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This is nick Shots Straining live on Dallascowboys dot Com and.
The official Dallas Cowboys at now. Here are Bill Jones, Everson Walls, and Nicky Spagnola, and.
It is time for another edition of Mickshots inside the SWBC podcast studio on a very busy Thursday here at the Star in Frisco. Yes, it was an early wake up call for everybody today, including Everson Walls.
Right, Everson Walls, that's right, sir.
What did he have to get up early for?
I had to cancel this meeting?
He can?
There you go, as the Cowboys are beating the heat in an effort to beat the Giants on Sunday night. And speaking of heat, it is at twelve noon in Frisco, Texas won one hundred degrees.
Well, that's why they began going up to one eight today. Why they began practice at nine o'clock this morning and at nine thirty I looked at my my phone and it said eighty nine degrees. Feels like one hundred because there was sixty percent humidity. So I'm guessing that's right about what's going to take place Sunday night in New York.
You know, it's interesting one hundred percent humidity, No, it's a one hundred degrees degree six. It's interesting because I just taped the Coaches Show and just returned from the TV studio.
Guarth, you're looking so spiffy.
And he said that it felt cooler on the practice field this morning than it certainly did yesterday. However, Yes, the temperature at noon yesterday was ninety one degrees and at noon today at one hundred degrees.
I think the sun was more intense yesterday. Yeah, well, I bet there was a room full of ivs going after that practice.
The hottest game I've ever played Atlanta Falcons. I think it was like one hundred and twenty five in Texas Stadium.
That was a lot in Texas Texas Stateium, because you know, they used to have that thermometer that round looked like an old block on the wall there, and I remember doing pregame shows.
Holy Kyle, you know that was really humane when you think, well that was that and it wasn't a no no air.
Then they got an artificial they upgraded to fans.
Yeah, yeah, right, Yeah.
What the heck that was all about? It just swirled and.
The way the roof, the roy the roof was constructed, there wasn't a lot of air coming in.
Yeah, Texas Stadium always, he's felt hotter when it was hot, and colder when it was cold.
For some reason, I guess, I can't believe we were allowed to play there and subject the fans to that kind of heat. It was against the Falcons if I recalled, and they were doing the run and shoot. So I was running my ass up and down the field all day long with this guy. It was here, it was, and they never threw them the ball because you know the running shoot they used the constant on the stoe.
You ever playing a hot game that you needed an IV?
No?
Never, No, Because you know guys, I askually. I was asking Martin, Zach Martin if he ever had to take an IV like during the game, and he said yeah, at halftime. I said, how long does it take? And he goes, well, you just get as much as you can and then you your twelve minutes are up and you got to go. I said, do they sit there and squeeze the bag to make it go faster? And he goes sometimes. Hey, I remember, I remember in which top falls when they were doing two days as hot
as it was there was for training camp. Uh. They basically had a room set up for IV so they can do multiple at the same time, and guys were getting them left and right after that morning the morning press.
Right.
Yeah, I remember I went out there. I was working with Uh. I can't remember. I was working with Fox, working with Deucy. And I brought my ten speed out there because I stayed out there for a while.
Yeah, and I bought my tent speed. It was hot. That's why they called first practice.
That's why they called their their bike race in August the hotter and the hell hundreds.
And I thought that every time I went to practice.
So because of the heat, everything got started earlier today. And you we've already had the locker room availability. Mickey has just returned from the locker room. And you just mentioned you talk with Zach Martin and uh, was this DAC day two.
This was Dack Day. And I think he.
Must have said, must have said.
Like three times that, uh, he feels as comfortable as he's ever been getting ready to start a season. So uh, he said, my confidence is at an all time high.
It always is. That's that's nothing.
That's the way it should be when you start a season right, kind of ready to go.
Uh.
So we saw our portion of practice and Tyler Smith was still doing rehab work with Britt Brown, the Cowboys trainer.
Uh.
He was on the cords and I'll tell you what, he was moving pretty good. If you got a really tight hamstring, it's hard to do lunges right, and he was doing lunges. Uh. He was doing the side steps on the cords backwards forward, uh. And then near the end of their little workout, he was doing side steps
but at a faster pace. So it looked like that he was doing better improving, And as Mike McCarthy said that, we'll see if he can participate in their workout they do Saturday before they leave for the game, he goes that would be the last threshold and if he's able to participate then then he said he should be good to go. So that was a that was a good sign, let's put it that way.
