Cowboys Break: Where It Went Wrong

edition of The Break. I'm Derek Eagleton. I'm live from the s WBC Mortgage Studio. It's got Nick in here with me. We've got Amber and Day from their homes and we're gonna tell you all about this Cowboys game and why they lost. On Sunday. The Cowboys lose to the Seattle Seahawks thirty eight thirty one. And as we do every Monday following a game, we're gonna start first with letting these guys tell you what they think the big picture of this game is coming out of that game. Nick,

you were at the stadium yesterday. We'll start with you tell me what you thought was a big picture story out of this game. Well, I mean they they didn't. They couldn't match Russell Wilson. You know, they couldn't match him. He was, you know, as magical as as advertised. And and you know, the Cowboys they hung in there with passing yards, but as I wrote, I just don't think they were balanced. They couldn't run, they couldn't do what they needed to do to score more in the red zone.

So I just thought that, you know, I thought the yards were a little bit hollow because they didn't they couldn't score enough. And you know, I thought it was just a really good you know, I thought it was a really good performance by Dak vested by a great performance by Russell. All right, Amber Well, offensively, there are things that obviously need to be improved, but right now I feel like there's still hope there with some of

the things that the Cowboys have shown us. Now on the defense side of the ball is where I'm very, very concerned right now. I just don't know if how much the Cowboys can actually do to turn things around. With the players and the people that they currently have on the team. They're desperately in need of some players

that can help in the secondary. I keep hearing some players talk about the lack of communication and the fact that they haven't been able to completely be in sync, and honestly, and I understand that it doesn't help that you didn't have a preseason and you got new guys coming in, new coaching staff and all that, But at the same time, I just don't understand and what all is so complicated that they're currently doing that. It's just

you're not able to get guys in sync. It seems like they're not doing anything so overly complicated in order for them not to be able to get it right and quit making the mistakes that they're currently make it. But at the end of the day, I just think it's just the lack of talent there and the lack of experience. But I'm very, very highly concerned about the defense.

Dave big picture story. You know what's really funny, Like I've been thinking about this since the game ended, is like, on the macro level, nothing about this game should be overly surprising. Like it played out really similarly to how a lot of people thought it would offensive shootout a billion yards, Dad plays good, Russell Wilson plays better. Seahawks win by a touchdown, or less like that is very normal and should be expected. But the way the Cowboys

found ways to hurt themselves elves is just beyond belief. Sometimes, like like I said, like you kind of you're not surprised the Cowboys lose by seven on the road against Russell Wilson. You are surprised that the kick returner feels a kick that somehow winds up on the one yard line that turns into a safety. The Pro Bowl kicker misses two extra points or has one block either way

two huge points that come off the board. You are surprised that the first play when the Cowboys get the ball back, turns into a strip sack like right off the bat, completely derailing everything. Like some of the mind boggling details that led to this result are just that,

like their mind boggling their things are. And I'll even mentioned the fact that Tyler Lockett has three first half touchdowns, where you know you expect him to catch touchdowns, you don't expect him to literally be all by himself because the defense can't keep track of one of the best receivers in the NFC. So the result shouldn't be surprising. But some of the lapses that led to that result are absolutely inexcusable for a pro football team, and I

think that's what makes it frustrating. It's not so much that they lost, but they just played so poorly at times, even in the middle of a thrilling game. Yeah, I think it's I think we all probably came away with that. There were lots of head scratching moments in that game where you thought the Cowboys were either on a roll or you thought they were in a good position, and then they would just completely just derail themselves with something

that was totally avoidable. All right, So here's we're gonna do. We're gonna get into our segment where we're gonna talk about the moments that mattered. I have some some moments from the game that I'm gonna lay out for you guys, and we're gonna talk about those moments. But I also want to talk about those moments from the standpoint of just the overall play of particular players and particular positions

throughout this game. Let's start first with the play. The half of it was first and ten on the Dallas forty three, about six forty five left in the first quarter. Seattle has the ball, Russell, Wilson backs up, there was

forty three yard touchdown pass to Tyler Lockett. It looked on that play we were watching from televi vision, Nick, you were from that you were watching from the stadium, But it looked like on that play the Cowboys were in three deep coverage where you would have had the two safeties that would have been covering the middle and the far left from from Russell's vantage point, the far left third of the field, and then you would have

