Talkin' Cowboys: Two Different Teams

It's playoff week. Seahawks coming into town Saturday night at and T Stadium, Wildcard Round and we're gonna break it all down, big show today over the next hour. Rob Phillips hosting for Bill Jones. Brian brought us in, Mickey Spagnola, Ken't Garrison hosting. What's up y'all? Nasty day out there. It is a nasty day. I'm sure they'll be inside today. Yeah. So she got this facility for so you can go

inside and practice. But a rough weather today. Yeah. If we were, if you were playing in Seattle, you might go outside and practice. This is Seattle weather. Yeah, this is this is if if you if they were, if they were going up there you might want to give it a go five degrees uh cooler, and we might not all be here right now now. I make you got to find a way to make it. We would have made it, but ye, David, nobody else would have. Helma wouldn't have made it. We had this discussion calling

out day from five years ago. Remember that time we got that email from Valley Ranch. I wasn't here. You were here for that one. They said, if you can't make it in, don't show up. Dave was the only one that didn't show up. The rest of us were sitting there. We took a picture around his desk, but he said, no, it's playoff games. You gotta make it here, you know. So you gotta find a way this week, right, you gotta find a way to Well, we'll find out tomorrow.

I'll be here. Is it gonna be bad? It's most of the snow overnight. I'm kind of looking forward. We got a big concrete area out here between the practice field and the building. Everybody bringing their hockey sticks tomorrow. It's seeming a little little game going. Is this really supposed to go down? And don't you know what, I've

been here all my life? No you know, one year the Super Bowl was the only time it was armageddon around here, and every one of my friends from out of town, which goes like like this all the time here, and then Super Bowl Sunday rolled in. It was like sixty. It was gorgeous day. Yeah, you know, but big hunks of ice all over the My friends are all, is this what it's like in Dallas all the time. It was just like a once in a lifetime. You've never seen it like that in thirty years. Yeah. Again, I've

lived here all my life, never never have. The experience in nineteen eighty was pretty bad. But here I got drawn into weather talk ten or fifteen years ago when it snowed in. It ice the street in front of our house, the whole neighborhood. As a matter of fact, we got our hockey sticks out. Yeah, it's just got to do. Got the puck out and kind of played going down the street and a couple of people had their garbage cans overturned and they were open, So we're

taking shots into the garbage can. Yeah, that's what you do. You get, you get the hockey sticks out, and you fall down a bunch hurt yourself, you know. We used to do. There's just a commercial on TV now. We used to do that when we were kids in front of the house when the ice the street would kind of freeze over and it'd be snow and packed. We had nets and we would go put the nets underneath the lights and we'd go out and play and make

the cars go around us. Yeah. Interesting, that's typical, Mickey. Yeah. Don't don't, yeah, don't get in my way traffic. We got it's three to two right now, we can't stop. All right, Well, off game here. Yeah, we know the conditions inside Saturday will most likely be yeah, domed, comfortable, seventy two and dry. Yeah, exactly. So let's spend let's spend the next hour just breaking this game down. Okay, start with Let's start with the injury. What the Cowboys

look like this week. Mick had their first practice of the week on Tuesday, which is a little odd, and they got two more to go. And here's the practice report, and looks like only two guys didn't practice, shocking, David Irving still out and Xavier Suaphilo missed with the ankle that he sprained. I think they were still somewhat hopeful that he'd be ready, but if not, Connor Williams turns to his starting left guard spot that he once owned,

and they went about their business. And I think probably the best news was as Tyrone Crawford, who suffered the neck injury against Tampa Bay right, was back out there. And while the team was in shells when they kind of did their early part of practice, the offensive lineman and the tight ends were in pads, and he went over there and he was with seventy eight backup offensive

linemen practice squad, a squad guy. Anyway, they had the pads on and they were going at it kind of like a pass rush drill and hitting to let him see what it felt like with the pads on, and he also had one of those net braced things on, and he seemed to do fine. And when he finished, he took the pads off and ran over to where

the defensive linemen were and worked out. So he seemed pretty optimistic that he'd be ready to go, and that certainly would help out to have a veteran guy, because they don't have a lot of veteran guys with much playoff experience on this team and everybody else Tavon Austin, Shawn Lee, Zack Martin, Tyrant Smith. They're out there and Zeke looks like he's ready to play a game, by the way, Yeah, that's what he said, right, They might he might be one of those guys that they got

to tie down. You know, it's like not yet, not yet yet. He said, my body feels fresh enough to play a game right now if I had to. Usually it takes him till about the weekend. Yeah, to feel like he's recovered from the previous game obviously, you know, you know, winning the rushing title without playing a snap, you can't get any better than that last week, right, three hundred and eighty one touches for the season so far. Yeah, that worked out just fine, didn't it. They held se

Quon Barkley to less than two hundred and thirty six yards. Yeah, all of a deal. That's what you gotta do. And actually, if not for one run, they really forty one yards

down righty one yards or something like that. The different challenge, by the way, with Chris Carson this week, that'll be He's remember Chris Carson from the from the Week three matchup that he had one hundred yards rushing, but he had like thirty six carries as one of those things where he was, you know, but they were committed to trying to say, okay, dirty runs are good runs here.

But you know, if you look at his last three games though, he's average right around one hundred and nineteen yards at carry, that'll be that'll be, that'll be a tough matchup for the Cowboys to have to deal with. The Cowboys played really good run defense all year, you know, and this but this this guy is this guy makes

their play action game go. He really really does. And that's where I think that you know, if the Cowboys can make that Russell Wilson, make him a little bit of a one dimension because they're gonna try and play action you to death. They will boot, waggles, anything to get him on the move to throw the football. But Chris Carson's a big, big part of that. So you'd start talking about playing run defense. It's gonna be used a lot of runners, but but Chris Carson is the

main runner that they use. And just and since they leaked that run in the game against the Giants, it gives Rod Marinelli something to chew on this, no doubt and continue to remind them that they've got to stop the run and a lot of their running obviously Russell Wilson holding onto the ball and creates problems. He had thirty two carries for one hundred and two yards I think I just saw in that first miss Carson. Yeah, and they run for one hundred and eighteen. Right, They

were just consistent with it. They were all really productive with they were too carried. Yeah, no, it was. It was the highest number of carries he's had all season. And so they were they were they were doing just enough to run the ball. You know. This they were coming off a game they were I want to say this was a money night game if correct me if I'm wrong with they played the Chicago Bears two. They lost to the Bears, right, and the Bears really just

physically beat them up up front. Russell Wilson took a beating in that game. And so they were coming off a game where they were just trying to protect Russell Wilson. Brian Schottenheimer, the defensive coordinator, you know, has done a really nice job. Early in the season, they really weren't on the same page. You know, they just weren't uh you know, uh Bevil the dere Bevil, the the former

OC there. He he was had a really a good rapport with Russell Wilson, and then Brian Schottenheimer came and they just really couldn't get things going early, you know, took a loss very early in the seat, a couple of losses and then the Bears loss. You know that there was a lot of question marks about about their team and could they protect, could they run the ball?

