Cowboys Break: Wrapping Up Week 15

live from the s WBC Mortgage Studios. At the start, we appreciate you guys taking some time with us and know it's a little late in the day for a show that usually is at nine thirty in the morning, but happy to be on with you guys. How is everybody feeling today? Good? Good? Great? We are gonna be You're ready for nine thirty were you? Yeah? We'll here waiting for you guys. You sure not nine thirty five?

We had stuff to do. We did have stuff to do. Actually, I wanted to start the show today talking a little bit about a certain player that's back in the building today, um Ezekiel Elliott returned from his suspension yesterday. Actually was in the building for a little while yesterday and today is back. I guess full time. We'll be here for all the team activities, to day meetings, their run. I assume maybe he'll be here for the media session this afternoon. Nick, Um,

did you get a Chancey? I don't think you got a chance to talk to him, did you? No? I did not know. You didn't get talk with him, But you did see him, did see him? Was ready? Look to him? Look a little different, look at a little different, A little different, I would say, but not too much. I mean, he's got like a different haircut. Don't know

what it's called. I'm sure it's called something doing the gote thing gotta got it looks a little leaner, does m Okay, So those pictures that we saw from Cobbo, those weren't doctored. I don't I don't know. I guess not. He didn't show you his apps. No, they'd pull up the sheriff for the apps now didn't all right, just didn't really stop and talk a whole lot, which was unfortunate. But um, maybe later we can talk to him. Maybe,

I don't know, maybe see what Rocky says. So let's talk though about like what the Cowboys do at this point. Yesterday give it to him a lot. Well, Jason was asked yesterday about like how do they approach this? Do you kind of just throw the load at him or you kind of ease him in? First of all, I'll talk about what Jason said. What did Jason say? WHA asked that question about what how they're going to kind

of work Zeke back into this? He said that they're gonna make those determinations as the week goes along, meaning meaning thirty or twenty seven, Like we don't know. See actually, you know what, I I doubt that very much. When we were talking about that in our cover for production meeting today is like, I mean, unless it's pouring in Washington, DC, does Zeke really ever flirt with like thirty touches in a game? I mean, they give him the ball, but

it's not you like the work. And that's that's honestly why I don't worry about this, like him in, don't make him do too much because typically Zeke probably finishes with somewhere between twenty one and twenty six carries in a given week, you know, like and you know they rotate Alfred Morrison on the third possession of the game. Maybe rod Smith will get a few more touches now because he's had a good stretch here while Zeke has

been gone. But they don't. He doesn't get He doesn't have many of those Levion Bell type of days where he has forty touches, which is why I think if he's been working out for six weeks in Cabo, I think he should be capable of getting twenty two carries. It doesn't sound out of the scope of realism for me. It's usually where people work out, right, Yeah, sure, absolutely, he looks good though he was working out today. I think then the plan stuff that Jason Garrett's going to

figure out. First of all, you know, if you asked about Dak versus Cooper rush reps, he probably would say that we're going to discuss that this week. So he's not gonna give you much anyway. That was what I was implying. Yeah, but I think it's probably what we do with Alfred Morris now and Rod Smith, and Rod's now are third down back? Does he does he continue to be the third down back even with Zeke? So I only I just want to figure it out between

Alfred and Rod who's taking those reps. You know, whether whether you're thinking third down or if you're going to do the third possession thing that they love to do so much. Figure that out. But like just he's he's ready to go, right, he should be. That's I think the biggest I think the biggest question will be more about do you feel confident, confident enough in him that he's back that you don't keep that third guy active. That's where I think there's at least a question of

what do you do with the third guy? Do you need the spot? Maybe you don't even need the spot, but if you do, then how do you handle that From a situation where you know he's bringing Hi back. It's not because coming back from injury, so you don't have to feel it I have to feel like you

have to worry about an injury. But the fact that he hasn't played football in six weeks that can be something that you at least want to monitor a little bit, right, If that's something that you think you need to do. And it's going to depend Tyrn Smith and David Irving and Orlando Scandrick and Bryce Butler and all that type of stuff. But if you think you need a running back to sit to get to where you need to do. Yeah,

