Mick Shots: COVID Complications

my inside my own studio. Everson had a I think a prior commitment, and I think he was doing some judging for a school thing. Um, so I think it's so Noah, He's volunteering to do something. So yeah, I didn't know if the NFL decided that he he needed to stay out of his own personal SWBC mortgage studio until tomorrow, right, and they'll open back the facility again. I like you. I like your opening. Two out of three ain't bad? Was that like a meatloaf song or something?

There was? It was something like that, that's right, Yeah, And in fact, it could apply to the Cowboys schedule going forward. If the Cowboys were going to take two out of three coming up here, and it would be of course at Baltimore. We'll get into the rescheduling on that next Tuesday tentatively right now, and then at Cincinnati in San Francisco. Can you imagine, well, the Cowboys will be in the NFC standings if they can just win two out of the next three games, mickey, they probably would.

They could very well be in first place by themselves. If you look at the other team, there's no doubt to play, right. That's that's right, That's exactly right. That's what I did late last night after Philly lost to Seattle and dropping them to three seven and one, just as step ahead of the Cowboys at three and eight. And you've got the Giants in Washington atop the division at four and seven right now, and I'm searching for it as I speak here. Who do they play this week?

It's an ominous schedule for the NFC East this week, aside from Dallas playing at Baltimore next Tuesday. You have it at your disposal there in a heartbeat, I can call it up in a minute if I wrote it down, and I've just tried to remember when I wrote it, you know, we had a lot of shows to fill here the last couple of weeks, and I wrote it down to make a huge point. And I guess it was longer ago than I thought. In my big blue Dallas Cowboy notebook here where I log all the games,

so I'm going too far back. But anyway, one of the teams plays the Packers. Anyway, as I find that the it's it's pretty incredible. I did the math before going to bed last night. I did the math on it. Go ahead, Mickey. The Giants are at Seattle. The Giants are at Seattle. That's a loss, okay, and without their quarterback, although that might help them cope. McCoy starting. Washington plays Pittsburgh. They're at at Pittsburgh. At Pittsburgh, that's right, that's a loss,

so okay, so let's carry it forward. The Giants then fall to four and eight. Washington falls to four and eight, and what are the Eagles doing? Well, it doesn't matter who the right playing the Saints, all right? At the Packers Okay, Oh no, I'm sorry, the Packers. Yeah, I got ahead of myself at the Packers. At the Packers. At the Packers. So they fall to three eight and one.

So let's just say, okay, so that if the Cowboys were to shock the world and win at Baltimore, which will now have Lamar Jackson next Tuesday, Okay, they would be at four and eight in a tie with the Giants in Washington for first place. How about that? They would be all three of them would be four and eight, and Philly would be a half game behind them. But let's just say, just for grins, that Dallas doesn't win that game and they fall to three and nine. Let's

take it forward to the next week. Philadelphia plays New Orleans the following week, all right, okay, loss, Let's say they fall to three to nine and one. The Giants play Arizon. Okay, could Arizona fully capable of beating the Giants? And so they fall to what would that would be four and nine? Right? Washington plays at San Francisco in Arizona, and you know, and the way San Francisco is playing.

San Francisco beat the Rams on Sunday, I mean, they are as many injuries as the forty nine ers have had. They are. What a terrific coaching job they're doing out there, Kyle Shanahan and getting that team geared up to play each week. But let's say San Francisco beats Washington. Okay, they're now four and nine and the Cowboys are playing at Cincinnati. So if the Cowboys beat Cincinnati, they would then be tied with the Giants in Washington, and then

the following week. The following week, Philadelphia plays at Arizona, the Giants play Cleveland, in Washington plays Seattle. These other three teams in the division may not win a game until the last couple of weeks of the season when they start playing each other, until they play the facts. In fact, the Giants in week sixteen play at Baltimore,

