Talkin' Cowboys: Key Matchup & Predictions

your devices, you've turned it to the right spot. Because, unlike Daniel Jones, we're gonna finish our weekly runs strong one Chest Friday here on Talking Cowboys. Welcome, ladies and gentlemen to the show. We're happy to have you. It is Washington Week inside the Star and Frisco. It's a very rainy say it with your chest Friday here up in North Texas. And hope you're staying safe wherever you

may be watching the show. I'm Kyle Yeoman's alongside Isaiah stand Back, Rob Phillips, Heton Harrison and Chris Beam in the back as well. We're we're glad you are along for the ride and well, it's gonna be a fun next forty five minutes because we're gonna preview this Washington defense and quite possibly the best defensive line that the Cowboys have had throughout the twenty twenty season so far.

And then we've also got the Cowboys offense and how they're gonna figure some things out after a stalemate last week against the Arizona Cardinals. But first, let's go ahead and talk some things up about the injury report. Rob yesterday, Cowboys back on the practice field, Mike McCarthy this morning, saying that he fully expects to see Alden Smith ready to go for Sunday, which is good news for that

Cowboys pass for us. So you have Alden Smith, you still Brandy Gregory coming in, but overall, a fantastic news there in terms of getting Alden Smith back. What else have you heard in terms of the injury report, Well, the other big one is Zack Martin and Cowboys typically don't practice today, and you know, whatever they do Saturday before the trip will be light. So his big chance

to get back into practice was yesterday. Mike McCarthy saying on the fan this morning, he's still in concussion protocol. How that pans out the next day or two. Not sure. You know, it's a bunch of steps that you've got to pass to get to the point where you can get back on the field. So we'll see where that goes. Obviously, they're probably trying to get They are getting Connor McGovern ready to play in case Zach can't go. And as Mike said, at left tackled Brandon Knight out for a

couple of weeks. They're working a couple of different spots. So maybe that's Cam Irving coming off ir maybe it's somebody else, Grison not. But they've got to prepare for a Washington front that's pretty good, fellas, really good stout. Yeah, Washington front that has five first round draft picks. And now you're throwing out what would be what two undrafted free agents saw on the edge. Now, I know Cam Irving might not, he's not an undrafted free agent by

any means, but he's on that left tackle spot. And then Connor Williams SEUs has seen just two and a half years now at left guard. You've seen now a rookie at center, a guy, and Connor McGovern, who has barely seen any playing time at right guard. How worried are you, Isaiah about this offensive line, especially knowing the opponent that's coming up on the other other side of the Linus scrimmage this week. Well, if we have to defend these guys man on man, i'm i'm my my,

My warrior radar is up there. Hopefully the schemes that Coach Fielding comes up with allows for you guys to work in symmetry in motion as in poetry. You know, hopefully they work together and they slide together, and they they protect each other's gaps, and they have each you know, they have each other's backs. It's like huh, you know, it's kind of like ballet. We're gonna say, um so, a combination of some slide protection, some some quick quick

passing game. Hopefully both of those things was keep us out of situations where we have to face these absolute goons on the D line. Um yeah, I don't like our one on one match us, but again, you can scheme a team like this and get the victory. All I could see, Isaiah was the electric slide right there when you like a wedding party, right uh, you know, Kyle, thank you so much for eloquently articulating how empty the cuboards are, thank you so much, and uh yeah, man,

it's yeah, thank you, you know. And and let's go over this one more time. So let's see Travis Frederick retired before the season in the off season, layall Collins uh didn't even get a chance to participate in two days, well a couple of days, all right. Uh. Then then we have uh Smith go down with the neck. He's out for the year. Check uh check. Uh. Then we have Zack Martin who uh now is in concussion protocol. Oh yeah, and the big one, Dak broke his ankle.

So it's abysmal. It's the kind of day that we're having. You see the dark clouds hovering over the Metroplex right now. That is where our offense is right now. And five for about Joe Looney and Irving is yet to play on offensive. So all of that. I tried to save some of that other stuff, right. But here's here's the thing. When I when we I knew we had today, and so I'm starting to look for the silver lining or something good for the offensive line, and and I'm looking

at yadish fourth round draft pick. I'm looking at Connor McGovern, who Connor McGovern was a third round draft pick overall, um ninetieth overall. And right now, have you guys heard any talk about Connor Williams lately? None? All right, Connor Williams right now on this offensive line is looking like last call. All right? He is at the end of the bar, looking like last call. That's how good our

left guard is looking right now. Because we don't have nothing right and so the guys that own this offensive line in the middle, they're gonna have to take pride and get some do something for this running game, because right now they are all we have that's hit last call? Hey, are you saying that Connor is the last one to get picked in dodgeball? Is that what you're saying right now? Last call? Right there? Hey, don't not dodge He look

more now. I think it's more so Connor William's just looking around and saying, where where did my friends go? What I've been to? Everybody? Where's where's all my guys guys here? But yeah, I mean, whenever it comes to this offensive line, I think it's been very well articulated that overall that they're gonna struggle this week and we're

gonna see some pressure from that defensive line. But now now kind of moving into Kelln Moore and and really the play calling that's gonna have to combat this a little bit. Do you expect something rob to to change a little bit from what we saw on Monday night football in Arizona from a Kelen Moore play calling standpoint or even Andy Dalton at the line of scrimmage here, Well, Isaiah said it best, man. They need to scheme it up.