So what happens if he is not good to go?
Well, from what it looked like during that, you know, and it's hard to tell how they're lining up there so far away from us, but it seems like that Tuma Adoga has been taken snaps there in place the Tyler Smith, and they have other guys they've worked in also, so.
You know Harlow Sean Harlowe.
Harlow picked up.
He was in the Giants on the practice squad. On the practice squad, right, so you have to squad to move.
He talked about him earlier in the week.
He actually started three games for Arizona last year, so.
He has experience.
Right.
TJ. Bass he still sort of on on the right side guy. Although I asked him how his hand on the ball was going, and he said, oh, it's better, he's but he doesn't get to do it in practice. It's before and when they do the quarterback thing before practice and then some shotgun after and he goes, actually the shotgun's coming along better than under center, and I said,
why is that? And he goes, well, shotgun, you got a little margin for ara or the ball can go here or there, he goes, But when you're under center, you got to be accurate, like hit his hand right where you're supposed to hit it right.
Do we have any left handed centers.
In the league.
Yeah, random question, there you go.
Yeah, that's a prerequisite.
Yeah, is it easier, you know, left handed, just.
Like you can't be a left handed shortstop, and it's.
Real hard to be a left handed third baseman.
That's right.
Yeah, and so you can't be.
A left handed center. I've never thought of that before.
I mean, as long as you get the seams up there, right.
I think that if it's the direct snap versus the shot, yeah.
More, but therect one.
Although a left footed punter, it comes for the return man on a left footed punt. It's different than you know, what happened the ball.
The ball gave them on purpose, just to screw up.
Well. Chris Jones was a left handed punter. Yeah, and left footed. Yeah, left handed. You might have been left handed. Come on, and uh, his ball, the spin of it would cause it the nose to kind of back up right. So I remember the first game he kicked, and before the game, Chris Boniol, the Cowboys former place kicker, he was the special team's assistant at that time, kicking coach, and he told me that it was against the Giants, I want to say, and it was up there and
he said, they will fumble two punts. I go, what do you mean? He goes he's left footed and his ball backs up. And I'll be darned if they didn't fumble the first one and won later in the game because they misjudged where they're figuring it's landing here, but it backed up on him and they had to move up further. So there's something to a left footed punter.
Bill all right.
Kansas City plays Detroit tonight. There's the Kansas City Center. Creed Humphrey, a left handed center. You can check him out tonight.
That's crazy. Yeah.
They former Oklahoma sooner and.
By the way, he under center behind him.
He's one of the best centers in the national football.
So did you google left handed?
We have a producer supreme. Oh, very good secret. We didn't get the producer supreme. Chris Beam tipped me off to that Creed Humphrey.
Wait to go. It doesn't make a difference because my home doesn't.
Know the other thing. The other thing. In practice of significance, Sam Williams, who didn't do much of anything yesterday, he's got turf toe. He was in uniform and he was going through all the drills and had a helmet on in the practice part that we saw, so that looked, you know, optimistic now that he should be ready to go. He was one of the other ones, Donovan Wilson. I think we talked about it yesterday. He would have been still rehabbing.
But his.
Lady, I don't know, wife, girlfriend, whatever, was having a baby to die. Oh wow, so he was at the hospital. It's not for him say significant, right, significant our thank you. I was trying to figure that out. And Jordan Lewis continues to practice, but I just don't see him playing in this game. It's just too soon.
He's off the publics, right.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, he's active, yep.
But now the coach talked glowingly about where he is.
I know right now it'd be interesting if they one padded practice and they say, okay, you're good to go. If you haven't played since maybe October.
Of last year, he's still ramping up, ramp up.
I think that's what you all right.
I have a question about the offensive line, okay, and especially with the Tyler Smith injury. Okay, So the way you look at it, as far as the backups on the offensive line, you mentioneduma Idoga as the possibility guard, so awesome. Richards would be back up at both left tackle, and he's like third in line at left guard. Yeah, Tyler Smith. If anything were to happen to Tyrant Tyler Smith, Tyler Smith, the guy that over would kick out the tackle like he did last year.
So because of their lack of depth on the offensive line, I think they can withstand one thing. But now he gets a little more complicated if somebody else gets hurt, right, especially one of the tackles, because now with Tyler Smith sort of iffy at this point anyway, although I do think he's improving. If something happened to one of the tackles, you know, Tyler Smith could go play tackle and then you just find a guard.
But if Tyler is unavailable, then your backup tackles.
