Talkin' Cowboys: Dak vs. Russ

And this is Talking Cowboys as we are now approaching the forty eight hour mark on playoff time at the Stadium. Bill Jones, Brian brought us who has a bright yellow shirt on today. Rob Phillips at making is late arrival right now, Mickey Spagnola, Welcome to Talking Cowboy. It's it on time arrival, just like American Airlines. M it already started the show technically. Yeah, I thought I was working

with John Facinda there for a moment. Did you notice that with with Bill, Bill was using the John Facinda podcast voice. Yes, Yes, that's a cool dark day at Lembo. John Unitis walking to the line of scrimmage you know, it's a cold, wet day. It is center. We started. I actually started that. I actually broke down and parked in the parking garage today. You should never do that. You should never We're not supposed to do that, but I you know what, I just I actually worked out

this morning. So I'm wearing shorts and walk. I don't want to walk walking in the rain in thirty five degree weather inside the buildings I parked inside today. All Right, it's time to tuck some cowboys and some Seahawks. I know y'all did a great job with it yesterday, getting everybody ready for this matchup. The rematch of the game in September, that doesn't really look like a rematch because it was a changed since that. You remember the play

I was watching this, I remember the last night. You remember the play out of bounce to Ezekia Elliott they got called back. Yeah, I was gonna write about that today, the one where he would or Dak rolled was right, and Zeke kind of kept drifting, drifting, drifting and then went out bouncing hit but it was a touchdown that got called back. You remember, I didn't sure. I mean that was remember that play? It was one yard touch

oh yeah, called back. Uh. He had another fumble that they lost, and I think the game was out of reach kind of at that point. It was about twenty four to six. Sure, I think Dak was picked off when a ball bounced off Michael Gallops and yeah, and one off of Flake charge. Yeah. Yeah, really wasn't a great and the game was out of reach. But they

had the chances in that game. They just you know, as much as their offense was struggling at that point, I think they can look back and you know, the touchdown they gave up to Locket, I think their coverage was okay in that situation. So you know, there's some correctable stuff from week three. I'm looking back at my play by play on it, Cavan Frazier late on the Tyler Lockett. Yeah, yeah, it was a busted coverage. Busted coverage. They had two busted coverages. Yeah, I gave up two

big plays. But I just I forgot about the Zeke play that went out of bounce should have been a touchdown. That was the one where I was like going, oh, well, oh that's right, that's right, that happened. Yeah, you know, but anyway, I mean, yeah, you're right, Rob, I think they had some opportunities. They're good, you knew played really

well in that game, Sean Lee. Going back and watching that game, maybe maybe this is one of those things where they you know, they can't get to linebackers, you know, guards and sinners can't get the linebackers, and we see vander Esh and Smith and Lee and those guys run into the football stopping the run game and stuff like that. Yeah, well that's kind of where I need to think of. This thing needs to go. I wonder if they're resting

offensive lineman or those guys that are really hurt. I think they're really hurt because d Dwayne Brown and Jr. Sweezy haven't practiced yet this week. I don't think Sweezy's gonna play, and Fluker's listed as ye. I think they expect Flucker back. Yeah, but they've they've had to in the In the Arizona game, they had Aya Fetti, who started at right tackle in the game that these two teams met last time, he was the right tackle. He was playing right guard, and then and then ethan postic

postic practice yesterday. I know he didn't practice the day before post anybody got there. I didn't see their injury report yesterday. It did not come with our emailed it with the Cowboy injury, Yeah, but it came later. I didn't see us if he practiced then, because I don't think he practiced the day before. He had like a foot or an ankle injury that he was dealing with. But he was the starter at left guard. They're trying to replace Sweezy who's got a foot injury. I believe

is yeah, he's not. He's not on their injury okay at all. Yeah, so keep an eye on that. That could be. And I remember and the last time these two teams made Justin Britt the center didn't play right. Joey Hunt was the center from TCU. But Britt Britt is Brits. Okay, he's okay. So yeah, there's there's a little little shaken up going on with their offensive line right now. And Chris Carson did have a one hundred yards rushing against the Cowboys the first time or on

a million carries, yes, hundred and two was it? Yep, it was. I've got the exact number. Hey, Cowboys did a great job in that game of going back and watching the run fits. I was talking about the linebackers and how and Tyron Crawford had a really good game. Tyron Crawford playing defensive tackle. Tycho Charlton was the starter at right defensive end this game. Crawford's gonna be back practice. I'm sure Micky's gonna tell us in the injury report.

All those guys were limited yesterday. But I feel like that these guys are going to line up and play the Martins, the Smiths, the Crawfords, all those guys. Carson was thirty two for one h two. Yeah. Yeah. Questions to Rod and Arronelli yesterday were about how do you slow him down this time? And they did a pretty good job I did. I think his longest rush was for thirteen yards. Yeah, And I think they've only given up. They've had one one hundred yard two run one hundred

yard rushers against them this season. I think they had to run thirty nine times to gain one hundred and thirteen yards as a team. But as you said yesterday, make that they kind of did what they wanted to do. They were persistent with it, Yeah, and it kept the Cowboys off the field. Yeah. And then they hit the two big plays ball game yep. And they got the two turnovers, you know, or the two they got two pass interceptions in a fumble recovery and they won that

battle as well. So yeah, it was That's been their recipe for success all season really a lot of time. Yeah, they have very We've talked about yesterday. These are two very evenly matched teams, and it could very well come down to how well your quarterback plays against it. I worry about what I worry about what their quarterback is. You capture him in the pocket and then you go over the top of him and now he's running you know where they had some of those. That's this was

a game also too. Remember early in the game they had the terrible roughing the passer penalley against Tyrn Crawford for hitting for hitting. Uh but but they were able to get pressure, you know, they're able to get pressure that the Seahawks were struggling with their protection at the time, and they got some good hits on on Russell Wilson.

