Talkin' Cowboys: Sounding Off

of sort of. It kind of is a byeweek, though at least it feels like it's a byeweek. We'll take it. I mean, I'll take it? Or will you take it? I definitely take it. Heck, well will you take it? I will? Oh he's showing off the Christmas tree, Rob Rob bye week are you taking it? Leaving it? What do you? I'll take a bye, I'll take a mini bye. I got a Christmas tree for you coming up later this weekend on your Christmas tree. Wait, so on the weekend. You're not doing it? You're not starting now on the

Christmas tree. No, just give me till the end. Oh, we're gonna have a tree off. Yeah, we're gonna have a tree off. Am I gonna have to am, I gonna have to bring mine to the studio and put it in here. Chris is probably not gonna like that very much, but I would no, But you're the prop guy on the show, so do it. Okay? Fine? Cool, Rob said I could. I'll just tell him. I'll tell everybody that, like whenever I walk in with a full Christmas tree, you you have a Christmas tree, You're gonna

you're gonna put up. I don't. I don't have one up. My question because I know Heckman has had his tree up since uh since Halloween? But did you do you have an elf on a shelf? Heckman? Do you guys do elf on a shelf? Yes? We do? Did you kick get all? You did your what's what's your else name? What's your else name? I can't say. That's embarrassing. Wow, I'm just gonna say tup tupacow. Yeah, okay, that's pretty fa that's pretty awesome. But I'm learning more about you

guys as weeks every day. But hey, that's how it is here on this show. Cowboys. What's up? Rob? That's awesome? When are we going to break down the Ravens like Monday of next week? Like, what do you want to

do the rest of them? See Friday. Here's the thing that's that's kind of where I was leading with this, is that the Dallas Cowboys who played the Washington football team on Thursday, we broke down that game at nauseum yesterday and we were going to continue into today, and we still are going to continue in today because there's nothing else related to go go after. But I mean, that felt like forever Thursday to Monday to finally break

down that game on this show. Well, now we've got to wait forever because we've got till next Tuesday, and that's just scheduled because tomorrow is when the Ravens and the Steelers are going to play due to COVID nineteen protocols and trying to get the Ravens outbreak contained. And then the Ravens and Cowboys are scheduled to play next Tuesday, push back again twelve days in between the Washington game

and the raven game. A Ravens game coming up for the Cowboys, and like I, like Rob said earlier it's a mini bye week. But at the same time, there's a lot of stuff we can talk about. But I don't know when we'll start that that breakdown. Friday, maybe we start we start breaking down that game. I mean, we could just go six days, just go on one player at a time, just go all the way down the roster for both teams. They just do that, and then I mean that would work. He liked that idea.

I do. I like that. That's dangerous though, but yeah, I like it. I mean, the NFL man blessed hard. They've had a lot to try and digest and get through this whole of a nineteen twenty situation, and they're doing the best that they can. I mean, the Steelers in the Ravens game has been moved what four times now yep. So I mean I think we're just thinking our lucky stars that they're actually going to be able

to play a game. But even for our game, I think if there are any more any more of an outbreak than there already has been with Baltimore, our game may be in question. It's tough and rob whenever you look at the scheduling and everything that's involved here with these two games. Talking about the Steelers game for the Ravens and then of course Cowboys Ravens. Is this something that the Cowboys needed in terms of a little extra time after what was ended up being a blowout loss

in Washington, a very emotional week last week. Is this something that the doctor ordered for the Cowboys or is this something that you didn't necessarily want for this team? I think they definitely need it. That's just me speaking

the outside. I know McCarthy. Mike mc arthy said on Friday that you know, will will adjust if we still play that you know by that at that point they didn't know if they were playing this week or next and but he said, you know, we'll take it because I think not only from a from a physical standpoint, obviously, the injuries have been a factor because, like you said, Kyle, emotionally, Um, this has just been really hard man. I mean, and

and I think Mickey said it, um. I want to say during on Thanksgiving at the game, you know a lot of young guys on the team that probably have not experienced something like losing someone close to him, like like Marcus paul Um and really and the way it happened, it happened in the building where where he suffered that that emergency, and so I think they definitely could use it. And now the thing about it is, what's what's interesting is you play next Tuesday, but it's a road trip.

