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This is the Players Lounge, broadcasting live from Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters at the Star. Now your hosts Barry Church, Danny McCrae, Hecma Harrison, and Newie Scruggs.
Surprid the name that you heard in that intro or actually here, not Danny, not not, none of them, all of us, all of them are going. We are here. Our boy Neuie the Captain is in Houston right now. Game seven tonight Houston Astros first the Texas Rangers. But this is the Players Lounge, presented to you by Tostitos. I am joined by you today by AKA Cubby, Jess Novarez. No, I got it, I got it. I am your hosts Jesse Holly. This segment is brought to you by Rally Day.
Rally Days presented by Sea Geek Gibbs, NFL fans and Experience of a Lifetime. The day prior to the Dallas Cowboys home games on October twenty eighth, enjoy activities at the Middle of Lighthouse, get behind the scenes tour of AT and T Stadium, and more, visit at t stadium dot com slash rally House Rally Days for more information to get your tickets to day. Don't do spooky later wrong? All right, man, how's everyone doing?
Everybody's good?
Good?
I have no yesterday was so stressed free, wasn't nice except.
For well that's different football.
I was just I stayed home.
I just watched TV and I just sat up here and watch everybody else team screw up, watch their quarterbacks do crap, you know what I mean. I just loved it, like, okay, this one's like to watch the Cowboy.
See the Cowboy were on their bye week last week. Last week. They returned this week getting ready to take on the l A Rams, who took a defeat yesterday by the Pittsburgh Still a quick side.
Note Pittsburgh Steel.
There isn't a coach that I believe in the National Football League. And this is my moment to give a little bit of praise to Mike Tomlin that gets more from less than Mike Tomlin, like he really, really really does. And so we're gonna need Mike McCarthy to get more from more this weekend, coming up against the L. A.
Ram in the same city. They're in the same stadium.
I'm like Saint Louis two weeks. Yes, I mean to back. So, Jess, what did you do? What did you do during your bye week? And how will it improve the Cowboys heading into this week?
I got you? Okay. So I went to the State Fair for the very first time ever ever from Texas. No, I'm from New Mexico. Yeah, so I've lived here for two years and I have never gone. So I was told I needed a corn dog, that it would be life changing, and I hate to break tea was not. It was not life changing. It was it was not life changing.
The cheesecake's crust, Okay, so.
It was dipped in chocolate and then rolled in bisc off cookie brisk off.
That's what. Yeah, delicious, my daughter line for that.
Yes, I did too.
I just stood in line for an hour worth it. But how it will help the cowboys?
Don't know how we help the Cowboys.
We're all mentally recharged, mentally recharged, and not just me that you know has to cover the Cowboys day in, day out, but the players as well. We just got off of a conference call with Marquise Bell and then Brandon Cooks and he talked about a lot of the reset going into this week, and you know how the majority of the games going on out is on home turf and how important it is to protect the home turf. Talked about that, and then he also talked about which
I thought was interesting. I guess it's a generational thing that he talked about the scrutiny that the Cowboys get even in the bye week. He talked about how different it is and his advice to the guys when he's out there and not stay in not being on social media, which is huge. I mean, you're talking about I'm sorry, guys my generation, we're all social.
Media, right, we have no choice, but we have no choice.
How important it is. So something he also mentioned was I asked him, you know, what's one thing you've learned about Dak Prescott in the course of the last seven weeks, now that you're kind of in the thick of the season, getting into that mode, and he said his resilience and his ability to bounce back really quickly. So looking forward to the second half of the season officially, and now we're all mentally resting. I think that goes in the locker room as well.
Everson Wolves what did you do during your bye week and how will that helped the Cowboys for the rest of the season.
I also went to the stage film. I didn't want to wait to the last day. That was no where I was going to go yesterday. I went on Thursday. Of course I had. I had everything I did. I didn't stand in line for the cheesecake. They can have that.
I'm sorry.
I'm not a cheesecake guy. Anyway, I'm not that curious. And otherwise, you know, I just went there and had a good time. And I must say that all of that culminated in doing not zip for the Dallas Cowboys.
It didn't help them at all.
It helped my outlook on the season thus far. I saw teams yesterday, uh, that have the same problems that we have. I see teams being overly praised the same way we overly praised the Cowboys. So yeah, I saw the similarities of what everyone else has been seeing, you know, for the first five weeks. And one thing I can say is where I was all the time, Cowboys are still one of the best teams in the NFL.
And that's a that's a I was quickly saying, I did that nothing absolutely. I absolutely nothing felt good. Didn't to do nothing, to like to literally wake up and go because I'm so regimented everything everything.
