Talkin' Cowboys: Buc Stops Here?

football weekend, a holiday football weekend at that. This is talking Cowboys and the Cowboys with a chintz to clinch the NFC East Done Sunday afternoon in front of the home folks at at and T Stadium, and right off the top, I'd like to make a pact with you guys. What are you gonna do that we'll gar and tea a Cowboys victory. I'm already planning on wearing my Cowboys Tommy Johns on Sunday. If everyone will wear their Cowboys Tommy Johns on Sunday, will guarantee of victory. What do

you say? It sounds good. I gotta get mine washed, go for it. Were mine on Wednesday, So I gotta get them washed. Okay, but sure, yeah, we'll take a picture together. Tommy john that's a bad that this group that this group that's a bad idea. We don't have to. I have no interest in being part of that, you know, whatever clothes on? Oh well, how would we? Oh just hey, just no, they're not riding up right? What about this? I just had this visual. I'm trying to purge every visual.

Right now, we take a picture of our Tommy John's right, just Tommy John's just not wearing them, but just now wearing them. No, no, we're not doing that, like we're at the beach then and this show has gone so bad? And then where at then on top of that, where our stats and cowboy hats. That's the worst idea I've never had your entire I love all the products, but yeah, I'm not. I'm not. I'm not a magic Mike and you're black Tommy. No, no, no, we're not. Imagine I've

lost weight, but not then. All right, so here we are. It's a week sixteen in the National Football Great slate of games starting on Saturday that yeah impact the Cowboys somewhat and uh and then the big game on Sunday. And how you're feeling about things, Brian, you've been breaking it down all week. Yeah, you know what, I usually save this for the end. But you know, I think that my game plan and every week I do a

thing called Cowboys win if Dallas wins. If this, to me, is a game that you have got to just go out and it's not about execution and it's not about you know, play calling and all that this. You've got to go out there and destroy Tampa's will to compete in this game. That You've got to go out there and give them a reason to quit, you know. I mean, they've made some changes with Mark Duffner now becoming a

defensive coordinator. They're playing a little bit better there. They can rush the past, or they got an offense, he'll throw it around a little bit. But there's a reason why this team is five and nine, and you've got to go out there and make them quit. You've got to go out and find whatever whatever awful, dark feeling you had in your stomach when you were three and five and bring that back up this week and play with that kind of attitude. You know, you you there's Tampa.

Tampa is looking for a reason. They've got one foot in the parking lot right now. Don't give them a reason to hang around this game, you know, I mean, and you could say, oh, they need to red zone and block and this, and no, just go just take it to them. Play like you've played the last five weeks, the Indianapolis game. Indianapolis played that way. They did that to you. You need to go out and play against Tampa Bay that way today to win this game. Take

out your frustrations from last Sunday on them. You need you don't need this to go any further. Just go go replay what I just told the guys on the fan. Well, we didn't have an opportunity to hear that. Don't replay it. I see if you can recreate and recreate it without I said, go out there and knock the devil out of them to start, and let them go find a nice soft pill to put their heads out. I agree

with you. Don't give them a reason to play. Don't give them a reason to stick around and say, oh, yeah, you know what, we can win one. Yeah we can still beat the Cowboys at and T Stadium. Yeah, don't give them any reason. Yeah, so it might might. I mean my one gift two gifts to the Cowboys on Wednesday was Zach Martin played. I think that's going to be delivered that's a and the other ones take the first drive of the game and go stuff it right

down their throats and score it touchdown. Yeah, not a field goal, So you're not deferring. I am taking the ball and going down and scoring. M I like, Okay, I didn't hear your I didn't hear you say that on one oh five three. But I like your attitude. I think that's you saved it for here. Yes, I said, I said it with a little more. Go ahead, Bryan intensity No, Rob, I'm sorry. No, y'all are absolutely right.

You still have to do the things better that you've been doing poorly in recent weeks to win this game, though. You got to be able to finish drives because this is a team that you're playing that can move the ball, and Dak Prescott has got to get more protection upfront. Those things still have to happen for you to win decisively in this game, and I think it can be done. But they've got some things offensively that they've got to show up, and they might win this division by default.

Who knows, you know, Washington might lose on Saturday, Philly might lose on Sunday. He might not matter what the result is the odds are still heavily in your favor that you're gonna make the playoffs. But I'm looking you know, if you're looking down to January, there's things they've got to fix as well. Yeah, and fix QUI well, look well, I think in Zach Martin back is. Yeah. I think having an all pro pro bowled guard back in the lineup helps. I think suel Philo will help. He had

a full practice yesterday. I think it's looking good for him. Um So getting healthier up front in general, I think helps your chances of both those things. And I'm with you, I think defensively, I've marked that one as an aberration. I think they're much better than what they showed. Uh, mistackles, all those things. They can get that cleaned up. Everything you're talking about that needs to be fixed was not fixed during that five game winning stream. That's why I'm

kind of going that route myself. Now now that you lost one, Oh my god, this in this, in this, it's been this, this and this. They were able to were coming during the five game winning streak. Yeah, but you'll lose one and now everybody's on board. With the offensive line. I don't think that's it. They're just on board with the red zone that's been going on all season long. Now they're on board with the sacks. Oh, quarterback can't get sacked that many times. I don't think

that's it. I think people were very worried by that performance because it wasn't an aberration, because it was innuation of problems, as you just said, but it was the things that have been haunting them all season's. That's right, and you're in you're in mid December, late December, and it's still cropping up. And what happens when the defense has had they won? Nobody would have brought this stuff up.

