May 12, 2026 • 50 mins
Josh Rodriguez, Tommy Yarrish, and Isaiah Stanback react to the announced 2026 games, including the season opener against the Giants, a matchup with the Ravens in Brazil, and a Thanksgiving showdown with the Eagles. The crew also discusses the transition to a 3-4 defensive scheme, whether the current roster can support a turnaround under Christian Parker, and Tommy’s Tape Talk segment of the rookie class.
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
The following.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
He is a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and
the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Cowboys.
Speaker 4 (00:12):
This he's Talking Cowboys, straining live.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
From the Dallas Cowboys World head Bars at.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
The Star in Frisco. Tag Burners here.
Speaker 5 (00:24):
Pus got kitsas a PA.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
And now your hosts, Isaiah Standback, Patrick Walker, Josh Rodriguez
and Kyle Yeomans.
Speaker 6 (00:39):
Welcome to Talking Cowboys, presented by Black Raffle Coffee, the
official coffee of the Dallas Cowboys.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
We are live from the Star in Frisco.
Speaker 6 (00:47):
Here in the s WBC studios.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
I'm here with Tommy Yarsh, I'm here with Isaiah Standback.
Christopher Antonio Beemer is in the back. I am Josh.
There's no Kyle, there's no Patrick. This is arguably a
nightmare rotation for some people.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Hop your collar tongue. Listen. You ever see this young
man without a collar.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
And you know what I prefer it. Honestly, he's dressed up,
he's always to the nines, very professional.
Speaker 7 (01:15):
I can assure you I am not always with a collar.
In fact, I enjoy not being in a collar. But
it's you, guys, I gotta dress up and make sure that.
Speaker 8 (01:24):
I at least look the part to present if I'm
going to be here on.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
Talking cowboys about you wear a collar once in a while.
Speaker 9 (01:29):
Listen, man, if I wear a collar, it is definitely
game day.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Yea in a collar.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
That's true.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Collar or pasties.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
One of the dallascobs dot Com came early off the
top rope with that, because that's where we are. That's
where we're live and local, and we're here for the people.
Bring you the dust, the best Dallas Cowboys coverage you
will ever see on a Tuesday in May.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
I've gone for two weeks. Man, he can't come off
the top rope like that.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
I know you've been on Good Morning Football. You've been
killing it man, you know storm.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
T It was nice you like that like that. I
had no idea that I was.
Speaker 9 (02:00):
I was supposed to wear that that day I got
into wardrobe, so like this is my normal thing. Right,
we have a three thirty am production call, right, Okay,
drive into the studio because now Disney took away our
car service, so now we have to get a rental car.
How dare they? How dare they? So we drive into
the studio. Now get in, I eat breaking.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
It Disney hurting for money as they always are.
Speaker 9 (02:18):
Eat breakfast, and then I give I usually go straight
to the wardrobe, you know, wardrobe and give them my
T shirt. I usually have a little bald up T
shirt in my little in my little cubby, and I
give it to them. Yeah, they probably extra medium and
they they either steam it or iron it.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Right.
Speaker 9 (02:35):
So I get there and they're like so, and I
look into my left and there's a bag, you know,
like little Halloween clothes bags.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
And they're like, so, we were wondering if you could,
you know, put this on.
Speaker 9 (02:46):
I was like, let me know how to how to work,
and I put it on and bro the chess piece
wouldn't stay on, so they had to like tape the
chess piece up. So I'm literally on there with this
taped up little thing on TV. And then everybody wanted
to change clothes in the second so we take the
clothes off and they're like, oh, at the top of
the next hour, we need.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
To put it back on.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Oh my goodness.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
So I did that like three times.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Well the force was with you, Thank yous on May
the fourth. Thank you we like seeing it and shouts
to the freaking NFL because guess what, guys, We've got
some game. Oh, I got some games to talk about.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
Two of our games.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
What we're at three now? Now we're at three, guys,
one of my Oh yeah, that's right, three ago. One
of my favorite things that the NFL does. This is great,
especially for US media guys. One of the best things
about the schedule releases whenever they kind of trickle them
out for.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
You, the schedule's gone.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
I have the schedules gone by Thursday, no one, Kate.
It is uh yeah for the media people, and it's
a little tough, but we're always here to give you
the live and local. So let me just break it
down for you.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Update.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Week one will be at the New York Giants football. Giants.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
There it is.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
There's a schedule. Sunday, September thirteenth, seven twenty Sunday night football.
According Todd Autter, this is the ninth time since two
thousand and six at the Cowboys have opened the season
against the Giants. The Cowboys are seven and one in
those games, the only loss coming in Dack's rookie season. Hmmm, intriguing.
Week three, of course, we know Cowboys versus Ravens in Brazil.
(04:10):
Quick factoid. Guys, the Cowboys are in their sixty six
year as a franchise, have never lost in Brazil. Watch
out Ravens, watch out there? All right?
Speaker 8 (04:22):
Wait, have they ever won in Brazil?
Speaker 3 (04:23):
All right, we're ignoring that, tom And then we also
know Week twelve that was announced late last night, Late
last night, Tommy, Right, how late was that?
Speaker 8 (04:31):
Probably about four fifteen?
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Love that? Love that for us?
Speaker 1 (04:35):
You bet already?
Speaker 8 (04:36):
I know you loved it. I was getting close.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Yeah, that's Week twelve Thanksgiving game against the Philadelphia Eagle,
only the third time the Cowboys and Eagles are faced
off on Thanksgiving Day.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
No better day to half turkety, you might as well
have some burd with it.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
Well, they've only played them twice on Thanksgiving so far,
and we've lost both of those games.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
We're gonna talk about the past year.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
I'm just saying I wanted to throw it out there, guys.
The schedule coming out on Thursday. We know this, we'll
be talking about it. I wanted to ask you, guys
so far, what do you think of the home opener
New York Giants. This is a familiar character.
Speaker 7 (05:07):
I feel like we always played them in the first
game thirteen times, thirteenth time it's ever.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
Happened, and he change it up.
Speaker 8 (05:13):
Yeah, they did last year.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Wasn't surprise.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
They changed it up every now and then. It's like
every other year seems to be not the Giants.
Speaker 8 (05:21):
I think this one has cool storylines though. It's John Harbaugh's.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
First game Sunday night.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
How about that.
Speaker 7 (05:26):
You start on Sunday night and you're playing against a
division rival. You got two Ohio State teammates going up
against each other, Caleb Downs for the Cowboys and Rvel
Reese the fifth overall pick for the Giants. And you know,
I remember back to Dallas's Week eighteen game last year
when they only played the starters for the first half
and that ended Dak's winning streak against the Giants, and
(05:49):
even the postgame press conference was not too happy about that.
So I'm sure he wants to get back on the
right side of the coin there against New York.
Speaker 8 (05:57):
But it should be fun.
Speaker 7 (05:59):
Always good to I think, as you know, the reputation
that MetLife has for some of the issues on the
field is it's a great place to play at night.
It's got a lot of pop to it.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Yeah, Sunday night in New York home opener, or it's
not home opener but season opener for the Cowboys. I mean, yeah,
it seems kind of part for the course that the
Cowboys be in New York opening night. Yeah, I'm done
with that, not opening end of the season, but of
course Sunday night football. I'm curious, guys, what are the
games in the schedule that you're going to be looking
for as soon as it comes out on Thursday on
(06:33):
Dallas always talking.
Speaker 9 (06:34):
I don't, honestly, I don't have any that I'm looking for.
I mean that you have idea who they are. You
already know who they're gonna play. It's just a matter
of win, right. I think that the Thanksgiving game for
me is a big one just because of the fact
that you know those games. It's always obviously everybody in
their mom was watching that game. But you hardly ever,
aside from last year, you hardly ever get an opponent
(06:55):
that you're truly excited that you're going to play. And
I think the Eagles that rivalry game, and especially that
time of the year, how important games are around then
to me, that's gonna be huge.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
I would be surprised if you play if that was
the second time you're playing the Eagles, I would assume
that you're gonna play them again at the end of
the year. So like it's it might be one of
the situations where it's gonna be like a week or
two weeks away from like Eagles game game Eagles, you
know what I mean, Like it's gonna be something similar
to that. I feel because we always tend to play
the Eagles towards the you know, late December.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
A four week window, you play them twice. Yeah, I
don't like that.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
And I guarant and I almost guarantee you that you're
gonna get Green Bay in that span as well, because
with the Michael Parsons injury from last season him recovering
from that. I don't think there's any way that the
NFL decides like, oh, let's let's front load green Bay.
For doubts, there's I don't know.
Speaker 9 (07:41):
I think that they can go back to back years
loading up the back half of the schedule because last
year was the gauntlet.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
That was crazy.
Speaker 9 (07:48):
Last year was the gauntlet in terms of schedules, right,
So I don't I can't foresee the NFL doing that
to the Cowboys again.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
Are you kidding? Though you know, you know who we're
talking about here. This is the Dallas Cowboys and it's
Green Bay Michael Park. Since his return most likely against
the Cowboys. I mean, you know, I think he will
be healthy by that point by the time they played
the Cowboys. I don't know exactly when that's going to
be in the schedule, but I assume they don't from that.
What about you, Tommy.
Speaker 7 (08:10):
What I'm just interested to see is this away slate
and how it kind of bouncing off of y'all's point
of how does it stack up the four I'm looking
at Rams, Seahawks, Packers, Texans.
Speaker 8 (08:21):
In what kind of order does that get put in?
Speaker 7 (08:25):
Are you playing a back to back stretch where you
have to go to La and then you go to
Seattle the next week? Because I can tell you that's
not gonna hand well, I don't think. I think that
would be a brutal stretch.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Is that going for sure? Is going to be in Seattle?
Speaker 8 (08:38):
Yeah, they are playing away in Seattle.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Yes, A way to lay away to Seattle.
Speaker 8 (08:44):
No, I'll be here is a standback bull.
Speaker 9 (08:48):
Last time Seattle played here, my whole family came down there.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
It goes awesome. They got they for the Cowboys.
Speaker 7 (08:56):
But like how they mesh those four games up of
you know, are you playing any back to back? Is
it like a last year where you play what was
it like three games and seventeen.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Days, yes, and against the Chiefs and the Eagles.
Speaker 8 (09:09):
And those I think it was the Chargers or something.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Like no, no, no, it was. It was another tough team,
but go go ahead.
Speaker 8 (09:14):
Aren't Yeah?
Speaker 7 (09:15):
No, I just I'm curious to see how that stacks up.
And then you've also got a solid homeslate too, in
a sense, like you know, if the Forth the forty
nine Ers are sandwiched in there, so there are some
instances where you can see some really tough stretches for
this team, and I'm curious to see where those come
and how they stack up back to back and see
how much time apart this team has to kind of regroup,
(09:37):
because what if it is like a short week and
you've got to go on the road to Seattle and
come home and play the forty nine ers, that's gonna
be pretty tough.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
Some tough appartos on his schedule though, Yeah, it's not an.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Easy yeahs run down in Isaiah, do you do you
have a listen from me.
Speaker 9 (09:49):
Yes, I do have a list in front of me.
There are only a handful of teams that I would
say are have question marks about about what their team
is going to be, how competitive they're going to be.
Those teams are are the Washington Commanders, the Arizona Cardinals,
and Tennessee Titans. We don't know what they're going to
be just yet, but I feel as that their defense
is going to be pretty nasty. Probably, Yeah, I don't
(10:12):
know what's safe to assume with assumed that their defense
is going to be pretty nasty, and they have literally
transformed their defense personnel. So other than that, you got
to worry about the Colts. You got the Texans, You
got the Packers, Seahawks, Rams, those are teams that you
don't typically play, Jaguars, Ravens, Bucks, forty nine er.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
I mean, you got some you got some dogs now.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
But wait a second, I thought we didn't win the
NFC last year. Nast last year.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Yeah, I know, I don't know what's going on.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Why do we have the tougher schedule compared to the Eagles? Man?