and Washington plays Carolina. Well, Dallas plays Philadelphia. I mean, this thing crazy as it sounds, this thing and as devastating as what Thursdays seem like for Cowboys fans, the way that thing ended. This thing is far from over in the NFC East. So now, having set all that, can you piece together an offensive line that can help the Cowboys score more than something in the teams in

these next couple of games. That'll be the key, right, because chances are, all right, they're probably saddled with the same guys they finished the Washington game with going forward in these at least these next two games at the backle position. Okay, all right, here's what I'm looking at

with the schedule of the NFC East teams. If you can just be within a game going into the last two games against Philadelphia the Giants, So if you can get Zach Martin back for the last two games, you got a shot to win this division at five at eleven. I'm telling you it's possible. So uh, and I got I got a I should have brought my NFL hat today because I got a bone to pick with the NFL. Okay,

So they've pushed these games back. Right for Baltimore the Cowboys, Um, they're end up playing Tuesday, right, It's a night game at Baltimore, Okay, and then the next game they play is at Cincinnati on Sunday. So two road games in a row, right, Uh, two games within six days. And if you think about it, since they're playing at Baltimore a night game on Tuesday, Wednesday's gonna be a wash for the Cowboys because by time they get back on their charter flight, it'll be three o'clock in the morning

here or close to it. So Wednesday's at wash you got Thursday, Friday, Saturday, you're flying to Cincinnati, all right, But how about this Baltimore, because they've caused this whole thing. They get to play at home on Tuesday night, so they, you know, if they want, they can be in bed by midnight. Their next game it's a Monday night game, so they get an extra day rest after these games had been pushed back, and somehow that to me didn't Now there on the road, but it's not that far.

They're at Cleveland, but it's a Monday night game, so they've got an extra day to prepare for their game. Where the Cowboys get cheated out of an extra day to prepare for their game, and they're they're no fault through their own now. Jerry was asked this morning on his show if he thought they would push the Cowboys Cincinnati game to Monday night, and he didn't sound hopeful. He didn't really want to answer the question because I bet in his mind he's thinking that's what needs to happen.

So you know, I saw he was playing it close to the vest because because all things are subject to change, right, right, and so there was no reason for him to go out and say and make a statement about it, you know. But the NFL's statement about all these games was this, these decisions were made out of an abundance of caution to ensure the health and safety of players, coaches, and game day personnel, and in consultation with the medical experts.

I wonder if they asked the medical experts if it's a good thing to play two games in six days and both on the road and not have the normal preparation time, like do the Cowboys have to start spending time this week preparing for Baltimore and Cincinnati because they're going to get cheated out of a day of preparation and a day of rest going into that game. So you got to hope whatever they can store up this week getting ready for a Tuesday game will last them

for getting short sheeted going into that Cincinnati game. Well, and the other part of that is you're coming off two games in five days, all right, and then your next two games would be now that granted it is twelve days later, but your next two games or two games in six days. Yeah, so four games and someone much smarter than me would and who knows about how an athlete recover from our NFL players recover from a game. How much that tax is a body to come back

on short rest for your next game. It's one thing. Every team in the league does it once during a season, but to do it twice in the span of a couple of weeks, I don't know. Yeah, and and and you know, and I mean, I understand what's going on in Baltimore. I get it, and it's part of this year. But again, you know, they they are responsible for their guys, and their guys are responsible for their actions. And they

admitted that it was their guy that did it. Yea, And they discipline the guy who started it there and it's still and it's still going to their staff member. Yeah, and it's still going. So they've had I was reading the story. They've had twenty two players test positive or get identified for high risk close contact over the past nine days. You know, we've been doing this for three or four months, and all of a sudden, uh, you

know it it breaks out. Uh. And even what they had somebody test positive again yesterday that they wouldn't have available twenty on COVID ridge, I saw they had like thirty eight guys that were eligible to play. Uh, I guess I was gonna say tomorrow. Yeah, tomorrow night's Wednesday, right, I've lost track of the days in the order of things. But it's an afternoon game because the White House. Yeah, he's a Rockefeller Center tree lighting is on that. Yeah.

