Cowboys Break: Who Should Coach?

David Hellman, Uh, Derek Eagleton. He might join us later, we'll see. He's on standby right now. But a lot of news coming out. You don't want to do a number today, Nick, you want to, you want to know the number. But Derek Randon Knight, forget the number. We have breaking news. Uh. Coach Mike McCarthy, just guess Enter, I don't know. I guess I means he tested positive, but he's The point is he's entered COVID protocol right now, and that just came out a few minutes ago that

he will not be available for the game. Apparently that's not exactly what they said. What they said was he won't be on the sidelines for Thursday's game in the he will not be on the side of the Thursday game, will be involved, but we don't know what we're gonna We're gonna FaceTime him on the windows surface and have him on the gatorade jug And he seems like somebody that would want to do that. I mean most coaches probably would, maybe not Don but but most coaches would

would do that. I mean, I mean, you're completely not allowed in the stadium or you have a suite now to yourself. I don't know if we were playing this at at and T, maybe, but I don't think so at the Superdome. But man, what a okay, what a morning. So McCarthy is in COVID protocol. Uh. That brings the total up to like eight when you consider all, you know, basically the entire strength and conditioning staff Harold Nash, Kendall Smith,

Cedric Smith. Um, then you have offensive line coach Joe Philbin, assistant line coach Jeff Blasco and then offensive line the assistant another assistant coach, Scott Tolson. Yes, and sorry, I'm just making sure we're more news break that type of morning at the Star. Yeah for sure. And then um yeah, and then and then we got to mention Terrence Steele, which we'll get into it later on, but let's start off with the coaching staff and what that looks like as of right now for what he could mean for

this Thursday game. Well, it's just like it's the start that that's That's the thing that that's kind of scary is that if you go back and look at some of the the history of how things typically go with close context, it's not always right away. It's the after the first couple of days, third day, and then sometimes the fourth day is when that stuff kind of pops,

which is sort of what's happening here. So you know, it's just gonna be hard to prepare for this team to practice, to do whatever, and then all of a sudden, you could be two or three days into it and we could have more tests like this. There's going to be some breath holding going on around here for the next forty eight hours probably and in New York as well, I mean with the league and all, oh yeah, yeah,

there's a like, wait, we don't play the Giant. No, No, I'm just saying, I mean, you know, and that's what I what I wonder is is how I don't know what the what the number has to be for them to consider making a change here. But but like we've seen teams that are really really hamstrung and then they

still play the game. So I think it would have to be a two team thing unless unless the cowdre trying to talk about this to the show, and Day was trying to you were mentioning how you remember that the NFL saying, which is very straight on, like not moving or canceling it. You know, I apologize for not having my ducks in a row. This kind of fell

on us twenty minutes before we came on. But the way that I understand that, the way the league has changed, like that, that's not happening this year, Nick, They're not. The league made it pretty clear they're not moving a game unless it's like an act of God that does it. Um, I don't, I don't. I don't think they would. And what I remember from the summer, I need to go

back and check. I'm sorry, Maybe maybe it's different if it's unvaccinated status, but like what I remember hearing is that if it gets to a point where you can't play the game, it's just a forfeit on your part and and um, and they don't care. Like it could be both teams and they're still like, we don't care. So like I'm under the impression that this is happening Thursday no matter what, or a game won't be played, but like we're not doing the whole Move it to Tuesday,

move it to Wednesday, whatever thing year. Do you think you could be like a strength coach? Me? Yeah, you know what I mean. Could I walk around and like clap my hands and lead guys through warm ups? Yes? Do I know anything about the techniques required to lift in the NFL? No? That and that's the that's the problem here. And it makes sense. I mean, this is how it happens. People that work together, sit together, they eat together, they coach together. So that's why it's that's

three strength coaches and two offensive linemen. And you know, I mean, that's that's the way it works, you know. So that that that'll I just hope that that it doesn't continue to spread like that, which it very well could though if it's if it's got to the head coach, head coach is probably interviewed or meets with a lot

of people. The irony like we were. We were just talking recently about like, even if you're vaccinated, the precautions that a lot of these guys take, like you make the people in your inner circle get tested on a regular basis. You're probably keeping a close eye on where you go and what you do. But that's the nature of this thing. Man. The vaccine helps, but it's it's not a cure all, despite what people say, and people want to get mad about it. It's never it's never

been built that way. So this stuff had, this stuff has potential to happen. It's just what timing. And of course it's got to be the Cowboys well. And I think we have to point out too that like obviously a lot of people that are listening, this matters because of how it affects the game against the Saints. We get that, but also, you know, more than anything, I mean, the most important thing is just the health of these guys ends as I've been told, right now, and things

could change. I think everyone seems to be doing well. There are some of those eight are just completely symptom free, which is frustrating in its own right too, just to be vaccinated, symptom free and still held out but I don't know that about all eight. If you know, there are some couple offensive line coaches that weren't on the virtual call yesterday. I thought that was a kind of odd. Yeah, not on the call. It was virtual. Hopefully those guys are okay. But but that you know that, let's make

sure and stress that that's important. That that's the number one thing here. But and it is. It's interesting too because players obviously have the choice, but any coach in the NFL has to be vaccinated, right, that was mandated. So again that just tells you the unpredictable nature of

this thing, I guess. But yeah, I mean I that is that's important to keep in mind that hopefully all these guys are feeling okay well between today and Thursday, or let's say Wednesday, which is when the team would be traveling, things can still change and other guys could pop up, like Nick was mentioned. But as of right now, who do you think would be best to assume the head coaching duties, if you know, with McCarthy being out for the game. So that's where I feel kind of guilty.

