Talkin' Cowboys: Previewing Raiders Matchups

I heard you ask coach Garrett today, you're practicing outdoors again. Yeah, he didn't like my question. Why. I don't think he did. I kind of I kind of said, you know, coaches or creatures have have it. They got a nice win, they played well last week. The fact they're playing on a grass field, I thought might be another thing. But I don't think he wanted to be. He's one of those guys it doesn't want to You know, we actice because we practice, not because of the conditions or the

grass or anything like that. So I should have known that that was a terrible question on my part. No, it's a fair question. He just doesn't want the perception of a built in excuse of oh well, stuff like that, the way with the altitude and then well, I mean they practiced outdoors last week. They gotta win. Sometimes coaches are a little superstitious about the way they do things. Yeah, you're superstitious about our pizza. Yeah, Sam and John, there

you go. Yeah. Coach Garrett gave a lot of injury updates. Rob if you you know, I saw you posting about that. Which one stood out to you the most? Well? Orlando Scandrick feeling better but maybe limited. Maybe gets in and does a little something today. No David Irving again, So you gotta think as there's the fist from Brian. I think he's out cocussion and that's a factory potentially against this Raiders offense. Yep line. Good news for Lyle Collins.

Looks like he's gonna practice for the first time in more than two weeks. Tyrann Smith will be back as well. Um Justin Durant also coming off a concussion illness last week. Maybe get involved a little bit. Bryce Butler maybe not, still dealing with the foot. James Hannah could get in due a little work today. He's got a knee injury popped up on the report yesterday and Sean Lee might do a little bit more too. So is it the same knee that James Hannah has been dealing without through

his career that I'm not sure of? Do you know, Mick he said he didn't know, did he? Yeah? I think it probably is he's had And you know what, that's gonna be a situation when you get down to the end of it, when it turns into the offseason, you have to figure something out. Obviously, you've got some guys in place. Blake Jarwin's a guy that got you know, when Hannah doesn't practice, Blake Jarwin gets to practice. We'll

see what happens with Rico gathers in that situation. I think that's a twenty and eighteen Okay, where are we at with this knee and stuff like that? You have a couple of guys that have actually played, you know, proven I think Jeff swam and you say, okay, who would you you know? James Hanna made a heck of a play the other day in that football game, great catch. But I think if you said, who are the guy that you know you think can block, catch, get down

the field the best. I think Swain might be that. Guys, that might mean that you know that we see maybe a little bit different thought about James Hannah next year. Yeah, great to hear about Lyle Collins and getting back from his injury. You know, of course he hasn't really practiced at all the past two weeks, but he's had strong, hard matchups in those past two games and still showing out. So of course he has Khalil Mack this week, which is nothing to just you know, shake your head at.

It hasn't gotten any easier. It hadn't gotten any easier for him, and I think that's the I think that's the thing that you you know, but you have to appreciate the way he's played throughout. It's amazing to me.

I don't know about you, guys. I really really don't know about you, guys, but it's so surprising to me that he can miss practice and be as effective as the way he is that because he's a young player, missing practice and not being good or oh no, and being and still being I mean, are you surprised, because I'm surprised. I'm surprised because I kind of always felt like that he was a guy that needed to practice a assignment wise, be technique wise. Yeah, and there seems

to haven't been any huge problems. Now again, I mentioned yesterday Zack Martin. You know, Zach playing next to Zack Martin is is a pretty good thing to have going if you make a mistake, Oh, Zach Martin can be there to help you. But I feel like though, but it's it. Hey, when you look at the mental side, when you look at the physical side and what he's able to do, that's been something that you know, it has allowed you to say, Okay, we can give him more rest because he's been able to show that he

could play in these games. Or maybe the rest is the reason why he's playing better. That's that's he might have been fighting through it without anybody mentioning yet and it was hurting him. And now that he doesn't have to practice every day fully, um, you know, maybe he's fresher for the game. By the way, you remember Hannah signed a three year deal. Yeah, so be careful cutting guys that I just have already paid. Well, you know they've done that before with some guys. Yeah, I mean,

I don't think Hannah's going to break the bank. With you, but I think there has to be some legitimate concern about his injuries, right than the knee. I mean, this is something they remember all it was a bone bruising camp surgery deal. And I interrite Mickey, I'm not trying to cut somebody that's been signed. But you know, we've we've seen that in the past. If it comes down to can he be healthy enough, can we count on him? He also, Yeah, you pay a guy to play, and

this season he's played. You know, now we're down to the final month of the season and he's having to sit out a little bit, or sit at least the practice. You gave the out sign on David Irvy. I do we're sitting here a week and a half. Of course, you never shake your head at a concussion. But getting back to that Rob you mentioned it's going to impact

this run game for the Oakland Raiders. Yeah, just Brian made the good point yesterday in terms of, you know, he's not your typical plugger three technique guy in the middle. Irving is he's a guy who who's athletic, who can penetrate the pocket and maybe give these big Raiders offensive linemen some trouble if you don't have him, then you're going with Richard ashe and rotation with Lewis Neil. It's

just a little bit of a different matchup. So he provides kind of a unique element for them in the middle, paired with MALIEK. Collins, and if they don't have that, I think you might see a show up. I think we're in Rob's exactly right. What's going on. You have to make this raider front move. You have to. You can't just rush him right down the middle. If you do that, you're playing right into their strength. Make these guys have to move, and I think that's what David

