Talkin' Cowboys: Are Expectations Too High?

this Thursday against the Redskins at home. So let's jump right into it. But how is everyone's Thanksgiving? Quick? That's good, it's good, it's good. Good. Yeah, you're one day off, got the win, got the win, it's right, mxas A and m Hey, New Mexico didn't either. Yeah, and maybe we're getting a new coach. I'm gonna miss Vin your case. Thanksgiving kind of tied to football in that way, you know,

and and does your Thanksgiving? And I know we're all thankful for things, don't get me wrong, but do you feel like you're just when it's over, You're the game's over, and you're like, man, you just you just don't. It takes so much out of you. Thankful it's over about this particular Chargers. Yeah, but it was one of those games where you just couldn't nothing went right. You couldn't stop them. You know, it's third down. You can't stop them.

You really can't do anything yourself, you know. I mean, I don't know. I'm not trying to be wet blanket guy, but it's just you're dedicated to your craft. Well, no, it's just Thanksgiving. I guess it's so tied to how I you know, with my with my job. And then you know, and I love being around people. I love the holiday. I love all the food. Of course, I love the food. But then when you don't have success at kind of sours the rest of the weekend. Well, yeah,

taste good. No, no, the food tastes great. But I know what you're saying, it's just it's just a it's it's because you're you're you're so invested in this. You know, we're all invested in this. Yeah, and then you know, like I said, I you know, I was nice enough. I mean, like we were here at the Star and the folks made us a meal. And all that, and it was really nice for them to do that. Didn't

have to do that. But then you know, you was suppered to three in the morning watching tape trying to figure things out, you know, and because you're so invested in trying to say, okay, why, I mean, there's too many? Too many? Last year were kind of rolling along, things are going good, you know, this show was all happy and everything, and now you're sitting there drinking. Okay, you know you're you're basically now in playoff mode. Yeah, you

are in playoff mode. You don't think about the playofs, but you are in playoff mode right now, no doubt. Well, let's get to some of the roster moves that they made this weekend, and then we can talk about the injuries, and then we can get where Brian's at and trying to figure it all out as we move forward. With five games left Earth yep, five yeah, five games left, so roster moves. Of course, they release Darren McFadden and Mike Nugent. That was expected with Mike Nugent, and they

signed the pastor shirt. I always pronounced his name Wrongton Jones Dayton Jones Ula, Yeah, great name and promote the running back Trey Williams to the active roster, so Darren McFadden. He had been inactive even after ezekiel As suspension. Was that expected, do you guys think from this team, just not having a place he had a plan for him, I thought was what was expected. Were you surprised to hear that he had been released? Not really after it was time to play and they didn't play him, gave

him one carry in three games. I like your plan though my plan I thought was solid, but they obviously didn't agree with it. Yeah, and I think part of the deal was I think he wanted out. He was frustrated and he didn't want to put up with it anymore. I actually said this to Mickey walking out of the stadium on Thursday night. Why she let him go if he wants to go? And he hadn't expressed that publicly

or anything, but yeah, of course he wouldn't. He's a team player, he's been a pro and that's what Jason Garrett said. But you're eleven games in and as Jason said in his press conference yesterday, this role wasn't changing because Alfred Morris had won that job, had outplayed him and rod Smith is really the deciding factor because McFadden doesn't play special teams and there's there's a role for Smith as a up and coming runner and a guy that can help you on special teams. It just wasn't

changing for McFadden. It kind of is what it is for him here. Did you keep him around until you figured out what rod Smith was? Did you keep him around until you figure out what was gonna happen? Zeke and that that's what's surprise I think. No, I think you're right. Yeah, I think it was more about rod smithy that. I think that's what they were waiting to see. They were waiting to see if rod Smith could handle. They had an idea that Alfred Morris could do what

they needed to do. But I thought you thought that McFadden had played outplayed Morris. That's not true. No, I clearly said that that he out that Morris outplayment, and no, that that was the preseason. That's the reason why. Remember we were talking about the some of the Blitz pickup stuff wasn't good. He wasn't hitting the whole. I mean, we've seen some positive things from Morris and he started developing more as a complete back. That's what they were

worried about at Washington. He never had to stay on the field and pass protect and do things like that and catch the football. But you know, but you know what if it had been reversed and if McFadden had beaten out Morris, Alfred probably would have been in the same boat because he doesn't really play special team and so then how do you qualify getting him on the game day roster. He basically have to give him the football a few times. So it's it's it's a tough

thing when you're getting down to your forty six. So do you think his inactivity the year before created more rust than he could knock off? So I don't get it. He should have been really healthy going into the YEA and he can't. He played several of the games, so I mean he Morris was the one that was inactive and they played three games in twenty yeah sixteen. I thought he ran the ball fine in preseason. He averaged over five yards of carry. It wasn't like he was

really struggling something they didn't like. I just felt like, though, Rob there was a couple of those games I remember doing them with Brad and I'm like, man, it just doesn't look like the same burst All Fame game. Yeah. Yeah, kind of struggled in that game. Yeah, I just well, I mean in practice too, they just didn't see it. Seemed like everything was a hesitation and then try, you know,

and hey, good for him, you know what. That just shows they have a lot of respect for him to let him go, you know, they have a lot of respect to say, Okay, fine, we'll move on from you. And I thought that he shared a nice message on Twitter saying just wanted to say thank you to the Dallas Cowboys. I grew up a Cowboys fan and it was awesome to wear the star in my helmet. I wish my boys good luck. Just you know, who knows

how genuine that was. I believe it was. But you know, a lot of times there's this awkward tension between teams and when they go, specially mid season, but I don't think that was with him. Well, they did him, you know, they kept him under wraps for quite a long time.

I mean last season there was talk about him being actually ready to go, and it kind of goes into the whole thing where your team's going well and you don't want to mess with things with the forty six and you know, and they were just saying, Okay, keep him, keep him in, keep him under wraps. But I think this at the end of the day was more about not so much about Zeke as it was about rod Smith.