Now Adoga can play.
Tackle, Yes he can, awesome Richard, Yes.
And then on the practice squad you've got an robostic.
Yeah.
I don't think you want to go in there, Alex Taylor Prelo, I.
Don't think you want to go right.
So that's just giving you an idea.
Yeah, of the on the roster, both on.
The fifty three and the and the practice squad.
And so when we talk about what what worries you about this team or where is a you know, kind of a worrisome position, it's the depth on the offensive line, and we're kind of seeing it right now.
And that also underscores the value of a healthy Tyler Smith because he would be next man up at.
Left tackle, right, and then you need a guard now, but Doga could do that.
There.
I mentioned TJ. Bass, but he's been more right side. Awesome. Richards has played both spots, left side, but again he's a fifth round draft choice.
Is this going on on every team in the league?
Yeah, I don't know. The offensive line yea.
And not having backups that are proven.
Yeah, when we were talking when I was talking with Zach Martin yesterday, you know, one of the things that he pointed out is, you know, if you look around the league, you know, if teams have six offensive linemen, they're good with you know, that's about where it's at. But after that it gets a little thin because there's just not a lot of offensive linemen.
So then the answer to my question is, yes.
That's why somebody says, go trade for somebody. Very few teams have excess, right, It's like, okay, we can trade this guy.
Why is it that there aren't enough offensive linemen because when you got in college football, you've got dozens of teams with five offensive linemen on each team that start, and you can't get enough offensive lineman that can make the transition to the.
NFL well, because the blocking in the college is a lot simpler. Basically, you're standing up in your passport.
So they're not getting developed right and.
Hitting on something.
Here Bill, and as I was talking, because wide.
Receivers, yeah, wide receivers have plenty.
You got running by.
Here's the answer. Nobody grows up and says, God, I just want to go play guard. It doesn't happen, you know, I asked. I got into the discussion with Zach yesterday and I said, so, when you were growing up, did you want to play guard? Just like that? And he goes, I was actually on defense, and he goes, and I was a defensive lineman, and then somewhere at the end of high school to Notre Dame, I became an offensive lineman.
I said, but he didn't grow up wanting to play guard, and he laughed, and he goes, No, I.
Gotta say I would do if I was a big guy, I would love to play offense. Well, you you because you can pancake people. You just get to beat everybody up.
I mean to me, it seems like the perfect position for a large human being with athletic.
Your percentages of if you're if you can get good of succeeding or higher. Because there's fewer candidates on the offensive line.
It seems like they really get a charge out of Not really, they could care less if anyone knows who they are. But if we're driving down the field, no one takes more pride that than an offensive line.
But if you're good, you want to play tackle, right, and if you're kind of good, you want to play center. Those are the spots that get paid.
The guy.
You have to have a certain length to play tackle, longer arms. And I told you my story about Joe Brotsky, right, I'm not sure. He was a very successful high school head coach in Miami. Cowboys former running back coach has passed away since and and we were talking about.
It one day and he goes, let me get let me explain it to you. And he goes, So the first day of practice high school, I got a new team. He goes, we go out and we do some things, and I go, Okay, that's the best athlete there. There's my quarterback. The next best athlete, well, that's my running back. And he goes, and then after that wide receiver, cornerback, defensive end, linebackers. Okay, and then he goes. I look around and look at all the other guys and go the rest of you offensive lineback.
And there's some truth to that, right, But as you develop as a player, right, I'm back to the point, the satisfaction that they have as a unit. Right, as a unit, they might be the closest unit on almost every team, and that usually you have a lot of intellect there, right, you know, So I don't know. To me, if I had the build, if I had the well with the I would look.
That's what I wanted to do. And look at the Look at the other leagues out there, right, there's no enough offensive linemen to go around to help the skill people. The quarterbacks are at the mercery. Yeah, that's the that's the worst part of those leagues, you know, because you've got skilled people, but if you can't block for them, then it kind of diminishes what they can do.
Okay, And as we go to break here, I've got a Joe Brodsky trivia question for you. Oh wow, okay, you talked about his high school coaching Laurels in Miami.
Yes, okay. Can you name one of.
The players that he coached who would later become an assistant coach for the Dallas Cowboys.
Coach Joe.
That's right, that's right, And I forgot that part. Oh get those two together. Oh my gosh, the stories that they would tell and Joe, Joe would sit there and go, yeah, okay, Joe, go ahead, go ahead, laying on you know.