had Digs on the right third of the field. And it looked like Dick's backed out as though he were covering his own looked like the other two safeties completely just didn't see Tyler Lockett running up the field and getting behind them, in which case that's the whole point of cover three, right, you don't let anybody get behind you. That all being said, what did you guys see on that play? And then as a bigger picture question, what

did you see from the safety throughout that game? And we'll start thing with amber Well again, like I like I mentioned early, it seems like to me, and not just the play that specific play the play, but many other plays throughout the games where they just seemed completely lost, like they it was like you were playing a preseason game that you haven't been playing in a long time, and you're kind of lost and kind of getting back

into football. There was just a lot of things that is to me, I would assume basic things when it comes to coverage and football, basic football awareness, and they weren't able to execute it and play the way that they should play. And I don't I really don't know what the solution specifically is. It seems like it's more again just going back to basics and doing the things that you should be able to do as a safety.

And again, it just plays into the whole fact that the Cowboys haven't helped themselves in safety with the they should have a veteran guy. And I wanted to ask this question, why was it that the Cowboys felt the need that they should have gotten read of Haha, Clinton Dicks.

Do you guys not think that they would be using him right now and that he would actually be helped and the team the team, That's a great question, honestly, and I think, I mean the answer to the question is that they weren't seeing the level of play out of him that justified the salaries, so they decided, you know, we'll eat the cost to get rid of him and save a little bit of money, and we feel just as good about the guys that we already have. Now.

It is like, this is one of those occasions where any question you have about the safety position, in my opinion, is one hundred percent fair. It's fair to wonder if maybe Haha should still be here. It's fair to wonder why they haven't gone out and tried to do more. Like when this stuff happens, I think everything's on the table. I don't have a problem with anybody questioning anything. You know. Line one of playing safety is don't let him get behind you. We saw it I think once last year.

I mean one that I can really remember, the Jets game. We're seeing it way too many times here in the first three games of the season, so it's it's not been good enough. And I agree, I think all questions should be asked. And it's not This isn't a new thing.

I mean, this is it's been around. I mean maybe it is a head coaching thing, you know specifically, but they haven't put a priority at the safety position for a long time, and it showed yesterday, do you guys think, and I amber you alluded to it, do you think that the Cowboys should be looking at other options? Now? I will say this. I know we've talked about Thomas, but there's also Eric Reed out there, who is a

really good safety that's sitting out there in free agency. Now, they are going to be issues, obviously, from the standpoint you would think about how some people. Yeah, you would think that that the great should apply here, especially if the guy can play, which he can. I mean he has been on teams. He's on the team last year and played really well. So there are some good safeties.

There are not a lot of positions where you can say that safety is a position where you can say there are some good guys that are out there available to you in free agency. You would think, and I'm asking you, guys the questions, the Cowboys should be interested at this point? Yeah, I do it today, give me seventy two hours getting there. You need him by next Again,

I don't, I don't. I don't think they want to see Odell Beckham doing his little dance in the side at the end zone, you know, several times in this game. Because if those guys can run by him. The Browns got guys too. This is why we said what we said at the start of the season, which is that's awesome that that you want to go forward with this,

and I hope it works out well for you. But you'd be crazy to close the door on their earl Thomas talk had, you know, after one week, because these guys have to prove that they're capable of quieting that talk,

and they haven't done it. And that's I was going to say when you ask the original question, is I love as somebody who is paid to comment on pro football, I love when they make it easy for me because you know, if if the coverage is amazing and Russell Wilson throws an absolute dime, who am I to criticize? You know, like that's hard. It's hard to play dB

in the NFL. But this is the second straight week where a receiver has basically just stood on the field with nobody around him for yards and yards and waited for it like Tyler Lockett looked like he was catching it from a jugsmachine. And that's just not like it is not okay, it's not defensible. You can't justify it, and it happened three times in the first half of

this game. Hayden Hurst did it in week two. It's really really bad, and I absolutely think they should be turning over every stone, whether it's Earl Thomas, whether it's Tony Jefferson, whether it's Eric Reid, even if it's somebody whose name I'm not as familiar with what they're putting out there right now. As a liability, there's no way around it. I assume you agree, Amber, but what do

you think about going out and get another safety. I just don't see how the Cowboys could absolutely even say that they're okay with moving forward with what they currently have. After three games, there's nothing that is promising. I have not seen anything that even sparks doubting me or hoping me that I would, Oh well, they just need a little time to get better. There hasn't been, and they