That's just me, that's just my makes sense. You know that they were they wanted to make sure that rod Smith could do everything that they needed him to do. And then and then it's like, okay, well, the fact that Alfred or excuse me, that Darren doesn't play special teams, he tried to play special teams, you know that that's you know, but Rob's right. If if the shoe was on the other foot, I think we would have seen Alfred Morris get put on the street, you know, which

I think a lot of people thought was going to happen. Yeah, when but the seasons was eligible to play, right, Like, oh Morris, yeah, fooled me. Yeah yeah. And especially I remember thinking exactly what you're talking about, Mickey, when Darren mcfedon had been on a two year deal when he came in here in twenty fifteen, resigned him for the one year. I think he had was on a one year deal this year and then Morris was still on his two year deal, so it was just kind of

something to think about. But yeah, of course Mike Nugent. That wasn't as a prize to most people because Dan Bailey did return on Thanksgiving from his groin injury. Never had never really used him, never had to use Mike Nugent in a game where you would have worried. But the terrible thing is the teams you played lost their kickers both times, and you couldn't take advantage of their They're actually had backfired. They're misfortunes. It did backfired. You'd

rather have him kick it than go for it. Yeah, it cost him five points, said it. I think Philly was going on one of their other two point conversion because that's four more points. Yeah. You can't, you can't, you know, you can't plan on that stuff. But my gosh, I mean they just didn't. They never forced anybody to have to think about kicking a forty two yard field goal. It's been a weird season or fifty seven yeah now Philadelphia and let go Yeah, yeah, so it has been

a weird season. But tell me, guys, okay, the defensive lineman Daytone Jones, Yeah, I watched a little of him, so tell me about him. Yeah, you know, it's played. The games I've watched. He was last in San Francisco and the games I've been watching of him where the Philadelphia gained the Arizona game and then the Giants game with the Giants where they got the victory against the Giants.

So they use him. Really is a defensive end. He's kind of got a defensive tackle body though, is really what you know, And there's some initial quickness there off the snap. I felt like though for the most part, he used technique handover swim move, you know, try to use technique, and that's that's important. I mean, you didn't want him to be a guy that was constantly getting

stuck on blocks. I don't know if he's If he's one of these guys, it's going to remind you of anybody attacking the edge with any types of real, real quickment. Like again, that initial and then he tends to kind of get stopped and in his rush and he doesn't have the bend. He doesn't have that bend. Yeah, and that's the problem. If they're looking at him as a defensive end, he might have to be an inside guy.

I mean, they might think more about him. I think when they, if they if this is something, if this is one of those things, you're looking at him and saying, Okay, we're giving him a try out for the next five weeks to see if you want to resign him or do something with him. I think they're gonna have to find another position for him. I'm not sure that he is the type of defensive end. You know. Now we see two year deal, I think, ye, did he get

a two year deal? Okay, well then yeah, then obviously then he's he's like the what they did with, you know, trying to bring guys in and and uh like the George Selby's of the world and guys like that. They've done that before. More was a two year deal. Yeah, and you just see what they can do, see what they can do, and we'll keep you the next year if you play for I think he's a defensive tackle.

I do too. I don't know about you, guys, but when they bring in the backups, how well do you feel when you see Ash and Neil standing next to each other. I feel better about Neil, but Ashes bought. I mean Ashes had a when he first started was better. And then now I'm starting to see where teams are having success blocking him. And you're right, Mickey, I see you shake your head, and you're right. I don't disagree

with what you're doing. I think, And he said, Jones said that he's been a first and second down defensive end and third down inside. Yeah, but they play a three to four. It's what they do. At San Francisco. He was at Detroit. No, no, but this last gig,

he's been everywhere lately. Yeah, yeah, Green Bay, so he was he was a three, he was a he was a three four defensive end, and then he was and then he was a and then in Detroit he played a four to three and then now he played and then San Francisco he's playing as a three to four end. So really, in actuality, he's probably better suited to play inside. But right now I've just kind of heard initially, Hey jumped in on the scout team. That's what they did.

They've got some guys they got to figure out two. They've got no Ross. Ross is another guy they need to kind of figure out there. If he's you know, I don't know if Daniel Ross has done anything to make him want to deactivate Richard ash or anything like that. I don't know. Any if he gets to the point where they start looking at guys, there's gonna be a whole lot more of these get ready and know, hey, this guy coming. You know this guy. I just I don't think this guy's an end. I think he's a

defensive tackle. He told me he's lined up at linebacker before it stood up. Yeah, in a three or four. Probably he's a little bit bigger body than Lewis Neal, so maybe you know, they've lost some tackles. They don't have as much size in the middle, so maybe he can help there. Yeah, and of course promoting Trey Williams. He was he's been on the practice squad all year long. Uh no, no, they sign him now, they sign him. He's been on the practice squad in the past. Yeah,

they recently brought him. Yeah, yah, okay, yeah, Zeke's when they needed a running back. When they lost the running back, they had to have an extra guy to practice. This is his second or third go round here. Actually yeah, yeah, more depth. Uh, he's I don't know if he's a guy that's active on game day. I don't think, probably not, but maybe as a future. Yeah, I mean he's yeah, he's got a little juice to him. I think the thing that to me now, too much plotting going on

at the running back position. Yeah. Well the thing that too though is and I Mickey makes a point about the plot you know, with the problems you're having in the secondary, I would have taken a look at White, Martin qu Marquez White. I would have thought about maybe bringing him up and Okay, if you're interested in looking at guys, you know, that was that was the big discussion today among the at the press conference. It was the secondary. Okay, what are we going to do with

the secondary? How are you going to move guys around up? And you know all that stuff. You know, I would have maybe thought about, Okay, you got White, take a look at him. You drafted him, you know, obviously you want to see him on the practice squad. Especially with the talk of Anthony Brown being benched, and well that's yeah, that's WOOSI let's get ready for a WUZ to start

