Mick Shots: Much Sleuthing

don't know who the next president is. And we still don't know who the next starting quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys is. Er at one thirty on Thursday, Everson Walls and Mickey Spagnola, how are you doing in your risk spect of s WBC Mortgage Studios. I'm great, I am doing just great. Yes, thank you Staggs for the show. Check it out. Yeah, look at there, got stripes right side, right, right size, very nice. So Mickey, how are you doing? I'm good. I was betting on we'd find out the

president before the quarterback. Yep, I was thinking that same thing. We probably still will because I'm running out of time though. Well, however, and we won't get into president talk obviously, but I would imagine. I would imagine even when even when the network say we have a president, it's good to still be a long battle before Well, it'll be inauguration day probably before we know who the president is whoever shows up.

So so the Cowboys will have a starting quarterback by three twenty five on Sunday, and it might be right before kickoff before we find out who who. Okay, let me ask you this right at the top, whoever is the starting quarterback? Did they win the battle this week? Or did they lose the battle this week meeting? They're going up against the Steelers defense. Oh very cute. It depends on if they win. What if they play, well, then yeah, you won the battle. I mean, we can't.

The monster has to show me his teeth before I'm going to be afraid of him teeth first. Well, you know what I think? What do we look at it this way? Are we sure that one of the two is going to be the backup quarterback? I mean, it's not the way it's going to work out. Who'd ever is not named the starter? The other guys the backup? I would think so because they McCarthy is saying, which one. Yeah, No, No,

I think what he's saying. I think what Mickey is saying is, all right, we've got a battle between Garrett Gilbert and Cooper Rush to be the starter. And Mickey, you're asking, is it guaranteed that whoever Garrett Gilbert or Cooper Rush, he's whoever's not the starter is going to be the backup? Or has been Denucci going to be the backup? Yeah? I mean, if you're good enough to start,

are you good enough to back up? I was just asking, but if you hey, but if you're gonna go with the backup, you gotta go with the backup with the most game experience. And I'm right back to where right, Well, you know what did you did you catch? Did you catch McCarthy's answer about the holder? Yes? I knew that's where you were going because he said you were he

didn't he didn't like commit. And then he said, well yeah, and Denucci has been in that, and it's like, oh, you would you keep all three quarterbacks active so one could hold because the other guys obviously if they're practicing, they ain't getting much practice holding. So we got to see if uh, nice Wander is a holder too, And I did look up, I didn't up the pronunciation of his name, and the Big ten network called him nice Wander, Nice Wander, and I s w A N D E

R and it's nice Wander. Yeah. So if they're if they're accurate, so so so a third of our team is going to be full of backup punters and best and tackles and offensive just keeps on go and and back up defensive tackles and guys that hadn't played in years. Uh. It's it's quite a uh combination of things this year twenty tw money. That's all I gotta say. We have a thirty We have a thirty year old quarterback that is considered the most experienced on our squad, with two

completions in his entire career in the NFL. But one thing we didn't mention yesterday. You guys talked about it off the air. Gilbert does have some experience in professional football. That's right, right. I think that I think it needs to be brought up because it may sway me just a bit. It would have swayed me if I would have heard that yesterday before I went on my rent and Hunter the punters got some professional experience too with

the DC defenders. M is that XFL or AAFL. It was XFL XFL okay average a couple of years ago forty four point six. You know, when you punt, it's like it's like track. A punt is a punt. It doesn't matter what school you come from or what level it's on. If you can punt, you can punt, right. If you can run, you can run. If you can punt, you can punt. So I'm gonna give him some love and regards to that. He'll get the benefit of the doubt from me. Anyway. However, at Northwestern they don't deal

with an overhanging scoreboard he's got to work around. At eighteen years only only Ohio State could probably afford that. Oh yeah, that's right. I think we have to worry about that. And what Everson is alluding to, and we brought it up late in the show yesterday, is that Garrett Gilbert was on track perhaps to be the most valuable player of the Alliance of American Football last year when he played for the Orlando Apollos and was leading them led them to something like a seven and one record.

