The following.
He is a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club Cowboys.
This He's Talking Cowboys sing.
Live from the Dallas Cowboys Worlds at the Star in Frisco.
Pizon, Welcome to Talking Cowboys, presented by Black Rifle.
Coffee, live from the Star and Frisco.
Here in the s w b C podcast studio, I am Josh Rodriguez, still filling in for Kyle Yeomens with Nick Harris, John Machoda, Isaiah standback, and Christopher Beamer in the back. Isaiah looking very mad, Max Fury Road Steampunky.
I like it like that? Why you were in the shades?
Oh no, man, just feeling shades inside because your future is so bright hopefully you know, you never know, man, what's going on?
We got lots to talk about. Uh.
I like your intro, Josh, it kind of sounds like Bruce Buffer. It's like live from Live Still the Heavyweight.
Under and new podcast hosts.
Those are Aux Ard verified John.
This is the thumbnail, right, Wohn.
You don't wear sunglasses at all?
What you gotta keep them on for the show? Man?
Bro, your eyeballs are going to fall off?
Did you wear these in Africa on the trip I did.
Those are my stomach glasses.
You gotta this is a good protection.
Yeah, those are my stomach glasses.
Right yeah, right there you get into the full mad Max person like sciences.
There you go.
I like it. I like it.
You know what I mean it?
All right, I can go, all right, all right, it's going off.
Anyways, we got week one to talk about. We officially know the Cowboys first opponent, Week one, September. I have written down eighth three, twenty five in Cleveland for Tom Brady's the TV.
Broadcast.
Yeah, sow, what are we feeling about the Cleveland Browns.
So the first thought that popped in mind, and I'm sure it did for a lot of others, is if Tyler Guiden wins this left tackle starting job, his assignment is the reigning defensive player of the year, Miles Garrett hold.
On the rating.
There you go, there you go defending.
Yeah, so that's gonna be, man, that's gonna be a welcome to the NFL moment for him. But I think on both sides of the ball, it's gonna be a challenge opportunity for a Marii Cooper to you know, maybe get get a good game in on the Cowboys as well on his home turf. And I think it's gonna be an interesting start to the year. It's interesting that they don't start on Sunday night, so they'll be able to get back in a relatively you know, early time than they are used to in early September. But yeah,
Cleveland and then tonight, we know the full schedule. Really excited about, uh seeing seeing what trips and what college football trips we can playing around these games and stuff like that.
But it's gonna be fun private.
This is a question that helps them is the fact that it's early in the year against Cleveland, because you could easily have that be a December game and it could be really cold outside. And so anytime when series of things like we already know all the teams that they're playing, yeah they're playing at home, who they're playing on the road, So it just had those road teams you're just looking at as Okay, which ones of these
could be the potential bad weather games? You know, And it wouldn't surprise me if they closed the season at Philly. You know, it's that's always a possibility. But I just every year when the schedule comes out, and I know the players and front office they do the same thing. They look at what's what's the weather possibility, So they get Cleveland to kick off the season in Cleveland will probably be decent weather like, that's a win for the Cowboys.
And what was the last time we opened a season against an AFC team? It's been a while, right.
The Jets against an AFC team. Let me do some research talk on it.
No, it's probably Jets, maybe eleven.
I mean, I probably should have looked this.
I'm not historian.
You know a thing or two about a thing or two. It's always the Giants.
So it's usually the Giants. Cleveland's a tough drawing a week one tough draw. It's a tough draw. You'll find out a lot about your team that week.
Deshaun Watson starting.
I mean, yeah, Deshaun Watson would definitely be starting. He has guaranteed money. He's definitely gonna be out there. But I mean their their defense is ridonculous as everybody knows, right, I mean.
Cut them through the whole season basically.
Yeah, absolutely so. I mean that's in terms of a lot of the Cupid shuffle that we have going on offensive line right now. You just alluded to. Obviously Tyler guiding on the left side. That whole front is solid for for Cleveland, and they've gotten stronger somehow, some way over the off season. So it's gonna be interesting. I'll look forward to it. Obviously, there's a long way to go between now you got OTA's got training camp. You
guys can get a lot better. But that's gonna be one heck of a test if you want to know exactly where you stand with your offensive line at the beginning of the season. Well, there's no better team than than the Cleveland Browns.
Yeah, at jetson eleven, and before that it was out the Browns and eight.
So okay, all right. I was there for that one, and then the Jacksonville is somewhere in there. Maybe right before that.
That shoulder popped up on a blocking play for Marian Barber. I remember that. Really I was blocking from Marion. He was running. You don't want to get Mary to run up your back. That's just not what you want. So I'm looking over my shoulder and I want to go chuck the guy, you know. As soon as Marian passed me, I like to chuck him in. My shoulder just slips out. Oh that was awesome.
That was just a flesh wound ry.
I just did a little spin, movie popped back in. I kept going.
Won the game though, Let's go, let's go.
Well, any how do you guys feel about Tom Brady? Tom Brady, we just talked about him last week with the roast, but like, it's his inaugural broadcast with Fox, and he also brought up the quote that he had was is Dak.
Finally going to come through?
And it kind of he let it slip out during the announcement of his first game with Michael Strahan.
I don't know, man, like a little more respect on Dak's name. Granted that was his last game.