You are going to come and work on Thursday and Friday if it wasn't for us, you.
Know, because you understand this. Once we get a schedule and we get our it becomes automatic. It becomes automatic. And so to wake up and go, okay, what's on the edgend of the day. All right, workout and then bla, I'm like, wait, work out and there's nothing else, and and and so sometimes you get caught in that that place and you're just like, it's a little bit. The anxiety bell goes off a little bit and you're like, I got nothing to something.
I should be doing something. I'm missing something.
Let me check my I don't even know what it is anymore.
Like, well, I guess I just watch the dog and I'll just you just start trying to.
Push stuff you gave your dog about.
I did the big dog the bath too.
You have to put out some time, You have to put some time aside.
I have one hundred and thirty plus pounds Connie. Course, yeah, so for him.
No, it's cute, but I'm not the one that had to.
Get for him. It's just not like hey splashed the water, you just in. It's a process, right, It's like three or four coats of washing.
How will that helped the Cowboys this week?
Thank you that you asked the question. You started the question, So tell me how that connected to the Cowboys.
I hope they washed away Oh oh.
Good, yeah good.
He came up with that Bayon No my how I got the Cowboys.
I hope that during this time they washed away all the bad things that we talked about prior to this. I hope Mike McCarthy washed away the lack of creativity in his offense. I hope that Dak washed away the hesitancy in him delivering the football. I hope Ceedee Lamb washed away the negative being to his whatever's going on with the quarterback and the offense. I hope that the defense have washed away their inability to stop the run. So I'm hoping that all the things that were negative
for the Cowboys that they got that. So I watched it. I put dove on, not the dove, I put the dawn.
Yes, yes, so.
Right that I do that first, and then I go back with this lavender.
Uh yeah, yeah, So I.
Hope that the Cowboys put you know, yeah, yeah yeah, and then and then and then you know, I just kind of just dried him and made sure he was good and clean his air. So some prayer, the Cowboys did the exact same thing. Clean your ears, clean.
Your ears, clean your ears.
Because I want the message from Mike McCarthy and their Dan Quinn. I wanted to be clear when it hits their ears about what the assignments are for this week because coming up against the l A Rams, there's going to have to be I think that Kyle, I'm sorry that Sean McKay is one of the top tier coaches in the National Football League. So the message has to be very clear for the Dallas Cowboys that you're going to have to be assignment and alignment sound, especially defensively
by what they're able to do. They got Cooper cup back. They started this year out with Poka Nakua, so you got a Cooper and a Pooka and they are a ball They are absolute balling. And one of the things that the Cowboys that kind of been struggling with defensively is being able to stop the over the middle passes, and you can bet your bottom dollar that you're going to see a ton of that from McVeigh and company off.
Until you learn to stop it, you will continue to see it.
And to for Jess, one of the things that I've seen, and tell me what you've seen, is the we talk about the lack of down the field productivity, right, we've been asking for that, we've been asking for that. You got a chance to hear from from from Brandon Cooks today and he's been one of the guys that we've talked about, Hey, we need to see more of that
coming into this week. Do you feel like Mike McCarthy and company is kind of figured out or going to figure out a way to stretch the field a little bit more? Get gods like that involved.
They should, I mean they need to. It's not even an option at this point because here's the thing. When you're not getting downfield, you didn't even have an opportunity to work on the red zone wes that we were talking about three weeks ago. We don't even know what that looks like. And so I think, yes, you have a Brandon Cooks that is warmed up now, he has
his feet going, he has everything he needs. But more than anything, what I'm waiting to see is the tight end production too, and getting them involved in the passing game. I think that's something that has lacked a lot, you know, so far in the last six weeks from the Cowboys. So not only could you see more of the Brandon Cooks aspect, but seeing the receiving threat that you have from a Jake Ferguson with a yak ability that he's able to give you when you needed, especially when you're
trying to get down the field. Those yardeds. That extra yardage just stacks up if you can keep getting that yak ability going and going. So yeah, I think Brandon Cooks is absolutely a big factor in that. But I also think Michael Gallup having this week to potentially figure out what has been holding him back because he had the most receptions you know on Monday night. That's also most targets, Yeah, most targets. I think that will help
a lot too. So figuring that out, getting Brandon Cooks involved, getting those tight ends involved, and then I want to see those special packages that we keep hearing about too with Deuce Vaughan Lepky, even the running backs, getting all of that involved in the receiving game. I think that's important as well. So I think it's a mixture of everything. Ball distribution, Cobby.
