then that Saturday walkthrough gets going. But John Stevens, that's probably the only question mark you have going into the week now.
If he can't go, you still have guys like Princeton Fant on the practice squad that if you want to elevate for special teams purposes or to be involved with that tight end room. You could you also have Hunter Lipke, who's taken a lot more tight end reps during training camp. He could step into a role like that, but it would definitely take away a receiving option for Dak Prescott if John Stevens is not able to go. Did you want to touch on the Browns as well.
We're going to get to that, okay. I wanted to first talk a little bit about Stevens and maybe what this means. Brian Amber, what do you guys think this means for that the team if they can't have him out there, because we are I think we all agree he really is tight end two on this team, and what does this mean for them?
Yeah, I think you're absolutely right. Tight End two is where I would put John Stevens. And I think John Stevens is a backside tight end if you go twelve personnel, there are things he could do on the back end athletically to help you in the running game, because sometimes he's make where we've seen him go off. Really that guards block the center, combination center guard combination block tackle.
It doesn't really bounce the outside. It kind of starts outside and then works to the middle or through the middle, that's where they seem to pop some of these runs. But on the backside, if you're twelve personnel, you have to have a tight end that's athletic enough to be able. You're probably gonna play with like the schoon maker maybe even I don't know how much you want to put ferguson at the point of attack, but there you are.
And so you you need.
That backside guy to be able to be an athlete. And the link that Stevens has, you know, we haven't really seen it, you know much for me either.
With span Ford, I know we talked about.
Him and could he be a guy that's inactive, but he's clearly into the mix. Now, uh, there's another rookie that's going to get an opportunity. You mentioned all the rookies that you know are potentially going to start in this game. Well here's another one. If if Stevens can't go, then you're probably looking at span forward maybe getting some opportunities to do some backside block and maybe some point of tack blocking. But that also takes a vertical player,
you know. The one thing that the Browns will do and we'll get into this the secondary.
Well, you know, you want to.
It's the corners are good, there's quality at the nickel, there's quality on both sides.
The safeties.
Can you take advantage of some of their safety coverage, you know when the linebacker coverage. And that's where I think Stevens could be sneaky in this game and you might miss him there.
Typically I wouldn't be too concerned about someone like him missing, or someone at the tight end position missing, But this game it's key because you're, in my mind, you're having to rely on a tight end to help blocked. Just like Brian said, in many situations, especially considering that you're gonna have potentially these two rookie guys starting in the line.
You got Cooper BB and the Tyler guy in and you want to be able to bring whatever extra help you can, at least in these first couple of weeks. So that's going to be a challenge in that sense that you're I mean, at least me, we were thinking that a guy like him, especially in the blocking game, because obviously you got other guys that can catch the ball. Oh my god, why am I blanking on his name? The starter? Uhson Jesus Christ, Uh, here we go. But Jake, Yeah,
I will stop it. Here we go, here we go. Let me. Okay, that's one. That's one for you step back. No, But you know, Jake Ferguson, he's great catching the ball and all of that. But I do think sometimes in the in the blocking game, he he, he wouldn't necessarily be the guy that I would relying on blocking. But also maybe with Zeke being here, but then you also
want to take advantage of the running game. But also I don't know, like looking at Zeke to potentially be a guy that could be utilized a little bit more to help block.
Yeah, you know, you make a great point about that week, but also think about Hunter Lipkey. Yeah, you know that's if you need a if you need somebody to play as that wing or I don't know how much you want to put him in line next to the tackle that awhere.
Yeah, Hunter Lipkey.
For president for sure. But the the thing the thing with that they have options. I just want to say though, that Stevens was to me was making so much progress. Probably not as good as what he was before the injury, but man, you could see that the play that I know was a fumble, but the ball down the field you could see the arc release up the same ball there. Now he's running. That's the kind of things you get. You're gonna need some guys that some chunk plays in
this game. If you could pull them off, They're probably going to be few and far between, But if you get an opportunity.
You never know who's always talking about the X factor players? You know, who's not? Who do you not talking about that?
You know, Stevens could have been one of those guys For me, if you'd asked the question, give me an X factor player for.
This game, I'm gonna say that Stevens.
Get it tied end you gotta they're going to run, move the pocket, boots, waggle stuff like that. Downfield player, this guy might make two or three catches that could be difference maker catches.
Yeah, and it's not necessarily that Jake Ferguson cannot do those same things right. It's more so just having that multiple option.
If you want to go twelve personnel to maybe handle some of the block and stuff that you're going to have to deal with.
You know, it's disappointing for me is that we'd had that whole conversation about how they handle the potential of him not being in there, and nobody mentioned Schoonmaker, the second round pick from last year.
I was just thinking about him because that's one of the things that we talked about him when the Cowboys drafted him was his block blocking abilities.