And by the way, another little HitBit on Joe Brodsky's high school career. One of his high school teammates leek orso. And we continue with more.
Only on nick shots.
In just a moment.
I'm Dak Prescott, quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys.
They snapped the fresh guy who looks right, it's not there. He escaped, flapped. He'll look full a first Doyle.
Just like football, when it comes to crypto, it's important to have a team you can trust. With blockchain dot Com, I know I'm in good hands. Since twenty eleven, they've been trusted by millions around the world to.
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It's the crisp crunch, that first nacho chip with its perfect cheese to sour cream ratio sitting atop a layer of delicious beans. It's a sip away from perfection. That's what we're looking for at a delicious, refreshing pepsi, and we've a achieved absolute nacho nirvana because while you can pile those nachos high with every spicy, cheesy, savory topping, there's no topping of school. Petsy, finish nachos better with pepsi.
That's what I like.
The Medal of Honor is our country's highest military award for valor in combat. More than forty million individuals have served in the armed forces since the Civil War. Fewer than four thousand have received the Medal of Honor. The National Medal of Honor Museum will be a place to preserve these legacies and inspire America it's being built right next door to the Dallas Cowboys in Texas. Help us honor our country's greatest heroes. Learn more and get involved at mohmuseum dot org.
Cowboys Football and Miller Lite. What a pairing can cracks a kickoff tailgates going way past postgame Sunday night overtimes followed by Monday morning swag Brisky in the Smoker, Miller Lte and the Creek America's team playing his greatest school Miller Like the only beer of the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas Cowboys Football Taste like Miller Time, Celebrate Responsibly twenty twenty three. Miler Brown Company, Fort Worth, Texas.
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Very nice read there he Spagnola.
And by the way, we saw people at the top of his walking by here last night on our cross talk show on the fan upstairs at the Cowboys Club. Our guest was Joe Looney, Nate Newton, myself, Kevin Gray. He's a high school coach now yet no, he's a teacher. Oh he's he was coaching last year and he had to coach and teach, and he realized, I might suppose
to be back in the NFL. I'm working all day long, right, and he said, so he got he's got a teaching degree and he's teaching history at a charter school in Frisco.
Well, he was in the spring. He was at one of the Frisco schools. And I saw him on Draft Night. And you know, he played for Mike Celari at fran San Francisco when they won the right and so I was picking his brain. Okay, it's Draft Knight. What kind of offensive lineman does Mike Celari like?
Whatever?
And so anyway, he told me that he was coaching at a Frisco high school.
I can't remember what.
I think I was Wakeland.
Okay, but and so we'll come out and do a story on you. And we called the head coach and he said we were going to come out during springball and do a story on Ludy say, why don't you wait until the fall to do this? So maybe he had an idea that this was gonna last very long.
But anyway, so we're we're in the we're in the middle of the we're in the middle of the show. Last night and uh, upstairs in the club, and who comes walking by but Jerry Jones and he stops and he looks.
And he goes, oh, four, my favorite guys here. And he started talking and it's like, oh, do we have a stick mic? And you know, give him a headset? And he stood there and talked for about a minute. Right, But you could hear while you're on the air. Yeah you could hear it. I could hear it in my in my headset. So I'm assuming got on the air.
Uh it was where can we find that to listen to it?
One oh five to three the fan? I guess, all right, and it might be on dallascowboys dot com.
All right, changing subjects.
Yes, you saw the contract that, yes, Nick Bosa agreed.
To he can afford An Island right now.
Five year, one hundred seventy million dollar contract. It includes one hundred twenty two and a half million dollars in guarantees. It's like, who do you think is the bill happiest man in America right now besides Nick Bosa.
Michael Parson says, I don't worry, I don't worry about anybody else When he.
Signed the contract. Okay, Mike is looking.
He was like, good for him.
I can see the future there right.
Yeah, and I'm sure some jowts dropped upstairs knowing how much they're probably going to have to pay.
Well.
I just happened to be in the control room as Nick Eatman was interviewing Stephen Jones for a special edition. He was asking Stephen about Micah and he asked about the Nick Bosa contrail. He brought it up and said that Micah is very and maybe it was Stephen actually may have said, now happy Michael must be see that contract. And then Nick had a great line. He said, so does that bring a smile to your face too? You'll have to watch it on all right edition right here?
But yeah, and okay, it's game night.
So do you think he mean? Do you think he plays hadn't been to training camp?
Micah Bosa?