Say, granted that he was the one that you know, knocked him out of the playoffs for the final time. But yeah, I think the broadcasting aspect of Tom Brady's career is going to be fairly interesting. It's going to be heavily followed obviously. I mean we've seen Romo do it. We saw wit and try and do it for a year or two with Monday Night Football, I mean former players, and it just kind of makes sense for Tom Brady to step into this role. Granted, I really liked what
Greg Olsen did on the Fox broadcast. I know a lot of people feel differently, but Kevin Burkhard and Tom Brady, I think that'll end up being a really good duo. I'm curious to see where Greg lands though.
I think Tom Brady's got a pretty good sense of humor. I think the roast showed that. I thought that comment about Dak was a little It carried over from the roast right Darry Rose liked it the way he did it.
But I'll say this, and I don't know how many people realize this, but when you're around like a superstar, okay, like a Tom Brady, heck, like even covering this team, you know, being around let's say Romo or whoever you are, whether it's media, fans, whatever, there is just this part of you that whenever you say something like, let's we're gonna let's say we rate jokes, like the best joke Dave Chappelle ever told, We're gonna say is the ten
of the ten. The worst joke, like you have a friend of yours that is just not funny at all, is gonna be a zero? When you're that famous and you're that you know, polarizing, and that when people are around you and you tell a joke that's a two, they laugh like it's a seven. So what does that do to you? That makes you think you're real funny? And that's fine when you're around the people that you're that that are around you that are kind of like, wow,
you're so and so whatever. When you get on TV like that and start of telling those jokes with a bunch of fans that don't like you because of one reason or another, right, like, people aren't gonna think that all your jokes are that funny. And you think, but you think you're hilarious. Do you think like, oh, if this doesn't work out, I can do stand up. I'm
telling you like I'll tell you guys. Off the air's like some examples of stuff I've seen that I have been around in like walk offs and things like that, where I'm looking around people are like roaring laughing. I'm
just like, calm down, guys, it's not that funny. You're just doing because this person is so I knew you'd understand what I'm saying because it's really the when the cameras are off and like the person standing around and they're telling jokes and you're just kind of that's like funny, and people are just rolling like it's the greatest Chappelle joke you've ever Like, calm down here, Okay, it's not
that funny. But when you're in that position like that and you're Tom Brady, tom Brady goes to get coffee somewhere and just says some little you know, not even that funny little comment or with everybody's laughing because it's Tom Brady, you know. But I'll be interested to see how because to do TV like that you have to tie in some comedy. I'm interested to see how much he tries to weave that into I think you'll find there.
I think the big the greatest critical as how people how people are going to be critical in regards to his broadcast is going to be his his acceptance in his criticism of other players, because for the longest, him Bill Belichick, and you're starting to see them show. They're obviously their personalities now now that they're outside of the game.
For the longest, they were the gold standard in terms of not saying anything about anybody right or just given high actlet Oh they're they're awesome, they're great, just kind of bsing their way through the through the press conferences. But now as an analyst, he's going to have to be critical. And it's like, okay, well, how critical was he going to be? What is Tom Brady's standard for a people that don't know him obviously? Right? What is
Tom Brady's standard for greatness? Is that a great play? Is that a bad pass? Is that a bad lowcation?
Like?
How critical is he really going to be because his standard is so high? Is he going to try to hold everybody to that? Or is he going to give you know what I'm saying, give people flowers when they actually do things that are great. So that's what I'm curious to see. I think that's where people are going to be most analytical about his endless role.
And he doesn't even know how that's going to be yet nobody does. Because this is what's going to happen. He will either start out not doing very much of that, and you'll hear the backlash of come on, Tom, you got to give us more than that. You're getting thirty
some million dollars a year when anymore? Or then the other thing that's gonna happen is he's going to say something about a play and it's gonna seem like a throwaway comment, but that's going to lead to like headlines the next day, like look at what he said about
Baker Mayfield, Look what he said about whatever. And then he's gonna have to respond to that, and I mean not respond directly to that, but the way he does broadcast it will impact you because there are certain things that some people just they do not want to be the person that's constantly stirring up stuff. But you can be put in that position where you're just like, wow, I didn't even think that was that big of a deal, and that's getting headlines the next day. I mean, it's
Tom Brady. It's the goat that he can say one little thing and that could be the biggest storyline about that game the very next day.
This is true. I kind of want to see the train wreck. I want to like it just do bits, you know what I mean.
Like it's like this guy sucks or whatever.
And then I don't know, I think that would be fun.
But uh, overall, I think tom Brady's gonna be safe enough enough. I think like, like we talked about it. He's kind of coming off the roast. Yeah, so maybe he has a little, you know, a little spring in his step when it comes to like doing bits.
One other thing I'm gonna add on that is that something he's gonna do that's gonna bother me because he's already started doing a little bit, is he's going to talk about how and he's gonna make it seem like he played in like the seventies with how physical the game was and how just oh, you know, how the game is officiated now it's so soft, le Tom. You played as long as you did because the officials really helped you out. So let's just you're not the guy
all this out. He's already done it a little bit. That guy. I'm interested to see how it comes in games when there's certain calls it stuff. In my day, this wouldn't have had time. You didn't play in that day, like you're not, and the rules helped you. You're not playing into your forties mid forties if the rules didn't help you. So you're not gonna be the guy that's gonna be calling this stuff out like you're Ed Reid.
This is fair, that's fair, all right, boys, rookie minicamp happened this past weekend.
Let's kind of get into that.
Can we kind of explain what the rookie minicamp looks like to our.
