December 1, 2023 • 33 mins
In a virtual room hero Gregg Rosenthal is joined by Steven Ruiz of The Ringer to recap the Week 13 Thursday Night Football matchup between the Cowboys and the Seahawks. First, we take a look at Dak and the Cowboys performance (3:20). Next, we examine the Seahawks offensive performance and late game decisions (13:15). And finally, we look at Pete Carroll and the state of his team (27:31).
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Smith fires over the middle, great grand By Metcalf out
in front, and he will go all the way for
a touchdown seventy three yards to the left. Look short
Lamb shoulder shake throws. That's gonna be caught by Fergusson. Touchdown.
(00:25):
Locket comes to the slot. Here comes Partiinge and he
forces the patch incomplete and that will wrap it up.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
That will wrap up a forty one to thirty five
Cowboys victory on Thursday Night football. Maybe you couldn't tell
it from Al's voice there, but we got the best
Thursday night game of the year, and we got there. Ever,
maybe ever, who knows I'd have to go through it.
We got the perfect guest for it too. It's Steven
(00:58):
Ruiz of the who's been doing yeoman's work all around
the podcast land. It's Stephen Ruiz Week. And what better
game to have him on for than the Geno and
dak Our Gods among Us showcase. Thank you, Steven.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
I texted you right after that Geno touchdown to open
the game. He knew I was coming on today. He's
gonna give us a show.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
But yeah, the last time you came on was the
you know he don't write back game for Gino. So
it's been too long and this was a great Geno game,
but it does feel a little beside the point. To
start with Gino, the Cowboys put up forty one points
in a shootout in a game that there were no punts.
(01:43):
According to Scott Hansen's researcher at red zone and whom
I had to doubt his researcher at red zone, it's
only the fourth game in the history of the NFL
to have no points five if you include the Colts
Chiefs Peyton Manning versus Dick for Meal and Trent Green
show down in two thousand and four. That was like
my first season covering the league that was exciting. This
(02:06):
was just a preposterously great offensive performance by both quarterbacks,
both teams. But to me, we start with just like
the majesty, I would guess of Dak Prescott right now
that he just has an answer for everything opposing defense,
especially the Sea Hawks defense, was trying to do.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Yeah, I thought Seattle played well defensively. There was a
lot of talk.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
About they didn't get a stop.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
I mean, considering that they were putting him under pressure
and now he was making tight window throws. I really
think there's an alternate universe where you put two other
quarterbacks into this game and they have to handle that
pressure that both quarterbacks had to deal with all day,
and it looks horrible, and we don't get anywhere close
to thirty five to thirty one or whatever the final
score ended up being. That was I thought the two
(02:51):
quarterbacks were the story of the game. And do you
watch do you watch on the Prime vision that they did?
Speaker 2 (02:57):
I do enjoy that. Again, I thought schwartztein action in
my life right right.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
I love that. It was just a magical performance. From
that view too, It really allowed you to appreciate what
these guys were doing.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Yeah, early on, you know, I'm thinking, man, these Cowboys
receivers are open. As the game we're on, I'm with you,
the pressure built up, the windows got a little tighter.
But Dack specifically, and I misspoke by saying they didn't
get a single stop the Seahawks defense. There was one
stop all night by the Seahawks defense, and that was
(03:30):
in I'm counting it now nine drives, not counting the
Neil down drives. And that was just when Ceedee Lamb
dropped the ball a wide open just you know, short
pass on fourth down, otherwise there literally would not have
been a drive that the Cowboys did not score on.
And the thing that impresses me is he just he
just has answers for everything. Like I think of actually
(03:53):
a fourth and one situation where he checked out of
the play two different times where they were clearly gotta
to stop the sneak up the middle. Then I don't
know what he saw the second time, but he checked
it again, and he checked it, you know, to the
perfect play a run to the outside, and they get it.
So even on plays where he's not throwing the ball,
he's just kind of seeing everything you're doing, and he's
(04:14):
making all the right decisions and he's not missing any throws.
I mean, he was just on the money with it
with just about every throw tonight.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
And then I think he's adding on top of that,
like the old school Dack creation stuff. Out of structure.
He is the best quarterback in the league statistically out
of structure, Not Josh Allen, not Patrick Maholmes, not Lebar Jackson,
none of these guys. Dak Prescott, what.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Do you mean like out of the pocket or plus
two and a half seconds, how do they measure that out.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
Of the pocket and PFF. According to PFF, when the
defense the pass russ forces the quarterback to move off
of his spot, so it's not a straight dropback. He
is the best in the NFL by PFF grade. He's
got like a low nineties grade. The next highest guys
like in the seventies.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
It is ridiculous. And I do think his season changed
on that Sunday night game against the Chargers where he
ran for that touchdown, and I think he ran the
play before on a play that actually he normally wouldn't
of this year, he scrambled, he came up just short
on like a third and nine or something to set
(05:16):
up a fourth and one, and he put his head
down and I was like, ooh, there's Dak running again.
That's what we always want. And I swear since then
the rushing yards aren't crazy like tonight. It's twenty three.
But there's four plays where he helps himself with his
legs running, which is just a really important four plays.
And then, as you say, also just making great decisions
(05:37):
outside the pocket, which he did, you know, on a
number of throws tonight. It was just like there, unless
you have just an elite pass rush and the Seahawks
just don't. It's hard to think of how you're gonna
get this guy down, and it's tough against this Cowboys
offensive line, which is playing really well.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
That's why I would say, like, I thought the defense
didn't play too badly, and I didn't think the defensive
game plan was too bad because I thought the way
they got to Dak Prescott was blitzing. There was a
lot of like corner pressures, a lot of like zone pressures,
and I thought Seattle's approached the game. They're thinking going
into the game was we're not going to get to
Dak unless we play like a reckless style and that's
(06:14):
our only chance of being in this game. It didn't
work out, but I think it makes sense as a
strategy going into it. And I think if they would
have just rushed four and dropped back seven, Dak would
have picked them apart.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
I mean, we're both geno fans, and because of that,
I've become a quasi Seahawks fan. Maybe you haven't gone
that far, and so the defense was frustrating me. Yes,
they're setting a lot of blitzes, but they can never
finish them. They're just bouncing off of them. There's that
play Darryl Taylor, who's that like a safety, I mean,
he's a defensive end, has him in a bear hug
(06:46):
and I don't know what happened the play, Dak just
like shrugs him off and that would have been like
there were so many plays like that. Adams had another
one whereas like if they could just bring him to
the ground or bring some of the receivers that that
caught the ball behind the line of scrimmae occasionally to
the ground, It's like they would have them in big time,
negative yardage situations and they just couldn't do it. And
(07:07):
so again, once that Chargers game happened, I was like, Wow,
he played just about perfect game that game, and then
the next week he's like perfect that week and people
weren't really picking up on it yet because they were
playing lesser teams and the record wasn't as good then.
But he's he's almost been throwing like a perfect game
every week since Week six. It's great. He at this
(07:27):
point is I think gotta come out of this week.