I think it's been been talked about on this show. Well, I mean, but I'm saying, do you see what's going on now? And the press conferences, the questions that he's getting those weren't the questions two weeks ago or three weeks ago, and those same things have been haunting them all season long. I don't know things, Robert, I really don't. Well, I just said getting getting Zack back helps, you know, so a philo helps? Oh? No, playing with Zach Mark, Yeah,

clearly a good thing. But you guys are absolutely right. This is I mean, this red zone ranking is a season long thing. It's not I think we all as a show worry about what could happen to this team in the playoffs with no protection, with no ability to score in the red zone. You know, yeah, I think we're all worried about that. To your of the opinion that the red zone fix can happen until there's a personnel fix in the off season, I think I think the thing. I think the Rob was going the right

way when he was starting to talk about health. But yeah, I think that I do think that's clearly the case. I think they have to figure out whether that's whether that's a scheme change, personnel change, coaching change. This is something that will be a long, hard study when this is all said and done. You're right about that. The

one thing I'll say about the red zones. Every time they get down there, I have hope because they have Zekiel Elliott and because they have Dak Prescott, because we've seen those read option plays work for them with Dak with Zeke. Every time they get down there, I'm like, well, they've got there. They have talent to score and score quickly. It kind of surprises me every time they stall it

really does. Maybe I'm maybe I'm a sap, but it kind of no. I think we've all I think we all believe in Zeke and Travis, Zack Martin and Tyrann Smith. We all believe in those guys. It's that we just keep we haven't been proven that has been proven to us that it can work. But see the problem is,

and Lenahan finally spelled it out yesterday. Just what you said. Okay, we got Dak and we got Zeke, but you know what that mother eleven guys know the same thing they're key in on twenty one and four, is what he says. And it's like that that somebody else has got to step up in those situations. Somebody's got to get open, somebody's got to catch the ball, somebody's gotta the second. Yeah, you know, but but they're gonna look at twenty one

and four. We're stopping them now beat us. Now, I'll allay my you know my bet on stopping twenty one in four. Now, find somebody else is gonna beat me from the four yard line. But if you as we chronicled earlier this week, the last couple of years, they were perfectly fine in the red zone. Yes, they were third in the league in the red zone in twenty sixteen. They were sixth in the league last year in the

red zone. Seventy two eighty two exactly eighty eight, right, makes a big difference, that's right, seventy two eighty two eighty eight. That that right there in itself, That's that's where I talk about where Lenahan is looking at it in saying they know the eleven no when eleven no, but eleven are trying to stop three other things. I

didn't even include twenty one. And I didn't include four in there, you know, like Mickey was talking about, that's five different options that you have right there, you know, or well, Travis Frederick being the center. But at least I've said this, but even last you didn't have zag Martin either. What happened, Yeah, what happened? When you know? Yeah, they what happened. They run a fourth down play to try and get a first down, to try and get a fresh set of down to the goal line backdoor play.

They don't get the guard across. That was no center and not your regular right guard playing there. Yeah, So are those fixable right now? I mean they are fixable if you put seventy back in the lineup, which Mickey's right, he's gonna play. He's gonna play for you heard good things about him yesterday. But again, is it Is it gonna be enough when you get into the playoffs. That's my worry about this football team. I don't worry about the defense. I worry about I worry about what this

offense is going to do. And the other thing Scott Lindhan said yesterday was he thinks guys maybe press in a little bit because they've had trouble down there and it's like, I don't have that. Here we go again thing. You know, Oh, he's got it right now. There's catchable plays, you know, Ola, Wally Beasley, Noah Brown. Although that wasn't a great throw by Dak because of pressure a few games ago, they've had opportunities. You know, these tight ends

are coming along. Maybe that can help down there. Um but you yeah, you said it. It's not the same red zone group that. Oh no, We've all said it. This is nothing new to us. How many catches have the tight ends made in the red zone. It's a good question. That's a great question, Bill, Bob, you got it. I don't answer. I don't have the answer. I'm trying to remember the ones that they had that were touchdowns. We haven't had any of those. You haven't had Blake.

We haven't had the Blake jar when touchdown down there, we haven't had a We tried to throw the ball earlier to Rico Gathers in a jump ball situation there. Well, I got an answer to this question. How many touchdowns I'm trying to I was trying to give me some time, trying to give you some time. Yeah, I was the tight ends have I don't think the time they have one. They have one one one Jeff Swain, Jeff Swain. Yeah, I'm thinking healthy time. Yeah, Jeff's still out. Yeah. Yeah.

