Talkin' Cowboys: Final Look Before Tampa

in Frisco. As we are saying it with our check here on this Tuesday morning, I hope you have your coffees ready because guess what this is gonna be our normal time moving forward, Nina, for the rest of the year. We will be at nine or excuse me, nine am Central Time every weekday from here on out, except for this week. We take Wednesday and Thursday off, but then we'll be back Friday to talk about the Dallas Cowboys

and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Is the regular season is finally here as always alongside heck My Harrison, Isaiah stand Back, Rob Phillips, I'm Kyle Yeoman's and gentlemen, it just feels a little bit different in the building this week. It's got that buzz, it's got that feeling of football being back in heck min, I know you're excited about it, man, I think everybody should be excited. Football is back on every weekend until what Valentine's Day something something like that.

So I got all my hunt, Isaiah, I got my honey dude list, taking care of honey dude, the honey dude. It's already done. I clean the shed, I've stacked the wood, I donated all the clothes, I rearranged the closet. Okay, I'm good to go. I should have no requirements that should take me away. I'm with you from football this whole fall, at least on paper. You know there will be something. There will be something that you need. I needed you. I needed you to confirm with put your

pip hand out, come out. Not me. That's not gonna be me, not my house. What is a backhand? Yeah? But hey, you're right, I can. I can delay horse racing until April now on TV. I got stuff to watch all fall. I was watching horse racing last night as well. Right, those are jack of ball trades. I'm my press. Yeah, man, I definitely wasn't watching You Gotta Find You Hobbies during quarantine, I was playing Madden. Okay about that's true. That's true. Hey, here we go. Hit

Sticks coming up later this week as well. So shameless. Yeah, it was definitely a shameless We've got a lot to talk about because that's the thing is is this is the final week where we don't get to go every weekday with our podcast. So because of that, news kind of stack up on each other as we get along in the week. And so let's start with probably the biggest news of the week, and that's Zach martin COVID

nineteen list as of was it. Saturday was the day that that was officially reported, So this is the first time we've gotten to talk about it on this show specifically. But Zach Martin is listed currently as out for the Thursday match up with the Buccaneers, so a backup plan at right guard looks like Connor McGovern will be that fill in. What is the specifics in the details surrounding that whole scenario or he's not officially ruled out And Jerry Jones on the fan just now he's holding out

like this much sliver So he said it again today. Yeah, I mean what you need. And I know fans like jumped on this and said, why isn't he vaccinated? Well, just based off of the protocols that they're discussing, he's vaccinated because he needs two negative tests twenty four hours apart, and he also has to be symptom free. So it's possible. But Jerry even said the fan this morning, based on their experience, they need more time than what they have.

So yeah, you're right, they're preparing for Connor McGovern to be the starting right guard on Thursday night. It's crazy to think like there could be a timeline there that that would fit into, because I mean, it's gonna be wild against the wall anyways, and it would have to be a perfect case scenario of no symptoms, really no fallback whatsoever from having COVID or testing positive anyways if

you're Zach Martin. So yeah, that's tough for me to really think that this is a possibility that he's ready to go. But Isaiah, based off of what you saw throughout training camp, how ready is a Connor mcgoverned to step in and be the starter at right guard, even if it is just for a game. Yeah, I didn't

like it. I didn't like it. I think, you know, in preseason and throughout the camp, I think we talked to you know and extensively about what that second line really looks like, you know, coming off of last year's experience, you know, Terrence Steele, the you know, Connor mcgovernance, and I didn't like what I saw. I feel I think we mentioned a couple of weeks back. I feel like both of those guys took a step back, including Night.

I'm hopeful, I would say, I'm very hopeful that it should he have to play that he will kind of revert back to how he was finishing last year, which was on a higher note. He was starting to play well. But just from what I've seen this year, um, I'm not confident in his ability to step in and feel that role. And let's not get it confused. Nobody can replace Martin, all right, but we have to be able to come in and do enough to be efficient on offense because they have all their dogs back now on

that defensive line. That that hopeful was like puberty octave level. So yeah, that so that means you're not very hopeful, you know. But I think for McGovern honestly, we didn't see him at right guard. We saw him primarily at left guard. And so look, my thing with McGovern has always been, you know, I love big ten offensive lineman period because I feel like they have the propensity to fire off the ball. That's just a running league where

they come from. So that's the one thing. And then based off of his play last year filling in for Zach Wants the concussion in Arizona, I believe he filled in then, and the calf and the calf after that starts it right. Absolutely, So he has he has film, and he has experience. And you talk about that a lot of Isaiah about throwing guys to the wolves that don't have any experience. Where here is Konna McGovern and we have to rely on his experience. You're absolutely right.