Before that league folded. Uh, you know, and I just something holded because that's a horrible name. Oh my god, the Orlando What what do they follows? I guess it's God, that was a stretch. I mean, what are they trying to represent? Space? Is that for for NASA or was it something? Now? I think I was NASA? Uh Um. I think when I'm just reading between the lines with Mike McCarthy, I think a lot of people are thinking

it's going to be Cooper Rush. I just have a feeling it seems like he goes to Gilbert first every time he talks about that. You know what, Bill, I pointed that out today. I noticed it the last two days that when he says the two guys names, he says Garrett Gilbert before Cooper Rushed each time. Yeah. So that's my that's my sleuth work. And it makes sense from the standpoint aside from what ever since pointing out about what he did do in a spring league uh,

and the fact that he's thirty years older around that. Uh. But but more to the point, he has actually been at practice a little bit longer than Cooper Rush. Hass right, I think I think two weeks more. They signed him on October. He's got two October thirteenth, and then he had to pass his six days, so he got into practice that that following Monday. Uh yeah, so he's he's had this. This would be his third week with the team, right, yeah, So so he's been here longer, just like Danucci was

here longer than Gilbert was here. And so if we go down, Okay, so we had dakas the starter to start the year, then Andy Dalton okay, to Uci was next in line because he was here longer than Gilbert. So Gilbert is the fourth, and then after this week, it'll be Cooper Rush the following after a bye week. All right, well, it would get us to five quarterbacks. Hit the breaking news sounder. We figured it out. There you go. Breaking News mix shots announces that Garrett Gilbert

might be the starting quarterback. Might be we're here to right now that he might be. Yes, that's okay. Let's let's put it this way. Are you giving Pittsburgh? Are you giving Pennsylvania to Garrett Gilbert? Real funny? Does the Mick the Mick News Network, do you award Pennsylvania to h Garrett Gilbert? All all the votes are not in yet and they what. We're waiting on the absentee ballance to be added up, just just like Nevada. It's gonna

be in November ninth. Will know what's the deal with Nevada. They can't count They can count cards there, but they can't count votes. What's the deal? Only fifty thousand at a time? Okay, come on, give him a break, man, Yea, all right? So what news do you got today? They're Mickey from Mike McCarthy's press conference today, and we're moving

forward with this week. And there was a lighter workout yesterday because of the Sunday night game, and so their their biggest work of the week is coming or came today today. The pads were on today. Ezekiel Elliott will still be limited. It looks like, as as Mike said in his press conference, they're gonna give him some work, but kind of a lighter load. He feels like though with the hamstring, they're just trying to get him to Sunday the best they can, as healthy as they can.

Same thing with Alden Smith. So those were the two guys that they were somewhat concerned with. And then Chitube Awoozier. I think today was supposed to be his day, Like how much does he do today? And that would determine, um, if he's get if he gets uh activated off injured reserve. But he's starting to run out of time, right, he would only have one more week after you got twenty one days, right, Bill, And I think this was the

second week, so next week. If if you don't activate him next week, then he's on IR for the remainder of the season. I believe, Well, he's for sure going to get activated unless you had some some really bad setbackers. What happened to be this week or injury reserve, it happened to be next week? Next week would be injured next they can even though it's the bye week, but they would have to make that move I guess within the twenty one day window, which would be next week.

Don't have a game. Yeah, yeah, that's right, Okay and so and so. Um, it'll be interesting to see what

decision they make. And today's a big day as far as determining that, and I'm sure beyond that when he gets asked about it tomorrow, Uh, it will be Well, tomorrow is a big day because they have to see how he recovers from today, right, and then we'll see what he can do on Saturday, because you can draw this thing out till Saturday, that's right, And then they'll say that, well if we don't, if he doesn't play this week, then he gets the extra week because of

the bye week, and he would really be ready to go in Minnesota a couple of weeks from now. Well you get act. We got that to figure it out, and he doesn't play. I mean you can also always do that kind of like what they did with Sean Lee. Right, It's kind of like what they did with Shaun Lee and the previous week with Randy Gregory. So, but use up that spot for somebody it might be valuable to the to the team that might act I don't play.