I see a lot of zeros here. And by the way, we get we get tweets about questions about Jeff swam and when he might be able to return. Anybody got any else I do? I was told that he cannot even think about playing until the screws come out of his wrist. And when I was talking to him Wednesday, he said the screws, uh, probably will come out in two weeks, so that's the end of the season. And then he said I've got to get movement back in my hand. There's a rod in there. And he goes

and he showed me he was doing this. He goes, see, I can do this here here I can't. And I was thinking he's done. Yeah, he's not going to play again. There you go, not this year. Yeah, unless you make a long playoff. Maybe by the super Bowl. Well, this is this Bill's twelve game. All right, Now, we got blown last week, but all right, this is where we think about getting the cornerback on it. CJ. Good one, good one back on back at practice because he yeah,

he's back at practice. But if they're gonna make a move, they're gonna have to use a roster spot. And it sounded like no one whoever else is on. Are Dayton Jones not gonna make it? William's not gonna make it back? Yeah, if they're gonna activate, if they're gonna activate a guy, they're gonna have to make a roster spot move. Is it gonna come from Swam or is it gonna come from David Irving? You know, those are two spots right

there that you can kind of think about. And they want good One back on there for special teams they do. They do, so we'll see if they canna have a difficult choice this weekend too. It's thinking about their forty six. If in fact, the general manager would like to see Taco play a little more, you know, he said, hey, I'd like to let you know. And every once in a while, when the general manager says he'd like to see Rico Gathers play a little more, Rico Gathers played

a little more. So if you're smart, you kind of figure that out. You get Taco out there some way. Now, that means somebody's gonna have to sit, you know who sits in that regard. I mean, I'm sure that's a full another thing that we can get into. But and here's a positive, because we've talked about a lot of things that haven't gone right so far, they're they're pretty healthy all things considered. In mid December, as I knock

on wood, I mean, they're getting healthier. They've got decisions to make from fifty three to forty six on Sunday because a lot of guys are coming back ready to go. I don't know about Tavon. I wouldn't I wouldn't get him. He's still he's still limited trying to work his way back. He didn't sound like he was, you know, one hundred percent last week. But other guys are getting back. Shawn Lee's getting back. You know, you can judge that one

by how Garrett answered the question. Yeah, did we over not we Maybe maybe too much conversation about the Shawn Lee situation. Maybe that's taking care of itself. Did we over over meaning that he's got to play, He's got to you know, how do you take vander esh off the field? And you know all that well wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth caught me in as being surprised that he played last week. Yeah, I thought they'd give him another week and then this would be the

week he comes back. Yeah, and basically seven plays. That's must have been thinking the same thing I was. I think that they're they're thinking well, and and they kind of explained it this way that it's kind of like training camp preseason for him, working him in gradually you're hoping, you're hoping this is a playoff run, and so you know, just kind of manage it and get him back. Because I was happing a couple different times and and it

was supposed to be a little more than seven. But I think you know, the score got out of hand last week. Yeah, I think he came off the field after. So we're saying more Shawn Lee this week? Yeah? Or are we saying Sean Lee for twelve plays? Yeah? Maybe something like that, maybe fifteen just a guess. I don't

because I'm just asking guys. I mean we, I mean, Brian Broadus made a big deal about Shawn Lee needing to play, you know, I mean I made a big I mean like, hey, once he's back, I mean, he's one of your better players, he's what you gotta get him on the field. They laughed at me and said, hey, you know brought us. No, that ain't gonna happen. I think that they agree that they want him on the field, but I think that it's how much they cost. Well,

that's the thing. They've been burned now twice this season where he's come back and then been shelved for six weeks, and so now they've decided okay, And when you look at it, even back in the preseason, he didn't play in preseason games to work himself in. So now I think that they've decided, okay, we got to treat it as this is the beginning of his season and we have to just gradually get him up to reps. You know, run it out of games here, aren't we. The encouraging

thing is he said he's good. Yeah, he said he feels good. Feels like nothing went wrong in the game. So that was a good thing. And as for Zach Martin, when I passed him in the hallway, I said, getting better, and he goes better and I said, okay, better. He went over there chop blocked you. How he was going to eat those raviolis? Yeah, lobster raviolies where were excellent. He's he's Jason witten Man. He's if he can but if you win, he can move. He win this game.

You have a you have a unique situation that you could take advantage of of him resting, take advantage of the runner. I'm I'm all for the win. This game would be huge just for the runner, just to give him a chance. You know, he's putting on this face of give me the ball, give me the ball, give me the ball, and we're all like, yes, give him the ball, give him the ball, give him the ball, Start the ball to him, give him the ball. More you know, and now and now he's just like he's

this poor. You know, it's like watching an endurance race, like a lament, you know, where the cars at the end have gone nine hundred and seventy laps and they're just banged up and beat up and they're trying to finish a race to win a trophy. You know, he's touched the ball three hund that's my racing reference for the day, three fifty eight time. Yeah, there you go three hundred and fifty eight times. You might have to four hundred times. This guy might have to touch the

football for you. So that's like twenty about twenty four twenty five times a game, and every one of those hits is like just he's like, especially lately, he's hitting people. Do you think you think he's taking hits because he's not speedy, not quick, can't avoid. I think he's taking hits because he's stubborn. Yeah, there's that's a good answer, Mickey. He thinks he's gonna run everybody over, And Mickey's got

the right answer there. I was thinking that maybe he's just he's so banged up he can't he can't run, he can't run away from get just quite get away. No one thing he does. He talk about the offensive line, kind of setting the tone for the team when the offensive line is healthy. And you know, he has that toughness about the way he is. He's for that entire yeah type offense that they want to have, right and

he is the bit between his teeth gap. He he he wants you, He wants the ball, as long as that official didn't come running in from fifteen yards behind the play and throw a flag. Oh, you're being too rude, Zeke, You're being too rough. All right. I have a question this is going forward next week. Let's say the Cowboys win over Tampa Bay hallelujah, and then you want to rest Zeke and not play Zeke or a limited number of the next win the rushing title. Well, okay, it

might mean money for him too. How many backup running backs do you have? Well, you really you have. You can use Ola Wally as a single back and you can't use Hey, and you could use Rod Smith as a back obviously Smith Smith giant killer. Okay, remember yeah, last time? Yeah, okay, So my question is running in receiving. My question is next week and when you're looking at the roster and so forth. Yeah, Jackson, I mean that

can you afford to bring him up? That's my question is unless you want a story on the Mickey David I guy. Yeah, I are David Irving, ir Swam, I are all the guys that were gonna be inactive. So my question is, can you play a game against the Giants with only Rod Smith as you're running back? Right? Yeah? I think those are those would be your two backs. And yeah, Rod get ready for thirty carries. I'm sure he would love that, you know, he would love that. Yeah,