this game. I think, I mean, I think they're gonna take I think that they're gonna you know, and I asked a question about about Anthony Brown playing in the Nickel. The best times that he was really playing for you was when he did play nickel slot. So I have a feeling we're gonna see a totally different secondary on Thursday. I mean snaps. Did you see a Woozia get defensively against the Chargers? I can tell you because he's got

before before that game, he'd had fifty snaps. Yeah. The entire season on defense, it's been it's been kind of a wash for him. Yeah, but this is an opportunity for him. He's healthy. Now I can say, i'm i'm, I'm. I think they're gonna throw him out there as a starter. I really do. He had five defensive snaps in nine special teams set. He has barely been on the field defensively this season. Well, it's time, It's time, It is time, it is time get out there. Some key injuries happened

on Thursday. Ask a question real quick of you. Yeah, you said it's time, And I like what you're saying there. I like that atitude. By the way, is it is it time to see other things? For for Jordan Lewis? Are you okay with Jordan Lewis? Are you more disappointed in Jordan Lewis or Anthony Brown, I think, and who would you who's both? I think both of those guys

have hit a wall and we're seeing diminishing returns from both. Right, I think you know, but you keep you keep you have to keep rolling with Yeah, but I don't know that you have to keep starting them, right. Brown surprises you a little bit more because of the time he got last year. I think he made nine starts last year. I think you expect an incline. Nicky wrote down what the coach said, confidence, right, technique, frustration. You know somebody

when I all about Brown, I can't remember who. I asked this too about Brown kind of surprising and the answer was, I worry about his catchup speed, like he can't run down a guy after he gets beat. And I don't know if that's what we're seeing here. I'll tell you another thing that he didn't do well. He doesn't play zone well. He gets lost out there. And I saw the other day they were uh working on just backpedaling and kind of breaking on the ball, play

zone reacting. Yeah, and I don't think he I don't think he's good at that, and they I thought, Now, I don't know. I didn't watch every play, but it's just felt like they were playing a lot of zone and they were getting lost. They got caught last I asked. I asked Jason this question the other day about did they have communication problems because you look at some of the big plays open. Yeah, and to me, you shouldn't have guys that open. Yea. They get ready for Washington.

We all know the Redskins. Yeah, they're gonna run crossing rout these guys. That's all they do is run crossing routes. I don't know if you're if you're Jay Gruden and you're not sitting there going my gosh. We just keep running crossing routes all day. They're not gonna pick anybody up, so get ready for that. Maybe that's why you're going to see some of these switches. I think the key though, again is pressure because their offensive line isn't any healthy.

It's barely healthier than it was a few weeks. That is a fair point. They had three starters out last week. Again, that's a fair point. They are. They're a banged up group. Yeah, but how many points did they score? Twenty? Enough to beat the Giants, enough to beat the Cowboys Yeah, that's enough to beat the Cowboys scored the way he thinks ten points might be good enough to beat the Cowboys could win ten nine. Yeah, we've seen that before six

one time, Thursday's game going the way it did. In what way in the aspect that they would just feel so lackluster? Lackluster or where they just send them the Rams? The Chargers just a better team. I mean, they have great players, there's no doubt about that. They're an NFL franchise, But I mean this was a team that started oh and four, you know, yeah, they've boy've won five of the last seven and they're in the Hunt's I agree that's that's true. But to Tay's point, I think offensively,

we've been talking about the defense. You just don't expect three straight games of just because we've never seen it in the history of the franchise. Why not because you what have you seen? What have you seen the first two games that made you feel any different? The first two games of the season, first, the first two games of this this Horde straight three games? Yeah, what has

made you feel any different about this defense? Well, I'm not expecting thirty points a game, but I'm expecting every now and then to hit a big play down five stops. You got five three and outs against the Eagles, I mean against the Chargers, they gave up twenty two points. I'm talking about offensively, I could win twenty two points, right. What makes you feel any different though? What makes me feel different? Yeah? In terms of in terms of what

the offense. I just think you still have enough talent to be able to make to adjust without Zeke back, And you and I have been in Yeah, that was mainly the key thing for me was I thought, Okay, you're going to protect better, You're gonna be able to have time to move down the field and make some downfield vertical plays, and they didn't get them. And you and I have been in agreement all year long. Zeke's the MVP of this offensive team. But I am surprised

at how much they've struggled offensively. I still expect them to get out of it. But I mean, Mickey wrote about it on Friday. We have never seen a Cowboys offense struggle this much in a three game stretch ever. Ever. Yeah, one in fifteen leveted one. Oh, they always score point three years didn't have a quarterback, right, three years to. I mean, I've been a part of some really bad

football teams around here, but still scored ten points. I know, I know, but you know, and they're looking for answers over there. Believe me, they're astraighted as anybody. But it's tough go around. I think there's a well, let's take our first break and then let's do what you're saying as far as going down, I want to go around and ask each one of you a question that that's perfect.

We'll be right back after this first break. Here in the SWBC Margage studio, it can be hard to find the right resource for learning about him poor and financial matters. You search how to build savings, you end up reading about the one weird ingredient from supermarkets that can make you taller. That's why Bank of America build Better Money Habits dot Com, a safe little corner of the Internet

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you know what. I also likes Turvis mugs, cups, I don't know, whatever you want to call them from the Pro Shop. Of course, it's cyber Monday. In the real world, we don't know about those things. But for the Pro Shop they're having a huge sale and all the good gifts you guys can get these mugs. I think they're like fourteen ninety nine or nineteen ninety nine, great prices

twenty four ninety nine around that area. That hat that Mickey has been dying to wear all year, the glitter hat, Oh swaggy, it's actually it's a whoops, I can't get it on my thing here. That's a good look. Good look, the better look for you. And then of course the goat Witten bobblehead you have over there in motion. That's the head move no helmet. So this must be an Eagles game. I like how. I like how. I like how the eye black is smeared. That's actually a pre

realistic I like that. Yeah, they do it up. So guys, make sure you check out Cowboys Press shop. Okay, Brian, let's play your game. I don't know if it's a game, but I just want to is there one thing that

you can point at? The one thing? I mean, I know maybe the thing about Zeke is that maybe, But is there one thing on really both sides of the ball that you could point at has been the biggest factor of this of this this either side or on either side, if there's only you can only say one thing, is you know, because we've gone through the shan Lee stuff, You've gone through the Zeke yellot. We've had some poor coverage.