You know, one of, if not the MVP front runners
are just crazy because he was like plus three thousand
three weeks ago.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
And it's high degree of difficulty. It's not like he's
like Dinking and Duncan out there. He's throwing like these
covered seam balls, these tight window passes. He's throwing on
the run. He's throwing out of structure. He's throwing with
guys hanging off of him, like we saw tonight. He's
up to his game another level, and I think he's
finally starting to get credit for stuff he already did well,
Like he's finally starting to get credit for like the
(07:56):
pre snap stuff and being that brain before the snap,
like you heard Kirk Herbstreet and I kind of compare
him to Peyton Manning in the presnat phase, and I
think that's app and I think it's something he never
got credit for. And one of the reasons I think
he's so polarizing as a player, even though he's been
this like steadfast winner and guy who produces at a
high level since he's entered the league beyond being a
(08:18):
Dallas Cowboys quarterback and everything that comes with that, is
that it's kind of hard to appreciate the things he's
really good at because they're so subtle, especially if you're
not watching week to week and you're not watching like
the film and you're you don't really like understand what's
going on pre snap. I just think like, if we
gave him that credit, I don't think we would be
having these debates about Dak Prescott every offseason.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
I've been trying to I've been trying to give him
that credit. I brought up the Manning you know that
he I don't think he's Manning or Brady, but as
that generation was still playing but aging now, I was like, well,
he's the he's the guy that's of the young generation
that's like the most like that, Like he's the he's
the quarterbacks, quarterback, He's he's how you know, Greg Cosell
(09:01):
wants the game to be played inside the pocket and
figuring it out out mentally and it's all coming together
and he's he's at an age where it's all perfect.
He's got an unreal number one receiver, and I think
this game is going to be important for him, just
in the way, not important for him in terms of
what you're saying. He's playing great, nothing needs to change,
(09:21):
but MVP race and then their playoff race, and even
as a team, they were really tested in this game
by a good opponent. I know Seattle was struggling coming
into this game, but their oftense certainly wasn't struggling tonight.
Like I don't know if a team's gonna beat up
this Cowboys defense any better than the Seahawks did tonight,
and so Dak was really pushed in this game. The
(09:42):
score was twenty eight to twenty coming out of halftime.
Once Gino got the kickoff and to start the second half,
went right down the field to go twenty eight to twenty.
Cowboys get it closer, and then the Seahawks score again
to DK start the fourth quarter, and so it's thirty
five to twenty seven. He has to make a fourth
(10:04):
quarter comeback. They have the field goal drive, they have
another touchdown drive there by Dak, and then they tack
on the field goal late. So it's just kind of
like those situations that I know, like they shouldn't need
to pass these tests, but they do need to because
they need to win some close games. It's not just
gonna be blowouts in the playoffs. And they found a
(10:24):
way to do that, even though I have some issues
with Mike McCarthy's game management, and we can get to
that in a minute. It sort of doesn't matter when
you only face I think they only had four third
downs in the second half. I mean, that's the thing.
These two teams put up the score with very few possessions.
You know. It wasn't like a thirteen to twelve possession
game where they put up these numbers, like they had
(10:46):
almost no margin for error. And he hit it and
he could have actually had more. There was that CD
drop on fourth down, and then one of the best
throws he had the night, which was was the field
goal drive in the fourth quarter that came up short,
which looked like a crazy pass. He put it between
three people, but it got to CD and he actually
didn't bring it down in that scenario.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
That's why I was like watching the end of the
game and I was like, no matter how this ends,
it's gonna be very disappointing for one of these teams.
It's gonna be very disappointing for us for having to
like come up with losers in this game. Because I
just thought it was played at such a high level
that even if Dallas had lost, I don't think I
would have come on here and been like, oh, they're
frauds or everything. We thought they were. Like Gito just
played so well in under pressure too. It's not like
(11:29):
Dallas made it easy on him. At one point in
the fourth quarter, he was like eleven for twelve under
pressure and averaging ten yards per ten. Yeah, let's say
nobody does that.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
Let's get to the Jada portion. We've put it all
off long enough. But I'm with you, like there are
no big losers here. I'm gonna I'm gonna be a
little annoyed about the Seahawks defense later, just in terms
of roster construction and everything and some of the game
management stuff, and Jason Myers missed another important kick in
this game, but just in terms of the way this
(12:01):
season shapes up. Before we moved to Juno, it's like
it was absolutely vital. Though they got this win to
stay in the NFC East race, I still think they
can win this division because I just think, you know,
the Eagles are underdogs this week, and then the Cowboys
are probably playing for for our playing for first place
next week, and so that's like it doesn't get much
bigger than that they had. They actually do have it
(12:23):
right there in front of them. I know their schedule
is brutal, so it'd be hard to finish that out.
But there's a very real chance that they're in first
place in the NFC East and they're gonna have extra
rest going into that Eagles game in ten days. Whereas
the Seahawks felt like this was their chance to sneak
one in here during this brutal stretch, and they couldn't
get it done. And it's so surprising to me, Steven
(12:45):
that they put up thirty five points in the first
fifty minutes of this game. Their offensive line and everything
going into this game and their offensive cohesion did not
indicate that this performance was coming.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
No, I did not expect this performance, and I didn't
expected because of that matchup the offensive line versus the
defensive line and Dallas's defensive line. Despite not getting a
lot of sacks, they did get pressure and I thought
they won for the most part.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
I thought Shane Waldron, the offensive coordinator, called a great game.
I didn't like the calls at the end. I thought
he kind of That's one thing. I that's my one
thing against Waldron is that he gets a little galaxy
brained a time. He kind of outthinks himself a little bit.
I don't know what that last play was, but it
kind of looked like a screen pass, like a late
slip screen pass, which is an interesting call. And fourth
(13:32):
and what was it fourth and five with.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
The game on the line, fourth and two, Yeah, fourth
and two and it gets blown up and it never
really had a chance and though yeah, Parsons got there
and the next and stats measured in one point three seconds.
I mean it was Parsons.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Yeah, they tried to like totally blocked.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
I'm not sure where the protection went wrong, whether that
was supposed to be the running backs, it went wrong
somewhere they needed to reset. I don't know like who
that's on that. That's happened more than you would want
to for the Seahawks this year. And yeah, to get
into that position. And there were a couple drives in
the fourth quarter where they turn it over on downs
and they were in short yarded situations. After having such
a good night on third down. Finally, they've been a
(14:08):
terrible third down team all year. They kind of went
back in the crucible to just a couple bad plays
there on third and one, fourth and one. I'm also
thinking about the drive before the same thing happened.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
It was it was good to see Geno adjust because
there has been talk about him getting the ball out quicker,
and I think that is one thing you saw. You
saw him make that adjustment, and I think it would
have been a big red flag if you heard that
talk from Gino, you heard that talk from the offensive coordinator,
and then he couldn't do it. So I think that,
like I think this was a I don't think it
(14:39):
obviously it derails whatever playoff hope Seattle had or kind of.
But he still got it.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
They still got it, but they but it didn't help
hurt they had an opportunity tonight.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
But I think this is a good sign for the
for the team going forward. Like I think like that
Geno still has these moments when he can he can
light up a game and he can match a MVP
candidate throw for throw right.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
And you know, statistically he's been getting rid of the
ball about the same time this year. The pressure has
just been getting there faster. He's been avoiding sacks much better. Actually,
he's that used to be, you know, one of the
worst parts of his game last year, even in his breakout,
was still like blow average but not terrible. This year,
it's pretty good and you saw that tonight, Like if
you had looked at the box score, you would have
no idea. And I know Parsons got three QB hits,
(15:24):
but you would have no idea that Parsons kind of
dominated this game. And Lawrence had a good game too,
because Gino was getting rid of the ball, I mean,
some of those dimes early to DK. It was also
great to see DK have a game like this because
I think that the Thanksgiving game kind of encapsulated what's
been a really disappointing season for DK, not winning contested catches,
(15:45):
just being kind of a little lazy with his routes
on the sideline stuff like that. And tonight he was
like he was DK what you imagine him to be.
That first dime that Gino threw to him just felt
like it like kind of free the two of them,
and he threw so many good passes to it was
it was a beautiful thing. I mean, being Geno guys.