I like your idea. What do you want to bring somebody up? If if I'm gonna put somebody on ir oh, okay, thank you, Okay, right, if you can do the ir trick, I'm all for yourself. You're worried about too too much work for yeah, yeah, I mean because just because you don't want to Smith, but you get you getting the playoffs. There's no tomorrow. Yeah right, there's no tomorrow. Let's let's let's be honest there. But this is the same way the Cowboys used to do it with him at back

in the nineties. I remember he's going into late in the season and I mean they basically all they had on their roster at running back one guy him at Smith, Darryl Johnston and Derek Hammy ag. Yeah, they didn't even have a backup running back. They had two fullbacks, you know. And then they would sign up Blair Thomas late in

the season, you know, just to have somebody whatever. Yeah, you know, and they've had the luxury of cutting Curvin Richards, well you might, you might do it to bring the runner up just so you don't have to deal with that in the off season if you want to keep them, you want to keep him. Yeah, you're kind of throwing him the other thing. You're throwing it the other art. If you're throwing them a bone there by putting him up on the rostery, give him a little bit more

money that way. Now you have to make the decision. Is he gonna be on your playoff roster? Yeah, you know, that's that's the decision you have to make. Hopefully, those are decisions the Cowboys will have to make next week, I hope, and we continue with more Talking Cowboys and take your phone calls and when we come back. Has been helping Cowboys fans see better since nineteen seventy two. Said,

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but seriously, don't adjust your underwear. Is Mickey's adjusting right now like the corner of my eye, because once it's been seen, it can't be unseen for me. Tommy John has a contour pouch to nestle the boys and moisture wicking fabric to keep you cool and dry on the field or in the stands. Tommy John, No adjustment needed. Shop exclusive Cowboys Underwear Tommy john dot com Forward Slash Cowboys for twenty percent off your first order. And we're

all wearing Tommy John's. Are Cowboys Tommy John's on Sunday, Yes, slacks. It feels weird. Why is that you know sad when you wear slash with the Tommy Johns's that smoothness to it. You know, you do sit down? Whoa here we go? Whoa you okay, yeah, I gotta fall a little bit. Yeah, like sled. Yeah. It's like buying expensive dress pants that have the liners in them. Yeah yeah, I guess I don't have any of those. I figured you. You know, I do notice that when I wear my Tommy Johns,

I have to you got to slide your chair. I have to uh to buckle up another notch otherwise they'll slide. But the pants the sla because they keep everything nice and tight. That's exactly right, that's great and here we go, Here we go. That's that's why people love us today. But don't you get compliments from people? Know what you look like? I love Tommy john under where I get no compliments from Tommy Johnson. It's just it's that internal feeling of pride in pride's got the cowboy logo and

everything's in place. Is that Like it's like just feel oh, here we go, like Jack Black, Okay, you feel you feel better after you there we go if it's working, but it feels better, okay, So you feel like you're about to get a compliment about Bill you working your Tommy Joe. We're not gonna get. I'm not gonna get. Maybe you are, but I'm not. Well. They don't know that you're wearing them, you know, but you could tell people people, Oh, you're wearing Tommy Johns. Yeah, it's like

I know, it's like tight fitting blue jeans. I got you, I got you. I know about that. It's been a had Bryan started red. We do show. It's late Friday, it's the holidays, wearing Christmas everyone. Let's go to Lynn in California. Lynn, you're on talkings Sammy John's savious. Lynn. Good morning man, How are you good? Good you? Hey? My concern is I don't want to watch another defensive

effort like we just saw. So I'm going to ask you if we're watching the same thing against the Bucks and their gashing this with the inside trap all day and we can't rally to the underneath, throw and make the tackle, what is the schematic answer. Do you walk up the backers, do you go with a nine man front and man at press fan outside? What do we do to give an injection to the defense and get them going again? I just don't want to watch us continue to line up the same way and continue to

let the same thing happens. Thanks for taking my call. Guys, thanks lady. When I was talking about the sky fallen, yeah that I had. We had had a defensive question in a while. Have we sky's falling to? Are you concerned about what you saw last week against Indianapolis? Only if we play Only if we play Indianapolis's offensive line in the Super Bowl you go unless Yeah, the team a comparable team to that would be the Saints. The Saints offensive line, doesn't you know. But Dallas did a

great job of attacking that front. You know, I nobody wants to watch that to me, and I think I think I think it wasn't about scheme last week. I think it was about the physicality of the of the Colts. Now, Jason Garrett will tell you that they had some bad run fits. They'll tell you that they got you know, they got beat up a little bit up front. The

coverage stuff we knew going in. I mean, we talked about this guy's I thought the whole show, A lot of the shows in the breakdown the Colts was they'll try to nickel and Dimei to death. You know, that's and they got protection and they were able to hit some routes and but I think it was more about what the Colts were able to do up front than it was more about the cowboys inability to scheme. I haven't seen anybody this year man handle them like that.