There is no replacing number seventy, period dot the end. So don't even worry about that. The thing is is that Kona mcgovernment can come in and be serviceable. The bigger question is how healthy is Lyoh okay, because if lio can actually play up no, no, if LiOH can actually play up to where he'd been pre injury, then I think that's what's going to catapult and make that shore up that right side, because he's pretty much soltered

next to you, gotta say it shaking his head. And you just got on me before the show saying, I just have nothing but negativity of feed. See. I wasn't gonna I wasn't gonna bring that up. I was gonna bring Lyle's issues up. I wasn't gonna do it. Was like I'm in church and I'm reading Rod rob sweets like crap. I didn't say that. No, I say that. I did not say that at all. I was I started with a sh what I said, let's pray forward and and to your points since since you brought it up, Okay,

I'm concerned. I am very concerned because Lyle Collins is not one hundred percent healthy. No, no, no. The major injury that most people are concerned about, obviously is the hip. That's what most people are gonna be. What he's coming back, what he's coming back from, however, what has kept him out most recently the neck. The neck stinger, right, and for those I've never had a stinger, stinger is essentially an impingement of your nerve. Right, I've had a stinger

and it hurts. Okay, I had a stinger in Seattle camp. One time I went to go around my little, my little hitch route right over the middle of the ball, quarterback through the ball opposite away linebacker came boom hit me the opposite direction, and I sat there for a minute because I couldn't move right and literally the nerve gets gets pinched and it shuts down that portion of your body. Now, it could be very temporary, it could be something that's elongated, right, That's why you see varying.

Some guys get right back in the game and they're good to go. Some guys are out for a week. And the scary thing about about the nerve damage portion of it, okay, at about those stingers, is it's easily triggered again. Yea, So even though we have Collins back in the starting lineup, it takes one play. And I'm sorry to scare everybody like that, but that's me understanding the reality of this particular injury. He's healed until he's not.

It takes one shot, and that one shot that sent him right back to the same protocol he was in before. You're right, And that's why the last week of training camp and even these practices that they had what they called like the bye week last Friday and Saturday. They held him out because try to let it calm down. And it must be calmed down because they had a full padded practice yesterday, full participate and so that's heck,

that's good news. But you're right, I mean, once you get into real, full live contact, it could flare up again. It's definitely a possibility. Heck one's face whenever Rob just looked at you and said, that's good news, and then heck, mone was just pure cold. Why. I mean because the reality of what could potentially be right. It could we potentially not have Martin, You could potentially not have Collins at some point in time in the game. So now

you're right side of offensive line is not there. That's that's a reality. That's the reality that we hope we don't see. But that is a potential. Well, once you start talking about the lineup that you know our offensive line is going against, I think that's where the cold is is that Shaq batt, Vida Bay and dominquinsue. At some point you know this line is gonna be tested. They're gonna have to hold up. I mean, it's it's one hundred percent healthy line is gonna have a problem

with it every single time. But that's the thing I mean this is there's so many question marks about this offense because we hadn't seen it. Maybe that's one of the great things going into this game is that the great unknown. But those questions will be as absolutely first

second quarter. Everybody will be familiar with one another. How will Tampa Bay come back this because, like you said, Isaiah, with Connor McGovern being at right guard, I mean he saw six hundred plus snaps last year at right guards, so that's a positive because he did fill in the back half of the season for Zack Martin. How would they come? Are they gonna send the house? Are they

gonna bring Devin White? Are they gonna just blitz? That's the scary guys, that's the scary thing about about Tampa, Right, Tampa doesn't have to blitz. No, they don't have to blitz. They have two of the most dominant interior defensive linement in the game, right, Vita Vea and right, two dogs right and Gholst. And then you got that's the reality, right, and then you put JPP and Barred on the outside.

They don't have to blitz. Now, should they choose to blitz, they have some guys at the second level that just may be able to get to you a little quicker than you are like to. So they present a problem even with one hundred percent healthy offensive line. So I to answer that they don't have to blitz, Well, they blitz probably probably their defense is going their defense and their defense coordinator that's his in Mo. They gonna they're gonna apply pressure and they're gonna come after you. Do

we know them? Do we know their defensive coordinator? I think we do. We do, And so they're gonna come after. They're gonna come after. Da Dak is gonna have to make some adjustments at the line of scrimmage. It's always been that way. And with the right ankle, I expect for defenses to see where he is tasked, where he is uh, you know, it wants to me if the Cowboy has become one dimensional at any point in this game, that is when they are going to unleash the hounds.

That's what And the same thing that you saw in the Super Bowl. Once they saw that, Kansas City turned one dimensional and made everything and they play defensive play calling easier I went back and watched that game two nights ago, and every play that Mahomes had just just curious. And it's hard to compare because of how just wrecked the Chiefs off their line was. I mean, they were down like third on their depth chart at certain spots

and they moved over. I think MS. Mike Rimmers timmers to their right tackle spot and shack Barrett just all night long. And you're right, they only blitzed like less than ten percent of dropbacks in that game because they didn't have to. Yeah, and when they did blitz, like, like Kyle said, Devin White pressuring and I think one of one of Pat's two picks were on a blitz. So like, I think the Cowboys are even with Zach out, they're more intact than that games. But are they going

to be challenged? Absolutely? And that four man rush based on what we've seen last year. I mean, it wasn't just the Chiefs being banged up. They had forty eight sacks last year throughout the season. I don't going into this game if I'm Top Bowls and I'm the defensive coordinator for ten Bay, I am not. Now you're going to blitz, right, But I'm gonna probably be along those lines of probably ten percent of my total snaps blitzing. The reason why is because why would I give Dak

