Talkin' Cowboys: Too Much Cook?

The Minnesota Vikings coming up on Sunday afternoon, and we're gonna break it down for you today as Vikings offense, Cowboys defense, and we're gonna hit some of the recent store winds surrounding this Dallas Cowboys ball Club. But first let me introduce the panel. As always, Isaiah stand back, our residence super Bowl champ are Great Cowboys insider, mister Rob Phillips and the always incredible, always smiling heckm Harrison on the top right hand corner of your scream the

whole show. Now, just because I said you smile all the time, Yeah, why you're you're a happy guy. You're a happy dude that there's nothing wrong with smile. Let it happen. Let it happen, Kyle, just let it happen. Well, we've we've found nicknames, and I've found like a go to saying for every guy on this show, but the one that I've loaned known the longest. It's harder to get the right thing because I could call you so many good things, but I got to find something that

that comes to me naturally. Well we've Kyle, y, I got a nickname for you, don't you say? You say yeah, don't sell come on, let's go. I think Twitter has figured it out. We just we just haven't been able to announce it on this show. Oh no, this one, this one would be like FCC rules, like not not okay, Like if if you were to say this nickname on you have no idea. Robbie, are you peanut butter and jelly guy or a peanut butter and jam guy? Oh

my god, say that again? Are you a peanut butter and jelly guy or a peanut butter and jam guy? Just wondering, just random question. All jelly baby, jelly rope? Yeah, same, I'm more of I'm more of a jam guy myself, if I have to say so, more of a jam guy. But anyways, with that Ding said, let's go ahead and move on. Robi, I was just asked on the fan a moment ago, and there's been a report that surfaced around the Dallas Cowboys and in surface around Jalen Smith.

I want to first know if you've read this, because it came out early in the wee hours of the morning today, But Jaylen Smith potentially moved on from depending on a contract, Sitch and depending on the rest of the season. Have you heard anything like this report and what do you think about what was said? I have

not heard that report. What exactly was the report? So the report came from Dallas News today and ultimately it said that depending on the rest of the season, the last seven games, that if Jalen Smith's play continues at the at the rate that it has been over the first nine games of the season, then ultimately they would either have to take a pay cut or Jalen Smith would have to take a pay cut, or they would move on from his contract and that would be a

lot of deadweight on the cap, but they would still do it regardless. That's a report, like I said, not confirmed from anybody here at Dallas Cowboys dot com. But that's ultimately what Dallas News was saying. What do you think about the prospects there on the topic of conversation, Well, that's that's actually kind of been out there as like

scuttle butt. You know, I think Albert Breer had a report a couple of weeks back that, you know, if things like the same thing, if the production or the way things are going continues the rest of the season, you could see him being an offseason cap cut, you know. And that's not again, yeah, you're right, that's not confirmed by the team. In fact, every time a coach or an executive is asked about Jalen Smith, it's he's a cornerstone, as Jerry said last week, or he's having an outstanding

season for us. So publicly, what they're saying about him is they love his effort and overall they like his production. I think when you look at what the defense has done overall this season, it hasn't been good enough. And you know, he's he says it himself, he's the leader of the defense, especially when Laton Vanderesh is out. So it's interesting I mean, we'll just see how it goes the rest of the year. There is a lot of

time left. There are seven games left for this defense to build on what they're doing, and he's got to be a big part of that. And we're going to get into this matchup and he's got to be a big part of this particular matchup too against Minnesota EMA. That's interesting, Kyle. I mean, I hadn't heard that, but I believe that from the contract that Jalen has, it's

gonna be really difficult to move him. And I don't see a Jaylen Smith taking a pay cut, especially with the new contract that he just signed, so that I mean, look, that would be an interesting dynamic the way that we handled that. But man, this defense has been so bad that everybody's just finding something to one guy after another to get rid of it. Jaylen Smith has the life shine on him and has been for a while, and so I'm hoping obviously with it. If it's he's got

an audition for the next seven games. If this rumor is true about that, then man, he's got to play with his hair on fire. And it's hopefully a lot of swiping from the Smith speculation and speculation. Man, until we get some kind of confirmation, I don't think there's much much to say there. Everybody knows that Jayalen hasn't been playing up the part, nor has anybody else on this defense. So I think everybody's up on notice. And

that's that's the word now, Isaiah. With that being said, and you're talking about not only Jalen Smith playing bad on this defense. And yes, the defense is put together back to back great games, We've already addressed that on this show, but overall the defense is still a bottom five defense in the NFL. Is it a little unfair to to kind of give that kind of pressure, the chip on the shoulder to a guy like Jalen Smith?