They were dealing with some injuries there, you know, but they've they've really right righted the ship when it comes now to what they've doing that I mean, running the football is next to the Cowboys, that's probably the most important team, you know, as far as team in the league. Is a running game and how it makes a difference

for how they play offense. They had thirty eight rushing attempts in their first two games, lost both games, right, and then they decided, our identity is going to be running the football, right, and they've almost averaged that per game and over thirty five carries in the last fourteen games. And what's interesting about their offense is some people might

say it's kind of archaic. You know, you run first this league, but you know, They're putting up almost twenty seven points a game with that, and they use it to build the big play off of it because Russell Wilson is always a threat to do that. And that's kind of what happened in the first game. No questions, Run, run, run, and all of a sudden you take a deep shot to lock it down the field. Right, He's had a

great season for that. I mean, they ran at thirty nine times against the Cowboys for one hundred and eighteen yards, so they didn't even average four yards to carry. But they were persistent, got it done and caused the Cowboys some problems. And I don't know if the running caused those two touchdown passes that were busted coverage fucking a young secondary, uh and they and they blew a couple

of coverages. You know, this team kind of mirrors what the Cowboys did because they were after nine games sitting there at four and five. Right. Yeah, they've had oh no,

they've won some they've won some games. You probably think now the fact they got Kansas City at home, that that helps, you know, I mean that played when they play at that place, it's it's we all know that, we all know what it's like to go up there and have to deal with all that, and especially in the playoffs, my gosh, it's just not a it's not a great environment to have to go up there and try and win a game at So, yeah, the teams are very mirrored in the way that they've they rely

on the run, they try and play. I mean, you could go player for player here. You know, they've got a pass rusher. You've got a pass rusher. Now you've you've they've got a quarterback that's probably a little bit better than your quarterback. Your runner is better than their runner. You know, you start going offensive lineman that without you know, without Travis Frederick being in there, you know, I mean, you could probably go lineman for lyneman and it'd be

pretty pretty even. I was going to ask you kind of where the matchups are waged, Yeah, in these two teams. Yes see, that's where, like I say, I think that there's the concern that we've always had about the ball going down the field with you know, against this Cowboys secondary. Can the Cowboys secondary you know, the one big play

the bust that Mick was talking about. You and I watched it, Rob, remember it was it was a Cavon Frazier was in the game at the time, and he got he got sucked up inside and then it allowed that hole for Wilson to throw the ball right in there. So yeah, I mean they can't. They haven't given up big plays. That's the one thing. I mean, even the day the game the other day, we thought the ball was going to go down the field. The plays the guys made were incredible one handed catches, but some of

them that were too far. I mean, they were in good coverage. I just think you have to worry about the run, the run, the play action, the run, the run, and then the deep shot because they'll lay you to sleep with that and all of a sudden the ball go flying down the field on you, and you got to be ready to run with Lockett and Doug Baldwin and more and those guys, because those guys have the ability to get down the field and make plays. And

that's what happened when they beat Kansas City. Yeah, it was a bunch of deep throws down the field that they made these highlight catches against. Yeah, you wouldn't say, okay that that ball's thrown away and Baldwin goes up and grabs the ball absolutely against the Chiefs and they ended up scoring thirty eight points against the Chiefs. So yeah, they won six of their last seven. The Cowboys won seven of their last state So, um, it's it's it's

gonna be a neat collision. By the way, Yeah, you mentioned the young secondary with this team, where do you think they've grown? Maybe since that game, I think they've made fewer busted coverage mistakes. For one, I think they've attacked the ball a lot better. Remember when they played that game, Xavier Woods was playing his starting his third game. Yeah that's you know, and think about he missed the first two games of the season. So was that that

was his debut? Yeah, oh that's right, Yeah that was his first one. So think about that. Um, think about Byron Jones. That was just his third at corner since his rookie year. Uh. Remember Xavier Wood, I'm not would chitabe Owoozier. You know he only had started like four

games last year. Sure, now he's at corner. Uh. And what happened that Frazier had did he get hurt for a while Frazier had to go in It was I think there was like a collision that if I remember correct, there was a collision that Heath had to go out of the game for that. Yeah, I got nicked up.

They're a player too. Yeah, and that's why Frasier Frasier winning the game, right, was in there, so yeah, that was that was That was a pretty young secondary out there and Antoine Woods playing in the middle, right, and he hadn't played that much in the NFL prior to those games. So yeah, this this team kind of grew. Right, he's playing football for the first time in two years. Remember Layton Vanderish as well that you know. I mean, Sean Lee was in there for you know, he was

the starter along and Jalen Smith. You know, joh don't think Jalen Smith was completely healthy. I think it's the season's gone along that he's become more confident, become more healthy, and you know that's so Yeah, this is really a different deep It's different from the Seattle's perspective of how they're playing. I mean, they're gonna have no Earl Thomas in this game. You know, Brad Bradley McDougall has done

a pretty nice job. You know, Tom Mpson has done a nice job for them as far as uh, you know, they've they've kind of had to. They're getting him back. He's been nicked up a little bit, but overall, I mean the safety play has been good, the corner play has been good for him too, And they've got two really good linebackers, you know. When you talk about Bobby Wagner and kJ Wright, I mean, it's like the Cowboys again. You could go player for player and say, okay, wash

wash wash, Okay, they got an advantage. Okay, you've got an advantage. It's a very The team is very very Both teams are very similar. I think if you looked overall, you would say, I'll take the Dallas's defensive line, the front four over what Seattle has. But you know, linebackers, you could say, wow, okay, like I said, is it did you take Jalen Smith? Did you take vander esh over Wagner and Wright? You know, I mean, it's it's