We're doing this podcast because this is when it's scheduled and we want to give people up to date information, but like, this is a developing thing. You know, you could name an an interim head coach and then he tests sponsitive tomorrow. You know, yeah, I will. So there's there's two guys on the staff that have been an NFL head coach before, or well, well three, but Philbin's

in COVID protocol. But Dan Quinn and John Fossil have both done it recently obviously, and Dan actually had COVID at the beginning of the season, So you would think that decreases his likelihood of catching it this go around. Again, wild speculation on my part, but that's just kind of what they tell you about antibodies and all that good stuff. So I mean, all things being equal, if he's available, I would lean toward dan Quinn. Probably I would too.

I would, yeah, because you know, and I understand he calls the plays as well. I don't know why, maybe I just maybe I'm wrong with this. I just feel like it's harder to call an offensive play than a defensive play. Maybe that's not the case. Colin plays is probably Colin plays, but but I would just think, yeah, Wilin Moore to call the offensive plays and not have

to run the game. He's never done it before. I would just I'm sure he can because I mean, he hasn't wanted us to say that because he's probably going to interview for jobs and all that. This might be a good test for him to do that. But um, I would lean towards Dan Quinn. And not only that, but but also you know, he's played games in the you know, the Superdome before, he's coached there, he's coached against the Saints. Probably would just be as comfortable as anybody.

I thought there was five guys that had been a head coach before, didn't we lose a couple of them though, like tom Sewela is not here anymore. I thought we added one though I don't remember and can't keep it all straight. Yeah, it doesn't matter. It come down to it come down to quit. I mean, okay, technically there's there's a Yeah, there's an assistant, and there's an assistant head coach Rob Davis. Um I would like to think that's a title only I don't think you'd be coaching

the game. But um I saw a report like the vice president where you know, something happened he slides in. I don't think It's like that Tom Pellaceero had a report that he'll have a larger role, and Tom you should you should trust Tom he will, No, you should trust Tom Pellicero's in. When it comes to Mike McCarthy. You can connect the dots on that if you go back and take a look. He will have a larger role. But that doesn't mean he's going to be the acting

head coach. I mean, that's a hell of a jump. Yeah, that's a hell of a right. I don't even like. I mean, I think the world of Kellen Moore, but that's a hell of a spot to put a guy in like three days. Notice, hey, you're in charge of all of this, you've never done it before. That's I leaned toward Quinn as well, because he's done all that. Like, the biggest question for dan Quinn is probably like, well, you got to come down out of the box, even

though you probably wouldn't. You don't want to, but you need to for this game, whereas Kellen Moore like, But but dan Quinn's done all of those other duties and that's a pretty good point. He's done it in the Superdome a lot. I mean, he was the head coach of the Falcons for what five years, which means I mean he's played played in this environment a lot. Shouldn't be anything new for him. It just it just makes

the most sense to me. That's why I would do Let's do it well, let's try to make sense of something else, which is the Cowboys offensive line we got. Yeah, okay, now we can get to the part where one of their starters actually is out with COVID as well. Yeah, Terrence Steele, he came out with He's in the protocol as well. And I mean we saw last game how they were playing Musical Chair and it wasn't a good game for the old line and the Cowboys. So what do you I mean, you got to you got guys,

But is it gonna work? How do you guys feel right now with this news and him not being available for this game? I think if you're gonna have one guy that that would be in the protocol U a starter in the protocol, it would be the starter that you're scratching your head of why he's the starter? You know, it's not like he I mean, there's it's still it's still weird to me that Terrence Steele is starting over

Lyo Collins at right tackle. U. I understood the left side man because that's not something he hadn't done in forever, But to start over him at right tackle, that just seems weird to me. Is he that much better? I don't see him being that much better. I think at this point now we're not talking anymore about expectations of drafted and whatever. No, it's just about who's the better player, and I think I still think Lyle would be so. But I think you could argue that they've been worse

once Lyle came back into the line. I don't think you're wrong to say you can argue that Lyle hasn't been amazing since he came back from his suspension. He also hasn't really had a chance to get into a rhythm either. I mean, yeah, he wasn't playing tackle, then he was playing tackle, then he lost, then you know, Terrence Steele took his job back. It's just I mean, this whole thing's been in flux for the better part

of a month. And sorry, no, and now you got offensive line coach, the assistant oh line coach or tied end coach, London Wells is going to slide over and help with that. You know, this is this is a game where you need your guy. You need Zack Martin, Tyren Smith, Lyle Collins. You need your veteran guys to be out there because this is going to be allowed environment. You know, you think the Saints give a crap about the Cowboys issues right now. I mean they're trying to

sneak back into the playoff races. It's a huge game for them. So if you've o line coaches are down to tied ends coach all day, you got to lean on your veterans here more than anything. So I think it's not great that that happened to Terence Steele because he's a swing tackle. I mean he'd be or he he's the starter. You know, he would be at the starter. But whatever the situation is, you don't want anyone to be down. But I think it's it's if you have to lose somebody, it's not a I mean, it might

even be a step up. Honestly, I don't want to say anything glib about COVID like we I hope Terrence is feeling fine. That's I would never wish that on a person. But if anything, it's in a way It's almost feels like a relief to have some clarity about who's gonna play. And that's this is what happens when the game's on Thursday. We don't do a show Friday because of the holiday weekend. It feels like the Raiders game was a lifetime ago. But that was so weird.