We we all talk about sometimes over correction. Last year, Dak Prescott led the league and interceptions, majority of them came with the ball going down the middle of the football field, right and there was this mixed traffic, traffic is in there middle of the field, open, middle of the field called. There was some there was some missed
opportunities between receiver and quarterback. Has there been an over correction by Mike McCarthy in his offense because you got fifteen receptions last year and most of us will say that's that's not who Dak is. Mike comes in, is fully in charge of the offense now and you don't see that attacking down the middle of the field anymore.
So is there an over correction you see there with how he wants to call the offense and what the offense kind of needs to get a little bit more of that middle of the field action.
You know, you can call over correction. I can say that it is an uber conservative. I can't say that much. We're not trying really to take any chances down the field at all. When we did try it, there was in a desperate situation, which I think is an extreme mistake. If you're going to be working on your going down the field, then you need to work on it in practice first before you try these hell mary's that they
tried that was against the forty nine ers. I do think that they are very conservative conservative at this point. I don't mind that as long as we are winning with that. But it's what I told you guys on Wednesday. I want this team to be able to win in al ways. If we have to go with Michael Gallup, then I want to win with Michael Gallup.
If he's going to be our target.
If CD's fussing all the time, then I want to say, Okay, we can still win and get CD the ball. I want to be able to get Fergus on the ball if we can get him the ball. But it's only one ball. Okay, it's only one ball. Who do you want to have it?
You know? So let's figure out what's the best fit for us. Each week.
I keep trying to tell you guys, you're gonna have to win in so many different ways.
You can't just win one way. You saw Lamar Jackson yesterday.
Everybody's going off on Lamar Jackson, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens.
They don't need Lamar.
Jackson to throw for three fifty seven to win every week. Sometimes they just win by playing good defense and having a good running game. I want us to be able to adapt to whatever we need to do to win. I don't like us saying, well, we didn't win because we didn't get to ceedee lamb. Well, if CD ain't open, then we better get into somebody who's open, right. And another thing that I saw and it came to me maybe you mentioned it already. The Cowboys were successful against
the Chargers because the Chargers chose not to jam. They chose not to press most of the game. Why they chose that, I don't know, because when you saw San Fran, they were all up in our faces the entire game, and we could.
Not create separation.
When the Chargers did choose to press, we did have trouble separating from the DBS. That's something that we got to work on. Our physicality at the line, from our wide receivers and tight ends create separation and we won't have to have these heroin passes from Dak Prescott in key moments.
All right, when we're gonna take our first break on the show. When we come back, I want to get the perspective from a former defensive player on how the Cowboys can be, how the Cowboys can sustain the identity of this team being a defensive first type team. Stay right here with it. This is the players, Jess, Cubby, Jesse, We'll be right back with you.
I'm Dak Prescott, quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys.
And they snapped the press. Guy who looks right, it's not there.
He escapes left. He'll look for a fir style.
Just like football.
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To the Players Lounge, Welcome back to.
We have one here. I didn't we have a swifter.
We have a swift.
Everybody knows that.
Here, but we have sorry, we have no I do not.
Play around when it comes to Taylor Swift.
We just realized in the Break that we have Jess is a swiftye and it's all for so she's excited you you're part of the NFL contingency. That's like, give me more Swifty.
Yeah, I want a Taylor Swift only cam when she's in the Boss.
I know it's it's a it's a done deal. When we when we.
Look at Kelsey's stats with Taylor versus without.
Taylor, Yeah, he was left in his own devices.
Come on, man.
This second was brought to you by the Halloween Spectacular. It is Spooky season at the Star. Join us on Saturday, October twenty eighth for Halloween Spooctacular, brought to you by Mars Candy Trick or treat from thirty plus restaurants and shops in the Star District. Plus enjoy performances from a magician, spooky tunes from a live DJ, crash for the kiddos, and more on the Tostitos Championship Plaza. This event is free. We always love free, free and open to the public.
Visit the stardistrict dot com for more information. Before we went to the Break, I said that I was gonna come to Everson and talk about the identity of this team, right it being the defense and what do they have to do as a whole from a defensive coordinator perspective and defensive players to be able to to sustain this team having the defense be their identity.
First of all, they have to make sure they understand the talent around them.
You know, you have to know who's good at what, when and where.
Basically, you know, we know that our defensive line is pretty solid, but we also know that our defensive line has given up a few running plays that in key situations that really didn't work for us.
So if we're.