So I'm going on, I'm going on, what fourteen games of work here? Body of work. I think I'm okay with this defense. Now. If something happens, I'm sure they'll have to make some adjustments. But I don't see Tampa coming into this game and doing to them what the Colts did to them. I just don't. Jalen Smith talked about playing the right way yeah, yesterday, and I think they to me, I took it as they got out of doing what they normally do. And a lot of

that's just being fundamentally sound. Some of it is the Colts. Quinton Nelson's fun to play, Yeah, Clinton, Nelson, Kelly, those guys are no fun to play. That's a team. It's no fun to play, especially with that front. That front's only gonna get better. That's a young front, you know, so especially when they've got the lead on you. Oh yeah, and they got a quarterback that sits there, and he doesn't, you know, at the end of the day, he hands his uniform back to the equipment. Man, I don't worry

about washing that one. You know, I'll wash that one. I didn't get touched today, you know. So I think it's more about them. The way that the way that Tampa can hurt you is with the chunk plays. That's what can hurt you. Yeah, And if you don't, if you don't handle their ability to throw the ball down the field, then you're gonna have problems. Then you're then you're Jument's gonna be like, Okay, what do you do on the line? You play zone, you play man? Do you do you deny them on the h do you

deny them on the line of scrimmage? Do you blitz guys? You know? I think that's how hell that the Cowboys blitz people last week and couldn't get home. I kind of told you about what what happened to them in that football all right, let me ask you a question that I was asked by our former intern here with the Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys dot com. Casey Phillips, Ye, that with Tampa Bay Bucks dot com. Okay, I was on with them and we did a little crossfire, and

so she would posts some questions. Who's going to have the better game on Sunday, the Tampa Bay defensive line or the Dallas defensive line? Wow, because both teams are a little compromise when it comes to blocking, you know, And I feel like that it's interesting when you hear it from the Tampa Bay or or any opponent's perspective. We focus so much on yeah our no, no, no, absolutely absolutely, it's interesting here in their perspective on their players. Yeah,

they they they've got some they've got some issues. I think a tackle, but you've got an issue at guard, maybe left guard, maybe a little bit at center. You know, it's been you know, compromised a little bit, maybe with the left tackle. Right now, you're facing a guy, a young guy with a lot of size and a lot

of quickness. Yeah, and he's finally coming around. I saw where last week he had his I assume you're talking ya, Yes, he had his career high nine tackles ye last week, right, So, um, yeah, he's pretty tough, and you know he missed a lot after tearing his calf muscle right in training camp. So they have gotten better since since they've made the switch, though. I mean the record isn't better, but the defense has

played better. Yeah, they've gotten more pressure, they've gotten more sacks. Know, that's the thing I always worry about with the Cowboys. Mickey's got me worried too, about us having a drive of the football. You know. Okau's the answer to the question. I'm trying to figure it out because I don't think Tampa. I don't think Tampa. I think Tampa can make just as many mistakes as you can. You know, I think if you said player for player, you would, okay, Tyron

Smith for you know, Tyron Smith for Donovan Smith. Okay, I'm gonna take Tyren Smith, Ali Marpett for the guard for Suefilo. I think I'm gonna take Ali Marpett there. Okay. Ryan Jensen hasn't lived up to where he was. He's a ten million dollar year center. I don't think he's lived up to that. But if you said, okay, who gets paid more? Ryan Jensen gets paid more? Is he playing better than Looney? Probably not? You know, maybe that's a wash right there. You know, beck Knock I Ben

Knock Im Caleb Bennock. I don't know was a tackle their guard? I mean he yeah, I mean he I watched him. I don't I'm not overly impressed. And then I told you about DeMar Dotson. Yep, with what he's done. I think he's a slow footed guy. I think that if you want, if people are excited about about maybe DeMarcus Lawrence getting some pressure, it will just be a good opportunity right here. So maybe the question should be which offensive line can play better? Yeah, which is capable

of playing? I see my answer yesterday was different than what my answer would be today because yesterday I had Zack Martin out because practiced yet, and I've got Zack Martin in and so I would Yesterday my answer was, I think Tampa Bay will have their defensive line will have more stats, more success in the game, just because of the cowboy depleted that Cowtany's offensive line. But with Zach Martin back, I feel a little bit better about that,

don't you. Yeah, it's which quarterback is going to play better? Which quarterback would you trust in this game? Da? Yeah? Because I think this game could come down two turnovers and which guy takes care of the ball better? And I know Dak has had some some turnovers, but I think over the course of his career, he's been better protecting the ball. And it may come down to who's you know, who's not giving it away and Tampa Bay has given it away all season long. Is Dallas capable?