You're probably gonna get back early hours Wednesday morning, and then you've got to turn around and travel. I would assume Saturday the twelfth to go play at Cincinnati on the road. That's that's doing them no favors with the schedule. But but Heckma said it too. Uh, they're the league is in unchartered territory here and they're just trying to get through the season the best way they know how and also give the Ravens some chances to get to

get healthy because you know, this isn't well. I don't know exactly what caused it, but with an outbreak, they're trying to help them as much as they can. Yeah, I mean the league, like you guys already said, the league trying to figure it out. I think they're they're in a bad spot. Um, but you know, I'm hearing some things out of Baltimore that you know, if they're forced to play it, that they they might do a little striky strike and all the kinds of other stuff man.

So um, but there's there's there's implications of that as well, because the NFLPA and in the league and lawsuits and all kinds of stuff. So this week is crazy. I think all of us just have our antennas up just trying figure out what the heck is going on. So you're saying, if they're forced to play, the players, there's there's word that the players are going to try to do a strike because they're saying that they're being exposed

to you know, it's it's dangerous, dangerous conditions. I thought, at least for the other perspective from a league standpoint, it would be not okay to take away game checks. So that's kind of where I was confused, or that's where I'm confused by that. Just the fact that if you don't play, you're not gonna get paid. And I think you could say that about both the Cowboys and the Ravens if that game's canceled. The Cowboys were sitting here saying, well, what did we do wrong? What happened

with us? Why is our game check getting taken away? So, I mean, there's so many different layers and factors to this thing. It's crazy to talk about because, I mean, one, it's unpresident and we never never had to experience anything like this. I mean the season in general. I mean we had a backup, backup, backup wide receiver playing quarterback for the Denver Broccos last I mean, and that was

that was league induced. I mean, that's what that's what we're dealing with right now with this COVID nineteen protocol. But if you were a player, what side would you be on? Would you want to be on the safe side or would you want to be on the side of let's play, let's let's do our job kind of thing? Um. I mean back then, I didn't have any kids, so true, you know, I mean I trust, I know, I know specifically here, every time we come in the building, I know,

you know, they're they're testing out the wazoo. So um, I know that they're doing everything that they possibly can to try to keep people safe. Um. At the end of the day, it's it's a it's an airborne disease that you really can't contain, right. So um, at the end of the day, there you know, people aren't getting diagnosed as soon as they have on set, right they're being diagnosed days after um, you know they actually contracted.

So it's it's scary. It's a scary place for players, especially those guys who are who are not single and bachelors, the guys that have to go back home to their families and and kids and all that. So it's it's two different mindsets. I think, you know, the bachelor, the bachelor guy that just came in the league versus a family man. Um. I ran into a guy the other day at the dealership and he was he's a basketball player, NBA guy. He just he took the year off just

because he's like, it's just stop. Yeah. He's like, I'm just I'm not playing. I'm not doing that to my family. Wow, that's crazy. I mean at the dealership. At the dealership, wow with an NBA guy. Wow, that wasn't at the mississ b see A Ford was go yow, we know hey money he had was calling out Isaiah again for the second straight day in that regard. Now giving it back if you're looking at it from a cowboys perspective, and I know, the rest is something that's gonna that's

gonna play a factor. And of course you're you're excited about a couple extra days to kind of sit here and rest. But this is also a chance that the Cowboys have to to it's a chance to mess things up to I mean, I remember, even from an employee perspective, the Cowboys hr and overhanging or saying that, hey, you got to stay home on the bye week and bye weekend Thanksgiving and saying, hey, be careful. That's that's really

kind of what the overhanging arching of it is. This is kind of unregulated, or at least it feels that way, Rob. Whenever it comes to the twelve days that you're waiting to play this football game, this team has to show discipline in this week as at the same time, I mean, you're still gonna have practices, You're still gonna have things that you're gonna have to work on, but you also got to stay safe outside of that. And that's something that I think is another challenge placed on Mike McCarthy

staff that I don't think we've actually hit up, Rob. Yeah, but I mean they're they're going to be back in the building here at some point this week. I know the league asked all teams just as a safety precaution coming off of the Thanksgiving holiday, stay home work virtually Monday Tuesday of this week, and then I think the Cowboys were set to get back into practice on Wednesday,

now pushing the game back another day. I don't know if they're going to change that up, because you could do you could do your Wednesday Thursday schedule really on Friday Saturday this week. But to your point, it's all about the protocols and sticking to it, and that's you know, that's what happened with Denver. There was a breakdown in protocol with their quarterbacks, and that's why, you know, they not only didn't have quarterbacks, that's why I guess the