Going to be that defensive team, then the consistency has to be there. Play in, play out, quarter in coarler out, game in, game out, And I always bring up some teams that are known for great defense. Philadelphia is known for playing good defense. The Ravens are known for playing good defense. They are solid in their scheme week in and week out. The Cowboys seem to be a team that, you know, there are some plays where it was one of those man glad that they make you know what
I mean, we don't need those. We have some We have a lot of youth on our defense, and you see some mistakes being made. You see Bland, who's gonna have a tough time now, He's gonna have a tough time all year long. As good as he is, they're going to attack him. We need to understand that our dbs are not the best DB's in the NFL right now, and we need to give them the type of pressure they need to be strong. So when you look at it, it all starts upfront, and I don't know, I don't
care where you put Michael Parsons. Wherever you put him, You've got to have four or five other guys on that front that's going to make plays in a consistent manner without Michael Parsons being there. We have to be a team that's able to I don't need Michael Parsons to hold my hand. There's another linebacker. I don't need a partus to hold my hand as another defensive lineman. I should be able to do this on my own.
Be d law, be like de Marcus Lawns, be that guy that can make plays on his own, and just add to it, I don't need to depend on Michael Parsons to make all the plays for me.
Just for the defensive side of the ball. We talk about Michael Parsons, right, I get it. He is from a player's perspective, he is the alpha dog on that defense. He's the one guy when offenses. We have a thing when offense break the huddle, you try to find that guy, right, you go break where is he where?
Right?
Okay, he's He's the guy when you get your when you get your Scott report during the week, we call him Star, we call him Starr. Who's the guy that we're gonna start this week on defense? But teams in a way, when you look even look at the Chargers game, Micah didn't really make any noise in that game until that last sack. So teams are figuring out ways now kind of like we can. We can we can find ways to not allow him to to minimize and neutralize
their best player. Who is a guy or guys or position group that you feel like in the second half of this season, because now the film is out right after about six seven games, you are who you are. There's minimal adjustments that you make within that, but the base of that is who you are. What is a guy or guys or group that you feel like needs to take a huge leap for this team to continue the identity of defense being their identity of this football team.
Yeah. Sure, And I think my answer would be different if Layton vandersh was still in the picture. But the linebacker group right now is still very shaky because your main communicator, you're green dot guy, he's not in right now. He can't diagnose in his art for diagnosing anything on the offense so quick and it comes so natural to him, it looks like and so you know you have to make that adjustment. And jay Ron curse. He took over the green dot and the communication aspect of it. But overall,
you're still missing a key player. And I think a lot of people tend to forget that. When did the whole conversation of the run defense become an issue last season is when Lve was out with the next stinger. And so you, I don't really think have seen that his team without him yet. You haven't felt him not be around yet, you haven't felt his lack of presence. And so for me, it's a linebacker group. So Damn Clark. I think although he's been he's been great, and he's been productive.
It really has.
It's time to really step it up now and step into his own and kind of take what LV has shown him and produce without LV next to him. And so I think that's two different things that you're talking about. When you're talking about playing with the guy next to you and then he's not there anymore, you all have to adjust. And so for me, it's the linebacker group, not because they're not strong or they're a weak point or anything like that. It's just when you're missing your core guy in Layton.
It's their youth. It is their youth.
And when we did make when we did have problems, it was because of the mistakes by the linebackers.
Demon Clarck is bawling, but he has made some mistakes.
Marqui's bell this past game clearly his best game. I don't know how many tackles he made, but he was literally all over the place. So we'll we're coming from a good place right now. So your question, if you would have asked me before the Chargers game, it would have been more poignant. At this point, I think that
they hopefully they have made progress. You know that game that they played against the Chargers that could be a springboard to them really being the group that they need to be without Laydon Van der sh Yeah, that's what I'm looking forward to seeing how well can we play, not just how well can we play, how consistently can we play these next games with these young guys in there, because they seem to catch on in this Chargers game, it was good to watch the Marquis Bell all over the field.
It's funny because he was also on the conference call today and they asked him, you know, what is it like for you having this three hundred pound guy coming after you, Like, what is your mindset? He said, attack him, period, attack him. And then he talked about holding the standard without Layton and they said somebody asked him, you know, how do you feel like you guys are going to do without that and continue to do without that, And he said he'll be really happy when he comes back.
He said the standard will be held and he'll be happy to know if there's a drop off when he comes back. He also talked about, you know, kind of this versatility that he has from going safety to linebacker, and they asked him, what do you define yourself as and what's what's your title? What what's your position? He said, I'm hybrid. That's that's just what it is. I'm hybrid. And then he said, we have a few of those and it's important.
Right.
He talked about in college he would play in the box a little bit, but that's where he's comfortable right now. So Marquispell, I mean, ring the bell everybody. If you get more of Marquis Bell like you did against the Chargers.