need to change it up. And especially if your offense continues to make the little errors that I still think that they could be cleaned up. You need to be able to get help from your defense, and the defensive line is not necessarily fully doing their part either, and the linebackers that's another question mark there. So you need to absolutely go and grab whoever you can and hope that you don't get you don't keep getting injured on

your secondary. I mean, when you think about the problem areas of this team offensive tackle, well, there's a big reason for that linebacker, reasons for that cornerback, reasons for that safety. That's your starters. That's where you rolled out there with. That's the biggest problem for me is that. I mean, you can give them somewhat of a pass. I know nobody cares about excuses, but we know why the tackles are bad here, and I mean we know

why there's it's there. But at safety, you cut a veteran and you said I'm gonna go with Woods and Darian Thompson and it hasn't worked out. Yep. All right, Um, let's move on. Let's move to the next moment that mattered. This was the ensuing kickoff after the locket touchdown. You got Pollard back there. Um, he must the catch and then recovers it on the Dallas one very next play, Zeke can't get out of the end zone and it leads to a safety. Dallas is now down nine to zero.

Let's first talk about three three, that being said, let's now talk a little bit about Tony Pollard. Now, I think we've mentioned on the show that that, you know, last week, he's running you know, he's five six yards deep in the end zone. He's running it out, and it just seemed to me like, um, I don't know, I don't know if that's his decision, I don't know if that's the special team's coach decision. I don't know whose decision it was, but it seemed like it was

somewhat ill advised. And in this instance, I was almost at the point where I was ready to say, Okay, if it's in the end zone, tone, don't touch it, just get away from it, let it hit the ground, and let's start at the twenty five. You guys think that's probably a better tack for a tactical decision for this team, especially in a situation where you got an

offense that's as capable as this offense seems to be. Neck. Yes, And because it's not just about Tony Poller, it's it's it's also it's the officiating, and it's the guys that you have blocking. They will call blocking the back it seems like fifty percent of the time, So he's certainly not going to get past the thirty or forty fifty percent of the time. So the percentages are that you're going to be you have a better chance if you take it out, you have a better chance of starting

inside your fifteen yard line. That's not good, So, I mean, I have The weird thing is is that I was watching, for some reason, watching the Seahawks field kickoffs at that same spot kickoffs and punts they dropped like three, So I was thinking pre game, Yeah, the exact same spot, and of course it was the Cowboys. That was it where the sun was coming out? What was Yeah, I guess it was right there, but I don't know. You know, the sun changes in that place the whole game, so

I don't know. I think that was That was definitely a bad move. And then he acted like he had never seen a fumble before, and it was just weird. He couldn't quite figure out how he wanted to fall on it. Dave, what do you think of that play? All of I mean, look, nobody has driven the Tony Pollard hype train harder than me, but it's it's been a rough two weeks. I mean, there's no way around that.

And Nick's absolutely right. Like the NFL is begging teams to just let it be a touchback, like they don't want the violent collisions in kickoffs. The play is basically obsolete anyway. You get the ball in the twenty five, Like seventy five yards is not a long field by NFL standards, Dak the offense had three scoring drives of like eighty nine yards or longer yesterday, So I'll gladly

take seventy five. If the ball crosses the goal one yard deep, the odds of you taking it out being better than just starting on the twenty five are slim to none. And that's by design. Like the NFL doesn't want these plays because they're dangerous, so just play along because it's disastrous what they're trying to do, Like it's so bad, it's so it's so bad you can't you can't afford that risk anymore. After what we've seen Amber, would you do anything different there with the kickoff returns?

Would you do something different with the kickoff returns at this point? At this point, I don't feel great about special teams and what they're doing, so and this sucks. I don't want to say, hey, let's be a little

more conservative. But when it comes to special teams, I think you or me personally, I would be a little more conservative and try to not risk it as much or try to be as aggressive with certain place and just do what you need to do and don't don't allow room for mistakes because right now, they have not been having a great season. And in my opinion, though, they got a safety because of the offense, not because of Tony Pollard. I mean, yeah, they didn't help that.