a it's you know, maybe the Seattle secondary. When you think about the Griffin and Flowers playing corner, Okay, well, is that a good matchup? Would you take a Woozier in Jones? I mean, you obviously would take Jones, But there's a side of me that says that Griffin is just as good as a Woozier and Flowers. You know that might be a wash right there. So it is, it's it's it's as even as you're gonna get in

a matchup for two teams in the playoffs. And while they've got it looks like Thompson's coming back, they're putting Delane o' hill, who had Deck in his spot on IR Yeah so, and by golly, they don't have the NFC Offensive Player of the Week on their team either. No, they don't. Mick Who is that? Uh some guy named Blake Jarwin. It's incredible. I think it's numbers eighty nine. I'll guarantee you when Seattle starts looking at film, they're

gonna know eighty nine, but they're not gonna know his name. Well, I looked up I watched back the first game yesterday, and I looked up his snap count at Seattle twelve place one target and it was at the end. It was the juggle play where we looked at it and they really didn't have a chance at it, and Earl Thomas got that pick and sealed the game and bowed to the crowd, and uh yeah, all of a sudden. Maybe it's a new dimension for the Cowboys, maybe especially

in the red zone. Maybe it's another guy that defenses have to think about down there. Well. If not, yeah, they're gonna have to practice for it. They're gonna have to spend some time. We're about the tight end this week. We're not play cover two down there. Yeah, that can get lost. Yeah in cover two, Yeah, he's he's he's

done it. You know. But I was talking about, you know what he was in Cover two and I can't remember which of the three touch he had so many touchdowns, I can't He had the one where he veered away where the coverage was and he found the open spot right, and it was like, huh, look at that. Yeah, So we we found out that he had to go back to Billy Joe Duprie for the last tight end to catch three touchdown passes in a game. I wonder if

they've ever had an undrafted rookie. Well, not, he's a first to your player, but an undrafted guy catched three touchdowns like that as a tight I guess probably not as a tight end, right, Not as a tight end, because if you have to go back to Billy Joe dupri that's seventy three. Yeah, Michigan State Rights, Michigan State. Yeah. I was thinking to me, it's it's it's a great it's a great story. You know, us visit. Somebody was on their way home, stopped by, was in our area

and guy stopped by his talking. We were talmabout the tight end play and he goes, you know, he goes, it's funny about Jarwen. He goes, there's a lot of times where Jarwin has been open. He has been open, and they just there's been no confidence in getting him the ball. There's that that know that you know, none

of that. But he but he's made some plays the last couple of weeks and now it's kind of like, Okay, throw him the ball, you know, throw him the ball, allow him to do some things that he's capable of doing. And the guy was like, you know, its just he was open. I've been watching him. He's been getting open, but it's just you know, we're just not seeing him the results of him getting up. It's a little bit

like Cole Beasley. You see Cole Beasley get open, they just don't throw him the ball, you know, And that happens to some guys. I mean, I got a discussion with the guy yesterday about Amari Cooper, and I'm thinking, how different would have Mariy Cooper's game been if they'd hit the two slugos right and two touchdowns, he would have had over or he'd had over one hundred yards

in receptions. But the narrative is that his production has dropped. Yeah, he would have had he would had seven catches, two touchdowns and one hundred yards and we would all said, oh, Mary Cooper's back. But you know, sometimes you run really good routes and the quarterback doesn't find you, or he misses you, or you know that these are these are things when we start to say, Okay, what's wrong with

this guy? Maybe, I say with Blake Jarwin, now it's maybe it's maybe there is that confidence that, Okay, I could throw it to him down the middle of the field, he's going to make a play. Yeah, because he's doing a better job of finishing plays himself. Yeah. Absolutely, he'd dropping onto the ball, yeah, drops yeah, or not getting hit and having the ball come out yeah yeah. And a little bit of that narrative on him not getting the ball thrown to him. I can't remember which it

was one of the last two games. Three games, Kurt Warner did a diagram deal and showed how he was opened across the middle and Dak chose to go underneath. And it's like, okay, that's easy. When you're watching the All twenty two, right, you don't know what the quarterback sees and what he was expecting. But I'll tell you what. On those deep balls to Cooper, Yeah, it doesn't matter that they didn't hit because Seattle's got to look at that and go, Okay, we can't take the chance that

they're gonna miss connections on that. Now, there's always there's always going to be the Maury Cooper. I never worry about a Murray Cooper having a slump because a Maury Cooper can run routes no matter what you throw at him. He can run routes. He could separate. He knows how to do that. There's a lot of guys in this league that if they have two or three good games and teams figure out how to stop them, they don't have a they don't have an answer for how to

run a route to get open. Now, I could see a Marie getting a little frustrated. I mean, he runs two really good slugos, the slanting goes and is open. But you got to think about what's happened in the pocket the second throw at the end of the game I was talking about I'd like to but it looked like that Redman stepped on or brushed Dack's front foot as he's throwing the ball. So you know, there's a lot of things that go into the pocket being clean

with the quarterback sees. But as long as these guys are running routes to where they're getting open Blake Jarwin, a Marii Cooper, Michael Gallop, Cole Beasley. My confidence level is high that this team can move the football. It's when they get shut down. And I think Todd Archer asked the question yesterday that they've only had they've had

one touchdown drive in the last three times that they played. Yeah, I was gonna go there after you gonna hold it there absolutely, just because yeah, because there is not great history against this team in the regular season right the last few years. Is there any commonality there? Let's talk about that when we come back on talking Cowboys or has been helping Cowboys fans set better since nineteen seventy two,

so they don't miss a moment on the field. Get classes with slurs, best vision, clarity and protection with the Ultimate Lens Package, three innovative technologies in one lens for a limited time. You can double your lenses for free when you purchase the Ultimate Lens Package and get a second pair of frames. Find a participating I Care professional and details by visiting USA dot Com. That's USA dot