Prescott an opportunity to get a big play? Why would I risk that? Right? So I'm gonna sit back, I'm gonna play coverage, right, and I'm gonna I'm gonna ask my four guys up front to get home. I like that,

and I like the fact if they do that. I think that benefits I think that benefits Dak, and I think that Kellen Moore is going to scheme a game plan to give Dak the confidence that he needs, easy throws, easy reads, to build that confidence up everything in the middle slot, because we know where they're most susceptible, and that's in the running game. They were twenty first, twenty

second in passing all right, number one in running. You can't overlook that, so most teams could not run versus them. But we have to get the running game on the rug. We have to, we have to establish it because at some point if we don't, then, like you said, like you just mentioned, they're gonna simplify their game play and just come with their guys up front. It's gonna be tough without Zach. I mean, Zeke said it the other day. He said, damn, he said their best player, best player

on offense, and most of our runs. I mean, I mean I mentioned it. Last season at one point some of it was with Zachett right tackle. They were dominating in the run game, even with all the other injuries and backup quarterbacks in there. I mean, he is the centerpiece of their run game besides Zeke obviously. Yeah, and Connor McGovern is gonna have to step in and fill that role luckily. I mean, Isaiah, you were pretty down on Connor mcgoverned, and you still are pretty down on

Connor McGovern a lot of people, especially last year. He was the most improved offensive lineman by far from beginning to end of the year. In twenty twenty, I thought he took a step to be decent again. Like we said, you're not going to replace Zack Martin. Nobody can. And if the expectation for Cowboys fans out there is to replace Zach Martin, you will be let down on Thursday.

So do not think that's the case. But I think if you're going to pick a guy to fill a role, it would be Connor McGovern filling in for Zach Martin. He's your sixth man off of the bench, and that

makes me feel a little bit better. And it kind of goes back to what Heckma was saying, as long as Lyle Collins is healthy and able to play, because if not, if it's if it's Connor McGovern and Terrence Steel or Connor mcgovernor and Tying sec who missed practice yesterday, I'm just saying, it doesn't make me feel like I feel good about McGovern if he plays like he played last year. Okay, from what I've seen in camp, I don't feel confident. From what I saw last year, I

feel confident. But sometimes guys neither the person in front of them removed before they get that dog back in him right for whatever whatever. For whatever reason, some guys kind of get tentative when there's somebody in front of them that they know that's he's that's boss man, that's the that's the that's the man that runs things. So I'm a fall back, right and I'm not myself anymore.

But once he's out the picture of what did he do last year he stepped up, I'm Connor freaking McGovern right, So maybe I'm hoping that that's what shows up if he has to step in and play McGovern and Connor McGovern just he kind of went to Jalen Smith route with having the injury, sitting out red shirting basically and so and then you know, getting himself healthy and then playing last year again. I'm not as much as people want the Skies falling mentality with this with Zach Martin.

I understand, Look, he's going to be a great absence and void in an offensive line. But I guess the great thing is it's temporary. We're not talking about for the rest of the season, and so we can gain plan this up for just one game. I feel comfortable with what we're gonna do. And you know, he's gotten quite a few reps at right guard throughout training camp, left guard too, because you know, they give Zach a

little bit of a break. He's a vet. They're moving Connor Williams at times inside at center to give him some first team reps. So you've given him opportunities with the first team throughout camp plus the Stars. Yet last year, he'll be prepared and look, they've let him focus mostly on guard, not center. Even though they didn't really have a backup center going into camp and he's played it

in college. That's a fantastic point because the coaching staff had an opportunity to say, Hey, Connor Williams or Connor McGovern, who's going to be our backup center. Let's let Connor McGovern work on being a guard. Well, now he's got a chance to step up into that open spot and potentially make a huge impact come Thursday night. Who else is going to make a big impact? Who's a sleep?

Were on both sides of the football for the Dallas Cowboys will give you our picks when we return with more Talking Cowboys, presented by Tostitos Honey, Big News, Gary, Are you okay? Oh? I'm not Gary anymore. I'm Jackie Flash. What see? I want the latest smartphone? But the best deals are only for new customers. So to get a new customer deal, I change my name to Jackie Flash. Okay, But the best smartphone deals at AT and T are for everyone, new and existing customers. That's huge. Then guess

who's getting a deal? Is it Jackie Flash? Jackie Flash? It's not complicated. At AT and T our best smartphone deals are for everyone. Restrictions apply. Is it att dot com for details the new Doctor Pepper zero sugar. You deserve it. I do deserve that. You deserve decadent flavor without sugar, and a day at the beach without sam getting everywhere, and a relaxing bath that your children don't interrupt. I deserve all that. It's really just a visual metaphor

for Doctor Pepper zero sugar everything you want. It's nothing you don't, a visual metaphor on the radio. I do deserve that, Doctor Pepper zero sugar, the zero you deserve is finally here. Before there was a draft, you could size up a cowboy by three simple factors, the crease in his hat, the bend of his brim, and his unbending attitude a man. Stetson didn't just protect him from what life through at him. It projected a rugged, unstoppable spirit.