You're on the one, but you don't have to get a safety. You don't have to call a play that's a that's a slow moving, slow developing off tackle run behind Brandon Knight and Connor Williams, who they got pushed around a lot in this game. Looney got pushed in that that was I think Looney getting pushed back as far as he did really is what killed that play,

right in my opinion. Right, But I mean, do you want to go northwest or do you just want to go north and just try to I mean, I don't understand why why quarterback sneaks have to be at the one yard line. On the other I mean, why can't you just get a few yards to get yourself some breathing room a little bit. So I thought that was a very poor decision to make that call. And then you know, I still haven't seen a great replay of that,

but I mean, look like he didn't get out. Yeah, no, it to me, it was clear that he didn't get out. But like I said, I think Looney was your biggest culprit there. Now that that you can make a lot, there were a lot of guys there. You could probably give some some of that culpability to other than Zach Martin. Zach Martin had his guy about two or three yards

down field. And right now, I'm sure Zach Martin is just probably in a situation where he just feels like I can't win right now because his linemates just aren't. They aren't pulling their weight. All right, we're gonna take our first break. When we come back, I do want to talk a little bit about special teams, uh and particularly Greg's earline. We're gonna talk about his day yesterday, we'll day when we come right back. This is Dallas

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change up your dinner routine. Helps support local Frisco business by choosing one of the Star District restaurants. For information on delivery, take out, curbside pickup, and dine in availability, visit the Star District dot Com here in Frisco. Welcome back into the second segment of The Break live from the SWVC Mortgage studios at the Star. We're going through the moments that mattered in this game. We're going to

move to the next moment. It was one forty four left in the first quarter, Zeke scores on a one yard touchdown run. Greg Zerline runs out, he attempts the point after touchdown and hits the upright and he also had a block pat that happened to possessions later. This special teams and Amber you Mitch mentioned it has had a number of miscus through the first three games of the season. They've also had some really high highs. How concerned are you at this point? And last year again

there was some real problems with the special teams? How concerned do you at this point about the Cowboys special teams? They're gonna start first with you, Dave Um. I don't know if if like ten is a five alarm fire, I guess I'm I'm probably at like I don't. I don't feel that worry about it because I feel like some of this is correctable. The second pat was a was a blocking breakdown more so than an outright miss.

Zerline did hit his field, you know, he hit two big field goals earlier in the game and the Pollard play. You would like to assume that you can avoid that happening. Ever, again, I mean, that just shouldn't happen, So I'm not freaking out about it. But honestly, at the risk of sounding like I'm letting the defense off the hook, like I might be the most disappointed in the special teams because you knew going in the secondary was in trouble. They're injured,

they're going against Russ and these receivers. You figured they were not going to have a great day at the office. Now, the coverage still sucked, but you figured that was probably going to happen, Whereas the special teams are supposed to

be a strength. You leave four points on the field because I mean, I get Nick's point about running a bad play, but you still would like to think your kickoff team doesn't put you on the half yard line, like you that's a reasonable expectation that that shouldn't happen. So that's two points, two mixed extra points, that's four points. Then you're chasing points late in the game because of that, and you have to go for two. So it's not an aation to say the special team's errors completely swung

everything about the end of the game. And that's just a mass bummer because they were supposed to be so good under John Fossil. Like I said, like I have some optimism that it's more of an aberration than a trend. But it wasn't good. It wasn't good at all. Amble your level of concern. I'm with Dave on this one. I am pretty concerned. But at the same time, I think those are things that could be fixed along the season.

And I still think that Fossil with the experience that he has, and I know we talked to great things about him prior to well when he first got hired by the Cowboys, and I still have hope in him and that he's able to make his special teams better. But at the same time, it just comes down to player execution. I think some of those things that they've done, the mistakes that they've made, it comes down to the players not being too execute well enough on the field.

But I am I am concerning. I would say I'm a little higher than day. I would give it at seven. And right now, okay, all right, Nick, I'll concerned you about special teams. I'm not really there yet. I'm not. I mean five, I guess I mean just because brood team plays, I mean I don't I don't put that necessarily on Fossil, you know, making extra points and catching kickoffs.

I mean that's what I m That's what I expect the guys to do on Friday nights, you know, to do that, and then Saturday nights of course, and then Sunday in the NFL. Yeah, that's a given. So I think he's got good schemes. I think he's got you know, I think they got the players in the right spot. I just don't think that it's going to be in every week thing. I'm not there yet. Yeah, you know, if it keeps happening, that's fine, but it's not there yet.

