Talkin’ Cowboys: What is Dak’s Ceiling?

The following is a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.

Cowboys.

This He's Talking Cowboys, screaming live from the Dallas Cowboys World headquarters.

At the Star in Frisco.

Straight Second's got Tis Tuxdowns, and now your hosts Isaiah Standback, Nick Harris, John Mashoda, and Kyle Yeomans.

It's officially the regular season. Game week is here.

Week one is here, and so is the full slate of Dallas Cowboys Podcast as we kick things off with Talking Cowboys starting at nine am Central Time every weekday through the regular season, as the Dallas Cowboys get ready to face the New York Giants on Sunday Night Football. This week, it's a Talking Tuesday, and we're glad you're with us here on Dallas Cowboys dot Com and the

Kyle.

It's just different.

Yeah, it feels different in here, and there's a lot of stuff to talk about, both uphand both down for the Cowboys, at least over the last weekend and week of work. But wow, I mean, hey, week ones here. You excited, Nick? This is your first go at it too?

Yeah? Yeah, yeah, I'm definitely excited.

Not only is it my first go at it, but you know, I feel pretty good about where this team is at and then what it can accomplish. I'm really excited about getting this going for sure.

John, you ready to get back to the grind of things. Yeah.

For me, it's all about the offense.

Just because we didn't get to see it in any of the preseason games. You didn't get to see him practice against another team, so there's a lot of you know, unpredictable to it that I'm really excited about, just because we know this is one of the best teams in the NFC. But it's always like, Okay, well you fell short in the playoffs, how do you take that next step? What is going to be the thing that gets you

So you're excited about the potential there on offense, and I think the identity to this team, Isaiah, what would you say the identity is?

Is it just defense, it's just.

All defense, there's no real specific to it.

Or is it pass rush or levels or what would you I want you to get specific with.

How just get detailed.

You want to get gritty, what's weak one? No more generalities.

I think teams fear because that's what I think that we need to lean towards. We start talking about what the makeup of this team is. Teams fear the pass rush. When you think of the Dallas Cowboys, you fear their pass rush, And I think that's the first thing you need to go to whenever you face an opponent.

What do we fear?

Right, that's the first thing we need to attack, right, We need to we need to find a solution for that, and then we can start working all way through everything else. But if you don't have a solution for Dallas's pass rush, you don't see.

Any chance, especially with what they added on the back end with Gilmour, another year for Bland, another year for Diggs, another year for that secondary to be together.

It just it all plays into like they just they would.

Love for teams to just sit back and have to throw all day, you know, And so obviously teams aren't gonna do that. I expect the Giants to come out and try and run the ball and try and win that way. And obviously that's why you go out and draft a Massie Smith and you resigned Jonathan Hankins. So that'll be the key, is to stop the run because if they do that, everything else to take care of itself.

It kind of goes back to what we've talked about previously on this show, both last year and then through the off season, is if you give this pass rush another half second.

The numbers could explode. I mean, and that's it. That's all it takes on average.

If you give them another half second to get to the quarterback, give them maybe even a little bit more than that, You give him a full second, and all of a sudden Michael Parsons could be Defensive Player of the Year. That secondary never gave them that time or at least a good enough amount of time for them to really explode.

Now you look at it and say this secondary could do so one thousand percent.

Michael Parsons said during training camp that the addition of Stefan Gilmore is going to give him at least three more sacks.

I like it.

I think there's a lot of truth in that. But yeah, with this pass rush, I'm very curious to see how they come out just the defensive front. I'm very curious to see how they come out against the run because that's going to be the biggest indicator of how successful this defense is in my opinion. We know the pass rush is going to be fine. We know they're going to be great in coverage. The one weakness that they

Yeah, when we're talking about identity and fearing the strength of certain teams, John, when you look at New York coming up this week, what do you fear about New York?

I mean their defensive tackles are real good. Yeah, that that certainly could be an issue there when you have, you know, Tyler Battish and then you have uh an injury to Tyler Smith with a hamstring. So it doesn't sound like it'll be something that might keep him out.

But let's talk about that a little bit. Because as of twenty minutes ago, an.

Update posted on Dallas Cowboys dot com added caution being taken with Tyler Smith this week is the Cowboys prepared to open their season. Former first round pick will undergo a precautionary MRI on Tuesday.

So you don't love your offensive line depth because of that can we just talk about this yeah, yeah, but the interior.

A couple times, actually a few times, dag nab it.

That's the one position group that you can't afford an we talked about one position particular.

Yeah, guard, is this our fault?

Maybe we talked about we said you can move, you could tackle. Something that can happen at the tackle position, right, hopefully not center.

But guard we're like guard, there's no room for error, Like, there's no room at all.

You gotta start knocking on one.

Yeah, beam, where's the wood in this new ste right here? I guess that's the that's the closest thing.

That grove up front with Dexter Lawrence Lean Williams.

They're nasty.

Yeah, they're nasty.

Then we know about the NFC East, right, the NFC East gets into the trenches. That's what the NFC East has been known for. That is the identity of the East.

Right.