Is there anyone invaluable to the team? Uh? Well, remember you can you can only at the most, you can only have forty eight actives, so you would have to uh put down least five guys, So you can always make him inactive on game date just to protect their rights for the rest of the season. Hey can can the woozier? Can the woozier? Can he kick? Can he kick? Yeah? Can you hold? Just remember this? We want to make our nice winder can do both. He can kick and he can punt. We'll find out if he can hold

there you go. I also heard but one of the things he has the ability, uh he punts right footed. I hear. I'm trying to remember if I heard this right, that he actually kicks left footed. No, no way, there's no way, no no, hey, Bill, that happens. I have a nephew, both of my nephews. He eats right handed. He kicks left handed. That's different. He bats left handed. I understand handed. It's stupid, man, you know, I understand that. It's great. Their brains all mixed up off in there.

So he probably can't do all of that. But you can't. You can't punt right footed and kick left footed? Why not? Why not? I mean you can, but what would be the now there would be an advantage. Bill Parcel has always talked about the how difficult it is when you go up against a left footed punter, and so, okay, I can understand being a right footed place kicker and a left footed punter because it's so so difficult to field a punt off the foot of a lefty. Have

you ever seen uh an ambidextrous quarterback drawing right. Yeah, yeah, it happens. There's there's a major league pitcher who's who does it? Yeah, that's right? Would that it's surely possible? Just think how that would mess up an on site kick? Do you have to declare? Like in baseball the pitcher has to declare whether he's gonna pitch right handed or left handed? Does the putter or the kicker have to declare ahead of time that he's doing it right or

left handed? Does that mean? So? Then the coach comes out and he taps his left eye right for the left hand to kicker. Is that how? That's right? After after the failed third down, the coach goes out to the middle of the field, off the off the bench. All right, well, well we're rolling along here there to go. So no concern about Zeke or Alden Smith being able to play on Sunday, not yet. But you know, I mean they're certainly not going to tell us anything that

they uh, they don't want Pittsburgh to know about. Right, So um, we'll see where We'll see where the thing goes with Zeke? How how how how are you I know you don't get a chance to see the players much more spags. You know, there were time when they would hold a press conference and you guys could be right there. Yeah, we don't around them, check the body language and things of that nature. Well, just from maybe the virtual interviews. Uh, how is Zeke? How's his body language?

I mean right now the cowboys are looking for They're looking for somebody to step up, you know, offensively is what we're having the major issues in regards to continuity as far as personnel, and Zeke is one of the few that has been the mainstay. Now you're talking about the hamstring, and of course everyone's concerned about his uh attitude,

his leadership qualities. What do you have? You had a chance to look at him and see what his body language might be at this point because with no Zach I'm sorry, with no that, with no type, no on my guy, you can just pick all the linemen that are not there for him. Uh, there's no show. I'm sorry, no, uh, no type. You got one tight end missing? Yeah, load Collins. What what what is his attitude? What is he? What

is he looking like? What's his body langue? You know, I think it's been good, Actually, I think it's been better than when you saw them in person. His nature on the on those conference calls seems to be, if it, very upbeat, very positive. Uh and uh maybe a little bit even more forthcoming than than he had been. So from that standpoint, um, you know, I think he's been

I think he's been really good. Uh. And it's gotten better, believe it or not, as the season's gone along, you know, because as you as you look at a leader like Dak, you know, you expect him, no matter what, to roll out the uh. And I don't want to call him canned because you know, we know from Dak's uh attitude and his past that those words he says, he believes them. But there is a script that a leader like Dak

sticks to. And there's always that other guy who would be Zeke, who would, as you say, be a little bit more forthcoming, a little bit more earthy and organic in his responses. Just kind of wondering, Uh, has he revealed anything to you about how he's feeling now without Dak and and just how tough it's been for him to to to catch his stride, you know, and he hasn't.

He hasn't used any excuses, and he hasn't blamed anybody, and he owned up to the fumbles and uh and he continues to say, yeah, I just need to do better, we need to do better as an offense. So he hasn't sat there kind of with a pouty face going well, yeah and got nobody to run behind and uh so yeah, and he's been good and Mickey, he's never he's never been like that, you know. Yeah, he hasn't struck you as being a guy that kind of talks out of

turn at all. Now, Yeah, no, he's he's no, you know I it was Emma would do that occasionally, Yes, yeah, you know, immediately the same thing, same thing you're talking about Everson with DA you know, Troy, and he purposely, as being the quarterback of the team, would give the