Com terms and conditions applying. You want the most interesting, up to the minute Dallas Cowboys news straight from the Star in Frisco. How about exclusive and on command. That's right news and nuggets you can't find anywhere else. With our exclusive Cowboys content on Alexa, you can have all the answers, secrets, stories and more. What's Stephen Jones thinking during a game? What's Joe Looney's favorite pregame meal. We take your questions to Cowboys players and coaches and you

can hear the answers directly back to you. Just say Alexa Open Dallas Cowboys. If you're like me and you love I mean, if you have a thing, then cutting the chord is scary. But then I found out I could switch it to actv now and still get the live sports I love. No satellite needed, no bulky hardware, no annual contract, just that the live sports. You try direct tv now for ten dollars a month for three months. Visit DirecTV now dot com direct tv now more for

your thing, that's our thing. He's called really a limited time price for a literalited page. If three months when his monthly at full price currently minimum forty dollars and less. Cats prices may change and we subscribers on cancel any time. Content varies by package and maybe limited. Sixteen is a plot a man's steps and doesn't just protect him from life's elements. It projects an unstoppable and legendary spirit, just like the men wearing silver and navy on the field

every Sunday. Since eighteen sixty five, Steps and Hats are American made with pride right here in Texas. They are still the official crown of all self prospecting cowboys, and Stetson is proud to be on the field with America's team. Find Steps and Hats in the pro Shop or at Stepson dot com Today. Doctor Pepper is the one you crave,

But how do you explain that craving. Imagine being shipwrecked on the desert diamond an one glass like curls of self bounded the shore with Doctor Pepper colored waves, surrounded by desire, but you can't drink its because it's the ocean a fish and even there, the only thing you want is Doctor Pepper and you can't have it. Now, That is it, Doctor Pepper? Craving, Doctor Pepper, the one

you crave Back to the Talking Cowboys. Tommy John gives you the feeling of freedom where it counts, with a contour of pouch that nestles the boys with over three million pairs sold, We've put the hustle to make sure your nestle shopping Cowboys underwear at Tommy John dot com. Forward slash Cowboys. All Right, Mick and the Cowboys will take on the Seattle Seahawks Saturday, January fifth, at seven fifteen pm Central in wild Card Round of the Playoffs.

If you're coming to at and T Stadium a chair on the Cowboys Saturday night, be sure to wear white to white out at at and T Stadium. A limited number of tickets are available now at Dallas Cowboys dot com. All Right, back that Comma still has to come out of there. Okay, thank you for that inside joke that no one understands. I would have never known that. Yeah, you learn something new every day. Right now. Um, back

inside the SWBC Morgage studio. By the way, eight five five two two nine seven is the number if you would like to join us. Where's your Aggie shirt? Um? We got LSU on over there. Yeah, I mean, you know, we didn't win the national championship. Brian, where's his all the time? He's got my school pride, the stamp and camp on today. That's real quick. I don't want to devolve into college football talk, but you guys put the

rest the Cinderella talk. I think that's over now. So they I mean we got an we got an ant certain I kind of I'm glad we haven't breading their teeth though to the very last second. You know, it's hard about that though. They've about killed our quarterback. We need a dispatchulor to get him off the field. Was kind of scary. The uh, okay, so tough. The the thing you know, the thing about LSU had lost. I mean, so many defenders down gone, whatever however you want to say,

but really, if you look at Central Florida. Them losing that quarterback hurt them. It really did that that that you know that that's hard to play football when your quarterback is not capable of playing well and their quarterback didn't play well. Yeah, then I again, Hey, I'm I'm from the school of I don't care because if you're playing my team and you're losing, guys, I don't care. I'm okay with that, you know. But yeah, I mean, guys, did you all have ejected? Yeah, no, ejected, going to

the pros, whatever, sitting out for targeting, whatever. But yeah, that's it's proud of LSU for the way they played yesterday. All right, diving back into Cowboys and Hawks, you brought up a good point and a question I think Todd Archer brought up in the President Rich yesterday. They haven't had a lot of success against Seattle the last few years, and haven't had a lot of success offensively specific They played played each other last year on New Year's Eve.

I believe that was Zeke's first game back from suspension, and they only put up twelve points. I don't think they scored a touchdown in that game. What was how many touchdowns? Is it in the last few meetings. One. Yeah, so again, the guys that played in those other two games aren't the ones playing twenty fifteen. Yeah. Not only did Tony Romo not play, Dak Prescott didn't play, Zeke didn't play. Who was I throw that? I think it was Weedon right? Right? Was it that early in the

seame that was that castle? I don't know. It doesn't matter. I guess you could look at the last two games, the one earlier this season and the one last year, and try to figure out what Seattle is doing to limit them, especially because Zeke played in both those games. Yeah, yeah, but he hadn't played in six weeks. Well, I remember when he was coming back. It was, well, he's fresh and they're gonna go. They're gonna win this game and go the playoffs. Yeah, that was the narrative. You know.

I think that we talk about this though, when when you look at these two teams, it's really about how even they are, how evenly matched they are. You know, they're they're Seattle's course is going to present some problems. I don't think Seattle is once the team that it once was. That sounds funny the way I said it, but you know, with you look at the secondary with the Richard Shermans and the cam Chancellors and the Earl Thomas's,

and all those guys are all now gone. I mean you still have the stalwarts of of kJ Wright and Wagner and those guys. I mean this defensive line, I think playing I think playing at that at that that stadium is an incredible advantage for them rushing the passer. I'll be really interested to see if they have the same success, if Frank clark and and Dion Jordan and Jacob Martin and those guys have the same success rush in the passer, because it's clearly an advantage to them.