I just worry about that, Oh, Randy, Randy Gregory, he's free, he's over the and he goes over the top, you know, Wilson ducks and now he's running around and all that. You know, that loose play, that's the kind of stuff that you get. You know, most quarterbacks like Eli Manning get him in that situation, just crumbles into the ground. This guy kind of ducks and dodges and you know, bales out and you know those are the kinds of things you worry about playing this cat. You know. The

weird thing with Russell Wilson, He's only completed two eighty passes. Yeah, running the ball, but he's thrown thirty five touchdown pass second in the league at eight point two percent touchdown passes to completions or attempts. I don't know how they which one it is, but that's amazing. So it's a lot of big plays. Obo is huge, flat like they're I mean, he's thrown for thirty four forty eight dacks, thrown for thirty eight eighty five. Dack's completed three hundred

and fifty six to his two eighty. But his quarterback rating right now is third in the league at one ten point nine. He's only got seven interceptions against those thirty five touchdowns. And this the Seahawks have only only lost four fumbles this year, so just eleven giveaways on the entire season, so pretty efficient. They're plus fifteen on turnalways at lead the league in rushing too, if I'm not mistaken, right, they have the most yards. Yeah, yeah,

So that's kind of their recipe right now. That's what they The biggest problems that they had the first two weeks of the season is they couldn't protect, they couldn't run, and now they seem like that they've kind of righted the ship. They're they're like the Cowboys at four and five one time Cowboys at three and five, and you know, found their way along the you know, started the last three weeks. Carson has said this yesterday, He's got one

hundred nineteen yards Russian last three weeks. You know, that's that's that's that's the recipe. Run the football, play action, get the quarterback on the move, let him make easy throws when he can make them. It's kind of funny they've they've basically, excuse me, rush for five hundred more yards and the Cowboys, and the Cowboys have thrown the ball five hundred more yards than they have. So there's

ways to win games. It's not about slinging it around, you know, scoring forty points a game, or having uh, you know, forty completions or whatever. But if you play efficient football, and that's what you need to do in the playoffs to be able to win. They have gone back to what was their recipe for success when they were going to Super Bowls. The last couple of years they ranked around twentieth in the league and rushing yards, right,

And now they're up to the top again. And they had a four year period there and two of those years they went to Super Bowls with Marshawn Lynch and they would be in the top three in the league and rushing all those years, right, And Pete Carroll and Pete Carroll made no bones about it coming into this season. I heard several interviews with him where he's like, we're gonna run the football. We're going to run the football.

If you look at Daryl Bebel was the OC before and they got away from what, you know, what was great for them. And then you get Brian Schottenheimer. Will the name Schottenheimer will tell you and you know his DNA is his father's DNA was run the football, running how our running play physical, be that type of a team. And I think that's why Pete Carroll it took. It took Russell Wilson in this offense some time before they really got used to Brian Schottenheimer and the way he

was calling games. But they're they're on track right now. Kansas City. I mean, they scored a lot of points against Kansas Cya, but I thought Kansas City and watching the game, did some pretty good things against Russell, keeping him in the pocket on some of those throws. I broke down one of the plays for Dallas Cowboys dot Com and how you play him, you know, you keep the rush wide, but affect the middle of the pocket, get his eye level down. You could see him kind

of looking at the rush a little bit. You know, when he's when he's looking at the rush, he's not

looking at those guys running open downfield. I think that's what the key for the Cowboys is to try and find a way to affect him in the pocket when he does throw the football and getting his eye level down make him have to deal with that and so he can't see Baldwin and lock It and more and those guys running down the field kind of like breeze, kind of like when you face back short quarterback, keeping him in the well and to your point about the

rushing attack for Seattle styles make fights. I mean the Cowboys have been i think fifth in the league in rushing defense all season long, in the top five. And as as Marinelli said yesterday, you know they stubbed their toe against Indianapolis. Yeah, physically beat up. Yeah, just just couldn't control you know, front seven, Yeah, got controlled. And other than that, they've been solid, and I think it speaks a lot to you know, the overall team speed

they have on defense. They've got a lot of guys that can float on the ball quickly, and they're getting production out of their tackles too. They are helping the linebackers make plays. We've talked about Antoine Woods this season a lot, Crawford when he's been in there, MALIEK. Collins when he's been healthy. It's been a team effort and it's going to be a challenge this week. Malie Collins

didn't play the last time these two teams met. That's right, you know that that's gonna be a big factor there because he is a big body guy that they're going to have to deal with. And they're kind of a catch and steer and push team. They're not really going to come off and blow. You know, Indianapolis will come off the ball and get into and climb in and move you around. This bunch is a little bit more of a catch steer and then let the backs make

the cuts off off those blocks. You know. I remember doing this when when the Cowboys played the Seahawks in September. Just comparing Russell Wilson and Dak Prescott. I mean, Russell Wilson is what the Cowboys are hoping Dak Prescott becomes, right, sure, because if you look at early in his career, he was okay, but they were winning because they played so so well defensively and they ran the football. And now

like what is he in his seventh year? About five years in six years in suddenly he's become a lot more efficient throwing the ball. U and he can still beat you running the ball. So, uh yeah, I think you're exactly right. It's some would tell me he's run less than Dak. He has sixty seven carries this year, Dac has seventy five. It's pretty close. Yeah. And how many yards does Dak have? Do you have it in front of you? Yeah, he's rushed for three oh five

and he's like three twenty or something like that. He's rushed for three seventy six okay, six touchdowns. But how about this, he's been sacked fifty one time exact. Oh no, that's that's that's the problem too. They that's what I'm saying, you're looking at mirror teams because they both had issues. They both have issues. I mean, he got sacked six times against Arizona. Top three teams that have been sacked this season all are in the playoffs. On the playoffs.