And maybe they didn't realize it. It was the Cowboys, by the way, because going forward, I saw a note on Twitter if I can trust it, that the Cowboys Redskins game was the most watched NFL game so far

this season. The Cowboys Washington Football. Yeah, okay, I got it was the So it was the most watched, isn't it annually the most watched the Thanksgiving three thirty in game, or maybe everybody was making up for they knew they couldn't watch another game at you know, And I haven't seen those ratings, but I would not be surprised if those numbers are higher than they have been. You know, the way they the way they do the TV ratings, it's you. It's you know, you basically have to be

at home and have your your TV turned on. And there wasn't as much travel this year, and so more people were at their home where they would be monitored for the ratings. So I wouldn't be surprised if the ratings were higher just because of that, and there's not and they're not going over to you know, to mom and Dad's house maybe to watch, and so instead of using one TV, you're you're using three TVs. So that's

a good point. So, well, there's a lot still to get to from that Thursday game because we just had one show since then, and we talked about some of the some of the aspects of that game. But how about we start with before we go to break, And we just got a couple of minutes before break, and we were talking a little bit about this prior to coming on. You know, in the NFC East, it's been

sixteen years since we've had a repeat winner. And when you look at what's going on in Philadelphia, you know, obviously here in Dallas, the Cowboys have as many problems as anybody, and so this is not casting stones at someone else, but they really have to be disturbed with what's going on. And they've had injury issues too. I understand that in Philadelphia, But what's going on with Carson Wentz and the Eagles right now, I think it's pretty safe to say as jumbled up as it is in

the NFC East. We're probably going to have another different winner this year in the NFC East. I think it's going to be New York, Washington or Dallas. No, No, well think about it. So all three teams right now are basically and I don't know how you want to count Alex Smith, right, but all three of those teams are playing with backup quarterbacks. That's right, because it looks like Daniel Jones is out for at least a couple

of weeks. And the way he looked going down, so I think they it was a calf strain is that what? I what? I or hamstring? I can't remember which, but again, yeah, that looked bad. I know Alex Smith is a starting quarterback, but he hasn't played and if you look at you know, his performance against the Cowboys, I mean he was dinking and dunking underneath, throwing to the running backs, the tight ends. Do you think the Cowboys defense might have caught onto

that at some point? By the way, because he certainly wasn't stretching the field. Their defense may give them the

best shot the way they're playing defensively, because they're shot. Yeah, they're they're they're not lighting it up and playing up front against you know, the NFC East teams that are basically all seem to be having problems on the offensive line, right, and keep in mind that the you know, the Giants had one of their tackles opted out to start the season, and they they're starting a rookie at at left tackle and Cam Fleming at right tack But I laugh because

you saw the Giants game on Sunday, didn't you? The end of the Giants game, Yes, the penalty on Cam Fleming, I don't know, almost way to the end. Yeah, there is a there is a penalty. The Giants basically put the game away. I believe it was a pass to the right side. I can't remember, but anyway, Uh, Cam Fleming was called for a hold. It was away from the play and I thought, of you did your love

for Cam Flevi at that point. And now, as it turned out, they wound up winning the game anyway, but he they came close to losing because of the Cam Fleming holding call and could I think I can't even remember the specifics of it. But anyway, because they've had issues on their offensive line, Yeah, Washington, you know, Washington might be the healthiest on their offensive line. But you know they're still you know, they lost Trent Williams, who is their main stay. He's now in elsewhere, and so

and then Phillip and Dallas. It's been well documented the injury issues on both offensive lines there. So can't have enough of, so much more to get okay and I want to go back to that thirty seven yard touchdown or okay when we come back here on mix shots in just a moment. Hey, they're Cowboys fans. With Type Cleaners at Home pickup and delivery, cleaning your clothes has

never been more convenient. Simply sign up at your local store, set out your dirty clothes, and one of our tight cleaner professionals will come directly to your home for a totally contactless experience. Your clean garments will be returned promptly the next scheduled delivery day. So skip the errand and enjoy life not laundry. Visit ty Cleaners dot com or your local store to sign up for Type Cleaners at