The one thing that that really kind of disappointed me more than anything else about the special teams. You had the one block punt, which obviously that's a problem, but then the second that that first one that actually hit the upright, if you guys went back and watched it, that one looked like it almost got blocked too. There was a guy that got in and got his hand up, and for a second there I thought it did get get blocked. But I mean, they're having some issues along

that line. And I know on one of those plays, I think it was the one where it was actually blocked. I mean, Connor Williams just got basically picked up and thrown. I mean, it's just I am really really not seeing or I'm I'm not really right now, I'm not really thinking that Connor Williams is playing at the level that they need him to play and desperately need him to play, because they have all the issues that they because they

have the guys that they have on the outside. I actually think right now he's having I don't think you could say that the tackles are playing worse than Connor Williams. I think he's right there along with him, and you might even want to throw Joe Looney in there on some plays as well, because they're just not getting the job done. Let's move on to that next moment that mattered. This one came at about it was second and eleven at the Seattle thirty seven Dallas had Dallas and Seattle

were tied at nine. DK Metcalf catches a sixty two yard pass he's headed for the end zone. Trey Von Diggs then comes behind him knocks the ball out of his hand before he crosses a goal line, causing him to touch back. And it leads me to the question of how did you assess Trey Vaughn's play during that game, because I think there were some up and some down moments.

And the bigger picture question there is do you think that maybe Cowboys and having to put him out there and put so much on him this early might risk losing this guy because he's having to face some really good receivers and he's taking a little bit of a beating at times. No, Nick, No, because he's gotten beat his whole life. He's gotta beat his whole life. When you're a little brother, you get beat the entire you get beat your whole life. And he keeps fighting back,

he keeps coming back. He goes to Alabama. He's an All American. He's the second round pick. They knew the moment they made him a starting cornerback, there was gonna be ups and downs with playing him. He's got talent, but he also is a rookie and he's gonna and he's and he also thinks he's a better than he is, and that's every cornerback in the league thinks that he thinks he's better than that, which is gonna make some

big plays. It's also gonna give up some. But he's hate to say this, but I think he's the best you have right now. I mean, I don't know why you hate to say it's true. Well, well I hate to hear it him. Yeah, because that's the rookie. The rookie who gives up big plays is the best you have. It is, It absolutely is, Dave. You know that it's tough. You know, this is another example of like, it sucks not being around these guys, not being embedded the way

we normally are. Like I've I've never met Treyvon Diggs in person, but I've just been impressed at his resilience from a distance, because it doesn't seem like he came back. You know, they picked on him throughout the first half. He bounced back by forcing the fumble on metcalf. He also had some nice plays and coverage in the second half where he looked comfortable and confident. It looks from the like he's got a short memory and a lot of self confidence. Like, I don't get the impression from

a distance that he's overly bothered by this. I hope that I'm right. I don't know that for sure, because I'm probably never going to get a chance to talk to him in person all season long, but I've been impressed by the way he's been able to respond to this,

It's not fair the position that he's in. You know, the secondary was going to be a problem regardless, but the other two guys that are supposed to be starting are on injured reserve, which obviously not only are they not available, but they won't be available for at least two or three more weeks. So I said this yesterday on Twitter. It's gonna get worse for treyvon dis before

it gets better. This is going to keep happening. The Browns are going to target him too, and I just hope he keeps that attitude because I I like the flashes that I'm seeing. The consistent product is not there and might not be there all season, but I'm optimistic that he's going to internalize it the right way and not get too down on himself. Camber. I'm excited to see what he becomes and the kind of player that

he turns into. What sucks right now is that he's having to carry so much on his back and the fact that you don't have much help of veteran guys in the secondary. I mean, it puts more weight on him and it's I'm just the one thing, the one thing that I like seeing is the fact that one he works his butt off. You can tell that he does not he puts in the work. And the two is that, like this guy's mentioned, he doesn't give up. And that played that Derek you brought up that you

were talking about. I mean, the guy was only several steps away from the from getting inside the end zone, and Dick did not give up. And the fact that he wasn't like, man, this guy just got away from me. He kept going, went in there with his hand to push up get the ball off the guy's hand. So those traits, those kind of just fire to fight back. It's something that you love to see. And I hope that, like they said, I hope that the bat don't don't upset the good and that it does and really get

to him throughout the season. But right now, I think he has a lot of potential. All Right, we're gonna take our final break when we come back. I have a couple more moments from the game we have to talk about. There was one series of place. Yeah, well, but that's the thing. There were some moments in this game that all happened in the first half and then it kind of started going but there was a series that happened in the second half that I think that

we need to talk about. Actually this one and this was still in the second quarter, and then we will talk about a series that happened in the third quarter. We'll do that when we come right back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio since eighteen sixty five. Stetson Hats are American made with pride right here in Texas, and Stetson is proud to be on the field with America's team. Want to show your Texas and team pride too,