I've have you ever seen like beyond like varsity high school football. Have you ever seen them just rotate the line like that when everybody's health. That was the That was the second most weirdest thing that that didn't sound right, But second most, that's the second weirdest thing about that. The first was the was the explanation, which which is no offense. Mike McCarthy crap to me, stop it, yeah, stop,

and that's stop. I have true you're not trying to give guys rest because for the first eight weeks of the season, all you did was talk about how huge continuity on the line went like it he said it every and and then we and then we take that info to the air and we're like, this is what's important to Mike McCarthy, this is why this and then and then you just fall back on it, and I have no choice but to conclude like they're playing politics,

like they've got seven guys that are good enough to start, and they're afraid of hurting people's feelings, which I get. Lyle Collins is a fifty million dollars a year player who found found his way to the bench. Terrence Steele is a guy that you hand picked and believed in and and and you've you've talked him up and he's played well. I'm not trying to say that he hasn't.

He's played really well, but so you've got him him and he plays five or six games, however many it was, and it's like, well, how am I going to lose my job for no reason? How am I going to lose my job for playing well? And it's like, guess what this is why you're paid a lot of money to coach in the NFL, Like you're not supposed to

care about people's feelings. You're supposed to make the best decision for the team and not come up with weird platoon systems on the offensive line, which nobody everyone who's ever watched football agrees that that doesn't happen, right, And the Cowboys are just like, yeah, we we just wanted to give him a series to see what it looked like. What stop not resting anyone because they only did it

for one series. You didn't do it for Tyrant Smith, who's been beat to hell with injuries and stuff like that. You didn't do it for Zach Martin, thankfully. It's just these It just comes across as the epitome rush didn't come in and you didn't get a few snap not being able to make a decision right and so and so, Like I said, like, I'm certainly not happy that Terrence Steele has COVID. I hope he's feeling better. I hope he feels great. But at least now you got some clarity.

You're just like, oy, hey, Lyle Collins needs to start it right tackle on Thursday night. Yeah, just so you're listening, you listen, people listen to our show at all hours of the night. We appreciate that. That's that's how we get a big following, is because we know people are listening at all times. But just remember this show is where at our time Central, it's like almost eleven o'clock.

So you might be listening and they've already announced to their head coach is gonna be uh, they they've already announced what this oh or if anyone else knocking, would you know, might get into the Copproe I said, I feel bad doing this show right now because this it's probably not gonna age great shout out to talking Cowboys, our poor colleagues. All this news about McCarthy came down forty five seconds after they got off the air. So

that's like a whole show that's basically obsolete. It's about ten minutes. But you know, but but you know, they don't. They don't. They're not like us. They don't look at their phones as much as we because if it would happened in ten minutes, like we're gonna we're gonna say that's a good point. Yeah, no, I mean we're gonna see whatever happens in the NFL while we're on here because I can't put my phone down before we go

to break though. We're talking old line. Do you want to just try and we'll just try to go left the right here. I mean we think Tyrann McGovern be honest, Zach Lyle, I mean like, yeah, that's that's why they could they could go back to Connor Williams, but could don't you don't. You hate that you have to specify

when you say Connor. Yeah, I hate that, But you know, honestly, I think I would go back to Connor Williams because I haven't seen a big difference between MC government's fine and they don't run the goal line package with Connor Williams. They don't do it. They did it once. He still hasn't blocked anyone doing it, So I think if it's that close, I think I'd go back to Connor Williams

at left guard and go with the McGovern package. I mean, there's a lot happening there and I think he's kind of almost mastered it a little bit, so I would. And I don't know how much we've talked about this. I hope they do it. I've been He's too he's too good of a teammate. He's too much of a diplomat to answer this publicly. But just ask Tyrone and ask Dak, Yeah, who who do you want at left guard? Who do you want playing there? And whatever they say,

that's fine with me. Dak did somebody with somebody asked him that before the Chiefs game, I think, and he was just like all those guys are competitors. They're my brothers. I feel good no matter who's up there. It's like, that's not what I asked you. I asked you who you want to be prying there? Right? So that's what and that's what needs to happen. And I think you know, nobody can tell you better than those two. Yeah, you know. I mean, Tyrn's played with Connor Williams for three years.