Yeah, that's you know, you'd love to have one of these games where we get together on Monday and we talk about this and we've all watched the tape and you're like, damn that eighty six had a really good game block and there's just that it's almost like playing these rookies. It's you know, with Schoomaker, it's like you're playing a rookie because you don't really know if okay, there have been some improvements, then there's sometimes where it
doesn't even look like the same player. And that's that's the that's the problem that you know that the fact that losing Stevens could hurt you to the point where well, damn, Schoonmaker's got to play more, you.
Know, And then now instead of it being like, Okay, we get this.
A little more said instead we can Instead we can
you know, maybe Steven's and then some Schoonmaker. Instead, it's like, no, we're gonna need Scoonmaker to play and I I'm the president of the Schoonmaker fan club, but there I have yet to see those games that I watched when he was playing Michigan State and Ohio State and those types of games where you just like, man, this guy was a dominant player that way, and he made plays in the passing game as well, and it's just been a little bit of a struggle there.
Yeah, it could be a big opportunity for him.
So it could right, It could right, And that's what you would hope is that in his second year, if he gets this opportunity and we think he's gonna play, he would play significant because I do think they're going to have to use too tight quite a bit. It might be an opportunity for him to step up and kind of show a little bit of what maybe he didn't have as much opportunity to show last year. Let's flip to the other side and talk about the Browns.
There are two names particularly I want to talk about their tackles. Jedrick Wills Junior was his left tackle. Jack Conklins was the right tackle, both coming off acl injuries in twenty twenty three. One of them happened in Week nine, so it was a little later in the year. The other was in Week one. So my question for you guys, are I guess first before we get to them coming
back from injury. Before the injuries, were these the types of tackles that would have given you pause when you talk about matching up against the defensive ends for the Cowboys and then now coming back, what are your expectations for them in their first games back from ACL injuries.
Yeah, and looking at Jack Conklin coming off of the ACL injury that he's suffered in Week one last year, it's gonna be a challenge for him. On the right side. He's probably gonna have a lot of matchups with DeMarcus Lawrence. The thing I'm looking at.
Is this left side. What are they going to do on the left side?
Jedderrick Wills comes out in the locker room yesterday and says he's not starting the game on Sunday.
So who do they put it left tackle?
Do they swinge it Jack Conklin over or do they bring over a guy in James Hudson who's kind of been their swing tackle. He's kind of their version of awesome. Richard's a little bit bigger though, and he is a true swing team.
Just to be clear, left this is going to be whoever's going to primarily get to see a lot of Mikeah Parks.
Exactly exactly, and this would be who who gets to see Michael Parsons. This is why I feel like I think this is a three plus SAT game for this defensive line. I feel confident in it just because this offensive line sitting here. Yeah, probably we're sitting here Thursday and they're still playing musical chairs with this offensive line. I mean, you could call back to last year when Tyler Smith got hurt. I think it was yesterday, last week,
or last year. Whenever he had that hamstring injury, they figured it out by Thursday. Here we are on Thursday. They haven't figured it out, or if they have figured it out, they're keeping it hushed. So I think this is definitely gonna be something to keep an eye on. Jedrick Wills might not be ready coming off of that injury.
They might not want to rush him back onto the field, but he says yesterday that he's not starting at left tackle, So it's going to be a guy who probably can't match up with Michaeh Parsons to the level of a healthy Jedrick Wills. So, uh, it's gonna it's gonna be an interesting start, I'll say that for sure.
Yeah. They if you go back and you actually watch the Houston playoff game, Uh, James Hudson started at right tackle is what he did in this game. So, uh, you know, Nick's right. They they're they're trying to kind of figure out you know.
Uh uh.
Dwan Jones had also played quite a bit last year. I mean you start to you start to see him, you get into like the you know, the first couple of games this season, all of a sudden, they're they're using backup offensive linemen, you know, and so, uh the questions are there. They they you know that the health of the tackles was questions coming in. It's even now I think of bigger questions because they're going with potentially two backup offensive tackles.
We know, it doesn't sound like it Wills is gonna play.
I mean he came out and said, I'm I don't think you know, it's just he's just trying to get through the practices, is what he's talking about. So if that's the case, I still feel like though, like we talked about yesterday with posts it and teller of the center and the right guard, I just kind of feel like that those are two attack points as well.
Mikeh You know, Mike.
Even talked about I know you guys had a chance to visit with him yesterday and he was talking about that Mike Zimmer playing in more two I, three I inside stuff instead of playing that six technique which is outside the tackle. So that tells me that Mike's got a plan that he's going to try and maybe attack a little bit more in the middle with Mike and maybe not have the hand in the ground as much as he's had in the past, where teams have been
able just to slide to him. When you stand him up in the middle, it's hard to chip him, and it's hard to it's hard to double him, especially the way that way Mike covers those linemen, and he's going to make a lot of single blocks there.
Over under four and a half alignments. We see Michael Parsons in on Sunday.
I'll take the over on take the over on that.
Yeah, I think I will too. I think that he's going to be moved around quite a bit. I think he's going to be off ball. I think he's going to come inside with two three, I type work six tech wide nine. You're going to see him everywhere.
You know.
