Talkin' Cowboys: Distracted Dez Speaks Out

the Star, how are you guys doing? Or the Cowboys practicing outside again indoors, indoorsdoors Thursday? Was it cold in the Ford Center today? Mickey? Might be? They probably turned the heat off. Okay, Yeah, I didn't know. You know, they've been practicing outdoors for the past three weeks. And then of course it is going to be a really cold game on Sunday, and I didn't know if they're going to keep that. Yeah, how cold is going to be? Low of nine, Mick, I have twenty at game time.

At game time probably around fifteen, Yeah, one o'clock. That's frozen tundrass style. Yeah, you guys need a little that in your life, do we though? Yeah, sure you do. I'm insight, sure you do. Come ban, No, no, right, Lindsey and I do an award winning show in the Star. You do do that award take that show on the road. We're good. What if I bought your steak on Saturday night downtown Philly, you know I wouldn't even go for a steak. I used to live in Philly. Philly is

a good Philly cheese name. I name you Philly Cheesetack. I'll tell you what, though, it's a it'll be interesting because of the conditions, you know, of how how you play. I mean, Jason Garrett obviously is going to play to try and win this football game. So you know, how will his young quarterback handle things? Uh? You know the receivers. I wrote about a woozy having to cover you know all Sean Jeffrey this week, this for this game, is he gonna play? Yeah? Yeah, like you know, you might

as well make up a matchup. But a Woozia, I mean, that's the great thing about Jeffrey. He knows how to play in cold weather. So you know, you get some guys a Woozia's from Colorado. He knows what it's like to play with the toe is cold and your fingers cold as well. Jeffrey had a pretty good game in that uh yeah thirteen game in Chicago, right, yeah, sure did. Yeah, so, I mean that's what I'm saying. But but the Cowboys didn't have their last time they faced the Eagles. They

didn't have this uh defensive bat configuration in play. So it should be interesting, you know, with Zach Erntz and also with Jeffrey and those guys. I mean, hey, cover him up. Let's see if those sleeve nick Foles can you know, can they knock him around a little bit. I like you bringing the positivity and optimism of this game. If you're gonna go win it, go win it. What was he being positive or optimistic about that? You know?

The Eagles haven't seen this dB coordination. Yeah no, I mean, and I'm interested to see how they how the Cowboys play against these guys, I really am. And if if if Doug Peterson doesn't play, any of the guys, Okay, I get it, but hey, these young guys, I want to see him finish out well, I do. I want to see Jeffrey covered. I want to see you know, I want to see Tory Smith covered, Nelson Aguilar covered well.

With the victory on Sunday, the Cowboys would end with a nine and seven record and would post back to back winning seasons for the first time since two thousand and nine. So a lot of people talking about what a meaningless game this is. Obviously, you know, no playoff imp implications here, but it does mean the difference between an eight and eight season in a nine and seven season. And these guys have been playing since July and and some of them deserve to look back on a winning season.

Zeke reference winning season Toay yesterday, and I think that matters. I think they can look at this season and say, we didn't make the playoffs, but as much crap as we've been through and things didn't go our way and some of itself inflicted, we won more games than we lost. I mean, that's something you can at least hang your hat on, knowing that you're not in the postseason. They'll be sick. If Carolina gets all over Atlanta and knocks

them out. You know that that will make them sick, and they'll come up one game shot, and they'll come up one game short. And then but then it's the you know, it's the situation. You look at Philadelphia was seven and nine last year and now look what happened. I had to turnaround. You just want to be more consistent, you really do. That's the thing about it. You want to find a way. You know, we always talk about this,

so is this a must win game? We've said it a lot here, all of the must win because of where you're at. You only play sixteen appen. This isn't the NBA or the NHL or you know, major League Baseball. This is you. You have to you have to find a way to put yourself in position to win all

these games. And they didn't. That's the biggest problem. Yeah, and before we get into all of the Dez craziness from the locker room, which craziness was probably the wrong word there, because it was actually refreshing to see him get into all that. But you know, you bring up rob Zeke Elliott talking about a winning season, and it's crazy to think that he's only one hundred and twenty yards away from a one thousand yards season only playing

nine games with his suspension. Amazing, isn't it. Yeah, do you guys think that he will play enough in this game to actually get close to that or even reach that. I don't know what the game plan is. We're just assuming that all players will play. But that's a good question. I don't know. I don't know if he's gonna get twenty five carries, and that's might be what it takes.

But the way Jason Garrett's talking sure sounds like I are going up there to go win a football I think he's gonna get twenty five carries, Jason Garrett said today, Rob and you heard it, and Mickey heard it. We all heard it. On Dallas Cowboys dot Com. The question was asked, it's Cooper Rush getting any reps and the answer was, no, he's not. With a succinct no, yeah, no, I mean they're going to go and win this football game. Try to win this football game now that you know,

we'll see if they're good enough to do it. But Ezekiel getting twenty five carries on a frigid day in Philadelphia, Yeah, this is what he lives for. He's done this in his career at Ohio State. The colder, the better, Just hand me the football. You know, we've seen him dig his fingernails in a ball, you know, in Washington, and we couldn't even hang on to it to finish game there. He said he's itching to play. Yeah, and you can't blame him after sitting out of me. Hey, I've taken

six games. Yeah, you only get to play ten. I've taken game season and you gain a thousand yards, that's that's one hundred yards is a game? Yeah? To me, I've taken the attitude of why but if if they're gonna, if they're gonna practice and go up there with the attitude to play and win, by all means, go try and do it now again, know what the ramifications are

and know what the possibilities are. But if you walk out of there healthy and with the victory, he did the right thing, go ahead to take no. I was just going, I think you end this season on a positive note too, because Dak talked a lot about a positive note is good going into the off season, and I think, you know a lot of people don't don't

take that into account. I remember two years ago, the twenty fifteen season, Terrence Williams ended that game against the Redskins with his best performance all year, and he said that was very important to him. To just keep it going and that I think it was a Derek Jeter or maybe an A Rod comparison he had, Yeah remember that right? Yeah? Yeah? I think so you could be one and you could be five and one against your division this year. If you win this football game, that's big.