Irvin is able to do. We talk about the slinky ability, the ability to get into gaps, to play on the move, to kind of take a step, hard step, then come back, you know, redirect things. You know, that's where David Irvin is going to be really help you in these types of games. But I'm just falling on Mickey's concussion protocol himself,

what he's talked about. If the guys still practice two days in a row, I anticipate them being a I mean, I think it's been pretty consistent with that, you know, So I just don't see him playing this week, and I would think the same as Scandrick. I think Scandrick is absolutely that the same thing. Yeah it's two day. I mean like he's better, but maybe not ready. Yeah, the young the young defensive backs have you know. And

this this is an interesting thought too. I wonder if Scandrick you know, and I shouldn't say this, but because it's always considered like a bad thing, but if you think about Scandrick is one of those guys that he understands his body and stuff like that, and he's like, hey, if they're gonna play young guys, I'm gonna take care of myself. I'm not gonna go out there and you know,

have to do anything extra, you know. I mean that just seems that that's that's probably that's probably wrong on my my thinking, but you know, you kind of wonder, you see the Hey, if they're gonna play young guys and I'm gonna protect myself. If they're if they're not interested in moving forward with me again, this is they're they're kind of setting things up for all these young guys playing, and hey, what how much money do we

have to spend in all that? And it could be a his situation, say well, maybe I need another game or two to be fully healthy. What did he What did he say on Butler? Did he say? Not much? It doesn't sound like he was going to do much again. Yeah, that's interesting. I was talking to him yesterday in the locker room, and it sounded like the soreness in his foot was caused by the shot, Like the point where they entered the needle. It was that's what was sore

and bothering him, he said the most. So I was thinking maybe he'd be maybe I gotta confuse over that. No, I think I think he said it right, but he didn't. He didn't act like, yoh yeah, I'm going out and practicing. He was still saying it was sore. And he said it was sore from taking the shot on Scandrick. Brian,

I mean, if you were healthy. They need him and he played yeah, And I mean, but they're also this is an offense that you've we talked about Derek Carr and take over a football game, but this I also look at the situation, so we know what Orlando Scandrick is. He could be a very good player for you, and he could also he understands exactly the business side of it. He probably in that locker room understands business more than

anybody in that room. And if he said, you just think, Okay, they're so happy about these young guys, and you know what, I'm gonna protect myself a little bit. I'm not gonna put any bad tape out there. We've heard veteran guys say that before, you know. But it wouldn't surprise me. It wouldn't surprise me that he would say. He would say, the attitude is okay, go play with those young guys, and I'll give myself another week to get healthy and

then if i'm you know, then we'll see how things go. Yeah. Yeah, well he may not have another week to get healthy. Yeah, because if they lose, that's yeah, that's what I'm thinking. It's all they lose. It's all the young guys just go sit. Yeah, that laying the young guy. That's that's but see, that's that's you know. That's to me. I what Scandrick's contract currently. I get confused because it gets readjusted like he got extended in the summer of it.

I don't think it's one of those fifteen. I don't think it's one of those things where again you you kind of look at it, and he's done a really smart thing because he's never he's made money without really

making money. He's always kind of kept himself paid, but not to the point where you say, gosh, he's making nine million dollars or ten million dollars, making ten million a year a twenty nineteen four million dollars year in twenty nineteen, yeah, yeah, so one year left, yeah, or two years left, yeah, next year in twenty nineteen, two years. See what I'm saying, he kind of keeps himself paid without being overpaid to making somebody think but they're clearly

are going with a young group out there. I mean that now a lot because of his injury, right, But you're also thinking, though we've all kind of said, well, Romo missed one game, and every David Carr missed one game.

And again it's a position where you're having to tackle and do all those things and cover and twist and move and you know, but but he but he got his he got some money up front, right, So I don't know if what Kent said is his base salary in twenty nineteen because he got that, Remember he was holding out, Sure, advanced. Sure. Yeah, like he did the

cash like, oh, I'm not getting paid enough. Yeah, it's according to spotrack is it's five years, nineteen million with a three million dollars signing bonus average of three point eight over the course of the contract. Okay, So to me that he just seems he's a businessman. He understands us and I hate to say, a businessman in a game where you need all hands on deck. Yeah, that's got my finger. That that kind of that's that's a thought, you know, if you're if you're all hands on deck

and we've got to get in the playoffs and all that. Okay, well they still want to play a young guys. Well, I'll take my time, you know, I'll you know, I'll do what I have to do. It's had big time injuries before, and he knows he's played with hand injuries and all kinds of stuff he has. Yeah, you know, but this is again a lot of young guys playing in these games. A lot of young guys there certainly are. So we'll look to see what the practice report says

this afternoon. Of course, Rob, yesterday you were out there in Los Callinas. Let's hear it. Let's hear the report of what you saw at owners meeting a little four seasons. It was nice out there. It's a beautiful place, and it starts for the media. Yeah, it was great. A membership here real soon. I don't know about that. I hope kind and yes, yes, and uh. And Jerry Jones and Roger Goodell were very cordial and professional around each other.

They had back to back press conferences. Actually they just decided NFL decided the best way to handle it because both media wanted to talk to both of them. Line them up. Goodell speaks first at the podium, Jerry's off to the side waiting to speak. They hug as they're changing sides, and Jerry gets up there and speaks as well. A full hug, A full hug. Yes. So it was

a it was a united front presented. I think. You know, there's obviously been some some pushback and some disagreements on um, you know, the status of Goodell's contract, and Jerry has been, you know, very pragmatic and explaining, like we've talked about it on the show, he's got he had eighteen months left on his deal. Let's let's tackle some of the issues with the league and then address his contract, but it got pushed through. He's gonna make a lot of money, Uh,

the commissioner Goodell is. But what we learned is it's it's largely incentive based and it's and it's going to be and it's going to be based on you know, committee of owners deciding subjectively as he met these incentives

based on his performance as commissioner. And that's something Jerry spoke to as well as Uh he spoke of constitutional changes to the NFL, and I think that relates to the compensation committee and how that's comprised of, you know, dealing with these types of issues financially with the commissioner involved. So are some of these incentives that I'm not sure specifically what. I'm sure there's different. There's so many aspects to the job. Um, I'm sure it has a lot

to do with revenue ratings things of that nature. Um. So you know, Jerry has talked about there needs to be some change, and what he spoke to was he said, I hope Roger earns every dime, but we've got to look at how we do things at the at the league level. It's absolutely right, absolutely yeah. I mean, anyone