Maybe maybe there's a comfort and I get he doesn't have the same pool, but i'd ask the center too, because I want him to be as comfortable as he could possibly be out there. If you don't want to do it in front of the team, that's fine, pull him aside, Maybe do it on zoom given the circumstances, Just Dak, what do you think? Who do you think

should be playing left guard? All right, well, let's go ahead and take our first break when we come back, let's try to figure out how to improve the offense overall. They did turn up their game towards the second half of the game against the Raiders, but I mean taking it all the way to over time. But I think we can all agree they're a lot of things I need to be worked on and fixed at ATNC, everyone new and existing customers get our best deals on every smartphone.

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Welcome back to the break. Although the loss against the Raiders feels like ages ago, crazy, let's talk about the game a little bit. Let's talk about what happened on offense and since it is a very very short week for the Cowboys playing this Thursday, another game over there in New Orleans, let's talk about the things that need to happen for this game and how do we condense

everything into a little segment here. Well, that's just I'm this is probably the third time I've said it, but like I'm just sitting here, like, well, can I wait and see who all's even going to be available for this game before I worry about what they need to

do or what's going to happen. I mean yesterday afternoon, I mean, like again, like we just kind of talked about it, Like you get the Terrence Steel News on Sunday morning and you're lying, okay, Like as far as losing a guy to COVID goes, that's pretty manageable and Ceedee. Lamb is supposed to be back this week. Amari Cooper is supposed to be back in the building today, So that's huge. And you would imagine Amari just coming off the COVID list. He's probably not going to catch it

during this current outbreak. But but we we have no clue and we'll probably, like I said, we'll probably be kind of holding our breath and waiting for updates through Wednesday afternoon, if I had to guess. So that just makes it kind of difficult for me. But on paper, from a roster standpoint, they look like they're in a decent spot to kind of have some guys back. I already mentioned Lamb and Amar DeMarcus Lawrence has at least a chance to play in this game. We'll have to

wait and see on that. But the roster is social media alive. Yeah no, he's tweeting little gifts about being back like he was like soon, so like, yeah, I mean, he's this is what we've We're finally getting to the point we've been talking about for a month of like okay, they're they're starting to get some of these important players back, and of course they're dealing with one of the larger COVID outbreaks in the league this year. At the same time,

I mean, it's just always got to be something. Yeah, And I guarantee there's a lot of fans out there that are like, so, who cares a coach? I mean, the players play coaches. Coach. That's that's true to you know, obviously. But but if you're not prepared in this league, you get your ass kicked. I mean, that's just that's just the way it is. If you don't prepare, especially against I mean, the Saints from a talent standpoint, do not

have the same players that the Cowboys do. What they have, though, is an outstanding football coach in my opinion, and a system that continues to work. And it's on Peyton. We talked about the Saints fans, not Karen John. Payton really doesn't care either. He wants to bring it in every game. He loves playing against the Cowboys. He does a good job obviously against them, and so if the Cowboys aren't prepared this week, it's you know, getting d lawback, getting

the receivers back. All that sounds great, but it'll be tough. This is going to be a very big challenge. Well, I was just going to ask you with what you just mentioned, and I know that they have said that they're going to be holding virtual meetings and they're still going to go through practice, but us speaking of preparation, like, how does that look for you right now? Like how do you think or expect that to affect the Cowboys

for this week's preparation. I would like to think that it will feel familiar to them because this is the type of stuff they had to do all through last season. And you brought up the Ravens game last year that got moved around eighteen times. I mean, they shouldn't be

strangers to this stuff. I mean, I know there's a lot of new faces on this team, but most of them were playing in the league last year when this was common stuff, when you were doing everything virtually um, when you kind of had to work with that tolerance of ambiguity about what was going to happen the next day. So they got their ass kicked a lot. They they know they were. They thank you, Nick, just saying that's not that's not a good thing, where you're like, well,

they did it. Last year, you know, I mean, like I'm at least they have familiarity doing it. I guess that's all I'm saying. I know, this whole thing is weird because all these receivers that are coming back, it's not like they practiced a lot last week. So a lot of times, you know, you just have a carryover

for what you did last week. But last week the two receivers weren't even in and they barely practiced much then, you know, coming off of this, so you know, I mean, the league, okay, well, it's just you know, this is what they want, all right. They want these games. They want to play football when there's nothing else on. They play the Thursday games and all this stuff. But I mean, it is it is a challenge. You can say it all you want to that this isn't a short week

for the Cowboys. Yes it is. It is a short week because last week was was very short. I mean, you're playing you're playing two games in ten eleven days, and so are the Saints, and I get it, and and but this is for when this kind of stuff happens COVID and even there's gonna be guys that don't have symptoms that are vaccinated, that might miss the game

because they just don't have the time. If I was made commissioner for a day, I would abolish Thursday football other than maybe the season opener and Thanksgiving would be like one of the first three things I did. Yeah, I just I it is or or you're coming off a bye. Okay, that's I still figure that out. Coming off a bye, you can play Thursday or whatever. I

just don't. I just don't think they should that every team should have to do it, and like it's just like, yeah, like we just we have a three day week this week. That's just what it is. It's like, No, it's the peak of hypocrisy to say you care about player safety and make every team in the league do that. I think it's awful. And I I mean, I'm part of the problem because I'm gonna watch it if it's on ye. But yeah, I just I hate it. Yeah, I mean it does. It's a it doesn't make a lot of sense,

you know, with the word s now. If you spell it with the sea, then yeah, it makes a lot of sense. And that's what we care about. But um dollars and sense I got don't know. It was good, I was, I got it. Yeah, But anyway, U to my favorite, my my favorite quote in recent years coming, I'm like, what, Yeah, as Mike Tomlin famously said last year, we do not care. Nobody cares and it's fun. I I got I got some really fun perspective on this game this week because my family was in town, diehard