I'm I'm trying to remember who said it to me this past week, and I think it may have been toadd Archer, But the underwear Olympics is basically the best way to explain it. But yeah, I mean, they get these guys in the building, they signed their they signed their contracts, and they get out on the field and basically just go through a lot of install They go through to walk throughs on Friday, and then one actual
practice on Saturday. It's not padded or anything, but you know, they'll they'll run some plays and they'll get some routes on air and things of that nature. But for for this specific draft draft class, it was an opportunity to see Cooper Bebe snapped the ball for the first few times.
It was an.
Opportunity to see Tyler Geidon and his size and how they compares to some of the other rookies or some of the twenty twenty three undrafted free agents that they brought in on the offensive line as well, just to kind of compare. And then on the defensive side of the ball, you could see guys like Marshawn neland Kayln Carson, Maris Luifowl just to kind of see them in action, see what their body type looks like, see how they
respond to coaching. It was our first opportunity to see Mike Zimmer on the field coaching some coaching some players, so seeing that dynamic was definitely interesting. But that's basically what rookie mini camp is in a nutshell, but can't really pull a whole lot out of it on the field, but it's a really good opportunity to see initial impressions
of what they are off the field. We were able to talk to all the rookies, a couple of the undrafted guys, so so far, I mean, it's a pretty solid class from a media availability standpoint, which I know me and John are very very happy about.
But other than that, that's those are my main takeaways.
I like being an AX and seeing the all the other writers that cover other teams talk about like these big takeaways that they have from and I just laughed because there's just not big takeaways to be taken from. I'm telling you. I don't care who, I don't care how long you played in the league, Tom Brady to Bill Belichick, whatever, not even comparing it to this one,
but I'll keep it somewhat relevant. There's nothing that happened during rookie orientation, Roocky Mini Caamp, during Michael Parson's rookie year that you had been like, whoa, everybody, just buckle up, we might have the best defensive player in football, right yo. There just isn't enough to see from there, you know.
We I remember watching some of that and you were like, oh, it looks like he's gonna you know, line it up a little bit off the edge and stuff like that, so you can take up, like to your point, the lining up in different spots, like it was good to see, like, Okay, well, Cooper BB's clearly at center. You know, we think that's going to be the case, but to actually see it, you know, Tyler Guitton's at left tackle, things like that.
But in terms of like the work that a player is doing and projecting and what they can be and I know it's bigger. Again, this is just following other teams and other teams writers on X It's it's definitely a bigger thing to have these big takeaways off of rookie Minnie Camp. If you if your team drafted a quarterback high, because all eyes are on that quarterback, you know, and what they look like in their drills and stuff
like that. So and to be honest with you, even here, if let's say there was I'm kind of you know, stipulation where Trey Lance could have been out there because he didn't play last year or something like that, all the takeawys would have been like, what did Trey Lance look like throwing blah blah blah blah. And they're not in paths or anything. So all it is is just kind of trying to be like, hey, we're out there,
so this is what I saw. But I mean, even if you talk to former players that when they're out there like you see, I mean, it's just it's not it's it's very it's designed to, hey, this is the way we run practice, get ready for this, so when we are practicing that you're not doing the wrong thing that we needed to keep going when practice actually starts. But it's also designed like don't get hurt out here.
It's a great way to look at conditioning. Too and see how these players are developing. And I don't think we're going to necessarily answer the question is you know, Maricelulfowl like ready to start basically with a rookie minicamp, Well, what was your kind of experience with mini camps in general?
Man? I mean rookie mini camps is what they just explained. It's I mean, as you're walking around in draws, yeah, and you're really seeing, you know, how in shape guys are a conditioning aspect. That's the real takeaway that you can have. If there is any takeaway outside of alignment and assignments, it's just you know, how condition are these guys. There's guys that come into Ricky minnicamp and they are out of shape and they got to get on it.
Usually it's somebody that's upfront or second level guy. But you know, that's really the takeaway. Your coaches are able to analyze where they're at. They get with the dietitians, they find out if there's anything that they need to do in the regards in terms of their new their health to get bigger or to drop some weight. You know, they find out exactly where they want them at size wise.
For training camp. That's when usually the time where the strength conditioning staff is trying to analyze that with the dietitian to find out, Okay, hey, coaches, where do you guys want these guys at weight wise? You I know when I came in, I was like two twenty five when I when I came in the draft, and I came in obviously still recovering from my surgery. But from that they were like, okay, we want you to come
to training camp at two o seven. So by the time we finish up with Ricky minnicamp OTA's and all those things, it was like, okay, this is your report weight. So they're able to tell some of those things just to put you in the best position possible once training camp starts. But that's all it is. There's not much outside of that.
All right, boys, let's take our first break. When we come back, we have a lot lots more to get into. Actually, we have Mike McCarthy, we have coordinators availability from yesterday.
We'll be right back after this break.
Todd thought it would be secure to jog in the cheetah Savannah. Todd believed the big cat repellent he bought online was reliable, and now Todd is trying to be faster than this cheetah that can run eighty miles per hour. But the good news is Todd has at and T five G. It is fast, reliable, and secure, and he learned the best thing to do is stop running and toss her the backpack with the beef stew at and T five G. Faster, reliable, secure, It's not complicated.
Five G requires compatible plan and device. Five G may not be available in your area. See att dot com slash five G for you for details.
Black Rifle Coffee Company serves premium coffee.
To people who love America.
When you drink Black Rifle Coffee, you are directly supporting veterans, law enforcement, and first responders in your community. Black Rifles expert roasters love coffee almost as much as Texas loves football, so it makes sense that America's coffee partner with America's team. Go online at Black Riflecoffee dot com and fuel up with the official coffee of the Dallas Cowboys. That's Black Riflecoffee dot Com. To fuel up.