You know. I think Mickey was going through the thing that they've struggled on the road to look this year, haven't they, Mackey? And that where their their losses have come with the Rams they lost at Denver? Where else today? They did? They beat Carolina? Was that game played at Carolina? Though? It was okay? They lost three yeahs at San Francisco. At San Francisco. Yeah, so they've they they've they've had their It's it's really two mirrored teams. And I think

Mickey's right on this one. I think that the players you have now are different. You know, I think I think a MARII Cooper this time around makes a big difference for you. You know, Cole Beasley seems to be getting back into form. You know, early in the year he was and then you got a Mari and things kind of went away. But you know, and hey, I personally, I think if Connor Williams has to play, that's not going to be a detriment, where in Week three it

was a detriment. You know, I think Connor Williams now better under understands what he needs to do to play in these games, and how to survive these games and how to you know, it's it's not easy. You know. He had some really some some games where he was struggling with his technique and his power and now it's like, okay, if I'm not strong enough, this is how I have

to play. He's gonna ask you that, because Joe Looney, it's center think about all the things that they've kind of gone through now to to get to this point that they didn't have to do the first time they played. Because it's interesting. We got a mail back question about Connor Williams today, and it's he's playing better since he's been back on the right side, which he has no experience playing. Yeah, and it's not like he came back off the nie scope and all of a sudden got

a ton stronger. Right, it's technique in terms of I don't know left Yeah, I know those things. Yeah, I mean I still I want to still play with Sue of Philo there at the at the left guard spot, because when he's been healthy, he's been Yes, he's been solid. Yes, Yeah, he didn't play great Mick one of those games. I think it might have been the Saints game and he had he had the ankle then. Yeah, but he's been in healthy, he's been He's added some power and strength

I think into that line. And I think he added a little bit of understanding of guys starting passed off and just experience. Right, I mean, this guy's he should have been playing last night in the Sugar Bowl. See this is where this is where think about that. This is gonna sound funny to say, but I feel like, though, if you keep continuity at guard next to Tyren Smith, Tyron Smith's a better player and and and I know you know you're you're talking about a guy. It's an

All Pro player, a Pro Bowl player. But when you when you get in these type of games where you're having, like Mickey said, you're having to pass stunts, and this is a team that's gonna twist your front. They're gonna they're gonna move. They're not strong enough to play toe to toe with you. They're gonna try and move. They're gonna try and get you off balance. They're gonna bring linebackers. They're gonna test you in every way they can with

your scheme and your protection. And what I want to do is I'd like to see them keep things consistent. For for Tyron Smith. I think Tyren Smith struggles more with a new guy next to him than anybody else in that offensive line. That is, I think he's he I've got this vision of a couple plays yeah and he and he ends up being hesitant, like am I trusting him? And then he doesn't take exactly what Tyren Smith is a Tyren Smith is a natural football player.

When things are like Okay, my guy, my guy, my guy. You know, he's one of those guys. You know, Okay, I'm kicking Frank Clark. He's my guy, he's my guy, you know, And now all of a sudden they twist the front and they're like, Okay, I'm passing my guy. Are you gonna be there? Are you ready for my guy? You know, well, I'm gonna take your guy or and you'll see them. No man, a lot of stunts too,

just because that's technique wise, that's what they'll do. But I think that he's the one guy that struggles the most. And I know, I mean struggling, like he's getting like he's like he's a Chaz Green struggling. I mean, he just struggles with that in his in his mind thinking Okay, I've got to I've got to block this guy, or I've got to pass this guy, or that guy's not gonna be on the okay on the backside cut off, I've you know, I've got to get that. You know.

It's just those are the things I just think with Sue, and you know, they've had a great combination with him and Sue Philo in there. You know, Sue Philo is not great, But you have to run over Sue of Philo to get to the ball. You know, that's in a big body. When you run over a you have to run over a big body. Sometimes you don't always get there. And I think that I think that Tyrn Smith has really grown comfortable with Sue of Philo playing

inside of him. It's kind of like it's kind of like what you do with him and Ron Larry were a great combination together because he trusted Ron Larry that Ron was not if something happened to him, that Ron was going to be there to pick up the pieces. I didn't know if he really trusted Connor Wood to do that, you know, you know that the rookie and all that, you know, And that's what they had problems against the Colts. Yeah, because the Colts wanted to move everything. Now.

I was told before the game, this is what they're gonna do. Now, are we good enough to pick up all the little stunts and they're gonna move on us? And they weren't. Yeah, it could happen. It could happen against Seattle too. Yeah, that's the that's the the nightmare about playing these guys, especially if they get you in a situation where they're having to where they get to get the rush the passer, you know, where where teams

where they've where they've had some problems. When you watch teams run the ball, we talk about get them moving one way and then go the ball back the other way. Teams have had success getting them to go one way and like the counters and things like that where they pull lineman. Watch if you watch the Kansas City game. Kansas Cities are really good with their running attack the way it is and it needs to be even better

before that guy got suspended. But they Kansas City pulls the center, pull the guards, they pull the tackle, they'll pull a tight end, you know, they'll do a lot of things to kind of create angle blocks, down blocks, and then get guys on the edge. This is a game planned if you're the Cowboys and you're thinking about, you know, Joe Looney getting out front, Martin getting out front. Now maybe not Sue Philo as much. Williams is surely get out front guy. But that's this is where I

have a feeling. What you're gonna see the Cowboys trying to do is get the ball on the edge. You know, get the ball with e Zekiellet start it one way and then get the flow and then trap everybody to the inside and then get guys on the edge and then make their linebackers have to run. Their linebackers are capable, but if you get them flowing one way and then now get up on top of them second level, then you can get the ball out to the outside. By the way, I don't think Tyrn Smith he played one

series last Christmas Eve. In that game he had the back thing and then he yeah, but you know, he talked about it. He needs some consistency. He's had a lot of different left guards he's been playing with. That's some problems. That's a job Cooper. Last year, Lyle Collins before he moved to tackle a couple of different guys. This year, it's been Yeah, it's been an adjustment for him. Yron Bell Yon Bell, Yeah, I mean, you know Redman,

I mean he's had to deal with some guys. I mean, there's no question this is you know, this is one of those things where you don't you know that the Cowboys have had some success over the years because it's been the same generally, the same five guys. When even when Doug Free was playing right tackle, it's kind of the same guys. Chas Green playing a little guard. Yeah, a couple, yeah, a couple of a couple of times

that's right. Started last year. I forgot about that. Yeah, yeah, okay, interesting, all right. Tyron Smith's a great player. The problem is, though Tyron Smith, I don't know his confidence factor with you know, he won't admit it, you know, he wouldn't, but deep down in his heart he has to think, Okay, I'm gonna pass this guy to Connor Williams. I hope he's there. I hope he's ready, you know, whereas before you just pass guys, you don't even think, you just

pass them. And one other thing about difference with this Cowboys offense in the previous two games. Obviously Amari Cooper brings a different dimension. Yeah, they were Week three, they were trying to sort out just snaps rotation with their wide receivers. It didn't work. The committee, Yeah, the committee. It didn't work. And that's and that's why he's here. And so I think that's that's something you got to