What the heck?
Speaker 1 (10:42):
Dude?
Speaker 3 (10:42):
What gives Tommy?
Speaker 8 (10:43):
Don't look at me. I don't I don't pick this.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
Is Tommy's fault, but they always Tom's fault. He announced them.
Speaker 7 (10:49):
What I'm really looking forward to this year is we
talked so much about how prolific this offense is and
how amazing it is, and it really was last year.
I think I think your true test of like, okay,
is this a champion should caliber offense.
Speaker 8 (11:01):
Comes when you play Houston.
Speaker 7 (11:03):
If you can put up twenty one points on that
Texans defense, I would be impressed. I just don't see
how anybody scores on them. They are so loaded.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
I mean you're listen, all these defenses.
Speaker 8 (11:16):
Yeah, yeah, really like.
Speaker 7 (11:19):
Houston's to me is I think the best in the
league in terms of pass rush, in ms of every
terms of everything across the I think they're solid across
the board.
Speaker 9 (11:26):
I think you're going to be pleasantly one I'm saying
not pleasantly, but I think it won't be pleasant.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Hopefully it will be pleasant. But all these defenses are nasty.
Speaker 9 (11:34):
Yeah, I mean seriously, like all of them, except for
those teams that I mentioned in terms of you know,
the Cardinals, Commanders, those teams that you really don't know about.
The Titans have they they're going to be a nasty defense, okay.
And in every other team that we talked about, the Ravens,
we know that their defense is going to be completely different.
That's why they change their head coach. Their defense will
be nasty as well. And the Packers, you know what
you're getting with at them, The Colts solid across the board, Eagles, yes,
(11:58):
Giants yes, like all these like they're there's no easy
there's maybe two games where you can say, Okay, hey,
we feel pretty good about this, you know, our offense
versus defense. Other than that, it's gonna be a freaking
battle Royale weekend week out.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Yeah, defense got to step up.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
Yeah, everybody has to step up.
Speaker 9 (12:12):
This is this is a tough All these teams got better,
you know, outside of your outside of your division, all
these other teams that are on your schedule, Cardinals, we
don't know what they are.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 9 (12:22):
That's the one team that you just truly don't know
who they are. But I mean when you look at
the other teams, the Bucks, who's calling their freaking defense? Yeah,
you know what, that's gonna be, right, And they just
happen to get freaking baye in on right now. They
got you know, the big fella you know from Bda
Bay in the middle, though, you got to worry about
those things. Jaguars defense is nasty, right they lost a
couple of pieces, but they're they're nasty across the board and
(12:42):
in the Rams.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
We know what they are. Seahawks, we know what they are. Packers.
They might have a little bit of something they want
to come get Texans. Yes.
Speaker 9 (12:49):
Culture, I mean like there's no one game maybe where
you're like, we got their number.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
Everybody else is like you better look at the matchups.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
There's no let up. But I think, like you're saying,
all of these teams got better, including the Cowboys in
my I mean, definitely they improved this offseason in terms
of the defensive side. The offense is definitely par for
the course and continuing hopefully what they've built last year.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
A lot of intrigue around at Cowboys defense right.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
Now, but the defense is totally one eight revamped. Yeah, absolutely,
And it's been a good morning of football talking to
you guys, and speaking of Good Morning Football, I want
I want to address a hot take that Isaiah had
last week on Good Morning Football regarding the Cowboys defense
and switching over from the three to four or four
to three to three four, let's talk about that when
(13:35):
we come back, or on talking cowboys right after this.
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Where were you? Where are you noted?
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Yeah it, Isaiah, you had a hot take a couple
(16:17):
of weeks ago.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
Football. Why is it? Why is a big deal? The
switch from the four to three two three.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
Four listen man personnel.
Speaker 9 (16:28):
We talked about this before the change was made, before
the defensive coordinator for the.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
Cowboys was hired. We talked about the.
Speaker 9 (16:36):
Prospects for the defensive coordinator position, and obviously now that
has been fulfilled, but prior to that, we were saying,
why is this such a big deal whether you grab
someone who's a four to three guy versus three four guy.
And the number one thing that I said prior to
the GMFB show that you're referencing was personnel that you
cannot keep your roster the same and change schemes, right,
(16:57):
because the personnel that's required to effective navigate those schemes
and impose those schemes.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
Has to change.
Speaker 9 (17:05):
When you run a four to three, you typically have
two big fellas in the middle that you know there
were obviously one technique, three techniques all the way to five,
and then you have your seven and then your nine techniques.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
Right, usually have.
Speaker 9 (17:15):
One or two really good pass rushing defensive ends that
have their hands in the ground. When you got two
big fellas in the middle that are responsible for two
gapping or playing one specific gap. Three three true linebackers
at the second level when you switch over to three four.
Now those fellas in the middle, at least the main
guy right who would typically be your one technique, now
(17:36):
he's really a one or three technique. Like's not he's
not doing a whole lot of movie right anywhere between
zero to three. So he's usually a big fellow that's
a big nasty. Think about a old big Sam Adams right,
or Gilbert Brown right, guys like that, Guys that are
just big nasties, or maybe yeah, or maybe somebody named Otito,
I don't know, maybe something like that. Just a big
(17:57):
fellow in the middle. That just really just his job
is a consume the center and just take him out
the game.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
Right, thought he was his death guy.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
Oh yeah, I mean it can be, but no, that's
not why.
Speaker 9 (18:08):
The reason why Osa a Digizua is not here Osadigizoo
costs a lot of money and Osa digizu is not
big enough right to facilitate that role. So not had
nothing to do with his capabilities as a player. But
it's like, for what he does, well, it would not
work in this particular scheme for what they're asking of
that position.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
That's why he's not here. That's why they brought in Anto.
Speaker 9 (18:29):
He's a big fella, right, three hundred and thirty pounds,
big nassy in the middle. As soon as the center
snaps the ball, he grabs them. He two gaps, right.
He pushed that guy back. He says, you cannot work
up to the second level. What do the guys next
to him do? Okay, well, you have a Kenny Clark
and you have a Quinn Williams. Both of those guys
are interchangeable on both sides. But those guys are typically
going to play between the three and the five techniques. Okay,
those guys are jobs is to take up the guards, right,
(18:51):
consume those guards. So you have the you have your
zero one technique taking up the center, and you're consuming
those those those guards. Now, so the interior three guys
are really being occupied. What does that allowed for you
to do?
Speaker 1 (19:03):
Well? Those guys those three.
Speaker 9 (19:04):
And five techniques can really widen out and consume some
of the tackles as well if they split the difference.
So now you're preventing that offensive line from working up
to the second level.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Right.
Speaker 9 (19:13):
Now, what happens at the second level, you have two
typically two true linebackers, right, those are your interior linebackers.
Usually it's an interior linebacker and another guy that might
be called a joker. Okay, one true guy who's downhill guy,
red ball hit ball, another guy who might be me
a little bit more athletic. But now we're really changes
(19:34):
on the outside. Your quote unquote outside linebackers are really
kind of tweeners. Right in the old three four schemes,
these were like ginormous defensive ends who like to be
in bicycle stances, right, they don't have their hand in
the ground. They like to be in a track start stance.
And these guys are literally They're meant to set the edge,
contain everything, constrict everything, restrict everything so that you can
(19:55):
funnel everything to the middle. Right, those middle linebackers are
unimpeded because those offensive line and can't work up to them,
so they can see gaps and hit the gap and
they can go out there and read react. Your linebackers
are the playmakers on that defense. Now with these newer
three four schemes, those defensive ends are a little bit
more athletic right there. They might not be six four
sixty five, two seventy like they used to be back
(20:16):
in the day. Now they might be sixty three to
sixty five, but maybe you know anywhere from two forty
five to two sixty five.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
That's kind of the range now.
Speaker 9 (20:23):
And their job is still the same, right, contained set
the edge, but now I also need you to pass rush. Right,
I need to set the edge, but I need you
to have a little wigle to you so that you
can get to the quarterback. You're typically going to be
man to man versus a tackle or a tight end, right,
and we need you to control that individual, whether it's
restricting and constricting the lanes or it's beating those guys
(20:44):
one on one and going and get the quarterback. That
is really the main difference between the schemes. Now when
these guys are lined up outside edge of the tackle
box or the tight end box and they're forcing everything
in or pass rushing from that stand up position versus
being truly set in at the line position where you're
inside the tackle box and you're really in a two
point stance just here and there chilling. So those are
(21:06):
really the differences and the reason why it's important to
acknowledge that when you bring in a Rashaun Gary, when
you have a te Winners, now that's gonna be sorry,
D Winners, that's at the middle linebacker position. Now he's
the guy who's should lead this team in tackles based
upon position, based upon what's being asked. There was the
reason why it's so important to have a guy who's
(21:28):
tried and true at the position because he's going to
be asked to be the tackling machine to Maririo Overshewing.
You know, God willing that he's healthy. He's your more
athletic guy that can rip and run. Right, he's still
inside the tackle box right playing next to d Winners.
But his job is really to run and react right,
be able to drop in coverage, consume some zones with
his long arms. But when he sees something, go hit
the ball and then seawan Gary and your other defensive end.
(21:51):
Whatever you decide to do with that position, those guys
are going to be to go get.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
The quarterback and or set the edge.
Speaker 9 (21:58):
That's really what you're asking of these guys, and then
you don't have to change your defense. Typically a defense,
a defensive coordinator sits there in the box and he
looks and sees, okay, what personnel is coming out for
the offense, right, as soon as he sees three receivers
come out, All right, eleven personnel, let me go change
to a nickel, Let me go change to a dying
whatever it might be. When you have athletic guys that
are versatile and can stay in the three four, now
(22:19):
I don't have to change my scheme in rotating as
in rotating guys, I don't have to keep substituting guys
out to match.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
Which has been a customed to for very much money.
Speaker 9 (22:26):
Right, and why does that play to your advantage? Well,
if Tommy knows that every time he sends eleven personnel out,
I have to change. Now he can start scheming up
his offense to handle what it is that we're.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
Lacking in size potentially.
Speaker 9 (22:38):
Right, Well, now, if Tommy comes out at eleven personnel
and I keep my guys out there, Tommy doesn't know
what the heck I'm doing.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
He doesn't know what he doesn't know if I'm blitzing
on his plan.
Speaker 9 (22:46):
He can't look at the analytics and say, Okay, well
we're third and eleven and we go eleven personnel. These
guys are gonna blitz forty percent of the time. That's
kind of how our mind works because we get this
data all week long. Now that the defense stays the same,
so now what is he think? He's like, crap, Well,
the personnel didn't change, so I have no indicators as
to what they may or may not be doing. Right,
which allows for you defensively to be more aggressive. It
(23:09):
allows for you to be to have a better disguise,
It allows for.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
You to post screen situation you.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
Don't know what's happening. So that's kind of all encompassing.
Speaker 9 (23:18):
I know there's a lot of information, but that's what
allows for you to do defensively, and that's what allows
for how effective.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
It allows for you to be defensively.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
Now, do you have the personnel to effectively change the
results based on just simply changing the scheme?
Speaker 1 (23:31):
Now?
Speaker 3 (23:32):
Yes, I mean you're talking about the worst defense in
the league last year.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 9 (23:35):
Now, I am encouraged because I can't say for sure
anything yet until we see it on film right when
they go to training camp, and especially when they have
that joint practice. That's when I will know. Right, check
back with me whenever we have a joint practice and
I can tell you how we're really looking. But based
upon what they've done, front office has done an amazing
job of turning over this roster to accompany this three
(23:55):
four defense.
Speaker 1 (23:56):
There's seven new starters on defense.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
Yeah, you've done it.
Speaker 9 (24:00):
Hell, you've done a hell of a job, right, that's
seven new starters on defense. So I think based upon
the personnel that they have now, I think that they
are more in that to be able to handle that
scheme and be effective in that scheme. I don't think
they're done yet. I don't think the front office has
done yet. I still believe that there's gonna be one
or two more veterans that are signed that can make
(24:20):
huge additions.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
On this defense.