Houston is one of them. Sixty two league, Yeah, Deshaun Watson, and then you got Dak Prescott fifty four is at what fifty sixty six, and then Russell Wilson's at fifty one. Yeah, that's unusual. So but here's the deal with those guys is they're extend the exactly they're guys that want to extend plays, and they're so confident that they can get

out of trouble that sometimes they can't. And and so instead of throwing the ball away, they're they're going to try to use their athletic ability to keep the play alive, and it catches up with him or the fields or the flip side Mick is what you get on the

Beasley play thirty two. Yes, exactly. It's the Giants. That's that's the that's the highs and the lows of of having a quarterback who I mean, it's an advantage at the end of the day to have a quarterback with that type of mobility, or maybe with that you just should be in fourth downmode all the time. It's like, well, I can't take a sack here, might as well just throw it up and see what happens. You know. The other thing they're similar Ish Dack's been intercepted eight times.

He's been intercepted seven times. Yeah, well that's and think about I bet at least three or four Dack's interceptions have been dropped passes into interceptions. Oh he had he had to pick six going against him the other day if he got to go to the right church. Nors Jenkins had that one right and they right now, Oh, no doubt, Yeah, yeah, that's exactly right. Sometimes you had to be lucky that way. It helps Patty's day. Yeah, Patty's day. Like in hockey, sometimes you hit a post,

sometimes you hit the post. Hey, let me ask you this though, is the biggest bigger concern than the past protection this week or the run defense um pass protection, because because we've seen it all years, we've seen it and look, I mean, what can Sulphilo do today? Yeah, that's gonna be a key, that's a question mark. I mean, you know, Garrett said yesterday he's got a couple of days left to kind of get ready and he's moving

around better, but he hasn't practiced this week. And Connor Williams has looked better at guard when he's gone in there. I think what you have to hope is he could at least dress and be the backup guy. That's kind of what I was thinking, because I'm okay with Connor Williams going in there, but yeah, if he can dress and be the backup guy. And now Redmond wasn't that bad. No, but you'd rather have the big body standing there. But to play Seattle, it might be better to have Connor

Williams play because he can move. Because he can move and where Seattle. And then this is just me watching them play. I was watching Kansas City. I love to watch Kansas Cy's offense because of their quarterback. But where Kansas City had success was pulling the center, pulling the guard, pulling the tackle and kind of getting them to go one direction and then take the ball back the other,

you know, counters and boots and things like that. They had some really good success running the ball that way, and maybe having Connor Williams in the game running on the edge or out in space might be better than having Sue Philo in there, you know, who's gonna be a little bit more of a boxy square guy. But they've won how many games, win seven games with Suephilo playing? Yeah? Seven of eight? Right, So I mean run game in particular took off. Yeah, yeah, I mean the protection too.

A little bit better though, right, yeah, a little bit better, a little bit. Yeah, it's been here and there at times. Some of it's been you know, Tyrn's been banged up, Zack's been banged up. Both those guys back practicing this week. That's good. They'll be ready to go. I think I'm glad this game's at home. Dealing with that crowd up there, you know, I mean you could you just watching the game, you could tell what a struggle it is to communicate

with the offensive line. Well, they need a little docy dough on that one and make those guys struggle exactly that they can't get off on the snap exactly like it causes. Oh, you've got some rushers, you know, you've got rushers like they do. I mean, that's that's that's a pretty even that's a pretty even deal right there. They've you've got a dynamic rusher, they've got one two,

you know. And maybe they're not going to be able to see the ball well when they throw it because there's going to be that big white background in the dance. Do you think that's going to stimulate the crowd all white? Yep, watch out. I don't know. Owls will be waving. Yeah, just need to be loud. And it's a Saturday night those old reunion rowdies. Man, it's just not baton rouge. It's not not baton rouge. If it was baton rouge,

I'd be really happy about that. But no. Could you imagine seeing ninety thousand people jumping up and down in the state Absolutely, I think I bet it's never happened. They able to try to do the wave, but they won't jump up and down the crowd. The crowd has been better this year though now it has it has been better. And trust me, I could be critical. I'm

from Dallas. We are front runners. You know, we need to suck it up a little bit better and know what's going on with the situational football, and you know, and be loud. I just told those guys on the fan when they were talking about the crowd, I said, you know, I can go take you back to the mid eighties at Texas Stadium, late eighties, and people acted like, okay, entertain me. And if you entertain me, I've been excited, sure, but I'm not excited before that. You're in those noon

games at Texas Stadium. I was like, these people just come from church. Yeah, you're not wrong about that, mickey, But you know what. The one of Amari's touchdowns was it Philly, the overtime game at Philly. That's the loudest I've ever heard that building, That that place exploded. Well, that's what it needs. But that's what they put off football. I mean, you know this is my saying. It's it's Brian's right. I think it's been better. It's been allowed,

it's been better. But you know, again, being from Dallas, we need to get off ore, you know what, and and and get and get a little bit more involved. You need to bring in that import that song from LSU to jump around. That's the jump around song. Well, everybody starts jumping Wisconsin, wasn't it? What's what's kind of Washington? Years of Washington? Does that spy? Okay? That Washington place? Tequila?