I don't know his numbers. Did anyone have his numbers? Because they were they were really good.
You can look those numbers up and you you know when he said what position you plan, like to say employed, right for a guy like Marquis Bell. Because when you think about a guy like Marquis Bell, when when you when you were when you come into a situation like this, you're just trying to find your footing. Where can I find myself a position on this field to get some playing time, you have to create value for your self.
And what Marquis Bell has been able to do when a coach comes to you and he goes, listen, I need you to be able to do X, Y and Z. Can you do that? And then you do it with the level of excellency. Yes, you you earn yourself the ability to keep a job.
It's trust. It is trust. Trust is what it's all about a team game.
It's trust. It's trust. From a coaching standpoint, I always say that I never wanted to be the type of player that when a coach laid his head down the night before a game, he was worried about me. If you're that guy that he's worried about night before the game, you probably won't be employed very long, right. Coaches want to be able to go okay. I know that I'm good wherever. Whatever Everson Walls is playing about, dont have to worry about that, Yore. I can take my attention
to somewhere else that needs my attention. But you both hit on points that I think are immensely important when it comes to an identity. It's the inconsistencies, as a young people say for me is if your if you're sorry.
My mom says that all.
It's not just young, but it's the inconsistencies for me. And when you go up and gets an opponent and I know they coming off a loss last week. But the one thing that I do know that McVeigh does well on the offensive side of things is scheme, scheme, and he's going to find those things in those ways where if it's Marquise Bell, if it's jy Ron Curse, if it's Donovan Wilson, if it's.
And those three are the number three that he's going to look at to try and attack.
Trust me.
And so when you had that level of inconsistency, that's where I always am a little bit scared about can we hang our hat on something or a side of the ball that has these level of inconsistencies. Because Matthew Stafford he's still a good quarterback, Yes he is. And when you talk about the receiving quarter they had like they're in a system where the open guy is gonna
get the ball right. But they're also in a system where and I learned this when I was at New England with Tom Brady, is they can run the same play ten different ways and they'll go what matchups do I want to create? Of course? Do I want to create a matchup of Pooka the coup on a linebacker? Do I want to create a matchup of Cooper Cup on a safety? Where do I want this matchup to happen? Do I want it to happen in the middle.
Of the field. They were created and they hated, and the.
Good teams are able to match that man from man. Right, the consistency level is there, it's the ones where that kills you is when they thought because when they find the matchup best your bottom best, believe your bottom dollar, they're going to attack it.
And when that comes, it has nothing to do with the system. Now it's you.
Now it's you, and see that's what I want those players that can accept that challenge. It seems as if Marquise Bell and jay Ron did that in this last game.
Once again, we're coming off a good game.
If you talked to me before this, before the Chargers game is a totally different story. What I saw was major improvement from a team with a lot of threats they were going against. The Chargers had a lot of threats and they held them down pretty well, and they need to deserve They deserve credit just like the team that just held them down also, Okay in this past week, so you got to look at the Chiefs as far as what the Chiefs did. So I look at this team now coming off of a good win, and it's
not just that we just won. It's the way that these young men that we're talking about played, and that to me gives me a lot of hope on who we play against in the future because they will be a target for the rest of the season. I was there nineteen eighty one. I don't care how many interceptions you get. You got to show me every week, and I had to show them every week. These guys are gonna have to do the same thing all year long.
Jess, you have those stats pulled up Porcus both I do.
It was gonna pull out a Taylor swift lyric there. It was rare people are expected at this point. Twenty seven total combined tackles so far this season. That rings him fourth on the Cowboys, just behind j Ron Curse Layton and then Demone Clark is your total tackle lead leader right now. One tackle for loss, one pass deflection from Marquise Bell, one force fumble so far. And I say so far because you have to see the rest
of the season. But overall, I mean, what I like that you guys have brought up and mentioned is mcvay's ability to adjust and evolve, And I think that's so important in coaching when you're talking about any coach within this league is their success can be defined by the evolution of their play calling or of their coaching style. And he's not just set in one way. He adjusts to the opponents. Oh key, in any matchup you go
against McVay. So look, are they the most successful? Are they the scariest team coming out of the bye week?
No?
But are they a threat that you should not overlook?
Yes, We're gonna go to break and I think, Jess, you hit right where I want to go. Not this week, but the Cowboys have another big time opponent next week in the Philadelphia Eagles, who had a dominating win last night against the Miami Dolphins. Are they overlooking the Rams and having another one of those circle the calendar dates for the Philadelphia Eagles. We'll talk more about that coming up. On the other side of this break, this is the Players Lounge.