Saints fans. Everybody thinks I'm a sleeper Saints fan. I don't have time. I don't know anything about that team other than like when the game week rolls around and it's like, okay, let me see what the Saints are doing. So all weekend, my family we're sitting here talking about like Amari's coming back, Lamb's coming back, this is DeMarcus

is practicing over in Saints world. My parents and my brother are like, well, yeah, Kamara should be back, Ryan Ramschick and Toronto Armstead should be healthy for the first time in a month. Taysom Hill might play for the first time in a month. I'm like, oh, so they sound like they might be ready for a challenge, just in time for the Cowboys. Like just like clockwork, that's how it happens that the Saints team that got its ass kicked by Buffalo and Philly was decimated just like

the Cowboys have been. And then that's everybody in the league is dealing with it at this time of year. Every team in the league is like, if we just had so and so, if we could just do this, and you know what, nobody cares. You gotta find a way anyway. It sucks because speaking of short weeks, with this Thursday, and I'll just realize, I'm like, okay, travel

on Wednesday. We wouldn't have a show on Wednesday. So we gotta discuss the Saints offense, defense, how that game's gonna look like against the was We haven't even talked about really what happened with the Raiders, And you know the main thing. I came out officials too, and oh woe of the people when you get mad, let's talk about the flags flag football. I don't want to see Sean Hokule again. I just I just don't want to

have to look at his face again. And that's exactly what I said this morn on the radio, Like how many times and I don't know how many times Dak Prescott got got shown by CBS or how many times McCarthy so CBS. I don't know how many times they show him in the middle of a game, but it's probably thirty twenty five. There it means the quarterback. Yeah, but how many times did they show hockey Lee? I

mean thirty three times? Thirty three times? Even even to say the penalty on seventy two whatever declined or whatever it was, still they still threw the flag thirty something time. That's I'm I don't even like, I don't feel like it was even unfairly officiated toward the Cowboys, you know, like that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying, keep your flags in your pockets, you nerds, Like let the professional

football teams play football. Every single time, it felt like the game was establishing that rhythm that kind of makes it fun. Here comes there the ref crew to get in the way. Okay, I mean the Raiders caught fourteen flags. Now, the Cowboys got most of the egregious ones, but like they just they just wanted to be part of the narrative.

And I got real sick of it by half. So we were sitting pretty close to each other, and at one point Derek wasn't even sitting in between, so it was just you and me, and we I mean, we definitely want to see the Cowboys win. I do, at least I want to see them win. I go go down there. It's easier, way more fun. It's more fun. It's odd easier. We want to see that. And there was a point in the game where the Cowboys needed

a few breaks. The Raiders started getting a lot of holding calls that were helping the Cowboys, like this would help them here. If they score touchdown, the games over. If they get a field goal, then there's a chance. And that's what happened, and they called holding twice in a row, and David I looked at each other and like it was getting annoying, like are you serious, even though the crowd cheered and it was like yes, move them back and finally we get a call blah blah blah.

But we were like, I'm tired of seeing this. Even the last play, the kick off, yeah, he was like, I'm gonna block this damn kick. I don't care if I'm two yards in the backfield. Yeah he turned it into an extra point. But I mean, okay, Anthony Brown, like like here, here's here's my thing about Anthony Brown. If you're going to say that, Anthony, you know, like I've I've heard it. I've seen it in the same tweet, like the officials ruined the game. They killed us. They

they they don't love the Cowboys. They did this and that. Oh, by the way, cut Anthony Brown, so one or the other, like like blame Anthony Brown or the officials or whatever. I don't think all four of those penalties probably should have been called. I think two of them were good and two of them were bad. Right, Anthony Brown has had a good season. Um, he's had a much better season than we thought, like expectation wise, he's he's he's done way better than that before this game. But he's

but he's been a good corner. Not just about expectation, he's been a good, solid player. Um, hasn't had a lot of issues. So, you know, I just think it's ridiculous. I mean, somebody, somebody tweeted me and that goes. If they don't cut Anthony Brown, I'm gonna be a Ravens vandomorrow. That's what I got. And I was like, well, lamar is fun. I mean enjoy that, I mean cool, because he's not getting cut. I thought jay Ron Curse had

a great quote about AB. Somebody asked him after the game, like, you know, what do you say to Anthony Brown after a game like that? And like he looked legitimately confused. He's like, what am I supposed to say to him? Like he's been awesome for us this year? And you have bad games, you're dB, You're gonna get beat. I

have all the faith in the world with him. He said something else about like, you know, if you do nine good things for a person and one bad thing, they're gonna remember the one bad over the nine good. It's definitely true with cornerbacks. I mean, yeah, whatever, we defend AB on this show. I don't care if it makes you mad. Like he's been he had a rough night in Tampa, and he had a rough night on Thanksgiving. Other than that, he's been pretty damn good this year.