That is big. I mean, I think you're gonna be the best record, right yeah, I think that if you know, that's that's what you look at. Now. You spit the bid along the way some of these games. We've talked about it. It's well documented. But you're five and one. When's the last time the Cowboys went five and one against the division. I'm going to guarantee you though, what was the record last you lost two games in Giant two? There were three and three lost two games of Giants

one game in Philadelphia? Yeah that one counted, did ye? Yeah? So that's I'm saying. You know, you'd have to go back, I think, to find out when this team was five and one in the division. If they do go into this game and you know, they get a win, how much do you think it benefits these young guys going throughout this season? Kind of like, hey, what you just said? Rob? Dealing with everything they dealt with. Next year, it's gonna be like, hey, there's a breeze. Yeah, absolutely, I think.

And I thought it was interesting what Garrett, He made a good point yesterday and that you mentioned the young guys. They're playing just about every young guy you can play, at least in some type of role. I mean, unless you want to go down the list further and say, oh, well, maybe Cooper Rush could get some snaps in a meaningless game, or Blake Jarwin or something like that. But you look on defense, you got a first year linebacker, you got three rookie dbs, you got a bunch of young guys

out there playing, so more experienced for them. Any type of positive experience and just experience playing in general is good for them. In this game, I think there's a couple of things that happened. They got experience on what it means to have to play in a big game last week, but sorry, they should say every week since the Washington game has been a playoff game for them and now, and that's where we started to see that

young guys play. They got pressure pack play the last five six weeks, go up there, finish out the season, gainst Philadelphia have a good showing. You know, I'm sure those kids, you know, their bodies are tired. I mean a lot of them are struggling with you know, I think they would like to get to the offseason say Okay, I made it, I'm healthy now I'm looking forward to getting it. I know this experience, I know what to expect, I know what they expect of me. I think those

are all positive things going forward. Yeah, you want to you want to go out there and shut down Jeffrey. You want to shut down Nelson Aguilar. You want to get a pass rush if you're Taco Charlton and get Nick Foles on the ground. You do want to do that. I mean, some guys are playing pretty well. You want to build on that. A lot less Taco bashing going on right now because people are actually seeing some positive things.

Go out there and have another game, and now this coaching staff will say, Okay, this is our plan for him going forward. This is what we need to do with him going forward, This is what we need to have to prepare him going forward. I think it's a great experience. Again, I'm from the school of you know what they I understand what they're doing. I want to try and protect my team the best I can. But you know, if they're going to play to win, go win,

and we reference that. Yeah, it is a balancing act. I mean you could take that tact and say let's just get out of the seas. Some teams in NFL at have the Rams and the Chiefs, but they're playing playoff games. I will say offensively, I feel better about it today than I did. Maybe, yes, today, hearing that Lyle Collins he's going to practice today, looks like he

could be on track to play. If he's healthy, he's fine, then at least you're not without your two starting tackles if you're Dak Prescott, Zekol Elliott, and then you could be a little more functional. Like I was wondering about that because because Lyle has been dealing with something that has kept him out of practice for a lot this last month. So if he can go, then maybe that's that's a better feeling for your offense in this game. And just think, if Taco gets one more sack, that's

four in a limited time. It's not bad for a rookie defensive an. Now, once he got rid of more, he started playing. They made a good decision there right, and more probably kind of self inflicted. Looks like some video coming out about him fighting and all that. So preemptive strike, get rid of him and now let Taco play more. And that's good. That's what you gotta do. And he got experience. You can't beat that. And you know,

have a little success to finish the season. Yeah, I mean, I bet go back and look at some of the first round draft choices to see how many of them got four sacks. Oh, I'll tell you what. You can look at Derek Burnett. He's the Philadelphia He was drafted ahead of Taco. A lot of people had him way high up the food board, you know, food chain there on the draft stuff food board, food of the board. We got you. Yeah, but you know what I mean. So,

I mean he that's some say he's a starter. Taco needs to walk out of here feeling damn good about himself. You know I mean that that. Okay, Now I can go into the off season. I know what I have to work on. I know my experience. I know I need to go get in the weight room getting stronger. I need to get with Leon, letting those guys and work on some pass rush moves. He'll be better equipped for the OTAs and Mini can and then maybe next year when he gets held, they'll throw a flag. Yeah

he got held bad. What are you seeing technically from him? That's better? Well, you know what, it's actually starting to win more on the edge, where before he rushes down the middle and he can't win that way. He's got to win to the corner. You know, I didn't know if he had the quickness to grab a guy, to snatch a guy to get around the corner and flatten the angle. He's shown that. You know, that's something when if you don't have that ability as a pass rusher,

you're never going to get to the quarterback. And he's starting to keep his feet. Yeah, balance is better, right, yeah, balance as much? Man, What did we see in training camp? He always was on the ground, had to wash his uniform every week because of his uniform was dirt, grass stains from being on the ground all the time. Mickey's right, better balance, better positioning with his body, better footwork, better handwork.

You know those are the things I mean. Start, he start looks like he's starting to listen to the coaches say, hey, you need to do this, and if you rush down the middle, you're not going to get there. And he's done a better job of that. And let's see if you can take advantage of some you know, VITEI the tackle it, you know for the for the Eagles here, I mean, it's not Jason Peters, So go go do it.

Go take advantage of that. Have we heard much from the Eagles camp side what their plan is for this game, who's playing or not? I feel like I haven't seen much. Do they have home field wrapped up? Flayff? Yes, then then you know what it's gonna be like last year in reverse? In reverse? Right, you're gonna you're not gonna see. But yeah, I liked your idea, Mickey, though about you know, getting Nick Foles some more playing time and getting him

more comfortable. They might give him a half, give him a couple of series like a rehearsal game. Yeah, I mean he will. He will be in there until somebody's wrapped around his neck and then he'll be out. I don't even know who their backup is set. Yeah, he's a second year guy from Indiana, but he's got to be in there with his starting line otherwise there's no point. No, I mean but but this is one of those things you only dress forty six. Yeah, it's not a ninety.