I would do it. That's he's been suspended. He hasn't been hurt, right, he's been suspended and he's they're certainly doing their best to tell you that he's been getting ready. So if he hasn't been, I don't know why they're saying that. So if he's been spending six weeks getting ready, then he's ready to go give them the ball. Do you worry at all about the soft tissue injuries like hamstring, that kind of stuff when you got a guy who

hasn't played football. I know he's been working out, but do you worry about that kind of stuff when he hasn't played NFL football? I mean, I don't. I don't know if you worry about it. When it happens, you're saying, well, and I'm not surprised, but I think you you know he's gonna get just a heavy dose of the carries and you know you the good thing is there's no there's no holding back. This isn't the time to hold

anything back. You got to play the best guys that you've got, and you know you've been This has been a tough hand that has been dealt for them, and they dealt with it, you know, And now that's yeah, I don't all. I hate to and I'm not making light of injuries. And I get all that you want, I mean, be careful with guys, be healthy, But everybody

else out there is dealing with something. I mean, Lyle Collins is probably gonna play this game with a bulging disc, And if Tyrant Smith plays, it'll be because they just duct tape him together and sending and you know he I mean, if he finds a way out there, that's herculean. That's amazing that he's got the pain tolerance to fight through everything that's been going on with him. So to hold back a fully healthy Ezekiel Elliot because you're worried

about his hamstring now is not the time. I don't think if he can play, he can play. You know, in the past, we've seen him obviously he's gone through training camp, not really play much in the preseason, but then he gets in during the season and it takes him a couple of games to kind of get into that rhythm again. So I'm very curious to see how long it's gonna take him, even though he's been working out but still not playing football. Are you guys expecting

him to? I mean, I expect that is true. He hasn't played great his first two games of the of the of the both seasons now in Seattle, the game that Romo got hurt, it was the first time he's really ever played, the first time he's ever played, and it was limited. But I thought he did a really nice job in that game. But you're right, it's it's

gonna be interesting to see, of course. I'm just I feel like everyone is expecting, like, oh my god, he's gonna come in and I'm I'm not saying you guys, but from other people that I've heard it from us kind of like, oh, he's gonna come in here and ball out. And my question is just thought, at whatever whatever stage you say he is right, is it still not better? And this is not a I'm not this isn't meant to be a dig at the other guys

at Alfred and Rod. But the fact is, even with him not being at full max capacity, I think he's still better back than those two guys, is the way I would look at it. So whether he's at like completely rolling or not, I still think he has some some skill that maybe those two guys don't have. Guys agree with that, yes, very much. So even coming in that, I'm there's something to what you're saying. And I know his first two weeks as a rookie were less than amazing.

He ran for a hundred yards against the Giants in Week one, like and I mean compared to what he can do, maybe that's not great. And I think, yeah, he kind of got into a swing where he was really playing amazing there down the stretch. But he can come in and be a one hundred yard rusher. He's done it before. He did it against the Giants, which at the start of the season you thought that was a super stout defense. It was. It was workmanlike, it was.

It wasn't amazing. Like I said, Yeah, he does seem like he gets better as the weeks go on, But I think he's more than capable of coming in cold as it were, and being an upgrade over these running backs. He should be. So let's move Well, let's talk a little bit about Tyren Smith. You brought him up, Dave, and he left the game this last game with an injury. He is he's been a guy that's that's obviously very tough. He plays through injury quite a bit this whole season.

He hasn't being completely healthy really if you go back to last season, like, I don't think he was healthy a lot of last season and still played through it. My question for you guys is more of a big picture question. Are you starting to get to a point with Tyron where you have to start considering life after Tyron?