I mean, I mean we each have been critical of Jalen Smith throughout the year, but at the same time as it all warranted, Yes, it is warranted. A reason why it is because the check warrants it. Soon as you get that check, there's an expectation level that comes with the check. That's facts, whether you like it or not. And when you don't meet those expectations, that's the reason why you're starting to hear Zeke's name come up now, right, Because Zeke got paid and all of a sudden his

production goes down. So people start saying, well, he's not playing up to what we you know, he's not he's not meeting what his duties are for for his check. You know, if he was making six hundred thousand dollars a year, nobody's gonna say nothing, right, but they're not making that reason why Crawford's names coming up because he's not playing nine mien dollars worth of credibility. So these are the reasons why. That's what comes along with getting

a big payday. As everybody knows that as a player, you just gotta show up and show out because you're proving yourself whether you're playing for a contract or you're playing underneath the contract, every single day, you got to

show up, you know, and debark. You can throw to Marcus Lawrence into that mix in terms of, you know, the criticism for him, and I think he's overall had a good season, even though the sacks aren't there, the stats aren't there, and I think early in the season the knee was bothering him and nobody cares about that.

You know that fans don't care about that, and that's just that's just comes with the deal, comes with the money, as Isaiah said, And you know, we'll just see with Jalen, you know how he can progress the rest of the season. And you know, this is always what happens when the team struggles. I think we've talked about offensively. I think they're just looking at it from the standpoint of you can get healthy, we'll be back to being a number

one offense. Defense can they build on what they're doing, But they've got potential for a lot of changes defensively because especially in the back end, you've got a bunch of guys up on expiring deals. So, like Isaiah said, like Heck said, this just comes with a territory when you're struggling. Heck, when whenever it comes to two tackles,

I mean we're talking about production. Yes, the film doesn't lie whenever it comes to Jalen Smith, especially because whenever you look at the film, he looks lost, he looks out of communication. He just doesn't look like the leader and the guy that you need to step up on that defense. But on the stat sheet, I mean, he's fourth in the NFL and tackles right now with eighty nine, But tell me why tackles don't always equal production. That's that's tough, I mean, because his numbers are up there.

But then you turn on the film and you're like, well, okay, I mean that's a tackle, but it's a tackle ten yards passed the line of scrimmage where you're tackling the god's hip. You know, well, there's still counts as a tackling. So I think for Jayleen Smith, it's just been all of those stakes that we've talked about, not getting any push in the front line, having guys in his face, not being able to get to the ball. The penalties have also plagued them. You know, you watch the Vikings

in Chicago game. There was I think there was a time where Folds was hitting the head and there wasn't any flag and someone tweeted a head. If that was Jayleen Smith, that would have definitely been a flag. So, I mean, he just hadn't gotten any breaks at all. But you know, tackling wise, he is a guy that makes a lot of tackles, and I think that what kind of convolutes the whole subject of whether he's good or whether he's bad. But as you talk about those

communication eras and assignment alignment kind of deals. That's everybody, the whole defense. I mean, pre snap, you're seeing these guys trying to point and move guys around to get things aligned, and it just hadn't been there for the defense. But Jalen is the guy that's definitely taken the brunt

of the criticism. Now, what I would say is you're talking about the tackles, and yes, a lot of them are just down the field tackles, right, But I do think some of that's not on him, you know, And you know, there's if we got a point to one thing that has really been the biggest issue, you could argue it's the interior defensive line. Yeah, some of that's been injuries, some of that's been production, and it's not

all one guy. But I do think there's there's been situations where you know, there's running backs and tight ends, they're they're up on Jalen Smith very quickly, and sometimes he's he's not getting off blocks, but sometimes he doesn't have much of a chance. And I think you know Neville Gallimore coming in, maybe you know Antoine Woods, we talked about him a couple of days ago. Maybe they're shoring that up and that will only help the linebackers

going forward. Isaiah, Yeah, I mean Rob just said, Rob pe just say it is true. I mean it's not It's not all on them. I think we've we've Randy's just deef as a line into the ground. So we know that, I mean, we know where where the problems are. And we know that linebackers can't do their job of actively if they don't have a presence in front of them. So, um,