(16:07):
To have him have this night in an Island game,
it did feel like a release for me, a weight
off my shoulders, you know.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
And I like how you got to see him thrive
under pressure, like you got to see that this is
what he's been dealing with all year. He's been dealing
with this type of protection and receivers that I don't
think have been running great routes. And it's kind of
hard to say when you're outside of the building, but
there's been a lot of miscommunications. I think that's the
best way you could put it. And you didn't really
(16:35):
see that tonight, Like you saw Geno get rid of
the ball, and the receivers ended up where they were
supposed to be and the ball ended up where it
was supposed to be. I think if this team could
find any consistency, they might look like the team we
see when they're at their highest, like when they have
these breakout performances, because they are capable of it. We've
seen it like a handful of times over the last
two years, just stringing them together right.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
And defensively, they have so many players you would think
that they can have some better games than the ones
that they've had. And I'll get into it a minute,
but they've just been a sub mediocre defense, like a
very below average defense, and you saw it tonight. But
I they can if they can get their offense going
like this. They did have Abe Lucas back in the
run game, which you know, maybe that helps Zach Charboney
(17:18):
though is nineteen for sixty. He did have a thirty
nine yeard catch too, but he left late with a
knee injury and was immediately ruled doubtful, which that is
not a great sign. Maybe Kenneth Walker's back next week.
But Smith and Jigbab made some plays until he had
the miscommunication on the turnover on downs on the on
the drive before the last one, and and lock it.
(17:41):
I think one of the plays Seahawks fans are gonna
remember is the Seahawks are up thirty five to thirty,
they're driving, I mean right, they had the ball up
thirty five to thirty to possibly kick a field goal,
the go up eight halfway through the fourth quarter or
even you know, score a tight and kind of put
the game away, and Gino, as one of his best anticipation,
(18:04):
throws the night it gets there, you know, after Lockett
you know, makes his turn and it hits him right
in the helmet and Gino gets sacked the next play.
It was maybe it was a pressure and a throwaway
the next play, but that drive ended right there and
they would have been in field goal range on one
of the better geno passes of the night, the Robin
our boy Steven.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
They really are and I feel like we're talking about
how well these quarterbacks played. I don't think the receivers
played all that well outside of DK.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
Now we're sounding like we're just like it's a pro
g know thing. I mean, there a lot of drops.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
There were a lot of balls.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
There were there were some drops.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Nice catch both sides, I mean on both sides.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
Yeah, on both sides. Certainly there were there were some drops.
I mean Smith and Jigba. I like that he's getting
more consistent. He had the touchdown that was overturned on review,
but at least he drew a long PI on that call.
There were a lot of PI calls and we'll hit that,
but first we're going to take a break. Okay, we're
(19:04):
back in. You know I mentioned before the break. I mean,
the penalties were a huge story of this game. There
were two hundred and fifty seven penalty yards Steven in
this game. That is the most and for a game
in regulation since Bear's Bills twenty eighteen, which I don't
it was in November. I don't have an immediate recollection,
(19:27):
but I do likely likely I met Trubisky. Josh Allen
showed ow Nathan Peterman, Oh was it? Wait? Really?
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Yeah? I think it was a Nathan Peterman special.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Al Michael's commenting tonight on the penalties. Let's listen, we're
going to take the rush.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
Of the night of La Cliqe Blakeman pulling the game.
You buy him? Sure?
Speaker 2 (19:51):
I was getting so mad. I don't know if he
was having occasionally has like senior moments, but like he
literally said, like, oh and guess what's next? When when
the flag came out, like on four straight plays at
one point in the third quarter, he was just like
beside himself.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
I mean, Al, this was a great performance, a throwback
performance for Al in my opinion, he was and Gino
and Dak he was right there with him.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
I'll buy that. I would like a little more excitement
there at the end. I would like it's more of
a Herb Street thing. But there were a lot of
game management situations at the end of the game that
were very interesting, and they didn't really like go over
ahead of time or even afterwards. You know, the Cowboys
had the ball, we might as well, you know, talk
about it now. They had the ball, after they turned
(20:36):
the Seahawks over on downs, and they get it with
two let's see how long was left in the game.
They get it with one forty three to go, and
they basically or no, sorry, they get it with three
eleven to go. That makes more sense at the Seahawks
forty nine yard line and two first downs basically wins
(20:59):
the game there. And they immediately get into the red
zone on that drive, and they get into situation where
it's third and three, the Seahawks are all out of
timeouts and there's one forty maybe a little more left
on the clock, and they throw a pass from I
(21:21):
think it was the fourteen into the end zone. I
know it's one on one Ceedee Lamb and he's been
so great tonight, but it wasn't really close. He was
well covered, the ball was you know, it was kind
of threw it a safe pass to make sure it
didn't get interception, and it's incomplete and I was I
love being aggressive, but that's actually not being aggressive. That's
just that was just bad game management. If they run
(21:41):
the ball there, it goes under a minute, and you
run the ball there because it's fourth and three, and
you kind of plan on you run the ball twice
and you win the game and it's over with. And
if if you don't get it the second time, it's
under a minute left and they're inside like the ten
yard line or the thirteen airdline. I thought that was
crazy by McCarthy.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
Now that that's always the thing with McCarthy, right, Like
every time, I'm starting to think McCarthy's turning it around,
like getting back to play, like this is an accomplishment.
I have to give him credit. I'm not gonna take
credit away, yes for doing yes, but these are the
moments where you're like, uh, like that's gonna come up
in the playoffs and I don't think he's gonna make
the right decision. Like there was even like a two
point conversion chance earlier in the game, and I don't
(22:21):
know what the analytics say about it, but a lot
of people are wondering why they didn't go for it
to tie you.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
Yeah, it was twenty twenty six. It was like, why
were you not going for two at that moment? And
then I for me for it later and they got
it later.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
It's not just McCarthy, Like I got questions about Dan
Quinn hmmm, okay, and it's the same questions that anyone
would have about Dan Quinn in that like style of
defense that we've seen, like we see it in Seattle,
like that cover three, line up and play. We're not
going to like do anything to trick you. I just
think it's a defense that could be schemed up, and
(22:53):
it's a defense that can be exploited by the best
quarterbacks in the NFL. And in order to win a
Super Bowl, you have to beat the best quarterbacks in
the NFL. And that's my worry.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Yeah, it's a fair point that, like the Cowboys defense
has been great this year. I mean, it hasn't been
like Ravens Browns level, and it's got great talent, but
this is the first game in a long time, and
granted they haven't played many great offenses. You know, they
did a pretty good job. I thought against the Eagles. Overall,
(23:24):
they give more points than they should have, but it
was they played well. It was disarming to see like
a team go up and down the field throwing the
ball in them. I mean, Deron Bland Michael said, give
up more yards in that first half than any cornerback
in any half of football all year. So his defensive
(23:45):
Player of the Year candidacy was always silly to me.
I mean, give him an All Pro, that's fine, But
people were trying to talk that up this week, like
that's over with now, even though he had an electric
interception that was not even a bad throw by Gino.
I didn't think, if anything, Bland just kind of bodied
Locket out of position on a play. Lock It like
(24:05):
had position when the ball was thrown, and Bland made
a great play. But Bland got cooked in this game.
And you're right, maybe the secondary, like do you think
there are holes here, like in the back seven essentially
for Dallas.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
I do think it can be attacked, and I think
if you can mitigate the pass rush, which I don't
think Seattle did in any shape or form tonight. But
I think there are teams that are capable of doing that,
like San Francisco as we've seen, then I think it's
gonna be an issue. And I don't think like dan
Quinn's style of defense offers you like schematic help. It's
really reliant on execution and talent, and I think fundamentals,
(24:39):
which is like a great way to play and it
makes sense with their talent. It's just when you run
into offenses that can match your talent, it becomes a problem.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
Then, yeah, because you know who, like Bland is playing outstanding,
Gilmour is still a really solid starting corner, but Diggie
Zua and the guys insider are good. Parsons is just outrageous.