league one had and said let's play the game. So but I think the Cowboys are leading, maybe setting the right example in terms of bubbling up with the staff at a hotel. Now they have better, the amenities here are better, and then I would imagine any team in the league. It's unbelievable, it's first class. But that might be a way that the way that teams have to go down the stretch here to ensure as much safety as possible to get through this season. The Cowboys are

kind of setting that example. I want to know what Seattle is doing. I found out last night watching the Seattle game. Seattle is the only team in the league that hasn't had a case on their team yet. Yeah, somebody, Steve Leeper right, brought that brought up that point on the broadcast. I thought the same stat kind of poked in my head. It was like, my goodness, that's pretty impressive.

And also not to mention, I wonder what their amenities are, like, I mean, you were up there, it is it anything. There's no hotel right next door? Yeah, hotel. There's no Omni next door. I can tell you that is right there on the waterfront. I mean, most guys live relatively close. But I mean Seattle is a lot different in Texas, in Dallas a little bit, and they've they've locked things down. Things are pretty much locked down back that's a good

back home Seattle. So it's a lot different environment. Guys were able to leave here go out and eat at restaurants. You know, I'm not hanging out with I'm just going out to eat. I'm eating outside, you know, whatever it may be. But you're still out socializing Versus a Seattle you don't have that option. That's that probably plays a pretty good factor into it. Now. Whenever it comes to this week in the Cowboys perspective, where do they want to start? Kind of leaning in terms of of work

do you think? And Rob, I'm kind of going back to what you said a second ago. You said they could start as soon as tomorrow in terms of their practice schedule. But do you think they'll push it back or you think they'll take these next couple of days to rest up and then finally get into practice. I honestly don't know. We haven't gotten an adjusted schedule, if

there is one. I just know that that Monday two they were going to get back in the in meeting space virtually today players basically back back to work off the holiday today and then I think they were going to do something Friday or Wednesday on the field. Now it is an opportunity even if Mike McCarthy wants to just to give them another day or just have meetings on Wednesday and just get off your feet some more.

Um So we'll see how they do it. But you know, usually they've got kind of three day set Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and then they would travel. So you can you can do you can knock that out all on the weekend and then have your travel day on Monday. I'm losing track of my days. I don't know it's Tuesday fifty Tuesday exactly. No, Kyle, let me just add to that. Let me add to that that you know, for the NFL,

this is our football teams are. For the Dallas Cowboys, this is a logistical nightmare, especially dealing with the schedule changing. You know how how much uh NFL coaches just create that structure, and that's what you get. In the NFL. Everything gets pretty much structured out. You're off on these days, you practice on these days, you install your game playing on certain day. But this year has been completely knocked off kilter and you have no idea how this is

gonna go or the scheduling is going to go. But for this team, coming off of that loss to the football team, they may want to try and incorporate a little bit more rest, especially knowing that the game now it's going to be moved out to Tuesday. So it's gonna be interesting how they played and how the week is going to form. Well, it's gonna be interesting to see how the week is going to form. From a talking Cowboys perspective, because we've got to find topics to

talk about all week long. So tomorrow homeborway assignment, tone work assignment for you all. I expect a four thousand word essay on whether or not the Cowboys or the NFL should go into a bubble for the NFL playoffs. So debate back and forth. We'll read them live on the air, and that's how tomorrow's show. So with that being said, I'm totally joking for everybody listening, please tune in tomorrow. We will not be doing that anyway. San Francisco is doing something like it that you're not wrong,

you're not wrong. Well they're kind of forced to, kind of have to. Yeah. But with that being said, it is a fan on the fifty Tuesday, and we've got some fan questions to answer. If you haven't put in your fan questions just yet, send them in the periscope, tweet it at us, and we'll talk things over when we come back on the other side of the break,