he does not deserve all the flat um. But you know, there's other things aside from just tackles that that you that you that you're hell responsible for or just coverage. There's communication. Um, there's you know, assignments in terms of being a line properly. There's so many things that don't show up in the stat sheet. Um. And I know it's hard for fans to understand because they just look

for stats. There's so many things. I mean, there's there's a reason why guys make special teams, you know, as guys make rosters based off a special teams. There's personal protectors back there that literally that's all they do and they do it so well and they communicate so well. But guess what. You never see their names show up on a stat sheet, But why are they on a team Because they do their job effectively. So there's a lot more than just tackles that come with playing a

linebacker position. Is you know, Kyle, let me let me say this. Let me say this, Kyle. The thing about Jaylen Smith is in the NFL, you have so many great linebackers, good linebackers to judge him against. Uh, we got two really good linebackers coming uh with this Sunday and that's yeah, Hendricks and Wilson. I mean, these guys are doing everything that you need from a linebacker position.

That's covering guys, getting interceptions, sacks, all of that. And so those are the things that when you look at Jaylen Smith and you look at late vander As, you go, well, wow, why aren't our linebackers playing like that? When you see a guy like Roquan Smith, you're like, wow, look at him running downhill making tackle. So that's the thing that we are looking at with his defense and saying, Okay,

why aren't we getting any of that? But when you turn the tape on and you see a defensive lineman getting pushed ten yards down the field, and that is the reason. So I mean, I don't want to be the person who dumps all on Jaylen Smith at one point. But at the same time, you know, you have that, like you said, the unfair assessment of the job that he's doing based off of the causing effect of other

people not doing their jobs. Hey, I can tell the holiday seasons right around the corner you up here window shopping already, the talk I ain't got that TV? Why they't got that TV? And antist you know, I'm just saying, man, you got plenty of up there to look at, and

it's like, wow, that's a linebacker, you know. So I want one of those two nass Santa Claus could bring you a linebacker this year maybe if you want, I mean potentially, but whenever, and Rob, I want you to start us off on this, but I want to all of you to answer this question. But whenever it comes to the most disappointing player specifically on the roster. Now, I mean, we could talk about Don try Poe, but he's not on the roster anymore. He's not necessarily a

problem moving forward. But is Jalen Smith that player? And if it's not Jalen Smith, who would take that place. Oh, that's a good question. There a good question. Ka why, I mean, hey, you gotta be careful, p be careful. Pe he trying to get you to the principal's office. Pee, Yeah,

I mean why not? I guess final, I mean, I mean, I guess if you're talking about a guy that's, you know, the leader of the defense, and like I said, and what they've the way they've struggled against the run, the way they've struggled in space, I think you know, you might have to say that. Heck, Bun, I'm gonna go with what Rob said exactly what Rob just said. It's word for word. Just doesn't heckma just doesn't want to

be called into the principal's office. We can talk negatively about players on this show, Guys, we can do that. That's a possibility. It's a part of this I understand. But when it's I get it. Man. It's just the thing about it is, when you're just historically bad, there are a lot of fingers to point at everybody. It's not wrong. I mean, that's the It's just a thing about Jaylor Smith. He's just taking the brunt of it. Like five weeks ago done, Terry Paul was taking the

brunt of it. So I mean it ain't just him. If you want to look at Xavier Woods and talk about Thompson, you know, we can even go to our rookie that we pray so much. He's giving up a bunch of big plays as well. So I mean that's enough blame to go around without just patting it all on one guy and saying you are the biggest disappointment.

My man. That's good point, Isaiah. I'm gonna goal with with heckma said, okay, so now let's I'll bring positivity back into this just so everybody can can have some more fun. But I'll bring positivity into it and flip that script. Who's been the most impressive and most improved player whenever it comes to this football team that's still on the roster right now. And I'm not talking about from year to year. I'm talking about from week one, hang on to week nine. What's that you're gonna drop

that grenade? You gotta fall on it too. Yeah, has been the most disappointing for sure. Yeah, No, he's That's why I asked the question, is because I think he's been the most disappointing. I would throw Zeke into that conversation as well, especially because of like Isaiah said earlier, you get that contract, you're gonna have to have the pressure, and I think Zeke would definitely be in the conversation for most disappointing through the first couple weeks of the season.