You know, you can't just expect to drop back and uh and and have a deep passing game all the time with a lot of long dropbacks and slow developing plays. Um, they can't let to quote Isaiah, you can't let this be like an e Honda Game three Fighter style with Washington. You can't allow that to happen. So, um, you know, they've just got to be you know, they've got to scheme it up. But they've got to execute better in terms of uh the screen game and and letting guys

letting those blocks develop. And as I'm hearing myself in my own ear, sorry guys, but they just got to be more effective doing that, uh, doing some short quick passing games. Some things to help that the pocket move. I thought, you know, Daniel Jones did. They did that with the Giants last week, trying to let the pocket develop a little bit. Uh, and so maybe that that's

the way they can scheme it up Isamu. We had some technical issues, so I couldn't hear everything that Rob said, unfortunately, but um, in terms of them, in terms of the line, as I already I'll tell you, I already mentioned these guys, it's gonna have to be a scheme deal. You gotta scheme these guys. You can't you can't line up and try to face these guys. You're gonna have to get the ball out quick. You don't want to sit back there and hold the ball. That's what we saw any

Dalton doing this week. I mean it happened because of two reasons. It happened because his receivers were getting open. Versus the coverage that they were facing last week, which we talked about, They're gonna have guys in their face all game long. With Peterson and Buddha, Baker and Murray and all those guys. Those guys were in their facing.

It made it hard for them to get free releases and help hard for them to get open um, and then also because of the fact that he was unsure about the timing right when you have new receivers, it's like it's like when when when you when you throught about the combine. Right most most top of line quarterbacks don't like to throw the ball at the combine because you're throwing to receivers that you just don't have timing with, you don't have chemistry with, and you rather throw to

your guys. When you drop back, you hit your fifth step, you can drive the ball because you know they're gonna be what you're supposed to be. Versus at the combine, you're throwing with guys and your timing's off and the ball could be behind and it could make you look bad.

So I attest the same thing that that we've dealt with any Dalton's past week to that he hasn't had reps with his first string guys, right, he's probably spent more more time with the with the scout team and the practice squad guys and anything, because that's just how it goes in the NFL. The second string quarterback doesn't get the reps in practice. Um, So you I think that they need to get the ball out quick, then

he get his quick game going. I can only imagine how many times he's throwing the ball to his receivers after practice today, because that's what you do when you're trying to get that chemistry. There's not enough practice reps to build chemistry, so you have to either come early or you gotta stay late, and you gotta get that work. And I can't even imagine that's what they've done this week.

Expect to see a short passing game, Expect to see these officersivelignements short setting, and also expect to see them cut blocking because these guys are huge on the defensive line and they don't want to sit up there and try to wrestle with these guys all day. No. And you know, I think the game plan for Kelly Moore, like you said, isaid. I'm sure Rob's alluded to the same thing, was get the ball out of Andy Dalton's

hands quickly. And Andy Dalton also said that he feels a lot more prepared going into this week Bass just based off of, you know, just last week's performance. And that's good news for us, just knowing that he understands the kind of pressure that he's going to be under this week with the Washington defensive line. But look, Buda Baker is we saw the one of the best safeties in the league last week, and now we go on to landon Collins and maybe they'll try and copycat some

of the things that we saw versus Cardinals. Not even maybe we will and so we're able to pick up the blitz. That's what's gonna happen. But you know, one of the things that Andy Dalton can't do is stand back in the pocket and burp the baby. He's got to get rid of the He's got to get rid of the ball and play to his strengths. And we've always said that his strengths are reading defensive quickly. But because of his AFC North experience, he's got to put

that on display. Because look, we know the names on the Washington defensive front, and Washington hadn't been a team that has been known to blitz because of the pressure that they manufacture upfront. Sorry, fellas, I had some technical difficulties, a lot of rain up here this morning. You go, now you got you guys are right, And that's what I said too. They got to be able to move the pocket. I thought they did that. The Giants did that with j Daniel Jones a little bit last week,