I think I might as great as Garrett's been. I'm
(25:08):
still I'm still holding out my vote there that it's
like we got a long way to go, and like
in my heart, i still feel like Parsons is actually
better and having a better season even though it's not
quite there. So I'm I'm allowing the possibility that he
might just close really strong. And then Lawrence had a
huge fourth down stop on Charbonny. It's just those little
moments of the game where like their best players stepped
(25:31):
up like Jake Bobo on a on a screen to
play before it looked like he had more yards to
pick up. I mean, these are what you think about
when you're a Seahawks fan. I'm a quasi Seahawks fan.
Now what happened to me?
Speaker 3 (25:43):
You don't get to claim that, aren't you a Patriots fan?
You don't get to claim.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
I mean, I've I jump on different teams depending on
the year, and this, uh, this Patriots team was.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
Des attle bit.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
I mean, are my great friend Chris Westley and I
mean they already made fun of me. I remember saying,
even as the Patriots run was over, I was like,
I'm not gonna I'm not gonna be as into it
once Brady's gone, just like because I know it'll never
be the same. Like what's the point of chasing that.
I mean, you're a Panthers fancy. You've had a tough week.
That's why.
Speaker 3 (26:12):
That's how it was with Cam. That's how once Cam left,
I'd like, I'm a Panthers fans. A strong word is
how I'll put it.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
You've been busy. They got you, just like doing the
whole podcast circuit. You did Mina show. We should have
coordinated me and Mina. So it's like it's maybe too
much ruiz u for the people.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
No, it's not enough. Do people need more? Yeah, they're
like truck me out playing like Sarah McLaughlin music with
the sad puppies, Like that's who I am.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
Uh, it is tough. What is what is your opinion
of the Here we go? Sure, yeah, here we go?
Like do you hear it while you're walking around. Is
it just like part of your life like it is
mine at this point?
Speaker 3 (26:53):
It is I and I didn't really notice it until
people started pointing it out. I always felt like Cam
Newton had a weird one too, so I'm like kind
of partial to them, and I don't hate.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
It like everyone what were Cams? He was always high
in my Cadence rankings. He had a nice deep voice.
But I can't think of him right off.
Speaker 3 (27:08):
I think it was similar. I think it might have
been here we go.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
Mmmm, yeah, no, no, no.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
There's like it was.
Speaker 2 (27:14):
It was.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
It was like ready. It was something like.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
Yeah, ready, but nice and deep and and DA's just
got that base. Yeah. It really started for me in
the Rams game. I don't know why I didn't notice
it before then. I still want to get on Pete
Carroll before we go, just because of the way they've
built this team, Like as I see Jamal Adams getting
(27:37):
pressures but not really finishing the play on those blitzes,
and when I see him like in position but not
doing anything about the ball when the ball's in the
air and they're throwing it to Jake Ferguson to win
the game, and there were there were other plays like that,
and I think about what they gave up for Adams,
and I know he's gotten hurt and Wagner it has
(27:58):
been good, but you know he'll get frozen a little
bit and coverage like on that first tight end and
that first touchdown, he's not even moving and then you
know Darryl Taylor's bouncing off him. And I just think
of all the picks, and they traded that pick for
Leonard Williams's second round pick, and I just think they
came into this game twenty third in DVA. I know
(28:20):
it's the Cowboys, but the Cowboys looked as good or
better against this defense then they've looked against anyone. So
that net number is going to go down to like
twenty six. It's a defensive coach. They've been above average
one time steven since twenty seventeen in terms of DVOA,
and they were thirteenth that year in the COVID year.
So even that year, it's not like they were great.
(28:40):
It's like, I don't know, I don't really believe in
building around defense anyways, but they've put too much into
it to me for this whole thing to make any
sense because the offense, like it's you've got like a
good quarterback, but you don't have you don't have a
top five quarterback, need your defense in running game to
(29:01):
help out.
Speaker 3 (29:03):
Yeah, it's tough. I think Pete Carroll's a good head coach,
but I agree with it's kind of like the Belichick
thing where you got to separate the coach from the
team builder.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
I think he's a good coach too, And it's not
like a total thing. It's just their defense is disappointing,
Like it's very often less than the summer of their parts.
And he's a defensive coach. It's never certain more than
the some of their parts. You would think just by
randomness they would luck into like a number six defense
season one of these years, but they don't. I'm really
(29:34):
surprised they're below average. I'm surprised.
Speaker 3 (29:36):
No, Like, And that was kind of the point I
was gonna make. I think, like the thing that we
kind of overrate with Carol maybe is his defensive mastery
or whatever you want to call it. Like, I think
that's the overrated part. I think the way like he
motivates a locker room and keeps a team together, I
think that's the secret stuff.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
But like his best defense is I mean, give me
five Hall of Famers and I give you like a
top fifteen defense at least, Like he had Earl Thomas
and he had Richard Sherman and that like that wasn't
even how his reputation was built. His reputation was built
on like the nineties forty nine ers who had like
ten Hall of Favors on their roster.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
Well, he did it at USC two, and it was
like it was the right defense for that time.
Speaker 3 (30:14):
They had talent on that team too, though.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
Right, right, And it's the it's the Belichick Brady argument.
It's it's the Walsh like Montana. It's always symbiotic, like
that's football. That was the right He was the right
coach for those groups of players and he and he
was right to target the certain body types and any
hit he hit the lottery and he made it like
maxed it out, you know, except for finishing out that
(30:38):
Super Bowl against Patriots, but you know he maxed it up.
But that was a five year run in the in
the defense. You know, it's it's no longer happened.
Speaker 3 (30:46):
By the way, did you notice the moment then they
had fourth and one at the end of the half.
No threw it. They threw it, Seattle threw it again,
and they threw the slant. It was like the same
route combination too. They threw the slant genolant. Russ couldn't
complete it. Difference in the Super.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
Bowl, right and uh man, now I forget because I
was running around at one point and then caught back up.
The Seahawks also ran like the same concept as the
Patriots go ahead touchdown in the Super Bowl. Like pretty
I mean that the Cowboys ran the same concept right
(31:24):
against the seahawkss. But basically the Patriots had run to
go ahead. So it was like a it was a
fun little vintage night. We got dan Quinn, we got
it all. This was beautiful. We didn't have a punt,
we got all these penalties. This was it. This was
the game to have. Stephen ruiz On, I appreciate it. Steven.
(31:45):
Where can we check out your work? I know where
it's the Ringer? What day? What days are your podcasts on?
Give give me the give me the.
Speaker 3 (31:52):
Lowdown Wednesdays and Monday mornings.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
Okay, In the Ring of NFL feed, you've got the
quarterback rankings yeah, Wednesday, we should have like a quarterback
rankings off between you and our new QB Index writer
Nick Shook.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
I read his every week. I keep an eye on
the competition.
Speaker 2 (32:15):
Oh yeah, he's great and he helps us out on
our Sunday nights because look, you you've been doing this
while he's been doing it a while, not too but
just started the QB thing. But he's bigger than you.
Like he's just like an intimidating looking guy. Like he's huge.
Speaker 3 (32:30):
So all right, then his quarterback rankings are the best.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
Just know that.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
No, I just want I just wanted to know. You've
probably never seen him. Just like check out, check out Shook.
We call him the Pipe, just check out like his
little av I. But yeah, people should check out Steven.
I've been following his work now for a while. Stephen
is young and yet now he's a veteran. He's been
in the game a while and people should, uh should
(32:55):
read everything he writes and check him out on the podcast.