I knew that fact. I knew that's fag.
I know, yeah, he's playing.
Keep up.
I just saw Kyle Shanahan was doing an interview and just showed it on NFL Network. He said that the only way that Nick Bosa doesn't play on Sunday is if he's got a beer belly.
LT did that when I came in nineteen ninety to the Giants. He didn't all the training camp, he was out, didn't didn't do anything. He comes in against three sacks against Philly for the opener, and that showed me. Yeah, I knew I was gonna get a whole lot of picks that year. Matter of fact, he was chasing Randall down on our first third down play and I got an interception because LT was making him run.
For his life. So yeah, that made me feel real good. Proof is in the pudding. Well.
Emmittt missed two training camps, played very quickly as a matter of fact, and got off right all the way ninety three season.
Yes, absolutely one of the best.
If Chris Jones signs this afternoon, would he play tonight for the Kings City Chiefs.
He said he was ready.
Yesterday he was at a charity event Kangas Cittings said, you give me signed, I'll be out there. So, okay, when we come back here on mix shots, we are going to be joined by a New York Giants insider. We're going behind enemy lines and we come back in just a moment.
The Medal of Honor is our country's highest military award for valor in combat. More than forty million individuals have served in the armed forces since the Civil War. Fewer than four thousand have received the Medal of Honor. The National Medal of Honor Museum will be a place to preserve these legacies and inspire America. It's being built right next door to the Dallas Cowboys in Texas. Help us honor our country's greatest heroes. Learn more and get involved at mohmuseum dot org.
Cowboys Football and Miller Lite. What a pairing can cracks a kickoff tailgates going waypast postgame Sunday night overtimes, followed by Monday mornings Swagger, Brisket and the Smoker. Miller Lite and the Creek, America's team playing America's greatest sport. Miller Lite the only beer of the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas Cowboys Football taste like Miller Time, Celebrate Responsibly. Twenty twenty three, Miller Brown Company, Fort Worth, Texas.
I'm Doak Prescott, quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys.
They snapped the fresh scout who looks right, It's not there. He escape slipt. He'll love full.
First style, just like football.
When it comes to crypto it's important to have a team you can trust. With Blockchain dot Com, I know I'm in good hands. Since twenty eleven, they've been trusted by millions around the world to buy, sell, and trade crypto currency.
Press Scot's gonna run Thish in show, run it up the middle and he scores.
Whether you're new to crypto or an active trader, they've got you covered. What are you waiting for? Get started at blockchain dot Com.
You know that sound anywhere. It's the crisp crunch, that first nacho chip with its perfect cheese to sour cream ratio sitting atop a layer of delicious beans. It's a sip away from perfection. That's what we're looking for. Add a delicious, refreshing pepsi, and we've achieved absolute nacho nirvana. Because while you can pile those nachos high with every spicy, cheesy, savory topping, there's no topping of school Pepsi. Finish nachos better with pepsi.
That's what I like.
To mixed shots experience the feeling of game day every day at Miller Lighthouse at the Star now just open just steps from the toasteda championship Plaza. Miller Lighthouse features a cooler full of grabb and Go beverages and snacks, Tailgate Games are recharging Lounge, Dallas Cowboys photo op and complimentary concierge services. For more info, visit Star in Frisco dot com slash Miller Lighthouse.
And we love hearing that word cooler cooler because right now here in Frisco it's one hundred two degrees on the way up to one hundred eight degrees, which is why the Cowboys worked out this morning here at the Star in Frisco. We're now joined by John Schmelk, New York Giants Insider and Mickey the Official Titles Senior Manager, Editorial and Audio Content. John Schmelk, we appreciate you joining us here on mix shots. Mickey's been telling us how hot it is at the US Open because he's been
watching it past midnight here every night. So how hot is it today there in Giants Land?
Yeah, based on your forecast of what's happening in Dallas, I'm going to choose not to complain.
About the ninety.
Five degrees and like ninety percent humidity, which is it's pretty terrible. But based on what you guys are talking about I'd rather be.
Here, So we just want to know are the Giants practicing outdoors in this weather?
Well, believe it or not, the Giants, because you know the long week with Labor Day, they practice Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday this week, so today's actually a player off day, which is a little bit different, and then they'll be back practicing in tomorrow. But they have been outside all week this week and it has been in the nineties. So yes, they are preparing for Sunday night when it
should be pretty steamy. It's kind of chance of thunderstorms on Sunday, but the temperature shouldn't get down to reasonable areas by the evening.