can just so. So. Yeah, And the curious thing to me about the whole thing is we didn't learn about these incentives till like last week, right, Everything else leaked out about what he wanted in the contract, but that stuff didn't leak out. So my, my, I wonder did they change courses there before they gave him the final contract because Jerry balked, Well, he wanted to make very clear Jerry did that it's not just his effort to get that done. It takes an owner's majority vote to

have something like that go through. Yeah, but it sounded like all the sheep were following, you know, the leader, and no one was balking at the thing. Now all of a sudden, Oh, we all decided that there was going to be incentives in this thing. And you know, I think that's a key thing. The thing I didn't like was the fact that he's already said that at

the end of this contract, I'm retiring. Yeah. Well, he got asset up at the podium and he said, I haven't made any determination that then why his spokesman Joe Lockhart say this is his last deal. I thought how I read it was that he thought it was his last deal, like he wasn't no, Mickey's right. Lockhart basically said he was done after this deal. How old he'll be sixty four at the end of the five years. Look, yeah, but what worries me is when people start thinking about retiring,

they may have already retired. Bill Parcels used to say that all the time. Yeah. But at the same time, Mick, if you're talking ninety percent performance based, he's got to earn what he wants. He's got already he has, I

know he has. That just concerns me, That's all. The other thing that one more thing that came up was specific kind of to the Cowboys was Jerry was asked, Okay, you're talking about potential adjustments to the power of the commissioner and how does that relate to potentially play or discipline in those matters? And Jerry didn't want to get into SPI civics there, but he again kind of reiterated it's something we need to look at in terms of how I mean. One follow up question was about should

they get out of the investigation business together? You know, so that that came up as well, but there was the answer to that, Well, I think Jerry didn't want to say, oh, they asked Jerry, asked Jerry. They didn't ask Goodell, right right. I think Jerry's response was, you know, that's out of my jurisdiction. I guess just me speaking personally, But obviously Jerry's felt like from Zeke perspective, it's something they have to look at going forward in the league.

So what did what did they accomplish at this meeting? Because I'm they didn't fly thirty two thirty one owners here to say, okay, Jerry and Roger are good? Did they did they achieve something? I think come to any I think this was a I think this was a one voice meeting and meaning all thirty two had the opportunity to say whatever they wanted to say, right. I think this was really one of those meetings where they said, listen, we've had a lot of things being kind of banded

abound around in the media. Let's talk about this. I think every owner had the opportunity to stand up forward. In Detroit, Casky, in Chicago, mister Jones and Dallas mister Blank in Atlanta, everybody got to say what they wanted to say. And I think that's what it was. I think this was kind of an agenda forming meeting. So this was a special meeting. This wasn't something I think

something I think they called a winter meeting. But I believe Jerry Jones requested this meeting with the other owners,

and I think the league allowed it to happen. And it was again one voice and well, and everybody gets to have their second ye like yeah, like Arthur, you need to go shake hands with Jerry Jones right now because it's yeah, yeah, we're gonna have you, you know, and and and and some of those owners, Clark Hunt in Kansas City could have said, my father would have not approved of the way this compensation package is going right now, and I don't like it myself. You know,

that's the opportunity you have. Thank you, mister Hunt for the chiefs, you know, mister Davis in you know Oakland, wherever they're at. Yeah, well Vegas, they're gonna be a good Vegas team'll be a great Veggas team, and we're all gonna get to go. I'd be fun. But the thing the thing about it is, I think that's what

they accomplished, Mickey. I think every owner had an opportunity to say their piece before this because there's been a lot of you know, let's say, let's be honest, the Van Adder story that's come out, there's been somebody was in talking, you know, talking and giving information at what was being said. Owners on phone, owners not doing you know, there's a lot of that going on, reports of confidential memos and resolutions, and none of those things said anything

in there about incentives in a contract. Did it draw the line somewhere here? Let's draw the line. Why are we you know, miss McCaskey, why you know, why are we having these problems? What are you guys doing over there? You know, everybody got a chance to say on their behalf what they wanted to say. See, I think one of the problems a lot of these owners have is it's not like, you know, Roger Goodell's the end all

of commissioners, right, like they can't find another guy. But I think they a lot of those guys, even though they're great in this man and we like Jerry, have problems with dealing with ambiguity, like, oh well, what if we get rid of Roger, who's the next guy? And Jerry relishes that right, But a lot of guys just want to say, hey, I know this. I'm not I'm scared of changing. Let's be honest here. You know, a lot of the ownership is older folks. You know a

lot of older folks. The next time the commissionership comes up, a lot of these old guard are no longer going to be with us, God will them. They all are. But let's be you know, that's that's they're gonna Maybe this is an opportunity for these owners to say, this is my last one. Okay, this is what I think. Let me put this, let me let me go on

record here as I'm eighty three years old. Absolutely, you know, well, let's take our first break here and as we come back, we will really dive into the raiders because there is a lot of talk about and especially looking at Derek Carr will be right back. It can be hard to find the right source for learning about important financial matters. You search how to build savings, you end up reading about the one weird ingredient from supermarkets that can make

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play that ten times? Yeah? Yeah. Top five matchups for this weekend I want to get into because guys, whether you like it or not, if the Cowboys don't get it done this weekend, you can just kiss those four percent playoff dances goodbye. Even though it's an AFC opponent, they really need this win and you need to keep rolling. Of course, they've gotten the two wins the last couple of weeks, but means nothing at this time of year. Okay,

so let's look at Sean Lee versus Marshawn Lynch. Of course, everyone loves to talk about Marshawn Lynch and he he doesn't love to talk as much. No, but what do you think about this? Are you thinking about that? When can your linebacker make enough tackles in the hole. You can make enough tackles in the hole if the guys up front do their job. Yeah, I thought the guys up front did a better job this past week than I think we've seen for a couple of weeks. Ye,

so uh yeah, I mean Sean Lee. I'll have him lined up. It's just a matter of where dude's running, you know, as you running straight up the middle, Anthony Hitchins, We've seen all these cutback things that hit. Yeah, watch the Raiders play. You just don't want to overpursue. Don't be too aggressive getting front side. There's something coming back door. Be ready, and Micky's right, you know, if you don't have keep an eye on Crawford, you know, on that backside.