Your pass rush hasn't been as great. All that, all that, is there one thing that if you said, Okay, Brian, I need this to change today. I need this to change today and this team will get back on the path of winning football games. I think they need to get their play action going again. And maybe that's only because Zeke's in the game. When they get that going, because it helps the receivers get open, it helps something to freeze the defense and kind of loosen things up downfield.

They haven't done as much of it. And I just go back to certain games when they're rolling. It's when they've got Zeke and it's second and five and it's uttered in two and DA's got the play action rolling and there's more options and there's more things for the defense to consider, and the defense, you know, the running

game hasn't been bad. It's been pretty solid. It hasn't set up the fear, like Mick Yes says, you don't have the fear of the it's it's just yeah, it's it's it's another thing for the defense to honor and consider and that big play threat, and it opens up some of the boots and the waggles and all that, and it's just it's not the same without him in the game, There's no question about it. Does that mean they should have three straight games with single digit scoring?

I don't think so. But he's certainly a factor, a huge factor in what they do. I think the root of all this is the inability of the offensive line to play consistently. This no longer is the best offensive line in the National Football League. Yeah, when Tyron's hurt, not practicing and playing hurt, you're kind of okay with Jonathan Cooper's there's games he's fine, there's games he's not. Lele Collins is playing hurt. You lose Zach Martin to

a concussion. I mean, basically, you had one guy out there, Travis Frederick Tyrn wasn't Tyrn right? You got Cooper Looney, else's hurt. Zach's got to come out. I mean that's the problem to me. You know, everybody wants to blame the quarterback, you know, quarterback for six seven weeks. He was all right, right, we were all there was nothing wrong.

We didn't think Yeah, we thought that We thought the quarterback was carrying this football team, didn't we Then suddenly he can't play now, Canny, No, he's had fourteen sacks and twelve quarters and that doesn't count how many times he's been hit or had to had to just escape and try to make something happen down the field. And he you know, he got pressured in the first part of the season two, but not not like this too much. And and and you know, you want to know why

he's not getting the ball down the field. Well, you don't have the time of day in the pocket. You know, there was times when he's going through the first progression, second, third day. None of that's happening. Now it's got to come out. I mean, we look at all this through a three game prism. You know what's wrong with these last three games. The first game is basically a wash

because Adrian Clayborne wrecked their entire game plan. I mean that they had no shot he Dak had to do that because Chaz Green wasn't able to maintain kind of what Mickey's saying, like, oh sure that yeah, that goes

back to what MC saying about the offensive line. And then I thought Dak made a good, good point yesterday when he said, okay, so we struggled in the Atlanta game because of the protection, right, and he kind of suggested we might have overprotected in the Philadelphia game, right, and we didn't give ourselves a chance to get the buck.

Garrett said that today in the walk. Garrett said it too in the walk all right, yeah, yeah, so maybe they got it right this last game, but they what happened then, still getting sacked, still getting pressure, got sacked twice in the first half. I think, but is it because this is not the threat of the run. And I still think teams don't they don't respect they don't respect your they don't respect your running. We'll accept it,

We'll we'll deal with it. We'll let Alfred Morris get his seven or eight yards where Ezekiel Elliot will get twenty twenty a couple of runs where I said, hunt if that was Zeke, Oh sure, he's busting screen screenplays and stuff. He's easier to keep back in the pocket in these situations. Is it about the running game? Oh sure it is, yeah, because you just said it. The play action game is not any good. It's not there. Well, it's not there. They're not, they're not really using it.

They don't care. That's what I'm saying. You get you get the like the rush in and they stay wide instead, you know Zeke, they get those guys chase, they chase the ball and all of a sudden, now you got the boot and you got Beasley underneath and all that. Now they're just kind of hedging on it. Sure, well, you know and everybody. And they're saying that defenses aren't changing what they do, but they're they're what they're doing what they do. They're just priorities are different. We're gonna

get after Dak Prescott. Yeah, period. Yeah, and they know they can period. Is there a concern that this team, with all the instability that's happened, either with injuries or suspensions, that they're not able to adapt as people had kind of expected? And I say that, you know, the free agency moves and this is a storyline people have been talking about for a few weeks, so you know, bear with me. But what I'm saying is, you know, is this team just not able that Brian brought us mis

evaluate how good this team was coming out of training camp? No, I don't think so, because we evaluated it with a healthy offensive line, would Zeke on the field. Um, we thought the defense would have a chance to be better as the season went along, and I think it did improve until until the suspension. I mean, yeah, look what they did to Kansas City. That's by far one of the best game. But you know, we look at Kansas City. It looks like you look at Kansas City in Denver.

Those are two games Sackers. Yeah, granted, Packers is the obvious one. We'll see people will say, the Packers last night went without their running back, their quarterback, and here they play a competitive game on the road at Pittsburgh. I only played great last night. Yeah, I mean that's people will say that. You know, hey, they look, well, look what other teams backups are doing. They're not faltering. They're not getting blown out of games. They might be

losing games, but they're not getting blown out. That was really the one moniker of this guy of Jason Garrett, was you wouldn't getting wouldn't getting blown out in games? You know, weren't losing games by twenty something points and they're not getting blown out from to start. It just goes back to the second half and what's happening in the second half to this team, it's seventy two to six.

I just wonder if it's incredible what's happened. I just wondered if I felt like I overevaluated this team, if I over evaluated Byron Jones, overevaluated Lyle Malik Collins, you know who. I think he's got a good matchup this weekend, by the way, or to our Thursday. But yeah, I wonder if coming out of camp you feel like though that you know, and maybe maybe maybe this staff overevaluated

what they had. Is that is that possible that this team isn't really I know it was a thirteen win team, but you had you had a lot of turnover in it. You have a lot of young guys playing on defense. I never I never have a problem with that. Well, I know, but but that's something to consider here when some of the struggles they've had. I mean, they're and they're without their captain defensively, and I think that all five games piles of play without him. Yeah, it's it's tough. Now.