And this is how it's mostly gonna be. Anyways. We see it happening when they're bashing on a guy, and sometimes it's fair because they're not perfect. But then that guy gets cut or leaves through free agency or whatever. Then you got the next guy, and then that next guy is the one getting attacked. So it's it's never gonna end. There's always gonna be that guy that people don't like, and it's just how it is. It's gonna happen,

and it's he's just gonna be solid. Cut him. Decent players sometimes and bats sometimes cut him for who I mean, for Kelvin Joseph who got kicked out of the game, and I mean, I don't think he should have been kicked out of the game, but I thought that was ridiculous. But like, he's not ready to play funny to just pick this one point, people say, well, oh, that they were picking on Anthony Brown. They're going to continue to pick on him. They've been picking on Anthony Brown for

three years. They've done it all this year when dis was doing all his things, they were kept throwing at Anthony Brown and it wasn't really working. So I mean, he's he's been the guy. He's been the waal though that Bucky always talks about for a while, and it hasn't always worked out for the opposing team. So keep doing it, keep trying it. I don't think that the officials, I mean, we'll call it that way. Every time. I think he's he's he's still at this point he's still

had a good year. It's so, I mean, it's good on, good on Derek Carr for recognizing the way the refs were calling the game. But like the one that decided the game's just so weak to me, Like by I keep saying this, like by the strict letter of the law, you can throw a flag on it and you're not wrong. But like he didn't touch the guy, the guy slowed down his route. Derek Carr, he's a very good quarterback. He likely underthrew it on purpose to create contact because

he knew he'd get a flag. Like he's good enough to purposefully do that, And it's just it's just lame, Like he didn't look back for the ball, but face guarding's not a penalty. Like he did not aggressively make contact. He'd pat his hands out as if to signify, like I'm not touching this dude. He's just backing into me. Because the ball was underthrown and the refs just wanted to make it a not fun game. Yeah, and they

had already established I thought. See. The thing that bothered me about it is that they they felt like, you know, you could say, well, don't make that call at that point in the game, which a lot of people would rather than not do. But they'd already kind of played those rules in the previous drive when the Cowboys were driving Dalton Schultz got got interfered with over the middle two. That ball could have been on the ten yard line with about what twenty seconds to go, had chance to

maybe just win the game right there. It felt like they didn't make that call because you're not going to get that here are twenty seconds to go. That being said, you hope that they continue that, and they didn't. Some smart people brought up to me Hockeyle's crew did the opener in Tampa and they threw that flag on Jordan Lewis that kind of decided that game as well. So they just didn't know they didn't didn't they didn't throw for OPI I'm sorry they didn't make that call. Yeah.

Let me throw this out there too about dan Quinn and you know a lot of people were were upset with the way that the coverage was in the game, and you and I talked about this too. I think I think we did. It needs to be mentioned. It's not third and eighteen. I mean, yes, that's what the stick said. But twelve yards beats you. This isn't like in the second quarter, third and eighteen, get off the field.

This is you're protecting for a fuel goal and all the Raiders get ten yards, They've already kicked a fifty seven yard or here and they're going to kick another one. So you they're trying to get in field goal, right, So the coverage isn't necessarily make sure they don't get eighteen yards and we can get off the field. No, the coverage is, don't let them get six or seven yards here because they're gonna beat us with a field goal. Yeah, so it's a little bit different than a normal third

and eighteen. That's what Dan said on Friday. And I just like Kellen Moore, like it's easy to hate a play call when it doesn't work. But what Mica got. Micah got to car for the first time on the on that overtime possession. That was the that was the first time they sacked him, right, Yeah, I just I have no problem imagining like they drop in zone. Cars got four seconds in the pocket, then he breaks contain, steps up and hits a guy for sixteen yards. Like

the way that the defense pressured him aka they didn't. Yeah, they didn't. It's very easy for me to imagine him doing that. And then I everybody's like, oh, you play soft zone on third and eight? Are you kidding me again? Quinn like, so, yeah, they called man a man coverage. They didn't work out. I don't have a problem with it. I don't have a problem with it at all. I kudos to Michael Parsons for getting a sack there and over time because he was dog tired and because he

didn't really rotate that much. He played a lot of the game and most all of it I think a defensive end. I don't think he really rotated that much. I don't remember that many plays where he was not on the field, which is not normal for a pass rusher. So that's been the knock on putting him at pass rushers, like he has to come off the field. So they didn't. They didn't take him up the field. He was really tired. I think the case keeps going back and forth. Oh

is he an end? Is he a linebacker? I think with these guys starting to come back and what we saw from that game, I still think he's a linebacker. But he's got a rush to the passer when it's

time to rush the passer. And all I want in life is to have Randy Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence back rushing as traditional ends, with Micah either hanging over the strong side of the formation as an extra rusher or blitzen up the a gap while they're doing it because good lustmas gifts, or you don't want anything else you don't want or anything. You just want that. Okay, If raises on the table, we can talk, but otherwise I'll just take that. Well, let's go ahead and take our