Today, Cowboys fans. After that move, We've just coined the term rowdy replay. Let's roll back the table.
Okay, there's our mascot, Rowdy cheering on the boys, and now he's on his phone on his.
Bank of America Mobile Banking App.
Staying on top of his finances with his virtual financial Assistant Erica.
Bank of America's digital tools are so impressive, Cowboys fans just can't stop banking. Learn more at Bank of America dot com. Slash can't Stop Banking.
Evericay, it's only available in the English language. Must download the latest version of the mobile banking app, only available on sole like mobile devices. Message in dat raigy apply a number FDIC.
Welcome back into Dear Doctor, the show where I answer life's questions with an ice cold can of Dr Pepper. Sheila, let's hear from my next caller.
Would you, Dear Doctor? My friend supported me during a tough time.
But what's the right gift that says thanks for being the souldier to cry out?
Okay, this one's easy, I say, give her a delicious doctor pepper. Nothing says thanks good better than one of a kind soda. Yes, any Doctor Pepper flavor will do.
Now.
Just a reminder that I don't need to be a real doctor to know that Doctor Pepper is the one you deserve.
To Talking Cowboys.
Welcome back to Talking Cowboys, presented by Black Rifle Coffee. This portion of Talking Cowboys is brought to you by Quaker Oats, a super trusted superfood. Quaker Oats the official oatmeal sponsor of the Dallas Cowboys. And guess what we have an oats update from the oat goat.
Isaiah stands back here. Did you have your oats today?
Boy? You know what? Josh freaking a idea. Okay, listen here, we had a nine am show today, right. That means the kitchen usually shuts down at nine am, So this means your boy got his oats.
Shouts at the training sh Shout out.
To training table, squad, Shout out to Beamer for changing the time at nine o'clock. Listen up, your boy is oded up. Understand me? What oats on deck? So shout out to team quakeir Oats. Shout out to the training table, Shout out to being in the back.
In the back, I wish people would have seen like before he walked in. I mean, Josh and I are just having a normal conversation. Probably at yeah.
The glass break smashing oat cans Radio Yeah, it felt good to have the oats Man.
Just good for you Man.
Sponsors Dream Sponsors Dream.
All right, guys, we've got some actual news to get in. It's just updates, you know what I'm saying. Mike McCarthy talked about He was basically you know, uh, he had press conference before first day of mini camp and then the before it.
Was at the end of the first day, in the beginning of the second day.
Thank you, talking about culture change and how every season that culture changes a bit.
Any updates from Mike McCarthy.
I mean, of course there's not a lot to say about players individually when it comes out, you know, when it comes to these mini camps, as we discussed, but any kind of tidbits that you want to speak on, you.
Know what, I thought it was kind of interesting. I don't know if you thought this was a big deal when he said it or not. But so when Mike McCarthy took over offensive play calling, he adjusted to the offensive language that was already in place under Kellen Moore and before, because hey, let's keep this this is what these guys are used to. You know, Dak's beending this offense. Let's keep the language. What they're used to. So Mike McCarthy spent that off season adjusting to what the Cowboys
offensive language was. But McCarthy said that on defense, the defense will be adjusting to the way Mike Zimmer's languages, so just because he's called stuff a certain way for a long period of time and so because of that, I thought that was kind of interesting. Just because you only have one offseason and it's not very long, and you're on a one year contract, you know, you have to have results immediately on defense to you know. It's I just it's different when you have two or three
years left on your contract. You can like kind of slowly implement some things in and maybe not, but you have to kind of throw the kitchen sink at this thing. You need this thing to be successful, Uh, right away from your time playing. How big of a difference do you think that is when having an off season have to learn a different language.
Yeah, I mean, it's it's one heck of an adjustment, which is why OTAs is important. You need that time to get acclimated, You need that time to be with your coaching staff to get feedback, to get instant feedback, to not only go and study at your house and study, you know, here watch film, but also to come and do it. There's one thing to read and look at pictures. It's another thing to come in and line up when somebody says it in a huddle. So it's very important
that from that stands. I just had a random question pop up in my head. Who do you guys think is the biggest advocate of change of culture change? Players or coaches.
From last year to this year?
Just in general?
Oh, just in general, not this team specifically.
I think it has to be coaches, right, It has to be coaches only because players have been dealing with culture change their whole career when it comes to high school college. You're looking at me and I'm like, you're looking at me like.
Hey, why not play?
No?
No, no, no, I don't agree, you go ahead.
I don't disagree. I just think that there's sometimes when you add certain personnelity to your team, it changes the dynamic and possibly the culture as well. You know, I like, you think about adding a Mica, did he change a culture? Or did Dan Quinn change a culture? You think about you know, adding all this beef on the offensive line, Now, does that change the culture and how you would how you approach the running game. Do you have a nastiness
that's and that's now there that you didn't have last year? Like, I just think about it. You know, I agree on both ends. I just want to know where you guys stood on it.
It's a mix, right, Yeah.
What I think I was gonna say with the language on the defense real quick is I also think a factor in this McCarthy didn't say this, but it's that the guy calling all of this on the field on Sundays will be Eric Kendrick, who obviously is going to be used to Mike Zimmer's language. So I think maybe that factors in a little bit too. But I couldn't be wrong, and I think.
Eric Kendricks could kind of be Mike Zimmer's filter as well. As far as an intensity standpoint, I think that's gonna be really good for the delator, Yeah, exactly, the anger translator.