I don't think Sean Lee could have prevented eleven explosive plays in the passing game from Philip Rivers. That's not all Sean leebying absent, but certainly not having him has been a factor. Who did you feel worse about the Philadelphia the backle and second half or what happened with the charge of the Charger? I think the Chargers. I mean you look at which would you feel like you

got dismantled the charge Chargers? Yeah, because in the Philly game, you spoke to the five straight three and ounce against Philly second half, they just they had a better run that was seventy one yards, had five hundred. That's the weird thing. They had five hundred and whatever yards total offense and then run. But they only scored twenty two points exactly. Yeah, twenty two points. You don't take away the interception returned for a touchdown. Yeah, Well they got

screwed in the first half without their kicker. Yeah. And the interceptions, I mean I just never expected that from Dak. I mean, all those are that was our product. A lot of that's a product of the score. I think the one that bothers one that bothered me was the Beasley one because he was late. He was way late, and he had wit and seen him throw that ball to Witten down the middle so many times and you're worried about the time because he ran side. He's staring

at guys sitting there. I mean Witton is sitting right. I mean it's a it's a whole shot right there, and he usually will take it, and he didn't take it, and that that right there. I keep saying this. When Dak Prescott makes mistakes on the move throwing the ball, then you know he's not playing well well. And if you looked at his feet, he never set He tried to throw off wrong foot, but he never sets his feet me, I know. But that one was he's he's one of the best. Is spray late. That's we've seen

it before. You know, we've seen it before. But you're right, he was late, and that was still critical because they were at the thirteen yard line. Sure, so you're thinking, well, ain't gonna score here. I'm gonna make a twenty two thirteen. Yeah right, you're still kind of in the games. The last one, I don't that doesn't bother me. Which one was that? The one at the end of the game. You're just trying to do something to to get the ball on the field. Same thing with the other game.

You know, you have a dropped interception for a touchdown. You're trying to make something happen the end zone. Late. He had one bad interception that three interception game. So it's gonna happen. Romo will tell you, you know, when when it's forced down and you're behind by two three touchdowns, what are you gonna do? Throw the ball away? No,

you're gonna wing it. Yeah, hope for the best. Absolutely well, Mike, you brought up earlier that Zach Martin was injured on Thursday, and he was present and participating in the open portion of today's practice. Leo Collins, Shaun Lee, Anthony Hitchins, and Durant We're all absent today. Leo Collins, the back, Shaun Lee, the hamstring, Anthony Hitchins the concussion right right, and then wait,

Durants the concussion. Rants the concussion. What do they say about about Yeah, what it was the Hitchens hamstring as well. They probably they probably just gave him because I think he played through some stuff. Yeah, I do too. On thanks, your O line and your linebackers are hurting right now, struggling, yep. And Tyron Smith. Tyron Smith was there, he was out there participating, of course, I'm assuming they'll put limited yeah on the practical yeah, because that's what he was last week,

so right, they'll probably keep it the same. Yeah. So you know you're looking right now to see this old line as drastic change, like Mickey was talking about, especially now with somebody that you never miss, Zach Martin. Yeah. I mean, if he's participating in doing something today, that's a great sign. Oh, it's an absolutely great sign. The thing you need to worry about is the right tackle like s Now. Yeah, that's that's the one you're gonna

have to worry about. And the right tackle to me, I mean, you're clearly going to play Byron Bell over there. You're not going to play Chaz Green, So I mean they'll get him both ready, But who plays guard if if Zach can't go, that's Looney? You think Looney will start at guard? Yeah, and then Green's the back swings player, yes, yeah, or everything everything right? Yeah, So then you're looking at your line is okay, so you'd have hopefully Tyrn if he's a go for your left Redskins are just as

much trouble as you are. Jonathan Cooper, Frederick maybe they're next man up. And then iron iron Bell. Yeah, but I mean, yeah, you're too it Earlier. The Redskins are down, Elsie, You'll be there, three starters, and they've lost their top two running backs. Now their top two running backs aren't Zeke. But they're dealing with some stuff too. But these guys just seem to, like somehow become stars even when they go down. I mean, you look at the Eagles, Brian,

and they've had serious injuries. I mean, Jordan Hicks their middle linebacker. Yeah, gone Peters, Jason Peter's gone. Yeah, they're they're they're playing well as a team though, they really are. They they they have. They've done a great job defensively. They've made a lot of stops, they've created a lot of turnovers. They sack you. And then you got a quarterback that's he's having this very similar year to what Dak had last year. You know that everything he's thrown

up is going right, low interceptions, high touchdowns. You know, he's moving in the pocket, and you got to give them a lot of credit. Personnel that is very good. And we saw it with our own eyes. I mean it's when they want to, you know, to give the Cowboys some credit for stopping them all those times, but when they wanted to get it going in the second half, they were able to do it. That's gonna be a sign of a good team. Yeah. Absolutely, we are going

to get to our phone lines. We have Horse from Atlanta on the line. Horse, what's your question? Hey, what's up? Guys? You know, I've just been listening to you and I think you know, it's a lot of things to be honest. I mean, I look at and you could put fault on a lot of places, but I think that Jerry hasn't. Our depth is bad. Jerry refuses to spend money in free agency. I understand that you want to go through

the draft. Well, if you want to go through the draft, and you better start hitting, especially on your first round ticks. You can't tick a guy like Taco and say, oh, we're going to develop him a slow hanging fruit Jajjat. Then you can say I'm going to develop a guy. But unless you have someone out there that's dominating, and we haven't had anybody since dominating. Set to market Lawrence. He's been finally coming into his own on a contract year,