but you're right. Heck like, you know, when Washington tried to blitz the Giants last week, they didn't really have a success. They're the opening touchdown for New York was on a Landing Collins blitz and they picked it up and blocked it up and Daniel Jones good now, Andy Dalton, they didn't have any type of success against the blitz last week, so we'll see how they handle that. We mentioned Connor Williams man, I'm looking at him because that

matchup with Dron Payne is huge. You know, he didn't have he didn't have a lot of consistent success, at least in that first meeting with Washington last year. I think one of Dak's interceptions in that game was off of a pressure from pain. That's the big one. He If Zach can't go, he's the veteran guy. He's got to be able to keep guys out of Dalton's face. With that middle rush on Sunday, well, you've also got

the guy's coming off the edge. Of course, Chase Young second overall pick Montes sweat on the other side, Jonathan Allen is the other nose tackle for Washington and then oh, by the way, their league or their team leader in sacks and also franchise leader in sacks. Ryan Carrigan is in the second levels. He's second on the depth chart, which it's coming off the bench, coming off the bench, and you talk about fresh legs, you talk about rotation.

It's going to continuously hit this offensive line and really repeatedly, especially in the first part of that football game. But Isaiah, whenever it comes to a quarterback standpoint, how much pressure on it is on Andy Dalton this week too, especially throughout the couple of practices that they had a chance to have earlier in the week, and just having that communication down of being able to recognize the defense and be able to call it for that offensive line to

be successful. Yeah, I mean, I mean I talked I talked to any Dalton up a ton last week, right, And I know people try to drag me on Twitter for it. I'm still standing up for any Dalton. And you know one thing I didn't account for it and I should have, was just the fact that he didn't have enough. He hasn't had a lot of time with his officive line communicating he hasn't had a lot of time with his with his offensive receivers in his tight ends getting them in the ball, and it plays a

huge part at the quarterback position. I don't feel that he has pressure. I don't think he's adding any more pressure onto himself this week. If anything, he feels less pressure because he actually feels more comfortable within this offense. He's been working with his guys directly. It's different when you're working with the guys as a backup versus when you're working with the guys. I'm the guy right now, all right, it's a different it's a different vibe, right Guys,

Listen to you a little bit differently. Right when you step in the huddle, Guys look at you a little a little bit differently when you're the guy versus you, guy who just came in for somebody who for our guy who just got hurt. So I think he's probably has less pressure on him this week. Now. The outside world, right us and the fans and everybody else are gonna

put all kinds of pressure on him. But as a quarterback, as Andy Dalton right now, I can guarantee you he feels less pressure because he feels more prepared going into this week, and I think we'll see a lot more resemblance of what we expect at Anie Daldon. He's what he's been in the past. I think we'll see a lot more of that this week than what we saw last week, because last week was just like, oh, what

the heck is going on? Well, yeah, he had the kitchen sink coming at him last week and he didn't really have a lot of time they I mean, obviously, if you watch the All twenty two you can see that pocket collapsing on him. But he has got to make at some point in this game. He's gonna have to make a play with his books because because of the way that this defense is structure, he's gonna have that opportunity. And so it's gonna be a third and

eight third, whatever it's gonna be. Andy Dalton's gonna have that opportunity. I know guys don't want to hear that, but it's all hands on deck as far as our playmakers are concerned. And I'm gonna say it again, we have to feed Zeke. We feed Zeke, We limit the turnovers. That's one of the things that it's been killing us. Limits, we have yes, limits, Please everybody feed Zeke, well, we have to. He's he's a veteran guy on our team. He's a leader. He's he's a leader, he's a dog,

bell cow, all of those things. And I think that Zeke just throughout the week, you can see it in his eyes. Man, he's claiming that he knows that he messed up. Man, and it's it's on him, and people are trying to put that stigma a fumbler on him, and he doesn't want it. And so also for Zeke, the Washington football team is a team that he loves to play against. He scored eight touchdowns against him in his career. Is at seven hundred and thirteen yards rushing

versed him in his career. So look, maybe this is the feel good game for Zeke to get him back on track, because we're gonna need him to get in rhythm to help Andy Dalton in the passing game. You know, he said he watched cutups of every fumble he's ever had this week to try to figure out what the what the common denominator is and you and you're right. Heck, he went over one hundred yards in both games. Last year.