If that ball starts the right and all of a sudden bends back, you better have Sean Lee there. You better have You know, Sean Lee will be there. You just hope that helpe the Tyran Crofts over there too, and you hope anybody else that comes from that side over there, one of those young corners comes flying in to help with that run game as well. And I

hope he's well enough to play. I know he's not on the injury report, but that hip pointer that he got in the game still pretty painful if you've watched him walking through the locker room. So he kind of played through that and is obviously practicing through it. But that'll that'll be real important because the other guys that can play that defensive end spot, they're not really run stoppers.

Although I did see Mayo of finally makes some tackles on that backside cut, so I don't know if he's getting or not, but that's gonna be for bricks in his pocket there. May You know, of course the Cowboys got him from the Raiders. Maybe he'll feel a little revenge game. You know, Alfred Morris always does really well against the Redskins. Yeah, maybe we could see the same from Mayo. Absolutely, Ever, it takes whatever it takes, all right,

rob Lyle Collins VERSU Khalil Mac. You've talked about this at exhaust but let's really dive into it. Who could really come down and win this matchup? Uh? You know how many snaps did he get against Mac in preseason? Maybe? Yeah, something like that. Yeah, it was sure, and that was a good That was kind of the first indication we saw, Okay against a really good player, how can he handle him? Mac is just so elite at being able to capture

the edge and get to the quarterback. I would impress me the most about like all these last couple of games, is they haven't given him a ton of help. You know they have not. They've left him out against Ryan Kerrigan and uh jpp vernon those guys. So do you give him a little bit of help or do you trust him? I think you reached a point now or you can trust him. I think is especially you know, if he's feeling better physically and you're able to practice

this week, we'll see. I think what he's just got to continue to do is trust his technique and not be overaggressive and and have that kind of guard mentality where you're on guys quickly and maybe you have lapses in your technique, but the keeping Dak upright on that side of the football is maybe d key matchup of the game. I'll tell you what, Rob nailed this thing.

He's got it right. And the thing about you have to be a little bit a little bit worried about, though, is him taking over that game, him getting you know him Also, we saw what happened in Atlanta game when when a defensive end takes over the game. But I expect, like you know, you haven't given him much help, but I still think you're gonna see some twelve personnels, some thirteen personnel stuff. I think you're gonna still see some

chip too. I just don't feel as much as you want to put Lyle Collins over there and say go to it, big fella. I think they'll be a little help. Maybe not a lot, but I think that the hint of it. They don't want to get caught in a game like they did in Atlanta and not have an answer and a plan. Oh, no doubt. Guys. Another guy we have to remember we brought him up earlier this week, but Jared Cook, he is on the Raiders roster and

he is doing great for them. Yeah, it's being a lot better for them than he even did for the Packers. Of course, he had the game ceiling reception for Aaron Rodgers third and twenty, never forget it. But he's got Byron Jones this week and Byron Jones the tight end guy. It's an interesting matchup because they're two different body styles

all the way. Yeah they are. You're get a lot a lot of eleven personnel, so you can look very similar to what the Cowboys do with the with the tight end running, you know, like with Jason Witten so yeah, Cook is you know, he's sneaky in the way he plays, the way he gets up the field, the way he makes catches. I want to say he's leading the rate of the raiders and receptions if I'm not taking yes, he is, so yeah, that that's what. Yeah, he's second.

Is he second behind behind who one behind Crabtree? Okay? Very comparable to what the to what you know with crab Tree and what they've done in eight catches. Yeah, so good for them. I mean, hey, that's that's a weapon right there. You mentioned the name Byron Jones. I think we've seen a lot of different safety combinations. Maybe you'll see Heath going there. Maybe you'll see you know, maybe they'll they'll figure out if you get Anthony Brown on the field, maybe that sends a woozy a over

in that way to take. So just kind of keep an eye on that that position as well, and they might you know, what they they've sometimes done has played more dime, right, you know, either one linebacker or three just three defensive line. There you go and beacon. When you get a guy that can get down the field like that, Yeah, absolutely always exciting. Bran. I was reading about you know, the big matchup with DeMarcus Lawrence Tank. He got surpassed last week by Chandler Jones at fourteen sacks?

Can he get back there? Going up against Marshall Newhouse. I like that tell you're doing your homework. Marshall Newhouse is a the of the Oakland offensive lineman. I think he's the weak link, you know, and that means but then again, now do you how do you help him? What do you do? The Raiders have shown a willingness to keep a tight end and you know, Cook is a guy that they want to get in the route,

but they'll put somebody that side. Lynch, Marshawn Lynch is one of those guys that before he gets in the route every single time will chip to the side he's going to every time. I mean he will throw a right shoulder in there or a left shoulder. He'll do just to try and help the guy. But this is I just don't think the Raiders can allow. Now, the

Raiders haven't given up a bunch of sacks. But but that's that's where if there, if there's gonna be a pressure point, I think it's over Marshall Newhouse at that right tackle. But again, keep an eye on some help over their chip. Help. Let's see if if if Laurens can get him on the move. I keep saying the word get him on the move. That's where you're going to take advantage of these guys. Absolutely, Rob, you're excited to see that. Yeah, you said it, like, get him

moving latterly, don't you know? Yeah, make him, make him chase basically, yeah, absolutely, absolutely. Yeah. When we were talking earlier, Jared Cook actually is the receiving leader for yards for the Raiders. That six D twenty one he's been burgett. He had a long thirty five yard pass. Yeah, so that the other day by a tight end catching a thirty five yard pass. Oh, you never know when these guys. Okay, so we all wanted to see it last week and