So in that stadium, do I have special rooms for the ivs for.
The play for.
The fans all they'll be liquidated, right or not?
You know, the Cowboys have their regeneration days on Friday under the ind the Mike McCarthy era here and then they'll to actually get a little workout in on Saturday. That's when we'll learn the status for Tyler Smith, uh, the Cowboys left guard, whether he'll be able to play on Sunday night. How are things looking injury wise for the Giants this week.
The Giants have a bunch of guys that are limited, but you know, it's not many guys that you would consider to be, you know, huge parts of their game plan. A lot of special teamers like Gary Brightwell, Cam Brown, Lawrence Kager is the backup tight end, you know, Quardo Fladger, Various Owen's backup defensive backs, and then Wando Robinson's coming off an acl last year. So I mean, none of those guys are probably going to be huge factors in
the game plan. Anyhow, they're all limited. I think most of them would be questionable or they'd be ready to go on Sunday night. So the Giants, at least from their perspective, they're pretty healthy. I think they feel pretty good about where they're at. What's your guys feeling? Do you think? Do you think Tyler Smith's gonna go? Do you think Wilson and Williams are gonna go? Do you do you think they're gonna be game time decisions?
I think, Uh, for Tyler Smith it'll be a game time decision. We talked about that today. He's still rehabbing. Uh, So they're gonna wait until Saturday to see just where he's at before they take off.
So uh.
As for the other guys, uh, Sam Williams was probably limited in practice, so that was better than did not practicing yesterday. And Donovan Wilson he hasn't practiced yet. Uh, and he didn't again today, so there's very little chance he'd be ready to go.
Good to know we're supposed to be divulging information to him.
There's an official practice report, right, Vicky is ready that off the practice record.
He sounded like he was digging for information.
So yeah, well, you're a former Giant and former Cowboy.
So having said that, I'm trying to look at these dbs. I know that's where you're I have been looking at these young guys. Deontay Banks.
Tell me about him and tell me is he going to be locked up with Ceedee Lamb all day?
And they and the other rookie corner, Trey Hawkins too.
Yeah, and ever since, I think you're looking at the right spot because I think those are gonna be really important matchups in this game. My guess is that a Dori Jackson is going to be locked up on CD Lamb most of the game. Yeah, they're gonna put the veteran on him and he's been He's basically gonna be there.
You know, in base he'll be their outside corner, and then in sub packages he'll move inside, and CD plays inside so much as you guys know obviously that I think he'll follow him for most of the game, which means you have the two rookies Deontay Banks and Trey Hawkins playing outside, and they're gonna be against two really good players and gallop and Cooks for a lot of this game. And both those guys are side speed, length athletes.
Banks was one of the best athletes in the draft or a sub sub four four, really long, good kid, plays really tight coverage, and he's really fast. Hawkins obviously from a smaller program, Old Dominion. He was a sixth round pick, but he has the length. He's over six foot, he ran a four to four. He's obviously just not a season that his Banks is coming out of a bigger program in the Big ten in Maryland, so they're gonna play a lot of press man. They're gonna try
to get physical with the line of scrimmage. You know, maybe some issues with some like back shoulder stuff if you run them across the field, baby, But in those you know, small truncated areas near the silon, if you're trying to work an X against them in one on one, they're gonna be pretty physical and they're gonna play pretty tight covered. So they've shown a lot in the camp,
they've shown a lot in preseason. But I don't have to tell you, guys, it's much different the bright lights on Sunday night football against three really good wide receivers like Dallas has. So that is going to be a huge factor in terms of how those guys handle the Cowboys receivers. In terms of how this Giants defense, this is gonna fair.
You know, when it comes to Dak Prescott, we just had a report that he said he feels better than he's ever felt at the beginning of a season. I've heard different philosophies against Dak Prescott. Do the Giants think that it's best to play man to man and press and make Dak make quick decisions, or do they feel like it's better to play zone against him based on the interceptions that he had all last year.
Yeah, the Giants played the highest percentage of cover zero and cover one than any other team in the league last year. That's what that's what they're going to do. I'd be shocked if they did it now. At the end of the earl last year when they played the Vikings in the playoffs and they'd justin Jefferson, they did play a little bit more zone, so you maybe you might see them roll some of that in, but the Giants are still at their core a cover one, you know,
zero blitz set the tempo on defense themselves. That's what Martindale does and I would not expect it to deviate too much from that on Sunday night.