So but it's a different line. You know, can they can they find those creases for him, because that's it's the whole continuity thing, not only for the pass protection, for the run game as well. But I wanted to bring back real quick, Isaiah because your point about a second week being the starter for Dalton, how much that helps, so that that is a real thing in terms of timing with receivers and things of that nature. Because he did mention that yesterday, and part of you is like, well,

you know that's what you're gonna say another week. It's a short week, But it does it? Do you think it does make a difference for him? It makes a huge difference. I can remember in my time when I was kind of winding down things in the NFL, when I was in Jacksonville and we had we had a change in that quarterback, and I would stay out because

I was just new to the team. I was I needed to stay after practice for about good thirty five forty minutes running the routes that we were gonna we had in the game plan, and we were running over and over and over and over so that they had some sense of confidence when that play was called that I was gonna be where I was supposed to be, right, because it's one thing for it to draw it up

on paper. If Heckma goes out and runs a route right, that's on paper, and then I go out there and run a route, dis guess what the ball is going to have to be in a different place depending on who's running the route right, depending on what my timing gets. All that stuff matters. This is all the in depth football stuff, behind the scenes stuff that most fans and

everybody don't really understand. This stuff matters. Repetitions matter. The reason why you're seeing the production down over all in the NFL on defense is because most of these defenses, it requires everybody to be in sink, and this offseason then allowed for them to be in sinc The teams that have new the teams that have new offenses have struggled for the most part, right because because they haven't been had an opportunity to have those reps. This stuff matters.

You could say they're professionals. You can say these guys are getting paid a lot of money. All that stuff is fining Danny, and yeah that's true, but guess what, it's still human and humans still need reps to perfect their craft. Yeah, well, go ahead. No, I appreciate that, and I understand that. You know, and a lot has been made of people think that this is seven on seven.

It's not. And there's a lot. There's a lot that goes into you know, footsteps, timing things like that, because you have people coming at you while you're trying to make this pass. Whatever the excuse was, whatever happened, however it was. What I'm looking for is Andy Dalton not throwing the ball fifty four times in the game. Plea, right, let's not do that. Whatever it is when we come to the statuet Sunday night, Monday morning, let's not see

Andy Dalton throwing the ball that many times. Get your time and routes down the little quick throws that you could, whether it's the slant stop routes, all of those things are gonna help Andy Dalton. So hopefully those are the things that we've been working on. Because you still have

your receiving corps intact and plenty of playmakers. What we have to do, and what everybody can see is that the running game is suffering, and once the running game is obsolete, teams are just been pinning their ears back and coming after him. Yeah, and another thing I want everybody kind of turning their attention to as I know everybody was super hard on Dalton or any other quarterback that will step into the situation. Right, everybody look at

Tom Brady. Look at Tom Brady, Tom Brady of the past, right, Tom Brady with New England Patriots. Every year he steps out there and balls out. I gotta tell you, TB twelve spends a ton of time with his receivers in the off season. This year is a little bit different, right, But in past years, even when I was playing out there, I would see him on college campuses, working with ground Kowski, working with Edelman. He's flying guys in and he's working

with these guys that he already knows. He knows these guys, he already has chemistry with these guys. But he's continued to build the chemistry with these guys all throughout the off season. So guess what when they show up to the season, their time is impeccable, right, their confidence And when when I draw back three steps or five steps and I delivered the ball, I know where he's gonna be when I throw it back shoulder, that nonverbal communication.

He knows when to turn around and catch the ball. Right. And then look at Tom Brady when he goes to Tampa Bay. Everybody was dragging him the first couple of weeks, right, everybody was dragging Tom. Oh Tom Brady's lost it. Oh my goodness, he's not TV twelve anymore. Oh he's terrible and he's got it. He I told you, it was just a he was a product of the system. That was the first couple of weeks. Why, because he didn't

have chemistry with those receivers. He didn't have that, he didn't have the amount of rips with those receivers he typically would have in a typical off season. But now what do you see with TV twelve. Now he's throwing dimes. Now his chemistry is getting better. I'm just saying. I'm just saying. I'm just saying, look at his stats, right, look at what's happened. Now. Their chemistry is getting better. Right.

So it's a it's a it's a perfect correlation from somebody who hasn't had a lot of rods with with a group of guys, versus when they feel they get more comfortable and look at the production difference, So I think we ever can expect the same here. You know, out here, Frandy's more than I. I mean, he's he's going, he's going, all right. But to your point, you know, maybe we were a little spoiled by the way Andy came in and went nine of eleven after Dak got

hurt two games ago. But but what he spoke to yesterday, Amari spoke to yesterday, was just what you said. We've got to know what the quarterback sees in addition to what we see. It's got to be the exact same thing in terms of routes and adjustments on routes. And they actually spent some time after practice kind of going over some specific routes and making sure, okay, you're we're

seeing the same thing. It's that nonverbal communication you talked about, And that's that's the most impressive thing about what Dak and Amari were able to build in twenty eighteen. Right

off the trade. Right when Amari came in, it was like they've been playing together for years, and so yeah, maybe you know, no matter how long you started in this league, every rep counts for a quarterback, So maybe that'll make the difference, Like Heckma said, though it depends on balance, it depends on time, time in the pocket. You know, if he can't function there, none of it's gonna matter. Well. And of course Dak Prescott had that

timing down with his receivers before his injury. I mean, he had done the same thing kind of what Isaiah was mentioning and Tom Brady of going out and having those different get together get togethers in those different meetings with his receivers, and unfortunately Andy Dalton just never had an opportunity to do that, and his learning curve starts.