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and T five G, fast, reliable, secure, and nationwide. Switch to a T and T five G. It's not complicated. Five get requires compatible plan may not be in your area. See at dot com slash five G for you for details to Talking Cowboys back, you're on Talking Cowboys. It's a Tuesday edition. Fans on the fifty coming up. Send in your fan questions in the periscope stream. We've got a couple that we're going to hit. Some of them that are pretty spicy of a debate, and I'm kind

of excited to get into it. Here a little bit. But before we do that, I want to thank Slor Lenses. With lenses, you'll see every exciting playbook, an appointment at your local SLOR experts, and see what selor can do for you. See more, do more. I need to just have you start doing the reach and while you do them, you can like you're my offering. You're a guy in charge here. Kay. Oh so you're a guy in charge. I'm your background dancer. Remember you remember that, you guys,

remember that from yesterday. I needed to stop talking background dancer. I need to just stop talking. Oh man. Well, anyways, with that being said, now pack him on. I don't want to hear what you have to say here in the next final next couple seconds, because I know you're about to say something along the lines that I don't want to hear. Anyways, let's go to our first fans on the fifty question, starting with Gary, Well, wait, actually I forgot the stinger. Okay, wait, fans on the fifty,

Oh it didn't fire off. This is this is this is not just this is unfortunate, this is this is sad. It's okay, though, It's okay. Chris Beams always doing fantastic stuff in the back. So let's go to Gary's question, the question for the fans on the fifty. It doesn't appear that Ezekiel Elliott fits in Kellen Moore's pass happy offense. With that being said, he gave us multiple choices here, So so listen up. So A with the front office this season, are you going to try and move on

from Zeke? B? Are you gonna cut ties with Kellen Moore? Or see do they run it back next season? Let's go with Hekma first. I'm I'm going to see run it back. I mean, this is uh gonna be this is gonna go down for Zeke is probably one of one of his worst statistical years, and so I would like to see what he looks like with a healthy offensive line. I mean we've we've pretty much just that's the point that we have to make with Zeke is

that he's running behind this makeshift offensive line. Is hard for him to try to be the running back that we've known him to be in the past. But I wouldn't say that I would rush to get rid of one of the probably one of the best running backs

in the league to this point. Rob see run it back and basically to what Hekma said that if they could take care of the ball next year with Dak with you think a healthy offen line, I would imagine they put themselves in position to have more leads in games and you can actually use ze because they didn't give themselves chances and some of it was equ with the fumbles, but they haven't given themselves chances to run a lot of the times because of turnovers and because

of deficits and at times situationally you've seen Kelly Moore go to the pass and lean pass, so there's been that too, But I think they need to be I think from a play calling standpoint and from a personnel standpoint, they need to be more balanced going forward next year when they get healthy. I'm going with options to see with a conversation. Okay, right, run it back, but Kellen Moore needs to sit down. Mike McCarthy needs to called Keller more into the office and sit him down in

a little man's chair. So Mike mccarthney needs to have a big chair and Keller Mortys have a little chair. He needs to say, Hey, we have this dude back here who's a dog on goon and we need to find a way to get him the ball. I know that you'd like to throw the rock, right, I know that's your thing. However, if you can't find a way to get him his touches twenty times a game, then guess what I'm going to take? Go? Rest offers a coordinator.

Do you think that conversation happens well before the off season? Though I would. I would have liked to have seen it already, but obviously we haven't. I think I think it may have happened the week before last, and then he was like, all right, I appease, coach. Now I'm going back to what I know, back to so I mean, there has to be some form of consistency there. You have to be able to break your you know, break

your your habits, and right now obviously he hasn't. So if we're a cuss, well, no, that's that's the thing. I mean. The last three games before this Thanksgiving one, they were balanced. It was good, it was good. You saw kind of what you're you're looking for. I just wonder for you guys, like, do you think do you think can run it these last five games with with

consistency without Zach? I mean, that's that's the question I have because because I just wonder if part of Kellen's thinking in the game was we just maybe against that particular front, we're just we're running our head into a brick wall trying to do it. Yeah, yeah, that's it. You answered that. I mean the football team we just can't run against the period because of their front. Maybe we'll have more, maybe we'll have more luck versus the

Cincinnatis of the league. Maybe that would be it. I mean, even when you look at Baltimore and their front, I mean they're pretty stout as well, and so that's gonna be another challenge for us. I know we're gonna wait to talk about those guys, but that defense is hilacious also, so you know, it doesn't get any easier, and especially with the personnel that you have. You know, look, man, there's not a lot of sunshine coming through those dark clouds for Zeke. So he's just kinda keep his head

down and hope for the best through these next five games. Now, all four of us and I'll throw se as my answer to to run it back. But with all four of us saying run it back, I think that applies to not only Zeke, but I think it talks about really the entire offense. I mean, you're coming back, You're hoping your offensive line's healthy, You're hoping those weapons are still there and playing well and things like that going

into twenty twenty one. But my question, kind of based off A Gary's question, is what should the expectations be like with what has happened and what has conspired this year, Because seemingly your defense has seen vast improvements, even with it being a little banged up as well. Your offense has battled through adversity, has battled through these obstacles all

year long. Once everybody's back and healthy, shouldn't there be higher expectations or what is that getting ahead of ourselves before it's like, okay, let's figure things out and win a couple of games first. Yeah, they need to win some games. Yeah, they need to win some games. I mean, I don't think that there is an expectation right now. The expectations to go out there and play a consistent four quarter game. That's that right now as the standard.