Home pickup and Delivery Today. The Cowboys Way, where sixteen Hall of Famers and five championships shows us what success looks like. Where Turkey is always the second best part of Thanksgiving Day where we are all defined by one single thing, the star, where we as fans know it's our job to keep the tradition going. Bank of America is proud to be the official bank of the Dallas Cowboys and to support the quest of living life the

Cowboys Way. Copyright twenty twenty Bank of America Corporation. Grab some Outerbucks gear and get ready for hang with a boy. From rugged venture coolers to tough as nails elevation tumblers, We've got what you need to keep your game day drinks frosty and your football feast ice cold. And with cases, screen protectors and power accessories, you can defend your phone and stay connected to every play gear up at auterbox dot com and amp up the fund of every Cowboys

game that's auterbox dot com. We're back in a tasty treat that's sweeping airwaves and taste buds. It's new Doctor Pepper and Cream Soda. Let's take a listen, Doctor Bad and Cream Soda. Is he a Newcombonet's music to my ears? Okay, Doctor Bap time pull it in a glass of music to my ears and mouse New Doctor Pepper and Cream soda delasious. Do back back back to Mixed Shots. You can now support your beloved cow Boys from anywhere. Open up AT and t's fan Zone feature inside the Cowboys

app and record your personal cheer and referee signals. You will receive a personalized mosaic and may show up on the AT and T Live FX video board during the game. As we're walking you back here to mix Shots. And so when you were donning Mickey, you're donning your your referees hat, it was in regard to what the NFL is doing with the Cowboys schedule, right, Yeah, there wasn't something else. So I didn't see, Okay, I didn't see you threw a flag on them? Yeah, okay, all right,

all right. I'm still at a loss on the thirty seven yard touchdown run that put the game away the other day. And uh, you know when it happened, I went back on the TV copy. You know, I'm watching on my back porch because I was socially distancing for my brother in law who is here much too long over the weekend. That was a joke. He exceeded the forty eight hour rule. He exceeded the forty eight hour

rule that is normally in effect. But he thought he could stay because he's already had COVID anyway, and he wasn't a threat to me, he thought anyway. So I'm on the back porch watching the game, and I said, I see that touchdown run, and I backed it up four or five times, going what defense are they in? And then going back and looking at the coaches film on it. I just don't understand it. I do not understand why they would be in that defense in that situation.

Thirty six from the thirty seven with three thirty left in the game, and Washington hasn't shown a propensity in that game or any time to throw the football to a wide receiver. There's a tight end on the field, there's two running backs, they're in twenty one personnel, and you've got six defensive backs. Jalen Smith is the only

linebacker on the field. It didn't appear. I thought, maybe on the previous play, did vander Esch look like he had hurt himself or anything, and didn't see anything like that. Vander esh played over sixty snaps in the game. But even more than that, the alignment is you've got they had a pass rush alignment on the field in that you had at Randy Gregory at right defensive end, Alden

Smith inside at tackle, playing basically a three technique. Tyln Crawford was between the guard and center, basically your one technique, and DeMarcus Lawrence says the left defensive end. And you had Jalen come up to the line of scrimmage in front of one of the best guards in the NFL, Brandon Sheriff, And all it took for Sheriff to knock Smith.