canned answers. I mean he would off the record saying, you know, off to the side to the media, well that is what I gotta say, you know, and uh, being the quarterback of the team, but you could get you know, Emmett would would show up his once or once a week or so in the middle of that locker room, and sometimes he would he would voice his opinion on sub shoot. We saw him him att voice his opinion big time on it. The one preseason game

he did last year. Well, I'll tell you what I know, and I know we got he was holding that hand for a long time. I know we gotta go a break. But I'll tell you this one thing about him at from his rookie year when they weren't running the ball

very much. Uh, in nineteen ninety David Shewlett. For some reason, I forgot that they had him at Smith and we were about, oh, it was getting close to November, and he was getting peppered about you know, well you haven't had a hundred yard game or data da And he finally looked at him and said, you know what, it's really hard to gain a hundred yards with seven carries. But you never hear you never hear Zeke say anything like that. You no, no, No, he's no speak more distant.

I think he has. He has the propension to be more distant as opposed to yes, and he has. Yeah, and he hasn't been. He he was sort of that way when we started these these uh, these conference calls. But once the season started he kind of got with it, you know, and and uh a little bit more. Uh, you know what I can't understand what you're asking. Could you repeat that? And much more personable than than he

had been before them. Well, and then we can discuss it further if we want to when we come back. But as a rule, across the board, not only in football but in sports, it's totally different than what it was in the nineties or in the eighties or seventies. And it has a lot to do with the pushback that you get if you say something on social media. And so guys, guys don't talk like they did back twenty thirty years ago. All right, we continue with more

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Versus Swift December fifth at at and T Stadium. I'll be the bill. You are going to be there, all right, will Yes, sir, that's gonna be something. All right, Let's talk about the heavyweight that is coming into at and T Stadium on Sunday after and that would be Big Ben Rothless Burger and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Mickey, what do you when you study the Steelers? What stands out to you? Well, obviously,

their defense stands out to me. The fact that they ranked fifth in average yards they're giving up uh, and then the fact that they've they're leading the league with thirty quarterback sacks and that doesn't even account for all the pressures they put on so at with with one game to go at the half at the they're only seven and oh so they only had their buy Uh. So they're on pace for like sixty five sacks at

this rate. So to me, uh, it's a it's a bad uh meeting, right, this struggling Cowboys offense with a quarterback that was going to start that hadn't been with the team more than a month against the defense that's pretty rabid. And I see where uh they have five they have a couple of touchdowns touchdown returns uh. And it looks like their defensive return too. So they're not only get takeaways, which they're second in the league, but they take them to the house too. So this is

a Murphy's law scenario, spags. But what can go wrong may go wrong, or what can be worse still get worse. But the street talking about playing against the Steeler, I'm surprised about the offensive but lack of output. You talk about big band coming back and and you're talking about the team that's really known for being able to run the ball, harden those football and I'm sure they have all of that, but you know, when you look at

those stats, to me, that gives me an opening. You know, if I'm a coach, that's the opening as a Cowboy coach that I'm looking for. So that kind of gives me. It piques my interests us a little bit, just to hear you say that. And really, when you think about the culture, when you think about the Steelers, it's the culture. Really.

To me, it's all about the culture. It's always been about toughness, no matter what coach you've had, and they've only had a few, you know, they were like the Cowboys, or the Cowboys were like the Steelers in regards to just having a very few coaches come through here, and they were coaches of quality, not quantity, and the Cowboys was keeping pace with that, of course, and still until around you know, two thousand when Jimmy left, and of

course after Tom Landrid. So, man, that's the kind of culture that I was hoping we could have created here in Dallas or maintained in Dallas. But it's something that has clearly maintained from Fort Pittsburgh going all the way back to the seventies. And let's look back and you mentioned you mentioned the seventies. Okay, this Pittsburgh team is seven and oh for the first time since nineteen seventy eight. So are they really of that same ilk the Steel

Curtain Steelers of the seventies or not? Now, Having said that, Mike Tomlin in his fourteenth year as the head coach, they have not had a losing season in his entire time as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, And in fact, with a couple more wins, they will ensure that I believe it's their ninth winning season or well, three more wins, they'll have their ninth season of ten or more wins in his fourteen years there with Pittsburgh. So that says a lot right there. And of course last year they

win eight and eight because they didn't have Roethlisberger. Every other year they've had Roethlisberger for almost the entire year. All right, But let's look at exactly what they've done this year. They started the year with a twenty six sixteen win at the Giants. Okay, Cowboys could have done that Week one, right, right, They could have done that that hall against Denver, they won twenty six to twenty one. Okay, Cowboys could have done that at that point in the season.