keep in mind. This is a guy that and what you're seeing is he's making things easier for other guys to Michael Gallup Colby, no question, they're showing up like Alan Hearns. Yeah, Alan Hearns had a big catch and that's what I'm saying, you know, and to me, the quarterbacks better. The quarterback has been better because of this. You know, the quarterback in Week three. You know, I

think the quarterbacks playing really well right now. I mean you look at the you know, you look at the lat with seven last eight they've won, right I don't think you could sit there and say that. I mean, the quarterback has had issues at times, but you know not, I mean earliest season, the three and five, more issues then now he's playing a lot better. You look at

his quarterback rating earlier, and it was in the low eighties. Yeah, he finished at ninety six nine, and he was less than one point away from being better than some guy named Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers. They were less than one point better than him. Yeah. Now check this out. Who do you think was the leading receiver against Seattle? Probably one of the backs, probably Elliott Jeff Swain five catches

for forty seven yards. Beasley had three for forty six, Elliot three for eleven, Austin three for two, some guy named Thompson, yeah, two for three, Hearns two for twenty two, Gallop one for seventeen. Yeah, there was your committee. Yeah, the committee wasn't getting it done. Oh that's where Mickey put made up the point about the committee's the other day.

Committees aren't good. Yeah, but I'm just saying that. You know, to me, there seems to be a better pattern for them, a better a better pattern of how they want to distribute the ball. You know, if it's Gallop on the double moves, if it's if it assume, if it's a Cooper on the double moves, if it's Gallops on the digs, if it's Beasley underneath, if it's a check down to Elliott.

You know, Oh, wait a minute, they've got they've got a Schultz is gonna get a waggle for twenty Oh wait a minute, we can throw a cover two beater down the middle of the field against with now, with Blake Jarwin, there's there's there's more problems for teams to have to deal with more. Okay, if you play this, you're gonna have to deal with this. Okay, can you take this away? You know, if the Cowboys line can hold up, they can make plays. We've seen when this

guy gets protect he can make play. He can make throws, you know, and sometimes even when he rolls out of the pocket. He can make throws. I mean, you're not going to find a better throw than that touchdown pass he had to Beasley. I will, he might not ever have one in his career that's that good, especially on the run and going to his last left, yeah, which he could do and the throw against his body with pressure yea, by the way. Yeah, So it's it's a

they're different and you're different. That's but player for player, you're pretty even with them. And as many problems as you're gonna present for them, they're gonna present problems for you. Should be good on Saturday night. Let's take our final break and we come back. We got one collar holding keep holdingly. We'll get to your next on Talking Cowboys. If you're like me and you love, I mean, if you have a thing, then cutting the chord is scary.

But then I found out I could switch it to actv now and still get the live sports I love. No satellite needed, no bulky hardware, no annual contract, just that the live sports. You try direct TV now for ten dollars a month for three months. Visit DirecTV now dot com DirecTV now more for your thing that's out a thing He's called real the at limited time price with Little Packe if three months when he's monthly at full price currently minimum forty dollars and less cans. Prices

may change. We subscribers can leny time. Content varies by package and maybe limited district INSIPI. It's time for tailgating with the auterbox boys. The auterbox that builds those crazy protective phonecases. Yep, and now they're changing the side dish game with the Auterbox Trooper soft cooler, lightweight mobile, and leakproof. Trooper is perfect for blitzing a crowded parking lot with a freed pie. Amazing. Hey you think I could fit my seven layer salmon salad into the Trooper cooler. Yep,

but please don't. And that's been tailgating with the Auterbox Boys. Learn more about the Trooper soft coolers at auterbox dot com. While the player could look good on paper, it's one he's out on the field that you really find out what he's made of. That's why the Cowboys rely on more than just stats and scouting reports when building their team. When picking a tractor, it's why you should rely on more than just specs and features, you've got to take

it out and put it to the test. The Cowboys did when they name John Deer their official tractor experience one for yourself. Visit my John Dear Dealer dot com. Slash football. It can be hard to find the right resource 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 you taller. That's why Bank of America build Better Money Habits dot com, a safe little corner of the Internet for answering your financial questions. Full of simple videos and tips, Better Money Habits can show you how to make the most of your money without resorting to random searches that always seem to lead to unbelievable photos of childhood stars grown up.

To learn more, visit Better Money Habits dot com. Slur has been helping Cowboys fans see better since nineteen seventy two, so they don't miss a moment on the field. Get glasses with Slurs best vision, clarity and protection with the Ultimate Lens package, three innovative technologies in one lens. For a limited time, you can double your lenses for free when you purchase the Ultimate lens package and get a second pair of frames. Find up participating I care professional

and details by visiting essel or USA dot com. That's USA dot com terms and conditions applying better to talk in Cowboys. Have you got your Jack Black? Because you're supposed to get Jack Black and you go to get Jack black dot com and get their playmaker for faves that you just can't live without. And when you go to get Jack black dot com slash cowboys, that fave will come up. And all you gotta do is in the code spot you put cowboys and you get that

for ten dollars with free shipping. Go to get Jack black dot com. Where do you go? Mick about that? About that? Take dak whoa. They like to say hello to everybody out on periscope, by the way, Yeah, and then people reached out to me un telling they're watching us on the periscope. It's always it's kind of a different I don't know much about the piscope thing look the same, yeah, it looks to say it's the same. It's like we got it on the dot the dot com stuff and all that, but it's kind of a

different medium. And I know we amber and I do it for our thing that we're gonna have today. But I know I got some friends that have been texting me saying I watched on the periscope and join the content. So good guys for hanging out with us. Are they in like a sub and they put the periscope up and not that kind of periscope. No, not Hunt for

Red October. Good movie, though it is a matter of fact, you know, can't tell the real quick story sure coming back of a scouting a trip to a scouting trip is working with the Jaguars scout in Cincinnati and drive a flying back on a plane and a guy sees my Super Bowl ring sitting next to me, and he goes, hey, what do you do? I'm like, oh, football scout, dada da talking talking for like two hours. We talk about football, and so we're getting ready to land. I go, man,

what do you do for a living? He goes, well, I drive a nuclear power attack sub. I go, I go what He goes, I'm a submarine pilot. I drive a nuclear power attack sub USS Nebraska. I'm a I'm a pilot. I said, the last two hours, I've talked football, and you've and I haven't talked to anything about. He goes, you know, what's funny, He goes, I'm underwater for three months. He goes, I'm all three months, I'm underwater for three months.