which is good. What about your offensive lineman, Horse, Sorry, what about your offensive lineman that you're drafted offensive lineman have been exceptional. But yeah, when you said when you give away, when you let one of those key people go like Learry and you try and get a Barbain basement deal they signed him and can't do that. You can't do that. You can't expect to fill in uh to the to the ace there and then oh, well I can get a two clubs and that's gonna no,

not yeah, get them. So you can't you can't say everywhere. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. I'm kind of looking at that, and I love and I understand it. Yeah, but who would you rather have Ron Larry or Zach Martin? Yeah, because that's what it comes down to from a financial standpoint. Sure can't have everything, you know they give. This is where I give the general manager some credit. There's a lot of people that had Ron Larry off the board, and you know, and I remember the night of the draft,

the final the final draft press conference. The first thing that Jerry Jones, he was so excited about Ron Larry that he had gotten word and we're all like looking at each other, like, man, he's more excited about Ron Larry than these guys he draft. I ever tell you when I interviewed Ron Larry when he came in for his pre draft visit, and he was wearing like a three piece suit. Yeah, and he's about the only guy to Memphis, the only guy I've ever seen do that.

And I think he knew there were questions about him, you know, and he wanted to put on the best, best impression he could, you know. And he turned out to be a great pro. And the Cowboys, Yeah, Cowboys took a chance on him, low risk, I mean after the draft, but yeah, yeah, I think you know, I understand Horse's question too about depth. I think where now some questions need to be focused is are you doing

enough on the pro side? You know, are you doing enough? Yeah, you had to hit with David Irving looks like, but are you doing enough of rating practice squads or bringing in those lower well or budgeted defensive lineman or cornerbacks or safeties or whatever you want to you know, if that's going to be your way of getting depth, then you can make sure those those guys can actually play. And we spoke to it earlier in the season that there's no way around it. I mean, they made three

free agent signings that didn't work out. They're not on the roster right from the spring, the Montree More Stephen Pie retired right and then Nolan Carroll didn't work out. And then now you're going with a younger secondary and there are going to be growing pains with that, especially with yeah, a guy like you know, Jordan Lewis miss some time early Woozier, even Xavier Woods in training camp. So they they had to know this was this was

an issue potentially with these guys being so young. All right, well, let's take our final break here and when we come back, we will have more for you from this Monday that's actually a Thursday at the Star and Frisco. Cowboys fans know that the second best of anything simply won't cut it,

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You can trust the official fan travel partner of the Dallas Cowboys, and with us you'll travel like a pro. Visit Cowboys travel dot com to book your travel package today. I hear all this talk about what it takes to be a cowboy. Everyone's got their ideas, but I just say to myself, it's what's up top that matters. Sure, you need men with the muscle and heart to get her done. But if your scouts and coaches are listening out there a word of advice. Pick the man with

the most well worn stetson. That's the one most cut out to be a cowboy. Stetson hats are handmade right here in Texas. And have been on Cowboys heads for over one hundred and fifty years. The rest of you can visit stetson dot com slash cowboy to find a retailer nearest you. What does it mean to be a Dallas Cowboys fan? It means you've got the passion and the heart to do your part supporting the Boys no

matter what. That's why when the game's on the line, you're on your feet, whether you're at home or in the stands. Actually, you're more than a fan. You are a member of Cowboys Nation. And so is AT and T doing their part to keep you connected to America's team all season. Law AT and T is a proud member of Cowboys Nation. This is talkin Cowboys. Well, let's not forget Papa John's pizza. We should have a deal here, right, just like get a pizza and fill up. What are

these things? Turvis? Turvis keeps Well, we have hot Papa John's pizza and they bring it in here, they'll deliver it. The veggies are always perfect, the pepperoni on pork and beef. And when you get all that, you get Papa John's, get your pizza and get your cup. Go them up. So like it. So, yes, we are here and we are hearing from the fans, a lot of fans. Archer is upset. You know, Bran was saying low hanging fruit, but we just got to hear him out. So let's

hear Curtis from Las Vegas. What is your question? Hey, doing man? Sir? Good? Thank you? All right? But I think the biggest mistake we made is probably letting somebody like Barry Church go. I think we could have kept Church and maybe even let Terence william To go and got another, you know, receiver, you know, just as good or better than Terrence Williams. But Barry Church to expect, to expect Heath to come in and replace Barry Church

and will Cox team behind both of those guys. So for him to go to three to one, you know that that was kind of suspect to me. But I think the biggest that's the biggest free agency mistake we made. But I was thinking about, you know, I'm looking at

I wanted to ask broadest about the calls. I mean, I know he's probably set a record for not getting holding calls this year, and it's just weird to me because I you know, I watch everything and It's like, well, you know, they can call holding on every place, but I saw I saw a couple of calls this game, you know, just like I do every game, and I'm thinking maybe I'm just you know, you know, you know, of course everybody wants called for their team, but I

mean we get stuff like, you know, well, I want to know what that when that scored a touchdown the call they called on on Tyrn Smith? Did that look like a whole did you got? Yes, they do a quick screen out to the side and dud just hit hit a Jesse right in the bat Yeah, right on our side and really crazy and no call. I mean, but you can block that way. You can block along the line of scrimmage that way on a screen in

the back. Yeah, on a screen you can. Okay, yeah, okay. Now, if you want to, if you want to complain about one, if you want to complain about one the past that the past that they they completed with Keenan Allen, the forty six yard pass that was holding. They got Lawrence Scott held on that play, I mean got got held similar to what they called Tyrant Smith for. And so if you want to, if you want to, and and it was right in front of the umpire right there,

and so yeah, you didn't get that call. I know what you're talking about. I know exactly what I mean. We don't get those. It's tell me how we don't get those. And they call it every picky tack thing against us. I mean it's like, well, if you're gonna call it, call it both ways. That doesn't see it, right, we get that. I'm right, don't call us America's team

all that. Yeah, that's right, good one. You know, maybe they need Yeah, but maybe the Cowboys need to start acting like the rest of them flopping Well, that guy got his arm up in the air. Ye please brings to noble in here as a consultant, you know, watching soccer. I put this in my notes the other day. The Cowboys had the least amount of penalties of opponents penalties called against them? Oh yeah, how many games has it been? No holding? Eight? Wow? Yeah? But they but they that's

half the season. Going into last week's game. I think they were at fifty three, and then the league average was sixty eight. David think put something up about that yesterday some of my notes I had. I but yeah, they're the they're the the opponents the least penalized, and when they play the Cowboys, and and you know, usually you know it's again, you know, my favorite saying, the low hanging fruit. We usually complain about things that you know are that way, but no, but it is, we

it is. It is very strange how it happens, though. And the word the one I've come to expect now against the Cowboys, the peno I've always expect is third down, ball goes in the air. I'm always expecting defensive holding. That that's that's you know. Now, I watched the games in the Star and you guys are actually at the game, and I'm always ready for that FoxBox in the right corner to hit yellow and say flag. You know, just too many, just Cowboys, just too many penalties on key downs.