I mean he bailed at the time of the snap, but all it took for Sheriff was to it was to get his hands on Smith, and he wasn't going to get be able to get over there and stop. But it was a huge hole there to the left of the center, and I'm going, and besides the fact that there's no safety held back there, but there was nothing on the second level, And I'm going, why why would you have a defense like that in that situation? No,

You're You're absolutely right. And I had I had written down on my notes two running backs, one tight end, one linebacker, and the linebacker was on the line of scrimmage. So off the line of scrimmage, the closest guy to the line of scrimmage one of the safeties, So they were at the thirty seven. One of the safeties was at the Cowboys twenty eight, and the other one was at the twenty three. And the two cornerbacks were playing man. So they're out of the play right because they're they're

they're watching the wide receiver. The tight end was kind of in the slot off the line of scrimmage. So yeah, there once he cleared the line of scrimmage, basically, there was no one there to make a tackle. One linebacker and I don't get it. And all you gotta do, even if you don't even forget about identifying that they're in a dime defense, just identify the personnel on the defensive line. They are in a defense that is designed to rush the passer. What Alden Smith does is not

play run defense. It's been his ears back and get after the quarterback. And that's why you would put him in that inside position to you get your best pass rushers on the field. And so but it just it made no logical sense from a Washington perspective why they would throw the football in that situation because they want to run the clock they don't have Patrick Mahomes at quarterback. Now. With Mahomes, as he showed the other day, you can you can, you know, throw to Tyreek Hill and it's

it's and get that first down to in the game. Uh. And it's much more effective than running the ball because you can. You've got the best quarterback going right now. But anyway, it's just it. I was beside myself, and I think and that it was a game at that point. Still it was twenty seven to sixteen, Um, so anyone, no, no, I absolutely agree with you on all that. And and I'm not sure where the Cowboys were with their timeouts at that time, but still I think they had used one.

They had used an early time out, and so they only had two timeouts left. There was two timeouts left. They used the first one on third and one at the forty three and then which is all the more reason that they're going to run the ball, right, you're not going to throw any completion and hand them a time out. And what they did after that first down, first and ten at the Dallas forty one, it was

Barber up the middle for a yard. Alex Smith scrambled and made sure he stayed in bounds three yards and third and six at thirty seven, they're they're going to run it again, and you had right, and if they don't get the first down, six dbs on they don't get the first yeah, right, And if they don't get the first down, the other reason you're not throwing it.

You're not going to take a chance on a sack because if you run it and you don't get the first down, you're in field goal range, right, and you can expand the lead to fourteen, or if you want to, you can put them down and make them drive you know, ninety something yards, or you can go for it on fourth down and run again and and drain some clock. So the so the personnel on the field, the Washington personnel on the field, did not dictate a dime defense,

and the situation did not dictate it either. Yeah. Absolutely, And I don't know what, you know what the research showed that in third and six when the other team's up two scores because a two yeah, uh, that they're they're gonna throw the ball. No, they're not gonna throw the ball. It's just uh And did you hear Jalen Jalen Smith yesterday? I just lie of it. I didn't hear the whole thing, right, And yeah I did. I

caught pieces of it as well. But in one answer he alluded to he was asked about the two runs and the run defense, and he was talking about how you just you gotta no matter what you're up against, you gotta, you know, for instance, on the fake punt, you gotta be able to uh man up and take care of business, and we didn't do it. And and then in specifically he specifically said, sometimes the other team's call is better than your call, and uh but as a player, you have to be able to overcome that,

you know. And so he kind of alluded to the thirty seven yard or there, and then he was re asked about that and basically echoed, is the same comments. Whatever. I mean, he wasn't throw anybody under the bus, but just the fact that even mentioned sometimes their call is better than your call would indicate that the players were scratching their heads themselves over it. Yeah, and you know, and and and and it was almost, you know, kind of similar to what they did on on the other

touchdown run right after the fake punt that didn't work. Right, Um, if I if I remember correctly. Um, and I've got it right here. It's like they're they're once again the Cowboys, you know, in their nickel nickel defense. Now it looks like they I thought they had two tight ends on that play. Um, And I can't tell right away. I've got it up here. They're too small, But it looked like there was two tight ends lined up and the Cowboys are in nickel and it's like they're running right