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I'm Dak Prescott, quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, and they snapped.
The Presscott, who looks right, It's not there. He escaped slapped.
He'll look for a perch down.
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We got big personalities, we got big hair, big bell buckles. We got fans all across as big state and enemies and every other one. We even got a big star on the fifty yard line. Smeirenov knows football is a wee thing and experience that is best enjoyed together with good drinks and good folks. Home we're away, we rally together, we cry together, and we always rally cry together because most of all, we got big love for them boys smear enoff we do game days.
Please drink responsibly to the players loud Welcome back to the players Lounge. This is our official last day together. I know, I know you have a swiftyft lyric for that. This is a song that says so it's so, But do you have for that?
I said, remember this moment in the back of my mind, the time of my life dragons with you.
Oh wow, that's cool. That's cool like that, that sounds sincere.
That's the ultimate compliment.
I can give you, Jesse Holly. We have been the I guess, the media mask, the fill in mix up of this week for the Players Lounge. We will return back to our normal shows. Where will you bet tomorrowss.
Boys, mixed shots, no boot, no place, and I know there's like Jesse stops, shut up with that.
I'll be back tomorrow at one pm Central time. I must say it was great working with you. You and I never worked together before. Emis and I worked together before many times, and we always we always Yeah, it was great.
But you're cool.
You guys are cool too, swift.
Yeah, I against against it.
Look you were singing, shake it off, don't play it cooling.
I have a.
Hey, these guys are swiftest they are.
We're not swift.
No, it was cool because I remember I shared with you, what like last year before the Eagles game, which we're going to talk about. About. There was one time so my dad has season tickets and I would go to all the Cowboys games and Jesse Holly was like a big staple in the family. Be like, yeah, we love Jesse, always root for this guy. So you were outside and you were doing a pregame something I don't remember what it was. And I was like, Jesse, Holly, can I
take a picture? And so we took a picture in like twenty sixteen. So then we were watching the Eagles game last year at Texas Live. Yes, And then I showed Jesse the picture and I was like, look, wow, look out full circle. And then we're both there taking notes.
Just gray hairs. I was gray hairs in my beard swimmer good time, good time to twenty sixteen. What's up? What's up? Pops? How are you? Thank you so much always being a j Holly fan. I appreciate you more and ever since too.
My dad was like My dad was like, okay, I stopped everything to make sure I could listen to what you were telling. Ever, Sid, I'm like, okay, Dan's not serious.
You're fine, Pops. What's up?
Probably listening all right, Pops?
What's up?
Brother?
We love we love you? Over here from the non swifty.
Fans, Yes, yes, I'm sure he joins us as a non swifty fans to hear.
So as the Cowboys prepare themselves to take on the l A. Rams this Sunday, twelve noon at at and T Stadium, looming in the near future on the screen and the Kelly Green jersey. I gotta say, I'm not supposed out loud on the station the coaches hoodie that they had on in Philadelphia.
I thought you were talking about the jersey.
No, I was talk about the hoodies like that they had on. Yeah. I kind of like maybe it's the old school living.
I like the jersey. Yeah, I played against.
I was the Cowboys, Like the Cowboys need to go back to the Apex, like the little Giants Jersey, like they need to go back to them. Just one time, Jerry, just one time.
I love to see the Cowboys come out and all black. Oh, that'd be so cool. Souse you got all white. Of course he's not, of course he's not. We can't be looked at like that.
You just can't. Yeah, man, you saw you saw Indy and the Indie Blue. Yeah.
Yeah, We're gonna have to wait till like a shy uh. We may not be around to see it.
I don't think so. I don't think we will.
But when when when the grass when I'm gone.
And that's when let's put that in the Ring of Island, Right, Okay, my son will be like old, Yeah, we didn't get it.
I'll be like I remember the time we were on the Players last they.
Were just joking about this. You'll be old.
Taylor Swift will not be Taylor Swift will have like her mill Man.
She don't be on the fifth marriage.
No, no, no, she said Travis Kelsey, that's what we're talking about earlier.
That will last very long. She knows that, you know, honestly, don't think that's gonna last.
I do.
She was with her ex boyfriend for six years.
Well. Breaking news the Philadelphia Eagles, who we talk about next week. They have made a trade. They have upgraded their defensive back position. I gotta say, like they're doing Like you talk about management, they're doing a hell of a job over there in Philadelphia. They just traded with the Tennessee Titans to get All Pro safety Kevin Bayered to Philadelphia.
Yeah, that's a good player.
It's a damn good player. They worked at out real fast. Is that because of tyweek Hill I don't know. I mean because he was running by a couple of people yesterday.