But even with that being said, I have more that Zeke is somebody who could turn it around. Then I have faith that Jalen Smith could turn it around. So there's me falling on the grenade. But let me go ahead and ask that question again in terms of positivity, who's the most improved player on this team, Isaiah? And is it on the offensive side or the defensive side of the football most improved? Yeah, this is great radio here, my friend. Yeah, I know, you gotta give me that

question before we get on the air. Okay, hack my goe for it. Yeah, man, I'm stuck too. I mean, if I'm looking at a guy that's the most improved, I'm just gonna go out here. And this may not be the question the guy for this question, but Albinn Smith, I mean, you've been out of the league before and a half years, so he's the most improved that comes back. He says, you know, the leader and the team in sacks,

So I guess that's most improved. I can go with because everybody else if you're talking about a guy from last season, yeah, I mean, that's really not a lot to go on, especially with all the injuries that we've had offensively. If I even go and say Michael Gallant, you know, he's having a pretty good season even with all the quarterback changes, then you know, I'm just wishing on the star at this point because I don't have a lot to go on. Give me Cedric Wilson nice said,

good one. Yeah, big said, I mean the volume of plays isn't the same as some of the top three receivers. But what he's done when he's been in there and his name and number has been called has been impressive in a lot of different ways special teams obviously is a pass catcher, a quarterback in a couple of plays and running into rounds and a lot of different ways

they've used him, it's been impressive. See if anything round The thing is I wasn't gonna say in back of my head, I'm like the only person that was coming to my mind was was Noah Brown's. That's literally the only person that when he asked that question, I'm like, and I'm trying to run through my roller decks to plays. Every time he comes to the game. He's effective, he's been affective, both of those guys, right, So that I

guess if I know Ah Brand would be my answer. Unfortunately, he hasn't seen a lot of plays, but when he's in there, he's blocking. When he's in there, he's making nothing but first downs right in some critical situations for us. So, um, yeah, that's that's my I guess that's my pick. I'll tight end mister Dalton Shoultz. I mean, come on, Kyle, Like, it's like I'm with I'm with Isaiah. If we had

had this question before the show. Well, that's why we talk about it on the show, because we can think through it and we can have these different conversations bring up these names. I like Dalton Shoultz a lot. What about d Law? Do you think d Law could be in that conversation from week one to week nine in terms of maybe the fire that he's played with and the energy. No, why, no, no, because that's a decision. It's twice. That's the decision. Playing with fire and playing

with energy is a decision you make. I'm gonna show up today and play with energy or I'm not. That has nothing to do with your effectiveness. And I know he plays hard, no no ifs answer buts about it. He plays hard, but from last time I check, playing hard don't get you picked first on the dog on playground. So um, you know, you know, we appreciate his effort, and I think he's getting better, but you know that's not what you That's not the conversation you want revolving around,

you know, your franchise player. It's a good point. What about and Rob brought up Cedric Wilson? What about Donovan Wilson on the defensive side? Do you think Donovan Wilson could be in that conversation? Yeah? Yeah, I mean the thing about Donovan is we haven't really seen him. You know, we've seen we've seen Noah Brown, we've seen we've seen Cedric Wilson before. He's gotten hurt a couple of times. But yeah, absolutely. Now, I they're still kind of rotating

guys back there at safety. But he just he did this at A and M he just finds a way to be around the football, and they need more of that at the safety position, at the cornerback position, for sure, no doubt about that. I like Donovan. I like Donovan. I like Donovan is tackling ability coverage. I think sometimes he it's lost in space. But you're right. I mean, he's one of those guys that you could say is an improvement, it's making improvements on the defense. Isaiah, h Yeah,

you're the worst. You're the worst rain today? What are you are? You? Are you awake? Isaiah? Can we can we get some energy out? You're trying to You're trying to force me to say something amazing about people that I just don't know. If you disagree, agree, my friend, just just let it ride. I don't. I don't agree. I mean we're trying to these guys are secondary is not good. So yeah, I mean that's that's what I got. You know, I'm not going to talk about most improved

when they haven't improved under coverage skills. Yes, your job number one is to cover. Number two is to tackle. So if you're if your number one job isn't going well, I can't say that you're most improved. That's just our facts. Sorry, but I got you can disagree. That's that's allowed on this show. Isaiah, don't worry. Yeah, drop that sharp, You're like it's going to drop the mica. Drop that like it needs to be the mic. Anyways, we're gonna take

a break. We're gonna give Isaiah five hour energy, and we're gonna be right back here on talking Cowboys. There's nothing as unique as our eyes, which is why Selor Pioneers weighs to make lenses as unique as you. Varilux for super sharp vision, Essential Blue for protection, and Crisol for freedom from glare, three cutting ex solutions in a single unique lens. So whatever your needs, insist on Selor visit your local SLOR experts and find a perfect lens