over you. At some point you need another linebacker out there. And there was a couple plays like that too. I saw someone was posting plays and it is like, well, look at this, and I'm going to no point out the fact that they only got one linebacker in the middle of the field, and it's you know that that is hurting them, and it continues to hurt them. But what do I know about defense? Well? Uh, and then

you're the last two opponents. You're playing against opponents that are going to run the ball more than they're going to be able to beat you with the past, both Minnesota, I mean, Minnesota's got some weapons and Kirk Cousins has had a decent month in November. But obviously they got Dalvin Cook and they go with two tight ends and a fullback a lot of times. And uh, and you still weren't using three true linebackers in either one of those games. I mean, when when Sean Lee was on

the field, it was spelling Jalen or spelling Vanderesh. Yeah, and then if Lee had eighteen snaps right, and now I was going to play it out. You know, when you're in those alignments like that and your defensive end doesn't win on the edge. I mean, that's what happened on that other touchdown. Alden Smith got blocked. He was coming up field, and the linebackers got caught in the

wash in the middle and there was nobody, nobody. The closest guy, the Donovan Wilson, you know, is lined up at the ten yard line and the balls being snapped at the twenty twenty three. It was like, oh, that's too much space there. There's no way he can make up for it. And then the other weird thing that happened on that play was the the the wide receiver to the outside left runs a crossing pattern and the cowboy and I'm guessing it's Chitube Awuzier. He never saw

the play. He followed him across the field, so their last line of defense out there would have been Awuzier and he's coming across the field with the wide receiver and he doesn't realize it until Gibson is at the eighteen yard line and he's on in the middle of the field with the wide receiver at the Cowboys fourteen and there's no way he can get there. So, Yeah, the run defense that's been one of the scratches makes

me scratch my head. Well, even even there when they have the right personnel on the field, or when they have two linebackers on the field at least, Cowboys have had some real issues being able to identify with their eyes and being able to identify where the play is going. And I don't know how much of that is film study,

how much of it. I mean, there were a couple of plays in this game where vander esh it looked like he couldn't see he got blocked or his vision got blocked where he couldn't see where the play was going, so he was caught out a position. We're seeing a lot of that this season, a lot more so than what you normally see. Yeah, and it looks like what Washington did basically they let the defensive end kind of run himself up off the up the field out of

the play, and then they double team both of the tackles. Uh. And it's clear sailing. And on this touchdown run the extra guy which was the nickel guy Lewis, he's on the other side of the field, so that they ran to the weak side, and the Cowboys didn't have enough guys over there, especially when the linebackers. If you had one more linebacker, you could spread out, but they don't

like three linebackers on the field. M And you know, there's such an emphasis on getting to the quarterback that some of the some of the basics of playing run defense get lost. It seems like, yeah, especially when where's my notes, especially when they ran for what two o eight on you the first time, and then the second time they go for one eighty two five yards a carry.

I don't know. Yep, it's uh, you know, winber. I mean, as much as you have to be able to pass the football in this league, especially when you when you fall behind, you got to be able to stop the run and get that football back for your for your offense. Uh. Anyway, It's that's been a that's that's been a difficult thing. Or when especially the teams go for it on fourth

down so much. You know, when you get i mean four down territory starts at about your own forty yard line now, and if you can't stop the run, then, uh, you're gonna be in a hard You have a hard time stopping teams. So I mean, if you think about right we continue, if you think about real quick, Bill, they've had teams go for one fifty three, three oh seven, two sixty one, two eight, and then one eighty two. I'm glad you looked that up because that's what I

was going to do during the break. I mean, that's just unacceptable. You just can't give up those those kinds of rushing yards, you know. And it's a minor miracle they beat they beat Minnesota because they gave up well that was the one they actually Pittsburgh they stopped for forty six, but they gave up one twenty five against Minnesota and still managed to win the game. All Right, we've got a longer week ahead now, since the Cowboys don't play until next Tuesday. When we come back, I'm