Well, these guys they continue to be strong, right, and the New York Giants they have a two headed monster in there, just much like the Dallas Cowboys have a two headed monster on the outside at cornerback and at defensive end.

They have a two headed monster at.

The defensive tackle position, and that is where their question mark is now risen.

Because of the question marked with who Tyler? So it's scary.

It doesn't get any better with Kavon Sibbodo on the outside as well, get any But.

We don't need to keep bringing up I mean, but you know, but you know, but I feel I feel good about our tackles right like I really do, and I feel good about our about Dallas's offensive line as

We're good now what Yeah, that's the thing too with hamstrings, you just don't want it to linger. So that's probably why you want the MRI because he could sit there and say after they he's feeling better and everything's fine. But you want to make sure that you take every possible you know, plan of attack on that, because you don't want it to be something that you're dealing with all season long.

And hammy, hammy sucked because in a controlled environment there, you know, on the on the way back from you know, mending an injury, you can feel pretty good, right, you know, a little strength test, You're good, k little hamstring curl, you can isolate it, okay, But when it comes to the quick twitch and the changing directions and all those things. And obviously I don't know exactly how he got injured, exactly what caused it, what movement he was doing.

Were you out there, Nick, were you able to see that portion of practice?

So the offensive line was on the very very far side, and we just kind of caught him walking in right towards the end of the media session yesterday, and then Joe Jim Mauer was right almost said Joe Mauer.

Jim Maler was coming in right behind him.

So Minnesota Twins awesome football player.

Yeah, I think with yeah, because for those of you at home, the media doesn't get to watch the entirety of practice anymore. So even if these injuries pop up in practice, it's hard to see unless you're one on the field and two in the right spot because they really limit you to one side of the field, so whenever you're looking across the side, it's.

You couldn't even really see anything like that.

Yeah it.

Jerry Jones did just say on the fan about thirty minutes ago. We'll get an MRI on that today. But we felt better about that after we assess it after practice. You always are concerned initially. Nothing we've evaluated keeps him out Sunday at this point.

So it's good, you know.

I guess that's that's good optimistic.

Yeah, yeah, I think he said it because it's a Sunday night game and he probably has it like thinking of Monday night type thing.

But for sure, for sure either way from those de tackles are going to be liking the tops.

Yeah, yeah, because they're going to see the injury report. Absolutely going to go right there.

Yeah, Tyler Smith will be tested in week one, no doubt about it.

From whether he's healthy or not.

From your standpoint, if you going into this knowing that A we might have a tough time at handling their defensive tackles, how do you combat that?

What do you have to do?

Like?

What what do you have to do.

Offensively to kind of bring in some extra protection there to make sure that you're good.

Well, first, I mean this offense is made to stop a pass rush, Okay, So that's first off. Dak's not going to be back there holding the ball. I don't care what defensive front you're you're facing. So that's the positive thing about this offense. And I think that was an intentional change from last year based upon some of the struggles that Dak had. Right they wanted to get

Okay.

We're gonna run this ball right down your face mask and force you to stop us. And then the big boys in the middle, we're going to see exactly what your win is looking like and how that conditioning worked this off season for you.

Speak of the running game, one thing I'm really looking forward to seeing and I want to see it first drive re option.

I want it back. I want to see Dak back out that slow.

That was slow Tobeau down.

Yeah, absolutely wanted to keep him off balanced.

Yeah, yeah, because we haven't seen that in the last couple of years since his injury. So and I know he could still do it. They tested it a little bit during training camp, put it on the field.

I want to that in action.

The other thing that's been missing for is in terms of being effective for the last few years, is really the screen game with the running backs, and I just you know, they got to find a way to get that work now. Of course, you know it probably looked great because when Zeke started out in his career, you know, you're talking one of the best backs in the league. You had one of the best offensive lines in the league.

I think you're playing you definitely see that, because that's one of the ways you slow down really good defensive tackles. You slow them down by screen keeping them off guard and giving them more things that they have to worry about and be concerned about.

Do you need a mobile and healthy guard to pull on those screens most of the time though you're.

Your jerk contrace as.

I mean, that's that's part of it. That's part of the screen game.

You need your interior lineman to be healthy and mobile, and for the most part, those guys are good at doing so.

Tyler Smith's better in a phone booth.

We talked about that already. Or I should say he's can at the tackle spot than he is in a phone booth, is what I meant to say. He's better outside, he's better in space. But when he's healthy, that's the case.

You can switch things up with the offensive scheme. I mean, your guard and your center can interchange their responsibilities on some of those screenplays. He's gonna take a little bit more work.

Though.

You can also throw an offset tight end or an offset full back offset full back.

Do you want to say that a little bit louder for the people in the back?

Okay, Hunter Lipkey?

At this point, I was because I was before you started talking about Hunter Lipkey. I was about to say, where's our blocking tight end as well, because I mean, the guys on the roster are pass catchers, at least at their strength. Maybe Jake Ferguson is your leading blocker in terms of a tight end right now.

I can see mckewn being called.

Up from the practice squad. That's a good point.

I mean mckwn and CJ. Goblin I think would probably be the two.