There's only so many linemen you can play. It's not a ninety. So what happens is, yeah, but as soon as as soon as one of those lineman hit him or go low or knock him on the ground, Doug Peterson's gold go. But we're thinking it's it's no time to see Cooper rush this week on the opposite side for the Cowboys. I guess not. I guess not. I think it goes back to Jason's mentality of we're gonna lie, We're gonna treat this like this game matters, and he has to write yeah, and hey, by the way, dak

is still a young quarterback. Every every start, every snap helps. As long as again, like I said, as long as he's got you know, most of his group with him, the guys up front blocking, then yeah, I'm okay with that. And Zeke's back, Zeke wants to play, Zeke probably needs to play. I'm okay with that. But it is a balancing act. Like Brian said, you could take the tact of let's just get out of the season healthy, treat it like a preseason almost, But that's not the way

they're treating it. They got a chance to win nine games and they're gonna try to do it. Looks like they've got like nine offensive linemans, so they can't just yeah, totally take the bag it out. Yeah, you're talking about the Eagles. The Eagles. Yeah, yeah, I just talking to people about practice yesterday, and Garrett said it today. It's worth repeating. Oh, I take it back. They only got eight so they can't pull everybody. Yeah. Yeah, we're gonna

say about Gret m Yeah he he his approach. I mean, NA asked, you know, Christie Scales asked about Cooper Rush getting reps. No, No, I don't think I mean, I don't think that was a well we'll see that was a no that you know, And talking to people yesterday, Dak Prescott was able to he went the whole way in practice. Yeah he's not. They're they're not. They're going

to win this football game. And you know what they could do with Cooper Rush because obviously he's no better than your backup next year, right, right, Put him in a backup situation and say okay, you're in yeah, right, because that would be what would happen in the regular season. But if Dad got hurt, you kind of hope that Dallas gets ahead. And Philly says, it's cold and we were saving ourselves and you kind of mash them around a little bit and it becomes a laugher in the

second half. And yeah, and then he becomes Cooper Rush against San Francisco where he's handing the ball off, throwing the ball underneath simple game plan. Mike Mickey says, all right, hey, Dack's out, Cooper, grab your helmet, go bom. There you go. There's your You're not we're not prepping you. You're We're gonna see how you're gonna react without reps. That's his job, right, that's his job. Yeah, to be ready. That would be

good practice, have you really good practice? Yeah? And you know what, hats off to these rookies too, because no one's acknowledging that most of their seasons are over by now. Oh yeah, the season said there. There are a lot of tired bodies out there right now. Yeah, are over. You know, they've either gone to a bowl game or they ended around. Thinks that's what Jordan Lewis told me the other day. It's like it's essentially like we've I've

played double what I'm normally playing with the factor in preseason. See, but that Jordan Lewis is the only one that's gone the whole year. That's fair or Lewis. But Jordan Lewis didn't go really at all in training camp. I mean he was he was a non non player in training camp. There was questions about how his rookie year was even

going to be if he didn't practice. Yeah, So to me, these rookies can kind of talk about, well, now you know ZEKEI, I mean, Zeke was last year was a I mean, I'm just looking at these guys, these young guys, and it's good that they get to play. Yeah, so many different factors there. Well, let's take our first break. When we come back, we have to talk about Dez Bryant and what he said in the locker room YESTERD yesterday. That's next. It can be hard to find the right

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freedom where it counts. With over three million parasol, we've put in the hustle to make sure you're nestled. Shop exclusive Cowboys underwear at Tommy john dot com, Forward Slash Cowboys, Thank you, Robert T shirts too, and sucks thank you, thank you, Thank you for the open honesty by offered the chains and chest here. We saw some open honesty from Dez Bryant yesterday. Because there's not many days in the locker room that Dak and Zeke can get overshadowed.

I think that's pretty fair to say. Of course, Wednesday's the usual day that Dak and Zeke talk, and he did and they were great. I mean, Zeke was much longer than I expected. And then Dez Bryant became available for the media. And and I'll let Rob and make you take it away and Brian and I will listen and give a commentary on it. But what were your first impressions of Dez Bryant's open, honest frustrations about his

own season contract? So much more? Take it away? Go ahead ahead, Well, I first off, the interception in question where Dak hit him in both his hands. He owned up to that completely, said that was my faults play I gotta make he also man, he just he covered the whole gamut from would you expect to not be here next year? Potentially potential pay cut, all that speculation.

He addressed all that stuff and kind of went back and forth, but ultimately said that's not something he would want to consider, which can you blame him given the money that he's due next season. But you know, he really opened up about a situation. I think he's fresh traded like taste said, mentioned the scheme, said he and Dak are good. Uh, but you know he would like to be more involved. At the same time, I think and Mickey we've discussed this. This is a different offense

than when he came into this team. Um, what's seven years ago? Yeah, I'm much different from last year. Well, Mick, before you get in yours, Kent says that we have a few cuts. So kind of what Rob says, if you'll if you'll play that Kent before Mickey gets into it, Yeah, this one's about the question. I guess. He gets a lot of flak on social media about his route running and so he wanted to address that. This is one of many things that does talked about yesterday in the

locker room. Here we go, man, let me actually pull that up real quick on Dalla stowboys dot com. Yes, it is what we're you gonna say, though, Micky, you're saying it's not too much difference since last year. Yeah, what's I mean the scheme changed? Oh like you to say that different routes, Yeah, you know, running different routes. You know. One thing I hate hearing is um right here, um people say, oh I can't run routes. You know