Stetson hats are still American, made with pride. Right here in Texas, there's still the unofficial crowd of all self respecting cowboys, and Stetson is proud to be on the field with America's team. Find a retailer nearest to you at Stetson dot com. Slash Cowboys there's nothing as unique as our eyes, which is why SLOR pioneers ways to make lenses as unique as you. Varilux were Super Sharp Vision, Essential Blue for protection, and Crisolve for freedom from glare.

Three cutting edge solutions in a single unique lens. So whatever your needs, insist on selor visit your local SLOR experts and find a perfect lens for you. See more, Do more Lore to talk in Cowboys, be sure to join us for a free watch party at the Miller Lighthouse at at and T Stadium on Thursday, September ninth as your Dallas Cowboys kickoff the season in Tampa Bay. Enjoy yard games, beer gardens, performances by the Dallas Cowboys

Cheerleaders and Dallas Cowboys Rhythm and Blue and more. Doors open at five thirty and kickoff is at seven twenty. For more information, you can go online and visit at and T Stadium dot com. That's a free watch party. There's no tickets, no or I don't I don't want to say no parking. I'm not exactly sure what the parking situation is like, but I know there's no tickets needed to get into that, and I mean basically beer and Games and the Cowboys cheerleaders and Rhythm and Blue.

I mean, how why would you not show up to Miller Lighthouse. Rob's going to be there at some point. Yeah, I told you, I already told you. Yeah, every week, all the time. Yes, Yeah, welcome back into Talking Cowboys. I love whenever we get Rob kind of just on the back heels a little bit. Not mean what time? What time of night? We're talking here? Ahead? Oh goodness, Yeah, Talking Cowboys presented by Tostitos, heck My Harris and Isaiah stand back, Rob Phillips, I'm Kyle Yeoman's and let's get

into some sleepers. These are guys on both sides of the football that you feel like are gonna make an impact, but maybe aren't the headliners of the offense going in. And I don't want to necessarily outline the headliners because that could change the opinion of what you guys think, but impact players that aren't necessarily at the forefront. We're gonna start with you, Heckma on the offensive side of the ball, then we'll go defensive in a second. Well,

thank you for coming to me first, Kyle. I well, I should I really appreciate you. You always get so mad when we take here. Guys don't know what happened in the studio. What my sleeper for this game is going to be Tony Pollard. And the reason why I say Tony Pollard is just through OTAs and just watching the different ways that Kellen Moore was lining him up.

I think that he has an opportunity to really break some big ones and knowing how aggressive Tampa's defense is going to be, I think getting Tony Pollard on those screens when sometimes when they line him out in the slot, we've seen that, and also him out in the backfield, I think those are going to be beneficial for him and his speed. And that's why I'm saying that he's a sleeper for this game. I like it. I like it. I'm going with Tyler be honest. Oh wow, yeah, yeah yeah, TB.

The reason why I say TV because he has his hands for and I think that he is going to have his moment. This is this is the if there is ever gonna be a game, his coming out game. This has to be a reason being it's the biggest challenge of his life. Right. He has two dogs on the inside, Big va Vell, Who's gonna sit up there

and try to bull rush them all day long. And then he also has Oo and DOMINICANSU right the savvy vent and I think if he comes out there and bust these guys in the mouth, he can shock them. And if we have him at the forefront, we can't do anything productive on his offensive line unless he has a game. So that's why I say this our sleeper pick, because if we want to move the ball in the pass game, guess what he has to set the protection. If we want to run the ball, guess where it

starts at. He has to be able to take one of those guys at a half body and move him out the dog on hole if we want to have any hope at running the ball. So I'm taking TB for the winning RTB, not their TV, not their TV. Y. Yeah, this is TB six three instead of I like what you did there, TB six three. Um. The thing about Tyler beotish and I love your point here because if Connor McGovern is your right guard, and even if not one hundred percent Lyo Collins is out of right tackle,

where do you want to run the football? You're gonna want to run it left around your strong side of your or your offensive line. Either way you want to run the ball, Tyler be honest part in the middle. Yeah, And so if you wanted to kind of switch it up and maybe throw the defense off a little bit, you need him to set the tone on the right side of that offensive line, especially if those two guys are the ones in the game. So I love that

point overall. I think as a sleeper, somebody who maybe won't show up in the stat sheet, but man, he needs to put filing. Yeah, makes make an impact there. I'll go with the law firm of Dalton and Schultz, and I say that I say both because they're both gonna play, but take your pick on which tight end. Because we just talked about how the Bucks, if they can get home with four, they don't have to blitz as much, and what they did in the super Bowl and what they did when they had that type of

successor in the season. As you can play shell coverage and you can you know, put two safeties over the top and limit things downfield. I mean, Kellen Moore made great points in the in the training camp about how

offense you have to have chunk plays. You know, you've got to be able to make plays down the field, and they have obviously guys who can do that, but you know, if that's the situation for this offense Thursday night, they're gonna have to make some plays kind of underneath the middle of the field and try to open things up a little bit. So that's why I think both guys might have an opportunity to make some plays in

the passing game. Goodness, I'm so excited to see both of them back on the field at the same time after the year that Scholtz had a year ago. And I think they're gonna be a safety blanket for Dak. I think those easy reads, especially with pressure coming down on them slot tight end, He's gonna be looking for those guys. I kind of gonna be post game. I think they got to play some some basketball, some big man basketball, and played within that five six yards and