Favorites as of right now to get black Coffman. Yeah, oh that's true too, Yeah, yeah, yeah.

But if you bring up offensive linemen, don't you get three? Don't you get three? I got to look at the rules. Yes, it's the regular season again, change refresh.

I feel like I've got a refresh because I think if you do bring up an offensive lineman, you get three elevations.

But yeah, I don't know about that for sure.

I'm telling you that rollbook will beat you down.

Yeah.

I was just spent a lot of time reading that whole third quarterback rule the other day. I say, we got a lot of detail on that thing.

There was an email that was like here just for those who are worried or confused about it, the NFL sends out an entire media release on here's what the rule is. There's a lot there initially, but you really don't get it, and so here it is. And so yeah, that was some weekend reading, no doubt about it. Give us a call eight eight eight, eight five five two two nine seven. You can also hit up the text line at eight one seven two nine zero three two

Let's talk about some positive things here.

In Week one, Cowboys lock up Terrence Steele on the outside extension for the former undrafted right tackle who continues to show that he is willing and able to grow in this offense and coming off of an injury, he looked good. He's still pushing in the right direction, and man, he's been a cornerstone for the right side of that offensive line for the last couple of years when he is healthy.

But Nick, what did you think about the extension and what ended up being the new contract for Terrence Steel?

Yeah, the new contract five years, eighty six point two million. I believe it has the potential of going up north of ninety one million, so very much deserved.

Somebody put out a tweet yesterday.

I think it was Todd Archer looking at the undrafted free agents that the Cowboys have picked up and the overall money that they've earned throughout their career, and if Terrence Steele ends up earning all of that eighty six point two million, he'll only be behind Tony Romo. So

Still, he's super easy to root for. Actually, just a great dude.

You know.

Mike McCarthy talked about how he was here every single day and it's always the same time and all that, and when I aske him aboudy, he said it's because he has a military background, so you know, his family always was like that.

So and then just going from twenty twenty being an.

Undrafted guy to get to this place, it just like again, it's just so easy to roof for him, and you want it to go well because for someone like me that you know, there's a lot of you're just covering the team and you know, comparing to other things you've seen, I mean, it's very easy to bring up. The last time that they've done this where they've signed a bunch of guys for the season was twenty nineteen and none of those went well.

So there's that part of you.

And when I mean that, I'm talking about the Zeke extension, the Lyle Collins, and the Jalen Smith. I mean it was all within like a couple of weeks that that all those were done, and so that's the last time where they did something like this. So I would think just law of averages because of all those it didn't work out. I would think that, you know, they deserve

He's a good dude then too.

Just the undrafted thing that's just always cool to see that happen because of how much emphasis everyone always puts on the draft and every year it gets more and more, but it just shows you can still find some guys that can be big pieces that you don't draft.

I like t Steey. I like him.

I've been joking around with him as of late about every time I run into him, and to him, he needs to go ahead and dread his hair up. So this costs about one hundred and fifty dollars to do so, So I think he has enough to get dreaded now.

But no, that'll be.

The next thing you tell him.

I always tell him that every time I see him. No, So everything that you guys have touched on him. He's a great dude. He's a great dude. He has a work ethic out of this world. He gained my respect last year at Camp Kyle when we were calling the live practice against Denver and things got a little chippy. There's Randy Gregory was starting things on the sideline and really causing a stir. He wasn't even practicing, but he was really kind of sparking up fights on the side

Steel.

And from that moment though, it's like it's like your little brother, right, Like you feel the vibe that your little brother needs some support, so you kind of look over there and he went. He be lined over there and pretty threw everybody out the way through everybody out the club like Jesse jeff On fresh Prince of bel Air, and got his quarterback back over to where he you know, to safety, you know, in so many words, And from that point forward, he had my respect because I knew

You know.

You're talking about Deon Sanders.

His team went in this past weekend and the patches that they have on their chest that d for dog that needs to go to T.

Steel because he is one of the guys on his team.

It was funny too, as we were talking to him yesterday for about six or seven minutes outside the locker room, just seeing guys that would walk by and you know, just yelling stuff like Michael Gallup, Zach Martin, you know, yelling out calling him big money, and you just tell like, everyone's really happy for him because he obviously puts the work in and no, yeah.

That was the best way to describe it.

He is.

He does come off as the gentle giant that is, that's the perfect way to describe him, but then on Sundays that's certainly not who he is.

Well.

I think one of the early defining moments for the Mike McCarthy era was in Washington back in twenty twenty when Andy Dalton got hit as he was going down on the slide and nobody was there to back them up. Nobody really was there, and that was the early indication of, Okay, what does this team really have?

There's something going on here.

There's a culture problem to a certain extent at that point in the season, and.

Things weren't going well at that point either.

I mean, of course, Dak Prescott goes down, you have the rotation rotating door at quarterback, and then who was one of the first guys to step up after that learning moment. There were a couple guys, but Terrence Steel was in that mix as a rookie, as an undrafted rookie. He was in that mix as somebody that stepped up very quickly. Maybe not on that specific play, but once he saw it and he said, Okay, next time, that's not cool.