It could be because we play cd Land next week. It could be because they say it could be a big reason. They're afraid of what Ady is bringing to the table next week.
Let's do it like that.
Let's do it like that. But the Cowboys, they do have an opponent in front of them this Sunday and the Charge. But we saw them the Rams. We saw the Cowboys this year get to the point of they talked about it all off season, how big of a challenge it was to take on the forty nine ers, and that turned out to be a bit of a dud.
Do you think in the back of some of the players minds that they're thinking to themselves, Boy, I know we have the Rams this week, but the second game that will circle on their calendar, because I think the Philadelphia Eagles is another mistest of what this team really is. Can they could they be kind of just peeking ahead a little bit? See, I know they all watched it last night. They had nothing else to do. They watched it last night. Could they they abay give their dog back?
They're richer than I am. They called they called the Waggy, the portable wagon truck that comes right to the house. Yeah, they just had them show up. My dogs getting to the point now where they won't even take them at the at the at the.
Lady like that's come to get the dog. Okay, we'll see you next week.
That's what happened. That's exactly what happens these small.
God blessing them my dogs one hundred pounds. And he does the same thing.
I know, he's looking like they had a little swinging calendar, Like he's already looking over there like the last time we take him here, putting him up on a scale. Right, it's a it's a it's a test, it's a But could the Cowboys be kind of looking ahead a little bit to that Philadelphia game? Yess?
Yeah?
I mean, and is that a good thing?
I don't know.
It's okay, But I don't think that's something new to this season. I think that's something you do every season. We're going to play the Eagles. I don't think it's anything different. I think it's it's a little more overhyped because the Eagles are successful and they are playing at
a high level and they continue to do so. But I don't think it's anything new that you look forward to playing a divisional rival, especially the Eagles, and especially when they're playing well, and especially because you haven't seen a full forced Cowboys Eagles game and how many games now three? I mean, keep in mind, you've had injuries keeping guys out. You haven't seen Jalen Hurts and Dak Prescott game. So when it's that much hype that's going
into it, why wouldn't you? I mean, I know they're excited about it, but I also think I would hope that they learned their lesson not to overlook this mixed opponent and have another San Francisco two point zero game.
But you talked about the youth, right you said, And there are some young guys on this football team, and it's one thing to have a veteran squad who understands all that comes along with the day and day out, weekend, week out, long season of being locked in and focused. Could those younger guys have that mentality where they're saying, you know what, I know that we got the rams right here, but I'm checking out. Philly.
Let's think about when you were young and you played in the league. Okay, I'll think about when I played in the league. I didn't look forward to any particular game. I look forward to every game. You know, as far as I was concerned as a young player, man, it was a challenge game. I was not looking past anyone. I was looking forward to making plays each week. That's what I was looking forward to. I would imagine someone like a Marquise, someone like jay Ron, with how successfully
they played in that last game. If I'm them, I'm looking forward to repeating that this week alone. This week alone, I'm looking forward to this particular game because I see the challenges in this game. And I'm not just trying to sound like some old dude who's oh, I'm just gonna be playing by, But no, I'm really looking forward. I'm going against Matthew Stafford. I'm going against a Cooper Cup. Come on, man, I hear about this dude. Who's this
guy with the name Hookah. I'm hearing about these guys. The young guys should never look over anything but what's coming into their face the following week. I know I'm not unique in that, you know, I just I couldn't even see that far. All I could see was the next week. I got work to do, and I better make sure I'm from Dallas. I got my family in the stands, they got my jersey on I'm looking forward to not embarrassing them. You know I couldn't. I never
looked forward to another game. And so if anyone's worried about looking forward to game, it should be the coaches themselves. How are you going to handle this week versus next week? Because coaches are always so coy about I don't want to show them too much.
You know, well, if we show them this, then you know they're gonna be ready for that. And you know they're not too crazy about the head coach of Philadelphia.
You know he's a little smart ass, so they don't want to show him too much to make him look smart. There's always these chess games to be played weekend and week out. So if you say they look forward so much to San Francisco, well you can look forward to it.
But then once you get there, and as Mike Mike Texas say.
Once you get punching the mouth, once you get punching the mouth, then we got punching the mouth.
How are you going to react? Not next week? No, the game still has to be played, right.
They never responded from getting punched in the mouth, So you just worry about this week. Just worry about your play this week. We should be over all of that looking forward to it as far as players are concerned. Coaches, you worry about that players were looking forward to this week anymore?
How could I add to that?
That really was?
That was perfect? Were about you anything to add there?
I'm the host, No you gonna back out.
I'm the host.