Now it started in training camp. Sure they had the reps in training camp, but this is where that curve starts kind of really showing up of finding that timing, finding a rhythm. And not only is Andy Dalton trying to find a rhythm with his receivers, but his receivers to him and then also he to the offensive line that is still an ever changing carousale of players that

we mentioned just a little bit ago. So it's kind of these different aspects, these different puzzle pieces that continue to make things tough on the Cowboys offense moving forward. Now when we come back, are these receivers at a bigger advantage this week than they were last week to maybe have a bounce back week against another solid secondary. We ask that question and much much more at Say It with your Chess Friday Here on Talking Cowboys. We'll

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residence super Bowl Champion Isaiah stand Back. We've gotten Dallas Cowboys insider Rob Phillips and the always wonderful and somehow in the dark light today, mister heck my Harrison, his lighting is being cut down by this this wild storm this morning in the area, so he looks a little more intimate. I guess in the light tonight, you look fantastic. It's spooky season in the Harrison household. He's already taken

away Christmas and now they take away his lights. Yea, but hey, hey, cow can we let him do an inch next time? He's like this so you can say love today talking Harrison, get a little candle back there. So I've been down for that. How about that. We'll let we'll let Heck intro the uh intro, the prediction segment and kind of give us a nice little hype intro.

J We we we've been previewing this uh, this Cowboys offense up against the Washington defense and the matchup that comes up at noon Central Time on Sunday, and guys, it was a disappointing week last week for for a lot of Cowboys Nation because of the stats and because of really the results on Monday that Night football, But it was especially disappointing really for wide receivers on Monday Night football. Mary Cooper got his phill seven reception seventy

nine yards, Ceedee Lamb seven for sixty four. But then you have Michael Gallup two receptions twenty three yards, Cedric Wilson he really didn't have a chance to shine yet two receptions ten yards, and Dalton Scholtz had four but only thirty five. So my question to you, of course, they were going up against a Buddha baker who had an interception in that game. Of course, we learned prior in that week about Patrick Peterson and really the different

challenges that they put out there. But now you get to see Landon Collins, who we've already mentioned in today's show, Ronald Darby out there as well as Kendall Fuller as for this Washington defense. So my question to you, Hackma, is the wide receiving core going to have a better week this week and why well, they have to and they have to and guys that are in the slot have to be aware that the ball is coming out of Andy Dalton's hands quickly. Kendall Fuller to me is man,

he's a very glitchy cornerback. He will jump a route. He doesn't care right, wrong, and different, he will do it and that's why he has four interceptions. As he's on the leaderboard for having those interceptions. But you know, the Cowboys, as we talked about in the last segment, it's just making sure that Andy Dalton has that comfort with the receivers to know what they're going to do.

And Isaiah's articulated that very well and just saying that, Look, it's it's gonna come down to these guys finding those open spaces and thinking on the same wavelength as Andy Dalton because you know what you're gonna get from the defensive front. So these guys have to have a better showing. Obviously, if you're just comparing the last game, is really kind of unfair because of the pressure that Andy Dalton was

under and he just couldn't find anybody. There were certain downs where he held on to the ball way too long, and he can't afford to do that. Otherwise you have a defensive line that is going to get after him. And what I fear most about this matchup versus Washington is you know, the strip sack, because if he's standing in there and he doesn't feel the pressure behind him or in front of him to run pain, uh, sweat or young, they are going to be trying to take

advantage of that and get the ball out of Dalton's hands. Yeah, I'm not too concerned about the ball protection side of things with Annie Dalton. I think he does a great job securing the ball with both hands. Actually he does. I think he does a better job than most guys in the league in terms of just having both hands in the ball and being aware. Um, but the d light will present a problem for offensive line. We obviously already know that. We already talked about that um last

week as we looked to last week. All Right, we're talking about um, Annie Darner or anybody else for that matter, who's the second stream quarterback in this league coming in and trying to throw timing routes with their receivers, with the starting receivers who they haven't had reps with against man coverage against one of the better corners in the league Peterson and Um and and and Murray and who who Murphy was playing well as well. It's not it's

not a good thing, right. You want to be able to just line up and throw routes on air and like like Heck already has alluded to in terms of seven or seven when you're trying to throw routes the guys that you already don't have timing with versus man to man press cover, and those guys's timing is going to be thrown off by that as well. It's a bad combination. So last week was not the week to be trying to rate this passing offense with with the new regime at quarterback. UM, this week is a little

bit better, right, UM. D line is a lot more stout. Um, this is this D line presents problems for us. The secondary is respectable. Um, but Jack deale Real, the defensive coordinator, is going to play base defense. You don't. I don't think unless they were watching film and they want to get outside of what their their character or their defense is,