It never gonna happen again.

And he's been there, and so I'm glad you brought up the Denver story because that's certainly something that's stuck in my mind as well. And I think it all stems back from that initial moment when he was a rookie he was learning from those guys and said, yeah, okay, not gonna happen in my quarterback. Not gonna happened to my guys ever again. And now it won't for for quite some time because he's locked up for the next

And a guaranteed money.

We got fifty he got some guarantees.

I will say, though, even with that, I know you look at these numbers and you're just like, man, it's a lot of money. But if he continues to ascend and play at the level that he's been on, you'll look back on that contract and it'll be like, Wow, that's a that's a sargain. Yeah, nice.

Can we give it up for the front office right now? We talked about how aggressive the front office has been. They just continue to be aggressive and I love it. We talked about them last week saying I hope they keep that energy. Sure right, and they have kept that energy, and I.

Hope they just keep the foot to the pedal.

I want him to sign CD, and it's gonna be that'll happen.

I honestly and not obviously.

I don't have any insight up there, but let me put that out there before I make the statement. I have a feeling that it is a race right now to try to get CD done before Justin Jeffers I agree.

So yeah, I.

Believe that Justin Jefferson said he needs that deal done before the season kicks off.

Hey Cee, do you got time today? Can you make it up to the poop three here at the Starhart makes sense.

Where something may happen before weeks in.

They did ask him on the fan today, Jerry Jones. They said, you know, once the season starts, does that kind of close off negotiations. You just want to focus on the season. He said, absolutely anytime we can get that deal done, so it could happen at any point, and he was referring to both dak An Cid.

Either for Terren Steele and Zach Martin getting those things taken care of, Like just look at the depth behind them, Like to me that you just you have to you look at what else is there. It's not like you have a couple of guys you're just like, no, no, no, we can we can they can hold out if they want, or we can possibly go that.

No, those are so important.

I mean, even Jerry saying this morning on the radio about how you know, you know, he talked about how much he liked the depth and how much he likes his the current roster, but then he brought up himself the offensive line depth as in that would be the only concerned But then he points out, well, yeah, well what NFL team doesn't have that right now? And so that's the other part of the Terran Steel, the Zach

Yeah, he slipped through the cracks.

Credit to the front office for getting him done and getting him in the building, and then of course seeing the way that he's grown and developed since then.

We've got to take our first break.

Well, when we come back, we're taking calls from Talking Cowboy His Nation eight eight eight eight five five two two nine seven, give us a ring.

Chris Pine will answer the phone in the back when we come back with more Talking Cowboys.

Todd thought it would be secure to jog in the cheetah Savannah. Todd believed the big cat repellent he bought online was reliable, and now Todd is trying to be faster than this cheetah that can run eighty miles per hour. But the good news is Todd has at and T five G. It is fast, reliable, and secure, and he learned the best thing to do is stop running and toss her the backpack with the beef stew at and T five G. Faster, reliable, secure, It's not complicated.

Five G requires compatable planning device. Five G may not be available in your area. See att dot com slash five G for you for details.

Black Rifle Coffee Company serves premium coffee to people who love America. When you drink Black Rifle Coffee, you are directly supporting veterans, law enforcement, and first responders in your community. Black Rifles expert roasters love coffee almost as much as Texas loves football, so it makes sense that America's coffee partner with America's team online at Black Riflecoffee dot com and fuel up with the official coffee of the Dallas Cowboys. That's Black riflec Coffee dot com. To fuel up.

Today Cowboys fans. After that move, we've just coined the term rowdy replay. Let's roll back the table.

Okay, there's our mascot rowdy cheering on the boys, and now he's on his phone on.

His Bank of America Mobile Banking.

App, staying on top of his finances with his virtual financial Assistant Erica.

Bank of America's digital tools are so impressive. Cowboys fans just can't stop banking. Learn more at Bank of America dot com. Slash can't Stop Banking every tay.

It's only available in the Elis language.

You must download the latest version of the mobile banking app, only available on so Like mobile devices.

Message dat rags apply a number fdic.

Welcome back into Dear Doctor, the show where I answer life's questions with an ice cold can of doctor pepper. Sheila, let's hear from my next caller.

Would you, Dear doctor?

My friend supported me during a tough time.

But what's the right gift that says thanks for being the souldier to cry out?

Okay, this one's easy, I say, give her a delicious doctor pepper. Nothing says thanks good better than one of a kind soda. Yes, any doctor pepper flavor will do. Now just a reminder that I don't need to be a real doctor to know that Doctor Pepper is the one you deserve better.

To Talking Cowboys.

This portion of Talking Cowboys is brought to you by Quaker Oates, a super trusted super food Quaker Oats, the official oatmeal sponsor of the Dallas Cowboys. Back here with John Matchoda, Isaiah Stanback, Nick Harris, Chris Beam in the back of Kyle Yeomans.

Every Tuesday, we will take your phone calls.

It's a Talking Tuesday as always, and the traditions continue as we head into the regular season. Give us a call. Eight eight eight eight five five two two nine seven. Let's start things off with Brian in Iowa. Brian, you're back on Talking Cowboys. How's it going, my friend?