just bodied those those smaller linebackers up. Those linebackers they can run. Those linebackers can run, but they're not the biggest, right So I think that they have the advantage there in terms of just boom running five yards, bodying up, get big kettle five yard dincon duncks and move the chains Devin White's pretty big. But outside of that, I mean, there's not the big he's two thirty seven, it's not

six feet He's not. Like when I watch it. I wrote about this today, a lot of his skill set reminds me of Michael Parsons, Like, I mean four sub four four speed, can run, can blitz, can do all those things. But they're different body types. Mike is a bigger linebacker, but he's built like I mean, he swollen. You know you're right he is. I mean, but when you talk about Jarwin, freaking Jarwin's two two fifty something, Yeah,

six six five two fifty something. That's the twenty plus pound plus five inches, And what you're talking about is posting that talking about post game, that's talking about you know, So I Honda, it kind of goes back to what Heckman was talking about earlier. If Kellen Moore having to scheme up that confidence builder for Dak early on the easy passes, the easy scheme, the tight ends are going to be a key part in that. So I like

that point as well. And initially I say that initially, but I think you're gonna have opportunities with coop and gallop and lamb to take the top off of this defense. See, I don't think we're gonna come out in Danka dunk. I don't you think I think that. I think Tampa's expecting that. And but to the same thought process that you just had, Right, let's get let's get him some confidence. Right,

let's get Dack some confidence. I think we're gonna come out play actually and throw over the dog on top and try to bust and try to bust them in their mouth. You have to bust Tampa in the mouth. You can't go out there and just say we're just gonna move the ball down the field. We're just gonna run the ball against this front seven and we're just gonna, you know, get you and keep moving to chains. No, you gotta bust these casts in the mouth and say back up, back up. Now we can get back to

our regular offense. And that's kind of what Kellen talked about it. Camp was like you if you try over and over again, and you need to establish the run and all that for sure, but over and over again, these long drives like something eventually bad may happen. You know, you gotta hit chunk plays. And what Tampa is one of the only teams that can match this team in

terms of offensive firepower. Yeah, And the reality is when you take your shots down the field usually too you know, probably sixty six percent at a time, some good's gonna happen. He's gonna complete it right, You're gonna get a pass interference right, or guess what, you throw it out of bounds and you're on to the next play. So, I mean, the chances of something positive happening for you are really good. With our receivers. Let me ask all this and Jerry

was asked about this on the fan this morning. We've touched on a little bit. Do you are you guys concerned with rust with this offense week one? No, not really. In the time guys have missed, they haven't really all been together this whole camp for the most part, I

think you have to be. I mean, the continuity of your offense hasn't been in a real game, and we understand that the lights will be on and the whole environment it's going to change, and I think that's gonna make the difference, especially coming from a COVID nineteen year where you didn't have anybody in the building. I mean, man, do you Thursday night is going to be rocking. And you got a team that hasn't been in front of

a live audience all together. How is that? I think there has to naturally be some rust for Dak and for as long as he has been out, because most people don't get better away from playing football. I think on any portion of the game that I can foresee us being a little rusty as comes in the form of that most fans don't see. And that's in the

non verbals. That's in a non verbal communication, that's in you know, coming up to the line of scrimmage, you see something over there, I look over a to receiver like and I give it all ahead. And that's a whole message, right, A little that's like a little more cold. It's like I look at you and I'm like, all right in colleagues, I mean, he's like, yeah, let's go. And I just changed your I just changed your play right.

The reason why because we watched film last week, and when we watch film, we talked about when they come out in this, in this, in this coverage and they come in with this leverage, sitting inside, we're gonna switch to play over to this, and I don't have to say nothing. I just literally come up to a line of scrimmage I'm looking at I'm like, boom, that's it. Yeah, you're ready. Okay, we got it. Cool and we and

the play just changed. Right. So those are the things that I think that we might have some some issues with it initially, but after that first quarter of first half, I think guys would be back in tune because the competition level is gonna be so high you're gonna snap right back into your old self. I'm not really that worried about the non verbals and the communications side of things, especially offensively because Dak Prescott, even though he hasn't been

throwing a football, has been fully involved. Yeah, but there's a lot of other elements. Okay, you start talking about the fans and now we got fans. Sure, we got fans. Now we got the stadium. Everybody's got to deal with that though understood, But not in the first game like that, you know what I'm saying, Like, not in this environment. This environment is gonna be lit. Now, they're gonna it's gonna be turned up. They bringing a banner, it's gonna

be it's ban night words, flyovers, all that stuff. I mean, it's gonna be high. The cannon's on the ship going. Oh goodness, yeah, Raymond James Stadium, Thursday night. It will be fire um really quickly. My offensive sleepers, Connor Williams kind of for the same reason if Tyler Beotis has to set the tone early. I mean, this is going to be a big or it has to be a big year for him, contract season, something that he really

needs to come out strong. And if that offensive line is going into mesh whenever Zach Martin and Lyle Collins are fully back, I'm not saying Lyle Collins is out, but when they're all one percent healthy, Connor Williams is gonna have to to hold his part. He did so last year. He needs to do it again this year. So defensively, we're gonna go the other way around the table.