I think that when you I think this is the this is the part of football that Micah Parsons really likes. Yeah, Micah Parsons, I don't think wants to play one position. You know, we always see him like messing around. He's like running routes, or he's running with the football like he's a running but he's always wanting to do something else. And I think Zimmer realizes that he has a guy that he can move around, and Mike is really good
at hunting those matchups. You know, all you need is somebody, and you know we'll get into you know, we'll get into Miles Garrett here when we do this Browns defense, because he'll line up in a bunch of different spots too. So if you were to watch Brown's tape and say, man, this is kind of what I envisioned Michael Parsons being like that, that would be the template that I would I would think about if.
You look at Micah's personality, I think it all fits like he just seems like the kind of person that's an eclectic guy that just want a lot of different things.
It's not interested in sitting there.
Yeah, exactly. And I think that that probably plays itself out on the field as well. I think you get the most out of him if you keep him engaged and keep him excited about it, about doing a lot different things with him and allow him to kind of move around and do different things. So I think it's a great chess piece for Mike Zimmer to use, and we'll see how he is starting this weekend, you know.
And two to talk kind of finish up on these tackles. And if you're if you're one of those guys and gals that believe in metrics and all the numbers and stuff that pressure rates and things like that, Hudson ten percent of his dropbacks are pressures, you know, and then Jones on the is at eight percent. So they there's a couple of guys right there that you know, you can see if you're gonna have opportunity. It's not like
they're gonna shut anybody out. They're gonna give up some pressures with the when they're playing.
All right, we're gonna take one last thing to point out about the brow of Brown's injury report. Three interior defensive linemen limited yesterday. Maurice Hurst with a hamstring, Quentin Jefferson with an achilles, and Dallan Tomlinson. He starts in the middle for them, he was limited with a knee injury. So those are three guys to keep an eye on. If one or two of those guys missed, that'd be huge for Cooper bb in that running game.
All right, we're gonna take our first break. We'll come back. We'll dive into the Cowboys offense versus the Cleveland defense. We'll be Backdallas Cowboys dot Com Radio.
Todd thought it would be secure to jog in the Cheetah Savannah. Todd believed the big Cat repellent he bought online was reliable. And now Todd is trying to be faster than this cheetah that can run eighty miles per hour. But the good news is Todd has AT and T five G. It is fast, reliable, and secure, and he learned the best thing to do is stop running and toss her the backpack with the beef stew At and T five G. Fast, reliable, secure.
Five G requires compatible plan and device. Five G may not be available in your area. See add dot com slash five G for you for details if.
You can't be at the stadium. There's no better way to watch your Cowboys than on an lg ole led Evo TV. That's because everything you see is more lifelike, every play.
Every hit.
I mean, you might just will be on the sidelines.
That's how clear it is.
It's all thanks to LG's legendary technology, perfect black over eight point three million self lit pixels.
No one comes close.
Lg O led Evo is the best TV in the game for a reason. See for yourself at LG dot com slash o led Evil.
Don't put off getting your oil change Dallas. Take five Oil Change, a proud partner of the Cowboys, is faster than you think. There's no appointment needed and no waiting room. Yep, you hurt that correctly. Take five is so fast you don't.
Even have to get out of your car.
You can take advantage of Take five's fast, friendly and simple service at any of their locations across the Dallas area. And remember, at Take five you stay in your car because they're faster than you think. Take five, the official oil change of the Dallas Cowboys.
If you shout how about them Cowboys?
You have that undeniable passion that's the heart of Cowboys Nation. And if you like to drink Doctor Pepper, you love the unique blend of its twenty three flavors. Together, you're one of a kind fandom paired with the one of a kind taste of a delicious ice cold Doctor Pepper is the game day lineup that can't.
Be beat better.
Yet, gather your Cowboys and Doctor Pepper fan friends to watch the next game and crack open a delicious ice cold Doctor Pepper for everyone.
The winds will be even tastier. It's a pepper thing.
Life doesn't stop when the economy is uncertain. The market might not care you have a wedding to plan or a kid to put through school, and inflation doesn't know you've got a family to feed. But Bank of America does, and it's here to help. With digital tools to help you save and local experts nearby, you can keep life moving forward the way you need it to. Bank of America,
What would you like the power to do? Learn more at Bankofamerica dot com, Bank of America NA member After I see Eco credit Opportunity lender.
Back to the break, LGO led Evil is the best even the game. But don't take.
Our word for it. Digital Trends said the LGOLEDG four has the best picture quality they've ever seen. See it for yourself at LG dot com slash o Ledevil Welcome back.
It is the second segment of a break. We are alive here from the SWBC Mortgage studios at the start, presented by LG and this segment's brought to you by lockchain dot com. All right, let's jump in. Brian Dallas offense versus Cleveland defense. I think we have to start with Miles Garrett because he is that defense. I think everything starts with him and kind of rolls. However, he rolls. One stat I noticed initially was that he's the set.