we got to see a little bit. But Dez Bryant has another interesting matchup this week with t J Kerrey. Is he able to handle this one and will he be able to have an explosive, explosive game. Yeah, carry will play in the slot on you sometime tape and then and then you get Dexter McDonald and then also Sean Smith would be involved there. I think the Raiders have had their problems this year because of their secondary you know, they were you know, they were trying to

get you know, Conley was involved. They drafted, they wanted him. He's on IR Now they're you know, they're struggling with that. Uh you know. But Smith, I think is the better of the covers. When you talk about Carry, when you talk about McDonald, Smith is the one guy in Kansas City, a little bit better of a press man, can kind of stay with you. But could be the Cowboys. I like what they're gonna do. I think that if you want to look at two guys to have a good game,

des Bryant certainly could have a good game. Keep an eye on Cole Beasley in this game too, out of the slot. Let's see, let's see if he can win, because if Carry kicks into the slot. I kind of like that matchup for the for the Cowboys right there. I always like Cole matched up when he's got one guy to beat the big play down the field. He had to make one little move to the outside and

there he goes. He's off to the races. It's just guys, he's been bracketed a ton, and when he's not been bragging they've they've made sure they've had an elite cover guy or one of their top guys whoever a team it is, on him. So we'll see, we'll see how they defend him. Yeah, let's go to the phone lines. We have Philip from Tennessee. What is your question? Yes,

I was wanting to ask. In order to have a little bit more firepower on the offense, do you think it is possible that they might consider once Ze come back, putting him on one side of the offense in the slot and taking Rod Smith and putting him on the other side. Having two tackle breaking running backs that are very quick in space, letting them have the ball in their hands to see what they can do it like they did in this last game they use Rod Smith

that way. Yeah, I'm just curious what they put him on the field. At the same time, what do you think? Thanks for interesting look at it. Everyone's excited to see Ize Gelly come back and Rod Smith is still having the production he is. There will be discussion, well toay, we've kind of flipped around on what we'd like to see. You know, Mickey was talking about the toys and you

can't get all the toys on the field. And you know the caller by the way, I love his voice, but great voice, a great voice radio voice, for sure, but I love the you know, we talk about this, how do you get, guys, how do you get? I think when you see Zeke get back, it's Zeke gets back. It's gonna be Zeke running in the football. It's gonna be Zeke running the screen. It's gonna be maybe Zeke

on some of those plays. But to try and put him and Smith on the field at the same time, I'm still trying to get Beasley and Switzer on the field at the same time, you know, I mean and that that that's just it seems like that the coaches have their plans, have their ideas. Now maybe depending again what's happening with with Bryce Butler. That takes a guy out of the situation. Again, who are you going to take off the field when you do those kinds of things.

I know they don't want to take Witton off the field. So yeah, it's it's great to come up with some ideas, but they they're struggling with the guys that they actually have right now to create stuff with. Well, if you're going empty, yeah, and Butler's not there. I'd rather see Switzer on the field absolutely than Noah Brown. Yeah, that's

that's fair. I just think you've got better a route runner and yeah, guys kind of mess around in the slot there then a you know, kind of a bigger wide receiver on the outside who's probably not going to get down the field. See that's what I'm saying. Though, if you think about the way that Dak throws the football to underneath the intermediate stuff. We always talk about him from one to five yards being like an eighty

percent passer. If you do get the ball, We've seen what you could do with even though that that Beasley hasn't got off a long run. He got one the other day. But you know, you want to do that, you want to We've seen Switzer run the ball as a punt return a kick returner. Why not throw him the ball, get it in his hands, get him his hands. I mean, it is that play better than trying to throw a fifty fifty ball to Bryce Butler or throw

a fifty fifty ball to Norah Brown. I think Mickey makes a good point by that, you know, And the other thing is, how are they going to do they think they have a corner that can play man on Dez Bryant. Because if we're gonna be realistic, the reason rod Smith did what he did on the eighty one yard catch and run was they were Dublin Devils and there was no safety in the middle of the field.

Those safeties double to the outside. Like when everybody asked that question about well can this guy you know, can Dez do this? Or well does the other team want to take the chance of dezing this? They left the guy one on one with rod Smith. And again I see the caller's point about trying to get him the football in his hands. That was a good That was just a great design, great advantage and Dak give him credit for the read, but and a great adjustment by

Dak to get him out there. Him out there, and I don't know if that was the play design. He walk saw it and he said, hey, walk him go over there and just a lot walk him over there and then run the run. I can see they were doubling dead absolutely they knew that. Yeah, him and Beasley were getting the deal. That's why those things, you know, get lost, is like, okay, are they doubling him and and and a lot of times it's not a true double. It's like they'll leave the linebacker out there so he

can't run a slant. Right, So now you've got one route third and five. You don't want Dez Bryant running a slant if you're defend defender, you just don't. And then Spagnola tried to take that away. What were you going to say, Well, he mentioned Zeke coming back, and you said when he comes back in he's going to be involved in the running game, pass game. Obviously, I am curious though, and I guess we're just not going to know till he gets back here and gets back

into practice. Is he can you pencil him in for fifty five snaps? Fifty snaps after missing six games. I guess we'll have to wait and see. This is sure you prefer that, Yeah, you're the coaching staff. This is this. I hate, I hate to be this guy, but but we're to the point where it doesn't matter. You gotta go. Yeah, the time to load the wagon has We're on the we're on the Oregon trail right now. We're trying to avoid the plague and all the India ends and everybody else.