And the reason why I asked that question, I know, offensive lineman, especially good offensive lineman, which he's proven to be really good, they can play into their mid thirties and be just as good and sustain it for a

long time. The fact that he is having back issues though, and this is a second year in a row when he's having back issues, do you think that the Cowboys are going to have to start to consider, maybe even as soon as this offseason, thinking about what are contingencies for the future at left tackle, especially because right now I don't think they have really a long term answer as a swing tackle. I don't think he can make it through another full season. Really, I don't, just like

ever again, I really don't think. I mean, he's great, and yeah, he can take a lot, But I just feel like it's getting to that point where I meant that Art Warriors might be coming up. Wow. Yeah, I wouldn't push him there yet. Really twenty seven okay, yeah, but does your body carry no? No, there, I mean there,

there's something to that. But and at the end of the day, and it's I mean, first of all, it's it's so hard to project with injuries, Like I mean, for the obvious place that I go is I'm like, well, he needs to have surgery on something when the season's over. But like I don't know the specifics of injury. I don't know. I don't know if it requires surgery. I don't know if it's operable if it does, I don't know exactly what needs to be done. So like you

can say that and be totally wrong. So like I don't want to go there, but at the age of twenty seven, I have And he's played at such a high level, and at the end of the day, he's still only missed like five games in his career. Like everything that's happened, we'll see if he gets on the field against Seattle. It's too early to know that. But in light of everything that's happened. He's still only missed it. It was it two games this year or three? It

was he missed Atlanta and Philly? Did he miss San Diego too? Or La? Sorry? So he missed two, and he missed two last year, and he missed one as a rookie. But does it not concern you that four of those five have happened in the last two seasons? Orse, it's concerning, But I'm not in a point where I'm ready to say retire. But let me ask you this, is it enough? Is it? Because they obviously have to

address tackle, right, they gotta address that. Is it enough to get a really good, solid swing tackle, because then that gives you the ability to say, we want to continue with the greatness that is Tyrn Smith for as long as he can do it, which he still I mean he has. His play hasn't dropped off. I don't think it's just been some injuries, and specifically the back

is the one that makes me nervous. But do you think having just a good swing tackle protects you enough to where you could say, hey, we don't have to worry about him for the future. All we gotta do

just get a good swing tackle. So that if he does miss a couple of games every year for the next five years and fourteen games we get a great Tyrn Smith, then we're okay, Which goes back to my thought that Jonathan Cooper should be a very high priority for this team in my opinion, because he's played really well. I think he's mixing in with this line, and I mean, it's hard to predict, but I think he could be affordable. Like I don't think that there's just gonna be this

a major deal mark kind of thing. And so if you don't get that done, then all of a sudden, guard is a need on this team too. And you probably can't spend a valuable resource on guard and tackle in the same draft this year with everything else you need. Right, so it's sorry, I forget. You've got Lyle Collins who they signed to a two year deal, right So another yeah, and the way he's playing, he's gonna start oneting some money too. And you wonder if Tyrant's injury depends on

how they look at it. Did they look at it like, man, he's kind of been banged. Ub let's make sure and definitely lock up Lyell, Or do you say Tyron's already locked up, and you know it's gonna be hard to pay him and then also get that swing guy that you're talking about. So I don't know, I mean, I don't know what what happens here. I was just looking at his contract just and first time I've ever done it, because it's like a Tyron track. Yeah, that contract, like, well,

we'll talk about that in twenty years. I mean, but I was just looking at like the cap hit and stuff. It's not really affordable to do that. It's about you're talking about a nineteen million dollar cap hit. Yeah, And I wasn't suggesting at all that you make a move on Tyrn. I'm saying you have to make a move to protect yourself because are you starting to get to a point where you think, because it's a back, that this is something that might just be just for the

sake of argument as well. All signed a two year extension, so he's under contract for two more seasons, which gives you time to not have to worry about It's not a lot can change unto you years. So that's and that's if it, you know, all things being equal, I would love to I mean get tiring right, whatever that entails I don't think he needs to retire at the age of twenty seven. I love when Amber just kind

of throws it. I wasn't even thinking that you went all the way over there the other way, because some people think that you're just made out of iron and like you can just keep going at it. I mean, I've had my back hurt nowhere near to what these guys go through, and I know how much that sucks, and I know how tough and how big, and all the training they get and all the medical help and all that, but there are certain things that you just

can't make it better. It just keeps deteriorating, absolutely, and we don't And that's the thing, Like, that's kind of the problem that we don't know enough about his back and what the actual condition is to know if this is something that's a continuing deteriorating thing or just something that he's just had bad luck the last two years, and it'll with rest, it'll all go away and he'll be fine to start back fresh. You know what rhymes