He had the second most quick pressures in twenty twenty three in the NFL second and average time to pressure with two point three two seconds on average. Michael part right, Yeah, Michael, Actually, Michael was number one in quick pressures pressure, but number three in time to pressure. But again, dak hast two point three seconds in order to get the ball off,
as do all the other quarterbacks that face. Miles Garrett talked to me about Miles Garrett and particularly how you see him matching up against this offensive line.
Must be reading my notes, Yeah, I said the first right off the jump, I said, this Brown's defense isn't about Miles.
Garrett on the edge. But that's where we need to start. The Browns did.
They had forty nine sacks in twenty twenty three, which was the sixth best, and then National Football League Garrett accounted for.
Fourteen of them.
And in those fourteen sacks he had he forced four fumbles and one of them was watching the Indianapolis game. I don't know, Nick, if you got to see that one. They get Gardner Mitchew down in the end zone and he just just blows by the tackle and balls in
the air and now it's a touchdown. So you know that's what you're going to kind of get, you know, the closer you get down in your own red zone and you know you're defending or you're trying to get out, and you got to just be aware of Miles Garrett coming around the corner and blasting you and the ball going the air and then you know, resulting in a touchdown. That might be a way they need to score some points.
But of the forty nine sacks, I just kind of went through and I looked at every single sack that the Browns had because I was curious where he lines up in the forty nine of the sacks. Twenty five of those snaps he was at right end, ten snaps he was at left end, and then three of those sacks he was over the center. So you're kind of thinking, like, Okay, where do you think it's you know, they're going to
hunt matchups with them. But and I heard you on the radio, and I think he made a really good point about maybe even a better matchup with all the help that Geyton is going to get, you know, or maybe the thought about okay, we've got to slide to the rookie, slide that the rookie still will be okay. We could see Jim Swartz put him on the other.
Side of like that was just a point from you.
I just agree, Well, I'm glad you.
I'm glad you said that because I in talking to people who know Jim Swartz. Schwartz is going to hunt the matchups, you know, and he realizes where that potentially doubt still is looking better, he's looking healthier, he's moving around better. There's still some issues that he deals with that Miles Garrett gives you problems with his ability to play that first step. I've yet to see an edge and then we've seen some great ones that that gain
as much ground as he does. And you mentioned about the getoff time and the quick stuff that he's able to do. He gained so much ground with that first step that it puts the tackle, so the blockers in a really bad position, and so you know he's just he's like he's on that blocker before they even have a chance to get out of their stance. They were a couple of times where I'm watching him rush in the Jacksonville game and the Jacksonville tackle he's like he's
off the ball and Jacksonville's tackle didn't even set. It's like both feet are together and he can't even move because Miles Garrett has passed him already.
You know that type.
So you know it's going to be imperative that these Cowboys offensive lineman get out of their stance because of how quickly he can he could do, how quickly he can get on you with that that first step. But he's excellent at making himself small for a big tall guy.
He doesn't give you much hitting surface. And now we're talking about chips and double teams and how do you handle them, And all of a sudden, here's this big tall guy and he's playing sideways, and he's running sideways, and now he's around the corner and your chip guy is kind of missing, and now it's the tackles trying to get his hands to stop.
Him from from getting up the field.
And that's the problem. He's just not going to give you a lot of hitting surface. That's why he's a rare player when you watch him play. And so it's going to be tough, I mean, and Nicky made an excellent point again about geiton and hands. You know this is going to be if Guidon is struggling with his hands in this game, and we will all be able to tell you. Guys will be in the press box,
I'll be at the studio and we watch it. If they show the replay and all of a sudden, those hands are going wide and Miles Garrett is getting into his body. That is going to be a problem for him. So hands, footwork, all that stuff's going to be key to try and stop this guy.
Ironically, that's going to be a two prong problem for him if those hands are bad, because number one, he's going to get into his chest, which is not a good place to have miles there be. But number two, it opens up the holding calls, those kinds of things. Yeah, so all the way around, it's going to be bad for him. If what we've seen, which is he is inconsistent with his hand right, that could be a real problem for him this week.
Yeah, go ahead, And I think it's really important. We've talked about it a little bit throughout training camp. Is just when do those wide hands come to bite them? They haven't really bit them yet. There have been situations where DeMarcus Lawrence has gone up against him one on one and he throws that power in front and it's like, hey, bruk, get those hands in Yeah, and I think this is going to be a situation where he learns that, probably
sooner rather than later. The thing with me and I want to bounce off your point about how quick he is off the ball to be two hundred and seventy two pounds, Yeah, he has some of the quickest first steps I've ever seen, and that that's going to make it really difficult for a guy like Jake Ferguson or Luke scoon Maker who's trying to give Tyler Guiden help on the outside, trying to chip. I mean by the time that they kind of get over and ship, he's around.
That's how quick his first step is. And I think that's that's what he's been taught from his time at A and M. You saw that coming out of the draft process. That's why he's a number one overall pick is because he's able to get off the ball so quick at two hundred and seventy two pounds.