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Back to the break, Okay, welcome back to the show. So we talked about the refs, and we talked about certain things, but I want to try to forget about all those calls. Put in that aside whatever you can pick, which was very very very hard, and Dave you mentioned and it ruins the flow. Ezekiel Elliott mentioned it after the game. He's like, you can never get in a

rhythm when you keep getting soopped every time. So looking at the game, at the plays that we were able to see, what do you walk away with after that game, whether that's on offense or defense, just in general, what the cot was we're able to do or not do well. I mean, I think I'll start with a quarterback. He needs to play better. I mean he does as I just notice he's one of the Players of the Week

nominees for the quarterbacks. But I still feel like he there were throws out there that he didn't make and he got into a rhythm and every time Derek and I talked about it, then he would make a play and he would get Speaking of Derek, you'd make a play. Got the afternoon paper. Sorry, it's just a broad est jerke, so broad est jerk there we have to throw in there. No, it's kidding. I know what you've been going through. And he would definitely like to have the paper and he'd

hit me with it if he had it. Um. We were talking about dak Um needing to play a little bit, talked about refs and we already talked about we did the whole thing, man, we did it all. I missed all of that. Yeah, favorite penalty over the weekend, Derek, what favorite penalty? What was your favorite of all of them? Quendi been doing that now? Favorite penalties, just anything you want to invent. Let it out before we end the show. I was just throwing out, Yeah, it's good. Divert the

part that I was blaming. I'm not blaming Dak. I just think he's got to play better. He yes, he didn't have all his weapons. I get it, but there are some throws out there that he's not making. And it's been the last few games and he hasn't played his best football at all. And I would imagine he stands up and says that, so this isn't you know, that's great? I think I think he's been an outstanding quarterback. There's nobody else I'd rather have right now than than

than Dak. I say that because there's no other options, because I mean, you can't know. I'm saying you can't go get Aaron Rodgers or Mahomes or the Brady and all that. He's the he's the best guy for this team right now. But he's got to play better, and I bet he'll He'll admit it. This offense needs to have some kind of come to Jesus moment. They they've lost their way a little bit, and I think it stems from for whatever reason, probably a lot of them.

The offensive line has been in flux. Zeke Elliot's hurt. The run game is boo boo. It's not good right now, and rather than trying to adapt around it, they seem to be opting more for just like stubbornly trying to force it, and it hasn't worked. They haven't been able to get anything going on the ground, with the exception of one trick play to Tony Pollard in Kansas City. It's like, and to be, Nick's totally right, Like Da Dak has been off for most of the last month.

He's missed so many uncharacteristic throws, his pocket awareness has been off. But at the same time, he was and is capable of playing at an MVP level. And it didn't really feel like they were comfortable putting the ball in his hand until they had to in the fourth quarter, And wouldn't you know, they zip up and down the

field throughout the fourth quarter. He I don't know off the top of my head, but he probably had two hundred and fifty of his three hundred and seventy whatever yards in the fourth quarter, partially his doing though, because he wasn't that great in the first three quarters, sure, but but I wonder it feels like with the amount of guys that they have out, they are their game plans reflect like a college game where you know you're the less talented team and you're like, how can we

stay on the field, How can we kind of just keep the other guys out of this and just methodically move it? And they don't have the pieces to do that right now, And who knows, maybe it'll just magically go back to being great with Amar and CD back in the fold and all that good stuff. But I just I don't like the way like they don't have an identity right now, and they're it seems like they're calling these games as if they don't really trust any

of their pitches, so to speak. I think that in and you guys said it last week, and I was a little dubious of it, but Amari Cooper really matters, and he matters a ton, and I think that's what we saw at least these last two games. I think not having him matters probably more than any other guy offensively other than the quarterback, because I think when he's out, you can see that other guys just don't have that ability when you run against a team that can match

up with you pretty well. They just don't have anybody else that's going to get open. I trust Amari to get open, even in double coverage. He figures out ways to get open and present himself and create an opportunity for the quarterback to make a completion. They don't have that guy when he's not there other than possibly CD, and CD has been out the last game and a half.

So they just didn't have it this game. And that I think, before I give too much to Dak not being what I thought he was, I will give him the benefit of doubt that he just didn't have guys that were able to get open consistently. Because he made some throws to gallop in this last game, they were pretty good. You just can't do that every play, you know. Yeah, no, I completely agree with you. But it's just since Denver and they haven't had guys throughout that. You know, they

didn't have Tyron, they didn't have a Mari. But like you just you haven't seen a consistency to generate that, and like I said, like it just sort of feels like Kellen Moore and I don't know this, I'm just speculating, but he doesn't feel it doesn't I just don't feel this sense of confidence from their play calls, in the way that they call things like it reminds me of playing Madden and you like you don't feel confident and you just wind up and you're like, all right, I

can I can hit this five yard out. I know I can do that, and I just maybe I can just move down the field doing that and eventually it bites you. That's just kind of the impression that I get from these guys is like, like I said, it's like a pitcher who doesn't trust his pitches right now. And hopefully getting these guys back will help with that. But it hasn't been fun to watch Jazz. You guys talk about the offensive line a lot, you missed a lot.