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into segment Numero dose. Here on this Wednesday, fantastic day outside and continuing the beautiful weather here this fall and it's football weather here in Texas, but not really. It really hasn't gotten cold yet, which is kind of interesting. I'm waiting for that cold front to come through and then it doesn't really let up. It has not gotten that cold. It's gotten cold for like the one day we were outside that was like the coldest problem and

then that was about it. I mean, I like the cold, so I like wearing jackets and whatever the gear is that we end up having and stuff like that. But Isaiah stand back, Rob Phillips, heck my Harrison, I'm Kyle yeomens and guys, we got an up close and personal look at that Monday night football showing from the Kirk Cousins led Minnesota Vikings offense. And of course today we are previewing the offense and talking about their matchup with

this Cowboys defense. We just ran through a bunch of names defensively that we're either impressive or not so impressive on that side of the football. But whenever he comes to this offense from the Vikings, you gotta start with Dalvin Cook, right, I mean that's where the beginning, the middle of the end is whenever it comes to the Vikings attack. And Isaiah, I mean whenever it comes to Dalvin Cook. You talk about a dominant back and someone

that scares you to death. In terms of the rush defense that the Cowboys have flashed throughout the first nine weeks of the season, he might be the number one candidate to torch that right. Yeah, he's pretty dangerous. So when you cat running backs and all the intangible was that you want them to have, he literally checks every box. Um, he's compacts, he's he's he's he got some size to him, he has, he has quickness, he has you know, long speed, he has power. Um, he can run routes, he can

catch the ball. I mean he literally checks every box and he provides a problem for every team that he faces. Um, you match that up with with the offensive scheme that works perfectly for him in terms of the zone blocking scheme with these office alignment that are aggressive and nasty and their discipline and they do their job and they work not only they work from the first level all the way up to the third level. I mean, he

provides a problem. And even when he's not running the ball on the ground, they want to spread you out and use all their weapons that they have a receiver that will get to as well. And then you all of a sudden, you're isolating him on a linebacker like Jaylen Smith or a eye linebacker like Vander esh and you're expecting those guys to cover him with you know, fifty three yards of with ut the field, you know, for him to work with it's it's a problem. And um,

you know we have our hands full this week. Once again, good old Dalvin cook Man tell you when he came, Hey, they call him, they should call him cookie cutter because that's the way he goes through defenses. He's very patient. I love that about him, and then I mean it's his sudden explosiveness is one thing that makes him a difference for the Minnesota Vikings. But you know, they have

the perfect offensive scheme for him. That zone run is just you know, all about picking up three four and then next thing you know, he's busting one for forty yards. And so I'm really interested to see how coach Nolan attacks this offense and just knowing how a patient they are. Kirk Cousins is one of my least favorite quarterbacks. I think he's been overrated for a very long time, and not best because he played for the Washington football team,

but I just think that he's overrated. And I've never liked the comparison between Cousins and Dak, and I was really looking forward to this matchup so that Dak could just outdule him in this game. But we old Minnesota from last year because man, when they were at AT and T last year, they ran it down our throat and they did a really good job of making our linebackers and defensive line look like they were there. So yay. Dalvin Cook is the is the number one Russia in

the NFL. So he has to be licking his chops and looking across the line at ed Ezekiel Elliott like I'm what you used to be. So Zeke has got to have to take some pride in this game. Also because Dalvin Cook is the league leading Russian. I love this matchup. I don't know if the Cowboys love this matchup, but I love this matchup because we're gonna find out just how far the defense has come in the last two weeks, right just I mean, you talk about a litmus test. He is the best back in the NFL