So that Hawkins is starting at corner, was that the plan? Or did somebody get beaten out and he earned the spot as one of your top three corners.
He earned it to start the year. The plan was to have Banks and the Dori Jackson outside and then Darning Holmes was going to return as the inside cornerback, and Hawkins played so well outside in camp that they needed to find a way to get him on the field, so they moved Jackson inside in those sub packages and the kids just been really, really strong, which I you know,
it's funny. I was talking about the defensive back coaches and I asked him you guys surprised that you know, Hawkins has come along so quickly, goes, Yeah, if we knew it's gonna be this good, we wouldn't wait until.
The sixth round to table, you know.
And it's not unprecedented for a fifth or sixth round draft pick his rookie year. I mean here recently in the league, Tarik Wooland in Seattle, who ran a four to two five or something like that, and he's like six ' four out of utsa. Uh, he's from Fort Worth, Arlington Heights. You know, he had a Pro Bowl season
his rookie year last year. I want to ask you about Kavon Thibodeaux because you know, we watched Michael Parsons in practice in training camp and it's either the Cowboys offensive tackles are really bad or Michael Parsons is really really good. How about Thibodeaux, As you know, when we went up there in September last year, he was coming off his injury. Wasn't it full tilt yet? Going into his second year, how has he looked in training camp?
Get better? Healthy? For one, I talked to him yesterday and he said he feels as healthy as as he's been since he's been here. You know, once you you know, sprain a ligament in your knee, you come back, it's never right until you really rest it in the offseason. So he did play much better than the last year. He came on the last five or six games as pressure rate went up. So yeah, I think him and as he's o Jalari too, I think o Jalari is actually probably a better pure pass rusher. He gets he's
a little bend year. He gets a little bit lower to the ground in terms of running that arc around the defense, around the offensive tackle. But look, I think one bet the Giants are making this year or those two edge players play a little bit more consistently. O Ja Laria missed a lot of last time, a lot of time last year with calf injuries, and they can bring a little bit more of a consistent pass rush along the edge. And I think they have high oaks
for both those guys. And I will say this about Thibodeau. You know, it's funny the worry about him coming in was, you know, is he going to be focused on football dedication and practice and all that stuff and run defense. That's really what he's been great at. You know, he hasn't been like the super explosive, consistent sack guy like everyone thought he was going to be. Has been the other stuff that honestly has really impressed me since he's been here.
John, If we go to the other side of the ball, I know one of the things the Giants wanted to improve on was the offensive line. How has that unit looked getting ready for this season opener? In particularly being able to protect Daniel Jones.
Andrew Thomas is awesome. I will use the same line that Bill was talking about Michael Parsons. Either Andrew Thomas is really good or the Giants dead rushers are really bad, because I don't think. I don't think he lost the rep in past protection one on ones all summer. He's just phenomenal left tackle. But he was good last year too. The question of the other guys right Evan Neil right tackle, I think the team really needs him to take a
jump this year. He had issues last year. Remember that the DeMarcus Lawrence in that first game had the three sacks against the right side. So he's looked better in the summer. He missed a couple weeks with a concussion, so I think they hope there's improvement there, and then they're starting a rookie center in John Michael Schmidt's really good mentally, He's a six year player out of Minnesota, second round pick. He's figured that much out. I think he'll be okay.
He struggles maybe with power a little bit sometimes on the inside. And then the guard position is interesting. They haven't really announced who their starting guards are. It's Mark Lewinski, Ben Brettison and josh A Zudu, who is a third round pick last year and for the last two weeks A can't they've really rotated those three guys, and Brian Dable has said if he thinks it makes sense in the matchup, he'd be willing to rotate those three guys
within games. So we don't quite know who those guards are going to be. My guess he'll go with the veterans Glinski, right guard, Bretison and left guard. But with Dallas and all their twisting stunts on the defensive line, I think that's a good thing to watch over the course of that game too.
John schmelk New York Giants Insider with us here on mixed shots and elsewhere on offense. Of course, the Giants have needed playmakers, and they've added a couple. They've added speed at wide receiver with the third round pick Jaylen Hyatt out of Tennessee Paris Campbell, the free agent signee who had sixty three catches last year with the Colts, and then, of course, the receiving tight end Darren Waller. Everybody's talking about him, right.