I don't see them bringing a lot of pressure. This team is very, um, very bullheaded and very stubborn in their defensive schemes, and they're going to run some very simple stuff, but they're going to run it well. They're gonna run three coverages and they're gonna run them to

the best of their ability. They're going to communicate well, they know where everybody's supposed to be, and they were going to rely on this defensive line and push the pocket and make it uncomfortable for any Dalton back there. Our receivers should have a good game reason beings because they're not gonna have guys following them every step of the way on their routes. They're gonna be able to find the gaps and find holes in this. In his own defense, it's gonna come down to kenda offici line.

Keep this defensive line at bay, keep their hands down right to keep them out the passing lanes and keep them from bull rushing and pushing back into Andy Dalton's face. If they can be respectable and be even okay seventy percent out their assignments, I think our offense goes out and absolutely kills it against this defense. Yep. It comes down to pressure. Because you said it, like we talked earlier, maybe maybe they see in copycat Arizona and try to

blitz more. But they have the luxury of a front flour and they put their hands in the dirt and they get after it, those front four guys, and so you don't necessarily have to blitz. You can play more coverage. So that's that's the key. You know, Montes sweat You watch him and he's in the backfield a lot, so they have got to they have got to be on their keys there to you guys point like it is a good secondary. Kendle Fuller is a good corner derby.

They've seen him before in the NFC East, So I think there will be opportunities there, but it's going to depend on how comfortable and Dalton be in the pocket to let these let these routes develop, because and the other part of the receivers too. They may need to get the screen game going, get that short passing game going, some of those timing throws and that they got to block it up better. You know, that's on receivers and tight ends, getting out in space and creating space four

zeke four pollard uh. I think there might be opportunities to get that going, but you got to be able to block it up. They haven't been consistent doing that and letting those plays. That's a great point, rob And in order to run um, um excuse me, in order to run screen game against the defense as sound is this, you're gonna have to get your cut blocks. You're gonna have to sell it really well, or these office alignment

they have to get out. They're gonna be very sure about setting the edge and walling their defensive ends in and getting them washed down. Um, these receivers are going to have to block. You can run. You can run screenplays all day, all day long, right, and you want to because you want to tire route this defensive line to make them less effective. Um and you know in every other aspect of the game. And if you could

do that, that's awesome. But even when you do that, a lot of times the quarterbacks can come up and make the play right and even though you did a good job to defensive line, the cornerback comes up a spoils the whole play for you. So our receivers are gonna to be under ques as well in terms of blocking. So it's gonna be it's gonna be required for everybody

to be doing their job. Now, if you had to pinpoint which element of this offense for the Dallas Cowboys is going to have more success on Sunday, and heckmon, we're gonna start with you. I'm gonna put you on the spot here. Would it be the running game because of the susceptibility of maybe taking advantage of overaggression from the defensive line in a weaker linebacker corps than we've

seen in the last couple of weeks. Or the passing game because of the opportunities that these receivers are gonna have against the zone defense. You know, I don't. I don't. I'm not one of those people that feel like you're just gonna have to keep running zeke up in there against this stone wall of a defense. But I think you have to get some type of rhythm going in the running game to have give give Andy Dalton success

in passing the ball. If anyone is going to have success, I believe it's gonna be those receivers on hot reads because they think they're gonna have an opportunity to take some the distance. So you know, for me, it's gonna be the receivers. Although I realize the importance of the running game. I just feel like versus this defensive line, this may be a tougher task than it had been

uh in in previous weeks. Rob, I think, Man, oh, Rob, No, I Uh, I'm kind of with Heck on this, but but I I think they've got to get the run established. I don't think there's any other way around it. I think Zeke's gonna be highly motivated in this game, and I know he's got to take care of the ball. But I know he's taken a lot of criticism, but he's a competitive, a guy that I've covered on this team before. I expect him to run angry in this game.

And if they can, you know, we'll see how they block, how they how they because this this front is good against the run too. But I think they have to get it going, and I kind of have a feeling they're going to be able to at least to try to just kind of keep him off balance, keep him honest a little bit in the passing game. Yeah, I am in total agreeance with both of you guys in that regard. I think Zeke is gonna be a mad

man as well. You could tell competitors many not to say that all guys aren't competitors, but there's levels to this, right, and Zeke is a true competitor. I could see how angry he was at himself last week. Not only was he angry at himself for his performance and his lack there of execution, but he was mad because he let everybody else down and he knows a position that he

put everybody in. So when you internalize that as a competitor, because every player who's who's been been in a position to actually control the ball in the game and who's made a mistake like that feels that right. They know that that weight he's gonna come out and he's gonna try to make a point this week. He's gonna try to lay that head and try to bust somebody open on these on these plays. I think if we're going to be successful in the running game, it's not going

to be running it straight up the middle. Not gonna be just straight assignment straight up the middle. Let's line up and try to move these guys off the ball. You're gonna have to even I don't think we have to drive these guys off the ball. I think if we can even hold them on a line of scrimmage. I think Zeke can find some holes in there. We're gonna work, but we have to get up to the second level. It's one thing to block the defensive line.