Speaker 9 (24:21):
I think they're going to go through OTA's and see
where they're at. I think that they'll probably even get
close to training camp and find out where they're looking
and how they're looking. But I foresee there being another
linebacker addition, and I foresee there being another pass rusher.
Speaker 7 (24:35):
I still don't think you got your MIC linebacker on
this team yet. I don't think you're confintently saying that's
week one. I don't think D winners is that. I
think D winners is kind of similar to the Kenneth
Murray situation last year. I don't think Murray was ever
really a MIC, and maybe in college he was, Yeah, he.
Speaker 8 (24:51):
Was never really.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Murray did also lead the team in tackles last year,
and well, you got.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
What you Kenneth Murray is a sea ball hit ball
type of guys. That's what we're saying. When a MIC
is more of a mike.
Speaker 7 (25:01):
Is more like cerebral and of like, you got to
communicate everything out to every level of this defense.
Speaker 9 (25:06):
And just because you know the defense doesn't mean that
you can verbalize everybody.
Speaker 8 (25:10):
Communicate it out right.
Speaker 7 (25:11):
And I'm not saying Kenneth Murray wasn't capable of doing that.
I'm not trying to take any digs here, but he
just never played that position. Dee Winners is not he
said it on our conference call. He's never played Mike.
So I don't know if necessarily that's the guy that
you're looking for to do this. I don't know if
to marve on over shown as a guy you're looking
forward to do that. So that means if the season
starts today, you're Mike linebacker is probably Jayshawn.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
Barham and you're trying to make him that.
Speaker 8 (25:33):
Yeah, and they're trying to make him that.
Speaker 7 (25:34):
But can you be is he the guy you want
to bank on as a rookie to run your defense?
Speaker 1 (25:38):
I know somebody who's free, who can who can play
Mike linebacker.
Speaker 8 (25:40):
I think we all do, all right, we all do.
Speaker 3 (25:42):
We've talked about yeah, so we'll see.
Speaker 7 (25:45):
But no, I think I say hit the nail on
the head breaking down you know the three four and
how it's kind of changed in the modern era of
football too. What I'm gonna be fascinated to see with
Christian Parker is how much we actually see them in
three four base because I don't.
Speaker 8 (25:58):
Know if we're going to see him in the a time.
Speaker 7 (26:00):
I think you're going to see them in more Nick Nikol,
for sure, because of the personnel they've got. You look
at all the additions they've made. They have constructed this
roster from the back to the front versus the front
to the back, which is typically how teams do how
I would do it, because I think you win and
lose games to the line of scrimmage. I don't think
you win them in the secondary. But hey, go ahead
and prove me wrong. I don't care what I know.
(26:22):
So that's going to be really interesting to see how
Number one, how those the safety room is utilsk. I
wonder if it's going to be something similar to what
Iowa States ran under Matt Campbell in the last couple
of years when they kind of do three high safeties
and they just move them all over the place and
that gave good offense is a ton of fits. So
we'll see what Christian Parker's got up his sleeve. But
(26:43):
I think ASA is right, you need some personnel changes.
Speaker 9 (26:46):
Too before we take it out next break, can you
please give a little bit more insight to those who
are unaware because the time has gone by as so
far as some of these somebody these unrestricted free agent
acquisitions that the Cowboys have had in terms of the
secondary and these veterans right right, you know, the draft come,
you know, some of the other stuff's happened. Crazy free
agency happened, and I think people have forgotten some of
the other key pieces that will be playing roles on
(27:07):
his defense going.
Speaker 7 (27:08):
For well, Jalen Thompson is the biggest one from the Cardinals.
He was their biggest payday. He's the biggest signing and
they're gonna have him play all over the place. I mean,
he can, he can cover the deep parts of the field.
He's got great range, So that's probably gonna be your
biggest one. In the safety room, he's still got Mali Cooker.
They'll probably play alongside each other most of the time,
and then you'll probably see Caleb Downs in the nickel spot.
(27:31):
They also got p J. Locke at safety. Played a
little bit more throughout his time in Denver. He's a
guy who's familiar with Christian Parker's system. They played together
or while he coached Locke, so there's some familiarity there
with that. The quarnerback room, Kobe Durant, who I know
is the most popular person among the Cowboys fan base
at the moment.
Speaker 8 (27:50):
But hey, this guy's a good player.
Speaker 7 (27:52):
He was good for Los Angeles last year on a
defense that really struggled to defend the pass. I think
he was one of their bright spots. Gosh, I'm trying
not to draw a blank. Heard, I forget anybody?
Speaker 1 (28:02):
What would you say for those that are that don't
have the vision?
Speaker 9 (28:07):
Yeah, per se having a Thompson and a Caleb Downs
on the same defense, how similar are those guys as players?
Speaker 3 (28:14):
Well, that was one thing that Christian Parker kept bringing up,
especially at the combine, talking about brain works, the guys
that are cerebral guys that like can know the defense
in and out and be able to contribute from from
a knowledge standpoint and always know where everything's going to be.
To me, that those are guys that are going to
exemplify what Parker's defense is.
Speaker 7 (28:34):
I think that you're asking differences between the two. I'm
just saying, like, how similar are they?
Speaker 9 (28:38):
How do what characterations do they do they embody that
allow for them to be dangerous as a combination.
Speaker 8 (28:45):
That's a good question.
Speaker 7 (28:46):
I think that I think the Downs is more of
the downhill lay a hat on.
Speaker 8 (28:51):
You read and react.
Speaker 7 (28:53):
We were talking with Ross Webs, the national scout here
for the Cowboys, and he said, the middle of the field,
between the hashes is where this guy is different.
Speaker 8 (29:00):
And so I think that's really where he.
Speaker 7 (29:01):
Thrives in the middle of the field, whether it be
reading and react to get an interception, reading and the
react in their own run game.
Speaker 8 (29:07):
He's better at the line of scrimmage. You can line
him up there.
Speaker 7 (29:09):
He can fill the B gap, he can blitz the quarterback,
he can do those kinds of things. Jalen Thompson is
more of your center field kind of safety who can
cover all over the field. He's got great range and
he can if you've got deep balls to either side
of the field.
Speaker 8 (29:23):
He can be the guy that goes and gets there.
Speaker 7 (29:25):
Not to say that Downs can't, but I think Thompson
is more range than that department. So that's why you
see Downs being talked about more as a nickel, because
really your nickel, you want them to dominate that middle
part of the field. Think about what Jordan Lewis did
here in Dallas when he was here. It was the
middle portion of the field. It was coming and hitting
hard and just being able to in a big tackler
for you, right, a huge tackler and being able to
(29:47):
make plays near the line of scrimmage.
Speaker 8 (29:49):
That's the kind of things that I would expect Caleb
Downs to do.
Speaker 3 (29:51):
And Thompson is nothing but if not consistent and a
player like that that is cerebral like that that can
influence Downs like coming into his career as a rookie
and using all of those physically gifted traits that he
has while learning from a guy like Thompson is going
to be invaluable for him. Absolutely. I want to continue
this conversation, but guess we had a heated debate last
(30:14):
episode on this show where you guys were not here,
but it was on if the Cowboys were to be
able to turn around their defense to become a top fifteen.
Oh yeah, more talking cowboys after this break. What would
you like the power to do? Dig deep and ask it.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
Can you really live.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
So far from the family you lean on?
Speaker 11 (30:39):
Well?
Speaker 10 (30:40):
Will it broken nose break you?
Speaker 3 (30:41):
Or will it make you?
Speaker 5 (30:45):
Bank of America champions, US men's national team player Diego
Luna and everyone who dares to ask, what would you
like the power to do Bank of America proud to
be the official bank of US Soccer and FIFA World
Cup twenty twenty six. Bank of America NA Member a
d SE.
Speaker 4 (31:00):
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(31:22):
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Where are United, I'm home?
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Nice. Hey can you ahn? Yes, I've got the finale
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Isn't it nice not having to ask?
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We think so.
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Speaker 12 (32:29):
To Talking Cowboys, Welcome back to Dogged Cowboys.
Speaker 3 (32:34):
We're live. That's BBC Studios. I'm here with Patrick or not.
Speaker 1 (32:42):
We all alike?
Speaker 3 (32:42):
Huh oh No, No, I'm here with Patrick Spirit Patrick
No Walker.
Speaker 8 (32:47):
I know Patrick, No Walker.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
I miss him dearly. He's a good man.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
Somebody should play like some He'll be let your scooter wheel.
Speaker 3 (32:54):
Not next week, but the week after.
Speaker 1 (32:55):
He'll be back and we'll talk to him.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
Fellas. Just for the break, we wanted to talk about
turning this defensive round. I think it's possible. In your
wildest dreams, do you think the defense can turn around
to be a top fifteen defense next season. Yeah, it
can by end of the season.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
Yeah, I can. I believe that it can.
Speaker 3 (33:12):
But in order to do so, Kyle said absolutely not, No,
he's crazy.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
In order to do that.
Speaker 9 (33:16):
I mean, listen, any team in this league can turn
around their team, right, not even just one side of
the ball.
Speaker 1 (33:22):
You could turn your team around in a year. And
we've seen it.
Speaker 9 (33:26):
We just saw it, sainted, we just sincted in it.
We just saw it happen in the Super Bowl. Right,
There's two teams that weren't They weren't even remotely close
to the year before, and then.
Speaker 1 (33:33):
They were there.
Speaker 9 (33:34):
So to say that it can't happen is blasphemy. I
believe that the changes that the Cowboys have made, we're
in wait and see.
Speaker 3 (33:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (33:42):
I mean that's just reality. Right.
Speaker 9 (33:43):
So anybody coming out saying for sure, for sure anything
is crazy. But it's encouraging to see that these guys
have made. They've made the defensive coordinator change, the.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
Individual, the positional coaches.
Speaker 9 (33:57):
Have changed drastically. There's a different mentality, there's a different energy, right.
I think the emphasis on development has changed. Were in
the past, the coaches that were here. No shade at them,
but I think it was more so get with the
program or get out type of deal versus here is like, hey,
we have talent, We're going to bring you in, and
(34:18):
then we are going to take the responsibility to teach you.
Something that I've talked about on this show many times before,
the responsibility on positional coaches needs to be leveled up,
and I feel as if these coaches truly take that on.
I think that they take pride in developing talent.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
You come in.
Speaker 9 (34:34):
Just because you're considered now a professional athlete doesn't mean
that there's not room to improve, and their job as
coaches position coaches is to improve those players. So I
look forward to seeing that development from these players, even
though they're coming in gifted and talented, and then putting
these guys in position to be successful. And I think
with the talent that you have, yes, you can be productive.
Now that's not to say that these offenses aren't going
(34:55):
to continue to get better as well, but you have
to go out there and put it together, and I
think that you have personal you have encouragement from these coaches.
There's going to be ups and downs, like there is
with any team. Any defense teams will Your team will
continue to evolve. If there's areas of weakness that they
are identify throughout the training camp, throughout the season, they
will make This front office seems to be committed to
make changes, so I think you will see this defense
(35:16):
continue to evolve throughout the year. What you see in
week one is not what you're going to see in
the middle of the week and in the middle of
the season. So yes, I can foresee them being there
if they can get pressure and if they could take
the ball away, if they take that back.
Speaker 1 (35:29):
Not even a pressure.
Speaker 9 (35:29):
If you can stop the run and you can take
the ball away, those are the two aspects that have
to be top ten performances for me in order for
it is to be a top fifteen defense.
Speaker 3 (35:37):
I would argue that you feel you should feel pretty
good about being able to stop the run, like because
they've invested so much in that position, in that defensive line,
in the middle of the defensive line, that I would
think at this point, that's the one thing that you
can count on, like, we'll be able to stop the run,
especially up the middle. It's the linebackers that you're really
concerned about right now because that position isn't solidified. Tommy,
do you think this defense is capable of being a
(35:59):
top fifteen by the season?