That's not? And then the fans get into that. Let's buy House of Pain, jump around jump around early ninety thank you? Yeah, there you go. Well they need to jump around, jump around. Did y'all take remy phone calls yesterday? No, we could use some though. We'll take some phone calls today. Anybody remember the phone number to call nine seven? All right? KENK. Garrison is here to take your phone calls when talking

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your whiteout Tommy Johns? They make those, we can ask, Yeah, they deliver some of the next Remember the Tampa Bay game, did I issue the challenge that everyone wears their Tommy their coomy? Did I? Did? I wore mine? Again? We never got the picture taken. Well, that's okay, Bill, we all just kind of. I think it was kind of because you didn't have the hat. That's right, Yeah, Yeah, that's right. Remember I said to Tommy John's in the stetson hats where everybody's in nothing but there Tommy Johns

in a hat. Yeah, I pass on that. I think the rest of the world. We went a low up, So we are wearing our Tommy John, our cowboy Tommy John's on Saturday. There we go. I'm in yoh, all right, I am totally And you're going to wear your white on Saturday too, because this is a white out game as the Cowboys take on the Seahawks in the wild Card round of the playoffs. If you're coming to at and T Stadium to cheer on the Cowboys Saturday night, be sure to wear white. White out at NT Stadium.

Limited number of tickets available now Dallas Cowboys dot com. If I could say hello too, I'm kind of falling along the folks on periscope. That's kind of sometime. I'm kind of getting into this periscope stuff and so submarine stuff, submarine stuff. So I appreciate everybody out there. They're talking about Tommy John, they're talking about special teams. So appreciate everybody out there that that is falling along with us today. It's a big time, all right. And following along with

us today from Pasadena is Jim. You are first up on Talking Cowboys. Hello Jim, Well, happy here, guys, How are you good? Right? Good? Hey? I am concerned about the defense. I don't think we're tackling as well as we did since the Saints game, and I don't think we can afford to do that against this team. They have a powerful runner, they also have a second guy. It's a good scat back from Russell Wilson. He's hard

to tackle. But the defense has to carry us through this game, and they've got to play better to do it. In my view, I think Crawford coming back with Melee Collins together is going to bring nice pressure up the middle and take shows. If you can flush Russell Wilson to his left, He's not near as effective throwing the ball, especially if the ball has been placed on the left hash. Those are my thoughts. Thanks for taking my call. I don't Yeah, I don't agree with him about the non

tackling stuff. I mean it's bad. In the Indianapolis game, Mary Ellie mentioned that and he said he would have liked seen better tackling last week against the Giants. Other than that, he's been happy with it. Yeah, it's the backup, you know, it's a backup guys playing in the game, you know. I mean they held the guy to forty one yards. Other than the one that that one play that yeah, you watched it back here, you could write, you could write a dissertation, a doctorate paper on what

went wrong on that one play. But I think overall, no, I mean, I this defense, the one thing where they've had some problems. This guy's like a Woozier. Hasn't tackled as well as you have, but the money because he's team and it's usually pretty good at tackling. If there's been some breakdowns and stuff like that, I've kind of felt like it's been him. But you know, Xavier Woods, I don't know what Xavier Woods. I was very critical of Xavier Woods this year and his gotta tackle better. Hell,

he knocks people out, you know, good for him. I you know vander Esh how many tackles has he had? One hundred? And he says it's the Saints game, right, That's what you say? Do you get that feeling? I just don't want people to throw stuff out there and and not get challenged on that a little bit. I don't. I don't think it's a bad yeah that you gotta that one. Nothing went right for that Colts game was really bad. And I'll go with him on that one

Vanderesh won seventy six. Yeah, and Chitabez's third at eighty four sixty six solo. By the way, now, a lot of that the corners are tackling guys that catch passes. But he's had a couple run fits that he hasn't

really sure in there. But he on the unlike on the Challes game, a lot of it on the Colts game, I credit the Colts offensive line and where okay, yeah, it's a linebacker might miss a tackle, but that was because he was late getting there, because he was tangling with an offensive lineman and he wasn't in real good

position to take the tackle. I'll say this, Jeff Heath has not tackled as well as he has in the past, even though he on the sixty nine or sixty eight yard run, he was the reason why the guy got to the ground. But but maybe, you know, bouncing off some guys and stuff. I just don't maybe I'm I don't know. I'm watching these games. I don't even I don't feel like that they're they've really been bad. Did

you see Heath in the locker room after that game Sunday? No, I didn't without a shirt on was it bruised up bad? He looked like he had been in a knife fight. Yeah, the bruises all over his body. Yeah, I don't cut up too. Looked like he might have had wayl all right, I just fr fight. He got, he got he was in a heavyweight battle. There you go. You go back and you watch what um colts running back? What was

his name? Marlin Marlin Mac linebackers just getting taken out of plays and go back and he watched the big Barkley run a week ago. It really was the same thing. There really was create a big lane created for him and then an angle from the safety where he had an open space to run. It wasn't necessarily a tackling issue, right, so you know, it's it's just about your your gaps, your runfits and all that. Like Mickey said, oh he might rank high on those most Missed Tackles. Who might Mac? Oh, yeah,

he's a tough back. Yeah that's right, that's right. Yeah, to make sure the Tackles Avoided list where Zeke works twenty ranks twenty ninth and Todd Gurley thirty. Just give him credit. He played really well on that day. You know, it's fine, No he did. That's what I'm saying. He might right rank pretty high. Yeah, that's right, all right, Dak Prescott versus Russell Wilson. I brought it up last segment about the Cowboys would love for Dak to become

Russell Wilson. And it was really Russell Wilson's fourth year in the league. What Dak will be going into next year is where he really stepped up as far as throwing them. Maybe they trusted anymore, maybe they it was by necessity to make up the team, whatever it was, but that's where his numbers went up as far as touchdowns go. But get this a comparison first three years in the NFL, Dak Prescott versus Russell Wilson. Okay, if we all know one loss percentage is about the same.