I think.
I think this culture change under Zimmer is going to be really good for that defensive side of the ball. And not to say that the culture under Quinn was bad, because I think it was pretty strong and you ask anybody in that room, they'll say the same thing. Quinn is very much a player's coach, and Zimmer more so has a high standard and it's a military way of going about things.
And you see some of the assistants that he brought in as well.
We got our first opportunity to talk to defensive line coach Jeff's Scanina yesterday and then you talk about intensity, that guy is looks like Intensity looks like Ivan Drago.
I mean, he's he walks up with just like this swoll you know, stance.
And he was kind of mouthing with the media a little bit before he actually got on camera a little bit and it was everybody's like, Okay, we gotta we gotta take this a little bit easy. And we go into the availability and I had asked him about, you know, what's the dynamic between him and Greg Ellis, assistant defensive line coach, and he's like, well, you know, I'm more of the loose cannon.
He's more of the mild manner guy. I'm the raging lunatic.
He said that I'm the raging lunatic and he's more of the you know, communicator on that sense. And I was like, okay, have you had a moment yet with a player where you've kind of let that loose cannon go a little bit. He's like, yes, every day, every five minutes. And I was like, what bothers you the most? He says, everything bothers me. So he's you can tell
he's there, you know, as far as intensity goes. And man, I had posted that clip on Twitter last night and one year Thomas Quote tweeted it and said that it's funny he walks into meetings every day and sees it.
A g I Joe character is coaching the defensive line.
So that's awesome.
I think that kind of speaks though, to circle back to my original point, it speaks back to I think the culture changed that the defensive staff is bringing to that side of the ball. I think it's gonna be really good for that side of the ball. They need to get more physical, obviously, they need to get bigger. That's that's not something that necessarily changes with culture. But I think physicality can change with culture. I think discipline, as far as penalties lining up off sides, that can
change with culture. So I'm very interested to see what that defensive product looks like next year.
Yeah, I'm worried in the same sense, right, So First of all, I think it's hilarious. Go ahead, yeah, because Ge first of all is like the complete opposite. He is like a walking Jedi, right. He just so calm, so z in, very just emotionally intelligent, right, and he's able to convey the you know, communication wise to players is awesome. That's gonna be good in terms of offsetting the D line. Coach, I am worried from the perspective of creativity our guys as a player. Let me just
back up, as a player. When you have structure, but that structure allows for you to create, you're able to be your true self. I think that's what dan Quinn provided. Dan Quinn provided a structure, but with underneath that structure it was like, Hey, Mike, do you right. I'm gonna put you over here. I don't care how you get there,
just get there. I wonder if these guys are going to have that same freedom under Zimmer And I say that because Josh, you're supposed to get from point A to point B, like I need you to go up the outside shoulder. I need you to get up there, like, don't do anything else. Right, Well, now I'm not me. Now I'm a robot. And yes, it might work for the scheme, but I diminish who I am as a player and as a creator using my abilities and attributes
to be able to help this team. Now, yes, there might be less errors, but you get substantially less of who I am as well, and I'm concerned that that might happen. I don't know. We'll see, right training camp will tell us a lot, but I'm that's my concern when it comes down to having these militant type coaches, because it's like, jam go straight there, that's it, upfield, shoulder, don't do anything. Well, okay, I can't even spin back, you know what I mean, Like, I can't, you know,
I can't. I can't What if he oversets, I can't come out it underneath, no outside, Okay, So you're yeah.
I think the games dictate that though, And when I say that, I mean this in a sense of not necessarily in that game, but I mean from week two week where we clearly saw last year at the beginning of the year that the dax CD relationship on the field was not on the level that it could have been, and there was changes made and they really flourished together as that season went on. So I think that it
could potentially start that way. But if you're not winning games, you're not playing good defense, then you're gonna have to make some change. You're gonna have to allow some things. But I mean, we could have done this whole show
just me personally. I feel like off of what Mike Zimmer said yesterday, his ten minutes I thought were great just to get his perspective on different things, and he stresses the whole idea of we want guys making plays, but we don't want guys going out of their way to try and do things where it's leaving another guy open for you know, basically getting destroyed and allowing bad plays. And I thought we saw some of that last year, and so maybe a little bit of structure, a little
bit more structure, I should say. Yeah, that's That's the other thing that I battle with with all this is I don't want this to turn into dan Quinn wasn't a good defensive coordinator, because that's not the case at all. Like if you don't think he was, then you weren't watching in twenty twenty because you didn't want to. You didn't see how bad rock Bottom defense can be and how in twenty twenty one, twenty two, and twenty three
how it turned around. Obviously, Mike and Quinn together a big part of that, so I'm not saying that, but there can be some tweaks made to it.
No, tell you, that's my biggest concern, man, because I've been in systems, I've been with coaches whereas like, do this just how I said to do it, and.
You're playing vicariously through your defensive corda.
You're being what they want you to be. You're not being you. You're not being you, And it's not until you get with a coach. And I think it's actually in the reverse, right. Sometimes we see players start with that type of coach and then they go to a new team or a new coach comes in, and now they're able to do what they what they've always wanted to do. Go be who you were in college, All right, bet,
let's go. I'm gonna get to make plays again. Downs in the reverse and players are gonna have to adjust to that. Seemingly right, Dan Quinn gave you that freedom to go out there and just create, and yes, sometimes it leads boys, but you get some amazing plays out of it as well, because you see some creativeness out of Micah and d law and all these other guys are able to run around and kind of go rogue
at times. That's that's what makes players players. But now those guys have that freedom, and now that freedom's being taken seemingly being taken away. So now what do you get.