with iron, Tyron Byron. Actually I like Tyron. It's all things being equal, I would love to bring Jonathan Cooper back to this team at a reasonable price, like Nate over there, like it all goes back to left guard because it goes back to left guards because left guard take care of left guard. It frees you up to draft a swing tackle. It frees you up to bolster that position. You're not you're done with Chaz Green. I'm not done with him, but I don't want him to

be the guy going. I mean, he's under contract for one more year. I don't see any reason why you need to just cut him. It's not like he's this expensive dude, and he can come in and compete and maybe get a spot on your line. But it would be a mistake to go into twenty eighteen with him being your third tackle. And Byron Bells, he's a free agent when the year's over, so he might be your guard if Cooper goes free agency. I mean, that's not

the end of the world. I think Cooper's played pretty really well, So I don't want to have to draft a starting in the draft if I need to bolster that tackle spot. And like I said, I don't think you can do both. Considering that you need a linebacker and a safety, and you might need pass rush help, wide receiver, wide receiver and running back, depth, and whatever

the hell else. So if you're going to spend a premium pick on a tackle, you kind of got to do some other stuff to shore the rest of that up. I'm starting to think this year, although the Cowboys tend to kind of shy away from doing too much in free free agency, all the areas where you can pinpoints say they could use some help here, it just seems like it's gonna be hard to fill all those gaps in the draft. Yeah, well, but I mean you can do You can help yourself a lot by just signing

your own. Like I don't think Jonathan Cooper would break the bank. I like, I'm just s neither, yeah, and I don't think well, I well, I you know, David Irving and DeMarcus Lawrence will be expensive. But there are mechanicisms, Butcher that mechanisms in place, mechanisms, yeah, to help you hold onto them, so like you can do it. And actually I was looking at it today, I think it's Spowtrack has this awesome thing now where like you can

actually manipulate the roster. You're like, all right, let me restructure this guy, let me cut this guy, Like how does this song so let me ask you this question though, But if you take I know, obviously the franchise tag becomes an option for Lawrence, but you can't franchise both him and and David Irvan Ken, you know, but David is restricted. I was just restricted this year, So you don't have to worry about really doing a lot with him.

You just put an offer and decide what type of tender you want to put on him first, probably first or second round. Yeah, and if you lose him, then you get some adequate compensation, right, and if more than that, if nobody matches, then you got him. I think I think about this, If you feel really good team signed him for and you lost you and you got a second round pick, a late second round pick, you can be happy about that just because you know. That's why

I would put a first up. Yeah. Yeah, I think I'd prefer to put a first But how much money are we talking? Difference? That matters, right, big difference. But I think that a late first round pick, twenty five, twenty eight, whatever, for David Irving, I think he'd be okay with. Don't you know you're saying if he goes to a team that's yeah, and those teams aren't going

to do that now. Second though, I would for a second if I had a late second round pick and I'm a good football team, but I need some help right there, I would, But you know that's the option too, Like if it's another team that's earlier in the second round that does it. Do you feel good about that? But again, they're probably not gonna do that, So you gotta you gotta put a tender on it. That I mean, if you really are okay about losing him. I mean, he's a unique player that has come on. He just

keeps getting better. Seems like you can get him back on the field. I would not part ways with him, but I will say this, he does have even last year and last year and this year, he's had spells where he just kind of wasn't wasn't on the he wasn't getting the sacks that that you wanted from him. Like you'll have some games where it's just like, oh my gosh, they can't block David Irving, and then they'll have other games it's like did David Irving play? You know?

So that also has to factor in two when you think about how much you want to offer him, right honestly, I think they need to get a different scheme in here. They just I don't really feel like he's a defensive tackle. I still think he should be playing end, and that happens with tackles. They get lost for a little bit. You don't hear much about him because you can get blocked. I kind of agree with that. I would play him

an end. I think three four end or four three end? Wow, that that decision is based on what you want to do with linebacker? Yeah, what where you think? Jaylen Smith? And on that? I mean, yeah, I don't think. I don't Yeah, I don't think. I don't think you got the personnel for three four you have, I don't think. I don't think they have a three to four personnel or Now I thought about this. You said they needed a new scheme. I was just wondering, that's you're right.