You know, we were talking about Anthony Brown. Jason Garrett even said it this morning. You know, you talk about confidence, technique, frustration. He is technique. It's just so bad and he gets called for holding and you're just I've just grown to expect it, which is sad but true. Thanky, you look like you're about to say something, But I disagreed with the four yard penalty for a first down on fourth down on him, Yeah, because if it was only a four yard penalty, then you can hit the guy within

five yards, right, which he did. And then when the guy broke away, he didn't put a hand on him and he knocked the ball away. So why wasn't that Okay? Well, they it, but we've grown to just realize. I mean, that was one that I totally disagree, and that was fourth and one. Yeah, caller made a good point about Barry Church, though I agree with that doing a nice

job and always I agree. You know what, and if it meant going if if you can go out and say Noah Brown could be a guy for you next year, I mean you went out and you drafted a guy like Noah Brown. Maybe Noah Brown, maybe somebody else steps up, maybe you know that's that's your guy. But I agree, I go back, Yeah, you go back to the I mean, they allowed so many big plays in the passing game last week, and when Church broke his arm last year,

that's when they kind of started leaking those. Yeah, and when he came back, they kind of got it under control a little bit. Sure, he was he was a big part of that. I don't disagree with that at all. Yeah. Absolutely. Now I got a question for you guys. Of course, they had five games left. A lot of these games from the outside looking in, look very winnable for this team. What is your confidence factor with this team moving forward

for these five games? Of course, the last two games as egel it does return for the Seahawks and the Eagles game, Well, you're gonna be about Shaun Lee again this week. And the Redskins have the capability of score points, especially if you're not going to cover routes. Yeah. Now after this week you get a ten day turnaround. Of course. Yeah. The Giants, I mean that game, and honestly, that game can go either way. I know the Giants have been turned very true. I mean it's it's a division opponent.

They've you know, I mean they've asked me about confidence after they win one. Yeah, when do you think they will? How can they? There's no way, you know. And I've been guilty and gut feeling the last three weeks all three games Philadelphia now Atlanta, Philadelphia and Chargers. I picked wins in all three. My confidence level and getting away, I don't know if they can score enough points to be Washington. Are they beat down too, you know Washington? No,

I mean I know Washington's down. I mean this team just that confidence factor as well. Yeah, I mean I think after three games like this, you're you start questioning what are we? How do we never? Yeah? How does it keep from snowballing? Because yeah, I mean it reaches a point where there's so many things going on you don't really know what one thing to pinpoint. Yeah, and it's not just getting a certain player back. I mean Tyrn came back and I don't know if he was

one hundred percent. I don't think he was, but I thought that would kind of settle things down a little bit in the past protection and he did. I give him credit for playing, but they still weren't able to field. They've got to be able to do that if they're going to win the game, any game. Well, this is the thing that you got to kind of look for it to. Again, we talked about Dez and games and stuff. At least with des against Washington, we have seen him

make plays down the field. Yeah, we've seen those routes, those deep end routes, the crossing routes, things like that to get him the football. No, maybe that's that's you know, maybe the ball will go down the field this week. Maybe you can get enough protection, you can, you know, firm everything up, get the ball to go down the field. I think you're gonna have to do something. You're gonna have to find a way to make some of those plays. You can't just keep throwing him slants all day. You know,

they'll buzz linebackers, they'll take safeties. I mean, you got to find a way to get him the ball down the field. Stay away from Josh Norman and work on the other side of the field. Whatever you have to do, do it. You know. I think you're gonna see some of that. Yeah, yeah, but I don't. I mean, I this team. I used to think this team every time he got inside the thirty was going to score a touchdown, And now I just they did. Yeah for a while.

I just can't. You know, Mickey's talking about you had to turn over on the twelve. I mean we've seen him turn the ball over now a couple of different times. It's it's difficult to watch offensively. There just seems to be no flow to their office. Every every play now is is anguish. Yeah, you know, oh, gotta hit. But that but that goes back to Zeke because everything flows off of Zeke and what he does the play action game.

It's I just I hate saying that he means that much because when's the last time you saw a non quarterback create this much of a of a of a collapse offensively when he wasn't in the game Payton, but they were struggling even when he was in the game. I'm trying. I'm thinking back to Kayton Manning and Rogers and Green Bay. But a running back, you know, and he's and he's a special back. But see Zeke makes Scott Linehan a better play caller. I think he does.