Of course, Da Dak ranks second in the league behind Tom Brady as far as quarter as wins by a quarterback the last three years at thirty two and sixteen. But anyway, all right, you look at the numbers for Russell Wilson his first three years in the league, both throwing the ball and running the ball, he had eleven thousand, eight hundred and twenty seven yards Okay, Dak Prescott running the ball and throwing the ball eleven thousand, eight hundred

twenty yards Yeah, Russell Wilson by seven yards. Russell Wilson had nine thousand, nine hundred fifty passing eighteen hundred and seventy seven rushing. Dak has ten thousand and eight seventy six passing, nine forty four rushing, so he's got half the number of rushing yards as what Russell Wilson does. Now. Touchdowns produced Russell Wilson first three years seventy two passing touchdowns,

twenty rushing touchdowns for ninety two. Dak had sixty nine or has sixty nine touchdown passes seventy two for Russell Wilson eighteen rushing touchdowns two fewer than Russell Wilson for eighty seven, So the touchdowns are ninety two to eighty seven in favor of Russell Wilson. Interceptions Russell Wilson twenty six, Dak Prescott twenty five. It's almost identical the production of

the two quarterbacks the first three years in the league. Now, the key for Dak is to be able to step up as a pocket passer and be able to win football games like he did against the New York Football Giants. Yeah, Sunday, well, win playoff games. I think Russell play well. That's the other Russell And that brings us to the next top is Dak talked about it yesterday. The legacy that any quarterback has in this specially in this town, is what you do in the postseason. That's what Russell Wilson has

been able to do. Oh no, next to Tom Brady, he's one of those guys. I think he's got eight of them playoff wins, right if you look at it, so yeah, it's you know. And then also the Super Bowl, and a lot has to do with that with Russell Wilson as he played with a team with incredible defense, right, a super Bowl winning defense. How many playoff wins did he have his first three years, Russell Wilson, I can find that here. They got quick. I think they got

bounced his first year. He went one and one his first year, and in twenty thirteen they won the Super Bowl three and ozh and then they lost in the Super Bowl the next year two and one. Overall, he's eight and four in the postseason as a quarterback, and the last couple of times they've been in the playoffs, he's gone. He's won one and lost one each time. Yeah, he's I mean, he's building a Hall of Fame career.

That's a that's a high comparison to make. I mean, I know from the stats perspective, but again, it comes down to winning games. Dak said that yesterday. You know, he agreed with the reporter's question that your quarterbacks defined by whether you win big in the playoffs, and yeah, um, but I always couched that a little bit because there's a lot of great quarterbacks in this league that never won a Super Bowl and some that never really got

that close. You know, there's there's no bigger team game in sports than football. There's none. I mean, I can't make an argument for another one because you you rely. I mean, you've got guys that don't play one side of the football, and so I don't know, but those that's interesting. The stats are interesting, and I think you make a good point, Bill, and that that's what the Cowboys feel about him. It's the time on task that

he's had already. They've invested all his time in him, and he's gotten They feel like he's gotten better, he's grown the intangibles. Some of the things he did the other day. I haven't seen throws like that from him before. Sure, they just think he's gonna keep getting better, you know. Now, whether he can rise to that level of Russell Wilson,

we'll see. And then you know, they both came into the league starting games from day one, so they I mean, he's had Prescott obviously has not missed a game, and he started forty eight games in three years, and Russell Wilson has started every game in his career so far. I was just looking down to periscope. Somebody asked, why would we compare these quarterbacks through different quarterbacks? Are they different quarterbacks? Not really, no, I mean, but they come.

I mean, I'm just I kind of consider them. The size is different, but are the same type of quarterbacks? I you know, I just looked down and again, these are people listening to our show. We just talked about quarterbacks that can extend plays. Yeah, I mean that they both can do that, you know, And and Cowboys have faced other guys like that this season. You know that Shaun Watson, Andrew Luck, Cam Newton, Alex Smith. There's a lot of Mariota all right, Mariota. There's a lot of

guys in the league that have done that. Yeah, so no, I kind of think they're kind of the same guy and even but I mean, you're not the same angibles too, as far as leadership goes that sort of thing. Russell Wilson the third round pick, Dak Prescott a fourth round pick, Russell Wilson, I mean it was a was a good college quarterback. It was got consideration, you know. I mean, he's had he's had a great career. I think there

are very similar quarterbacks. I'm an interesting I'm just kind of looking at him and saying, no, this is people here saying, why are you comparing him? They're not the same quarterback. I don't know. I respect opinion, but I don't know how. But I'm just on our show and they're, yeah, wondering why we're talking about it. But I think they are the same quarterback. I don't know how you read off those stats. And now, no, I don't say they're similar.