Speaker 8 (36:00):
Capable?
Speaker 7 (36:01):
Yes, because I think I say I hit it on
the head. Is anybody can turn things around in one year?
Speaker 8 (36:06):
Anybody.
Speaker 7 (36:07):
I don't think they will be a top fifteen defense
by the end of the year. I'm sorry, I mean,
I like.
Speaker 3 (36:14):
I'm still not an unbiased opinion, so please, I'm.
Speaker 7 (36:16):
Not necessarily sold on the pass rush. I think that
is the most important aspect of winning in today's NFL
is you have to get to the quarterback. And when
you get to the quarterback, then the turnovers happen. Then
stopping the run happen. That's got to be the biggest thing.
And you can say the same thing about stopping the
run because then that takes it tougher on the quarterback too,
(36:36):
and you've got to be able to be one dimensional.
But I really think if you can just affect the backfield,
get out of the quarterback, everything on every level of your.
Speaker 8 (36:45):
Defense gets easier.
Speaker 7 (36:47):
And I don't know if this team has a guy
right now that I can point to and say, if
it's third down and we need to stop that guy's
going to get a sack.
Speaker 8 (36:55):
I don't think this team has that. Yeah, and that's.
Speaker 7 (36:57):
The biggest, you know, the portion for me. And so
the linebacker room, of course still has questions too of
you know, if we're talking about stopping the run here,
I mean, yeah, we've got.
Speaker 8 (37:08):
A great defensive line.
Speaker 7 (37:09):
Quinn Williams, Kenny clark O, Tito Bonya, Rashan Gary has
been a good run defender his entire career.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
And as Raku whe he did flash last season, it.
Speaker 7 (37:18):
Was yeah, it was more as a run guy than
it was a pass rusher, which is interesting.
Speaker 8 (37:21):
But they're not going to win every play is support act.
Speaker 7 (37:26):
So who in the linebacker room do you feel truly
confident as a tackler that they can go make a
play if it's just read and react, if you don't
have a mic at the moment, I think you know,
d Winners has great ability to read, get there quickly,
good closing speed to maarve On Overshowan obviously as has that,
but you know, is he fully healthy and does he
have that same burst that we saw a couple of
(37:47):
years ago. You know, obviously with two major knee injuries
that certainly tampers with things. But I just don't know
if I can confidently say this is going to be
a top fifteen. I don't think they're going to be
thirty second again, right, I mean, there are worse students
out there, but I don't know if I would put
them in the upper half of the NFL just yet.
Speaker 1 (38:05):
I'm gonna ask you two fellas a question.
Speaker 9 (38:07):
If you had to pick right between, I'm not gonna
say sacks or I'm gonna say QB pressures, right, QB
pressures as one category and rush defense as one category.
All right, one of those had to be a top
ten and one of those had to be a bottom ten.
Speaker 1 (38:22):
Which one would you rather have?
Speaker 3 (38:26):
It would be probably run fence.
Speaker 1 (38:29):
A bottom ten.
Speaker 7 (38:30):
This team got a bunch of pressure on the quarterback
last year and it didn't matter.
Speaker 3 (38:34):
No, Yeah, yeah, it's one thing to get pressure is
one thing to get sacks. I mean absolutely, I and genuinely,
I do feel really good about the run defense right now.
I would say that that's most likely.
Speaker 9 (38:45):
Do you still feel as if you need one more
piece on the defensive front at Yeah, not pass rusher,
not a pass rusher.
Speaker 3 (38:54):
Yes, Because I'm not sold on Abonya right now, branded
that the size, that the measure that you're talking about,
I think are playing to his advantage absolutely, especially if
they see something in him. And we'll have to wait
until we're, like you said, a joint practice before he
can really see how effective he's going to be in
this defense. However, I feel like that spot to me
(39:14):
isn't solidified yet.
Speaker 9 (39:15):
All right, what about the addition to Jonathan Buller. Do
you think that that gives you anything. I know he's
kind of trying to rekindle his I think that depth,
I would say, so, do you guys feel secure, because
right now I still feel as if they need one
more tried and true piece at defensive line. And when
I say that, I think about guys like a Cameron Jordan. Now,
he might cost you a couple more dollars, right, but
(39:35):
I think adding a Cameron Jordan, somebody who's who's a
locker room guy, somebody who's a veteran around his league. Yeah,
he's at the end of his career, so he might
not cost you as much. By somebody who can still
who's still an absolute dog. That's somebody that you could
put on this defensive front that can give.
Speaker 1 (39:49):
You a depth.
Speaker 9 (39:49):
So if you have an injury right right now, everybody's like,
oh yeah, our defensive line is solid.
Speaker 1 (39:54):
Yeah, until you.
Speaker 9 (39:54):
Have an injury, right So quinnin Williams, Kenny Clark goes out,
you're not going to say that same thing. Yeah right,
So who is it that you're rotating in that you
feel confident with Jatoya? Yeah no, no, not yet. Hopefully
it snaps for him, right, but it hasn't happened yet.
Speaker 3 (40:08):
I feel that way about several positions, like including linebacker
as well. We've talked about it at nausea.
Speaker 1 (40:13):
We know they're gonna get another linebacker.
Speaker 3 (40:14):
But to me, I don't think they're relying enough on
veteran presence and getting a vested vet like even if
he is long in the tooth. I think that experience
on this team would only benefit the players because you're
right now in a position where I didn't want you
to be, where you're banking on rookies contributing early and
often in this season to get you where you need
to go and relying on them like we're talking about,
(40:36):
but possibly a rookie starting at Mike. You know, to me,
it's an uncomfortable position to be in.
Speaker 7 (40:42):
If we're talking about investing resources on this defense at
the moment, I don't know if I would go defensive line.
I would probably go a linebacker and then make probably
corner too, because yeah, who do you feel confident about
in this corner room? Oh yeah, I don't. I really don't.
That's a tough one.
Speaker 3 (40:59):
I mean, you could say bland. But the foot is
what is problem?
Speaker 8 (41:02):
Is he healthy?
Speaker 3 (41:03):
Yeah? Exactly?
Speaker 9 (41:03):
The problem is the corner is one of those things
where if you were not going to grab your guy
in free agency top of free agency, and then you're
relying on the draft because corners are just hard to
come by. That's just the reality is one of slim
picks and they're expensive absolutely when they are on the market.
If you are in a position where you're in a
development phase with your corners, then your defensive front better
(41:27):
be nasty.
Speaker 1 (41:28):
That's my idea, right, that's my idea. That's my thought process.
Speaker 9 (41:31):
If you if you don't not in a position to
go grab a for sure thing at corner, which that
time has passed right out the free agency's past. You've
got your guy right and you know you got your durant.
That's your acquisition there, and now you go to the
draft and you grab somebody else, right, But outside of that,
the market's slim at corner unless you want to spin
right on somebody who's been out for a minute, right,
(41:52):
or who's waiting for the perfect opportunity. Either way, if
you're in a position where you got to pay some
real money for a corner, so most likely you're with
the Cowboys. They're in a develop face, right. The guys
that we have is we're sticking in. We're sticking picking in,
liking it, like I said, right, and we have to
develop our guys. So if I'm not going to be
dominant there, which you're probably out of that out of
that window. Now, where can I be dominant to make
their job easier? I better get to the dog on quarterback, right,
(42:14):
So that's what I'm saying. If you're going to add
more pieces, you better pick up another linebacker or a
real one. Okay, pick up another linebacker. And I know
there's still guys Marrizlea found guys that who have to
prove themselves at that position, who can who can play ball,
But we have to see how they fit in the scheme.
But you better add another tried and true linebacker so
that you don't not sitting here worried about who your
MIC is. And then you better add an I think
(42:35):
I know everybody wants a pass rusher.
Speaker 1 (42:37):
I think that you could do just fine.
Speaker 9 (42:38):
Bringing back to Davis Clowney, I think he'll be okay
in this scheme, but I need another d lineman because
I don't want that to ever fall away. I don't
want one injury to derail our ability to stop the run.
I don't want would be one guy away from us
having a significant drop off in productivity because if you
lose the difference when you have the three four, if
(43:00):
you lose one guy, you're screwed.
Speaker 3 (43:02):
Yeah, and he's and if he's not multiple like you're
talking about, then four.
Speaker 9 (43:06):
To three we can we kind of kind of scheme
some stuffway when we're into three four and we lose
one of those three guys.
Speaker 8 (43:12):
Yeah, it's tough.
Speaker 1 (43:12):
It's tough. So you better have a backup.
Speaker 3 (43:14):
Let's pivot the conversation because this is something I think
you'd be really interested in, Isaiah, Because on dallascowboys dot Com,
Tommy is going through all of our rookie selections. The
rookie draft class and watching tape on these guys watching.
He's a film guy, arguably the biggest film guy on
this podcast currently. Tommy tell us about tape talk and
(43:35):
what you're seeing so far from the rookie. I like
that a guy that watches.
Speaker 8 (43:39):
I appreciate it. Yeah, tape talk is fun for me.
Speaker 7 (43:41):
I really enjoy watching film and seeing you know what
guys oh well, what guys don't do well.
Speaker 3 (43:46):
One second before we get into that, I think we
might have a special introduction to tape.
Speaker 13 (43:51):
Talkow tell me on the screen tonight in every move
Cowboys on the table, the light, he's in that infl
groove dress, bas gym socks, butting up, chop.
Speaker 1 (44:18):
Run no gas in between.
Speaker 9 (44:26):
Hands up, wint watch out o thing goals.
Speaker 6 (44:30):
I guy, I got you, I got you talking talking
about breaking down.
Speaker 8 (44:44):
I don't want to talk over it. Yeah, it's fun
to just turn through.
Speaker 7 (44:50):
I'm not gonna act like a you know, a super
film junkie or anything like that, but just being able
to see what guys do well, what guys do well.
I mean, you know, I wasn't like I say, I
didn't play in the league, but I like to think
I know a couple of things, and you know, I'm
always open to corrections. If anybody wants, I will love
to watch film with you, sir, Yeah, let's do it,
but just to buy it back.
Speaker 8 (45:10):
I'm always looking to learn.
Speaker 7 (45:12):
But this has been fun to kind of share it
with everyone and be like, hey, this is what I'm
seeing my favorite. The great things about film is everybody
sees different ways, right, So I really enjoy getting to
watch it and see all the different aspects. Yeah, we're
going through the rookie class at the moment. So Caleb Downs,
Malachi Lawrence, and Jayshawn Barham or bar Ham I should say,
(45:32):
excuse me, are on the website. Drew Shelton for the
offensive tackle for Penn State will be up later today.
You know, with Downs, we talked about it so much.
It's the cerebral things, the middle of the field, the instincts.
Malachi Lawrence is you see why this staff is excited
on some snaps because he has that twitch off the line.
(45:56):
He always attacks the football. He's the guy that could
get you, you know, a couple of worst fumbles this year.
I wouldn't be surprised that, but you're gonna have to
see him grow as a run defender. He's not necessarily
a set the edge guy, and it might take him
a little bit to come along as an NFL pass rusher.
And then Barham is just fascinating prospect because east to
west he moves so well, he can cover so much ground.
Speaker 3 (46:19):
But is a diagnosis there.
Speaker 7 (46:22):
It is there at times, but it's maybe a half
a tick behind. And I think the first play that
we looked at was one where you see that he
gets away from the second level climber, but he's still
late to get to the Excuse me, he's late to
get to the gap. And then two plays later we
look at him going up against a kid who won
the four by one hundred state championship in Texas high
(46:42):
school track and set the national record by three tenths
of a second with his team, and you see him
chase him down east to west and doesn't let him
turn the corner and score and easy touchdown.
Speaker 1 (46:52):
So some things you can't teach.