some of the film that I see. Uh My, damn, I'm running rout a lot better than this person and this person. You know. It's all about the opportunities, you know, and um, you know it is what it is. Hey, man, I'm I'm this Brian baby all the day. You know. It's just you know, knows what it is? Does Brent all day? God love him? Yeah? Hey, he's a competitor and he knows he's being criticized. Yeah, and he doesn't mean so prideful. It just needs to stay off of

social media. But they can't. They can't, and we will see that more and more because it is so second nature to them. They're finding their own validation and what other people are saying and that, and that to me is sad. You know a lot of these guys, they go on social media and if they have a great game, oh, retweeting everyone here reading this. Man, everyone loves me. I have the most followers on Instagram. This matters to these guys shouldn't and they should stay off the talk radio

and they need to listen. They need to learn to know who they should listen to and who they shouldn't. The whole thing gets distorted when you get into that situation. Did he did he forget how to run routes in the offseason? No, because the last seven games last year, if you just took those seven games and factor him over a season, he had a Pro Bowl season. Absolutely.

So what happened. What happened? Quarterback didn't play as well, the offensive line didn't play as well, and there was other factors, and there was things that I think he wanted to say, sure, but he didn't. He caught himself, and I give him credit for that. Was there a frustration, Yeah, you know, I thought the the best thing that came out was the fact that He admitted that he'd been dealing with the tendonitis this whole time. Now, you know tendonitis.

Everybody's got something soreness hurts. Yeah, and you know he didn't miss time, he didn't miss practice. He pointed out. No, he goes, I'm a warrior year. You know I'm gonna I'm gonna play. But I'm sure it affects your speed at some point. Um, I just to me the whole thing what Brian just said, The whole thing's mystifying. How you can have All anybody has to do is go call up the Packer game, the playoff game. Sure he was a he was All Pro in that game. So

what happened. Yeah, he's healthy. We thought, I don't know how much the tendon nine has bothered him. And as tendon ninus, we think goes back to what the Chiefs game said Kansas City about a month and a half ago, a halfway of the season. Yeah, that was eight games. So you know, there's a lot of things. And he talked about his frustrations and you know, and Brian and I have pointed this out. When he gets in a

game and he gets frustrated, he loses his poise. And it causes him to play freely and he starts trying too hard. That's what he did in that game. He was trying too hard. It's got to sit there and relax. Okay, I caught a pass. I love having the ball in my left hand, but you know what, on the sideline it should be in my right hand. And I'm not going anywhere because there's three guys in front of me.

Just get out of bounce. Yeah. You know, if you're gonna run a route over the middle and you're supposed to settle down five yards, then settle down. Don't try running before the ball gets there. Before you get into that. Let's play the Cluttered Mind clip where he talks about kind of dealing with some of these different things when

he doesn't have a clear minded play game. Like I said, just got to focus on things I can control, and then only I can control, you know, And I know if if I don't, if my mom not cluttered, I can beat whoever and whenever, anybody at any time. You know, it's just you know, um, sometimes they send things get to me that I should I mean, what did how did deck put it? Control the controllable? What were you

gonna say, Brandon, No, I think he's right. I think to what happens with Dez is he's his emotion got the best of like he said, you know, Mickey said, changed the ball. But he's the left handed player. We understand that he tried to run over a guy instead of just getting out of bounce and fighting for the next play. And I give him full credit. With Maxwell knocking the ball out of his hands, I mean that's Maxwell wanted no part of him. You could tell he's

backing up. He just punches the ball straight out of his hands. You know, that's a that's an understanding of you know, no one who you're playing right here. But you know, to me, there's so many things that have led to the problems that they've had, and I think everybody's frustrated because the offense was really the star of coming into the season. The offense was gonna you know, Dak was not going to regress because of Dez Bryant,

the offensive line and Ezekiel Elliott. That wasn't going to happen. So what happened you had Dak Prescott not play very good football at times this year because of the offensive line, the lack of the running game with Zekiel and Dez Bryant not being as consistent as he's usually is. You know, I think that there's a lot too it Dez Bryant. When you know, when Dak Prescott was not able to throw the ball in the move, that was going to

be a problem. When you see offensive linemen have problems blocking one on one, that was going to be a problem. When you saw Noah Ezekiel Eliot in the game and there was no threat there, that was going to be a problem, you know. And then with Dez Bryant's inability, like I say, to catch the football. You know how many times Dez Bryant can make one hand and catches all day We've seen, we've been we've been marveled by watching him warm up and just you know, the way

he snatches the football and stuff. When he drops balls that are right in his hands, something's wrong And almost I mean in that play, it's almost like he's thinking end zone, run after catch and just securing the football first and just trying to make a big play instead of first the little play and then try to But you know what, he's had success doing that. He's punished people with the football, right hands and so, and that's a frustrated guy running a football. He had a drop yea,

he had to slant drop. Yeah, you try to tackle me Maxwell, I'm gonna just run right over you and I'll get five more yards out of the play. And he wasn't thinking. Maxwell was like, I want no party. You punch the ball out. You know. That's a smart play on his part. But I think the biggest I don't think. I think again, the questions going into this season were not offensively. The questions coming into the season was defensively. And I think that's where I think that's

where everybody's having the problem. I don't think Scott Linehan got stupid from last year to this year. I really don't. Now as he made some mistakes along the way with a play call. Yeah, but that happens in games. We see it all the time. You know, Lett go back to Seattle, they lost a Super Bowl on a stupid call by Daryl Darren Bevel not to run the ball right there on the goal line with with Marshawn Lynch. That was a stupid play that lost a Super Bowl.