Is Dallas capable of accepting turnovers? Are we accept Are we? Yes? We okay? You mean capable of ball skills? Making a play? Are we are we? Are we capable of this? Or we just holding our breath every time the balls tipped in the air. And Byron Jones playing at a Pro Bowl level this this year, making the Pro Bowl without an interception. It's the first time since two thousand and ten that a player has been voted into the Pro Bowl without an intercept. It was that there were two

in two thousand and ten. Seriously, it was. I was thinking it was forever. Yeah, I went back when I started looking, and then I got back, oh, two thousand and ten. There it is. Now he's got a chance if he gets a pick right the next two games. You know who it is? Yes, there's two. One lived on an island, vas yep. And the other one was with the Raiders. Oh oh, Woodson Woodson, No, No, now, yeah, same year they did neither one of them an interception

and made the Pro Bowl. Was freaking it never happened. I better never happened in Cowboy. He said, Okay, so I'm gonna make this easy and everybody, because everybody's trying to come up with something to worry about, right, I mean, that's fair. Here's my worry. That's what coaches do. And and Rob's gonna help me with this. Oh, because it's

a basketball analogy. You know how you fall behind in a basketball game by twenty points and then you have to rally, and then you work like the devil to catch up, and you catch up and then you got nothing to finish? Are you worried that three and five and you had to work like the devil to get to eight and five? And how do you have anything left to get to the finish line? Don't be so logical, Niki. Do you have the intensity, you have the will, the

physicalness to get to the finish line? Because it happens in basket. We've seen it, especially in the NBA. Right questions, I've seen that so many times covering those Mavericks game back in the eighties. It's like they work like heck to get back in the game, and it's now, you got it a one point game? Are you are? You tie it? And it's like you climb the mountain and you kind of take a breath and then the other team of of a sudden it hits the pedal. Yeah,

send you right back where you came. Yep. That's if I had to worry about something. Where did you come up with this? I like last night it was like they expended spending so much energy get where they where they are? Yew, can you finish? Yeah? Now, if you want on something to worry about, worry about that. But don't they they don't have anything left in the tank. Yeah yeah. But that's it's different than a basketball analogy

because is that's through the course of one game. This is every week, I know, get a little break at the same kind of but hey, win this one, like we've been talking about, and you might get a chance to get your breath. I know. So I'm with you. But they've I think about the energy they've expended over these five wrong three two games on the road, three and twelve days, grind away for sixty minutes against the Saints, and then the next week you got to go overtime

to win. That's a lot of energy he's got mentally strong. Yeah, he's got to hope they got something left and that last week wasn't an indication of I think they took a deep breath last week. But I think they, especially with the makeup of the roster and what we've talked about the health of the roster relative health of it, that they've got enough to get it back to. Going to Nicky's point, but they're a young team, right, right, right,

And maybe they don't know better. Yeah, maybe in a it's more I think about I'm thinking, and Mickey's making a damn good point there. They need to get the shirts out, finish the fight. Yeah. And then and then I'm and then I'm thinking, well, maybe it's a young team. They're young. This is not a veteran team that's had to battle back, you know what I'm saying that had they they've It's not a it's not one of those teams where it's a bunch of Jason Witten's and guys

like that. It's it's it's young guys. They're all in their twenties, mostly early twenties. Maybe maybe that's your saving grace, Mickey. Maybe that's as good as your point is. But maybe, I mean, I didn't think about that way. But maybe that's your saving grace is the fact it is such a young team. But I think I think you're I think the problem you run into is your war out in a couple of positions where you don't need to

be war out, mainly that running back. There is a season in Cowboys history, a couple of seasons in Cowboys history that kind of plays to your point. In ninety two, okay, they stubbed their toe against Washington in Week fifteen and

then came back and finished strong. Okay. In ninety three, of course, they dug a hole to start the season with the Emmett holdout, and he wasn't there the first two games, so they started ohing two and they rattled off seven straight wins, and then they had stubbed two to two toes, including the leon let on Thanksgiving Day, and they were even though they battled all the way back, they were strong enough mentally to close that season strong.

Course that was a great team too, Yeah, no, you know, yeah, young team though, wasn't it ninety four still. Yeah, yeah, ninety four though they had the coaching change and they reeled off. I mean they were but ten and two at one point and then lost two of their last three and you know what happened sure after that. Yeah, they had fourth and one in Philly in December, and then they were able to salvage get in the top seed, and we're able to have enough gumption about them to

make the total run to survive the Super Bowl. Survive. I'll tell you what though, that's I like what Mickey's saying, but I just feel kind of feel like that. I feel like it's a young team that we're getting ready to find it. Yeah, if if, if they get into this game, this is this would be my biggest fear. And I'll take it a step further if they lose. If they lose, now, I'm really worried about a young team. Now, I'm really worried about a young team going to New

York and win in a game. That's where I would That's where I would say, Okay, I'm trying. I see Mickey's point. Now I'm gonna take it a step further, but I'm gonna I'm gonna I'm gonna put it. I'm gonna tie it to the young team. I think, you know, yeah, that's fair. They also could they don't they don't have the energy and they don't have the experience. Well, they

also could still back into this thing. But yeah, but I hear you, moving forward even if they backing in doesn't bode well, no, I know, moving forward, No, right, I don't. I don't think if they back in, nobody's gonna favor them against Seattle or anything. Right, And if they if they back in, then what tests the championship medal of this team is how they do in the postseason. Right now we're testing it, and but they still need to do in the postseason. But first things first, they

need to take care of business on Sunday. Absolutely, all right, we continue with more talking cowboys. We'll make some picks coming up here shortly too. If you're like me and you love I mean, if you have a thing, then cutting the chord is scary. But then I found out I could switch to direct TV now and still get the live sports I love. No satellite needed, no bulky hardware,