You know. Yeah, people saying that Dack's not as accurate at this point in his career. What's interesting is the stats say that he is accurate. Yeah, you know, yeah, but we do see the miss throws. You know, well every quarterback has throws. You just don't see the other quarterbacks. You don't see everything from the other quarterback. Right, He's he's completed sixty seven point seven percent of his passes. Aaron Rodgers completed sixty two point three this year, Tom

Brady sixty five eight. Russell Wilson in his career is sixty four point two percent. Yeah, and Dak's over sixty. I just looked at it. The highest that Russell Wilson has been in twenty fifteen, he completed sixty eight percent of his passes. But you look at him last year it was sixty one percent, and that was a product of what he had around last year. He was as we saw in that game Christmas Eve last year, right, I mean the reason the Seahawks basically won that game

was because of Russell Wilson. Absolutely absolutely game, you know. And yeah, he's sixty six point one percent for his career. Dak is Dak. Yeah. Yeah. So see that's why again I don't that's why I don't agree with him. He doesn't complete the ball down the field, and last week it was thirteen thirty two thirty. Got what the other touch down pass was the four touchdown passes were down the field. He could have had one to him already deep two Yeah, but every two of them, but every

quarterback has that. Yeah. Pressure that was a bad I mean, that was a couple. He got stepped on one of them. I know I saw it. You know you're you're right, your third left guards playing and he gets driven back in and he brushes the plant leg of Dak. Dad can't really step in. Not making excuses for him, but

Mary Cooper was open a couple of times. It was Those have been two huge plays and one of the one of the big differences, I think, and it's not big difference, but it doesn't see Russell Wilson his yards per attempt and uh Dak I believes it's seven point four for this year is what he wound up and uh Wilson, uh eight point one. And but Dak's first year he was right around eight yards per attempt, right, He was down last year to like six point eight,

which was bad, which was bad. Yeah, and the credit he's back up this year. He split that in half at seven point four. Well, Russell Wilson in his career has hovered between seven point seven to eight point two. Last year when he did not have a good team around him, it was down to seven point two. I mean, that's what happens with quarterbacks. A numbers go down when you don't have got a team around Now, you tell you don't block for a guy, you don't catch the

ball for a guy. You know, you don't run the ball for a guy. His quarterbacks looked pretty ordinary, although he did have a career high thirty four touchdown matched his career high with thirty four touchdown passes last year. And so that's that's where you're getting at. Where where I think last Sunday was a great experience for Dak when they did not have in their game plan the run threat, and they had to win that game with

him throwing the football. And that's at times, that's what the last couple of years what Seattle's had to go to. And that's why this year they were adamant with hiring Brian Schottenheimer. Sure he's get back to that power running game. Yep. And the last eight weeks we've seen a more consistent Dak Prescott. Yes, yeah, And what changed? Wait, I'll follow what change? What do you mean? Wh why was he more consistent the last eight games. Yeah, go ahead, Yeah,

something tell me some guy named Amari Cooper. Sure, uh tight ends that grew up. Throw to the back and throw to the back. Yeah, I mean it's amazing, all right. When we come back on Talking Cowboys, how much did the change in the offensive line coach play a factor in what happened in the second half of this season? Talking Cowboys continues in a moment with more of your phone calls. If you're like me and you love, I mean, if you have a thing, then cutting the chord is scary.

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SLOR USA dot com. That's USA dot com. Terms and conditions apply back to talk and cowboys. And if we're talking cowboys, we're talking Get Jack Black and you go to get Jack Black dot com. Slash Cowboys to get your playmaker for JB fades for ten dollars free shipping when you use the code Cowboys go to get Jack Black dot com. You know the other thing that's happened throughout this Cowboys turning the season around the second half

of the year. I think it's been about that long since Mickey has had his copy for the Jack Black read. I think that has been a big plus. So if you believe in jinxes or yeah superstitions, that one of the keys to the Cowboys success is the fact that Micky's had to wing it Jack Black weeks, which means he's better at winging something than reading something, or the team has been motivated by Bicky's reads for Jack Black.

He's had his back against the wall every time at forty minutes after the show, they've got more Jack Black in that. Oh yeah, that's right. Yeah, he's kind of wandered over there and grabbed a bottle or two. Sounds like a bottle of something. Why should I have to order off for it? Yeah, head into the shower. Who's got that who's got that locker right next to the shower area? That's we kind of hang out over there, Zach Martin, there you go, all right. You know where

the super Bowl is going to be played? Atlanta. I've got my reservations for Atlanta. I just got notification last night that they have been approved. I'm gonna be in Atlanta one way or another, one way or another because the game is wondering where. That's right. Tony Romo makes it to a super Bowl this year, CBS, he might be well ahead of all of us. Then well good,

we'll see what we're going to make an adjustment. If the Cowboys make it to Atlanta, I will be there for there for a longer stay as it is right now. I'm Tuesday through Monday. Oh, there you go. That's pretty long stay. Actually was at Atlanta's first time to host the Super Bowl when the Cowy five years got there ninety three. Yeah, I was there. You were there. I was there, yep, when the ticket started. Yes, that was the kind of the first week. That's it was. I was.

I was actually a member of that team. I like then, I know you were too, I was, no, I was two months away. All right. Speaking of Atlanta, the reason I brought up Atlanta is because Adam is in Atlanta and next up on Talking Cowboys. Hey, guys, how are you doing this morning? Great? Good? Yeah, nice segue. I appreciate that. You bet that's Bill Jones, buddy. We have a professional Bob Jones with us ab Jones in Atlanta and a bhil I will agree you would be a

great voice for Big Text. Thank you, sir. In my past life, I was an age waiting birthday. Yes, sir, I used to travel state fairs and my location was right under Big Text. I heard. That's awesome. Um. Question I have for you guys, you know, looking at the last match up with these guys, I kind of looking at whole season. Um, yeah, our special teams hasn't been the best like in past years in a field of position was used and that that first matchup. What can

we do on special teams? I mean, is it a personnel issues that we're not just you know, getting down the field tackling quicker and you know, getting better returns or is it just us in execution or scheme that it's a good question. Coach was talking about that, yes, yea, that they just haven't really created anything or you know, they just don't they don't have a lot of salty veterans on those coverage teams. Either they're flyers, don't that's a product of the young roster. Yeah, they do miss.