I said that. It's a nice way of saying they need to get a new coordinator. But I really like the guy. I think they get a need a different coordinator in here. I did say scheme, That's what I said. Flipping to three four would screw I mean, now I couldn't do it. I mean, start thinking like how many guys do you have they could play three four? Like, you're not gonna talk about the secondary too much, but

just your linebackers in your front four. I mean, you got guys like you got, You got guys that could play inside linebacker, like Sean Lee and Jalen Smith could play. You could play in there. Right, They're kind of small for three four inside linebackers. Don't you think think Jayalen Smith actually could be an outside baby linebacker? I really do. And I would put hitch to Lee in there. I think he got Crawford definitely defensive, is a defensive ending.

He's probably better there than than an outside force three. I would agree Leek, I don't know what you're doing. I don't know what you do with him. Probably probably have to play. I mean David or David Irvan would be an end. He would be an end, but he could play nose too if he bulked up. Maybe, I don't know. I don't That sounds like a nightmare to me, trying to flift this personnel to change. Yeah, all right,

let's take our first break. We come back. I want to take a little bigger picture and talk through some of these playoffs. Scenarios. I know it's left, but we certainly have to talk about it and talk about how the Cowboys, or at least the path that the Cowboys have to still get into the players. I'm gonna come right back. This is Dallas Cowboys dot com Radio. It can be hard to find the right resource for learning

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I don't feel like they should start that way rather than be in the middle of many You know what else is weird but having a wedgie with Tommy John because they just say that it just doesn't happen. It doesn't if you have to having me John, You're not going to have a wedgie. Have you ever experienced that with a Tommy John. I don't think so. I don't suffer a weggie and your Tommy John's. They'll give you money back guarantee Choppive Cowboys Underwear Tommy John dot com

Forward slash Cowboys for twenty percent your first order. You've been reading those all year and I don't remember that. I don't remember seeing If you suffer a wedgie in your deme. That's an interesting way to put it, to suffer a wedge, Well, it is like there's damages. It's from Tommy Johns Daniel. Can I help you? Yeah, suffering at a wedgie? And what do I do? You know how your skin kind of burns a little bit. I'm a move on. Yeah, bad weggie, Like that's a really

bad wedgie. Forward slash Cowboys slash no Wedgies. I did talking last week and they just did the read and that was it zing And that's why our ratings are better. We get hung up on their wedd to talk for like five minutes a day. Kurt Daniels was reading it for the Hanging with the Boys and it was just disgre was it? And then they're what you would get another guy to do our read? Is it our read guy? Perhaps? Maybe fine with passing that over all? Right, let's talk

a little bit about the big picture here. Cowboys are still alive in the playoffs. They get their third straight win last week and now need to win out. They need two more wins and need a couple other things that happen their way. I thought for a second there last night that possibly the gods would smile on them and Atlanta would actually take a loss, which would have gone a long way toward helping the Cowboys. But thanks

a lot Chubby Raff and Tampa. Yeah, guy drop the ball. Yeah, if he doesn't drop that, if he doesn't fall on his face trying to set the ball up. What happens, Jamis probably moves him eight to ten yards closer. And maybe I'm not saying it's his fault, but my guy had to kick from fifty five and it's possible. Or you know, maybe Jamis throws it to a guy who can't get out of bout That's kind of what I was thinking. Or maybe he throws it to the other teams.