I think there's probably a healthy balance you can find there between structure and freedom, because I think there's a lot of truth to the sense that maybe there was a little bit too much freedom at times last year, you know, having Leyton vander esh come off the edge, or I think Michael Parsons over center worked.
But that's just an example.
But you look at the drafting of Marshawn Nelan and you look at DeMarcus Lawrence. These are two guys that are two hundred and sixty five pound plus ins that you could put on either side of the ball to stop the run. And you were worried last year about teams running at Micah, Well, now you've got two guys on the ends, and if you still want to do the Mica over center thing, you can still do that and have him attack the passer.
So you're accounted both ways.
So I think there is still a need for that freedom in some sense, but maybe there's a healthy balance you can find somewhere with it.
Their thing is too, is is like, I really don't care if the players enjoy playing like I don't like. And the only reason I say this, the only reason I say it this is because and you're no, You're you're a perfect person. Asked, You're a perfect person? Asked? Because do you think everybody love playing for Bill?
Sure?
A lot?
Sure?
What a lot? Though, because I would use him as an example of a coach that during that run six championships in two decades, I mean, hell of a dynasty he had going there, I would make the argument that of all sports, he's probably the coach that players probably like playing for the least. But when you're winning on Sundays and your hoisting trophies, so got to kind of fall online.
To address that point, Coach Belichick is definitely I don't want to call him a militant, but you do what you're supposed to do, right, DYJ, DYJ? Do your job. That's his thing, right DYJ? All day long? However, he was a mastermind of putting you in position to do what you do best. Sure, Right, there's players that you guys never even heard of, and all of a sudden, they're out there starting and making plays on a Sunday just because he knows what they how they fit best
in that system against that particular opponent. Right, their assets are going to work well against this opponent, right, and then you won't see them again for four weeks. They'll be on the sideline. Yeah, exactly right. So I don't know going into this year that Zimmer is going to do that, right, right. I get the sense, and I don't want to put this off on him. I have to wait and see. I get the sense that it's like, Okay, be who I'm telling you to be in trust that
the system is going to work. Yeah.
I just hate bringing in Mike and Lawrence and Diggs and some of these guys into this conversation because they're superstars. They're going to be allowed to flourish. You know what I'm saying.
You would think you would think.
But where I'm coming from, too, is I can take a step back from a guy maybe having a couple less interceptions, a couple less sacks. Yeah, if that means you're winning games in January, I agree. I can't think of anybody. No, I can't think of a single coach in any sport that the Phil Jackson's ain't but that You've heard more players at play their championship level that have been like, yeah, it wasn't fun. It wasn't fun
when it's going on. I'm glad that we won the championships, but in the heat of the battle, it was not fun. During the week in games things like that, like it wasn't the most enjoyable experience. And I mean, just look at Bill. There was plenty of times during that run where I from afar was like does he even enjoy this? Like they're winning all the time and it's just like onto the next thing.
Exactly next to Nick, you have.
Mentioned Digs and Bland, and I think from a secondary's perspective, I've been trying to find where the biggest change probably will be under Zim versus Quinn, I don't really see a ton of major change. I mean, they're gonna run man coverage top five in the league. Probably might not be number one like they were last year as far as man covered usage, but they'll be top five. They'll be pressing, they'll be running a lot of cover one, cover two shell looks. I think from a secondary perspective,
things will look fairly similar. Now, how many safeties will you rotate in versus how Quinn did? Maybe that's probably where you see a little bit of change because you have to account for that extra linebacker. But I think most of the change will come up front and what they will be told to do upfront, their pass rush moves, and I mean Michael Parsons is such a union corn in some sense as far as how he can get to the quarterback, but also how can you start maximizing
him later in the season. I think that's something that this coaching staff will have to be able to figure out and try to do and later in games as well. So I think that's probably gonna where you're going to see the biggest changes in that front seven.
Do you see a very productive Micah Parsons in December and January that he looks like the Micah Parsons in September? Everything else will fall, yeah, absolutely, recond games like that, Yeah, everything else will take care of itself.
Does the new defensive team kind of lead to a dip in turnovers? You think?
I'm curious if Isaiah's take on this, because I'm not bought in on that yet.
Why is that?
I think so. I think that you'll get a lot more three and outs just because of the structure there, all right, there's less ability for teams to catch you slipping, right, So you know, you might have guys that have the freedom or might be a little bit more aggressive up front, and that leaves the voids. Ah, it got us right, We're we're real close. Right, We're real close. We almost got the sack. I think you'll see possibly less of that. Again, this is all speculation, of course. I think you might
see less of that, but you'll see. I think you also see less turnovers because guys. I don't believe that guys are gonna be allowed to just go be themselves. And I'm truly concerned about that.
Like especially coming off of Quinn.
Yeah, like Quinn like be you like, that's that was a culture, right, be you like, I'm gonna put you out there. You can saw him. I don't care if you go outside. I don't care if you go inside. Just win, right, that's not gonna be the case anymore. Stay outside, don't let anybody know outside contain I mean don't let nobody outside at all, right, And it's like, well, I could have went inside and could have got them
under Quinn, you know. And again this is just me speculating, but that's my I've been and I'm speaking from experience where you weren't allowed to be right and you you literally turn into a roadbody and you start checking a box. And when you're checking a box as a as a as a professional athlete, it's not good.