I have two things I want to throw at you that are kind of juxtaposed, and then I want to hear from you on how you analyze it, what you think actually happened. So the first one is last year, Cleveland allowed the lowest completion percentage in the NFL at forty eight point forty five point eight percent completion win in man coverage. Right, very very good. Obviously, Dak on the flip side of that, had the highest completion percentage
in the NFL at sixty six percent against man. Here's the second one, Denzel Ward, Greg Newsom Martin Emerson all top five in the NFL and coverage success rate with at least forty targets, all three of them.
Yeah.
CD. On the flip side, let the NFL's interceptions at forty nine and in yards at seven hundred and ninety four yards against man's going to give? What's going to give? Like we talked about strength against strength, what gives.
What gives is the fact that on early downs you were going to get them to play man coverage. So what you have to you have to think about is, Okay, if somehow Dallas can find a.
Way to run the football and be successful.
And we were talking about one hundred yards, I think you said, hey, if you can find a way to get one hundred yards out of this game, would that be enough to kind of try and balance some things you want to do. I think you've got to make hay against these guys when it turns into okay, you don't want to be in a lot of long yarded situation.
But Jim schwartzlan later downs will play more zone and so that's where if all of a sudden, if if you can weather the storm on the early downs when they're playing a lot of tight man coverage and say you're able to win those times. He's banking on trying to get you behind the sticks is what he's banking on doing. And then he knows he's got a pass rush with Smith and Okawamau and those guys like that to be able to maybe make some things happen up front.
So his whole idea is you have to find a way to win early downs, especially when they're playing man coverage, and early down wins might be running the football, and it also might be you know what kind of screen packages can stuff?
Can you throw?
What kind of misdirections? If they're corners, they're very talented. As you said, you now find a way to take advantage of Ferguson and others on and maybe Cooks on the boots, the waggles, the misdirection stuff where you're running, you're sending them in one direction and now you've got open guys to throw. Don't challenge these corners on early downs. You might want to challenge them in later downs when they're playing more zone.
The bright side is you have two guys in Ceedee Lamb and Brandon Cooks that are man beaters.
In my eyes. I think quick game is going to be the name of the game.
Try to get the ball in their hands as quick as possible, because because that not only benefits the offensive line when you have two rookies up front that are trying to block this really experienced front, but that also benefits it on the back end and the secondary trying to play against that secondary. I think you can keep everything in front quick game screen action, Like you said, I was going to mention that little bubble screen action,
tunnel screen action slants. You're going to see a lot of that with CD Lamb and Brandon Cooks.
You know, I think something in this game you need to think about two guys is going on quick counts.
There's a lot of there.
You've got a lot of these guys that are kind of big time rushers, and what a big time rushers do. You let them get in that track stance and then they get going. There's a lot of standing around with this crew too. You know, you get Smith and those and and they'll kind of kind of look around, Garrett look around a little bit, and then they'll get in their stance and get ready to go.
If you're ready, go snap the ball.
You know, and that's what that's what uh, that's what the forty nine ers did against them too. And what I'm interested in this game is I'm interested to see if Swartz what he did was he played with what we call a robber and a robber in and when you got a two when you get a two deep look you put you could take one of the safeties and run him into the middle of the field and then overlap the second safety behind him. It took away
San Francisco's crossing game. You know, if you how many times we watch the forty nine Ers, and it's underneath, underneath, it's run, catch, run, catch and catch. Some of the things we saw with the Cowboys cooks on the inside route. I think that you might see some of that from Swartz in this game. He might say, Okay, I'm not gonna let these inside breaking routes kill me in this game.
And maybe he'll play you in the same way he played San Francisco with that robber in the middle of the field, and maybe he'll take away Jake Ferguson's routes too. And you know, when all of a sudden, you're thinking about maybe he's that up the seam you know. That's that's what you know. They got a guy there and then a guy there behind him. That might be a little bit tight fit for Dak to have to make. And you're gonna have to probably win on the outside a little bit to say.
So you're telling me success on the boundary probably spelled I think so.
I think so too, just just because if if if Schwartz is worried about your crossing game, and and and like I said, the Rams scrimmage, I especially the first Ram scrimmage, there were several times where Dak and.
Cook which just they found space in between.
It's Cook was up in break and the and the corner couldn't stay with you know, we've seen we've seen with CD and stuff like that too, some inbreak and stuff in the the field. The most in the middle of the field stuff though, has been Ferguson, I.
Believe is what we see.
So they can try and take away the middle of the field and make you try and win on the outside and see if you're good enough to beat Ward or Emerson in that regard.
Well, hopefully this is not the case. But we got to keep in mind to that Dag he is a mobile quarterback and he can get out of the pocket and run. You don't want him to be under pressure, but we also know that he does have that ability. And and you talk about all the misdirection and all of that, and I hope that Oh my god, I am blanking out on names today. Gee no, no, Mike McCarthy.