I mean, what happens if he if he gets tired and gets hurt. Okay, now he's gonna miss one game. Yeah, I know, I just it's just no, no, I understand about And you haven't seen him, and you haven't had comack with you, right, you know, your your point is, your point is well taken. But I'm to the point now where we're past. We're past that worried about health. It's now about we gotta go win football games. Yeah,

We've got to find a way. And your hope, your hope is that he comes back a piste off football player and you're playing for something and he can show you that against Seattle and all of a sudden he has a thirty one carry game for one hundred and eighty three yards and you're leaving at and T Stadium with a chance to go to Philadelphia and get in this thing. We can expect to see him here on Tuesday, Monday, well Monday, but yeah they're not. They don't. Yeah, they

don't unless you see him in the dining hall, yeah, Monday. Yeah, you'll hear him before you see him. I bet you'll see him running by. Yeah, you know, and it won't snap. First game that's the problem because he'll have the freshest legs of Anybody'll hell, it'll be it'll be good to go. It'll be the second game when he's beat up after noting. I just I just want him to be a piste off football player those last two weeks, if it matters, that's what I want that that. Okay, I'm back and

I'm about to carry this you know what home. We're in that crop top looking good, looking fresh. It's like it's like the you know what you said, all hands on deck, right, the guy that's driving the chuck where I can, Yeah, I'll give him a gun. Yeah exactly. We're taking on. We're we're yeah, we're trying to avoid disease and a lot of things. Long and we got to get to the west. We got to go west. There's that mountain. We got to get there, trying to

get the rams here. Unfortunately we have to take a break before them. But join us when we come back because we got roub Twitter poll and it's going to start a big discussion, and I voted that the second best of anything simply won't cut it, and your skincare should be no different. A long time locker room, favored of the players and the official men's skincare brand of

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Stetson hats are hand made right here in Texas and have been on Cowboys heads for over one hundred and fifty years. The rest of you can visit stetson dot com slash cowboy to find a retailer nearest you. What does it mean to be a Dallas Cowboys fan? It means you've got the passion of the heart to do your part supporting the boys no matter what. That's why when the game's on the line, you're on your feet, whether you're at home or in the stands. Actually, you're

more than a fan. You are a member of Cowboys Nation. And so is AT and T doing their part to keep you connected to America's team all season. Law AT and T is a proud member of Cowboys Nation. This is talking cowboys. Wonder if they hadn't Papa John's pizza at that owner's meeting yesterday For you guys, of course they did. Mick, absolutely, Yes, they know what makes a good those ingredients with veggies that are never frozen and pepperoni that's never filled with anything but pork and beef.

With the ingredients like that, you have better pizza and you have Papa John's for the owner's meeting. Yeah. Before we get to Rob's twitter poll, we have to get to the Oakland Raiders injury report because it's pretty full if you guys have looked at it. Of course it's not too many guys that you're really too concerned with, but some of these guys had a lot of them had veterans days yesterday. Yeah, you know Bruce ervin Kelomac.

They were on there for not injury related assuming that's just a veteran day sure for them, especially at this time in this season. But you know, we've talked about Amari Cooper bean in and out. He was DMP yesterday. Looked GEMPI watching the Kansas City tape. Did he really? He did? He sure did. Tried to play, couldn't play, tried to play, couldn't play. You know, it was pretty pretty painful to watch and play. No catches that game,

by the way. Yeah, and Jared Cook, the guy that we just talked about, he was limited with the wrist. So they've got key injuries and you know you have to look at those throughout this week because whoever will be playing, they have to go there full yes, and then I have football. But Rob will get to your Twitter pool. All right. We were talking about first segment,

the rookie DBS on this Cowboys defense. Yes, playing a lot, playing a lot of snaps, playing well, still needs some more's experience, need, still needs some improvement, but doing a good job. Which of the three has the most upside? Do you feel like Cheeto, Jordan Lewis or Xavier Woods? Do you vote in this Movi? I did vote? Did you write in one? I took the second round pick? Oh you went with the easy one? Huh? Lewis a

full off season the second round pick. Yeah. Yeah. Lewis was third, his third round pick could have been a season first second. Basically could have been a second. Xavier Woods was a six round pick, could have been a third round pick honestly based on on talent. Okay, why do you say Cheeto Mick? Because I just think he's really good, Okay, and I think at his upside starts at a higher level than the other guys. So I'm going I think he's the real deal, real deal yep,

like pro Bowl style one day at some point. Okay, he's had a hard season. I mean he's played through injuries, He's had to miss a lot of time, you know, training camp. I would love to see Cheeto just have a full season because you know, I think he is very versatile. That was a big key. We were listening to some of the scouts talk about some of the bowl games they're going to go to, right and some of them you hear the name and you're like, that

doesn't sound like a very good bowl. And I was bringing it up to one and he goes, well, I saw Cheeto there last year, so that was a big Bowl game for the Dallas Cowboys. Yeah. So well, I like what Mickey saying about Cheeto and and and you know what's funny when when I sat down and put together a board for the draft that we did for one oh five three and Jeff Kavanaugh, Kevin turn and I we had we had a Woozier higher than Lewis on our board, and but we had them both in

the second round. But the way we slotted him. A Woozier was above Lewis. And you know, it's funny when you talk to the scouts again, like Taylor was saying, they they think that Lewis is the one that's got the most upside, but the one that's that is again, how he's caught my eye in the coverage, the mobility, the tackling, the positioning, A Woozier looks like to me, he's got the build for it, he's got the temperament for it, you know, and that that that makes you

feel like that going. But I Jordan Lewis played well the other day. Jordan Lewis didn't look grabby, holdy, all those things that we've kind of see where you know he's had some issues. He didn't look that way. So I but I'm gonna go with Mickey on this one. I think the guy that's got the most the most upside. And not to say that Louis is not going to be good, but I think the guy that it's all said and done, will be uh will be uh will be cheeto hey in agreement, I gotta go Lewis on

this one. Nice. I want I'm curious to see what the fan said they picked Cheeto. Fifty seven percent said Cheeto. And you know he's got more physically, he's he's he's built to you know, he's a bigger corner. He can handle some of the bigger receivers in the league, so he's got that advantage. Jordan Lewis got thirty two percent of the vote, followed by Xavier Woods. So yeah, maybe that was a predictable poll. I don't know, but all three you're playing well, and all three of them you

can see a role for them going forward. Cheeto, by the way, he's going home this weekend. He's from San Jose, so he's got a lot of family out there. Uh they're either he said, they're either Raiders or forty nine Ers fans, but they got a root for me. On Sunday, who who went to Who had the hometown game? Oh gosh, it was it was Chad's Green Atlanta right, Oh yeah, but he had like sixty something people. Oh that's right. Yeah, that was like a Florida everybody got to go see Chads.