Hey, it's going really good. How how are you guys.

Doing doing great? What's on your mind?

Well?

I got a few things. I got one thing about Dak and then another thing about fifty cents. First of all, with Dak, I feel Dak has a great season and he is in the MVP running like I think he kind of was in twenty twenties before the Anchel season with he was saying the pastum record, I believe I think you can get back to that form with this offense scheme and the players around him, and with the

Yeah, of course, Brian appreciate the call. As always, John, I'll start with you on the Dak Prescott question. Where do you think the ceiling is for Dak? Is kind of what it sounded like Brian was talking about because prior to Week six in twenty twenty one and he calf injury that he sustained on that final pass against the Patriots, he was the MVP front runner and it's hard to argue at that point statistically, play wise, win wise,

Since he can, I don't think that they really need him to though. And the reason I say that is because the way this season starts is reminded me. Now these are not apples to apples, but it reminds me a little bit of twenty fourteen because there was a little bit of that, you know, we're gonna take some more off Tony Romo's plate.

We're gonna have DeMarco Murray.

You know, be kind of the focal back, and it just changed a little bit about the offense. And just before that, leading up to you felt like there was a period of time there where Tony had to play really well and win these games, and DeMarco kind of took something off of his plate and it ended up leading one of Tony's, if not Tony's best seasons.

And so with this team, I think the running game will be good.

I do not think it'll be DeMarco Murray twenty fourteen good. But it's the defense now. So because of how loaded this defense is, he doesn't have to be that guy that he was, you know, back then, throwing as much as he was. And I do think that there there could be some hiccups early in the season, just with

And that's Brett Farr, who.

You know, is you know, have one of the most talented arms that's ever been in the game, and it's probably attempted more bad throws than anybody ever has in the game, just because of his ability and for him to be able to as a first time head coach be able to get a guy like Brett Farv that was established as he was at that point, to you know, be more you know, I wouldn't say conservative, but just be taking care of the ball better. That to me, it's like, did Tony need to put up the best

Well said, yeah, I think we've talked about it a lot about how this offense is constructed around Dak. It's put into quote unquote Dak's language. Does that lead to an MVP conversation? I lean no, Just because of what you said, they're gonna have to lean on the running game. They're gonna have to lean on the defense to help them out in some areas as well. So you just need Dak to be Dak. You don't need Dak to

Sure, yeah, the.

Only thing I was going to add on that though, on the MVP thing, X coming off of arguably his worst season, because of the turnovers. He's I feel better about him being in the MVP conversation this year than I would have last season at this time about Jalen Hurts.

So things go up and down real fast in this league.

Interesting.

Nobody expected Jalen Hurts to have that season. Maybe Jalen Hurts did, maybe there's some people in Philadelphia's front office, maybe Nick Sirianni did, But most people did not think like he was going to take it to that level. It's not like that was his second season or we just hadn't had there was a decent sample size on him, and obviously there was a lot of good pieces around him. But he took his game to another level that I

Did so by being efficient, Yeah, I mean that was the case with Jalen Hurts, and now that's what you're asking Dak to be.

You're not asking Dak to be over the top. You're asking him to.

Be efficient all the way through and making things simple on him so that way he can lead things like Jalen Hurts did.

I think you're muted.

I think you're knee it's going to be John next episode there you go to.

Pull your mic over.

Sorry, I'm growing. Yeah, I think you guys hit it. I mean this everybody's expectations as DAK are. Everybody's looking for the big plays. I feel like in the fan fan world, that's not what coach McCarthy's looking for. Coach McCarthy's looking for that high efficiency, high probability of completion rate, and that's what he's looking for. He doesn't care if it's you know, fourteen yards or five yards. He wants it manageable in terms of his his ability to deliver

Yeah, I don't think you should want that either. No, Like, if you look at those box scores at the end of the game, if you missed the game by some chance. I don't think you really want to see a bunch of those games like that, because before you know the the ankle injury, there were a lot of games like that where he was playing like that and you really felt like, well, if he doesn't play like this, they're not going to win.

Well, he doesn't have to play like that now.

Yeah, And I think that's what you want, like you said, And if it is that sort of forty passes, pass attempts, you want it to be short completions. Maybe it's because you're methodical on offense. If the box score does end up ballooning like that, you want it to be efficient work on the offense as opposed to just let's just throw the ball to throw the ball.

All right, let's go to Jim in passive.

Don't want to get this sect total thing.

Oh I forgot about that. We'll get Jim first. Let's get Jim out of the way.

Jim.

What's going on?

Good morning, guys?

How are you great?

How are you good?

All right? I want to play a game. If Parsons, Smith and o'diggy Zua and Lawrence are you're starting four on the D line. Huh, who are your next four? And are those next four better than any of the d lines in the league.

That's really tough.

I like to know appreciate the call. Jim as always.

One of our national NFL writers at the Athletic Robert Mays goes to a bunch of different training camps, and so when he came to the Cowboys camp, we always do like a pod, and I think he came the second week and when we talked about the defensive ends, he said he thinks that they have the best defensive end rotation in the entire league. And I lean on him a lot more because I mean, I just most

I think I would.