We covered some ground, y'all. Y'all did everything. I will say real quick though, I heard you guys talking about the coach and who should possibly be the head coach this week. I actually think Rob Davis is right answer. I know that's kind of crazy, but it allowed to talk to well, I didn't talk to anybody. I saw it on Twitter. I saw Brian talking about it with someone and they threw out Rob Davis and because before that,

I was worried. I don't want my offensive play caller and my defensive play caller to all of a sudden not be my play caller and or focused on being my play caller. And I don't want Bones being the guy that's making the calls on managing the game, because I think then you're you're asking, you're asking for some

stuff that maybe we don't want. Maybe I no, I think Bones might be the answer because somebody I need somebody to be able to tell him no, Like I don't need him to be the guy with his and on the pulse, I mean, on the I don't think you're crazy. I don't think you're crazy at all, because we know what Mike McCarthy thinks of Rob Davis. And again we talked about this before you were here, Like Tom Palaceero's reporting it, and you should take that as

damn near gospel. When it comes to matters, he's going to have a bigger role. But that's a huge jump, Like he's not like he doesn't coach a position, but no, but think about it. The head coach on this team as it's constructed, his main job is, Yeah, do we need a time out right here? Uh do we want to challenge this? And by the way, there's somebody in his ear that's saying, hey guy, hey, challenge this. So I mean, what is he really being asked to do that he shouldn't be able to do, you know, it

seems so far out. And by the way, he does have those other guys that can those other guys that can talk to like Dan can say hey, right here, you might want to think about this, Rob, right, yeah, just and just read the release that they sent out. That's that's why if it is like if if it is gonna be Rob Davis, it says this is what the release from the team said. Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy has been entered into the NFL's COVID protocol

calls this morning. Although he will not be on the field for the Saints game, McCarthy will continue to direct and be involved in all me and game preparations on a virtual basis. Now, is that just the preparation or because it says he will not be on the field for the game, he will continue to direct. So you are you saying maybe maybe they put him in a suite somewhere isolated by himself and let him get to New Orleans. But I think, I mean, but they don't.

The league rules are telecommunications can't happen on the sideline. Can't actually make a phone call or have connection with somebody that's not in the coach's booth or on the field like anybody else like you or I cannot have access. And I threw this out there. We can't put McCarthy on zoom on a surface and hit that on the gatorage. Although I do think I do think in today's I do think in today's COVID world, I do think the

league should think about that. Like, if you got a coach that's out and he's just sitting at home and he's got no symptoms and he's watching his team play, what's the harm Like, it's not like you're doing something that I mean, he would be there anyway, So what's the harm in having It's like, got a roster limit on coaches NICs we know around here, So I mean, it's just why not. I just think in today's well,

you probably should. I don't know. I just across this league, like two thirds of the head coaches in this league call plays for some somebody offense or defense. Sean Payton's going to be doing it on Thursday night, So Dan Quinn, I just don't feel like that. Why Dan didn't call it in Atlanta? Well, I get that, but these are extenuating circumstances like this is a it's a weird situation. I don't know. You just gotta do what you gotta do.

I just feel like a head coach, the head coach here, he has a very limited scope on what he has to manage on game day. I think you could do that with somebody else and not disrupt what you're doing offensivelian defensively. I mean, I don't think you're crazy. Like I said, there's a lot of reasons why you could read those tea leaves. No, I don't think you're crazy for suggesting it. I don't know that it's the best idea. I think we could put Nick down there as the

head coach for this game and you'd be fine. Like again, it's not give me a shot, Jerry, it's now gonna go for it on every fourth. You know what would happen? Ice crunching your Yeah, coaches are getting pissed at you. I think we all know what would happen and flor fleeflicker would definitely Did you see that in the Giants game? I thought about you and I was looking on Twitter. Nobody said anything. I get it. I get every fleeflicker. When Holy Cross does it against Dartmouth, I get. I

don't think I've ever seen a fleeflicker screen though. That was kind of weird. But I saw the fake flee flicker the other day. The guy ran into the line, faked it, came back. Man, he went like fourteen yards up the middle. I was like, whoa one other thing you could do? Awful fleeflicker. A lot of fakes going on there, A lot of stuff happened this. Imagine like every time the Cowboys get beyond their own thirty five,

you just go for it. Every time that's four out of six on fourth down, Cowboys score thirty eight points. Sounds awesome. You're just over there rubbing the eyebrows. Just I'm here and I got I got the playheet on one hand and rubbing the eyebrow with the other. Would you still get on Twitter though, in the middle of I'm not allowed, he would try. You'd have a boy'd

be losing his mind that he wasn't on his phone. Yeah, I would at Helman DC just tweets in the second quarter like get ready for this guy, suggestions anyone awesome sounds fun. Well, unfortunately that is all the time we have. I feel like there's so much more to talk about. We got another day tomorrow. Yeah, we do have another day tomorrow. I just hope, I just hope that this is all still relevant in two hours. Honestly, this is crazy times, guys, crazy times. Well, do you want to

do the honors? Sure? We appreciate you, guys, Jonas. We'll be back tomorrow. We'll have lots to talk about and we'll get you ready for Cowboys versus Saints. Till then for Nick Eatman, Dave elm amber Garcia, I am Derek Eelton. 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.