So Rob who on the defensive side. I've been I've been talking about Osa Diggi Zoo for a while and whether he starts or not, I think he probably will that this is a big opportunity for him. I mean talking about it was funny talking to Mica earlier this week about how old he was when Tom Brady joined the NFL and I think he was like mind like maybe one something like that. Same with Osa, you know, So they can't let that affect their mindset going into

this game, you know. And but he's played so well and been so consistent in terms of what he's done in the middle of the defensive line. This is a great opportunity for him. And I know that you know, Tampa's strong on their on their offensive front, especially on the edges. But but this is a chance for him to be productive. By the way, last night Cowboys Hour with Jalen Smith out in the Ford Center and I asked him which of the eleven rookies on the draft

in the draft class have impressed you the most? And he didn't say Michael Parsons, who is in the linebacker room and has a relationship with He said, Ohsa, did Gizua? So just just another talked about his hand placement. Yeah, just saying out. I mean, just that was a that was a great compliment because I expected him to say Micah. I thought so too, Yeah, it was gonna be Mica. But when he said Osa, and it was quick too. I mean, he was on top of it. He's like Osa,

Bam there. It is so Hey, maybe he's not as much of a sleeper as we're thinking. Yeah, Maurice Kennedy, Mo cannedy Mo can all right, and Mo can do right, the more he can do because he is gonna have his hands full when they go out there and they come out and they're four wise, but it's not four wise. It's gonna be two wides. And they're gonna have O. J. Howard out there, and they're gonna have grunk. He's gonna have to come in and guard one of those guys.

I was wondering, who's who gets the grounk. You don't put a safety on those guys. You bring him Israel mcquama, and you bring in freaking Mokennedy, right, you bring him in Cooker, Molli cooker couldn't couldn't handle it. But maybe a little big Jr. I mean be cursed. I mean yeah, but you want your cover, guys, You want your cover guys. I much rather put six four Israel out there and put and put mo Can out there and let him go ahead and put I Honda on him, right because

you have you gotta blank of these guys. Don't let him down the ball. You get up there and you freaking be a pest. You get in their hip pocket, and I guess what, you're just fighty with him. You just fighty with him. They're not gonna be able to outrun you, right, both of Neither one of those guys can't outrun you. But if you let them get gone, they're like the juggernaut. So get up there and get some of your cover guys up there and get get

on their in their face. No, I like that, And the reason that is because you know that that's gonna be the mismatch because of the way that Tampa does their their schemes and their packages. They're gonna go with a lot of motions, so they're gonna try and isolate guys all game long. But for me, it's Ken O'Neill. And the reason is because Neil has to have an impact on this defense immediately. He has to be that guy, especially backs out of the backfield coverage, and you know

that that's what Tampa's gonna do. Giovanni Bernard, that his that's his stick, you know, catching passes out of the backfield, and you know, playoff Lenny, that's what he does very well. And so I want to see ken O'Neill's uh, the way that he impacts Dan Quinn's defense. I've already I loved his impact on Michael Parsons, him mental worring him. And I'm sure when you came into the league you had guys to show you how to be a pro and the different the way that they're diversifying Michael Parsons

as well. And I think Ken O'Neill is kind of a godsend in that situation because he was formerly a safety now playing linebacker and he's looked upon as a true tweener, and so just seeing his athletic prowess on display on Thursday, I think it's gonna be important, and I think it's going to solve some of the problems that we saw last year because we could not stop backside of the backfield. Now, and with three guys like Tampa Bay has coming out of the backfield, you have

to have somebody step up. I think me and I RS are on the same wave Lenk today because my sleeper is Jordan Lewis. So you said Connor, You said Tyler Beatach, I said Connor Williams, you said Mocan. Now I'm saying Jordan Lewis, And it's really for the same reasons you're good. At some point in this game, you will be matched up with a tight end, or at some point in this game he will be matched up. So who's going to be a lot receivers? Who's gonna be Antonio Brown? If these guys are I mean, because

we're missing somebody here, that's hard. If you go Nickel, if you're gonna nick, if you're gonna go Nickel defense, then wouldn't that put one of the Jordan Lewis on a b instead of on the tight end, Because that's gonna put your linebacker on a heg mother's mismatches. Okay, Okay, let's let's just put it like this. Their starters are better than our starters. Said in the secondary, it's banner knife for a reason. Sampa's very good. Let's get that

on the table. Okay, you're exactly right. And there's such a I wrote about this in big picture, but there's a blend of talent, experience and speed on that in that receiving core. It's pretty unbelievable. Tom Brady knew selfless. He did. He knew what he was doing when he left New England. That's the thing. The selflessness portion is gets overlooked. It does, It definitely does. And for the entire team, Yeah, what aren't two guys? I mean it

is the whole. But you know what you got at these guys and and I guess there's so much parody in the NFL these days, and you want to think that everybody's evenly matched and any any given Sunday is what you believe. But you know, you look at them and you have to admire the way that they've mixed in their veterans with you know, their young guys and their ability. Like you said, the selflessness of it. I think we I think we look at that and we want to if we're you know, looking at them, shoot

the fireworks and raise the banner. You you envy that you want to be that same thing. And that's why it's important to bring in guys like Neil and mix them in with guys like Micah because you want that young and veteran balance and speed and speed. Better believe that package brings a lot more speed at linebacker than they had last year and they've had in multiple years. In my opinion, I mean the speed there is something that I think is notable. You know what else is notable?