Think about that. Okay, So now you mean coaches do make bad decisions but but it's about execution as well. It's about des Bryant securing the football. It's about ezekiel Let running the football. It's about Byrne Bell getting his guy one on one. Yeah, you know. And it's about Dak Prescott making an accurate throw on the move or

making the right read. When the coaches call a play where it's an RPO and a guy's open, that's that's Those are things, I mean, those are all factors that deal into why people have fifteen minute locker room conversations of what's wrong. Yeah. I liked when he said, for me, the most frustrating part is they don't know what goes on in house. He's talking about the media. You got a lot of people just yapping at the mouth like they just know, they don't know how we run things

over here. Well, I thought Zeke made Zeke actually made a lot of sense yesterday. We ought to be playing his cuts. What was the difference plans, what was the what was the what was the difference between last year and this year? We one close games last year, sure, we lost two close games, by the way, and he didn't bring up the Chargers game, and he didn't bring up Atlanta. He brought up the Rams and the Packers. He was in those ones. Yeah, that's right, and you're right,

so that's why we have that's why we had that poll. Right. No, he pointed it out. And then you know, he also pointed out that when they questioned him about not getting the ball on the goal line, he says, we probably threw six touchdown passes, and I don't know what the number was, but his point was that play has worked on the goal line when we've hit Beasley out of the slot. No, but it's worked when you're throwing the ball to Jason Witten who still blocked nobody, which you

pointed out right correctly yesterday. But that's but that is but point. He's pointing out some things that I think are very accurate. He's absolutely right, I mean, and that's you know again, Scott Linahan to me, I think you give Scott Linahan credit. I will say this, and and I was told this from guys in the scouting department, and I'm happy to admit this. They give the coach's

credit for bringing Dak Prescott here. You know, And I don't think I think everybody's quick to like dismiss Dak Prescott, you know, and I think that Majorito's people probably are Tony Romo fans that are They're very happy right now to say see told you so. We're last year they couldn't say see told you so. You know, they just want to be right. Yeah, it sounds familiar tone. Yeah, absolutely not. Don't make stuff up. Yeah, I am right. I will say this about Dea. I've always said this

about Dez and I respect him for it. He you know, you never see him talk publicly about his frustrations with things, scheme whatever. He wants to win so badly, and when he doesn't, that's when he might air some of that, you know. And and some guys receivers worried about just getting theirs, and he is. He is acquiesced in this

situation where it's a run first offense. And I think you do have to look at that and say, his numbers in the last couple of years they were going to be down because the way the Cowboys do things. But when they're not winning, that's when things like this surface. And you know, you did mention the scheme, but there's also things he could have done better to maximize his opportunities and like Brian said, it all goes together. You can't focus on one or two guys offensively. I'm not

willing to point the finger at one guy here. When you look at the whole body of work, when you do the autopsy, you know you don't just look at one section. You look at the whole, the whole thing, the whole thing. If I told you at the beginning of the season that the defense is going to finish ranked higher than the offense, would never probably thought me I was crazy. Well, right now, it's the offense is fourteenth,

the defense is eleventh. Yeah, and I can remember saying one of the things that had to happen this year. Can the defense make that next jump because they've been getting better and better better each year each week last year or was fourteenth, Can they get to the top ten? Right? Well, you know, if they have a good game against the Eagles,

they might finish tenth. The defense played well enough in that game to get you to an opportunity to maybe play again against Philadelphia with a chance to get in the playoffs. That's that's how well they played down the stretch. Just immediately when you said that, making the thing that I was thinking of is who can you put a

majority of responsibility on that for? Is it the coaching on each side of the ball, or is it the personnel, the growth, the growth of the defense, or the just the overall demise are going from a playoff team to a non player? Yeah, if you have here's your defense, you have a defensive coordinator, and you have a personnel, their success hand in hand. I think they I think they gambled on getting rid of veteran players in the

secondary and it paid off. For true point, and now now it was a slow It was a slow ascend up the mountain, and I wish that they could have done it in week Again, I think the problem you hodded in the sea and the Chargers game magnified what you needed to do. And you know, maybe they could they could have made that decision quicker. But I felt like that they gambled on no Church, no car, no Clayborn,

and it paid off, and it bade it off. Eventually they felt like that group had reached a ceiling, you know, and maybe they were the fourteenth best defense, right and that's what they were. And with that group, with that group veteran guys, you're not thinking upside with those guys anymore who approaching thirty years old, and and then you factor in money, and it's like, we can get younger, we can get faster, maybe a little more dynamic, but

there's gonna be some growing pains. And these guys by by late December, they're looking like future cornerstones of this defense. Right now? Do you see them doing the same thing for a position this year like they did with the secondary one position? And just yeah, saturated, Yeah, just saturated, and say, you know what, we're gonna bite the bullet on A, B and C and just go ahead and and try a whole new line of attack for the offensive side. You're saying just in general, enjoy you might

you might have to replenish your linebackers. Maybe that's the well, but that's gonna come down to two things. Can you resign Hitchens? Yeah? And what is your evaluation going forward of Jalen Smith? What do you project he can do? Is he a sixteen game sixty snap a game starter? Because if he is, then he's your middle linebacker. Buy Anthony Hitchings and then you don't sign Anthony Hitchens, right, But if you say you start sucking breath, yeah, then

you gotta sign Hitchens. Yeah, and then you can't sign Hitchens and say Jalen Smith's gonna help me some and then use your first round draft choice we talked about it yesterday, and then sign another linebacker. Yeah, in the first round. I mean, draft a first round linebacker? Sure? How do you do that? Because if Hitchins is here, he's your middle linebacker, right, where's that guy gonna play? You know what I hate to say. For this last month of the season, I think we saw the end

of David Irving here. Yeah? Maybe really you think so? Yeah, even though he's restricted and you can can kind of control Yeah, but I think that you can. You can kind of heade your bet. Yeah, he's right. Yeah, Okay, I'm gonna I can either do him on his you know, normal get him a minimum right or a second round or a second round. See I I you know, yeah, you can control your risks. I want to. I'm gonna, you know what if it's second round, if it's a

second round tender. I still don't know if anybody would do that. I still don't. I mean, now maybe somebody would, yea, And I think that I think, to be honest with you, I believe that that if somebody offered them a second round tender on him, that they would take the second round pick. I've been saying that too, and it's no knock against him, but second round picks are well, they push his commodity. They busted a few of them here, well they have, but I mean it's I mean, first round,

huge second round pick. You're expecting teams expect their second round pick to be starters. I mean, how many games year one, if not year two, how many games is he gonna end up playing this year? Eight? Well, he missed the first four, but eight, yeah, yeah, because he would have been four and four, four and four, yeah, bookends.