And Waller's the guy. I mean, he might be a tight end, but he's their number one receiver. If he stays healthy all year, he's going to catch eighty balls. He's going to have a thousand yards. Now, well, we stay healthy all year. He hasn't been able to that's the ultimate question, right, But he had missed aside from veteran days, he has not missed one practice in camp due to an injury. So he's been very good. He's a legit six six, a legit two fifty, but he
moves like a guy that's six three to twenty. He's just an athletic freak show. Daniel Jones m M. I've gotten chemistry very quick early. He's his favorite target in practice. You know, they run him on those option routes, those why options in the middle of the field. Let him do, you know, just find room and get open. So he's gonna be a primary target. And to your point, they added a bunch of speed in addition to that. They
drafted Jalen High at a four to four guy. He's not probably one of their top three receivers right now, he's probably their fourth, but he's gonna play, you know, twenty twenty five snaps in this game, I would bet.
And he's a really fast, legitimate vertical target. And then Paris Campbell is kind of that, you know, run after the catch, catch the short pass, some gadget stuff maybe in there too, player that will be mostly in the slot to start the game that they'll try to get the ball to and and kind of let him make
a play with his leg. So, you know, they still don't have that number one A or maybe even you know two A wide receiver, but they think they've added speed and Waller which should make the pass offense more explosive, which is a huge goald this offseason. They finished next to last and passes of twenty more yards last year. They know that has to get better if they want to try to challenge in the division.
So, John, your overall assessment you've been there for quite some time. You've seen these Giants teams. They go nine to seven in one last year and won a playoff game. You're feeling about this team, where it's at and where you think? What do you think they're capable of this year?
I think they've closed the gap talent wise with Dallas and Philly who and I consider Dallas, Philly and San frank kind of the top tier of the NFC right their talents closer. I want to see in games how much closer they are and whether or not they've caught them. I'm not sure they're there yet. They're still very young in a lot of spots, and it's only year two of the regime. But the talent certainly better. They're a very well coached team on both sides of the ball.
Brian Davile and Mike Cafi have don a really good job with this offense, utilizing Daniel Jones with his legs and with his arm wank Martindale, like I mentioned all the Blitzers, he sets the temple on defense. So I think they're a better team than they were last year for sure, as you guys well know, because they have very similar schedules. The schedule is a lot tougher this year,
playing the AFC East instead of the AFC South. So I'm not sure their record is going to be that much better, but I know the talent's a lot better. But I think the game against Dallas and Philly and San Francisco this year will be very telling as to how much the Giants have closed that gap. If they were in the AFC South or NFC North or NFC South,
I think they'd be competing for the division title. And I think whether or not they can, you know, be Dallas in Week one, will go a long way towards us deciding if they can challenge for the NFC East title.
That's funny. I think we pointed that out, and Bill pointed that out. If they were in a different division yesterday, that they would be favorites to win that division.
I was the one who said the Giants favor.
I said, Bill pointed it out, all right.
I won.
On a personal level.
How Sterling doing Sterling Shepard? We love Sterling.
Oh, Chef's awesome. He's such a positive guy and he's ready to go man like. He was running routes by by June in Mini camp, and then he got activated off of POP two weeks into camp. He's playing a preseason game. He caught a punt. I think this will be a wide receiver by committee, and I think he's going to be part of it. He's such a good dude. We're all rooting for him. We're so happy. And I talked to him. By the way, his GPS numbers are either identical or a little bit better than they were
pre a c l and and pre Achilles injury. He's feeling pretty good man.
Of course, it was against the Cowboys last year when he went down with the injury.
John.
The year before he tours a cl he tore achilles against Dallas, So two straight years he had seen an egin injuries.
Against the Maybe sit him out there.
Too much, we don't need and he's also scores touchdowns against the Cowboys. Good idea, just sitting John Schmelk. I just subscribed to a Giant's Huddle and I can't wait to listen to your podcast over the next few days. Getting ready for Sunday night, and Mickey wants to know if you have tickets for him for the US Open this weekend.
When he arrives in town.
I can work on that for you.
I don't think we'll get in in time to see anything on Saturday, and Sunday ends up being a long day.
Yes, that was gonna say. Good luck trying to get from New Jersey to Queens. That's about a two and a half hours.
Yeah, well, John, work on that weather for us, would you.
I probably can't help you with that either.
John Smelk.
We appreciate it and check him out Giants Huddle podcast as well.
And that does it for Mickshee.
All right, good, okay, all right, we will reconvene for a fabulous football Friday tomorrow at noon.
Go Cowboys.
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