I would go the same way with the starters d Lall Hankins right now, Osa Parsons, and then then second level.

And I think this goes to Jim's point.

You go to the second level, and then you've got Mazzie Smith, who of course is the first round defensive tackle, Sam Williams, who's the second round defensive tackle, Nevill Callimore, who's a third round defensive tackle. I said defensive tackle, I mean ed rusher for Sam Williams, But you know what I mean.

Dorren's Armstrong there as well.

I think, man, that's tough between Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler. That's where I kind of have this this hold up because I think I'm there with you. I think Sam Williams is that other edg Rusher. What do you think, Isaiah?

They're interchangeable, I really do.

But that's not the game, I know. But it depends on the situations the game.

It depends on the situation. Man.

If I'm if I'm just simply just trying to get back there for sacks, then yeah, Sam Williams. If I if it's a third in medium, I'm probably using doorrans.

I'm just looking at these sac numbers are so twenty.

I mean Dallas had fifty four last year, correct, Yes, they did.

Philly had the most. Philly has seventy.

Believe Yeah, I know you're right on.

It's just funny because I went back the last few years and then I go to twenty twenty twenty and twenty thirty one sacks Cowboys had.

Yeah.

And you know what' funny about last year though, too, is like I know, Philly clearly had the most, Like you said, seventy, there was there was a time, like first half of the season where like I mean, they were neck and neck with the Cowboys and then Philly pulled the way towards the back end. So for me, there's no reason they shouldn't be in that conversation all the

So that's to me where it's got to be.

And then to how Nick points out, you know the way that this schedule sets up, you know it's a lot of running backs early, a lot more passing later. A lot more passing would lead to more sacks, So maybe that happens in the second half.

That's the key.

This is my prediction.

If Dallas can be in the top fifteen in rush defense, they will lead the league in sacks.

Like that, okay, because they go hand in hand, absolutely, I like that. I like it as well, and I think I agree with you. I think it goes back to what we talked about right at the jump too, of having this secondary affect the pass rush and.

Having this secondary.

This is a better secondary than Dallas has had in quite some time.

This is the best secondary in the league.

No, I'm not ready in the conversa, but it's in the conversation, which is saying something because they have never been in the conversation.

It's the best cornerback duo in the league. I'm ready to say that. I think I'm ready to say.

Let me see the regular season. Stefan Gilmour.

First, I love training camp pipe as much as anybody, but let's let me see it first.

For that, I think they're really really good, don't get me wrong.

And they're in the conversation even if they aren't the answer to that conversation. But with that secondary, I think it opens up the possibilities. Look at Philadelphia, the reason why they had seventy sacks is because they had depth on the defensive line and they had depth in the secondary. Dallas had depth on the defensive line, they didn't necessarily have any depth in the secondary, especially in the back half of the season.

Whenever did Philadelphia did end up pulling away.

So with that being said, seventy sacks for Philly last year, fifty four for Dallas. Let's go back to Brian's question, how many sacks Nick, do you think the Cowboys have in twenty twenty three.

I think with the addition of Stefan Gilmore, because I've seen regular season Stefan Gilmore, I know what he can bring to the table.

I agree, I think they.

Can get to sixty sixty. I think they can get to sixty if everyone stays healthy. That's key, that's low.

I'm kidding, I don't know. I'd probably say like under sixty.

I think it's a healthy over under.

At sixty, I would say over over, yeah, over by a little bit. I'd say sixty three if everybody stays healthy.

Yeah, yeah, I'm gonna take over because I think they're good enough to average for a game that would be sixty eight. And I did that in my calculator. There's no chance, no chance to have that in my head. I'm completed when it comes to math. So that was all the calculator, and so that puts Philly last year a little over for a game. I think this team is capable of doing for a game. But a big part of that will be Michael Parsons. He's had thirteen

Could he get if he keeps the train move and the way that he did in the first two thirds of the season last year, Could.

He get to twenty? Yeah?

If that happened though, to me, a key piece and that would be just they'd have to have outstanding health on defense because if that happens, then you know, there's so many other guys that will wear on the defense that he's I feel like to get to twenty. And I might be I might not be talking factually here, so you guys can call me out if you want, But I find it hard to believe you get to twenty sacks that they're all just like twenty just hard earned.

I just got every bit of that.

Like, there's got to be some guineas that are there's some layups where you're just like, hey, I've bet it from this. Also, when I'm saying that, I'm thinking significantly it's on one play and it's that that the Brett fire going down with Michael Strahan got the record.

Michael Strahan obviously deserves.

I mean, he's outstanding, but I just always think of that play like we're usually no, nope, you got it down.

Have fun, have fun.

Okay, okay, okay.

What do you think over under sixty sacks for the Cowboys defense? Should everybody stay healthy?

That's a big key in this.

Yeah, if they can do, if they have a solid rush defense, they'll hit sixty two. That's my number, sixty two.

Okay, there you go.