this year in terms of production. And you watch him on tape, how explosive he is, how the yards after contact. You know, he got met at the line of scrimmage on Monday night by Rocan Smith, who's a top linebacker in this league, and just dragged him forward for three yards. You know, he's got a perfect blend of everything you want in a running back. And heck mentioned the game last year when the Cowboys lost twenty eight twenty four to Minnesota. I thought they did a pretty good job

against him running the ball. I think he was under one hundred yards, just like he was on Monday night. Still, he had still ninety seven. It took him almost thirty carries. Get it. However, he had two screen catches early in the game of almost thirty yards. That led to two touchdowns early for Minnesota, and they kind of didn't look back. And that's that's the whole part of his game that

you've got to be ready for. And if you guys watched Isaiah's film room on yesterday, that's that's something you got to count for. Two, there was a play you guys drew up where you get we talked about linebackers in the first segment. You get a linebacker in space on Dalvin Cook and that can be a major problem. So they've got to be ready for a lot of touches for him, you know, maybe upwards of thirty carries

potentially to pick on who the game goes. But they're also going to try to give him involve than the screen game too. He had thirty carries on Monday Night Football had twenty six last year against the Cowboys for ninety seven yards. So they did like you said, Rob, they held him under four yards to carry. He did have a touchdown on the ground. But you mentioned his threat as a receiver seven receptions eighty six yards in

that football game. So he was up over one hundred and seventy yards in terms of total offense plus Alexander Madison behind him. Not a bad one two punch whenever it comes to the substitutions that you have tailback wise. But that's the thing about Dalvin Cook is that he's a threat out of the backfield. He's a great runner at the same time, and you're not going to take him down on the first hit. Isaiah you talked about that yesterday on your film session that you can go

find on Dallas Cowboys dot Com. But you can go and look at just the pure running, the pure strength and then the speed to close from Dalvin Cook. Is this the most dynamic back? I mean, it's probably an easy question to answer, but is this the most dynamic back that we've seen this season in terms of out of the backfield along with just pure running ability? Yeah?

I mean, I mean for people in Dallas Nation, I mean, reminds you of Zeke from a couple of years ago, right, I mean, I mean, you know, when Zeke had that juice, nobody was questioning his breakaway speed. Right when you know Zeke will he would running over you. If you want to meet him in the hole, Um, he'll beat you to the outside. He'll he'll he'll bend the block on you and take it all the way to the house. But he's he's like a younger Zeke with better hands, right.

I mean this guy not only are you know, whenever we talk about running backs catching the balls, usually in the context of screens, they're not just throwing the screens to him. These guys were lining him up wide as a receiver, as a split out receiver, and running routes slants and outs and under routes and and option routes, and they're giving He is versatile, and he presents a problem.

Man like a I don't know what you do against this dude aside from trying to play underneath his own and try to make sure that you keep as many guys in the box as possible. But then you start running into issues with their passing game. So yeah, you give it up scheme right now. Boy, that underny zone may be the only thing that may be the only thing that works for you. But he's not a he's they're not disguising him when they split him out wide.

He has a viable option in this offense. But Kyle, when you asked that question about have we seen anything similar to it, we have to. I don't want to thank our lucky stars because the guy got hurt. But Nick Chubb when he went out versus Cleveland, he could have been that guy. But then they pulled in another guy after him that was just as good. And I think then another guy and another guy and another guy

and so and so. When you talk about comparisons between something we've seen before, we talked about this before the show, and that being the Kevin Stefanski offense with Cleveland and just a zone scheme and how much trouble we had with that. So that was that was a nightmare game for the cow Blays defense. But just knowing what they're going to present to us, that you know, our defense has got to play very sound and very discipline in

this game just scared me. Heck, he just scared me pretty good on that comparison, because that's a good one because I mean, they're both kind of old school style offenses where they are they make no bones about it. Cleveland in Minnesota, we're gonna run first, We're gonna run at you, and then we're gonna use play action and try to get our receivers to beat you deep. And boy that happened against Dallas against Cleveland a couple of

weeks back, for sure. Yeah, yeah, definitely Who on this defense, whenever it comes to specific players has to play the game of their life to try and slow down And I'm not gonna say stop because you're not gonna stop Dalvin Cook, but slow down Dalvin Cook to the tune of under one hundred yards total in the game. Who has to play the best game they've had of their career in order to do so? The entire defensive line.