He makes the start. Well, I told you Landstone Bar that one. He returns to New Orleans and they got blown up. Yeah, poor guy. Bless him, you know, as acl let me ask you this, do you think that people vote come on? Wing returned to Colorado? No, he

got injured. Well, let me ask you this though, when when you when you think about when you think about with the Woozier and Lewis, do you think it's fans have seen Lewis play a much more And that's kind of kind of swaying them to why they're thinking the way they are. What game did Cheeto come back and start?

Was it two games ago? Washington? Wasn't it? He was so physical and productive in that game, I think, and it's a smaller sample size, but I think fans saw that and like, Wow, this guy makes plays on the ball, he's aggressive, he's in position and so Yeah, but yeah, they haven't seen as much of him as they have from Lewis. Yeah, I mean, I'm wondering if they voted voted for Cheeto just because they haven't seen as much from him. And then we haven't seen the mistakes and

I mean we've we've seen we've seen Lewis play since Denver. Yeah, right about him. Yeah, he's been playing all the games. I mean they throw him out there. We've seen the good, we've seen the bad. I wonder if fans are just kind of like thinking, we haven't seen that yet from we haven't seen that from a Woozier, so maybe it would have been a closer, you know, closer vote. It's like you said, in terms of pre draft rankings, they

were right there. I mean, it's not like it's a clear cut Okay, who was higher rated coming out of the draft. They're both in that second round range. Yeah, let's go to the phone lines. We have, Layman. I hope I said that right from DC. You can totally correct me. It's lamon. Hey, I bet you you've had to deal with that for a long time. Always, always. I think you guys are onto something about the young cornerbacks. I think Woozy a little bit more physical. Um, it

has the swagger. I think Lewis definitely has the swagger. I just think it needs to develop just a little bit more physicality, and I think He'll had the potential to be a lockdown corner I think we got something going great with these two young corners. But um, do you think the narrative about Dak not being able to

win without Zeke? Uh, it's losing steam. We don't. We don't seeing him wins back to back games, and UM, I don't think there is um is over the hill, I think, Um, I just think him and Dak having been able to get get on the same page. And it's kind of frustrating once once you once you finally get the ball and you're trying to make a play, it's frustration that sets saying then he end up just like on Sunday, losing the ball on the deep, on

the on the deep, on the deep throw. You know, it gets frustrating at the while after not getting in the ball, But um, what do you guys think? Thank you? Thanks on You know what? Dak evidently told Dez the same thing he told Beasley in that game when Beasley dropped the ball. Yeah. And when I was talking to Beasley about the drop, he goes, yeah, but you know what the good thing was, He goes, I came back to the huddle and I was apologizing and Dak told

me I won't apologize. He goes, I've missed you on passes. Sure. Evidently he told Dez the same thing. Sure, forget about it, he said. He kept coming back to the huddle and bringing it up and it's like, quit talking about it. Yeah, sure, I've thrown you a bad pass before, So let's let's go. Let's go make a play. And that's a good thing about Dak. He's he's mature beyond his years, and he doesn't make excuses or let other people take the fall

for his play, even though sometimes they should. He falls on his sword, and that's what a quarterback I have to do. I have always been impressed. And I know you guys are scrammling to get out of a stadium or scrambling to get out of a locker room, but we sit there and get the post game, you know. With Dak, and there's been some games where he stood up there where it could have been forty five other guys standing behind him, saying that was me, that was me.

He every single time. And I've told this to Nate Newton. I said, Hey, the most admirable thing about that young man is did he's willing to stand up there and take the blame when again, forty five other guys could have just as easily were just as bad as he was. So is it easy to see why a locker room got behind a rookie quarterback? Absolutely? You could. And I'm I was a Romo fan. I mean I was a big I wanted to see Romo play. I love Tony Romo. I was he was part of my life. He you

know that. Those all really great things. But I do admire Dak Prescott. I do. I admire him from what he did at Mississippi State against my alma mater. I saw him do that. The biggest thing you could say about Dak Prescott and how much talent he has is when scouts went back to Mississippi State after he left and they thought, well, hey, this is a ten win team, and they went back in the talent was really a five win team or a six win team. That's what he was able to bring to your team. And then

Scott's like, well, where's all the talent? You guys win ten games last year? You know, Dan Mullen's like, the talent's over at the Cowboys right now. You know, that's the type of guy you have, and you know I respect him for that because it's not always perfect for him. He's not a perfect quarterback. He's not going to make you. He's not a Drew Breese, he's not Aaron Rodgers. But He's tough. In this day and age, you've got to

have a tough guy. It minds me of Brett Farven that way, be tough, get respect from your teammates, and go lead. And I think that's the biggest things you could say about him. Yeah, I like that. You bring up Mississippi State, you know, when we traveled over to Starkville, Mississippi, that was just the first thing that ever brought up, is that everyone could follow him. Sure, you can't. He's

easy to do. Talked about in recruiting. You know, he was not the most highly touted recruitable quarterback right that they had coming into Mississippi State. And he said that they had held a workout and all these guys were following Dak. Yeah, so workout of over four hundred guys. Yeah, following Dak just tangibles. Just can't get him. Help, you know, keep getting him, help, let the line develop, you know, whatever you have to do at receiver, help him, help

him that way. Did you guys see what Eric Dickerson said about Ezekiel Elliott. Have you seen that yet? No? I have not. So obviously the Cowboys are still not eligible to have contact with Ezekiel Elliott, but other people can and one of those one of those guys is Eric Dickerson. He has had contact with Ezekiel Elliott since his suspension, and he says he looks great. He said, he looks fantastic, and that Zeke has, you know, has this mindset that in his first game back, he's going