I'm like, I don't know what's going on today. Yeah no, But I'm going back to the word of creativity and using misdirection and really getting creative and using all these different weapons. We haven't mentioned a whole lot about Kavanta Terpin, but he's another guy that they can really really utilize him and be creative with a guy like him that has shown to have the speed and this, like you said earlier, and we all watched it at training camp, best training camp he's had so far. So again, they
have the weapons. And with Tyler Guyton when you mentioned the penalties, that's another thing that hopefully doesn't become a problem because I think when you're a rookie starting your first game and you're constantly getting beat let's say, or battling like that, I think that discipline can go out of the window where you're just trying to keep up and survive. So that's another thing that I hope it doesn't become an issue with known penalties have been an
issue for the Cowboys in the past. But we'll see they do. I believe they still do have plenty of other weapons that they can survive and win this game with.
I'll say this, I think we've talked about all these different passing options Jake fergus In, Cavante Turber, and Brandon Cook, Ceedee Lamb.
How do you get these guys involved?
Which one is the guy that can kind of be the game breaker for you, quote unquote if only you had a running game, Because I think if you had a confident running game going into this game, you'd be like, all right, Isekiel Elliott eighteen carries. As long as he can get to eighty five ninety yards, you're good. I
don't think anyone believes that. And so if the coaching staff has been super confident in the running game, they've praised that throughout the offseason, We're gonna see how confident that they actually are depending on how many times they put the ball into Ezekiel Elliott's hands in Rico Dowdell's hands. Do those guys come out on the other side with twenty five plus carries.
Since I won't be here tomorrow, spoiler, I actually think this game's gonna be won on the ground for Dallas. I think we're gonna see it has to be. I think what we're gonna see them row, what we're gonna see Sunday is Rico Dowdell is going to be used in a way where he is going to have some success in the run game. And it's it's gonna, at least for one week, make us all really rethink how big of a problem is the running back position, Because, as I said, and I'll keep maintaining, the issue at
ric O'Donell is not his ability, it's his availability. He's available right now. I think they're gonna have success in the running game, especially as you talked about those interior linemen are gone that are not right now on the injury list for Cleveland. I think that's gonna be the target for Dallas is can we use these power guys we got in the middle of our offensive line to push this line and to just gut them cut their defense.
That negates Miles Garrett, It negates those cornerbacks out there. It actually, when you start looking at a match from a matchup standpoint, it is the best way for Dallas to attack them. Question is can they do it? And I think if everything lines up, especially if those guys are out, I think it becomes a natural fit and I think Dallas is gonna have some success running the ball.
This first drive of the game is going to tell us a lot about the confidence that they have in that running game. If they come out and they lean on that running game, that opening drive, that tells us, Okay, they believe in that confidence. But if they come out and they're throwing out a shotgun first for out of the first six plays, maybe there's not as much confidence in that running game as every.
Let me ask you this guy, if if all of a sudden, would the the okay, they're confident in the running game, If all of a sudden they open, they break the huddle and Rico daddles the starter is that is that confidence in the running game.
So I would say so too.
I'd say they're serious about Okay, we're gonna try and run the ball today. This is our best chance to run the ball with a guy that we think can do it, you know, and nothing again, seek and all.
But if they use Zeke in.
Short yardage and blitz pick up stuff and you know that awareness catching the football some occasional screen or two whatever. Yeah, but if they they they run out there and all of a sudden, Rico dawdles the starter and they're they're serious about running the ball.
Then I will be happy about it.
I will tell you this. I'm not so concerned about who gets that first snap and is the starter as much as I am. By the time we're done with the game and we look at the stats sheet, I need to see ric O'Donnell as the running back. They had the most carries. Yeah, that's what matters more to me. And if they want to because Zeke is the veteran that he is, they want to have him as the starter, if he's the leader of that room and they want
to have great go for it. At the end of the day, I think Rico Dadell is the guy that's going to give you the most juice of the guy available to you, and I think that that means he should have the most careac.
There's and real quick, if I can finish this up, you know, there was talked about if you look at the metrics with the Browns, how they played better defense at home than they do on the road.
And I was just curious.
They played, Okay, San Francisco really good offense. Jacksonville, they got skilled people. They played the Bears, the Jets, the Cardinals, and Tennessee with their division games. That's four games. There's four offenses right there, Chicago, Jets, Arizona and Tennessee that are all offensively challenged. You know, So some of those numbers. Sometimes you say they're really good at home, and you're like, they played crap offenses, you know.
Sometimes Yeah, like I said, I.
Was watching the Arizona game, Arizona, Arizona, Los track at how many pressures and sacks they gave up.
Sometimes you play teams that are just awful.
Even San Francisco didn't have Debo in there.
Right, Yeah, all right, we're gonna take our final break. We'll come back. I got a little bit of a better, worse saying we're gonna do here in this final segment, We'll be Backdallas Cowboys dot Com Radio.
It's the official men's skincare brand of the Dallas Cowboys.
Jack Black and right.