So lots of high expectations for the defense, as you would anticipate going into the year. But I think if they get less than sixty, either health is a is a big factor in it, or it's just a lack.

Of execution because the town you say, when you said about the running, that's because you feel like if they can stop the run, then teams will just be forced to throw.

You have more opportunities.

Yes, so that's one portion of it, right, But also you have to go to the other side of the ball and the offense. Offense has to be able to put up points. So the offense is dragging and they're not putting up points effectively. Right now, We're not looking for this to be killing Moore sky at out type offense, right, but they need to be able to have a fourteen point lead in order to take teams.

Out of their game plan. Yeah.

Right, if you have a ten fourteen point lead, now you could start taking teams out of their game plan. As long as teams can remain in their game plan, then my approach to this defense is running the ball.

Yeah.

When he says that the game, I always think of his last year against Minnesota, Like how Mike on that first series just set the tone and he was coming on that backside and sacked Cousins And I'll just always remember it because I love at and T Stadium, But my favorite thing about Minnesota is an open press box, and just to be able to actually hear all that sound, it was just wild because I'll never forget how Micah was coming off the backside and Cousins doesn't see him,

Eight and one, right, I think so, yeah.

Yeah, they had bet coming off that game when they beat the Bills. Yeah that you know that.

That was a wild game all the time.

Yeah, yeah, like they were rolling.

So it's not like it's this, oh well, I just know a lot of Cowboys fans feel like, well they always beat the Vikings, but it's like, no, they've beaten some good vikings. But that game, when you said, that's the first one I thought of, because that changed up everything.

The way they said the tone early with that, I really did.

All Right, we got to take our second break.

When we come back, we'll hit a couple more texts and we'll get you ready for some previews coming later in the week. Is the Cowboys take on the Giants on Sunday night. Football when we returned with more talking Cowboys.

They say champions are remembered, but legends are never forgotten. United Agen Turf offers a winning lineup of John Dear equipment built to tackle any challenge on and off the field. Legendary John Deere Tractors, combines residential mowers, commercial mowers, compact construction equipment, hater utility vehicles, and a full line of golf and sports turf equipment. United Agon Turf the official

Are you ready to take coffee off your grocery list forever? Black Rifle Coffee Club is here to help. As a Coffee Club member, you'll get your favorite coffees, roasted package and ship to your door free of charge on your preferred schedule. Set it, forget it, and never run low on coffee again. Members also get exclusive deals on coffee products and discounts from partner brands. Ease your mind and

It's the official men's skincare brand of the Dallas Cowboys, Jack Black and right now Cowboys fans can get fifteen percent off their seventy five plus. Because every deal needs a playmaker, your order will include a free five piece skincare set and free shipping. The Jack Black Playmaker is four of Jack's favorites and a full sized intense therapy liftball. Make a play for the playmaker at Getjack Black dot com slash Cowboys with the code Cowboys VIP. That's get Jack Black dot com slash.

Cowboys with the code Cowboys VIP.

Tod thought it would be secure to jog in the cheetah Savannah. Todd believed the big Cat repellent he bought online was reliable, and now Todd is trying to be faster than this cheetah that can run eighty miles per But the good news is Todd has AT and T five G. It is fast, reliable, and secure, and he learned the best thing to do is stop running and toss her.

The backpack with the beef stew At and T five G.

Fast reliable, secure, It's not complicated.

Five G requires compatible plan and device five G may not be available in your area. See att dot com slash five G for you for details.

Bad to Talking Cowboys.

The final segment of Talking Cowboys is brought to you by in is a line, the official smile of the Dallas Cowboys. Alongside Isaiah stand back, John Matchoda, Nick Harris, Chris Beam in the back.

I'm Kyle Yeomans glad you're with us? Are at Isaiah?

In that early segment, we were talking about offensive line and we were talking about Tyler Smith, our guy Kent from La Crusis, New Mexico.

He uh, he wanted to call you out.

He texted into the Cowboys text line eight one seven two nine zero three two nine eight. He said, I don't understand how you are so concerned with potentially losing a guard, but say you're okay with losing a tackle when it requires moving a guard.

I know what you were trying to say. I want you to get a chance to defend yourself here. You're not okay with losing anybody on that offensive.

Line, right? No, not okay at all?

And obviously what I was getting at, Yes, you have to still rotate a new guard in if you lose a tackle. However, Okay, losing a tackle at least you have a formidable backup that you feel confident about.

That's what I was getting at.

The guard position solely does not have a strong suitor that you feel confident about on this roster, regardless if that means if you lost a tackle, you gotta bump one in, it doesn't matter. I don't care how you get to it. You don't feel good about your gardens. And we know that the front office knows that I was assumed that they were working on that. I assume that this probably scares the crap out of them. And this is kind of a he little hello, hello, little moment,

Yeah.

I always wonder how much PTSD is with Cowboys fans from that Chaz Green Adrian Claiborne game.

I know I think about that significantly.

Just because it was so it just stood out so much that I feel like anytime there's no offensive line injury and you think about, like to your point when you were thinking, oh, when you mentioned the backup guards. I'm thinking, okay, who is it? Like, who would I feel? And I'm thinking TJ Bass right now. But there's a there's a part of you when you're thinking about it, and of course that's guard and Chans.