And hey, I get it. I know it's a player's league. I mean, hey, just look at the paychecks. You know who the whole deal is built around. I get that. I'm just saying that from twenty eight years of not getting close to host hoisting another Lombardy. If you're going to tweak some things, you gotta tweak them, because it's not like you're just riding this thing. We're like, no, no, no, we got this figured out. Let's just keep doing what we've been doing. There's got to be some changes in there.
But yeah, you, I think there's got to be a balance.
There has to be.
I don't think that you can go and I don't get this sense that Mike Zimmer is going to be that way where I mean, like the extreme where it's just like, no, you will only do it this way because it's my way.
I don't.
I don't think anybody can coach that way to day, for sure, I don't.
I don't.
I don't think anybody can do that.
Twenty two years as a defensive coordinator head coach, six times his teams have ranked in the top ten and takeaways. I feel like that's fairly fascinating. And I did it quite a few times in Minnesota.
It was interesting him saying yesterday, he said yesterday. I thought it was interesting was when he goes, you know, usually when I come in uh to coach a defense, it's to fix it because it's been bad. He's like, and this isn't the case here. You know, it's basically you know, you got to make some tweaks to it that. But it's like he rarely in his past has taken over a defense where it's like, man, there's already you know, good players in the back end. You got uh question
marks that linebacker, but there's certainly potential there. And then I I just as negative as anybody wants to be about the Cowboys. There's just there's too much talent for this team to be bad. I mean, like you look at that defensive line. They need they need help at defensive tackle. Don't get me wrong, but there's still like some really good pieces there that any team would be tickled to have any of these guys.
You know.
And I don't think anybody is arguing about regular season wins. I don't think like our expectations are so different now, like it's it's just about the playoffs. I think the regular season wins will be there regardless. It's just about how we perform in Jane Wary seventeen to m Yeah, all right, boys, we need to take our last break. Fans, please text us. It is the the text line if you want to send in your questions. It's eight one
seven two nine zero three two nine to eight. Will be right back after this.
They say champions are remembered, but legends are never forgotten. United Agon Turf offers a winning lineup of John Deere equipment built to tackle any challenge on and off the field. Legendary John Deere Tractors combines residential mowers, commercial mowers, compact construction equipments, cater utility vehicles, and a full line of golf and sports turf equipment. United Agon Turf the official
agonturf equipment supplier of the Dallas Cowboys. Visit Unitedagonturf dot com to find a location near you.
Are you ready to take coffee off your grocery list forever? Black Rifle Coffee Club is here to help. As a Coffee Club member, you'll get your favorite coffees, roasted package and ship to your door free of charge on your preferred schedule. Set it, forget it, and never run low on coffee again. Members also get exclusive deals on coffee products and discounts from partner brands. Ease your mind and let Black Rifle worry about.
Your coffee supply.
Go to Black Rifle Coffee dot com to join the Coffee Club today.
It's the official men's skincare brand of the Dallas cow Jack Black and right now Cowboys fans could get fifteen percent off their seventy five dollars order plus. Because every deal needs a playmaker, your order will include a free five piece skincare set and free shipping. The Jack Black Playmaker is four of Jack's favorites and a full sized intense therapy whipball. Make a play for the playmaker at Getjack Black dot com slash Cowboys with the code Cowboys VIP.
That's get Jack Black dot com slash Cowboys with the code Cowboys VIP.
Tod thought it would be secure to jog in the cheatah Savannah. Todd believed the big Cat repellent he bought online was reliable, and now Todd is trying to be faster than this cheetah that can run eighty miles per hour. But the good news is Todd has AT and T five gs. It is fast, reliable, and secure, and he learned the best thing to do is stop running and toss her the backpack with the beef stew At and T five G. Fast, reliable, secure, It's not complicated.
Five G requires compatable plan and device five G may not be available in your area. See att dot com slash five G for you for details.
To Talking Cowboys.
Welcome back to Talking Cowboys, presented by Black Rock for Coffee. This next segment is brought to you by in Visi Line, the official smile of the Dallas Cowboys, Isaiah with the Pearly Whites Yet again boys breaking news. The Giants one hundred season to begin on Hard Knocks Hard Knocks. Really yep, that's bold of them for the New York Giants.
It's the it's an off season edition of Hard Knocks. We're just fascinating, So I'm curious how they integrate all very.
Bold of them. Yeah, a lot of change going on over there.
Yeah, two new quarterbacks.
It's a lot of change to be welcoming a camera crew in for everything.
That an interesting head coach, dude.
Yeah, we're gonna watch it.
Yeah, maybe we have to maybe maybe maybe.
So speaking of watching, what are you all plans for the uh oh for the schedule release tonight?
Yeah?
My plan is the cold one with the boys, I'm sure. Yeah, just to have something ready. I guess whatever it pops and uh say what so you got to type?
Yeah?
I gotta type, Yeah, I gotta time.
I'm going to be typing up articles in the parking lot of a concert venue and then once I'm done going and.
Going into a concert. So that's that's my plan.
So I'm planning on getting into that parking lot at about five thirty, get roll, and then planning on being there for a couple of hours in my car just marinate.
And that's working thing right there?
What about you. John. Now, it's a it's such a big thing, the schedule.
And I really feel like I've seen it over the last five or six years keep growing every year into this national holiday. But I'm fortunate. My teammate said use of it the athletics that he wanted to write off of the schedule thing, and I was like, that's all you are?
How bad?