Now, Cowboys fans could get fifteen percent off their seventy five dollars order plus. Because every deal needs a playmaker, your order will include a free five piece skincare set and free shipping. The Jack Black Playmaker is four of Jack's favorites and a full sized intense therapy lipball. Make a play for the playmaker at Getjack Black dot com slash Cowboys with the code Cowboys VIP. That's get Jack Black dot com slash Cowboys with the code Cowboys VIP.
They say champions are remembered, but legends are never forgotten. United Agen Turf offers a winning lineup of John Deere equipment built to tackle any challenge on and off the field. Legendary John Deere tractors, COMBA residential mowers, commercial mowers, compact construction equipment, cater utility vehicles, and a full line of golf and sports turf equipment. United Agon Turf the official
lgonturf equipment supplier of the Dallas Cowboys. Visit United Dagonturf dot com to find a location near you.
If you can't be at the stadium, there's no better way to watch your Cowboys than an LG ole lead Evo TV. That's because everything you see is more lifelike. Every play, every hit, I mean, you might just will be on the sidelines.
That's how clear it is.
It's all thanks to LG's legendary technology, perfect black over eight point three million self lit pixels.
No one comes close.
Lgoled Evo is the best TV in the game for a reason. See for yourself at LG dot com.
Slash O Leadevo.
From the field of the festivities, lu Casey embodies the essence of luxury and tradition. Handcrafted with meticulous precision, each pair offers unmatched comfort and style. Stand tall while your tailed cheering in the stands with the Dallas Cowboys Collection by Lukeasey. Shop the collection today at the Lucasey store at the Star in Frisco, or online at lucasey dot com. Lu Casey the official boot of the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
Todd thought it would be secure to jog in the Cheetah Savannah. Todd believed the big Cat repellent he bought online was reliable, and now Todd is trying to be faster than this Cheetah that can run eighty miles per how but the good news is Todd has AT and T five G. It is fast, reliable, and secure, and he learned the best thing to do is stop running and toss her the backpack with the beef stew At and T five G. Fast reliable, secure.
Five G requires compatible plan and device five G may not be available in your area. See add dot com slash five G for you for details. Back to the break.
AT and T connecting changes everything.
There you go, wow, so.
We should all know this by now. This line is connecting changes everything.
Yeah, professional, that's good. Ni left out.
I'm just gonna let it happen, start.
Connecting and just go around the room and that would be good next time.
Let's do it all right, Welcome back in this final segment of the break Life in s WBC Mortgage Stratt. Remember what I have to We are represented by l G. It is the final segment of the show. So let's let's get into a little bit. We started this game earlier in the week, better worse saying. Let's talk about a couple offensive positions that I want to hit here,
the offensive tackle position they lost Tyler Smith. I'm sorry Tyrone Smith, they added Tyler Guidon and then obviously you have to consider steal in his second year back from the injury. Where do you think they are they better, worse or same when it comes to the tackless.
Just one caveat.
I think also, I think we're pretty firm now in the sense that Austin Richards is at the tackle position. I can't say better saying when you lose a guy like Tyron Smith, I just can't. We'll see what Tyler Gotton breaks to the field. He is a rookie, he's a first round pick.
Well, fact got all the side. Absolutely, and I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I want you to factor into that. If you're saying that about Tyron Smith, also factor in his how much you could rely on availability. Yes, let's talk about that as well. Put that in the conversation as well. If you're gonna mention.
That, yeah, I'm gonna put that in the conversation as well, and factor that in. I'm still going to say worse, just in the sense of when you lose a guy like Tyron Smith, even if it is only ten eleven games that you get out of him every year, that's tough.
To match.
That's a tough presence to be able to match. But I do have confidence in Tyler Guidon. I think he's going to get better as the season goes on. I think there's a lot to like about the guy, but I don't feel great about the depth behind him, and I think that's probably where my concerns lie the most. It would probably be awesome Richards stepping in at left tackle if Guyden were to go down with anything, and
I think there's a lot of concern there now. Austome Richards did look pretty solid in the preseason and you can tell that he's taking a step forward going in a year two. Buddy still hasn't played in an NFL game, So the inexperience, the question marks on the depth chart, that's why I say worse.
I'm just hoping that Tyler Geiden has the same kind of day and year that Tyler Smith had when he had to go play tackle.
We were all worried about that. Yeah, we were all.
Terrified of that whole situation, and then it worked out to be just fine.
My hope. Right now, Nick h hit it on the head.
Right now, there's so much unknown how that's going to work out by week four. We could say better, you're better, You're better there, or you could say, man, we're treading water right now until you know we're gonna we're gonna eventually get there. I'd say, right now, we're treading water until you exactly until you understand you hope you don't sink. But I'm saying that I would love to get be in this game and have have Tyrone Smith playing. Yeah, I would, I really would. It would make me feel
better about Okay. Now, you can maybe do some things, but nothing against Guiden. He's Guiden is Guiden. Surprised me how well he's run blocked. That was something I didn't see. I don't know about you, Nick. Watching Oklahoma tape. I think I think his run blocking has really been underrated, you know, for wh where he's at right now. But I'm gonna say right now they're they're probably not as.