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Applying back to the talking Cowboys. Now, I'm guessing you heard us talking about Jack Black earlier in the show, so you probably know what you need to do. You go to get Jack Black dot com and get all the facial needs you need. You get the beard lube, you get the moisturizer, you get the TurboWash. You get the shampoo also, and you can rub the shampoo on your face too, it's out. And then you get that facial cleanser. Get all that stuff for Christmas. It's not

too late. And tell you what, if you go to get Jack Black dot com right now, they will get you a gift card in time for Christmas. And again, if you're gonna buy anything, use slashmark Cowboys, use the code Cowboys, and you get those faves and free shippings. And I discovered that if you order something else with the faves, that gives you free shipping. The other stuff comes free to Oh wow, they still give you that nice little carrying case. Yes, that part of the carrying

case too. There you go. You've done some shopping. I did some research. Okay, everybody in this Bagnola family is going to get a check. Do they have Jack Black cold cream like Noxeema Orla women? Yeah, they have some women's products. I don't remember seeing cold cream. Yeah. Is there such a thing as cold cream for men? Yeah? Noxeema, you're gonna go face white. I have not that picture. I I just remember my mother used to put cold cream on ponds. Yeah, well do I know all this stuff?

And so I started reading all those facial things. I was like, I wonder if they have cold cream ponds? You know what? Cast one more question too about this. Don't ask it before I tell you this, But cold cream it's made out of fat or something like that. What did you tell me? What? I was? What? I was working right that summer after I finished college, painting, and we had some guy in the complex that he was kind of nerdy. No one liked him. I'm not

sure how much this was hope he's listening. I'm not sure how much his wife liked him. Oh, No, she left the door open one night and we came in and put shavy creeball over his face while he was in bed. What the hell I would shot that as somebody. I guess it's better than writing with a It's better write with a sharpie, pass out with draw mustache. Frank, you know I was in college. Yeah, we had just finished. He was an adult at that time. I graduate. I

had graduated. He was in favor, no more favor. All right, what was your question? Question? Real quick? I know, I just take one minute. When I'm taking cough medicine right now, when it says non drowsy, do you believe them non drowsy during the day? Do you believe him? No? Not at all. That's just a prank. So if I'm taking no Roy, I'm gonna pass out at three o'clock today at my desk, I believe it. Because if you take the stuff that doesn't say it, yeah, you will get drowning. Okay,

I just want to make sure. I just never known. Yeah, I didn't know if it was a bit, you know, like a yeah, take non drowsy. You know, I'm see what I'm saying. You take like a big bite too, Yeah, like day quill, you know, you take and then like in like thirty minutes later, you're at your head on your desk. You know, you're on your computer and it's all z's. It's like they're not lying when they tell you, you know, if you're gonna take some sort of medicine,

to take it with a meal or with food. They're not joking. Who operates heavy machinery too? By the way, that's another one that was at back in the day. Don't operate heavy machinery. Okay, I'm gonna jump out here and do the bulldozer, you know the backyard. What what? I don't even how to use a screwdriver? I mean, what do you operated a heavy machine the back hole in yard till I was thirty? I mean thinking of operating heavy machinery. Did you see the Browns offensive line

coach Bob Why Bob while he's the best. I love Bob that I've known him. Yes, Bob the best, and he was on the blocking and then like the next day, Yeah, he breaks his ankle. Whoa, Yeah, Bob's a good dude guy. I wish every I wish everybody could hang out with Bob Wiley. He is so much fun to be. He he the personality was great on that show. But that's what Bob Wiley really is. He's that kind of guy. He's just an old school fun guy to be. I'm

glad glad Cleveland's having some success. And so you were with him where you know, I've know Bob, you know around you know, you go these pro days and stuff, and Bob's working out offensive lineman and you know, so you get to know these coaches and stuff. They're friendly, they know all the great places to eat, you know, the coaches that Bob Bob Bob. Which former cowboy assistant would you love to hang around with? Which one popped to mind immediately? But who do you have? Well, mine's

not fair because I don't go around with him. But Tony Wise coach Joe Shoe, Oh coach show was Wise? Who I thought? Tony Wise is a lot of fun. But I had another one. Yeah, Oh, Joe Brodsky, he was just hon this is the day was long. Joe Brodsky had no filter. He really had my He was like Walt yours. Yeah, that's the scouting version. Walt was a former scout that said whatever he wanted to, even

in the draft room. Even that's exactly right. My brother in law still tells the story of Cowboys training camp and he's watching Joe Brodsky and my brother in law he's actually a vice chancellor at Texas Tech. Now but not to brag, but uh but Texas Tech alum. And so Timmy Smith Texas Tech. Yes, yea, he was watching Cowboys in but he was with Cowboys in three camp and this was after his super Bowl performance for the Redskins. Um. Timmy was not a four point student, not at all,

but it that way. And uh, Billy, my brother in law tell us the story of Brodsky watched the running back drills, stopping the drill and said, Timmy, this is your left, your right, that's Joe. That was Joe, absolutely Joe. Yeah, great coaches, great coaches on that staff the Bucks stop here. Huh y, we're gonna actually we're gonna see that headline, uh Monday morning. Right for anyone who who takes a newspaper, Yeah you do? YouTube? YouTube? Rob doesn't Yeah exactly not