Green was playing on the outside.

But it just is one of those things where you're just like you just start fearing like, well then everything's going to fall apart where I don't know, like I really I I have a lot of confidence in Mike McCarthy when there's chaos, like he's done some he's really impressed me over the last couple of years, like whether it be that going down or in some situations where.

He's handles some situations.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, so if there were to be without he's had plenty of them too.

Yeah, Like I give him a lot of credit for his ability in those in those type of situations that he'll have a plan for for this type of thing. And the other thing is when you have a really experienced head coach like that, well we'll sit here and talk about this and fans will listen to this and you know, be worried about there's not going to be

So that's one.

That's one of those things with the experien So I'm sure he's ready to roll with a game plan that will compliment if it is a TJ.

Bass or whoever.

You know.

Obviously it's gonna limit things.

It's not gonna be the same because I think you're gonna have to take some stuff off the table. But I have a lot of confidence that he would come up with a good game plan.

Now with Tyler Smith dealing with this hamstring again, the Cowboys believe it's minor. They're taking a precautionary look at it with the MRI today. But Nick, when you look at the depth chart, you said something in a moment ago that kind of piqued my interest.

Would TJ. Bass be your number one option?

Because they've only got three guys offensive lineman wise that are behind the starters.

It's true mydoga who of course.

Is banged up in his own right as he left that training camp practice late in Oxnard. Awesome Richards, the fifth round rookie out of North Carolina, and then the undrafted rookie TJ Bass jumping in, and we just talked about Terrence Steele as an undrafted free agent who was thrown into the fire early and continued to work to where he is now. I'm not saying that's the ideal situation, but do you feel comfortable if Tyler Smith is unable to go on Sunday Night that TJ Bass could fill that void.

I'm gonna say no, just because I don't want to throw an undrafted rookie into the fire like that. Yeah, I'm gonna give a quick case for each of those three.

Though.

Chumay Dooga, I feel like has more of a guard build.

He's got that wide set. I don't feel like he's athletic enough to be at tackle. I want to put him in that phone booth and get him working with that wide, that white set, because he's got really good hands, So I want to put him there and see what that looks like and correct me if I'm wrong. But whenever Tyler Smith went out yesterday. I know we only had like two or three minutes, but I believe.

It was Chuma that rotated in.

I didn't see, Okay, I believe it was, but it was like, yeah.

It wasn't Dentton, Like it was so far away from telling you.

That has always been the thing going back to Valley Ranch, as the head coach is like always put the offensive line is far away.

I mean even look at training camp, they always do it like this's got to.

Be in the far end where nobody can see.

There was there was a time and during one of the walkthroughs, during one of the it was the second from last week of practice, where they worked out kind of in front of where we were, and I just thought it was funny because I remember I went over there and took a picture.

You went over there, took a picture.

Patrick Walker ever took a picture just because it was like it was just the offensive line working out. But it's like they never work out anywhere near where anybody's at, like media wise, they always make sure that they're they're way far away.

And it has to know by design, it has to.

Be it has to be really quick to finish up those three. TJ. Bass I really love what he's put together.

He had one of the best pass block and run blocking grades in preseason, but granted it was preseason. I really want to give him time because if you cheat his process, that's that's going to be unfortunate. He has a ton of experience at left guard. He's coming in with that experience at left guard. They've worked him at right guard just to kind of get him used to having both sides, and if he needs to kind of

Or left guard. That's another guy I don't want to throw into the fire that early.

So if it comes a situation where if Tyler Smith cannot play on Sunday night, I think shootway Dooga is probably your best off.

He's the veteran of the group.

Feel comfortable about that.

But yeah, I think that's the conversation is we don't feel comfortable about anything if any one of those top five guys go down, but there has to be some sort of backup plan, and it appears that those at least would be the early.

Indications of those backup plans.

But and he should be familiar with that stadium, right.

Yeah, yeah, he's played there a couple times before. Right yeah, all right?

That does it for us here on Talking Cowboys. These shows fly by in the regular season.

But good news, back tomorrow, Back tomorrow. You don't have to wait very long.

What nine am Central time is where we will be all week long here on dallascowboys dot Com and the various streaming platforms. By the way, stick around, Get your calls in, get them ready, get them lined up. Eight to eight, eight five five two two ninety seven Cowboys storyline with Nick Eatman gets underway at ten am Central time, So he'll follow us up and do a great job as always in the studio.

We starts little strategy tomorrow, don't we.

We start talking a little strategy tomorrow.

We will review, we will preview the Cowboys defense versus the New York Giants offense tomorrow. So how can that stacked defensive front take down Danny Dimes and the Cowboys and the excuse me in the Giants offense, and then on Thursday we'll flip it to the offense talk about how the Cowboys can have some success on that side of the ball, but for Chris Beam in the back, Isaiah Standback, John Machoda, Nick Harris, and Kyle Yoman saying so long, We'll see tomorrow with more Talking Cowboys.

This has been a production of dallascowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.