Once they can do that on a consistent basis, we can talk about expectations beyond it. Rob play consistent four quarter game, Yeah, play consistent four quarter game and don't turn it over. Because I don't know who's gonna win this division. I think it's it's looking tough for the Cowboys based off the tiebreakers and technically being last. But what's interesting, I just I looked at the at the turnover differential for all four teams, and it runs in

line with the standings right now. Like Washington, I think or the Giants are the only team with a plus turnover margin, and there I guess in front, maybe by the tiebreaker. If that's correct, Washington's right behind him. Cowboys are last. Cowboys are last in the league, I think in turnover differential, like no, none of these teams have a margin for error. So if you dig yourself more of a problem with turnovers, you're gonna you know, to me,

that's the team that's gonna wind wind up in last place. Yeah. If we're talking, if we're talking expectations for this team, well next year, what they're gonna do to get back to or get half winning ways. I think it's gonna obviously come down to coach Mike McCarthy. My opinion about Mike McCarthy prior to him coming here was one that he stern guy one that the offensive either the offensive guru,

just a no nonsense kind of a coach. And you've seen him lay into Aaron Rodgers at times where he's made he's made bad plays, and other guys as well for just playing undisciplined football. This is a this is a new look Mike McCarthy here in Dallas, and I'm just wanting to see him go back to that. I think Isaiah brought up something yesterday that I thought was very interesting in saying that he can hear what's about

to be played, so what called what's being called? So he has vieto power over that, and so just I want to see him vieto some of these bad decisions so that he could come out looking a lot better. Because right now, I mean, if you just want to give like a grade on the way that this season has gone, COVID everything that you can load into that included, I still think, man, that you're kind of grading on the lower scale because of some of the indecisions or

lack of good decisions. So you said you want to see McCarthy vito one of these bad decisions. How what's to say that he hasn't vetoed these bad decisions already.

I mean, I know there's a couple of bad decisions that make it into actual play calls, and I know he didn't veto those, but there's a couple of them that you could say, hey, maybe he did veto this there and the other, because there's no way for us to actually tell from the outside looking in, right, I'm sure of that, right, And even I say even with players, I talk about the disciplinary, disciplinarian part of Mike McCarthy when he was in Green Bay. We haven't seen him

bench anyone yet. We got rid of some guys that weren't producing, and then there were those murmurs earlier in the season about some guy on the inside saying that, you know, we don't trust the coaches or what have you. I just think that that part of it, when your team that there's decisions that's being made and you see your team just I don't want to say quit, but

the bottom fallout on your team. I think that's I mean, look, you gotta come back and you gotta recognize that, and that's what he's gonna have to make up for with this team next year. That's just my that's my opinion on it. UM. Yeah, Mike McCarthy has. I am unimpressed by him this year, unfortunately, and I was really high

on him coming in. UM. It's simply because of some of those things that you mentioned, right, his his ability to UH control a team, his ability to get across his culture, his ability to get across his his philosophies. And I don't think that we have We haven't seen that come through, at least not the way in which we intended it to UM. And I think, I know we all have had high expectations, but UH three and eight is definitely well below, well below any of our

expectations for him coming in UM. And obviously he's had a lot of curveballs to overcome, I mean, this first year, as has any other coach. Yeah, there's a knuckleball, definitely a check no allbuck for sure, But but I mean he has to find a way, you know, when you when you're and I guess just just as players have to separate themselves from the competition, coaches have to separate themselves from the competition as well, and they get graded,

they get critiqued as well by management. And I don't think that he has responded the way in which he has needed to. I don't think that he's used his authority UH to enforce certain measures to ensure that these guys are on the right track. I don't think he's reprimanded guys, at least from what we can tell. I don't think he's reprimanded guys in a way that is conducive to a change in behavior throughout throughout his his roster. Um. There's a lot of things that I think he could