They do miss. What he was talking about though, the coach was that the way, And I asked this question, you know, because we see these guys, these kickers consistently put the ball into the end zone, and you get to a point in time where you're you're running, okay, touchback, you're running touchback, You're running oh my gosh, they're bringing it out and you kind of catch yourself. You kind of catch yourself, Oh my gosh, I gotta play blocks.

I've got to play. And I think that we don't have enough enough returns in the game anymore where people are are good enough reps on it. Yeah, you get enough reps because you can't practice it during the year speed. You're not gonna run down. I mean the only special teams coaches will kick the ball short just to get

a look at some of their guys. But when you when you talk about okay, you have three kickoffs and or four kickoffs and three m R touchbacks, it's that one kickoff that all of a sudden you're like, oh, my gosh, we're not getting off blocks, we're not hustling down there. You know, we got oh, we got trapped. I think a lot of it has to do with the way now that you're not allowed to cover. You know, they don't let you have a running start. You have to kind of start. They kick the ball, then you

get the run, So you don't have that. You don't have that ability to go down there and attack the ball like they like they once did. Opponents have twenty five kickoff returns against the Cowboys this season. Cowboys have thirteen. Yeah the entire year. Yeah, now you do that, you put URMs out like, yeah, you put terms like that, wa ain't taking it? Yeah, see that's that's where that you know. And what Okay, where did they rank Mickey? He had the rankings, and from where they find it?

Every one of those. It seems like every kickoff that people have brought back has ended up at the thirty three yard line or the thirty four yard line that they're they're averaging about extra ten yards per where the ball. I'm sorry to me, that's something possession started. Yeah, I mean it seems like that when they do have a kickoff return against him. You're it's like you're I can hold your breath, like, oh, you know, you're ready for that guy to go busting through there and watch watch

them say that they're ranked fifth in the league. But it just appears though as it had been where and that's why you could see it. When we ask Garrett the question, he's like, hey, we're just not running. Yeah, that was a good answer. Yeah, he gave a great answer. He just basically he was I thought he was really honest about it. He's like, we have got to run, we have got to get through blocks, and we've got to get to the football. We cannot be hesitant running

down there and need to be able to run the football. Well, yeah, run to the ball, coach, that's what you said. You said, run to the foot, tackling him and tackling him hard. There we go. Yeah. Yeah, but that he was very he was very you know, I wasn't taken back by the question. He was very adamant that, hey, we're doing a horse bleep job of covering these kicks. So in kickoff return average, the Cowboys ranked twentieth. Okay, in their own their own return their own returns. On defense, they

ranked thirty first. There you go. Hallelujah, I got one, right, Yeah. I mean it seems like to me, every time they're running the ball back, you're just like, I'm like, oh, damn, does it have an average starting position? I kick off? I don't think I've gotten there yet. I just found punts punt returned the Cowboys where thirty first, Yeah, there we go. And then defensively they're sixteenth, So yeah better. Yeah, so kickoff returns thirty first, punt returns sixteenth, covering them. Yeah, okay,

Tavon had one fair catch in his return last week. Now, the one time we had a punt return that actually worked out well was the Houston Games. Tavon brought it back to midfield. Really couldn't do it, you know, gave him a chance to go over to the games. Yeah, exactly exactly. But this this special team's overall, and you could talk about the young guys and and all that, and I'm not busting on anybody for using that as a reason, but you need to somebody needs to make

a damn play. Well, I mean, you have young guys, can't. Yeah, but you can't have the ball being at the third, you know, if but I would hit the ball in the end zone. I would argue, you've had young guys on special teams forever since the salary cap came in, sure, because that's how you fill out the back end of your roster. Yeah, you know, younger guys, draft pick maybe later round guys. You know. Yeah, your starters play less special teams than they did back in the day. There's

a few starters out there. There's a few Jeff Heaths to the world. Ye Heath. Yeah, you know, there's a few like Joe Thomas. That's why he's here, right, Yeah, he's a veteran guy. But see, that's what that's why I worry. I worry about. Okay, if if in fact that we're you're not getting kicks, that's one less first down that teams are having to get, if you think about it. If they're if the balls and ended up at the thirty five yard line, that's you know, that's

just fuel position right there. And they just haven't done a very good job with that. And again, coach was very Coach was adamant about that. And you're facing Tyler Lockett this week and he is a big play threat. But yeah, hope he kicks off seven times. That means you're really kicking their rears, you know. And if if he returns one of them back to mac, fine, but he's averaging twenty five point nine yards a kickoff return just five point seven on punt returns this year. You

gotta kick it away from him on the punts. Don't let him, don't let him bring the ball back. You know. That's that. But people have been asking about the special teams, and then that was our callers question. He's absolutely right. Okay, we're talking about the reasons and everyone points to Amari Cooper. First off, is the reason for the turnaround at midseason? How much have you seen it when you study the offensive line? How big of an impact has the change

in the offensive line coach made you think? Or oh, no, I think it's been good. I think it's been good. They've been they've been a more physical group up front. I think that's with you look at the way, you know, with the runner and the way that he finishes runs, and you know you're getting it's it's a far far different group than I and I'm trust me. I I'm one of those guys. Paul Alexander, I was like, oh, Okay, okay, but but you look at what Mark's come in and

done and been able to accomplish so far. This is a totally looking different group, looking the way that they come off the football and the way they get into people. Well, Garrett says, not always perfect, but but that you could see you could see the difference and just the physicality which these guys playing. Now the holding calls and stuff like that, Now, some of that stuff is that's just technique work. That's Mark Colombo trying to say, Okay, hey,