That will do it for tonight. It was a on one.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
It was a great one. It was it was great
talking to talking to you about it.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
Uh, it's Stephen Ruie's week is over. But the podcast
never ends. We will be back on Sunday with the
flagship show. Until then, Heed the call, h
Speaker 3 (33:33):
M.
Smith fires over the middle, great grand By Metcalf out
in front, and he will go all the way for
a touchdown seventy three yards to the left. Look short
Lamb shoulder shake throws. That's gonna be caught by Fergusson. Touchdown.
(00:25):
Locket comes to the slot. Here comes Partiinge and he
forces the patch incomplete and that will wrap it up.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
That will wrap up a forty one to thirty five
Cowboys victory on Thursday Night football. Maybe you couldn't tell
it from Al's voice there, but we got the best
Thursday night game of the year, and we got there. Ever,
maybe ever, who knows I'd have to go through it.
We got the perfect guest for it too. It's Steven
(00:58):
Ruiz of the who's been doing yeoman's work all around
the podcast land. It's Stephen Ruiz Week. And what better
game to have him on for than the Geno and
dak Our Gods among Us showcase. Thank you, Steven.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
I texted you right after that Geno touchdown to open
the game. He knew I was coming on today. He's
gonna give us a show.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
But yeah, the last time you came on was the
you know he don't write back game for Gino. So
it's been too long and this was a great Geno game,
but it does feel a little beside the point. To
start with Gino, the Cowboys put up forty one points
in a shootout in a game that there were no punts.
(01:43):
According to Scott Hansen's researcher at red zone and whom
I had to doubt his researcher at red zone, it's
only the fourth game in the history of the NFL
to have no points five if you include the Colts
Chiefs Peyton Manning versus Dick for Meal and Trent Green
show down in two thousand and four. That was like
my first season covering the league that was exciting. This
(02:06):
was just a preposterously great offensive performance by both quarterbacks,
both teams. But to me, we start with just like
the majesty, I would guess of Dak Prescott right now
that he just has an answer for everything opposing defense,
especially the Sea Hawks defense, was trying to do.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Yeah, I thought Seattle played well defensively. There was a
lot of talk.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
About they didn't get a stop.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
I mean, considering that they were putting him under pressure
and now he was making tight window throws. I really
think there's an alternate universe where you put two other
quarterbacks into this game and they have to handle that
pressure that both quarterbacks had to deal with all day,
and it looks horrible, and we don't get anywhere close
to thirty five to thirty one or whatever the final
score ended up being. That was I thought the two
(02:51):
quarterbacks were the story of the game. And do you
watch do you watch on the Prime vision that they did?
Speaker 2 (02:57):
I do enjoy that. Again, I thought schwartztein action in
my life right right.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
I love that. It was just a magical performance. From
that view too, It really allowed you to appreciate what
these guys were doing.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Yeah, early on, you know, I'm thinking, man, these Cowboys
receivers are open. As the game we're on, I'm with you,
the pressure built up, the windows got a little tighter.
But Dack specifically, and I misspoke by saying they didn't
get a single stop the Seahawks defense. There was one
stop all night by the Seahawks defense, and that was
(03:30):
in I'm counting it now nine drives, not counting the
Neil down drives. And that was just when Ceedee Lamb
dropped the ball a wide open just you know, short
pass on fourth down, otherwise there literally would not have
been a drive that the Cowboys did not score on.
And the thing that impresses me is he just he
just has answers for everything. Like I think of actually
(03:53):
a fourth and one situation where he checked out of
the play two different times where they were clearly gotta
to stop the sneak up the middle. Then I don't
know what he saw the second time, but he checked
it again, and he checked it, you know, to the
perfect play a run to the outside, and they get it.
So even on plays where he's not throwing the ball,
he's just kind of seeing everything you're doing, and he's
(04:14):
making all the right decisions and he's not missing any throws.
I mean, he was just on the money with it
with just about every throw tonight.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
And then I think he's adding on top of that,
like the old school Dack creation stuff. Out of structure.
He is the best quarterback in the league statistically out
of structure, Not Josh Allen, not Patrick Maholmes, not Lebar Jackson,
none of these guys. Dak Prescott, what.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Do you mean like out of the pocket or plus
two and a half seconds, how do they measure that out.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
Of the pocket and PFF. According to PFF, when the
defense the pass russ forces the quarterback to move off
of his spot, so it's not a straight dropback. He
is the best in the NFL by PFF grade. He's
got like a low nineties grade. The next highest guys
like in the seventies.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
It is ridiculous. And I do think his season changed
on that Sunday night game against the Chargers where he
ran for that touchdown, and I think he ran the
play before on a play that actually he normally wouldn't
of this year, he scrambled, he came up just short
on like a third and nine or something to set
(05:16):
up a fourth and one, and he put his head
down and I was like, ooh, there's Dak running again.
That's what we always want. And I swear since then
the rushing yards aren't crazy like tonight. It's twenty three.
But there's four plays where he helps himself with his
legs running, which is just a really important four plays.
And then, as you say, also just making great decisions
(05:37):
outside the pocket, which he did, you know, on a
number of throws tonight. It was just like there, unless
you have just an elite pass rush and the Seahawks
just don't. It's hard to think of how you're gonna
get this guy down, and it's tough against this Cowboys
offensive line, which is playing really well.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
That's why I would say, like, I thought the defense
didn't play too badly, and I didn't think the defensive
game plan was too bad because I thought the way
they got to Dak Prescott was blitzing. There was a
lot of like corner pressures, a lot of like zone pressures,
and I thought Seattle's approached the game. They're thinking going
into the game was we're not going to get to
Dak unless we play like a reckless style and that's
(06:14):
our only chance of being in this game. It didn't
work out, but I think it makes sense as a
strategy going into it. And I think if they would
have just rushed four and dropped back seven, Dak would
have picked them apart.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
I mean, we're both geno fans, and because of that,
I've become a quasi Seahawks fan. Maybe you haven't gone
that far, and so the defense was frustrating me. Yes,
they're setting a lot of blitzes, but they can never
finish them. They're just bouncing off of them. There's that
play Darryl Taylor, who's that like a safety, I mean,
he's a defensive end, has him in a bear hug
(06:46):
and I don't know what happened the play, Dak just
like shrugs him off and that would have been like
there were so many plays like that. Adams had another
one whereas like if they could just bring him to
the ground or bring some of the receivers that that
caught the ball behind the line of scrimmae occasionally to
the ground, It's like they would have them in big time,
negative yardage situations and they just couldn't do it. And
(07:07):
so again, once that Chargers game happened, I was like, Wow,
he played just about perfect game that game, and then
the next week he's like perfect that week and people
weren't really picking up on it yet because they were
playing lesser teams and the record wasn't as good then.
But he's he's almost been throwing like a perfect game
every week since Week six. It's great. He at this
(07:27):
point is I think gotta come out of this week.
You know, one of, if not the MVP front runners
are just crazy because he was like plus three thousand
three weeks ago.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
And it's high degree of difficulty. It's not like he's
like Dinking and Duncan out there. He's throwing like these
covered seam balls, these tight window passes. He's throwing on
the run. He's throwing out of structure. He's throwing with
guys hanging off of him, like we saw tonight. He's
up to his game another level, and I think he's
finally starting to get credit for stuff he already did well,
Like he's finally starting to get credit for like the
(07:56):
pre snap stuff and being that brain before the snap,
like you heard Kirk Herbstreet and I kind of compare
him to Peyton Manning in the presnat phase, and I
think that's app and I think it's something he never
got credit for. And one of the reasons I think
he's so polarizing as a player, even though he's been
this like steadfast winner and guy who produces at a
high level since he's entered the league beyond being a
(08:18):
Dallas Cowboys quarterback and everything that comes with that, is
that it's kind of hard to appreciate the things he's
really good at because they're so subtle, especially if you're
not watching week to week and you're not watching like
the film and you're you don't really like understand what's
going on pre snap. I just think like, if we
gave him that credit, I don't think we would be
having these debates about Dak Prescott every offseason.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
I've been trying to I've been trying to give him
that credit. I brought up the Manning you know that
he I don't think he's Manning or Brady, but as
that generation was still playing but aging now, I was like, well,
he's the he's the guy that's of the young generation
that's like the most like that, Like he's the he's
the quarterbacks, quarterback, He's he's how you know, Greg Cosell
(09:01):
wants the game to be played inside the pocket and
figuring it out out mentally and it's all coming together
and he's he's at an age where it's all perfect.