What's that? It's time to make some predictions. Wait a minute, we have a figure out who won the predictions last year. Oh I think it was me. I I was leading week to week. No, no, no. And see the thing is is when they fell off, they stopped counting and we know who was last. But yeah, yeah, yes, I like that. Yeah, we'll figure it out, you know, like not on air. So well we come back, we start fresh. It's a whole new reset button because we're predicting games

that say it with your chest. Tuesday. Here on Talking Cowboys. Hi, I'm Clint Tillison with United aggin Turf. Before you can park yourself in front of the game, park yourself in a John Dear and power through your chores. Our land Run package is a ten twenty five R twenty five horsepower tractor with a loader, rotary cutter and a box blade for two twenty nine a month, and the price you see is the price you'll pay. No surprises, so don't miss another kickoff. Visit United agginturf dot com. Offer

INDs February first, twenty twenty one. Restrictions apply. He see dealer for details. Now, let's get to work. The Cowboys Way, where sixteen Hall of Famers and five championships shows us what success looks like. Where turkey is always the second best part of Thanksgiving Day, Where we are all defined by one single thing, the Star, Where we as fans

know it's our job to keep the tradition going. Bank of America is proud to be the official bank of the Dallas Cowboys and to support the quest of living life The Cowboys Way Copyright twenty twenty. Bank of America Corporation. Want to use what the pros use? How about the official men's skincare brand of the Dallas Cowboys, Jack Black. Right now you can get the Jack Black Starter, a curated collection of Cowboys locker room favorites, for just ten

bucks with free shipping. The starter includes four Jack Black skincare favorites, plus a full sized and tense therapy lip bomb. Go to get Jack Black dot com slash Cowboys and use the code word team JB. That's get Jack Black dot com slash Cowboys. The Jack Black Starter ten bucks, free shipping. Honey, big News, Gary, Are you okay? Oh? I'm not Gary anymore. I'm Jackie Flash. What see I want the latest smartphone, but the best deals are only for new customers. So to get a new customer deal,

I changed my name to Jackie Flash. Okay, but the best smartphone deals at AT and T are for everyone, new and existing customers. That's huge. Then guess who's getting a deal? Is it Jackie Flash, Jackie Flash. It's not complicated at AT and t our best smartphone deals are for everyone. Restrictions apply. Is it att dot com for details to Talking Cowboys. Whether you're watching from home or

you're cheering in the stands. With a sealor lenses, you can see every exciting play book an appointment at your local slor experts and see what selor can't do for you. See more, Do more slor here on Talking Cowboys. First show of the week, the final show before football has been played regular season. We football, We football, ladies and gentlemen again. Goodness, gracious, it is so shaking banks, so

good to be back. Okay, We've got our official twenty twenty Talking Cowboys final prediction standing says so good so coming in fourth place with a record of thirty six and thirty four winning record thirty six and thirty four winning record. Yeah, that's what he said. It's above five winning record. Wow, Kyle Yeoman's third place, thirty nine and thirty winning record, Isaiah stand back. We're all winners. Third place. Some of us have chicken dinner second place in last

year's prediction standings. Heck, my Harrison finishes with a forty two and that's all. And that's all, and that's all using your intestinal fortitude, I'm not gonna say what I want. Yeah to two? What's that there? Yeah, for all of our listeners at home. Two? Oh man, she can go. You're out of it. And our winner of the twenty twenty Talking Cowboys prediction Pips Island safe bet wrong bet. Come on your your prize for winning the twenty twenty

Talking Cowboys Christmas Tree. It's not a Christmas tree, um, it's you getting to explain the breaking news that you put on Dallas Cowboys dot com as of like five minutes ago. Oh you're making me work? No, yeah, so uh you posted an article online and says Dak Prescott has restructured his contract to create some cap space from Rob Phillips himself. No big deal, simple accounting moves, just like they did with Zeke with last week. This is

the world's biggest slush fune. What's going on all right? Now? What do you mean it's for nothing? This was I'm not saying it's for nothing. Jerry was about it on the fan. It's like six and a half million bucks. No, I'm sorry, Wait a minute, no five wait a minute, wait wait wait a minute. Yeah, we just did. We just did that deal. Yeah, like this past song. Yeah,

but this was always part of the deal. When you have a contract this big and this long, and you know he's not going anywhere, it's easy to just kind of move that money around and create space. Keep the can, yeah, keep the can. He cat, I'm not real. He just signed his deal. Okay, the cap is a myth. So it creates five million more space, yeah, or four million more? No more, But now we're I went twelve million extra that we had twelve or fourteen yeah, fourteen actually, so

you can you can have it this year. You can carry it over. I'm sure they're going to carry stuff over. Ye, it'll probably be to carry over making a space. Just cuss, yeah, just cuss. Maybe just cuss. We've got some predictions here. Week one of the NFL season. Well, we'll finish off with the Cowboys in the Bucks coming up in a little bit. But we're doing this a little early. We will have a show on Friday before these games are played,