I think everything. I think everything that you said was spot on, and then I remember it's a Dallas Cowboys, And then I remember that there are a certain level of guys who has soundeds what you just said. Don't think that way as mature of a thing that you just said. Aren'ture to understand that as a focused thing that you just said. Some of these players on this team lack that. And so when you look at are they looking ahead? Are they focused on the right in front of them?
Some?
Yes, But when you look at from man one to Man sixty eight on the roster, I think I think there's a mix up in that. I think there's a I think there's a core of guys that are like, nah, man, we got to focus on the task at hand, with the rams and McVeigh in that whole situation, and I think it's the cord. It's like man I can't wait to play Philly. I can't I can't wait to go up to Philadelphia, right because even some of the young guys who've never been to Philadelphia, that alone is what
that's an experience. If you never played the game in PA, it's an experience. The entire thing is an experience. From the time you get to the hotel to the time the game happens, to the time the game to the time you're leaving the game. It is an absolute experience. It is and and sometimes it's a shell shock to some of the younger players. So what you said so eloquently, put so mature put, I think there's still a maybe it's not fifty to fifty, maybe it's sixty forty, maybe
it's seventy thirty. But in that thirty there may be some players that you really need to be locked in, right because that that thirty may not be a guy who just plays special team. That thirty may be your starting safety, that thirty percent may be your starting receiver or whatever it may be. That that can sometimes have their focus all over the place. And I'm with you, I'm with you one hundred percent. Is you know, worry about the game that you have to deal with right now.
Next week will take care of yourself, and tomorrow will bring its problems of its own, so don't focus on those now. But I remember that everyone's not as mature as Everson Wallas. Everyone's not as mature as a Jesse Holly this day. And these kids they have, they have trouble. You know why TikTok is so addictive. They can they cannot hold their attention span longer in thirty seconds. It's flip flip, flip, flip flip, so their minds belay.
You know, the players TikTok what he said, all.
The players, the ones that are still off into that because to me, whether you're into how old.
Is your daughter thirty nine?
Okay, then she's she's not that, she's not that stage. But these younger guys, they are doing this all day, they're like scroll, So I know that there are attention spans all over the place because they're not they're not solely FI players like that.
Well, I also think too, how much the bye week will help that, right, because at that point you've had a week off, you kind of what is it? Distance makes the heart grow fonder? You missed playing football, so instead of focusing and jumping ahead. They're just ready to get back out there this week against the Rams because you didn't have it this week before and you still have a sour taste in your mouth from the forty nine ers.
I say this, before we start talking about are we ready, you start thinking about somebody like Philly. Philly's getting ready for us right now. They are getting ready for us right now. So you have to worry is Philly overlooking us? How is Philly approaching this particular game coming up? Are they gonna feel like they got everything in the in the bag because they're they're playing at home, you know, because they only lost one game that NFC East leaders.
Are they gonna be the ones that will be over confident? Let's look at what they're thinking right now.
But you have, right now, you have a contingency of fans that are watching this show. That's like that ship Kebby you tell Jesse and his hating, like that's what you're saying right now. They're telling you got people And I know, I know there's a bunch of people watching this show right now, like you tell ever since Jesse.
Is always breaking up guys.
But you're absolutely right but man, that is our time here on the Jess Cobby you knew Me is in Houston. Hopefully the Rangers bring it home tonight when the Alcs to the nothing you knew you gotta bring it home, baby Brady take on the Houston Astros tonight. Hopefully they can win it. Game seven is there before we go Game seven? Who has the best?
Like overall?
Is it basketball Game seven? Hockey Game seven? You got your star shirt on? Or is it baseball games hockey?
I'm partial. I'm partial. You can't ask me. I'm I'm biased in that hockey.
I'm basketball. I'm basketball all the way. I'm basketball all the way.
You got hockey, you got basketball, jazz and basketball.
Let's go.
Baseball is thrilling, man, like a single pitch matters.
And I like how they up just a little bit, yes, just enough, like every because it's still it's still intense, right yeah.
And that's the thing. I think baseball has the greatest Game seven because you know.
You just never first you're still, and then it's action. Yeah, then you're still there's action. You know, it's it's like so surreal, you know, a serene at times. Yeah, yeah, and then all of a sudden on his action. You know, it's between these.
Pits, basketball, baseball, hockey. All right, that's our time for the Players Lounge. We'll all be back to our regular schedule program means tomorrow Girls Talk, Boys Talk mix shot.
Yeah, I said it. I said that. You don't have to go ahead hang it with.
Yes, we appreciate you, guys man.
This has been a production of Dallascowboys dot Com and the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.