He's got an unreal number one receiver, and I think
this game is going to be important for him, just
in the way, not important for him in terms of
what you're saying. He's playing great, nothing needs to change,
(09:21):
but MVP race and then their playoff race, and even
as a team, they were really tested in this game
by a good opponent. I know Seattle was struggling coming
into this game, but their oftense certainly wasn't struggling tonight.
Like I don't know if a team's gonna beat up
this Cowboys defense any better than the Seahawks did tonight,
and so Dak was really pushed in this game. The
(09:42):
score was twenty eight to twenty coming out of halftime.
Once Gino got the kickoff and to start the second half,
went right down the field to go twenty eight to twenty.
Cowboys get it closer, and then the Seahawks score again
to DK start the fourth quarter, and so it's thirty
five to twenty seven. He has to make a fourth
(10:04):
quarter comeback. They have the field goal drive, they have
another touchdown drive there by Dak, and then they tack
on the field goal late. So it's just kind of
like those situations that I know, like they shouldn't need
to pass these tests, but they do need to because
they need to win some close games. It's not just
gonna be blowouts in the playoffs. And they found a
(10:24):
way to do that, even though I have some issues
with Mike McCarthy's game management, and we can get to
that in a minute. It sort of doesn't matter when
you only face I think they only had four third
downs in the second half. I mean, that's the thing.
These two teams put up the score with very few possessions.
You know. It wasn't like a thirteen to twelve possession
game where they put up these numbers, like they had
(10:46):
almost no margin for error. And he hit it and
he could have actually had more. There was that CD
drop on fourth down, and then one of the best
throws he had the night, which was was the field
goal drive in the fourth quarter that came up short,
which looked like a crazy pass. He put it between
three people, but it got to CD and he actually
didn't bring it down in that scenario.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
That's why I was like watching the end of the
game and I was like, no matter how this ends,
it's gonna be very disappointing for one of these teams.
It's gonna be very disappointing for us for having to
like come up with losers in this game. Because I
just thought it was played at such a high level
that even if Dallas had lost, I don't think I
would have come on here and been like, oh, they're
frauds or everything. We thought they were. Like Gito just
played so well in under pressure too. It's not like
(11:29):
Dallas made it easy on him. At one point in
the fourth quarter, he was like eleven for twelve under
pressure and averaging ten yards per ten. Yeah, let's say
nobody does that.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
Let's get to the Jada portion. We've put it all
off long enough. But I'm with you, like there are
no big losers here. I'm gonna I'm gonna be a
little annoyed about the Seahawks defense later, just in terms
of roster construction and everything and some of the game
management stuff, and Jason Myers missed another important kick in
this game, but just in terms of the way this
(12:01):
season shapes up. Before we moved to Juno, it's like
it was absolutely vital. Though they got this win to
stay in the NFC East race, I still think they
can win this division because I just think, you know,
the Eagles are underdogs this week, and then the Cowboys
are probably playing for for our playing for first place
next week, and so that's like it doesn't get much
bigger than that they had. They actually do have it
(12:23):
right there in front of them. I know their schedule
is brutal, so it'd be hard to finish that out.
But there's a very real chance that they're in first
place in the NFC East and they're gonna have extra
rest going into that Eagles game in ten days. Whereas
the Seahawks felt like this was their chance to sneak
one in here during this brutal stretch, and they couldn't
get it done. And it's so surprising to me, Steven
(12:45):
that they put up thirty five points in the first
fifty minutes of this game. Their offensive line and everything
going into this game and their offensive cohesion did not
indicate that this performance was coming.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
No, I did not expect this performance, and I didn't
expected because of that matchup the offensive line versus the
defensive line and Dallas's defensive line. Despite not getting a
lot of sacks, they did get pressure and I thought
they won for the most part.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
I thought Shane Waldron, the offensive coordinator, called a great game.
I didn't like the calls at the end. I thought
he kind of That's one thing. I that's my one
thing against Waldron is that he gets a little galaxy
brained a time. He kind of outthinks himself a little bit.
I don't know what that last play was, but it
kind of looked like a screen pass, like a late
slip screen pass, which is an interesting call. And fourth
(13:32):
and what was it fourth and five with.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
The game on the line, fourth and two, Yeah, fourth
and two and it gets blown up and it never
really had a chance and though yeah, Parsons got there
and the next and stats measured in one point three seconds.
I mean it was Parsons.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Yeah, they tried to like totally blocked.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
I'm not sure where the protection went wrong, whether that
was supposed to be the running backs, it went wrong
somewhere they needed to reset. I don't know like who
that's on that. That's happened more than you would want
to for the Seahawks this year. And yeah, to get
into that position. And there were a couple drives in
the fourth quarter where they turn it over on downs
and they were in short yarded situations. After having such
a good night on third down. Finally, they've been a
(14:08):
terrible third down team all year. They kind of went
back in the crucible to just a couple bad plays
there on third and one, fourth and one. I'm also
thinking about the drive before the same thing happened.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
It was it was good to see Geno adjust because
there has been talk about him getting the ball out quicker,
and I think that is one thing you saw. You
saw him make that adjustment, and I think it would
have been a big red flag if you heard that
talk from Gino, you heard that talk from the offensive coordinator,
and then he couldn't do it. So I think that,
like I think this was a I don't think it
(14:39):
obviously it derails whatever playoff hope Seattle had or kind of.
But he still got it.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
They still got it, but they but it didn't help
hurt they had an opportunity tonight.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
But I think this is a good sign for the
for the team going forward. Like I think like that
Geno still has these moments when he can he can
light up a game and he can match a MVP
candidate throw for throw right.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
And you know, statistically he's been getting rid of the
ball about the same time this year. The pressure has
just been getting there faster. He's been avoiding sacks much better. Actually,
he's that used to be, you know, one of the
worst parts of his game last year, even in his breakout,
was still like blow average but not terrible. This year,
it's pretty good and you saw that tonight, Like if
you had looked at the box score, you would have
no idea. And I know Parsons got three QB hits,
(15:24):
but you would have no idea that Parsons kind of
dominated this game. And Lawrence had a good game too,
because Gino was getting rid of the ball, I mean,
some of those dimes early to DK. It was also
great to see DK have a game like this because
I think that the Thanksgiving game kind of encapsulated what's
been a really disappointing season for DK, not winning contested catches,
(15:45):
just being kind of a little lazy with his routes
on the sideline stuff like that. And tonight he was
like he was DK what you imagine him to be.
That first dime that Gino threw to him just felt
like it like kind of free the two of them,
and he threw so many good passes to it was
it was a beautiful thing. I mean, being Geno guys.