You know what. That didn't happen, so I can complain about it to Mike Evans, who goes up and gets the ball, And does he get an opium not in this case, you gotta those, But cowboys don't get that help from the Atlanta Falcon. So here's what's kind of left in front of the Cowboys. Of course, they have to win out if they have any sights on the playoffs, but they also need at this point Detroit to lose

a game. Detroit now has to play Cincinnati this week at Cincinnati, and then they'll finish the season against Green Bay at home. Don't know if it'll be with Aaron Rodgers or without. I think that to me is very likely not because it winning last night eliminated, right, So we'll see what green Bay does. They may also be like, hey, he's missed most of the season. We want to play him, he wants to play, We're gonna play right anyway. That'll

be what's in front of the Detroit Lions. Cowboys need them to lose once and then they need one of these NFC NFC South teams, whether that be Carolina, New Orleans or Atlanta, one of those teams has to lose out. They got to lose both games here. That sounds like a daunting task, But when you start looking at how they all play each other. New Orleans and Atlanta played

this weekend. Carolina and Atlanta finished the season against one another, there's at least some possibility that this could line up for the Cowboys as they wanted to its New Orleans if they lose two or they are also out. I mean from this, okay, so basic. Any one of them lose toser of this next game between the Saints and

the Falcons has to lose again. That's exactly it. That's really the lynch pin is if you just assume at this point, if you assume at this point because Carolina won last week against Green Bay, at this point you can just say, hey, keep winning like or if they happen to lose this week, it sets up a really nice scenario because if they lose and Atlanta loose, then you know one of them has to take a second loss in the final week of the season. When they

played Carolina play this week, Carolina will play Tampa Bay. Hey, they pushed Atlanta into the brink last night. I think Carolina is a better team though, I think than Carolina. Yeah, it's at Carolina, correct, Yeah, So that that to me seems like the less likely scenario. I think the harder part here is trying to see number one, can Atlanta Loo? Can you get New Orleans to win, which I think you can at home? And then it sets up a scenario where Atlanta has to be Carolina. Who do the

Saints play in the last game? New Orleans will be playing Tampa Bay. So Tampa Bay is the last few games the season. Tampa Bay's gotta win one the Cowboys three straight weeks and right the holes it's with the they set it up odd I mean, I know the NFL favors Division games to end the season, but they did a whole South round robin in the last three weeks. Like that's they're all. I kind of like, I wish they would do that more in all the division a

little bit. That's what we want to do. We want to go to New New York and then Philly and then Washed Yes, all in December. Absolutely, that would be fun. It's I don't know, it's it's annoying right now, especially because one of those teams gets Tampa every single week of the year. But yeah, right, the odds are not good. But it's I mean, and I mean, then you're right, the NFC South thing sounds easier to me, Like that's

not the problem. The problem is that a pretty good Detroit team with a very good quarterback is faced with whatever, I mean, better than most better than I agree with you. I'm looking at Nick. I agree with you. You're playing You're playing a Yeah, he's yeah, he's good either whatever, even if you only think he's eye. He's playing a Bengals team that does not appear to have any interest in playing any more football, especially now that the reports

out that their coaches. Yeah, that's exactly why they're gonna play inspired football. They're going to win that game. Where is it? I don't know if they think that he's leaving one more like it's definitely, it's definitely possible. But you look at it, I mean, like it's funny because like two weeks ago, I was like, ah, Detroit, Like you can't count on Detroit. I'm not worried about them, but that Bengals team has looked atrocious ever since they

lost to the Steelers. And then I would be shocked if Aaron Rodgers plays that game, which I believe is at Ford Field to end the season. So I don't know, man, I mean, anything's possible, don't get me wrong, but a lot of stuff has to line up the right way. It's just it's gonna come down the Cowboys I think will beat Seattle. I really do it. And it'll be a tough game, but I think that they will win.

It'll come down to the Sunday game, the last game of the season, and they have three things that have to happen. They have to win against the Eagles, Detroit will have to lose to Green Bay, and whoever lost that game between Atlanta and Carolina, probably Atlanta are the Samets. It'll probably be Atlanta. Atlanta will have to lose to Carolina. Like that's what's gonna come down to, like three things gotta happen for you, which and I personally think two

of those things will happen. I'm with Dave. I don't think Detroit, I don't think Rogers play. I'm talking to the wrong audience, but this sounds really familiar. So like in in UM, in FIFA, in international soccer, they purposefully set up these elimination rounds to start and end at the same time, so that like you don't one hundred percent know what's going so like you know, you can't

scoreboard watch, you just have to play your game. I could easily see that being something in week seventeen where like you know, the Cowboys and Lions kick off at the same time, and like, you know, all crap, the Lions are down ten, but the Cowboys are down to it like it could be, And I honest, honestly believe you're gonna keep all those games at noon and I think they're gonna probably flex the Carolina Atlanta game or something like that, that that will be the kind of

game that you want to have last because you don't because that's going to dictate everything else, right, So I think they're gonna make that the last goals at four thirty East you go, and then you're sitting there watching like because if you're not, that's the best way. I'm talking about fans. I'm talking about fans. If you're looking at ratings, you're saying, give me the game that's gonna determine everything at the end of the night, so that