Good same I would say worse in week one, but I have the confidence that it will be a lot better as he you know, he gets along again. We got to give credit and the benefit of the doubt always given the Cowboys track record when drafting a first round picking an offensive line player in the first round. So I have the confidence that he will become that guy.
But I mean, there's no way you can say that ahead of week one it's my game because of the you haven't seen it yet in the inexperience, this could go. And also by the way, we we got to make sure when the game happens, we got to give these guys some grace and always keep in mind that we cannot just kill them. Like, these are rookies and it's gonna it's gonna take some time to grow and develop. So it's crazy when you talk about all having three
or four rookies starting and playing in this game. We got to keep in mind that don't let's not be too crazy hard on them because they're still rookies.
Yeah, this could go a couple of different ways real quick. I know you want to get this mother's thoughts. But this could go like all of a sudden that Guidon handles him no problem at all, and all of a sudden, you're like, Wow, what an amazing deal, And then next week we're coming in here going I was clearly or it could or it could go like you know, it could get really really ugly, and but but then you go.
But well it was you know, it was Miles Garrett. It was Miles Garrett.
He has a chance to like really like send it that way or just like I was talking about tread Wall.
I just hope he survives it, you know, because it's going to be a sixty five play well probably sixty play battle where he is going to every time probably have to just he sees that ninety five, he's going to take a deep breath and here we go, you know, and you just hope it's he could have a great game, and then it could be that one play at the end of the game and you're talking about a three point game or something like that, and then it's an eight yard sack and now you're at a field goal range.
You never had a field goal range with our kicker. But but you know what I'm saying, Yeah, I mentioned fourteen sacks, guys cost four fumbles, you know, and you just don't want it to be having a great game, great game, great game, and then one play Miles Garrett shows you why it was.
Why is Miles Garrett.
Look, my thing is I think they're the same. And the reason why I say they're the same, I absolutely agree Tyron Smith is a better player in healthy than any tackle the Cowboys on their team. That's fair.
The same was that something we could have said.
Yeah, I say it better word saying oh. And the reason why I say sad, I need medicine, well.
You need you need the smart medicine with hearing medicine.
Here's why I say saying no. Here's why I say same is because I believe.
Wait on, you told me dumb by the way you say you need the smart medicine. Because I'm kind of slow today. My brain is processing things slow today. But hold on, Brian, I am. I am no dumb. Hold on, okay four port o g p A. I speak three languages with an accent.
Though, smart a lot of problem.
Hey, all about battle anybody in smartness.
I was surprised you let that slide.
I was like, no, actually, I was trying to move on really.
Quick.
Anyway, smart, I mean that's smart.
That's same. Same.
The reason why I said same is because there are questions about the Availa that you still have the same. You have questions, They're just different questions. This year, I think we all have seen things that make us believe that that Tyler Guyden can be a really good player, we just don't haven't seen it in a real game against arguably the best or one of the best pass
rushers in the NFL. So there are questions in the same way there were questions about Tyler Tyron Smith even in a week one situation, like we don't know if he gets through training camp, we don't know if he's ready to play by week one. So for me, and I've said this, I've been saying this really for the last three or four years. I like the consistency of
knowing my guy is gonna be there. And I was willing to tear the band aid off years ago, and even though Tyron Smith is still a really great player, I just wanted the consistency. And so for me, I look at now I have the consistency. Now, the question is do I have the player. I think I've seen shades of that. I don't know. That'll have to be confirmed over this season and maybe even longer, but I think right now there's still questions. And that's why I would say.
The Stambert did say something smart about it, said, it's on record, plug and play, the plug and Play that they draft guys in the first round and they tend to do well and if you want to give them.
The tricky part with this year. The tricky part with this year is because it is such a critical year for so many people, and the Cowboys and the coaching staff and so many other guys, what could be a decent year for a guy like him could not be good enough for what the team overall needs for this
specific year. So that's what sucks about it, is that a lot of these guys are going to be feeling the pressure of trying to really overperform or bring it to another level that typically would be fine, but because of the intensity of what's needed this year is it might not be enough.
Well, we'll hope that they all stay rooted and they do their jobs and we'll see.
What I learned.
I've learned something about rooted in Australia and Australian culture.
We'll tell you after this.
Having a field day with this. They are having a field day with this anyway, all.
Right, anyway, we're gonna move us free. We appreciate, we appreciate you guys doing us well. We be back or they will be back tomorrow. I will be off. I'm gonna see you guys on Sunday. But hook them. Let's get it.
What's the prediction there, Oh.
They're gonna they will win by thirteen. Texas beats Michigan on the road at their place by thirteen, at least by thirteen. Because this is I think Texas is well suited to go up there and play this team. I think I think are a better team. All right, But we'll see, hopefully Monday. I'm not sitting here very very sad, too, very very sad. But we'll see how it goes until then. For Nick Harris, Brian brought us Ambergarci. I'm Derek Kielton.
This been This has been the Break live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio.
This has been a production of Dallascowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.