(16:07):
To have him have this night in an Island game,
it did feel like a release for me, a weight
off my shoulders, you know.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
And I like how you got to see him thrive
under pressure, like you got to see that this is
what he's been dealing with all year. He's been dealing
with this type of protection and receivers that I don't
think have been running great routes. And it's kind of
hard to say when you're outside of the building, but
there's been a lot of miscommunications. I think that's the
best way you could put it. And you didn't really
(16:35):
see that tonight, Like you saw Geno get rid of
the ball, and the receivers ended up where they were
supposed to be and the ball ended up where it
was supposed to be. I think if this team could
find any consistency, they might look like the team we
see when they're at their highest, like when they have
these breakout performances, because they are capable of it. We've
seen it like a handful of times over the last
two years, just stringing them together right.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
And defensively, they have so many players you would think
that they can have some better games than the ones
that they've had. And I'll get into it a minute,
but they've just been a sub mediocre defense, like a
very below average defense, and you saw it tonight. But
I they can if they can get their offense going
like this. They did have Abe Lucas back in the
run game, which you know, maybe that helps Zach Charboney
(17:18):
though is nineteen for sixty. He did have a thirty
nine yeard catch too, but he left late with a
knee injury and was immediately ruled doubtful, which that is
not a great sign. Maybe Kenneth Walker's back next week.
But Smith and Jigbab made some plays until he had
the miscommunication on the turnover on downs on the on
the drive before the last one, and and lock it.
(17:41):
I think one of the plays Seahawks fans are gonna
remember is the Seahawks are up thirty five to thirty,
they're driving, I mean right, they had the ball up
thirty five to thirty to possibly kick a field goal,
the go up eight halfway through the fourth quarter or
even you know, score a tight and kind of put
the game away, and Gino, as one of his best anticipation,
(18:04):
throws the night it gets there, you know, after Lockett
you know, makes his turn and it hits him right
in the helmet and Gino gets sacked the next play.
It was maybe it was a pressure and a throwaway
the next play, but that drive ended right there and
they would have been in field goal range on one
of the better geno passes of the night, the Robin
our boy Steven.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
They really are and I feel like we're talking about
how well these quarterbacks played. I don't think the receivers
played all that well outside of DK.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
Now we're sounding like we're just like it's a pro
g know thing. I mean, there a lot of drops.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
There were a lot of balls.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
There were there were some drops.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Nice catch both sides, I mean on both sides.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
Yeah, on both sides. Certainly there were there were some drops.
I mean Smith and Jigba. I like that he's getting
more consistent. He had the touchdown that was overturned on review,
but at least he drew a long PI on that call.
There were a lot of PI calls and we'll hit that,
but first we're going to take a break. Okay, we're
(19:04):
back in. You know I mentioned before the break. I mean,
the penalties were a huge story of this game. There
were two hundred and fifty seven penalty yards Steven in
this game. That is the most and for a game
in regulation since Bear's Bills twenty eighteen, which I don't
it was in November. I don't have an immediate recollection,
(19:27):
but I do likely likely I met Trubisky. Josh Allen
showed ow Nathan Peterman, Oh was it? Wait? Really?
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Yeah? I think it was a Nathan Peterman special.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Al Michael's commenting tonight on the penalties. Let's listen, we're
going to take the rush.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
Of the night of La Cliqe Blakeman pulling the game.
You buy him? Sure?
Speaker 2 (19:51):
I was getting so mad. I don't know if he
was having occasionally has like senior moments, but like he
literally said, like, oh and guess what's next? When when
the flag came out, like on four straight plays at
one point in the third quarter, he was just like
beside himself.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
I mean, Al, this was a great performance, a throwback
performance for Al in my opinion, he was and Gino
and Dak he was right there with him.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
I'll buy that. I would like a little more excitement
there at the end. I would like it's more of
a Herb Street thing. But there were a lot of
game management situations at the end of the game that
were very interesting, and they didn't really like go over
ahead of time or even afterwards. You know, the Cowboys
had the ball, we might as well, you know, talk
about it now. They had the ball, after they turned
(20:36):
the Seahawks over on downs, and they get it with
two let's see how long was left in the game.
They get it with one forty three to go, and
they basically or no, sorry, they get it with three
eleven to go. That makes more sense at the Seahawks
forty nine yard line and two first downs basically wins
(20:59):
the game there. And they immediately get into the red
zone on that drive, and they get into situation where
it's third and three, the Seahawks are all out of
timeouts and there's one forty maybe a little more left
on the clock, and they throw a pass from I
(21:21):
think it was the fourteen into the end zone. I
know it's one on one Ceedee Lamb and he's been
so great tonight, but it wasn't really close. He was
well covered, the ball was you know, it was kind
of threw it a safe pass to make sure it
didn't get interception, and it's incomplete and I was I
love being aggressive, but that's actually not being aggressive. That's
just that was just bad game management. If they run
(21:41):
the ball there, it goes under a minute, and you
run the ball there because it's fourth and three, and
you kind of plan on you run the ball twice
and you win the game and it's over with. And
if if you don't get it the second time, it's
under a minute left and they're inside like the ten
yard line or the thirteen airdline. I thought that was
crazy by McCarthy.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
Now that that's always the thing with McCarthy, right, Like
every time, I'm starting to think McCarthy's turning it around,
like getting back to play, like this is an accomplishment.
I have to give him credit. I'm not gonna take
credit away, yes for doing yes, but these are the
moments where you're like, uh, like that's gonna come up
in the playoffs and I don't think he's gonna make
the right decision. Like there was even like a two
point conversion chance earlier in the game, and I don't
(22:21):
know what the analytics say about it, but a lot
of people are wondering why they didn't go for it
to tie you.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
Yeah, it was twenty twenty six. It was like, why
were you not going for two at that moment? And
then I for me for it later and they got
it later.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
It's not just McCarthy, Like I got questions about Dan
Quinn hmmm, okay, and it's the same questions that anyone
would have about Dan Quinn in that like style of
defense that we've seen, like we see it in Seattle,
like that cover three, line up and play. We're not
going to like do anything to trick you. I just
think it's a defense that could be schemed up, and
(22:53):
it's a defense that can be exploited by the best
quarterbacks in the NFL. And in order to win a
Super Bowl, you have to beat the best quarterbacks in
the NFL. And that's my worry.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Yeah, it's a fair point that, like the Cowboys defense
has been great this year. I mean, it hasn't been
like Ravens Browns level, and it's got great talent, but
this is the first game in a long time, and
granted they haven't played many great offenses. You know, they
did a pretty good job. I thought against the Eagles. Overall,
(23:24):
they give more points than they should have, but it
was they played well. It was disarming to see like
a team go up and down the field throwing the
ball in them. I mean, Deron Bland Michael said, give
up more yards in that first half than any cornerback
in any half of football all year. So his defensive
(23:45):
Player of the Year candidacy was always silly to me.
I mean, give him an All Pro, that's fine, But
people were trying to talk that up this week, like
that's over with now, even though he had an electric
interception that was not even a bad throw by Gino.
I didn't think, if anything, Bland just kind of bodied
Locket out of position on a play. Lock It like
(24:05):
had position when the ball was thrown, and Bland made
a great play. But Bland got cooked in this game.
And you're right, maybe the secondary, like do you think
there are holes here, like in the back seven essentially
for Dallas.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
I do think it can be attacked, and I think
if you can mitigate the pass rush, which I don't
think Seattle did in any shape or form tonight. But
I think there are teams that are capable of doing that,
like San Francisco as we've seen, then I think it's
gonna be an issue. And I don't think like dan
Quinn's style of defense offers you like schematic help. It's
really reliant on execution and talent, and I think fundamentals,
(24:39):
which is like a great way to play and it
makes sense with their talent. It's just when you run
into offenses that can match your talent, it becomes a problem.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
Then, yeah, because you know who, like Bland is playing outstanding,
Gilmour is still a really solid starting corner, but Diggie
Zua and the guys insider are good. Parsons is just outrageous.