Speaker 7 (46:54):
Yeah, and that speed is something that the forty times
wasn't like, oh my goodness with barm but you can
still see him track that ground and cover that space
with the pads on, and that to me is more
important when it comes to your linebacker. But you also
see Michigan say hey, we're gonna move you to the
edge spot and see what you can do there.
Speaker 8 (47:14):
And he did some good things there.
Speaker 7 (47:16):
There's the play of him stacking and ripping and he
just throws the right tackle off of him and gets
in the quarterback's face. So it's been a really, really
fun time breaking down these players and hope you guys
keep reading it.
Speaker 1 (47:30):
Man, that's freaking awesome.
Speaker 9 (47:31):
And and just to kind of piggyback on some of
the things that you just mentioned, especially in regards to Barham,
the instinct that you're talking about, right, the read and react,
the sideline, sideline speed, the diagnosis can be improved.
Speaker 1 (47:45):
Right, That's what I want to help that.
Speaker 3 (47:46):
You want more confident you get in a defense that
you have some time with. And clearly he's getting it now.
Speaker 9 (47:52):
Absolutely mean, we've seen we've seen players, i mean bring
up like a ray Lewis right. I'm not making a comparison,
but I'm saying, of course, people who played around his
leaf are very long time. Why were they able to
play and be affected for so many years because when
their bodies were starting to shut down, their minds were elevated,
and they allow for them to play faster than what
their bodies would typically go.
Speaker 1 (48:10):
Right.
Speaker 9 (48:10):
So you can improve instinct, you can improve diagnosis, right,
But those those physical instincts, right, those read and reacts,
those sideline of sideline of forty time, that's the reason
why some guys play faster than their forty Some guys
play significantly faster than their forty when. That's why when
you see guys running forty, it's like, oh, man, well
his film, he plays faster than that, because they humanly possible.
(48:33):
You're able to run faster if I'm running. I was
just showing Beamer a film of my daughter running in
a four by one. Right, my daughter was able to
run faster running somebody down, Right, then she would be
if she was just a line up in one hundred
meters and run straight.
Speaker 1 (48:47):
Right.
Speaker 9 (48:47):
It's just something about it, right, So forty time is
relevant sometimes, right, But when you have those guys that
are sideline of sideline guys, there's an intensity factor and
a competitiveness that's like, no, he's not turning that corner
on me, right. Those are the things that you can't
teach as a coach, as a position coach. As a coordinator,
I can't teach that. I can't teach that instinct. I
can't teach that willingness. I can't teach that competitiveness. But
(49:08):
what I can teach is for them to be able
to diagnose things earlier so they can use those same
attributes earlier. Right, So that's what I'm saying. Like this
coaching staff in this front office seem to have gotten
that aspect down. They're like, these are the attributes and
characteristics that we really like about this player. Where they
are lacking, we can improve, right, not them, we can improve.
(49:30):
We're gonna take that responsibilit upon ourselves to make sure
we invest in this young man and give him the
tools and resources so that he can be a better
player for us going forward.
Speaker 3 (49:40):
I like it. I like those words.
Speaker 7 (49:42):
Well remember with Barham too, he challenged a front of
the show Joe Hoyt to a Oklahoma drill in the
middle of a presco. So he's an intense young man.
Speaker 1 (49:53):
I like it.
Speaker 3 (49:54):
All right, fellas, we have to go. Thank you so much.
Come on, talking cowboys. We will be back next week,
same crew, same time, same channel, Chris Beam in the back.
Thank you. So much. We will see you on Talking Cowboys.
Speaker 4 (50:05):
This has been a production of dallascowboys dot Com and
the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.
The following.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
He is a production of Dallas Cowboys dot Com and
the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Cowboys.
Speaker 4 (00:12):
This he's Talking Cowboys, straining live.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
From the Dallas Cowboys World head Bars at.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
The Star in Frisco. Tag Burners here.
Speaker 5 (00:24):
Pus got kitsas a PA.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
And now your hosts, Isaiah Standback, Patrick Walker, Josh Rodriguez
and Kyle Yeomans.
Speaker 6 (00:39):
Welcome to Talking Cowboys, presented by Black Raffle Coffee, the
official coffee of the Dallas Cowboys.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
We are live from the Star in Frisco.
Speaker 6 (00:47):
Here in the s WBC studios.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
I'm here with Tommy Yarsh, I'm here with Isaiah Standback.
Christopher Antonio Beemer is in the back. I am Josh.
There's no Kyle, there's no Patrick. This is arguably a
nightmare rotation for some people.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Hop your collar tongue. Listen. You ever see this young
man without a collar.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
And you know what I prefer it. Honestly, he's dressed up,
he's always to the nines, very professional.
Speaker 7 (01:15):
I can assure you I am not always with a collar.
In fact, I enjoy not being in a collar. But
it's you, guys, I gotta dress up and make sure that.
Speaker 8 (01:24):
I at least look the part to present if I'm
going to be here on.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
Talking cowboys about you wear a collar once in a while.
Speaker 9 (01:29):
Listen, man, if I wear a collar, it is definitely
game day.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Yea in a collar.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
That's true.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
Collar or pasties.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
One of the dallascobs dot Com came early off the
top rope with that, because that's where we are. That's
where we're live and local, and we're here for the people.
Bring you the dust, the best Dallas Cowboys coverage you
will ever see on a Tuesday in May.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
I've gone for two weeks. Man, he can't come off
the top rope like that.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
I know you've been on Good Morning Football. You've been
killing it man, you know storm.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
T It was nice you like that like that. I
had no idea that I was.
Speaker 9 (02:00):
I was supposed to wear that that day I got
into wardrobe, so like this is my normal thing. Right,
we have a three thirty am production call, right, Okay,
drive into the studio because now Disney took away our
car service, so now we have to get a rental car.
How dare they? How dare they? So we drive into
the studio. Now get in, I eat breaking.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
It Disney hurting for money as they always are.
Speaker 9 (02:18):
Eat breakfast, and then I give I usually go straight
to the wardrobe, you know, wardrobe and give them my
T shirt. I usually have a little bald up T
shirt in my little in my little cubby, and I
give it to them. Yeah, they probably extra medium and
they they either steam it or iron it.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Right.
Speaker 9 (02:35):
So I get there and they're like so, and I
look into my left and there's a bag, you know,
like little Halloween clothes bags.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
And they're like, so, we were wondering if you could,
you know, put this on.
Speaker 9 (02:46):
I was like, let me know how to how to work,
and I put it on and bro the chess piece
wouldn't stay on, so they had to like tape the
chess piece up. So I'm literally on there with this
taped up little thing on TV. And then everybody wanted
to change clothes in the second so we take the
clothes off and they're like, oh, at the top of
the next hour, we need.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
To put it back on.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Oh my goodness.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
So I did that like three times.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Well the force was with you, Thank yous on May
the fourth. Thank you we like seeing it and shouts
to the freaking NFL because guess what, guys, We've got
some game. Oh, I got some games to talk about.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
Two of our games.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
What we're at three now? Now we're at three, guys,
one of my Oh yeah, that's right, three ago. One
of my favorite things that the NFL does. This is great,
especially for US media guys. One of the best things
about the schedule releases whenever they kind of trickle them
out for.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
You, the schedule's gone.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
I have the schedules gone by Thursday, no one, Kate.
It is uh yeah for the media people, and it's
a little tough, but we're always here to give you
the live and local. So let me just break it
down for you.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Update.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Week one will be at the New York Giants football. Giants.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
There it is.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
There's a schedule. Sunday, September thirteenth, seven twenty Sunday night football.
According Todd Autter, this is the ninth time since two
thousand and six at the Cowboys have opened the season
against the Giants. The Cowboys are seven and one in
those games, the only loss coming in Dack's rookie season. Hmmm, intriguing.
Week three, of course, we know Cowboys versus Ravens in Brazil.
(04:10):
Quick factoid. Guys, the Cowboys are in their sixty six
year as a franchise, have never lost in Brazil. Watch
out Ravens, watch out there? All right?
Speaker 8 (04:22):
Wait, have they ever won in Brazil?
Speaker 3 (04:23):
All right, we're ignoring that, tom And then we also
know Week twelve that was announced late last night, Late
last night, Tommy, Right, how late was that?
Speaker 8 (04:31):
Probably about four fifteen?
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Love that? Love that for us?
Speaker 1 (04:35):
You bet already?
Speaker 8 (04:36):
I know you loved it. I was getting close.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Yeah, that's Week twelve Thanksgiving game against the Philadelphia Eagle,
only the third time the Cowboys and Eagles are faced
off on Thanksgiving Day.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
No better day to half turkety, you might as well
have some burd with it.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
Well, they've only played them twice on Thanksgiving so far,
and we've lost both of those games.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
We're gonna talk about the past year.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
I'm just saying I wanted to throw it out there, guys.
The schedule coming out on Thursday. We know this, we'll
be talking about it. I wanted to ask you, guys
so far, what do you think of the home opener
New York Giants. This is a familiar character.
Speaker 7 (05:07):
I feel like we always played them in the first
game thirteen times, thirteenth time it's ever.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
Happened, and he change it up.
Speaker 8 (05:13):
Yeah, they did last year.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Wasn't surprise.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
They changed it up every now and then. It's like
every other year seems to be not the Giants.
Speaker 8 (05:21):
I think this one has cool storylines though. It's John Harbaugh's.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
First game Sunday night.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
How about that.
Speaker 7 (05:26):
You start on Sunday night and you're playing against a
division rival. You got two Ohio State teammates going up
against each other, Caleb Downs for the Cowboys and Rvel
Reese the fifth overall pick for the Giants. And you know,
I remember back to Dallas's Week eighteen game last year
when they only played the starters for the first half
and that ended Dak's winning streak against the Giants, and
(05:49):
even the postgame press conference was not too happy about that.
So I'm sure he wants to get back on the
right side of the coin there against New York.
Speaker 8 (05:57):
But it should be fun.
Speaker 7 (05:59):
Always good to I think, as you know, the reputation
that MetLife has for some of the issues on the
field is it's a great place to play at night.
It's got a lot of pop to it.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Yeah, Sunday night in New York home opener, or it's
not home opener but season opener for the Cowboys. I mean, yeah,
it seems kind of part for the course that the
Cowboys be in New York opening night. Yeah, I'm done
with that, not opening end of the season, but of
course Sunday night football. I'm curious, guys, what are the
games in the schedule that you're going to be looking
for as soon as it comes out on Thursday on
(06:33):
Dallas always talking.
Speaker 9 (06:34):
I don't, honestly, I don't have any that I'm looking for.
I mean that you have idea who they are. You
already know who they're gonna play. It's just a matter
of win, right. I think that the Thanksgiving game for
me is a big one just because of the fact
that you know those games. It's always obviously everybody in
their mom was watching that game. But you hardly ever,
aside from last year, you hardly ever get an opponent
(06:55):
that you're truly excited that you're going to play. And
I think the Eagles that rivalry game, and especially that
time of the year, how important games are around then
to me, that's gonna be huge.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
I would be surprised if you play if that was
the second time you're playing the Eagles, I would assume
that you're gonna play them again at the end of
the year. So like it's it might be one of
the situations where it's gonna be like a week or
two weeks away from like Eagles game game Eagles, you
know what I mean, Like it's gonna be something similar
to that. I feel because we always tend to play
the Eagles towards the you know, late December.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
A four week window, you play them twice. Yeah, I
don't like that.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
And I guarant and I almost guarantee you that you're
gonna get Green Bay in that span as well, because
with the Michael Parsons injury from last season him recovering
from that. I don't think there's any way that the
NFL decides like, oh, let's let's front load green Bay.
For doubts, there's I don't know.
Speaker 9 (07:41):
I think that they can go back to back years
loading up the back half of the schedule because last
year was the gauntlet.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
That was crazy.