gonna ask you what is the biggest need? Or maybe a couple of big needs that cowboys need to acquire, whether in the draft next year or however they acquire it to shore up the defense what position. So let's let's explore that when we come back here on mix shots in just a moment, we're back in a tasty treat that's sweeping air waves and taste buds. It's new Doctor pepper and cream soda. Let's take a listen, Doctor pepper and cream soda. Is he a new combone that's

music to my ears? Okay, doctor music to my ears and mouth? New Doctor pepper and cream soda. Delas, just dear, it's nineteen oh eight. Don't you think we should get electricity and stop using candles to see at night? It's just electricity lights up the room fast, It's more reliable than candles blowing out, and people seem to love it nationwide. Well candles, God dare did you just run into the wall? May I have a new candle? Please? Historically, switching to

new technology is a no brainer. Today it's AT and T five G fast, reliable, secure and nationwide. Switch to AT and T five G. It's not complicated. Five G requires compatible plant may not be in your area. See att doc com Slash five G for you for details. I'm Jay Nova Check, former tight end for the Dallas Cowboys back in the day. I was a guy who always got the tough yards and that's why I run

with John Deer today. In fact, I have a John Deer three zero twenty five E tractor that can handle any yard work I need to do, even the tough yards way out back. So if you have one acre or a thousand, John Deer has the equipment that's just right for you. Visit a John Deer dealer today and run with us. We are the official tractor provider of your Dallas Cowboys. There's nothing as unique as our eyes, which is why Selor pioneers ways to make lenses as

unique as you. Very Lux for super sharp vision, Essential Blue for protection, and Crisol for freedom from glare. Three cutting edge solutions in a single unique lens. So whatever your needs, insist on Selor visit your local slor experts and find a perfect lens for you. See more, Do more. Selore back back to mixed shuts. Ho Ho Ho Santa is back at his Dallas Cowboys cottage at the Star in Frisco. Appointments are available now to take your socially

distanced holiday photo with Santa through December twenty fourth. Save five dollars when you book by December fourth. Book now at the Star in Frisco dot com slash Santa. When did you think we were going to appointments with to meet Santa on Christmas? Well, that's what that's what it's come to this year. Yeah, I'm just I'm just happy Santa is healthy. And you know, because he falls into that category that he's got to be very careful and so we need to make sure that he is safe

as well, so he'll have well protected. He'll have good airflow, that's right. Yeah, you gotta have that good airflow and uh and all that good stuff. So okay, he gonna be good to see him out at the Star in Frisco. All right, it's going to ask you about the Cowboys defense and what needs to happen to shore up this defense in the short long term, meaning after this season, what do you think the biggest needs are on that

Cowboys defense. Keeping in mind, and we haven't and I haven't studied all of it, I just saw off the top of my head. Know that there's several of those dbs who are in the final year of their contract, and we know what's going on up front on the defensive line and what the situation is at linebacker with and so there's your three levels. What do they need

put more than anything? Probably one of each. But if you're just asking me on you know, a first round pick or just what they need, you know, what is Xavier Woods contract up, A Woozy's contract up, Jordan Lewis's contract up. To me, cornerback is going to be very very high on that list. I think after that, Uh, you know, you gotta you always got to keep looking at linebackers. Um, you know you're I don't know what's

going to happen with Sean Lee. Remember he only signed a one year deal and I don't know if this is the end of the road for him or not. But after you get past the two guys that were starting, I don't I don't see somebody that's just gonna step in and be that other linebacker. You know, Joe Thomas a nice guy to have, but they probably need some

depth there. Uh. And then the defensive tackle position, you know, I know they spent a third round pick on Neville Gallimore but uh, if you're going to create a rotation there, uh, you may need some uh some more help in the middle of that defense where they tend to get exposed. Uh So uh, if I can say one of each, um, I think that that's probably probably the way to go. From a priority standpoint. You know, you, okay, you need safeties.