Ye third game at home against Houston, which of course Houston got off to the owen. Of course, Houston had had a very difficult schedule to start the year, but that was the twenty eight twenty one win. Okay, so they didn't wouldn't like they were blowing out these teams. They had a bye week, then they played Philadelphia at home another home. Wow, they had four straight home games. They did all right. Philadelphia at home they won thirty eight to twenty nine. Cleveland at home they blew them

out thirty eight to seven. Not a lot off it only two hundred and seventy seven total yards, but anyway, they beat Cleveland thirty eight to seven. And then the last two weeks they have played against really quality opposition and won close games at Tennessee and at Baltimore twenty seven twenty four and twenty eight twenty four. So that's what they've done so far. And the key there is

they won the close games. And and and if you look at what the Cowboys have done, they had a couple of close games that they were in that they could have won that they didn't. And when you don't win those games down the road. Yes, uh, you pay for it, because this team right now could very well uh be three and five, four and four had had they won a couple of those close games. The first game was was winnable right against the Rams, they were coming back. Um what was the second game? Was? Uh?

Was it? They wasn't Seattle, Seattle, Atlanta, Atlanta, Atlanta, Atlanta, And so they which right they did and that the people will people are shouting at the podcast you Vicky saying that they could have just as easily lost that one. Yeah, but we can't go by that. I'm not gonna go by well you could have lost it. Well, yeah, we won it. Well, there's a lot of games you could have lost. You know. Atlantic killed me with that. Atlanta gave up forty points. They deserve to win. I don't

understand that they gave up forty. Oh yeah, they should have won. They shouldn't have won that game, right right, right? And they're too dumb to pick up an on side kick. And you're telling me they should have won. I'm not going for that. I'm not going for that. They didn't deserve to win. But you talk about you talk about the winning close games and losing close games. You know that affects your psyche. Guys, there's no doubt about it.

When you lose a close game and you keep losing close games, then there's more and more pressure you put on yourself to win those close games. As that scenario starts to pop back up again, then here you are doubting yourself. Well, the Steelers were winning those close games, so therefore when they reached that scenario again in the future, they don't doubt themselves. They say, Okay, we'll look back on how we did against in these same situations and

it's gonna be something positive. As opposed to the Cowboys they're thinking, oh lord, here we go again. We're in the same position. So there's a difference between your outlook on approaching that same scenario. What outlook are you going to be looking forward to being successful or as the pressure gonna be on you to win and you don't win. So it's an approach that can creep into your into your psyche as you go through that scenario. All right, and then look at what the what the Steelers are

facing the next three weeks. They got Dallas at two and six, Cincinnati at two, five and one, and then at Jacksonville Jacksonville or they don't have a good record. I can't remember off the top of my head what their record is is not a winning record. Yeah, so they're sitting there going, we got these three games, we're ten and oh before you know it. Look as soon as that, as soon as you start thinking like that, Mickey,

that's when you start losing. Right. Go ask the nineteen ninety one Washington Redskins, and they were the Redskins at ninety one, I can call them that. Uh yes, look here here's here is what has basically colored the entire Cowboys season. Was that just gosh awful loss to Washington twenty five to three. Right, because the other games that they've lost, they they've been in am I right, They've been almost one possession They all been one possession games.

And it was a one possession game against Philadelphia until the officials missed two calls on one play. It was a one possession game against Seattle, Right, And what was the what was the other loss? What am I forgetting rams the Seahawks a touchdown? Oh and the Browns I kind of left that one out, but they ended up which was game, right, Yeah, and they they got beat that game. Those the Cleveland game and the Washington game

have kind of I would not. I would not Arizona game in the Yeah, Arizona game, the Washington game, those compared, those two compared. I wouldn't say the Browns because at least we had as much as we were horrible against the run, we did have success on the other side of the ball. That's the only reason I wouldn't. I wouldn't luck that way. Again, I was going with we actually, well we were, we were. We were in position to win that game in Cleveland until we gave up the