Speaker 9 (07:48):
Last year was the gauntlet in terms of schedules, right,
So I don't I can't foresee the NFL doing that
to the Cowboys again.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
Are you kidding? Though you know, you know who we're
talking about here. This is the Dallas Cowboys and it's
Green Bay Michael Park. Since his return most likely against
the Cowboys. I mean, you know, I think he will
be healthy by that point by the time they played
the Cowboys. I don't know exactly when that's going to
be in the schedule, but I assume they don't from that.
What about you, Tommy.
Speaker 7 (08:10):
What I'm just interested to see is this away slate
and how it kind of bouncing off of y'all's point
of how does it stack up the four I'm looking
at Rams, Seahawks, Packers, Texans.
Speaker 8 (08:21):
In what kind of order does that get put in?
Speaker 7 (08:25):
Are you playing a back to back stretch where you
have to go to La and then you go to
Seattle the next week? Because I can tell you that's
not gonna hand well, I don't think. I think that
would be a brutal stretch.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Is that going for sure? Is going to be in Seattle?
Speaker 8 (08:38):
Yeah, they are playing away in Seattle.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Yes, A way to lay away to Seattle.
Speaker 8 (08:44):
No, I'll be here is a standback bull.
Speaker 9 (08:48):
Last time Seattle played here, my whole family came down there.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
It goes awesome. They got they for the Cowboys.
Speaker 7 (08:56):
But like how they mesh those four games up of
you know, are you playing any back to back? Is
it like a last year where you play what was
it like three games and seventeen.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Days, yes, and against the Chiefs and the Eagles.
Speaker 8 (09:09):
And those I think it was the Chargers or something.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Like no, no, no, it was. It was another tough team,
but go go ahead.
Speaker 8 (09:14):
Aren't Yeah?
Speaker 7 (09:15):
No, I just I'm curious to see how that stacks up.
And then you've also got a solid homeslate too, in
a sense, like you know, if the Forth the forty
nine Ers are sandwiched in there, so there are some
instances where you can see some really tough stretches for
this team, and I'm curious to see where those come
and how they stack up back to back and see
how much time apart this team has to kind of regroup,
(09:37):
because what if it is like a short week and
you've got to go on the road to Seattle and
come home and play the forty nine ers, that's gonna
be pretty tough.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
Some tough appartos on his schedule though, Yeah, it's not an.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Easy yeahs run down in Isaiah, do you do you
have a listen from me.
Speaker 9 (09:49):
Yes, I do have a list in front of me.
There are only a handful of teams that I would
say are have question marks about about what their team
is going to be, how competitive they're going to be.
Those teams are are the Washington Commanders, the Arizona Cardinals,
and Tennessee Titans. We don't know what they're going to
be just yet, but I feel as that their defense
is going to be pretty nasty. Probably, Yeah, I don't
(10:12):
know what's safe to assume with assumed that their defense
is going to be pretty nasty, and they have literally
transformed their defense personnel. So other than that, you got
to worry about the Colts. You got the Texans, You
got the Packers, Seahawks, Rams, those are teams that you
don't typically play, Jaguars, Ravens, Bucks, forty nine er.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
I mean, you got some you got some dogs now.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
But wait a second, I thought we didn't win the
NFC last year. Nast last year.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Yeah, I know, I don't know what's going on.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Why do we have the tougher schedule compared to the Eagles? Man?
What the heck?
Speaker 1 (10:42):
Dude?
Speaker 3 (10:42):
What gives Tommy?
Speaker 8 (10:43):
Don't look at me. I don't I don't pick this.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
Is Tommy's fault, but they always Tom's fault. He announced them.
Speaker 7 (10:49):
What I'm really looking forward to this year is we
talked so much about how prolific this offense is and
how amazing it is, and it really was last year.
I think I think your true test of like, okay,
is this a champion should caliber offense.
Speaker 8 (11:01):
Comes when you play Houston.
Speaker 7 (11:03):
If you can put up twenty one points on that
Texans defense, I would be impressed. I just don't see
how anybody scores on them. They are so loaded.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
I mean you're listen, all these defenses.
Speaker 8 (11:16):
Yeah, yeah, really like.
Speaker 7 (11:19):
Houston's to me is I think the best in the
league in terms of pass rush, in ms of every
terms of everything across the I think they're solid across
the board.
Speaker 9 (11:26):
I think you're going to be pleasantly one I'm saying
not pleasantly, but I think it won't be pleasant.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Hopefully it will be pleasant. But all these defenses are nasty.
Speaker 9 (11:34):
Yeah, I mean seriously, like all of them, except for
those teams that I mentioned in terms of you know,
the Cardinals, Commanders, those teams that you really don't know about.
The Titans have they they're going to be a nasty defense, okay.
And in every other team that we talked about, the Ravens,
we know that their defense is going to be completely different.
That's why they change their head coach. Their defense will
be nasty as well. And the Packers, you know what
you're getting with at them, The Colts solid across the board, Eagles, yes,
(11:58):
Giants yes, like all these like they're there's no easy
there's maybe two games where you can say, Okay, hey,
we feel pretty good about this, you know, our offense
versus defense. Other than that, it's gonna be a freaking
battle Royale weekend week out.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Yeah, defense got to step up.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
Yeah, everybody has to step up.
Speaker 9 (12:12):
This is this is a tough All these teams got better,
you know, outside of your outside of your division, all
these other teams that are on your schedule, Cardinals, we
don't know what they are.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 9 (12:22):
That's the one team that you just truly don't know
who they are. But I mean when you look at
the other teams, the Bucks, who's calling their freaking defense? Yeah,
you know what, that's gonna be, right, And they just
happen to get freaking baye in on right now. They
got you know, the big fella you know from Bda
Bay in the middle, though, you got to worry about
those things. Jaguars defense is nasty, right they lost a
couple of pieces, but they're they're nasty across the board and
(12:42):
in the Rams.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
We know what they are. Seahawks, we know what they are. Packers.
They might have a little bit of something they want
to come get Texans. Yes.
Speaker 9 (12:49):
Culture, I mean like there's no one game maybe where
you're like, we got their number.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
Everybody else is like you better look at the matchups.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
There's no let up. But I think, like you're saying,
all of these teams got better, including the Cowboys in
my I mean, definitely they improved this offseason in terms
of the defensive side. The offense is definitely par for
the course and continuing hopefully what they've built last year.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
A lot of intrigue around at Cowboys defense right.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
Now, but the defense is totally one eight revamped. Yeah, absolutely,
And it's been a good morning of football talking to
you guys, and speaking of Good Morning Football, I want
I want to address a hot take that Isaiah had
last week on Good Morning Football regarding the Cowboys defense
and switching over from the three to four or four
to three to three four, let's talk about that when
(13:35):
we come back, or on talking cowboys right after this.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Every day begins with a promise, a promise to work
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Where were you? Where are you noted?
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(14:30):
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Speaker 8 (15:13):
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Speaker 1 (15:17):
Here's your wine. Wow?
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We think so.
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Yeah it, Isaiah, you had a hot take a couple
(16:17):
of weeks ago.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
Football. Why is it? Why is a big deal? The
switch from the four to three two three.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
Four listen man personnel.
Speaker 9 (16:28):
We talked about this before the change was made, before
the defensive coordinator for the.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
Cowboys was hired. We talked about the.
Speaker 9 (16:36):
Prospects for the defensive coordinator position, and obviously now that
has been fulfilled, but prior to that, we were saying,
why is this such a big deal whether you grab
someone who's a four to three guy versus three four guy.
And the number one thing that I said prior to
the GMFB show that you're referencing was personnel that you
cannot keep your roster the same and change schemes, right,
(16:57):
because the personnel that's required to effective navigate those schemes
and impose those schemes.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
Has to change.
Speaker 9 (17:05):
When you run a four to three, you typically have
two big fellas in the middle that you know there
were obviously one technique, three techniques all the way to five,
and then you have your seven and then your nine techniques.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
Right, usually have.
Speaker 9 (17:15):
One or two really good pass rushing defensive ends that
have their hands in the ground. When you got two
big fellas in the middle that are responsible for two
gapping or playing one specific gap. Three three true linebackers
at the second level when you switch over to three four.
Now those fellas in the middle, at least the main
guy right who would typically be your one technique, now
(17:36):
he's really a one or three technique. Like's not he's
not doing a whole lot of movie right anywhere between
zero to three. So he's usually a big fellow that's
a big nasty. Think about a old big Sam Adams right,
or Gilbert Brown right, guys like that, Guys that are
just big nasties, or maybe yeah, or maybe somebody named Otito,
I don't know, maybe something like that. Just a big
(17:57):
fellow in the middle. That just really just his job
is a consume the center and just take him out
the game.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
Right, thought he was his death guy.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
Oh yeah, I mean it can be, but no, that's
not why.
Speaker 9 (18:08):
The reason why Osa a Digizua is not here Osadigizoo
costs a lot of money and Osa digizu is not
big enough right to facilitate that role. So not had
nothing to do with his capabilities as a player. But
it's like, for what he does, well, it would not
work in this particular scheme for what they're asking of
that position.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
That's why he's not here. That's why they brought in Anto.
Speaker 9 (18:29):
He's a big fella, right, three hundred and thirty pounds,
big nassy in the middle. As soon as the center
snaps the ball, he grabs them. He two gaps, right.
He pushed that guy back. He says, you cannot work
up to the second level. What do the guys next
to him do? Okay, well, you have a Kenny Clark
and you have a Quinn Williams. Both of those guys
are interchangeable on both sides. But those guys are typically
going to play between the three and the five techniques. Okay,
those guys are jobs is to take up the guards, right,
(18:51):
consume those guards. So you have the you have your
zero one technique taking up the center, and you're consuming
those those those guards. Now, so the interior three guys
are really being occupied. What does that allowed for you
to do?
Speaker 1 (19:03):
Well? Those guys those three.
Speaker 9 (19:04):
And five techniques can really widen out and consume some
of the tackles as well if they split the difference.
So now you're preventing that offensive line from working up
to the second level.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Right.
Speaker 9 (19:13):
Now, what happens at the second level, you have two
typically two true linebackers, right, those are your interior linebackers.
Usually it's an interior linebacker and another guy that might
be called a joker. Okay, one true guy who's downhill guy,
red ball hit ball, another guy who might be me
a little bit more athletic. But now we're really changes
(19:34):
on the outside. Your quote unquote outside linebackers are really
kind of tweeners. Right in the old three four schemes,
these were like ginormous defensive ends who like to be
in bicycle stances, right, they don't have their hand in
the ground. They like to be in a track start stance.
And these guys are literally They're meant to set the edge,
contain everything, constrict everything, restrict everything so that you can
(19:55):
funnel everything to the middle. Right, those middle linebackers are
unimpeded because those offensive line and can't work up to them,
so they can see gaps and hit the gap and
they can go out there and read react. Your linebackers
are the playmakers on that defense. Now with these newer
three four schemes, those defensive ends are a little bit
more athletic right there. They might not be six four
sixty five, two seventy like they used to be back
(20:16):
in the day. Now they might be sixty three to
sixty five, but maybe you know anywhere from two forty
five to two sixty five.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
That's kind of the range now.
Speaker 9 (20:23):
And their job is still the same, right, contained set
the edge, but now I also need you to pass rush. Right,
I need to set the edge, but I need you
to have a little wigle to you so that you
can get to the quarterback. You're typically going to be
man to man versus a tackle or a tight end, right,
and we need you to control that individual, whether it's
restricting and constricting the lanes or it's beating those guys
(20:44):
one on one and going and get the quarterback. That
is really the main difference between the schemes. Now when
these guys are lined up outside edge of the tackle
box or the tight end box and they're forcing everything
in or pass rushing from that stand up position versus
being truly set in at the line position where you're
inside the tackle box and you're really in a two
point stance just here and there chilling. So those are
(21:06):
really the differences and the reason why it's important to
acknowledge that when you bring in a Rashaun Gary, when
you have a te Winners, now that's gonna be sorry,
D Winners, that's at the middle linebacker position. Now he's
the guy who's should lead this team in tackles based
upon position, based upon what's being asked. There was the
reason why it's so important to have a guy who's
(21:28):
tried and true at the position because he's going to
be asked to be the tackling machine to Maririo Overshewing.