to get two hundred yards. Yeah, let's hope. So let's hope he means something too. Yeah, you know, it's always it's always good to see these former players interacting with the current players that sometimes need help. Yep. Yeah, and that's that's the guy that Zeke was going after his rookie rushing record last year too, and could have gotten it maybe if you know, a couple more couple more games, um, a couple more two hundred yard games, Yeah, a couple

more of those. Yeah, you know, guys gotta sit six games and is still adamant I did nothing wrong. There's got to be major motivation coming back, especially if your football team. You come back, like you said, Brian, and you got two games to go and you might have a playoff team. Yeah, there's gotta be a huge motivation

there on his part. He's gotta feel like he's let down guys like Jason Witten, and you know, then something that maybe even Dak maybe you know, he's felt like he you know, hey, I missed I missed you guys when I needed to be here when we were playing this season. Yeah, you got some guys in the team, maybe Orlando Scandrick. There's another veteran player justin Durant. The guys that may not have a whole there's guy, there's guys without campaigns here that have not many campaigns left.

And so to miss that part of it, you know, hopefully he's got that that remorse in his in his heart right now. Yeah. I think that goes to Lamon's question about, you know, Dak not having Zeke, the narrative that he wasn't able to do it in two games, you know, two division games as well. And what's been the difference with what with what difference? That's the last two questions. Yeah, what's been the differences? It's got a healthy offensive line, Yeah, you've been you've been talking about that.

You've been getting the right tackle that's played at a pretty nice level. You know, your left guard has not been been an issue. I mean, they didn't they didn't go five games and it's like, oh, now I know how to play without Zeke, Like the light just came on. I think if you listen carefully how he answered the question and how Jason answered the question, they weren't buying into that theory. Yeah, well yeah, there's that. I mean, what did he learn? What did he have to learn?

What do you mean back? Yeah, like hit the open receiver. Yeah, seriously, he got sacked fourteen times in those three games that they lost fourteen Think about that. That was his fault because he didn't know how to play without Zeke. They got complete performances from the entire football game his last team last you got it. You got a special teams touchdown, you got a bunch of takeaways against Washington, and Sean Lee made a huge difference last week. Offense didn't give

up thirty points. Yeah. I mean, it's it's a team game, no question, team game, all three phases. Hopefully we don't see any more missed extra points from Dan Bailey. No, don't need that. Yeah, we don't need that. You know, I think you're going to look at something. I think, no matter what, this game this weekend will be a close one because whenever you have to look at you're relying on your defense to shut down an offense. Always

feels like it gets really close. Yeah, it kind of reminds me of the Falcons game a little bit, does Yeah, Because you're facing a team that was really good last year, that's still got a lot of talent offensively and for some reason they haven't been able to play well. Yeah, and they're trying to find an answer. And so can they find an answer at home? Who's had a more disappointing season the Dallas Cowboys are the Oakland Raiders with the expectations that were set from the outside perception of

what their teams were capable of producing. Of course, you know, Derek Carr led them to the playoffs. Who wasn't able to play? Had to have on our cook step in. Yeah, yeah, he missed a game, right, one game? Did what do you think he missed the playoff game? The You know that what's the strangest thing right now is its six and seven. The Raiders are still in it's the chance to win the division absolutely, and then and they've got and they've got games against the division, they got they

got to play. They gotta finish with the Yeah, they got the Eagles. Well they got the Eagles and the Chargers left after the Cowboys. They're one game different than the Cowboys. That's what I'm saying. They're exactly the same. You can you can have the stats, look at how they've won in a streak and lost in a streak. I think you'd have to put To answer your question, I think you'd have to put the Raiders the Cowboys. I mean, with what we've known with the six games

or hopefully will be three and three without Zeek. But I think that to me, Raiders, Cowboys, Tampa, with those teams that I was kind of expecting better, better results. It wasn't expecting the Saints to be division leaders right now. To be honest with you, I wouldn't expecting that. Had to answer my own question, I think I'd go with the Raiders on this one because I thought once Derek Carr was coming back. Of course, he got injured Week five.

That never helps anyone, but I thought they were going to make a real run. I thought, Okay, they're finally getting that confidence they've needed. They returned to the playoffs. It was a disappointing playoff because he had a rookie quarterback who never started a football game. But you had all the pieces, and you added more pieces. I mean, guys, what would you look at our d line if we had Bruce Irvan and Klolmack on each end? Oh sure,

I think we'd be pretty dangerous out there. Mario Edwards is not a bad player either now, and but their problem has been they haven't in the game. Look at the scores of the games they've lost, absolutely scored like oh no, eight points. Yeah, point. They haven't scored more than seventeen points and every loss they had, all seven losses. Oh so yeah, their problem has been surprisingly on offense, or you wouldn't think get right. Yeah, it's and it's

very stumbling when you have something like Amara Cooper. Of course he's been banged up. But Marshawn Lynch, I mean, his yards average is very low. It's very low. I think it's like point two point two. Yeah for him for probably not that bad because he's a plugger. He's never going to be a guy that's gonna take off and hit you for eighty yards at the line of scrimmage. Yeah, sometimes I look at him, but he's still got seven touched the fullback. He's bill like one. He is truck,

he is he's dangerous. But you know, regardless, I think you're right, Brian. The Raiders are almost in a better spot though, just being where they are in the eighth. Well, they went and laid an egg at Kansas City last week and they had a chance to games between them, had a chance to bury Kansas City last week after all the problems they have and make them six and seven set of them, So they've got stuff to play for. I mean, there's no question that they need to draw

the line in the sand right now. They need they need a victory, and so does DAOs. Sounds like to speak that del Rio gave him after they blew their chance against the Chiefs who had lost what four straight, and they get beat by them like they got pummeled. Strange, Lady del Rio can give some good motivational Rio said, they need to play like their hair's on fire. Hairs on fire. Well, we'll have a fiery Friday show for you guys when you join us tomorrow, same time, same play,

same people, join us then. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.