reverse to to obj right. And the other thing about Arizona is, uh, it was an atypical game for Zeke coughing up the football a couple of times, right and exactly. And in the first game without your starting quarterback. You know, if you were sitting here four and four right now, you'd be sitting there going okay, oh, all right, we got a lot of season to go here. Or the difference between four and four and two and six is huge, right mmmmmm. Now, Now, Bill, you first started this off

talking about comparing the Yeah, and let's do that. Yeah, let's do that when we come back here. We got to take a break, and so when we come back, just how good is this Steelers tead? We started our conversation, all right, are they as that would be a mouthful to say they're as good as they are they? But are they even coming close to that level? That's what I was going to tell you, But that when we come back on mixed shots, we're backing the tasty treat

that's sweeping air waves and taste buds. It's new doctor pepper and cream soda. Let's take a listen, Doctor pep 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. Dels, just do 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, dear, 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 dot com slash five G for you for details. I'm Jay Novachek, former tight end

for the Dallas Cowboys. Back in the day. I was the guy who always got the tough yards and that's why I run with John Deer today. In fact, I have a John Dear 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 Dear dealer today and run with us. We are the official

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Moore selre back back to mixed shots. Craving at and T Stadium's famous Cowboys Chief Steak, nachos or Cowboy rito when you're watching the Cowboys at home, bring your favorite stadium fair to you. Place your order online for at at and T Stadium every week this season. Check out the menu at att stadium dot com slash at home. All right, we're exploring these Pittsburgh Steelers, and really you look at every position group, every level of this team,

both offense and defense. You can throw in special teams as well, and you can understand why they are seven and zero on the season. When I asked Mike McCarthy about them the other night, the first thing he pointed to was their offensive line. He thinks their offensive line might be right up there at the best in football.

And of course they're led by a future Hall of Famer at center and Marquise Poundcy who's an eight time Pro Bowler, and David DeCastro at right guard, who, by the way, they had lost for a couple of games and they got him back for the Tennessee game, so

he's played the last two weeks. So they're very solid upfront, and that's a huge difference between them and the Cowboys as far as and a lot of other teams in this league is they've been able to stay relatively healthy on their offensive line and the quarterback has been healthy. And let's start on offense with them, because what Big Ben has at the receiving corps is really that it's

something that has taken them to another level. Even though it hasn't been reflected in their total yards, which is only twenty fifth in the league, they are up there amongst the top scoring teams in the league, helped along by an opportunistic defense as well. But you know, with their receivers with Juju Smith Schuster as well as the rookie Chase Claypool who's added a whole new dimension to this offense, and Deonte Johnson James Washington at tied end,

the addition of Eric Ebron. Yet, that's pretty salty offense to go up against. Yeah, and if you look at you know, their their their positions and their starts. They've been pretty uh consistent offensively on on who they've been able to send out there. Uh yeah, and so that certainly makes it and look, you you can cover up some of your smudges, you can't cover up your offensive line.

I'm sorry, you can't fake that. Uh. And and you're right, Bill, when you can do what they've done with the consistency on their offensive line. Uh. And then look at where the Cowboys were, uh prior to the draft, which you thought they were going to be on the offensive line. Would even Travis Frederick being there? Uh? Yeah, this whole thing got turned upside down. So it's one thing to have to start a backup quarterback or the backup to

the backup quarterback. But when you've got to put piecemeal your offensive line together, And as Mike McCarthy pointed out, I think it was today, this will be only the second week in a row they start the same five on the offensive line. That's you can't fake that. You cannot fake that. I think the great Larry Lacewell once told me, you know, I can put together a defense, and I can do some things to compensate for a lack of talent, but the one thing you can't compensate

for is offense. And for sure you can't compensate for not having a quarterback. And I think he must have told me that probably in the two thousand and one season, availability. Yeah. Yeah, availability is the greatest ability for a player to have, and when really both on offense and defense. When you look at the Steelers, they have got to be one of the healthiest teams in the league. They lost Devin Bush, who's a great inside linebacker, and here's what they were

able to do. They picked up in a trade Avery Williamson from the Jets last week. When you've got one hole, one major injury to fill, you can go out and at the trade deadline go get a guy who can fill that need for you. But I mean you look in their secondary, you look at the rest of their defense, and they outside of the debn Bush injury, they're as healthy as you could could expect to be seven games into the season. And then on offense, it's the same way.