I'm just you know, it's interesting you're saying that, though, Brian, because just because man, before he got hurt, he was looking like he had put five sacks in his first five games, looked like maybe the most dynamic defender other than DeMarcus Lawrence that they have. I have a feeling that they Yeah, I have a feeling that they just they tender what they have to tender, and if it if it turns into a move on situation, they move on.

It's almost like let somebody else decide how much he's worth, because if it's a second, it's not gonna even be three million dollars. Well, it'll be to something. Yeah, if no one, you know, and and I would think, well, you never know what other people think. Right. If it was me and I saw this guy and what his production is and then the Cowboys say, oh, I'm just gonna tender him a second, boy, I'd have a red flag going ahead and saying, okay, I'm gonna sign you

for three years fifteen million dollars. Yeah, there's some teams Saint Jacksonville looks like they've had some success with their draft, and then who they signed defensively, maybe somebody say, you know Clais Campbell and Bouoye and those guys that they signed. Maybe somebody's you know, the Giants. You look at what the Giants gave the Cowboys fits last year with the guys that they signed, you know, with the corner and

with the defense. I mean, some teams might say, hey, we're a David Irving away in a rotation from being pretty good defensive, and we've got salary cap money, and we can go ahead and and bet three million dollars. I just have a feeling I just have a feeling that that that if they're gonna, they're gonna, they're gonna let this thing go if you gotta express your feelings, as des Maria showed us yesterday. So thank you. Let's

take our final break here. When we come back, we will get into Rob's Twitter pool and so much more that's up next. Cowboys fans know that the second best of anything simply won't cut it, and your skincare should be no different. A long time locker room favorite of the players and the official men's skincare brand of the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas based Jack Black is the number one best selling men's skincare brand in the country because we make products that help guys look, smell, and feel better.

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it's what's up top that matters. Sure, you need men with the muscle and heart to get her done. But if your scouts and coaches are listening out there a word of advice. Pick the man with the most well worn stetson. That's the one most cut out to be a cowboy. Stetson hats are handmade right here in Texas and have been on Cowboys heads for over one hundred fifty years. The rest of you can visit stetson dot com slash cowboy to find a retailer nearest you. What

does it mean to be a Dallas Cowboys fan. It means you've got the passion of the heart to do your part supporting the boys no matter what That's why when the game's on the line, you're on your feet, whether you're at home or in the stands. Actually, you're more than a fan. You are a member of Cowboys Nation, and so is AT and T doing their part to keep you connected to America's team all season law AT and T is a proud member of Cowboys Nation. This

is talking Cowboys. This is Papa John's pizza. Now here's what it is. The ingredients the veggians, one fork and beef on the pepperoni. And when you have ingredients like that minus the salary on that pizza, it is Papa John's. I like it. I like it. The energy, Mickey, you're bringing it. Bring us home, Rob with your Twitter pool. I thought we had a nice segue at the end of segment two beautiful discussing the rise of this defense. Could they rise to top ten status by the end

of the season. Here's today's question. With the season coming to a close, which phase do you feel best about on the Cowboys heading into twenty eighteen? Offense, defense or special teams? I want the obvious answer, defense, defense, Brian, is the defense now the strength of this football team? I still think it has a lot of questions. I think it has questions or really, what you're gonna do. Are you gonna be able to franchise tag your rusher?

What's the health of the linebackers. Don't think you have any questions about what the corners could be, you know, I think there's some you know, but man, you have some you would figure that as the offensive line. I mean, you're probably gonna lose your left guard. You know, you don't think Cooper's back. I don't think Jonathan Cooper's back. I don't you want them back? Played pretty well. I'm in a situation where I think you're gonna need Mickey

swing tackles a really good plan right there. Yeah, you know you got it. You better figure something out for Cole Beasley too. You better figure out how to get him more open. You better figure out, Hey, Zekiellett, you know, be careful with yourself in the offseason. My friend, need you for all sixteen next year? Bubble wrap them? Yeah, you know, I think Dak Prescott's gonna work hard. I think he's gonna try and do what he has to do to learn and be better. You know, I think

the coaches need to help him with some stuff. You know, I don't feel good help him. But here's here's all of a sudden, now I'm a kickers starting to missfield goals. You know, felt good about the punter, felt good about the coverage teams, felt good about the returner, except when he fumbled in the Rams game that killed Mickeys, That killed Mickey's dream. Yeah, there's a lot of quarter. Do I sound like there's a lot of questions on this team? Sure, oh nine and seven there are, but no, no, no,

when you go oh nine seven guaranteed to win. No, when you go to when you you go two and fourteen like the Giants, you're gonna go. I just kind of named off a lot of things, didn't they for nine and seventeen? Yeah? You did, which is amazing to think that they were able to get there. That was going to be my point. They were one win away if they win this last game. The case with every team though some of the way. No, No, there's some really bad teams in this league. How there's questions on

going into an offseason with every team. Forty Niners feel better? Yes, Yeah, they got a quarter. Yeah, but I'm just saying from a salary cap Era's perspective, You're always gonna have questions about certain guys contract, right. You gotta deal with guys getting a little older, right, you know, it's never perfect for any team. I think we've seen across the league this year. There's not a great team in this league right now. There's really not. So there's a lot of

good team. I think Philadelphia is a great team with your quarterback, with their quarterback, what's the questions? What's the vikings? But the vikings obviously playing with a backup quarterback too. Who do you feel best about what position? With phase? I still think the offense is personnel is the best of the three groups. And here's another question you got Tyrn Smith has dealt with a lot of stuff this year. The back has been bothering for a couple of years now.