I could see the game early. I know if my team has a shot, and then I'm watching that game from a Cowboys see what happened? Can you imagine? Because they don't give us Wi Fi on these flights for those of y'all at home, so I don't know that we wouldn't land, but you imagine firing up your phone when you get back to Dallas, just like well, we in the playoffs are not like that sounds for good. Oh we got Wildfire's one guy that walks around that

tells everybody this stuff. I don't know if he's talking to the captain or I don't know what's happening, will be good. We got wil walks around and he'll be like, it'll just it'll just be like a wildfire black the play. But but but if we're still aunt know, and it really wouldn't matter because we'd be back before that night game's over. Yeah, they flexed to the night. They flex Dallas. There's no way. What do you mean, no way, There's definitely a way.

The only way they I think the only way they flex Dallas is if you get into a situation where you know, the scenario we talked about earlier day where we all laughed, where basically all four of those things you need to happen this weekend happen to where you're playing to get in, then they flex Dallas. If all you gotta do is win and get in next weekend,

they will flex Dallas. If it's not that, then again, I think they want the game that decides every because it could end up if they flex Dallas and they still need all these other things that happen. Let's say earlier today, all those things don't happen. Now you got a night game that nobody really cares about because it's meaningless. Don't write off team trying to get into the playoffs. They're fiercest, right of all trying to keep them out.

Not only not only that, but Philly hasn't locked up home field either, So you could be playing a game where the Eagles are trying to get the one seed and the Cowboys are trying to get into the playoffs. I still think Carolina Atlanta is a more compelling game, but if you give those two fan bases reason to watch, the ratings could yes, but that could all be done by the time you get to the games. What I'm saying, yeah,

that's a good point. You just don't know, like you want the game at the end of night to be the one that decides everything else, because then everybody has you know. You know what I can't wait and it'll happen next week is when we get to the point we're we're moving on from that and now we're starting to figure out who do you want to face and others you can say, who do you want to draft? No, so you're like you're just all in. You're like on this train's got no breaks. You're just like, yeah, who

do we want to say? Didn't you say that a couple of weeks ago, you were like, they're getting in the playoffs if they go ten and six, if they go from five and six to ten and six, they're getting in. What are you gonna do if they don't sit here and say I was wrong for the first time his offseason? What do you think I mean? I just the league is set up, and go go find a bunch of ten and six teams that didn't get in. They exists. It happens there will be a ten and

sixteen this season. I think that don't game. It might be Dallas, and then they'll go back and you'll pinpoint that one game that they could they should have won, and it'll probably be Packers Packers because the Packers is that loss is the reason you're gonna be out. If you go ten and six, you lose the tiebreaker to Detroit. The only reason Detroit wins the tiebreakers because they've beaten the Packers and you didn't. Honestly, I know we've talked

like we've set that all season. The game I still look back at and say, is is Denver? And not because the game was so close, but because there's no there's nothing that to me suggests the Cowboys should have gone up there and gotten their butts looked like they did. That team is not that good, you know What's we all have a different opinion here, because actually, even as close as the Rams and Packers games were the one that I want back as Atlanta because it's it's I

can't wrap my brain around this, it's so crazy. Just swap them, give them a loss to Oakland and a win against Atlanta, exact same record. They're in such a better spot. You're right, They've got one more conference win, they've got a head to head win against a team that's in the playoff race. And I don't know this for sure, but if they had a win against Atlanta and they were eight and six right now, I think

all they'd have to do is win out. I think, yeah, I think, well, no, yeah, because they would have the head to head, would have Detroit because yeah, right, that so yeah, I would like that. I would like that Atlanta win back. Well, you know, but that one had no chance. I mean, maybe Chip, maybe Chip Adrian Clayborne.