I think I might as great as Garrett's been. I'm
(25:08):
still I'm still holding out my vote there that it's
like we got a long way to go, and like
in my heart, i still feel like Parsons is actually
better and having a better season even though it's not
quite there. So I'm I'm allowing the possibility that he
might just close really strong. And then Lawrence had a
huge fourth down stop on Charbonny. It's just those little
moments of the game where like their best players stepped
(25:31):
up like Jake Bobo on a on a screen to
play before it looked like he had more yards to
pick up. I mean, these are what you think about
when you're a Seahawks fan. I'm a quasi Seahawks fan.
Now what happened to me?
Speaker 3 (25:43):
You don't get to claim that, aren't you a Patriots fan?
You don't get to claim.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
I mean, I've I jump on different teams depending on
the year, and this, uh, this Patriots team was.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
Des attle bit.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
I mean, are my great friend Chris Westley and I
mean they already made fun of me. I remember saying,
even as the Patriots run was over, I was like,
I'm not gonna I'm not gonna be as into it
once Brady's gone, just like because I know it'll never
be the same. Like what's the point of chasing that.
I mean, you're a Panthers fancy. You've had a tough week.
That's why.
Speaker 3 (26:12):
That's how it was with Cam. That's how once Cam left,
I'd like, I'm a Panthers fans. A strong word is
how I'll put it.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
You've been busy. They got you, just like doing the
whole podcast circuit. You did Mina show. We should have
coordinated me and Mina. So it's like it's maybe too
much ruiz u for the people.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
No, it's not enough. Do people need more? Yeah, they're
like truck me out playing like Sarah McLaughlin music with
the sad puppies, Like that's who I am.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
Uh, it is tough. What is what is your opinion
of the Here we go? Sure, yeah, here we go?
Like do you hear it while you're walking around. Is
it just like part of your life like it is
mine at this point?
Speaker 3 (26:53):
It is I and I didn't really notice it until
people started pointing it out. I always felt like Cam
Newton had a weird one too, so I'm like kind
of partial to them, and I don't hate.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
It like everyone what were Cams? He was always high
in my Cadence rankings. He had a nice deep voice.
But I can't think of him right off.
Speaker 3 (27:08):
I think it was similar. I think it might have
been here we go.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
Mmmm, yeah, no, no, no.
Speaker 3 (27:13):
There's like it was.
Speaker 2 (27:14):
It was.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
It was like ready. It was something like.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
Yeah, ready, but nice and deep and and DA's just
got that base. Yeah. It really started for me in
the Rams game. I don't know why I didn't notice
it before then. I still want to get on Pete
Carroll before we go, just because of the way they've
built this team, Like as I see Jamal Adams getting
(27:37):
pressures but not really finishing the play on those blitzes,
and when I see him like in position but not
doing anything about the ball when the ball's in the
air and they're throwing it to Jake Ferguson to win
the game, and there were there were other plays like that,
and I think about what they gave up for Adams,
and I know he's gotten hurt and Wagner it has
(27:58):
been good, but you know he'll get frozen a little
bit and coverage like on that first tight end and
that first touchdown, he's not even moving and then you
know Darryl Taylor's bouncing off him. And I just think
of all the picks, and they traded that pick for
Leonard Williams's second round pick, and I just think they
came into this game twenty third in DVA. I know
(28:20):
it's the Cowboys, but the Cowboys looked as good or
better against this defense then they've looked against anyone. So
that net number is going to go down to like
twenty six. It's a defensive coach. They've been above average
one time steven since twenty seventeen in terms of DVOA,
and they were thirteenth that year in the COVID year.
So even that year, it's not like they were great.
(28:40):
It's like, I don't know, I don't really believe in
building around defense anyways, but they've put too much into
it to me for this whole thing to make any
sense because the offense, like it's you've got like a
good quarterback, but you don't have you don't have a
top five quarterback, need your defense in running game to
(29:01):
help out.
Speaker 3 (29:03):
Yeah, it's tough. I think Pete Carroll's a good head coach,
but I agree with it's kind of like the Belichick
thing where you got to separate the coach from the
team builder.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
I think he's a good coach too, And it's not
like a total thing. It's just their defense is disappointing,
Like it's very often less than the summer of their parts.
And he's a defensive coach. It's never certain more than
the some of their parts. You would think just by
randomness they would luck into like a number six defense
season one of these years, but they don't. I'm really
(29:34):
surprised they're below average. I'm surprised.
Speaker 3 (29:36):
No, Like, And that was kind of the point I
was gonna make. I think, like the thing that we
kind of overrate with Carol maybe is his defensive mastery
or whatever you want to call it. Like, I think
that's the overrated part. I think the way like he
motivates a locker room and keeps a team together, I
think that's the secret stuff.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
But like his best defense is I mean, give me
five Hall of Famers and I give you like a
top fifteen defense at least, Like he had Earl Thomas
and he had Richard Sherman and that like that wasn't
even how his reputation was built. His reputation was built
on like the nineties forty nine ers who had like
ten Hall of Favors on their roster.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
Well, he did it at USC two, and it was
like it was the right defense for that time.
Speaker 3 (30:14):
They had talent on that team too, though.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
Right, right, And it's the it's the Belichick Brady argument.
It's it's the Walsh like Montana. It's always symbiotic, like
that's football. That was the right He was the right
coach for those groups of players and he and he
was right to target the certain body types and any
hit he hit the lottery and he made it like
maxed it out, you know, except for finishing out that
(30:38):
Super Bowl against Patriots, but you know he maxed it up.
But that was a five year run in the in
the defense. You know, it's it's no longer happened.
Speaker 3 (30:46):
By the way, did you notice the moment then they
had fourth and one at the end of the half.
No threw it. They threw it, Seattle threw it again,
and they threw the slant. It was like the same
route combination too. They threw the slant genolant. Russ couldn't
complete it. Difference in the Super.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
Bowl, right and uh man, now I forget because I
was running around at one point and then caught back up.
The Seahawks also ran like the same concept as the
Patriots go ahead touchdown in the Super Bowl. Like pretty
I mean that the Cowboys ran the same concept right
(31:24):
against the seahawkss. But basically the Patriots had run to
go ahead. So it was like a it was a
fun little vintage night. We got dan Quinn, we got
it all. This was beautiful. We didn't have a punt,
we got all these penalties. This was it. This was
the game to have. Stephen ruiz On, I appreciate it. Steven.
(31:45):
Where can we check out your work? I know where
it's the Ringer? What day? What days are your podcasts on?
Give give me the give me the.
Speaker 3 (31:52):
Lowdown Wednesdays and Monday mornings.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
Okay, In the Ring of NFL feed, you've got the
quarterback rankings yeah, Wednesday, we should have like a quarterback
rankings off between you and our new QB Index writer
Nick Shook.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
I read his every week. I keep an eye on
the competition.
Speaker 2 (32:15):
Oh yeah, he's great and he helps us out on
our Sunday nights because look, you you've been doing this
while he's been doing it a while, not too but
just started the QB thing. But he's bigger than you.
Like he's just like an intimidating looking guy. Like he's huge.
Speaker 3 (32:30):
So all right, then his quarterback rankings are the best.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
Just know that.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
No, I just want I just wanted to know. You've
probably never seen him. Just like check out, check out Shook.
We call him the Pipe, just check out like his
little av I. But yeah, people should check out Steven.
I've been following his work now for a while. Stephen
is young and yet now he's a veteran. He's been
in the game a while and people should, uh should
(32:55):
read everything he writes and check him out on the podcast.
That will do it for tonight. It was a on one.
Speaker 3 (33:01):
It was a great one. It was it was great
talking to talking to you about it.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
Uh, it's Stephen Ruie's week is over. But the podcast
never ends. We will be back on Sunday with the
flagship show. Until then, Heed the call, h
Speaker 3 (33:33):
M.
Host
Gregg Rosenthal
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