If he can get back and he's okay there, I'm I'm still leaning an offense because you've still got three Pro bowlers on your offensive line that are your foundation, that helps your running game. You've still got a young quarterback you feel good about. Does Bryant can still be a productive receiver in this league? Are you hoping there now? Are you open? What do you think last year was an accident. What asking, Brian, I'm just saying offense was

last year an accident? No, I think they were. I think their offense was really good because of their ability to run the football, and I think that I think they that helped him. I don't know now with where the offensive line is. I don't know if you can get really the consistency. You want Mickey to be honest with you, well, because the offense is going to affect you running the ball if it's healthy. Is it healthy though?

That's the question. And and and we've we've dealt all year long with a bulky left tackles health, and we've dealt now with a with a right tackles health who has to deal with a back injury. The consistency of the left guard has not been great. Second round tackle that can play guard, that's going to be the top priority in the draft. You would enroll with Cooper again next year? Is your left guard? I let me ask you this as my back is the is the offensive

lines downfall has affected the whole team? Yes? Yes, yes, absolutely so. Everybody feels good about the offense, though right I feel better about the defense. I need two spots. You need a linebacker and a swing No on the offensive line. Oh, you need a left guard tackle and a left guard. But you but your swing tackle might play guard. It's what you're saying. Maybe maybe see that's it's got to be, or he's a tackle for the future. I don't know. I think at the end of the day,

Mickey had this all right, the offensive lines issues. It was really that. It wasn't Zeke being out of the lineup. It was the offensive lines problems because the offensive line made Dak Prescott what he is. Offensive line made Ezekiel what he is. The offensive line helped. See. We keep talking about does Bryant and all we do is look at his numbers. No, but go back and look at the plays that caused those. Oh no, I'm with how many passes do you think tipped off some? But he's

hand for an interception this year? Half dozen? Oh we had six pick sixes, right, am? I right? Four or four? Ye? And at least three he had some. He had some clang passes, There's no doubt about that. I'm gonna say a lot of that had to do with problems you had with your offensive line. Let's be honest. Protection. I mean, look at what happened in this last game. I love Tyrn Smith, but was Tyrn Smith the reliable player this year? Wasn't healthy? No, it's I'm saying his health caused you

to have problems. They net Mickey's right. Actually never his absence he played through. They never if they never when he was out of the lineup, they never solidified that position right right, And I'm saying if there there is a question, obviously can he come back be Hell if he is, You've still got three elite players up front. There's no reason that your offensive line can't be better than next year. Maybe it's not going to be what it was in twenty fourteen, but it should still be

a strength on your football. It's just an elite offensive line. This year it hasn't been. It has not been, but that potential still there. You still got guys in the prime of their career. Oh I I'm with you. I'm with you on three or four of them. Yeah, but that one spot the problem is, and who's behind those guys when they get Your left tackle is an elite player, right, The problem is how much can you rely on your left tackle? What's his How old is he? Twenty six?

I think yeah. Six. He turned twenty six on December twelve, twelve. Any big guy with a back, I mean, that's it's something you got to think about and make sure you got to manage that. But I think they can manage it. The problem was he had a straight groin and then he had a spray knee. Can he get it fixed like DeMarcus did over the off season. No, it's not a disc Yeah, it's see. Let me ask you guys

this though. I mean no, No, I know you want to switch the left guard and you talk about Collins back, but what are you going to invest to do that? You know, what are you gonna spend in free agency on and a left guard? You didn't resign Ron Leary Nick, it's a draft one. I don't disagree with him. There gonna draft one that's gonna step in and start for you. Yes, you have to second or third round be better than what you got right now, as team has a history

of not picking those guys very well. Either come second round over second or third round guys. Was on third with Chaz Green. I'm just saying it's not it's not this easy fix. You go find yourself another Ron Leary. You know, you do have three pieces that when they're healthy, to me, it ought to be good enough to be a really good offensive line. But and Collins too, He's played better and better except when one of the pieces is out. Do you see them indulging in free agency

more for this? See that's my points. They just don't ever seem to spin like that. They're gonna focus on Zach Martin becoming the richest guard. You think they bottom feed for a guard? I think you have to now, don't that's your solution. But you just bottom fix Bride. It's my bridge. But I gotta find somebody to play that spot, and I got I'm make a bad face at Umia. I'm just sitting there thinking about how many times it's the bottom feed. They bottom feeded on ron

Learry and it worked right well, they took it. They had They actually got ron Learry out of the draft, right, I know, But it was kind of a bottom feed because he ended up being a free He's got a knee problem, right, exactly problem they said people had him off the board. It's very similar what they've done in the past. They bottom feed on Lale Collins. That was an extraordinary uni, right, But they they made sure that

they went and got him. They bottom fed on Nolan Carroll. Yeah, and that didn't work Steven, who retired even five games in the season. Yeah. See, so bottom feeding to me is not the answer. No, I'm with you on drafting the draft guy. I mean, they were taking how do I say it, just say it, educated chance on a Ron Leary. Yeah, because they knew about him. Oh, they had a high enough great on finimum salary. Yeah, undrafted, right, I didn't spend any money on these bottom feeders they signed,

thank god. No. But but you're still that being said, and Tay's pointing this out, and she's right. Nold Carroll stepped in as your starter, he wouldn't have Zozy was healthy. Maybe maybe not. Paia will look like a key piece in the defensive line during Yeah, they were counting on a couple of these guys. Try more in the rotation too. I worry about the Cedric Thornton's of the world, that kind of ye. I worry about that when somebody comes with that name and Stephen Jones goes, Okay, well, is

this is this guy Cedric Thornton. It's like the time that Jerry Jones asked me about Leroy Glover. Can this guy really play? I'm about to hand him five million dollars, you know, but but it might be a little gunshi there were they maybe they took those chances on not Thornton because he was here already, but Paia. Yeah, and it wasn't much right, right, because they knew David Irving was going to be suspended for four games. Yeah, they got rid of more Hia and in the corner because

they had trust that MALIEK. Collins was going to be one of their starters in there, right, and then David Irving. You you had to do something there because he wasn't going to be there for four games. So there was a little secondary thought there and what you had to do. All right, let me ask you this, keep it rolling legitimate guard starting guard free agency or Anthony Hitchins in free agency. I think I'm going after a legitimate defensive end.