He goes, I never get to talk football, goes, you don't know how much I appreciate you letting me talk football with you today. But it's kind of like, who's got the cooler job? Man, he had the far cooler job. They think about being underwater for three months, three months? He you know, He says, well, it's funny. They play games. They play like they play hide and seek with submarines.

So like they'll be like cruising around and they'll hide behind an ice cap, you know, like down in the hide and they'll just gotta wait and they'll go by and they'll go behind him, you know, but they play. That's what they do. He says. We, you know, we were always preparing for things that can happen. But yeah, he's he's drives a Dallas Class us USS Nebraska attacks sub. I drive in nuclear power attacks sub. Yeah, I'm thinking like wait a minute, and then the plane is like

coming there. I'm like wait a minute, wait, I'm asking questions. So we got any questions questions, questions as would have been next to a guy flew to the moon. Yea, yeah, I'd recognize those guys. There you go, I recognize those astronauts. Good stuff. Yeah, all right, Lee in Atlanta. You're still there, Hotully, I'm sorry about that. Didn't mean to jump on you. There, no problem, guys, happened. New Year, Happy new New Year. Ranks up. I will be quick U just real quick, guys.

A couple of things about um, kind of in response to what Brian was just saying about the tight ends being open. I think what I've seen this year and Swain started to do it is that our tight ends were running in and out of coverage. You know a lot of Dak strows that look like they were behind guys, even the one soles this past Sunday. It's because the tight ends weren't sitting down in open areas, you know,

like wenton did forever. Yeah, And so although they may have seemed open, I don't think DAK was seeing them in the same way they were seeing Dak. And I think it's taken pretty much all season to kind of

get there. The second thing I saw in this past game in the red zone, which was a great wrinkle was putting Amari Cooper in the flot with him in the slot with a two way go on the inside, That's really gonna open up the opposite side tight end because every time you know, Cooper would run across, that safety would jump right on him. And then I mean our tight ends, no matter who it is, is going to be wide open. And then we add Zeke out the backfield. From that, I think I think our red

zone woes are covered. And then just one more thing for you guys, da is if you agree with me that Dez Bryant wasn't a number one receiver his last year in Dallas, dak is twenty and six with a true number one wide receiver twenty and six. Now I'll leave you guys with that happy New Year ago Cowboys. Thank you, thanks for the call. So as he's going back a couple of years sixteen. Yeah, that's interesting. It helps to have a guy that's always open. Well, it

just helps to have great players. Yeah, you know, I mean anything you can do and no offense to the receiver's by committee. But Cole Beasley was carrying your team as receivers by committee and he was productive until Beasley, and he's still been productive at times, less targets, but yes,

he was doing a nice job in his role. Yes before, Yes, God here, I think that there's something too having a guy that a can run routes and be finish, you know, And they and they had too many guys by the committee that just they could run routes, but could they finish. You know, you're you're putting a lot on Michael Gallop. Now we're all we're all sitting there saying, play Michael Gallup, Play Michael Gallop. You play Michael Gallup. Because now you've

got Michael Gallop. Now you're thinking, okay, now you got something here. But in week three or a week two, you're like thinking, oh, Michael Gallup, he can't get off the jam here, you know. And now you're asking a quarterback to have to throw the ball to a rookie who's not really comfortable with what he's doing. And so I I like what the callers saying there. I think

anytime that you can have I think they learned their lesson. Obviously, they learned their lesson about the receiver by committee, and they said, hey, we've got to do something different here. We gotta go get a guy. They went and got a guy. They went and got a number one receiver, a difference maker. I mean, as many difference makers as you can get on that field is going to help

your team win the football game. You know. The other thing they resurrected against the Giants as they started lining up Beasley wide, that there was a couple of plays he out wide, and we hadn't seen that in a while because it's been Gallop and Cooper Cooper, and you know, he made a good point about moving Cooper into the slot and you put Beasley outside, Now, what are you

gonna do? Well, they did tell us. Another one they got into was what they call, oh one personnel, let's just no backs and one tight end, and they put they put Austin in a slot and they put Beasley in the slot. And if you remember it was a third down play, what they did do they both ran those pivot routes where they go inside and then break outside. Well, it just so happened that they stretched the Giants horizontally, which made a linebacker have to go get over the

top of Austin. Well, okay, where's Prescott gonna throw the ball. But those those the ball to Austin, you know, ten yard game, first down, move the sticks, which we saw a lot of in training camp. Yeah, Tavon got hurt exactly. Oh what happened exactly in the slot. Yeah. See that's where I think that again, Give me as many of playmakers as I can give me. Put Beasy on the field, Put Austin on the field, Put Gallop on the field, you know, put Cooper on the field. Hell, put Jarwin

on the field. You know, put as many guys. If protection can hold up, you will find somebody open out of four guys. I mean, they're not going to cover them all. Somebody will be open as long as he's got time and as long as he's got time. And they had been blitzing and blitzing well, so they spread them out with five wide and and least you can see where the blitz was coming from. Absolutely, And then when they were still having trouble with it, it was like, okay,

we don't need a running back out there. Yeah, Ola, Wally, you you just stand there in the block. Even if it's third down. It wasn't like they were somebody brought up. Oh they were using the fullback more. No, they were using an extra blocker, extra blocker pick up the blitzes, somebody that they trusted. Yeah, not Darius Jackson. Ball. Oh

he got destroyed. He got one of one of the one of the blocks and it affected the way they threw the ball because he got just destroyed on what he tried to slide over on a blitz pick up and got just rocked. And you're like going, Okay, don't need that happen. Don't need a number twenty six ending up in the quarterbacks lap, you know, trying to throw the ball. That's not good. You like what Lee was saying about the tight ends too, Yeah, yeah, I mean

opening things up a little bit. Yeah, but that but Garrett, Garrett, I should have been smart enough to listen, you know, nine weeks ago, ten weeks ago, whenever when he said, you know, whenever, how long is how many how many games has Swaying missed? Has he missed? What? Five? Six? Seven games? How many games he missed? Now? Then it's about seven seven games, seven games ago. Jason Garrett was telling us in a walk off, He's like, goes, guys

just need experience. They need experience. They need to play, they need to be out there playing, and you know, and and and I think you're seeing the benefit of that. Now Rico Gathers isn't a disaster like he was in training camp, you know. And now you've got guys got You've got Blake Jarwin making plays, making big plays. You know, Dalted Schultz, Dualted Schultz blocking like he did at Stanford.