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airwaves and taste buds. It's new Doctor pepper and cream Soda. Let's take a listen, Doctor bad cream Soda. Is he a new combone. Let's music to my ears? Okay, doctor music to my ears and mouth, New Doctor pepper and cream Soda. Delas just do bay Back to the break already coming to the Cowboy game this weekend when they play the Brown Tiff, So make sure you know before you go, wear a mask, keep distance, be prepared for

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the break Life from the s WBC Mortgage Years. At the start, we're breaking down the Cowboys versus Seahawks, and I already can see now that we're gonna have some stuff from this show that's gonna have to flow over the next week because ain't no way we can get in all the different things that happened and evaluate all the players that we saw on Sunday versus the Seahawks. That is every Monday. It seems like that's every Monday.

But every rundown you have is like seventeen fights long, so you know, but you gotta admit, this game had so many moments yea and things. I know, I'm not gonna even get to him. We are gonna jump back though to the second quarter. This was about eleven thirty one left in the second quarter Seattle. There was a series where Seattle had the ball. They start this drive at their own twenty nine. They drive to the Dallas forty six, and that's when things started going crazy for

the Cowboys. You got third and ten on the Dallas forty six and Wilson is sacked by Jordan Lewis, but that is negated by an illegal contact penalty on Darryl Worley. That situation would have gotten him off the field. Instead, it's first and ten. It's second and nine at the Dallas twenty three. Later in that drive, Wilson is intercepted by Darryl Worley at the Dallas one, but that is

negated by a pass in afference on Jordan Lewis. So basically, Jordan Lewis and Darryl Worley both took each other's great plays away, negated them and uh and put the Seahawks in better position. Then Seahawks have the ball first and tenth the Dallas fifteen. You get pass an afference on Brandon Carr in the end zone while he's covering Greg Olsen. Seattle scores from the scores a touchdown from the one after that thoughts on the Dallas cornerbacks, and and here's

my big picture question. Do you think that what we're seeing from the cornerbacks is more of the fact that you're you're missing a Woozier and you're missing Brown or do you think the same thing would be happening even if those guys are Because let's be clear, Woozia hadn't been great for a while, so you know, do you think it's that they're missing guys or do you think it's just this is what they have and this is what they're gonna be for the foreseeable future. Let's start

first with you, Dave both both. I mean, yeah, like it sucks when you don't have two of your preferred starters, but I don't have any comf since it would have been substantially better. I said this, I've been I've been thinking about this all morning, knowing we were going to talk about it. I mean, the secondary was the problem with this team. Now you know, the pass rush hasn't played amazing through the first three weeks. They were better yesterday.

Still not incredible, although that's tough against Russell Wilson. I get it, but the secondary was always going to be a problem. I don't think it would have looked substantially better with the starters out there. Honestly, the flags on Lewis and Warley, I feel like we're pretty fair. The one on Car was BS well. I mean, to some degree, you gotta let a cornerback do something like The rules are already slanted hard enough against them as it is, so that sucked. But you know, I like there are

a lot of grabbing going on. Like overall, I didn't have a problem with most of those calls, I feel like, but yeah, coverage is going to be a problem for the Cowboys for most of this season. If I had to guess, it just kind of is what it is, agreed. I mean, I thought the calls were pretty fair except for the Brandon Car did not like that because Olsen's

not going anywhere. He's not trying to go anywhere. I mean, he's not He's not stopping him from doing anything because he wants to just sit back there and you know, hug each other. I mean, I thought the Jalen Smith call, I don't know if you're getting into that later. I thought the illegal contact play I thought that one was pretty bad. But yeah, they're just not good enough to

cover those guys, you know. And but the thing about it is all starts with Russell Wilson and the Cowboys fear of trying to attack him because he sits back there forever. So there was a ton of coverage, sacks, coverage places they can't cover all day long. And so it Russell Wilson is the reason why the Cowboys dbs or other dbs are getting these penalties. Amber Well, it sucks to hear, Like I'm still in shocked that Stephen