I think he makes him a better And the problem now is that Lenahan is is in that mode where he's like so many times and he's like, Okay, I could call this play, can call his play, hang my hat on this play, and call this play. And now he's back to kind of like what it was two years ago when he didn't have Romo. He's trying to find plays you know that that his guys can execute,

you know, and that's including this quarterback. So you know, that's a difficult thing when you when you can kind of hang your hat on a few plays and scheme related then, you know, I don't think it's about adjustments all the time. I don't. I think it's about execution. I think the head coach has said that a bunch, you know, But they're looking for some plays to hang their hat on, and without Ezekiel Elliott, they don't have that right now, and it's affecting the way that Lenahan's

calling games. I believe need to get the ball on the outside, and they can't do it because they don't have enough speed that receiver and running back. Running back think about it. Well, then there's how are they trying to get the balls outside? They kept they kept trying to run a jet sweep or an end around right first series of the game, yeah, yeah, it's sign six. Yeah. And then they tried to end around to Terence Williams and he got three yards. I mean, that's a lot

of effort for three yards. Too many things can go wrong with that. So he understands he's got to get the ball in the outside. They just haven't been able to do it, and I think that comes from a lack of speed. Let's get to another call. We have Bobby from Washington Online. Bobby, what's your question. I don't really have a question. I'll just have a statement. I wanted to say that Ezekiel Elliott is pretty much the

foundation of this team with that offensive line. Yeah. Yeah, it covers up the defense, It covers up the offense. He covers up a lot of things. It's it's sad to say that one player, you know, not being a quarterback, does that, but yeah, I mean he's just that special. You know, we said that Rob Mary Mary signed off with this, you know, the drafting Zeke because it keeps defense fresh. And yes, sir man, that's where we miss. You know. You think about those five stops that we

had against h Philly. I think we could have won that game if Zeke would have been there. Now hang up to listen time of possession against the Chargers. Chargers had the ball for thirty six minutes, Cowboys had it for twenty three. Both at eight eight possessions. But they their their possessions were explosive. Look at their Look at their yards, look at the yards on the touchdowns they had. What are they like seventy five nine? I mean it

was great. You put them into a hole and they go ninety yards they had one, two, three, four, five at least seventy yards of offense. Yeah, that's what you used to do to them, you know, that's what That's how you played. Yeah, And I think that's why so many people, at least from what I'm seeing from different tweets, hearing just from different conversations, so many people are confused because this switch of identity all of a sudden. Well, it's it's not a switch. It's a six games of

twenty eight points. Yeah, it's it's it's reality. It's reality that they don't have their they don't have the engine that allows them to do what they do offensively, and that it helps the quarterback, it helps the receivers, it helps the tight end, and it helps the offensive line. That was Bobby in Seattle, right? Is that was his name? Bobby?

Was that the gentleman's Yeah? Washington, Yeah, Washington, Yeah. He I mean he's right, I mean it it's it's it's it's remarkably different to look at this team with ezekiellet and without him. He's over to the defense. You can see that. And Mickey's time about the offensive line, you know, he is he's that he is the someone described him

as the old spice. He's the deodorant because he kind of can mask some things that you There's no negative plays with him, you know, even even it looks like a negative play, it ends up being a four yard game and everybody kind of like, oh wow, we got lucky there. But and then the next time what happens Then they block it well, and you know, he gets seventeen yards. I give grod Smith growth. I thought he had a couple of runs in the game that were Zeke like in terms of fighting for extra yards. You

feeling the tackles, yeah, short yardage, yeah, goal line. He's trying to make up for that in some area. Have you seen how they what they've had to do to try and get a third and one though they get they getting pistol formation at the run a reverse to you mean that that's it used to be third and

one hand the ball to Zeke. It's a four yard game, you know, I mean it just it's now instead of just calling blast ride or whatever, they have to come up with some special put Beasley in the backfield, faked the option, you know, run a reverse. It just it's just it's so different without him, And it's a but do you feel like, let me ask you guys this, do you feel like that that Rod Smith has run the football like he did in preseason? I saw I had the ball at San Francisco, but it was into

game and all that. But do you feel like that he's run it with the same physicality that well I saw in the preseason. I saw a couple of times on Thanksgiving. Now maybe you can argue consistently no, Yeah, I don't know. I was kind of hopeful that in the six games that he would take over for Alfred Morrison, be that guy and be the hammer and keep the offense on track. It just it really hasn't been that way. I don't know how well he sees things. That's fair.

How do you improve that? That's that's Repso it's also an ability. It's an ability, And I just hope all those people that were very critical of the Cowboys draft and Zeke, you know, go ahead and put your hand up in the air right now. Sure, Oh, you can have found a third round running back to do that. You didn't need to use a first round pick. Sure, any running back at oh Darren McFadden rushed for a thousand yards. They're not running the ball in the end zone.

Two yard run for a touchdown. Yeah, they had one. Dak goes thirty four and it gets called back, right, But that's it. No one's running in the end zone. See if it changes this week. Oh you hope so, you know, you hope so. And it's it's tough, tough days. I mean, I think I think these we're all looking for answers. Oh, you're looking at they haven't had a three game stretch like this in Garrett's era. Yeah, they haven't. No,

I mean you look back at it. Even in the twenty fifteen season, four and twelve, there were not games like this. I mean there were games where you definitely couldn't get your offense rolling. One in particular was the Tampa Bay game. I think the final score was ten six. Yeah, but there were still just a closeness to it. Some way, somehow they're they're they're hanging in there at halftime every game, but they're they're having breakdowns in the second half of games.

And it's execution and maybe maybe it's adjustments coaches. Ah, I think you could say the defense got tired in the second half. I would I would say that um and guys start pressing when things start going downhill and you're not you know, you're not sticking to your fundamentals, and that's when some lapses come. Defensively, I put it more on that than you know, a question about effort or something like that. I think they're just I think

they're just getting outplayed in the second half. You've got a fine ways to adjust and and be a little fundamentally sound. We're gonna hear a lot about the game. We're gonna hear a lot about the effort question, and I don't I don't subscribe to that. I think you're either good enough or you're not. And a lot has to do with and we've seen it. If you're good enough to cover, you can make plays. If you're not

good enough to cover, you're gonna give up plays. The Keenan Allen touchdown, the long where you eluded five different guys. This guy's just trying to make a big hit instead of just making the tackle getting to the sideline. Yeah, that's just And it goes back to the point earlier about a Bury Church. Maybe that you know, okay, maybe Jeff heath is you know you're playing with guys that probably shouldn't be your starter. That's that's, that's the reality

right now. Yeah all right, well, thanks guys for joining us. We'll be back tomorrow, same time, same place. Stay tuned to everything on Dallas Cowboys dot com. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.