I might draft when they're t bolster your pass, but that's gonnat you ad another zeke. Let me ask you this, well, yeah, that's gotta beat Taco. Yeah. Well, let me think about you're gonna you're gonna pay Anthony Hitchens or you're gonna pay a quality left guard that can start. You gonna have to tell me what's the prognosis on Jalen Smith. Jalen Smith, this is gonna play sixteen games for you. I mean he snaps per game. He's gonna play them all.

But then I can't resign Hitchens, So you gotta go through. I hate to say it. Yeah, that's gonna be the hardest thing. Okay, what what's gonna make what's gonna make you what's gonna make you cringe? What's gonna make you cringe? I have to because if I do it that way, then I've got to have another what's the stat line that's gonna or what's this recently? A decent not high like a first round pick, but somebody that can come

in and play linebacker. Yeah, as a backup, right, And I can't do that in the first round if the guy's not going to be a starter. Yeah, like ray Kuan Smith from Georgia. Yeah, because if I do that, then you know, but I won't know. You want somebody's play, don't I want somebody that In case Jalen can't do it or Sean Lee can't do it, I can have a guy and that amazed. A backup, you're being held

hostage now by two good players. I mean, I think Jalen Smith is going to be a good player, but the unknown that he's just talking about now has held you hosta They've got to get a very good medical evaluation of where they think he's at, and they will. But can you get it soon enough? Like, can you get it by April? They think, No, they think he's gonna be better than eighteen. They do, and they can. That was the timeline he played. He's played sixty more games.

I thought he would they honestly, I think all along they were looking at twenty eighteen even Yeah, well they were here in the fact that he played sixteen. Doctor Steiner basically said twenty eighteen will be his season. He plays ten games for the season to make you cringe. Yes, okay, does that make you want to go get Yes, Anthy Hitchins. Yes, what's more important to Anthony Hitchens or that left guard?

I have to get the left guard in the draft? Okay, Yeah, that's the cheapest way to do it, and then maybe I can afford Hitchens, because you know what Hitchens can he may be Jalen Smith out who knows the biggest bus factor in the draft if you had to go get a linebacker or the guard guard. They've missed on guards years ago, I mean pre McLay. Yeah, you know, do you trust him now? Draft an offensive lineman David

Arkin in the third round? Oh well that's ancient history. Yeah, but I'm just saying, just saying, it's not an exact science. Regardless of who's pulling the trigger for you, that one should have been exact. Okay, yeah, okay, MC David Arkin about Chads Green in the third he didn't know he was going to be hurt. For two, he was hurt coming in. Chads Green was not terrible last year. No, he wasn't. Anybody was hurt. Right, let me ask you this.

He missed, he missed all of last year. Basically interested in replacing the offensive line coach? Would that be a consideration. I mean, I know, I know nobody wants to get fired. I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be Oh you're not firing anybody. But they were pretty good last year. Yeah yeah, right, minus one spot. Yeah, Siekes got more rushing yards than Emmett did in this first There you go. I'm hesitant there. And by the way we're talking about all this, you

gotta pick and shoes. You may have to make hard decisions. That's why I'm very tapped the brakes on his dad's gonna be back, because man, if you were to let him go, then you create another big void of how do you know he always talks about that if you get rid of guys, who's gonna tell me who might replace me? And he's right about that. He is right. Well, you're gonna spend a first round pick now on receiver. I just, oh yeah, would drive him nuts if he

knew he needed a linebacker or needed another position. Because it's established they're not gonna spend tons of money in free agencies. Jack Martin is their big free agent or or and also the rush end. Right, they're gonna give seventeen million dollars. They're gonna guarantee seventeen million dollars to Lawrence think about franchise tag Yeah, yeah, hopefully it CAP's going up. Wow wow, Well before we go, we have two minutes left, but let's get to Denny and why

he's been paid on the line. Denny, sorry to cut you short. Hello, Hello, how are you guys doing thanks very good, Danny. Yeah, that's really quick. Um this offseason, do you think that Will McClay and Stephen Jones really sits down with um Marinelli or with the offense? Like I think we need more team speed on offense and then on defense. I want a true number one technique to keep guys off of Jalen and and um leet.

That's what I really want. And you know, can they sit them down and convinced them to take these guys on? Thank you so much, Alla, Hello, thank you. Can you get that guy from Texas from last night? Ninety five? I'll tell you what. Why was his name? Pop Poa? Somebody asked me about it last night. I had not looked at him. Somebody on Twitter asked me big enough to take up two spots machine with arms? Oh it was, We'll see that's Washington's got a guy too the university WinCE.

And by the way, some one techniques in this draft. You need the number one punter in the in the draft. I saw him last night from Texas? Are you kidding me? I can't wait pee of the game. I can't wait for your player breakdowns coming up with the draft. Please use coke machine with arms at point. Please do that. I'll tell them what that that that they've got some one techniques in this draft. You're gonna have to convince Rod to do that now. The next question is though

about speed. Everybody's seeing Christian Kirk play. Yes, sex's A and M. That's that's a legitimate guy right there. If you want a guy that can stretch, can stretch defenses, can run routes with the same speed, explosives, electric player at the college. It's five eleven, he's two hundred pounds, he's thick enough. There's a lot of things that you can do with him. How about the kicks? How about the guy at SMU. I'm small, No, no, he's a

six three, you know type guy, good player. The problem is making I'm getting away from these big, big guys that aren't great route runners. I think you have to be able to separate. I really really do. You guys are great. Previous show coming our next week a game on Sunday. There is a game, and we'll have a Friday show, our last day show up, showing up tomorrow. I'll be there, Mickey. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club