Jones said on the Fountain, what was it, Dave? They're not in dissipating to bring any dbs this week, And I'm just amazed as to how can how can that even come out of your mouth after watching these three first weeks. I just don't understand, because regardless of the situation, regardless of the players being injured on your secondary, the Cowboys were still struggling just in general. I mean, we've been talking about the secondary all throughout the off season,

during training camp and then starting the season. So it's still it's still very concerning at the fact that they're still not looking into actually bringing someone back. They might be maybe they are maybe Stephen Jones is kind of trying to keep it a secret or something, But as of right now, it's just regardless of the injuries, I think they still would have struggled. Yeah, when you hear that, it makes me start to question, Okay, so why would they think very differently than all the rest of us

that they don't need to bring in any body. And the only thing I can really come up with is they believe, maybe they believe that the issues they're seeing right now with the defense the busted coverages are not necessarily a function as much of guys not being able to do it. It's more a function of the guys figuring out how to do it. This is a new scheme, and for whatever reason, they're not picking up on all

the nuances of the new scheme. You think that maybe that could be the issue and why the Cowboys are at least saying we're gonna stay where we are, We're gonna we're gonna hold true to that and we're gonna give us a little more time and see where it goes. Nick, Yeah, I think I mean that's got to be what it is. It's it's it's and also the fact that they you know, adding players and picking them up is just not what it used to be. It's because because of the situation

we're in right now. Uh, it's it's harder to get guys in the building, um and get them up to speed. It's gonna take seventy two hours, I guess for that to happen. So um, you know, he almost in some cases have to roll with this, But I don't know. Dave mentioned three or four safeties that are out there, and I think I try a couple of them, you know, just just to see. I mean, just because you know your your seasons. You can't just let guys run free

like that. That just that just can't happen. Let's real quickly get to this one other play I think we could try to get in here. It was the first play to open the third quarter. It was a series there and Jaron Reid beats Connor Williams to get a sack on Dak. He also forces a fumble on that play. But when you think about it, in totality, Dak was only sacked twice in this game. One time Connor Williams again gives up that sack. Brandon Knight gives up, gives

up one later in the game. So from that standpoint, how do you guys assess the play of the offensive line overall throughout the game going up against the Seattle defense. We'll start first with you, Amber. I mean, it wasn't great the fact that you're having to shuffle guys around in the middle of the game, and then I know there's still a question as to why exactly still came

out of the game. There was some news I think Jane's later mentioned that he had some I guess stomach issues or something like that, and I don't know, But at the same time, it's always to struggle and the fact that they were able to hold it together, honestly credit to Dak Prescott. I think he did an amazing job, regardless of them losing the game and him throwing those

two interceptions. I think the fact that he's playing the way that he's playing right now and being able to utilize his legs and be mobile and just get out of there and make certain throws, he's done an amazing job. So hopefully, with the fact that we know or think that the two tackles are coming back pretty soon, I would imagine that the offensive line starts getting better but all in all, I think that they did okay, just okay. It was not great by any means, but I hopefully

it'll get better soon, Dave. If I'm looking for a silver lining coming out of this game, besides the play of the quarterback, which I thought was outstanding even with the misques, I'll take it. I'll take it ninety nine times out of one hundred. But if I'm looking for a silver lining, it's that the coaching staff was prepared for this problem. You know, Zack Martin thanks to Nick Nick got to talk to both of them, Zack Martin

and Joe Looney. Both were kind of like, well, yeah, I mean they've been working us at these different positions, so you like, nobody was surprised when this had to happen, which that's funny to hear, because we were all shocked because you know, we've talked about Zach plane tackle forever and never seen it, and he just kicked out there and played like a badass. I mean, I know, I know if Seattle doesn't have any crazy good edge rushers,

but that's still really impressive, in my opinion. Further testament to Zack Martin's ability. I thought Tyler beads held up really well at center thought Joe looked fine at guard. Like for them to do that, and the offense was able to completely, you know, pick itself up. I think Dak for through for two hundred and ninety two after halftime. That's pretty remarkable because I think most of us would agree that a situation like that might have sunk the

last coaching staff. I'm not sure that they would have thought ahead in enough degrees to make those types of adjustments mid game. So I think the coaching staff deserves a lot of credit for that. I'm not sure it would have looked that nice if other people had been making those decisions. Nicholas assumed for a second that Tyran can't play this next game. Would you stick with that that offensive line that they had there by the end of the game, or do you go back to steal? No,