yea online though, right online schure read why not? Yeah? Digital newspaper. Okay, So let's go around the horn, Mickey, you wanted to go first, because you were talking about your pick the click right yesterday. Weren't you like getting on Rob about his your his guy? I had one, he had picked one, so yeah, go ahead, get oh okay, now check off. Oh he was gonna steal. Well, go ahead, So I'm going first. I got the Cowboys in this game. I think they win it on their own. I think

there's a chance they don't have to. We'll see what happens because Washington and Filler are both playing good teams. We'll see what they do. But I just think this defense, more than anything, gets back to doing what they do. I think it's DeMarcus Lawrence kind of a game where he's going to impact the game defensively and kind of lift up the other guys around him, and they win their style of game, something like twenty four seventeen Cowboys and the guy I'm looking at pick a click is

in the secondary. Jeff Heath has eight career interceptions and three against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a couple of different games. He always seems to come up big against those pirates. Erry did research. Yeah, yeah, and yeah. He has multiple interception games on his ledger. In his career. He's just so you're going to a two pick game? Maybe, yeah, why not? Why not? Why not? Cowboys win the East? Eric,

get your hat, get get your hat ready. Cowboys twenty seven, Tampa Bay twenty Oh, Mickey another seven point after a show it out, it's your pick. My pick is gonna be one. Ezekiel Elliott like it. I mean yards he'll have combined two hundred yards two hundred from scrimmage. Okay. Bill Jones is the now newly crowned gut feeling champion picking games for Dallas Cowboys dot com because why you still two games left? But if I pick something, you're

just gonna pick the same. Right, You're you're not gonna win this championship, Robert, You're not gonna win this championship on my watch. It's our staff predictions, staff predictions. Give me the Cowboys in this one, twenty six to twenty. And I'm gonna say this is gonna be a big one for your quarterback. This quarterback, this team has. The Buccaneers have a good rush, but I think there's some

plays to be made. I always say this when you watch sometimes a second this team will play some zone coverage against you if they get in some zone coverage, they get some too deep coverage. Dack's gonna have to take advantage of that. Give me the quarterback in this game and not calling it like a game like Philadelphia where he's throwing you know, fifty some odd passes. I think he's gonna be efficient. I think he's gonna be accurate, and I think that he's gonna the difference will be

a couple of touchdowns. I do. I have the Cowboys winning this one, Mickey, twenty six to twenty. About that, I went one point off yours. I'm gonna give you, but I wrote it down. I wrote it down earlier. But that's yeah, twenty six twenty Cowboys, get your hat, Dak Prescott, enjoy it, and then let's figure out how to get things rested up for the playoffs. I'm gonna give Dak sixty yards rushing. Oh oh, da'sna but he got Bill Jones all right. I recall a Cowboy Buccaneer

playoff game in nineteen eighty two. Okay, you're gonna have Doug Williams playing quarterback, and that nineteen eighty one season, those Orange eighteen eighty one season, it was January second, nineteen eighty two, and the Cowboy always the Bucks stopped here. Shutout, wasn't it? It was a shutout? Yeah, it was thirty eight to nothing. And I'm going with a duplication of that game, the Cowboys thirty eight to nothing over the years Byron Jones, Pro Bowl cornerback Byron Jones gets not

one but two interceptions of Jamis Winston. He's gonna shut down Mike Evans. He's gonna win some jump He's gonna win at least one jump ball. So Bill's just taking that snow globe and just turning it upside down. Everything that's been going wrong or different. Yea, all problems fixed. And I'm gonna go download that play by play, so I have to refer to when the game's over. There

you go. There it is. I just as I was sitting here, I had actually thirty eight to ten, and then I thought, no, wait a second, they you seek Tampa Bay way back when I think it was a shutout, and so I just picked it up. Thirty eight to nothing. That the first round game. That was a divisional playoff game, yeen eighty one. And then the next week they went to San Franciscisco. Yeah, yes, yeah, but no one remembers that thirty eight. I was some reason they remember what

happened the following week. I did remember at ten six Buccaneer win it at the at the their place. That when fifteen. That's when Nick just the saltiest post games, saltiest Furst game report I've ever seen. Nick goes, I can't believe we just got beat by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He had two picks in that game. Well, what was that? They had a weird score. They got a defensive holding call in that in that game too at the end, Jeff Heath remember they had it was kind of a

strange way to end the game. Then they have a weird score and it was it two thousand and one or two thousand and two with Quincy Carter at quarterback and they got beat like ten to six. It was it was ten six? Was it the opener? It was? It was nine thousands into two thousands six, two thousand

and one. Yeah, it was nine thousand degrees wearing blue jersey. Okay, speaking of that nineteen ninety one of my favorite Cowboys Buccaneers game by Aman to Michael Irvins, left the sideline and it was a seventeen thirteen Cowboys win at Tampa Bay. And that was the hottest locker room I have ever been. Oh no, the old suburb, No that i'd been there. I just remember the trust. The locker room was as big as this room. Yeah, nob was bad because these six players in forty six members of the media in

the same room with showers on in Tampa. Didn't They played Tampa twice that year? Oh lord, let me look, here's the musical. Have my read? They played him? Yes, they did, a couple of weeks later they played They played him a couple of weeks earlier too, And then that was Michael Irvin's coming out priorty after he tore as They said, why would they play him so close together as Tampa? Never mind? All right, Y'll be here Christmas Eve. Right, we should be okay, very good, So

joy the game? Why not Christmas Eve. This is production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.