You know, God willing that he's healthy. He's your more
athletic guy that can rip and run. Right, he's still
inside the tackle box right playing next to d Winners.
But his job is really to run and react right,
be able to drop in coverage, consume some zones with
his long arms. But when he sees something, go hit
the ball and then seawan Gary and your other defensive end.
(21:51):
Whatever you decide to do with that position, those guys
are going to be to go get.
Speaker 1 (21:55):
The quarterback and or set the edge.
Speaker 9 (21:58):
That's really what you're asking of these guys, and then
you don't have to change your defense. Typically a defense,
a defensive coordinator sits there in the box and he
looks and sees, okay, what personnel is coming out for
the offense, right, as soon as he sees three receivers
come out, All right, eleven personnel, let me go change
to a nickel, Let me go change to a dying
whatever it might be. When you have athletic guys that
are versatile and can stay in the three four, now
(22:19):
I don't have to change my scheme in rotating as
in rotating guys, I don't have to keep substituting guys
out to match.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
Which has been a customed to for very much money.
Speaker 9 (22:26):
Right, and why does that play to your advantage? Well,
if Tommy knows that every time he sends eleven personnel out,
I have to change. Now he can start scheming up
his offense to handle what it is that we're.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
Lacking in size potentially.
Speaker 9 (22:38):
Right, Well, now, if Tommy comes out at eleven personnel
and I keep my guys out there, Tommy doesn't know
what the heck I'm doing.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
He doesn't know what he doesn't know if I'm blitzing
on his plan.
Speaker 9 (22:46):
He can't look at the analytics and say, Okay, well
we're third and eleven and we go eleven personnel. These
guys are gonna blitz forty percent of the time. That's
kind of how our mind works because we get this
data all week long. Now that the defense stays the same,
so now what is he think? He's like, crap, Well,
the personnel didn't change, so I have no indicators as
to what they may or may not be doing. Right,
which allows for you defensively to be more aggressive. It
(23:09):
allows for you to be to have a better disguise,
It allows for.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
You to post screen situation you.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
Don't know what's happening. So that's kind of all encompassing.
Speaker 9 (23:18):
I know there's a lot of information, but that's what
allows for you to do defensively, and that's what allows
for how effective.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
It allows for you to be defensively.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
Now, do you have the personnel to effectively change the
results based on just simply changing the scheme?
Speaker 1 (23:31):
Now?
Speaker 3 (23:32):
Yes, I mean you're talking about the worst defense in
the league last year.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 9 (23:35):
Now, I am encouraged because I can't say for sure
anything yet until we see it on film right when
they go to training camp, and especially when they have
that joint practice. That's when I will know. Right, check
back with me whenever we have a joint practice and
I can tell you how we're really looking. But based
upon what they've done, front office has done an amazing
job of turning over this roster to accompany this three
(23:55):
four defense.
Speaker 1 (23:56):
There's seven new starters on defense.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
Yeah, you've done it.
Speaker 9 (24:00):
Hell, you've done a hell of a job, right, that's
seven new starters on defense. So I think based upon
the personnel that they have now, I think that they
are more in that to be able to handle that
scheme and be effective in that scheme. I don't think
they're done yet. I don't think the front office has
done yet. I still believe that there's gonna be one
or two more veterans that are signed that can make
(24:20):
huge additions.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
On this defense.
Speaker 9 (24:21):
I think they're going to go through OTA's and see
where they're at. I think that they'll probably even get
close to training camp and find out where they're looking
and how they're looking. But I foresee there being another
linebacker addition, and I foresee there being another pass rusher.
Speaker 7 (24:35):
I still don't think you got your MIC linebacker on
this team yet. I don't think you're confintently saying that's
week one. I don't think D winners is that. I
think D winners is kind of similar to the Kenneth
Murray situation last year. I don't think Murray was ever
really a MIC, and maybe in college he was, Yeah, he.
Speaker 8 (24:51):
Was never really.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Murray did also lead the team in tackles last year,
and well, you got.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
What you Kenneth Murray is a sea ball hit ball
type of guys. That's what we're saying. When a MIC
is more of a mike.
Speaker 7 (25:01):
Is more like cerebral and of like, you got to
communicate everything out to every level of this defense.
Speaker 9 (25:06):
And just because you know the defense doesn't mean that
you can verbalize everybody.
Speaker 8 (25:10):
Communicate it out right.
Speaker 7 (25:11):
And I'm not saying Kenneth Murray wasn't capable of doing that.
I'm not trying to take any digs here, but he
just never played that position. Dee Winners is not he
said it on our conference call. He's never played Mike.
So I don't know if necessarily that's the guy that
you're looking for to do this. I don't know if
to marve on over shown as a guy you're looking
forward to do that. So that means if the season
starts today, you're Mike linebacker is probably Jayshawn.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
Barham and you're trying to make him that.
Speaker 8 (25:33):
Yeah, and they're trying to make him that.
Speaker 7 (25:34):
But can you be is he the guy you want
to bank on as a rookie to run your defense?
Speaker 1 (25:38):
I know somebody who's free, who can who can play
Mike linebacker.
Speaker 8 (25:40):
I think we all do, all right, we all do.
Speaker 3 (25:42):
We've talked about yeah, so we'll see.
Speaker 7 (25:45):
But no, I think I say hit the nail on
the head breaking down you know the three four and
how it's kind of changed in the modern era of
football too. What I'm gonna be fascinated to see with
Christian Parker is how much we actually see them in
three four base because I don't.
Speaker 8 (25:58):
Know if we're going to see him in the a time.
Speaker 7 (26:00):
I think you're going to see them in more Nick Nikol,
for sure, because of the personnel they've got. You look
at all the additions they've made. They have constructed this
roster from the back to the front versus the front
to the back, which is typically how teams do how
I would do it, because I think you win and
lose games to the line of scrimmage. I don't think
you win them in the secondary. But hey, go ahead
and prove me wrong. I don't care what I know.
(26:22):
So that's going to be really interesting to see how
Number one, how those the safety room is utilsk. I
wonder if it's going to be something similar to what
Iowa States ran under Matt Campbell in the last couple
of years when they kind of do three high safeties
and they just move them all over the place and
that gave good offense is a ton of fits. So
we'll see what Christian Parker's got up his sleeve. But
(26:43):
I think ASA is right, you need some personnel changes.
Speaker 9 (26:46):
Too before we take it out next break, can you
please give a little bit more insight to those who
are unaware because the time has gone by as so
far as some of these somebody these unrestricted free agent
acquisitions that the Cowboys have had in terms of the
secondary and these veterans right right, you know, the draft come,
you know, some of the other stuff's happened. Crazy free
agency happened, and I think people have forgotten some of
the other key pieces that will be playing roles on
(27:07):
his defense going.
Speaker 7 (27:08):
For well, Jalen Thompson is the biggest one from the Cardinals.
He was their biggest payday. He's the biggest signing and
they're gonna have him play all over the place. I mean,
he can, he can cover the deep parts of the field.
He's got great range, So that's probably gonna be your
biggest one. In the safety room, he's still got Mali Cooker.
They'll probably play alongside each other most of the time,
and then you'll probably see Caleb Downs in the nickel spot.
(27:31):
They also got p J. Locke at safety. Played a
little bit more throughout his time in Denver. He's a
guy who's familiar with Christian Parker's system. They played together
or while he coached Locke, so there's some familiarity there
with that. The quarnerback room, Kobe Durant, who I know
is the most popular person among the Cowboys fan base
at the moment.
Speaker 8 (27:50):
But hey, this guy's a good player.
Speaker 7 (27:52):
He was good for Los Angeles last year on a
defense that really struggled to defend the pass. I think
he was one of their bright spots. Gosh, I'm trying
not to draw a blank. Heard, I forget anybody?
Speaker 1 (28:02):
What would you say for those that are that don't
have the vision?
Speaker 9 (28:07):
Yeah, per se having a Thompson and a Caleb Downs
on the same defense, how similar are those guys as players?
Speaker 3 (28:14):
Well, that was one thing that Christian Parker kept bringing up,
especially at the combine, talking about brain works, the guys
that are cerebral guys that like can know the defense
in and out and be able to contribute from from
a knowledge standpoint and always know where everything's going to be.
To me, that those are guys that are going to
exemplify what Parker's defense is.
Speaker 7 (28:34):
I think that you're asking differences between the two. I'm
just saying, like, how similar are they?
Speaker 9 (28:38):
How do what characterations do they do they embody that
allow for them to be dangerous as a combination.
Speaker 8 (28:45):
That's a good question.
Speaker 7 (28:46):
I think that I think the Downs is more of
the downhill lay a hat on.
Speaker 8 (28:51):
You read and react.
Speaker 7 (28:53):
We were talking with Ross Webs, the national scout here
for the Cowboys, and he said, the middle of the field,
between the hashes is where this guy is different.
Speaker 8 (29:00):
And so I think that's really where he.
Speaker 7 (29:01):
Thrives in the middle of the field, whether it be
reading and react to get an interception, reading and the
react in their own run game.
Speaker 8 (29:07):
He's better at the line of scrimmage. You can line
him up there.
Speaker 7 (29:09):
He can fill the B gap, he can blitz the quarterback,
he can do those kinds of things. Jalen Thompson is
more of your center field kind of safety who can
cover all over the field. He's got great range and
he can if you've got deep balls to either side
of the field.
Speaker 8 (29:23):
He can be the guy that goes and gets there.
Speaker 7 (29:25):
Not to say that Downs can't, but I think Thompson
is more range than that department. So that's why you
see Downs being talked about more as a nickel, because
really your nickel, you want them to dominate that middle
part of the field. Think about what Jordan Lewis did
here in Dallas when he was here. It was the
middle portion of the field. It was coming and hitting
hard and just being able to in a big tackler
for you, right, a huge tackler and being able to
(29:47):
make plays near the line of scrimmage.
Speaker 8 (29:49):
That's the kind of things that I would expect Caleb
Downs to do.
Speaker 3 (29:51):
And Thompson is nothing but if not consistent and a
player like that that is cerebral like that that can
influence Downs like coming into his career as a rookie
and using all of those physically gifted traits that he
has while learning from a guy like Thompson is going
to be invaluable for him. Absolutely. I want to continue
this conversation, but guess we had a heated debate last
(30:14):
episode on this show where you guys were not here,
but it was on if the Cowboys were to be
able to turn around their defense to become a top fifteen.
Oh yeah, more talking cowboys after this break. What would
you like the power to do? Dig deep and ask it.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
Can you really live.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
So far from the family you lean on?
Speaker 11 (30:39):
Well?
Speaker 10 (30:40):
Will it broken nose break you?
Speaker 3 (30:41):
Or will it make you?
Speaker 5 (30:45):
Bank of America champions, US men's national team player Diego
Luna and everyone who dares to ask, what would you
like the power to do Bank of America proud to
be the official bank of US Soccer and FIFA World
Cup twenty twenty six. Bank of America NA Member a
d SE.
Speaker 4 (31:00):
We're looking for fresh American roasted coffee that gives back.
You need to head to your local grocery store and
pick up a bag of Black Rifle Coffee. That's right,
America's coffee is now available in the coffee aisle of
a grocery store near you. Black Rifle Coffee Company is
veteran founded with a mission to give back to those
brave men and women who have served our nation. Every bag,
(31:22):
box or can you purchase help support that mission. Head
to your local grocery store and roast yourself some Black
Rifle Coffee today.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Every day begins with a promise, a promise to work
hard and to build a future. That's why we're here
providing the tools, expertise and John Deere equipment you have
relied on for generations to help you get the job
done right.
Speaker 12 (31:47):
We're with you.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
That's our promise to you, because no matter the project
or the challenge you're facing, we're with you.
Speaker 3 (31:55):
Where are United, I'm home?