have done. He's obviously Heckman is already touched based on his play calling and his his his lack thereof canceling out from what we can see canceling plays coming through like I've seen in the past through other coaches. So there's is a lot of things that I think that he needs his self evaluate within himself, which I'm sure he is because he seems like he's that type of guy. But um, there needs to be changed, and he has the power to control those things. Everything that he decides

not to not to change, he's deciding to allow. I like this conversation, and I want to continue this when we come back on the other side of the break. Let's step aside for just a moment is Mike McCarthy and the toughest situation that any Cowboys coach has ever had in their first season. Jerry Jones said this morning that he doesn't think so we're gonna unpack that when we return here on Talking Cowboys. We're backing in a tasty treat that's sweeping air waves and taste buds. It's

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this Fans on the fifty Tuesday. More fan questions coming up here in just a couple moments, But first, whether you're listening to Talking Cowboys while you work or while you work out, watching highlights, or even trading fantasy draft players. Bose Quiet Comfort earbuds let you experience audio in a whole new way. Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds are the official

earbuds of your Dallas Cowboys. Kyle Yeoman's Isaiah stand back, heck My Harrison and Rob Phillips with you here on this Talking Cowboys Tuesday, and I want to continue the conversation that we had that Isaiah kind of brought up a minute ago. And I know Rob, you were asked this on the fan this morning, but I think it's a valid question, giving that Jerry Jones this morning when asked if Mike McCarthy has had the most thrown at him and his first year as a head coach for

the Dallas Cowboys, Jimmy said, no, he's not. They had the worst first year. He said, Jimmy had the first worst first year as a head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. Do you agree with that, Rob, or do you think it is McCarthy because of the situation a hand with COVID, the racial injustice, all sorts of things, and then everything that's happened within the last couple weeks as well. Yeah, I mean I wasn't here for the start of Jimmy.

I think I was like seven years old, but so I would I would defer to Jerry on that, I guess, but but I would say McCarthy just because what I told the guys on the fan was, you know, when Jimmy came in, it was just a talent issue. They were completely devoid of talent for the most part and had a rookie quarterback in Troy trying to figure it

out and getting beat up to Holy hell. And in this situation, it's partly talent because of the injuries, but it's all this unprecedented stuff that we've never seen before that is throwing a wrench. And just try how he tries to schedule his team day today. And I know I'm sounding like I'm making excuses, but but this is

this week and next week is just another example. Like I feel like he walks into his office every day not knowing what he's going to get thrown at him and how he's got to prepare his team for the every week because of everything that's going on and mass wearing and all those things social distancing that are probably preventing him from from establishing kind of that close culture that I'm sure he wants with his team just because

of the nature of our world right now. So I would say, I would say, Mike, just because we've never seen a season like this ever. Yeah, I'm gonna say all you have to say to that is twenty twenty. Yeah, it's it's tough. And I understand where Jerry is where he's coming from on that because when Jimmy Johnson took over, you gotta think and they had just fired Tom coach Tom Landry and so that is an institution here in Dallas.

So it was tough for Jimmy to take over and then coach uh in that climate here in Dallas and then not, you know, win one game. So it was tough. Right. There's just media all over and things like that, but no one has had to deal with all of this COVID stuff. I mean, for the first time we had a scrimmage with no numbers on the jerseys, you guys had to do a three hour broadcast where we didn't see any plays. We just listen to you guys for

three hours. I mean, I forgot about that. Let's not forget about that night, all right, And so I mean it's been so it's been so much happening this year that has been unprecedented, and with the injuries and everything else. Yes, if you can look back to that time, it is comparable as far as what Jimmy had to go through as a coach. But if Jimmy had to deal with COVID and that at the same time, Man, we probably would have lost double the games that we're not even

on the schedule, double double. Yeah, it had been hard. We lost fifteen. We lost fifteen games there. Anyway, just let it happen. That's that's the part. That's the part where you just let it happen and move on. Okay, I'm gonna let you totally redeem yourself, totally redeem yourself. Um. Yeah again, I'm like Rob, I wasn't. I wasn't really um running around here when when Jimmy was here. Um. But McCarthy has had it rough man. But you know,

I'm team no excuse, I'm team find a way. So I'm probably one of the least empathetic people that you probably run into, maybe because some of the stuff I've went through in my life. But you know, he has a ton of resources. Man. He probably has the most amount of resources at his at his disposal in the entire NFL. And trust me, I've been around um So he has the great the greatest support system, he has the greatest resources. He has a great coach and staff.