He's like, I really like the schedule part of it, and the social media team. I'm like, yeah, go for it. You know, yeah, that's a good point too, man, Like I mean, maybe I'm trying to think. To me, the best the best schedule reveal thing was when Tennessee, I think a couple of years ago. Last year, Yeah was it last year?
That was Yeah.
I just asked random people on the streets if they knew these certain teams and stuff like that, and then and me it was just very random. But obviously the Cowboys always do it big. All their schedule releases are you know, they'll get actors or post malone and things like that. It is crazy because it's not like it was. I wasn't that big of a deal.
Oh No, it's a competition now between social media teams.
It keeps getting It's a guaranteed moment basic for sure. It's like you're get it.
Right if you get it right, if you get it right. I was it was funny.
I was in the barber chery yesterday and he kind of like spun me around in front of the TV and I look and it's it was NFL Live and Derek Eagleson was on him. Derek Eagleton and then Brittany Johnson was in there, and then True Ferguson and they were all talking about, you know, the aspect of the social media part of it and trying to you know, make the best product, the most creative products and things like that. But they interviewed like some Chargers guys, some
Jetskis I think. But yeah, heavy representation from inside this building. And I was just sitting there. You ever seen that meme was like, they don't know that, that's my boss.
That was.
All right, boys, we got to wrap it up here in a second. We do. We got another show after this, all right.
I really wanted to ask, when it comes to the schedule, is there an AFC team you're least looking forward to playing? Those are always like the ones that I look out for when it comes to the schedules, like, okay, who are we playing in the AFC because those are just like you don't get to see him very often, you know.
No, this is so easy. Good, Like if you're a Cowboys fan, I mean, you really want to see Lamar Jackson running around, you can question wherever you want about him. In January regular season, Lamar Jackson is a problem. So that to me, when I saw the schedule, that's the number one just to guarantee. I mean, I will say that there are ones. No I'm not saying that, but I'm just saying that, you know, uh, you know, you don't have to go back that long and Josh Dobbs running around.
I always look at that.
So I always look at the schedule with like w's and l's and mine, you know what I mean. Not that I'm writing him down necessarily in like a sharpie, but I'm just like, you know what I mean, Like, that's that's one that's.
Like I'll say this, Hopefully that Baltimore game for the Cowboys sake, Hopefully that Baltimore game is later in the season. Then earlier in the season, you would like to have Overshown healthy and ready to go to be a spy on a little more and you would hope that's after the end of October.
Is that your pick as well?
Uh?
Yeah, I would have to be.
I'm thinking about like the road challenges, you would have to go to Pittsburgh and Cleveland.
But I don't think it's that bad this year. I mean depending on whether wise. I just when I look at the road schedule, I don't look at it as I have in some years past where I'm like, oh, that one's gonna be Yeah, Baltimore just don't know San Francisco. Yeah, well, yeah, that's true. That's true San Francisco. But San Francisco they can play anywhere, and I don't really like their chances.
I really don't want to see c J strow.
That game's got to be on Thanksgiving, right, it's gotta be.
Yeah, it's gotten breaking since I don't know anything, but I've been campaigning for that for a couple of months. I just think that would be so much fun. Houston versus Dallas, Defon Diggs versus Treyvon Diggs, MICUs hopefully Michael c J. Yeah, they're basically family now, they as well be.
They tried to set it up last year it didn't work.
Yeah, what about you as who you're least looking forward to playing in.
The I think that Baltimore Houston is that both of those cats are tough. But Cleveland to me is for week one is tough. Yeah, I'm Cleveland. Week one is tough. Cleveland is They're not a flashy team, but they but they get the job done.
If it was week fourteen, would you feel differently?
I would because I would know more about what they have going on.
Week one at Cleveland or Week one at Philly. Which one would you not want to see more?
Week one at Cleveland?
I agree it's because of Miles Scarrett. Like you tell me Miles s Garrett's off the field, and I would.
Say, but the whole defense is solid. It's really good, you know what I'm saying. Like like those the teams that are not very flashy but seemingly are always up there in the statistics, Like those are teams you got to worry about because they're not making a ton of mistakes. So to me, Cleveland is dangerous outside of Baltimore in Houston, that just depends on where you're at.
And last question, really really quick, uh NFC East team you do not want to see in Week eighteen.
Virtually, we always play at Philadelphia. That's the toughest, their toughest road environl And is playing it.
I feel like that's gonna be unanimous. Yeah, Like I don't want to see that.
A billion Week eighteen. There's gonna be a playoff layover like yeah, And.
I think dan Quinn could get stuff rolling in the direction in Washington. I just don't know if it'll be in one last season.
I think Washington is gonna be a lot better than people portray them. Yeah. I really think they're going to be really competitive this year. I don't think they're gonna have the whole quarterback thing figured out, you know, all the way, but I think they have playoff. I think they're gonna be in a conversation, bubb I really think they're gonna be on in a conversation. I know people are looking at me like I'm crazy. I'm hearing.
I don't understand howybody could look at you like you're crazy. If that is the case, you're literally That's twenty twelve with Robert Griffin Jr.
Between their between their their draft and their offseason. Veteran acquisitions. Yeah, the blend of those two with that coach. Yeah, it's concerning.
I don't want see Pati up the middle man. That's gonna be tough.
All Right, boys, thank you so much. We'll be back next Tuesday at ten am. We've got mix shots coming up next and then the break at eleven a m. Four ISA standbacks, John Machoda, Nick Harris, Chris Beyman in the back, I'm Josh Rodriguez.
Thank you very much for joining us. We'll see you next week.
This has been a production of Dallascowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.