It's another there's four defensive linement for your five offensive alignment, right, so, but there's also three linebackers behind those guys. So if you don't get up to the second level, those linebackers, they they kill your play as well. I think we're gonna have to try to get to some of these outside zones and these receivers again, there's gonna be a

lot of pressure on them. Yes, they're trying to find some holes in zone coverage for receiving purposes, but also blocking wise, they're gonna play a huge part in the

blocking game. If we want to get this running game going versus two high defense, our office alignment gonna have to hold the blocks, right, We're gonna need that extra office alignment to get up to the next level, and then we're gonna need our tight ends, right, We're gonna need these guys to get up to the next level and get these linebackers in these safeties, and then we

have a chance. They're getting some running game because they do want to play two high safety, and if they even think about playing single high safety, that's when our passing game has to take over for sure. Yeah. Absolutely, And I mean this is a Washington defense that at the moment sits in the top five in terms of passing defense allowed. I think their second in terms of passing defense and passing yardage allowed so far this season as a defense. And one of the reasons why they

put a lot of pressure on the quarterback. And maybe Zeke's where you try and find a hole, you try and make them susceptible and take advantage of establishing the run early, and maybe that opens things up with Andy Dalton later in the football game. I'm gonna go ahead knock this read out so we can then come back and do our predictions for the weekend of or week number six. Excuse me of the NFL and hear the

sultry voice of mister heck Ma Harrison. Whether you're watching from home or cheering in the stands with Lord Lenzes, You'll see every exciting playbook and appointment at your local esselor experts and find the perfect SLR Lenz for you. See more, do more, Lors, Lord's got your eyes covered. We got your ears covered when we come back. As heck Ma Harrison takes us into our prediction segment here on Talking Cowboys. I'm Jay Novachek, former tight end for

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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 to Talking Cowboys, Ladies and gentlemen, and Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to Talking Cowboys. In our final segment, oh say it with your chest. All right, job, my job is so done. I can't even top that

by any in terms of a single chance. Ladies and gentlemen's say it with your chest Friday, send us your predictions on each of the games that we're about to go through here in the last couple of minutes here of talking cowboys, we've got ourselves some standings updates. And man, it was a another week dominated by mister Rob Phillips and Isaiah Standback had an okay week as well. I mean they were both three and one, but whatever. So Rob Phillips and a or in Isaiah stand Back are

up at the top of the leaderboard. They're both eleven and five. They both went three and one last week, so eleven and five overall. Heckma is in third place at nine and seven. He went two in two last week. Faith and and uh and I'm I'm bringing up the rear at eight and eight, so I've got to make up some ground here. So we've only blouses. Okay, game blouses its week seven. This ain't game, This ain't prince yet.

Prince edn't called game yet. Anyways, we've got like nine, we've got four or five minutes here, four or five minutes. We're gonna try and get through as mini games as possible. So quickly here, heckmas or no, Isaiah's gonna start us off. Steelers Titans, Battle of the undefeated teams, last two undefeated teams in the AFC. Who you got on this one? Where's it at? It's Tennessee, I said, quickly, here, Isaiah, let's go fam Yeah, sorry, Pittsburg. I'm gonna go to Pittsburgh. Okay,

I like both. Let's go to Pittsburgh. Okay, rob Steelers giving up less than like ninety points so far the st heckma, I'm right. I'm riding with the Titans. Man. I like what they do in the running game. I think it's gonna be hard to contain Henry. So I'm going with the Titans. Ana plus, I gotta make up ground. Yeah, I gotta make up ground. Two. So either we're gonna make up ground or lose another game. I'm going with Tennessee and that one both teams five and Oh that'll

be a fun one. Okay, let's go to New England. Jimmy Garoppolo returns to New England as the San Francisco forty nine Ers at three and three take on the Patriots at two and three. I think the Patriots get back on track and sneak out a win at home and Gillette Stadium. And I'm gonna give this one to Bill Belichick and the boys. How about you? Heckma oh, this is a toss up game for me. Um, I'm going with Cam and this one. Man, I think New England Belichick he knows Garoppolo all too well. So now