He has one of the most talented rosters. We gotta figure it out, man, I mean I can't. I can't. I can't hit you. What's up? I gotta do this, man, I gotta hit you. I gotta hit you with a standback is m Listen here, Isaiah? You know there are there are there are rookies that we had that we didn't even get a look at these guys until August. You know, so you gotta you gotta give him some slack there. I know, team no excuse, that's that's real, right.

But at the same time, what we're what the Cowboys they've had to go through, and all of the teams in the NFL have had to go through. Man, this is for a first year coach, that's a pretty impossible task. See, And normally I would agree with you, and I did at the beginning of the season. I was on the train of saying, this is a first year head coach. But there's other first year head coaches that are seeing

some success. One of them, Mike Stefanski up in Cleveland, is doing plenty well with a first year job in Cleveland after turning around the team that was detrimental a year ago. And Mike McCarthy has want to suit and I know they've had injuries too much like the Cowboys, but I'm just saying this here. You have a defensive coordinator that's trying to play a three four a scheme that he doesn't have the personnel to play it with.

Doesn't So if you want to talk about Stefanski and what he's doing, he's already had a power running team and okay Chubb as a running back to run behind that you come in and implement Hollo time out, time out. Let's talk about let's talk about you haven't you didn't lose one, two, three four offensive linemen? Yeah, come on. Now, there's a lot to unpack and dak So, I mean, I get a team no excuse and we want to, you know, roll them up, but we can. You gotta

just state the facts on what's there. So if you want to pull out Stefanski, please see the fact that Stefanski asked the personnel to play the scheme that he wants to. In the same on defense, look at what he inherited with those first rounders. On his defense, I leaned towards what heck said, Isaiah, just because I think a lot of the top guys that you need to win games are in the training room this year. But no, but you got to you guys point. You know, there's

coaches like like Joe Judge in New York. He's getting praised for kind of putting his print on the program, his culture on the program, and so he's been able to do that. I think Mike's culture, Isaiah is like, I go back to the turnovers, like that was his biggest thing in Green Bay. They took care of the ball, They were disciplined in that way, and a lot of that's dude, Aaron Rodgers just being a Hall of Famer. But they haven't gotten that part of it down with

Mike here yet. I hear what you guys are saying, and I respect what you guys are saying. However, however, you look at a team like the forty nine ers, have they not had a ton of injuries? Yeay, have have they not lost. Yeah, have they not lost the guys that they depend on to go out there and help them win games? Ye like, But yet they have two more wins than we have. You know, you look at our you look at you talk about the defense as scheme. Don't run that scheme. You don't have the players.

Don't run the scheme. Right, even though that might be your guy, right that you brought in. You made a decision. That's a decision. You can't use that decision as an excuse. Right. You tell me that he has the inability to run a four three defense. No, he could run a four three defense until he gets the personnel that he needs

to be efficient with a three four defense. We have given up the most amount of points this year in the league, in the league, and we have and we haven't had a ton of injuries on that side of the ball. So let's not make this we've lost the offensive side of the ball. But what's the excuse for what's the excuse forgetting up the most amount of points in the league? Right, So do some things or decisions, some things you're handed and you have to deal with.

And I'm all about overcoming adversity. Trust me, if anybody understands that. I understand it. Right. You find a way, though, but you find a way. You don't find an excuse, you find a way. Now, you could definitely argue, you could definitely argue that they tried to do too much defensively right off the bat, you know, given the circumstances, kind of put them in a hole too. With that, And I want to go with this defensive question from Johnny on Twitter. He said, why do you think the

defense can't hold up for four quarters? Is it fatigue? Is it players? Is a scheme or a combination of

all three? And I think this kind of has to do with the fact of what we were just talking about, of maybe Mike Nolan getting a little a little out in front of things, and because of that, and because of the personnel that you had and the injuries that you had earlier in the season, you weren't able to compete the right way and weren't able to get everything that you thought originally was going to work out for you. But I'm interested to see what you guys think. Isaiah