I'm not going back to steal. But but I've got some I've got some other issues said that really weird, Like, no, no, I'm not going for an undrafted guy from Texas Tech, not for Zach Martin. I mean, but but again, I hate to say this. You gotta have your five best linemy. I mean, you have to figure that out, and I just don't know who that is at this point. I don't know. I don't know if the honest is better than Looney at you know, is he better than Looney

or was that whole smove better? Um is Connor Williams? Is he a problem? I mean he had a position now, I mean, I mean think about it. Brandon Knight, they like him at guard, had to play him at tackle. Maybe maybe they both need to flip for each other. But you know, honestly, as I went back and watched the game, I didn't really have a hard time with

what Brandon k I did yesterday. I think Brandon White, Brandon Knight to me, has played pretty decent football for the position that he's been put in in the last two weeks. I don't think he is the reason why they are. They are struggling at times when they strip. I think Tyran plays. I think I played Brandon Knight at right right tackle. Yeah, I'm kind of moved Connor. I mean, move Zach Martin back and butt at center. I don't know about that one. Again, I didn't think

Looney had his best game yesterday. Dave Amber, what do you guys think about that would you would you guys change it up or kids stickle what they had by the end of the game. I was gonna ask, well, good, so go ahead, a g I was just gonna ask, where would you prefer to have your your weakest point guard? That depends on if that depends to me on if Tyring is back, If Tyrant is back, I think I would prefer it to be at left guard. If Tyring is not back, I think I prefer it to maybe

be at right tackle, right tackle. Yeah, you see Deck sees what it's coming right at, and plus you can chip and you have Zach Martin right right and you got Zick. Yeah, that's a good question. I was gonna say, I think that's how I would look at this whole thing. Sorry, Dave, You're fine, because I think it's a really good point. Yeah, that was just what I was gonna say. It's that's

how I would look at it. Where would you prefer to have your weakest point and then based on that, rearrange or try to rea arrange the offensive line and try to figure out where you want your best guys to be depending on what you think works best. For Doc Prescott, that's a good point. You know, if we can assume that, go ahead, Dave kill. So, if we can assume that Tyrant's back, it does make me wonder.

Like I said this last night too, is like if everybody's healthy, and I know they're not, but if they are, it's an impressive amount of depth and versatility, like they've got you know, they've got like five guys that can play two or three positions. If Tyrant's back, I agree that I would play Brandon Knight on the right side, But that makes me wonder like you could do some

more experimenting. You could play Joe Looney at left guard and play Tyler Biadash at center and move back to Zach back to right guard, or potentially maybe maybe you play Brandon Knight at left guard and play Zach at right tackle. I don't freaking know, Like you could do a lot of stuff. Um Tyron's back, it opens you up. I wouldn't be mad about them experimenting, that's for sure. I'd tell you what's sad, it's that Connor McGovern's just isn't in this equation at all, Like they had a

second round grade on him. True, Yeah, that's that's disheartening. But I mean, that's a really good point. But Lyell is supposed to be back this week, and I just I don't know if he's gonna be But I'll say this, at whatever point they have both of their tackles back, I would play around a little bit with the center and the left guard position. I would maybe look at some other options. Do I maybe want Looney over there?

Would be honest in the middle. Do I maybe want to see if Connor McGovern can can step in there and maybe play left guard? Like, I really think that that's going to become the weakness of this offensive line. And we saw it yesterday. We saw there were moments when that that middle of the line was getting pushed around, and they were getting pushed around to the point where

it was affecting the play that was on the outside. Like, and that's the problem, Like, you got to be able to at least hold a point of attack, Like you gotta be able to at least stand up and not get thrown back and push back into the running back who's trying to get to the outside. Right, I want to know why they didn't sign Ron Leary. I don't know if it was money or he wasn't ready, or because they are hurting inside they can't. They don't run

the ball, they can't run it. They're leaving it all for Dak to do everything, and it's it's too much. Your your quarterback should not be throwing the ball fifty seven times. It's not a recipe to win games. Ye all right, Well, appreciate you guys. You're going us. We're gonna back tomorrow. We're gonna talk a little bit more about this game, and we'll start doing some big picture looking at where the Cowboys are at this point through three games until then. For Nick Even, Dave helm and

Amber Garcia. I am Derek Eagleton. This has been The Break live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com Radio. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.