get your hands inside. You know, Tyrn Smith were right, you know those hands get outside. They're gonna call that on him every time because when he gets his hands outside on somebody, he just dominates them. It's like they can't even get off, you know. So they've they've you know, they he's done a nice job with a group that doesn't have their starting center, has kind of had some backups at left guard. You know, that's gonna say. They proved continuity has been much a real benefit for this

unit for years. And I mean you go back to the start of training camp, I think Lyle Collins is the only one that started every game that from what you opened with and includes Travis Frederick before the illness popped up. So um yeah, I mean just kind of fighting through it. And it hadn't been perfect. Obviously. We talked about the sack numbers. They're high, but you know, you got your leading rusher in the league, and they're still doing what they want to do. First on offense,

and a lot of that's the offensive line. So if I'm reading this kickoff analysis, right, I never knew this was here. Myers kicked off seventy seven times. They've returned twenty five and it says here opponent returns over twenty yards twenty three and the Cowboys have nine. Yeah, yeah, there you go. Run yeah, run faster, run fast, Yeah, run faster. Don't be breaking down, just what you need.

Bill Bates going back. I think it has something to do with the way they allow you to cover, and I think it's also the fact that you get into a rhythm that end zone, end zone, end zone. Oh eight, got a cover and then now the balls the thirty two. I think one day they'll just throw it out. Does not have it, No, I think they'll always have the kickoff return. Yeah, because people it's a chance to it's it's your chance to maybe win a game with limited time.

You know, maybe you could throw the ball. I mean, you can't take an element out. Yeah, what happens. If you want to see what the XFL does, Yeah, what Vince McMahon does. Maybe the XFL will set the trend for what they do for going forward. Don't tell them what the number one. They used to have like a steal the bacon thing at the beginning of the game. And yeah, the very first game, a guy separated his shoulder. Yeah, like one of the guys went in for the ball

and you gotta he got a separated shoulder. Yeah, and then they steal the bacon. Yeah. They put the ball in the middle, in the middle of the field, and some guys just run at the ball and whoever gets the ball, it's like dodgeball, you know, when you go to the middle, you try and get the ball. That's kind of what they had, a dodgeball rule. Whoever recovers it gets the ball gets possession of flipping a coin.

And they did that on each possession or just beginning the beginning of the game, the very first the very first game, a guy separated shoulder is that. Yeah, it it's a pretty tricked up league and he's coming soon to a global live park near you next year. Did you play dodgeball in elementary school? Yeah? Kids playing now trampolines and you had to run to get to the

ball first. Yeah. Yeah, my friends had to go up against each other and I got there just before he did it, and he tripped on the ball, his head on the ground. It was knocked himself. I've seen some massive collisions playing dodgeball. And it funny how Bicky tard that story around. Bake it sound like the other kid did that, But hey, that Nike was the one my fall. He was the one who actually on the ball faster. Yeahs on like tyle floor or whatever it was. It outside.

Hedn't playing a gym for Mickey's men. Somehow we brought the show that minute. We had a wreck room. We didn't have a gym in elementary school. Keep going. That's it. That's the end of the store. Year. Was it what year? Yeah, like nineteen sixty early sixties. Yeah, Well the cowboys are in existence, then so's they're trying trying to get in the playoffs. Welcome to you off the tracks. Yeah, now, I bet I was in Junior High by time they got in the playoffs. Did we do this on this show?

Pick who we think is gonna be in the super Bowl? Yeah we did. You wrote them all down. I had Jacksonville Minnesota. That shows you what I know. No, No, I'm talking after the rig like this week, like reracket play tomorrow, right, I don't we have a show tomrow? Yeah, yes we do. You want to do that tomorrow from the beginning of the season. Yeah, I know, I know. I picked Jacksonville in Minnesota. So that's a big two

els for me. Let's see if I get it written down in here, I think we had all the playoff teams I had. I know I had. Well, if I did the same on this show that I did on CBS, I had New England and Green Bay in the Super Bow, England beating Green Bay. Believe I had the Saints and Steelers don't. Yeah you did? You did? I had New England in Minnesota. Yeah you wrote that down one day, Bill, So we all were wrong. Yeah, I Saints still have a chance, Yeah, Steelers don't. Well in half Jacksonville and

Minnesota have a chance for good draft picks. Maybe yeah, well not Minnesota're kind of picking in the middle of the draft, who did you have, Rob Pats and Vikings. I want to see who we had as division winners. I think you need to find that, Bill. I think that'll be what I'd do. Then that twenty four hours, try to figure out what we picked that would be good Cowboys ten and six, we went by division two. We picked division champs. Yeah right, I got picked Philly.

I think I did. I think I picked Dallas. I guess because I picked the eleven five. I picked Dallas. Nine and seven, no playoffs. I think it's what I did. You had ten and six, What do you have? I had nine and seven? I think jump around? Can't set up to the stadium called Corey. Can we steal that from the college game for Saturday night? Why not? Hand Man? That is that is good and it happens in the end zone at LSU. So you've got to get the people above the bunkers in the first level to start

jumping up and down. There you go, that'd be good. I like that. Make sure you where you're white, see your rows jumping up and down, and I'd be Mickey can lead it. Yeah, I would let me go up there on top of the bunker. Right, we're putting on top of the kettle. Turn the kettle over and have it jumping up and down on the kettle. You could be in the kettle and if I jumped me all you'll see it with my head to see the hand

to be like mickey, do it. Let's do it. There you go, all right, all right, all right, we'll talk at you tomorrow. So yeah. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.