I understand that, But to me, it's it's cornerback, linebacker, defensive tackle. You know the interesting thing at at those positions. To find an impact defensive tackle, I'm talking a first year rookie impact defensive tackle, you almost have to get him in the top ten. I mean, it's got to be that kind of a player who's who has that kind of athleticism and otherwise. And Galibo I think Galibar was a solid pick in the third round, but he's

not going to make that big of an impact. A third rounder is not going to make that big of an impact his rookie year. And now he's that you use him, and Galibear is going to be good to be used in a rotation and so forth. But if you're looking for it, really an impact guy, if you've got like a top ten pick, that's where you might be able to find a guy like that. A corner you can if you got a later pick, a corner

you can find there. And as far as a linebacker position, I think as much as anything, you know, depending on what scheme that Mike Nolan is running, if you're just going with two of the traditional linebackers, if Jalen Smith is on the team, in vander Esher on the team, if you're taking a linebacker in the first round, there's no place for him to play right now, you know, unless they do a big change, and because they could not shown any desire to have, you know, three traditional

linebackers on the field in this defense. And if you're going to use your base defense as a nickel, then one of those guys in the middle has to be a guy that can create having not somebody that can stand up and hold up against the double team, somebody that can create problems because you've got one less guy close to the line of scrimmage to help you out.

If you're always in nickel and just two linebackers and sometimes just one linebacker or standing up one on the line of scrimmage, somebody in the middle has to be just disruptive as hell to be able to control the run. Yeah, I mean yeah, because the one thing that you could do if there was you know, a just throw out a you know, you know one of these linebackers who can come in and make an impact. Say you got a mid first round ten to ten to fifteen pick,

and there's a linebacker that you really like. You can play him starter type snaps in the nickel. But then you've got to find a spot for Jalen to get his sixty snaps a game in that nickel defense as a rusher or something. You got to get versatile. Uh. Now here's here's the other assuming you think vander ash is the guy, you know, with his past coverage ability. Yeah,

and here's the other thing. And and if you you don't have any semblance of an offseason, you know, maybe uh, if you are sold on Randy Gregory being an every down defensive end, uh, then maybe you can transition Alden Smith inside and say you're my three technique go at it um, you know, and he's kind of built like one right now, and he is quick, but he hasn't played that much inside, so that would kind of shore up that position. Then you have the Gallimore's and the

Antoine Woods. Uh to kind of hold up at the at the one technique, but then again you need another three technique behind whoever is the starter there. They really don't. Well, you got Triston Hill, trustin Hill coming back. I forgot about him, yes, and he was he was somewhat disruptive. You know. I think we forget how well he was playing and how much they miss him, uh in the middle, with how active he was and how quick he was, So that would be a good one two punch in

the middle there. Yeah. And then the other thing is the you know, the Cowboys have never wanted to spend good money on the thirty year old play veteran free agents, but they had to this year with Poe and McCoy and they both got I mean McCoy got hurt and Poe obviously I wasn't ready to play. And uh and that they got burned there big time. Yeah, that defensive tackle position. Yeah. And then they tried to nibble at

the safety position and they got burned there. Uh So Yeah, a couple of the veteran free agents that they signed to kind of be hole pluggers. Didn't plug anything right exactly. They plugged their bank account and hurt the salary cap. Right there, you go? All right, well that doesn't we somehow we filled forty five minutes with ald Everson Walls. Oh no, I was expected back tomorrow. Yes, I don't know. I'm not sure. Okay, all right, well, very good, and

hopefully the Ravens will play as scheduled tomorrow afternoon. They'll be kicking off right when we get off the air tomorrow. They kick off at just after two thirty Dallas time. We might have to do a pre game second on that game. That's right. We all have our Ravens pregame show coming up tomorrow here on Mick Shots. Make it a good Tuesday, and we will see you again on

Wednesday at one thirty for Mick Shots. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and Dallas Cowboys Football o'clock