I mean, that's a great reason why they are where they are right now at seven And oh, they've got to have the shortest injury list right in the NFL right now, especially among teams that are successful in the league. In that division, you don't really hear about all the issues that everyone else is having. And like you said, Spact, if you can keep your quarterback, that's one thing, But if you can keep your quarterback and your offensive line. Man, you got a chance to go far in this league.

And one year. Absolutely, So that would be the biggest difference between the Cowboys and the Steelers, Right there's a Cowboy is not having their quarterback and not having their offensive And here's another big difference, okay, is takeaways. On defense. The Steelers are second in the league in takeaways and that and of course the thirty sacks contribute to that. They've got ten interceptions, Everson. Nine different players have interceptions

for the Steelers. And this is also a Steelers team when they lost their starting quarterback last year and they wound up eight and eight, they were number one in the league in takeaways with thirty eight on the season, and a huge part of that has been the acquisition of Mica Fitzpatrick a year ago from the Dolphins. Hey does that sound familiar? Hi? Remember Thermos thieves? Come on, man, here you go, Come on man. We had that. We had that. I don't think we got thirty eight. That's

a lot of interceptions. If I were to go through an account where we had my rookie year, we had a bunch. I think it may have come to around thirty five you had thirteen yearself or eleven in the regular eleven Yeah, Michael Downs, Dennis Thurman, Charlie. I mean with a bunch of guys with a lot of picks. You know. The strange thing about their their interceptions. Nine guys with interceptions. Only one guy has two, everybody else's got one. How does that happen? I mean, come on,

hate guys with me. That is a culture. That is a culture that you don't There's no one person that that leadser he doesn't stand outs, just a part of the great package that they have. And then you start talking about this team versus the seventies team, Bill, I was writing down a hall of famous from the nineteen seventies Pittsburgh Steelers, just the ones that I am aware of.

I have eight mean, Joe Green, Lyn Swan Stalworth, Jack Lambert, Terry Bradshaw, Donnie Shell who was just inducted right yep, Mike Webster, Meil Blunt, Mike Webster and Meyl Blunt. That that's the eighth. That's the only eighth that I know of. So you can't we start talking about compassions between this team and and the seventies. I think you add if I'm not mistaken. Four Super Bowls, okay, and that stay Everson, Everson, I gotta I gotta throw this in at nineteen eighty

one Cowboys. Nineteen eighty one, Cowboys, you're a rookie year second in the league. And takeaways. Guess how many takeaways the Cowboys? We were only second, second in the league. Oh, I'm so disappointed. Huh. And guess how guess how many takeaways the Dallas defense had Thurman's thieves in nineteen eighty one. How many? Keep in mind, Pittsburgh last year led the league with thirty eight. Dallas in nineteen eighty one had fifty three takeaway and we were second thirty seven, thirty

seven interceptions. How about that? Wow? And they didn't go to the Super That's what you called doomsday. That's doomsday right there, buddy, that's doomsday. Wow. And so we can get into this whole thing about Steeve the Hall of Famers versus Cowboys Hall of Famers. Come on, man, you know you can tell it's even going back to the seventies.

There's a clear discrepancy, clear discrepancy. And by the way, on the interceptions, ever since you had eleven interceptions and Thurman had nine interceptions and Michael Downs had seven, So your two rookies had eighteen interceptions combined. Hey Bill, I'm tired of talking about this. Man. I'm depressing now. I think we're out of time. Let's go, let's go on to something else. Man, this is making me mad. Now. All right, well we wasted all of that good times.

We're wasting those good times. Your your homework comorrow? Where have they gone? Your homework for tomorrow is to count up the Cowboys Hall of famers from the seventies. There you go, I got you. And my homework also to the Star and just take a look. My homework for tomorrow is is to try to figure out which team in nineteen eighty one had more takeaways than the good question three? I think, I know, I think, I know.

What do you think I'm thinking? Ninus? Okay, all right, well I'll have that answer for you tomorrow here on mix Shots. All right, all right, there we go. Well it'll be a fabulous Football Friday edition of mix Shots at one thirty tomorrow. We'll see you then. FF. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.