I can't go one player, Vic. When when you're playing against a zone, a zone running scheme, the entire defensive line has to play discipline and they have to play stout right. They can't get moved either back or laterally. You cannot. You can't. You can't just let these guys have their way and move you around on this office. The line and also the linebackers had to play discipline.

We were talking about it before or the show. You know that the thing that's that goes along with his zone scheming for those are football kind of souris think about um, you know Terrell Davis right back in the day, and you know it. You know, like, hey, I'm alluded to his three yards. It's four yards. It's two yards, right, And they're patient and they're patient, and then all of a sudden, as a linebacker, you're like, man, I'm tired of being patient. Man, I'm going to make the play.

And as soon as you overpursue on the zone right out the backside, and that's when you That's why you see Cook with all these big runs, right, It's not it's not by chance, it's not lucky that he just keeps having these big forty seventy eighty yard runs. He that is by scheme. They are going to wear you down and wear on your patients and to the point where you're like, man, I forget this. I'm going to

make a play. I'm tired of these guys getting four yards of pop. And then that's when they that's when they get you. Oh and how many times have we talked about that with the Cowboys defense man, things are going, well, it's free, it's freelancing, and it's not gap integrity and all that good stuff. So yeah, you got to be under screw this week. No doubt. I think Rob, you brought up the best point about how yes we've seen improvement.

I mean that's obvious just based off of the first seven games of the year than what we've seen in the last two weeks now with Philly in Pittsburgh and even then, whenever it comes to the rush defense or the rushing defense, you look at Philadelphia and Boston. Scott, sure he's a matchup problem, but he's not a top level back. Same thing with James Connor. Like James Connor could be a top level back, but he's having a

down year. Specifically, this is where you're gonna find out just how impressive this defense, or not even impressive, but just improved this defense has been over the last couple weeks of the season. We're gonna step aside for our final break. When we come back, we'll look at the passing game for Minnesota and just how scary is justin Jefferson and Adam feeling on the edge. When we return here on Talking Cowboys, we're back in the Tasty treat

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fantasy draft players. Bows Quiet Comfort earbuds let you experience audio in a whole new way. Bows Quiet Comfort earbuds are the official earbuds of the Dallas Cowboys. Yeah, so Esselore has the goggles and then a Heckma's given the bows point on the screen. I like that. I guess we've got it both ways. Now. Anyways, final segment here talking cowboys, and we just got some news that some guy who might be the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys decided to move up his press conference. So just

interrupting our streaming time unfortunately. So I'm gonna ask a quick question whenever it comes to this offense, and we'll even hit this a little tomorrow just to get it all taken care of. But when it comes to Justin Jefferson and Adam Feeling, this is another duo that's scary on the edge. But just how scary are they? Heckma

in terms of the matchup that they've got with our secondary. Yeah, Justin Jefferson twenty second pick in the draft, man, and he may be coming into this game a little piss off thinking about us taking cde Lamb over him. I mean he's a guy that was coming off of a national coming off of a chip, you know, and they beat Oklahoma actually in the playoffs. So Justin Jefferson is smooth man, he plays with you know, he's a lot to get the gap, and that's my guy, Justin Jefferson.

But also Feeling, it's also very incredible. I mean I comparison comparing him to the receivers for the Los Angeles Rams. I mean, he's smooth, he's a tactician, he does it all. So I mean they're our secondary, which is already a problem. These guys are gonna have to play together and do a really good job of just zoning these guys out and keeping things in front of him. But still, I mean,

it's gonna be a challenge. And also they're tight end for our linebackers, so uh, this is not a matchup that you go into with a lot to hope for. You just want your guys to be assignment sound and hopefully uh, you know, stop the big play, which they're pretty much number one and making big plays. Rob, I'm just gonna say, scary, that's it, scary, I have We'll get to the rest tomorrow. Scary, scary, I concur double scary, scary scary? Did I take up all the time? Now?

Take all the time? I thought I was talking pretty fast. Nodded. We didn't really have that much time anyway to start, So it's unfortunate you didn't take up all the time. We just didn't have any But that's gonna do it. Here for Talking Cowboys, we've got to get away because of Mike McCarthy's press conference coming up in less than five minutes here on Dallas Cowboys dot com and the

various streaming platforms. But for today, for Chris beam In, the back for heck Ma Harrison, for Rob Phillips, he'sa stand back. I'm Kyle Yeoman's We'll see it tomorrow, nine fifteen on Talking Cowboys. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club