I'm going to New England at home. Rob Belichick's not losing two in a row. Okay, New England across the board, Rob, Oh, he's gonna see takes he takes New England. Okay, uh yeah, yeah, No, the Patriots going to two and four, No, I can't see it. Yeah, that would be kind of interesting to say the least. Okay, how about this one flexed Sunday night game with the team that we just saw, the Arizona Cardinals hosting the Seattle Seahawks and Russell Wilson, who has a six one and one record on the road

against Arizona. And yeah, I'm gonna go ahead and start with Isaiah. Get that one out of the way. He's already putting the Seahawks wings up. Hey, hey, birds of a feather don't flock together. I'm going with the Hawks, baby, they are both birds here. You got the record out there, six and one, Yeah, six and one. I'm going to seattle on that one. Also, Yeah, I gotta go Russ over Kyler m. I'm gonna pick the Cardinals here, and they continue their hot streak from what we saw, and

they're gonna win it at home on Sunday Night. That said, probably a bad pick for me, but I need to make up ground again once again. Okay, Monday night game. The Bears and the Rams, Los Angeles hosting this one, and they're fourteen and four at home since twenty eighteen. Who you got in this one? Heckma, I'm gonna go with the Rams, Okay, rob Right, I haven't seen anything of Chicago this season, so I'm not sure why they're five and one, So I'll go with the Rams because

i've seen them play. I say it's making ram Wards into the screen right now. I say it's like the least friendly person for someone who listens to talking cowboys. I just want to apologize for everyone who's missing out by watch the video. Ye got to come back and watch it. I keep listening to it. I'm gonna take uh, man, I can bake up another game here. But I don't want to go against the Rams. But I'm going to go with the Rams. I just say, what's your chest?

I'm gonna say it with my chest because I think they're bringing that whole Kyle. Rams are a better team. Rams are a better team. I'm gonna go with Los Angeles here. Okay, here's the fun one. You're gonna hate yourself. You're gonna hate. I'm gonna hate it. If if Nick folesohow pulls that one out, I'm gonna hate it. Okay, big one on Sunday at noon, Cowboys against Washington and the football Team. The Cowboys have won seven of the

last eight matchups. Isaiah, start us off. My friend, I got my Cowboy shirt on today because the Cowboys gonna win that thing. They winning this ball game. Let's go. I love it, getting right back on it. Do we have a score prediction, mister stanback uh score prediction. Let's go with U. Let's go twenty eight seventeen. Huh okay, okay, Rob, Yeah, look man, if you look, if you watch the News. You wouldn't know that there are fourteen other teams that have no wins or at least two, and the Cowboys

are amongst them. But this is the game where we try and get things back on track. I know we win this one. It won't be an easy one. I say a nail by the twenty four to twenty one. This comes down to whether you feel better about Washington's ability to score on the Cowboys defense or the Cowboys offensive line to hold up on their end. To me, it's kind of a toss up. But I feel like Washington's got enough wards too. I think they've been outscored

forty seven to fourteen in the first quarter. If that's a chance for the Cowboys get off to a good start, a good start, and if they can do that and not turn the ball over, I'll take them. Low scoring game though, like twenty one eighteen Cowboys. Yeah, I can see that one. I can see that one as well. And I told myself last week that after the Arizona game, I told myself I was like, I'm not picking the Cowboys until they win again. I'm gonna pick against the

Cowboys throughout the next couple of weeks. No matter what, but just looking just looking at it though, just really like this is another one of those things where it's like, Cowboys should win this football game. It would be an extreme disappointment if they didn't win this game just based off of what they had with the inedal. Oh yeah, no, I'm backpedaling. For sure, Cowboys are gonna win this game, and I think it'll be by a couple of I

think it'll be buy a couple of scores. Washington's the only team in the NFL that has not h the only team in the NFL that has not scored on an opening drive in either the first half or the second half all season. They're over twelve in opening drives. I think the Cowboys will get on the board first. They'll play with a bit of a lead, and I think that does pay dividends for Andy Dalton in that offense to find a little bit of a rhythm and then hopefully they come out on top. I'll say Cowboys

twenty seven twenty one in this one. I think it's gonna be. I think it'll be a good game. I backtracked on that one too. I said scores, Yeah, that's fine, and I'll backpedal all day long. If I need you, I'm saying it with my chest. Twenty one. Guys, it's been real fun over the last forty five minutes in this past week. Enjoy the game on Sunday noon Central Time on Fox Cowboys Redskins. You can join Isaiah and I on Cowboys Game Live at eleven am. Join us

on there as well. We're live on the website Rob Phillips throughout the day talking about the game, writing about the game, and then we'll be back on Monday to break it all down for you at nine thirty. But for Chris Beam in the back for heck My Harrison, Rob Phillips and Isaiah stand back. I'm Kyle Yeoman saying so long from the Star in Frisco. Have a great weekend, everybody. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.