You know, I was waiting all year long. I was thinking, oh, heck, well, just throw Dalton Schultz in there and let him, let him block. It's it's taken some adjustment for him to have to block minus six okay, six games. He got hurt against Atlanta, Yeah, six, that's right. It was a sideline that threw it to the end of the game there at the final two minute, the game winning drive. He got hurt. And that's a good point about jar Schultz and blocking. Before Swam got hurt, he was your

best receiving tight end. He was your best blocking tighter, right, And you know that's maybe that's not a surprise. He's by far your most experienced guy too. Um. But again, it's just can I can I ask you guys a question that there's asking me on Twitter if you had to draft a position, right now for this football team, what would you draft? Because tight end was always one

that I kind of had. But if you look at this team, and I know it's not a time to be reflected, but I was just curious because I was struggling. I was still thinking tight end. I was thinking, Okay, what's gonna happen with Lawrence? You know, and that you can be able to sign Lawrence or you know, I think you're you're you're gonna try. Obviously you're gonna try, but if you could take one position do you have?

I mean, I'm mickey earlier were talking about offensive line, but I don't you know, I mean, that might be one. I mean, you're hoping. See I was, I was for six months from now is going to be exactly what I was also thinking, though, if he's not well, well, then I'm I'm gonna look at Connor Williams at center. Then is what I'm gonna do. But I couldn't. I couldn't in my mind just immediately, usually you could just

say that position, that position. I couldn't really think, you know, other than if what happens at defensive end, you know, that's that's kind of where I was going. But I didn't know. Did you guys have a thought on that? My tight end had been my first thought. Tight end was always going to be my first thought. Yeah, it's still I still would, I still would. You got one? I want to say I answered this question recently and I said, the toy running back, the toy running back? Yeah,

because it is Flora Atlantic. Is there just an absolute need out there that you're desperate for? You're not hurting at corner, That's what I'm saying. Got a second round pick? Oh we okay, were we miss evaluating this team? Let's be careful now? Are we miss things going? Well? Yeah? It was seven to last dight Yeah, seven to last eight. Right, but you know your your free safety has really come on. No,

that's what I'm saying. I mean, it's there's to the point where you I mean, I was, I was sitting there. I was beating Mickey up about Earl Thomas. You know, you know it's it's a young team with a lot of young players that have a path potential and have shown that they can play. It's pretty nice. Problem have doesn't mean you you can't improve. Yeah, um boy, I'm always looking to find more defensive linemen that can rust the passer, and I'm and I want DeMarcus Lawrence back,

Yeah for sure. Yeah, but um, another pass rusher, maybe some beef inside, another another tackle. You know, you can never have enough of those guys. But by next year, will Randy Gregory being a starting right defensive end? Yeah? Okay, what's the contract situation with sir? Yeah, what's the situation with Crawford? He's still got years left? Okay, So Crawford, I mean, I'm still what about Gregory? That's what he was saying. Only they only listed him as a two

this year. Yeah, so I think he's got I think his contract got told it rolls over. Yeah yeah, yeah, okay, but see that's what I'm saying. Though I couldn't and I didn't want to. I'm always one of these guys that says, don't misevaluate your team, you know, and then you know, don't fall in love with your players, don't you know, don't think about your team, think about what you need to do. But it really it struck me

because I couldn't just immediately say tight end safety. You know, I was thinking, okay, what are we doing a defensive end? And that was those are the questions I was kind of in my mind, I was trying to answer. Okay, Gregory is a restricted free agent in twenty twenty, Okay, two more years, and then Crawford unrestricted in twenty twenty one. Okay, he's got years left two so you know, and there's no reason to cut him. There's no reason to say

salary cap cut he No, he still plays. He still plays. Well, he's still I mean, I think we're all I don't want to speak for Cowboy Nation out there, but I'm comfortable paying him and playing him. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not letting people tell me, oh, he didn't have enough sacks and okay, I don't care. Yeah, but you know, sad and Lee might be another question. You're gonna need what you've helped yourself there this, yes, so yeah, you know, yes,

we'll see. And Damien Wilson's and restricted this coming, well, I will find me, but you can find that. I will find me a Damien Wilson. Right, it's called Chris Comington. Yeah, somebody like that. That's what it's called. Yeah, that's a good question. It is a great question, and we're setting up for the off season. They oh, no, I know, and I know it's offseason talk, but I don't want to. I just it was a question, it was asked. Usually I can answer questions just bam, bam bam, and that

one I couldn't. Jeff Swain's unrestricted. Yeah, maybe drafted tight in there too, So maybe at some point. But if you like Schultz and what he's doing and coming along Jarwin too, and Jarwin, you gotta who knows who knows? Easily's up right, Beasley Tavon's up too, Yes, yep, So you know you gotta see what you what happens there with those guys. Um. I think it does speak to

the fact that it's a young football team. Yeah, that's got a lot of potential past this year, right that you feel good about a lot of positions because you got a lot of youth guys that are showing growth and speaking to my point, Rod Smith's also up this year. See this is where too, you think about if you could win a couple of games the playoffs and you get these guys, the young guys some experience, yep, not just go to see it, not just lose the Seattle

I'm like, oh, we've been there year. You know, now, GI give him some couple of games or they kind of get a little battle tested. How to go to New Orleans, to go to the Rams, you know, and try and win a game. That's the kind of stuff you need. I'll continue going back to ninety one. Yep. Yeah, the team was inexperience, wasn't supposed to do anything. They won five straight and they beat Chicago in a playoff game, and I think it did wonders. Now it got wiped

out by Detroit. Yeah, but if you talk to Nate Newton, he'll say when they were on the way back after Detroit, they sat there and said, that will not happen again. There you go. It was almost their rallying cry. What happened Saturday night? We'll find out. We'll be back tomorrow to keep breaking it down. Thank you guys for joining us. Thanks to Kim for producing. We'll talk to you a Thursday. This has been a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas cow Boys Football Club. How M