will start here one more time. Yes, so is what is holding the defense back and why they can't hold up for four quarters. Is it fatigue, players, scheme or all four? I think I don't think it's fatigue. I mean I think these guys had you know, obviously with coach Paul just just passing these guys, I've had both of those strength coaches, him and coaching Nash. Those guys are amazing, So I not know they're in condition regardless

if they had to do it virtually or not. So that's not an excuse because everybody had their partner in that. I think it's scheme. I think it was. I think some of it was personnel early on. I mean I think another portion of it it was just the guy's not buying in. I don't think guys believe in the scheme. So I think I think the se're talking about before the release of Poe and Worly and maybe even Griffin because of his I'm talking about it then, and I'm

even talking about now. I mean we're talking about now. I mean I'm thinking I think I still think that some of the decisions that they're making, I e. Playing you know, I don't have nothing against Jalen, but like Jalen has not been effective for us, he just has it right. Maybe he's having a bad year like Zeke. I don't know, right, but I know that there was a guy in there by the name of Joan Thomas who who's doing a dog on good job. Prior to

having to get pulled out. He was one of our most So you talk about somebody who's coming in, who was making an impact, who was flying around and all those kind of things, he just needed reps and continue developing.

All of a sudden these guys show up who get a bigger paycheck to him, and all of a sudden he has to take a seat, right, So you got you know, So there's there's things like that that I think guys overall on a defense side of the ball, I just think they came down to lack of communication and guys just totally just not buying in. Rob Yeah, no, I think, yeah, it's been partially scheme and guys trying to understand what they're supposed to do and buy in and uh. And I think personnel wise too, I think

we're going to see changes on defense. They're definitely playing better overall than they have the last few years, but I think they've they need to add Like I think what Heckma said, they need to add some more playmakers that fit what they're trying to do schematically, and they've got a few, but um, I just think they've from a personnel standpoint, they've gotten beaten by just better, better offenses this year, you know, by teams with more talent.

You know. My my take on this, guys, is the fact that our defense don't know what the hell they're doing. And you see that with some of the you know, last minute of the alignments and Troy Egmans called them keystone cops. I mean, that's the only way to kind of put it together, the way that they're running around pre snap. Even on the interception by Jalen, he was out of position in the ball just seemingly fell in his lap, you know. And we haven't talked about that interception.

Maybe stay away from it for Isaiah, but you know, I just feel like this defense, the scheme that they're playing, doesn't fit the personnel that they have. You're asking for three guys and now be three four two gap of signment alignment kind of guys and read there read the offensive lineman that may not have been their skill set. And again without OTAs and all of those things, it increased that and if you think you can teach that through the season for guys that have been playing a

certain scheme their entire career, you're wrong. And this is the byproduct of it, right. And look, we're lighting the loafers up front. You see guys that play the three four, they're bigger guys. They are a bigger guys like Klaias Campbell that can play that two gap of signment easier. Their defensive ends are bigger because of the responsibilities of holding up tackles and not getting pushed it inside. We see Tank Lawrence's that's been that's been happening to him

a lot. I mean, he's been coming on strong with the sacks and things like that. But we are susceptible in the run and god man, let's tell our secondary just our safeties. What do I have to say about the performance of these guys. I mean, and even if you're looking for some type of leadership, your play has to make dictate that you're a leader. So who are we going to look to? I like it. That's a good way to end this show. Let's go drop the mic e my heros face dropped it fantastic. Well, that's

gonna do it. Here for us, here on talking cowboys. That's the way to end the show. I love it. Anyways. With that being said, we will be back tomorrow nine thirty right on the Dot. Will be ready to go. And I don't know what we're gonna talk about tomorrow. We're gonna have to figure something out and have some fun.

I'm gonna try and if you are, if you want, start sending all of your your your your baked goods and your treats to Chris Beam in the back because I think I'm gonna ask him about maybe doing fan calls and maybe trying to get on the phone. I don't know if that's gonna happen. Right start buttering them up. We got we gotta start. Bring your bring your smoked mac and cheese. HECMA, get Nikki to make some of the stuff that she made for Thanksgiving and all of

that stuff. We'll just bring it all to Chris and we'll bring it all in pans and hopefully we'll get some fan calls tomorrow. But with that being said, we'll be back tomorrow. Fan calls are not for Isaiah, stand back for Heckma Harrison, Rob Phillips and the Great Chris beam in the back, the best producer the world has ever seen. I'm Kyle Yeoman, saying so long from the star in Frisco, We'll see you tomorrow, and talking Cowboys.

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