But let's let's less like this approach. Though. If you take all those teams that we just mentioned and you say, okay, if the Cowboys will played that exact same team with the exact same personnel, both teams have the exact same personnel, and they played it ten times, how many which of those teams you think the Cowboys would have gotten the

best of most of the times. That's why I say Denver that was a missed opportunity because I think if the Cowboys played Denver ten times, I think they would have won at it differently more than half of the time. I look at different How many plays need to go differently to beat the Broncos that day? I would say how many plays against against the Packers? Like Dave harped on it forever, if you don't throw the ball there? Yeah, but that quarterback, that quarterback as we've seen before, Oh,

it takes his one like it doesn't matter. He's so good. He would have even when you play a really good game, it just takes him making one play and they win the ball game. I mean they wouldn't have had They wouldn't have had time. They wouldn't have had time to beat you. They might have had time to tie you, but they didn't have time to beat you. And then they tie you and take you over. Time take your chances and even going toe to toe with him. I

don't know whatever what could have been, man. But you know, okay, I always say this when we're talking about like they should this and this game of this loss in this lost, it always flips around. The weird part is is that you typically don't have a team that's eight and six that's only had one close win all year. That's shocking every This was the first time they had won a game less than double digits. That's weird. Maybe that an average football team is either you're either winning by a

comfortable margin or not. I would and I said this to you when you brought that up, like I'll throw at Washington in there. I mean that's a little bit of I mean they were up six in crunch time and then they get a pick six to make it look could you watch that game like that game felt like a thirteen point game. I mean, Washington just scored late to kind of get it to that point. I was watching like I was watching that like, oh no, like this could be troublesome here when I mean when

that drive started, I'm like, yeah, you never know. I don't know. I mean, I don't know why. Weird I wasn't that worried about that, even though they were they had the ball, and they had the ball with a chance to go win the game. I get they were up seven because Washington missed the extra point, but Washington was still in position to tie the game with less than four. And I think I was with you, Dave. I think I was a little bit still worried, like I don't know how to Byron Jones sealed the game,

sure did, so. Talk about your boy Jeff Heath after that game, Like, there were a lot of little moments from that game where I thought Jeff Heath played well and that you know, that's one thing you always say this Nick, Like, he's a guy that is a playmaker. He will make some plays for you, he will make some plays for the other team, but he is a you want to talk about a playmaking safety. I mean, most of his career he's had like these moments where

he makes these plays. There are some moments that are bad too, But I actually think I prefer that to a guy like Byron where you don't really get the plays, the big plays that kind of change games. Right at four plays in his career where he's looked really bad. I mean, this is, this is I could be missing some but the ones that everyone talks about. He did not out jump Calvin Johnson for the ball. He's not that Okay, he did not outjump Jimmy Graham for the ball.

He's not the first. He got carried into the end zone pretty much by Adrian Peterson. He's not the first. And he didn't make an open field tackle against Todd Gurley. He's won't the first or last there. He he has had some plays, like a lot of safeties due which what are those of those four what are the first three have in common? They're all beast mode players and they're all from his rookie kie. Yeah, those three except

for the girly. No, and that's three. And I'm not I'm not trying to convince anybody Jeff Heaths and all pro. But give him his due, YEA, give him his due like he's earned it. I mean, and you're right, he's he's got a nose for the football. I I I

think you. And that's the thing that always annoys me, like everything's got to be black or white, like all this or all that, Like Jeff Heath can be an underrated player with a nose for the ball and you can still not feel great about the Cowboys safety position. Like you can feel both of those ways. It doesn't have to be either or you know. All right, we appreciate you guys join us. We got in the show a little early today. We're back at our normal time tomorrow,

nine thirty am Central. We'll have more Cowboys talk for you. We'll get into a little talk on the Seahawks till then for Nick, even Dave, hellmant amber Garcia. I'm Derek Eagleton. This is been the Break live on Dallas Cowboys dot Com Reading old. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.