but we are going to do it all now. How about this Jack Wires and Texans the battom of the bottom of the Barrel to start off Week one of the NFL season. This one's at noon on CBS. Rob, since you won, We're gonna let you go first. Urban Meyer gets his first victory as an NFL head coach. Okays the Jags, Isaiah Texans, Tyrod Taylor. Yeah, I'm going to Tyrod, not going Jacksonville. Yeah. I think I'm gonna

go Tyrod too. I just early leading me. Ye. How about the Cardinals and the Titans in Tennessee CBS at noon as well. Heckmon Titans, M Derek, the Titans. You going Titans? Titans? Okay, Cards, I'm just digging Hurley hole for my I think I'm gonna go Bardinals with you too. I think they're one of the more underrated. J Green fell I think AJ Green's gonna happen thing. He's gonna have a great year two. I think he could be legit uh, Steelers and the Bills. This will be a

fun one at noon on Sunday. I'll go first with this one. Give me Bills, Mafia Josh Allen gets it done, Stefan Diggs and company. Isaiah, I like that, but something says Steelers, Oh cut been, Big Ben, where's Ban's coming back? It's in Buffalo, Big Ben? And and that Nagi heads m nag Buffalo. Okay, Mafia Bills, Mafia Packers and the Saints on Sunday. This will be a fun one. Can Jamis Winston turn things around? I'm gonna say no, it's a Green Bay Packers pack Rob Packez head Chee's head. Yeah.

That game, by the way, is in Jacksonville, a tia A bank field in Jacksonville. Of course, our thoughts and prayers still with those down in the coast after the storm last week. This is another fun one. This is Monday Night football. Ravens and the Raiders. What about Las Vegas? Can John Gruden and company get things off to a hot start? Isaiah? You say, I think they get off to a hot start, but I think the Ravens pull it out. Okay. This is in or Las Vegas by

the way. I'm going to Ravens d Okay, Bolt Baltimore. Yeah, do it, Kyle, Yeah, I'm gonna do it. Give me the Raatest, the Las Vegas Raids. I don't know why I rolled my art there. That was weird. It's not how it goes. Okay, in the final game that we are picking here in week one, Okay, Thursday Night football to start the twenty twenty one don't don't don't do that.

Don't do that. Let's start with that one. Don't do Okay, I start with It's the Cowboys at the Buccaneers, the reigning Super Bowl champions taking on, hopefully the upcoming Super Bowl champions. Heck my hair, what is your prediction? Cowboys and Bucks. I'm not scared. I'm not scared, and I know a lot of people are. And you know, when they try and build them up so big, you know, like mister T and Mister T and Rocky three, Club of Lane. That's how I feel like we're heading into

a Club of Lane fight right now. But they ain't so bad and they ain't so tough, you know, and so I'm I'm going with my boys. I'm there's no way I'm not picking the Cowboys. I'm going with my boys, and I really don't believe that everybody's talking about the Oh they're so big, it's so bad. I don't think that's tough as you make the mouth to be. And we're gonna go down. And they hit him in the mouth, Michael, I don't hit him in the mouth. Hit him right

in the mouth. Isaiah. Hit him in the mouth. Isaiah's face says it all Um, for all of the listeners and viewers at home. Hit him in the mouth. I love the Cowboys. The Cowboys take a chance on me, they drafted me. Love Jerry Jones, the organization. I appreciate this opportunity to begin on the media team. However, Tampa, I don't see I was getting past Tampa. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Come on, we have score. We need to score as a matter score no, no score not Okay,

this week I'm going I'm going Tampa as well. Okay, I think I do the content. Maybe so. I had some bad picks early on here in the league, but the continuity for the bucks Man, it's I mean, we just talked about the Cowboys offense still is trying to kind of find their rhythm a little bit. The Bucks. It's unheard of, the continuity they have. They're playing at home. The records Dave Hellman told me the records of like these Thursday night games for defending champions. I mean, every

year is different, but it's ridiculous. Yeah, it tilts towards the home team. Um, I think these are both playoff teams this year, but I'm going with Tampa at home. I'm with you. Heckma, I'm gonna be right here with you. And I'm said this before. I said, I don't think it's unheard of that they go in and win this game. I don't think it is. I and I've said this all on record two before that I'm more scared about Week two than I am really about Week one because

of the sleepwalk factor. And we'll get into that certainly throughout the next week. But I'm gonna take the Cowboys, thank you. I think the return of Dak Prescott is gonna put a Jolton in this team. It's whether or not Zach Martin will be there, it'll be. I think it's gonna be a really good game, and I think it's gonna be pushed to the limit, and it might end up being who has the ball last, and I think the Cowboys might get lucky and then that coin flip,

they would end up with the ball last. So I'm gonna pick the Cowboys with you. I'm right there with you, my friend, to shake up before you bake it. Shake bake baby right here on this near side. But that's gonna do it here for us on Talking Cowboys presents. Those thetos, the official chip and Dip of the Dallas Cowboys. We will be back on Friday to break it all down for you, but until then, for Chris Beam in the back, for Phillips, Isaiah, stand back and head my Harrison,

I'm Kyle Yeoman's head. What do we say on Cowboys? Nason? I hope your team win. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.