Speaker 10 (31:59):
Hey, Mom, Before you ask, I've done my homework and
the dishwashers unloading.
Speaker 8 (32:02):
Nice. Hey can you ahn? Yes, I've got the finale
ready to play.
Speaker 1 (32:06):
Here's your wine? Wow?
Speaker 3 (32:08):
Isn't it nice not having to ask?
Speaker 1 (32:10):
We think so.
Speaker 11 (32:11):
That's why if there's a network interruption, at and T
will proactively credit you for a full day of service
guarantee credit for fiber downtime lasting twenty minutes or more,
or for wireless downtime lasting sixty minutes and more caused
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Speaker 12 (32:29):
To Talking Cowboys, Welcome back to Dogged Cowboys.
Speaker 3 (32:34):
We're live. That's BBC Studios. I'm here with Patrick or not.
Speaker 1 (32:42):
We all alike?
Speaker 3 (32:42):
Huh oh No, No, I'm here with Patrick Spirit Patrick
No Walker.
Speaker 8 (32:47):
I know Patrick, No Walker.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
I miss him dearly. He's a good man.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
Somebody should play like some He'll be let your scooter wheel.
Speaker 3 (32:54):
Not next week, but the week after.
Speaker 1 (32:55):
He'll be back and we'll talk to him.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
Fellas. Just for the break, we wanted to talk about
turning this defensive round. I think it's possible. In your
wildest dreams, do you think the defense can turn around
to be a top fifteen defense next season. Yeah, it
can by end of the season.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
Yeah, I can. I believe that it can.
Speaker 3 (33:12):
But in order to do so, Kyle said absolutely not, No,
he's crazy.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
In order to do that.
Speaker 9 (33:16):
I mean, listen, any team in this league can turn
around their team, right, not even just one side of
the ball.
Speaker 1 (33:22):
You could turn your team around in a year. And
we've seen it.
Speaker 9 (33:26):
We just saw it, sainted, we just sincted in it.
We just saw it happen in the Super Bowl. Right,
There's two teams that weren't They weren't even remotely close
to the year before, and then.
Speaker 1 (33:33):
They were there.
Speaker 9 (33:34):
So to say that it can't happen is blasphemy. I
believe that the changes that the Cowboys have made, we're
in wait and see.
Speaker 3 (33:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (33:42):
I mean that's just reality. Right.
Speaker 9 (33:43):
So anybody coming out saying for sure, for sure anything
is crazy. But it's encouraging to see that these guys
have made. They've made the defensive coordinator change, the.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
Individual, the positional coaches.
Speaker 9 (33:57):
Have changed drastically. There's a different mentality, there's a different energy, right.
I think the emphasis on development has changed. Were in
the past, the coaches that were here. No shade at them,
but I think it was more so get with the
program or get out type of deal versus here is like, hey,
we have talent, We're going to bring you in, and
(34:18):
then we are going to take the responsibility to teach you.
Something that I've talked about on this show many times before,
the responsibility on positional coaches needs to be leveled up,
and I feel as if these coaches truly take that on.
I think that they take pride in developing talent.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
You come in.
Speaker 9 (34:34):
Just because you're considered now a professional athlete doesn't mean
that there's not room to improve, and their job as
coaches position coaches is to improve those players. So I
look forward to seeing that development from these players, even
though they're coming in gifted and talented, and then putting
these guys in position to be successful. And I think
with the talent that you have, yes, you can be productive.
Now that's not to say that these offenses aren't going
(34:55):
to continue to get better as well, but you have
to go out there and put it together, and I
think that you have personal you have encouragement from these coaches.
There's going to be ups and downs, like there is
with any team. Any defense teams will Your team will
continue to evolve. If there's areas of weakness that they
are identify throughout the training camp, throughout the season, they
will make This front office seems to be committed to
make changes, so I think you will see this defense
(35:16):
continue to evolve throughout the year. What you see in
week one is not what you're going to see in
the middle of the week and in the middle of
the season. So yes, I can foresee them being there
if they can get pressure and if they could take
the ball away, if they take that back.
Speaker 1 (35:29):
Not even a pressure.
Speaker 9 (35:29):
If you can stop the run and you can take
the ball away, those are the two aspects that have
to be top ten performances for me in order for
it is to be a top fifteen defense.
Speaker 3 (35:37):
I would argue that you feel you should feel pretty
good about being able to stop the run, like because
they've invested so much in that position, in that defensive line,
in the middle of the defensive line, that I would
think at this point, that's the one thing that you
can count on, like, we'll be able to stop the run,
especially up the middle. It's the linebackers that you're really
concerned about right now because that position isn't solidified. Tommy,
do you think this defense is capable of being a
(35:59):
top fifteen by the season?
Speaker 8 (36:00):
Capable?
Speaker 7 (36:01):
Yes, because I think I say I hit it on
the head. Is anybody can turn things around in one year?
Speaker 8 (36:06):
Anybody.
Speaker 7 (36:07):
I don't think they will be a top fifteen defense
by the end of the year. I'm sorry, I mean,
I like.
Speaker 3 (36:14):
I'm still not an unbiased opinion, so please, I'm.
Speaker 7 (36:16):
Not necessarily sold on the pass rush. I think that
is the most important aspect of winning in today's NFL
is you have to get to the quarterback. And when
you get to the quarterback, then the turnovers happen. Then
stopping the run happen. That's got to be the biggest thing.
And you can say the same thing about stopping the
run because then that takes it tougher on the quarterback too,
(36:36):
and you've got to be able to be one dimensional.
But I really think if you can just affect the backfield,
get out of the quarterback, everything on every level of your.
Speaker 8 (36:45):
Defense gets easier.
Speaker 7 (36:47):
And I don't know if this team has a guy
right now that I can point to and say, if
it's third down and we need to stop that guy's
going to get a sack.
Speaker 8 (36:55):
I don't think this team has that. Yeah, and that's.
Speaker 7 (36:57):
The biggest, you know, the portion for me. And so
the linebacker room, of course still has questions too of
you know, if we're talking about stopping the run here,
I mean, yeah, we've got.
Speaker 8 (37:08):
A great defensive line.
Speaker 7 (37:09):
Quinn Williams, Kenny clark O, Tito Bonya, Rashan Gary has
been a good run defender his entire career.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
And as Raku whe he did flash last season, it.
Speaker 7 (37:18):
Was yeah, it was more as a run guy than
it was a pass rusher, which is interesting.
Speaker 8 (37:21):
But they're not going to win every play is support act.
Speaker 7 (37:26):
So who in the linebacker room do you feel truly
confident as a tackler that they can go make a
play if it's just read and react, if you don't
have a mic at the moment, I think you know,
d Winners has great ability to read, get there quickly,
good closing speed to maarve On Overshowan obviously as has that,
but you know, is he fully healthy and does he
have that same burst that we saw a couple of
(37:47):
years ago. You know, obviously with two major knee injuries
that certainly tampers with things. But I just don't know
if I can confidently say this is going to be
a top fifteen. I don't think they're going to be
thirty second again, right, I mean, there are worse students
out there, but I don't know if I would put
them in the upper half of the NFL just yet.
Speaker 1 (38:05):
I'm gonna ask you two fellas a question.
Speaker 9 (38:07):
If you had to pick right between, I'm not gonna
say sacks or I'm gonna say QB pressures, right, QB
pressures as one category and rush defense as one category.
All right, one of those had to be a top
ten and one of those had to be a bottom ten.
Speaker 1 (38:22):
Which one would you rather have?
Speaker 3 (38:26):
It would be probably run fence.
Speaker 1 (38:29):
A bottom ten.
Speaker 7 (38:30):
This team got a bunch of pressure on the quarterback
last year and it didn't matter.
Speaker 3 (38:34):
No, Yeah, yeah, it's one thing to get pressure is
one thing to get sacks. I mean absolutely, I and genuinely,
I do feel really good about the run defense right now.
I would say that that's most likely.
Speaker 9 (38:45):
Do you still feel as if you need one more
piece on the defensive front at Yeah, not pass rusher,
not a pass rusher.
Speaker 3 (38:54):
Yes, Because I'm not sold on Abonya right now, branded
that the size, that the measure that you're talking about,
I think are playing to his advantage absolutely, especially if
they see something in him. And we'll have to wait
until we're, like you said, a joint practice before he
can really see how effective he's going to be in
this defense. However, I feel like that spot to me
(39:14):
isn't solidified yet.
Speaker 9 (39:15):
All right, what about the addition to Jonathan Buller. Do
you think that that gives you anything. I know he's
kind of trying to rekindle his I think that depth,
I would say, so, do you guys feel secure, because
right now I still feel as if they need one
more tried and true piece at defensive line. And when
I say that, I think about guys like a Cameron Jordan. Now,
he might cost you a couple more dollars, right, but
(39:35):
I think adding a Cameron Jordan, somebody who's who's a
locker room guy, somebody who's a veteran around his league. Yeah,
he's at the end of his career, so he might
not cost you as much. By somebody who can still
who's still an absolute dog. That's somebody that you could
put on this defensive front that can give.
Speaker 1 (39:49):
You a depth.
Speaker 9 (39:49):
So if you have an injury right right now, everybody's like,
oh yeah, our defensive line is solid.
Speaker 1 (39:54):
Yeah, until you.
Speaker 9 (39:54):
Have an injury, right So quinnin Williams, Kenny Clark goes out,
you're not going to say that same thing. Yeah right,
So who is it that you're rotating in that you
feel confident with Jatoya? Yeah no, no, not yet. Hopefully
it snaps for him, right, but it hasn't happened yet.
Speaker 3 (40:08):
I feel that way about several positions, like including linebacker
as well. We've talked about it at nausea.
Speaker 1 (40:13):
We know they're gonna get another linebacker.
Speaker 3 (40:14):
But to me, I don't think they're relying enough on
veteran presence and getting a vested vet like even if
he is long in the tooth. I think that experience
on this team would only benefit the players because you're
right now in a position where I didn't want you
to be, where you're banking on rookies contributing early and
often in this season to get you where you need
to go and relying on them like we're talking about,
(40:36):
but possibly a rookie starting at Mike. You know, to me,
it's an uncomfortable position to be in.
Speaker 7 (40:42):
If we're talking about investing resources on this defense at
the moment, I don't know if I would go defensive line.
I would probably go a linebacker and then make probably
corner too, because yeah, who do you feel confident about
in this corner room? Oh yeah, I don't. I really don't.
That's a tough one.
Speaker 3 (40:59):
I mean, you could say bland. But the foot is
what is problem?
Speaker 8 (41:02):
Is he healthy?
Speaker 3 (41:03):
Yeah? Exactly?
Speaker 9 (41:03):
The problem is the corner is one of those things
where if you were not going to grab your guy
in free agency top of free agency, and then you're
relying on the draft because corners are just hard to
come by. That's just the reality is one of slim
picks and they're expensive absolutely when they are on the market.
If you are in a position where you're in a
development phase with your corners, then your defensive front better
(41:27):
be nasty.
Speaker 1 (41:28):
That's my idea, right, that's my idea. That's my thought process.
Speaker 9 (41:31):
If you if you don't not in a position to
go grab a for sure thing at corner, which that
time has passed right out the free agency's past. You've
got your guy right and you know you got your durant.
That's your acquisition there, and now you go to the
draft and you grab somebody else, right, But outside of that,
the market's slim at corner unless you want to spin
right on somebody who's been out for a minute, right,
(41:52):
or who's waiting for the perfect opportunity. Either way, if
you're in a position where you got to pay some
real money for a corner, so most likely you're with
the Cowboys. They're in a develop face, right. The guys
that we have is we're sticking in. We're sticking picking in,
liking it, like I said, right, and we have to
develop our guys. So if I'm not going to be
dominant there, which you're probably out of that out of
that window. Now, where can I be dominant to make
their job easier? I better get to the dog on quarterback, right,
(42:14):
So that's what I'm saying. If you're going to add
more pieces, you better pick up another linebacker or a
real one. Okay, pick up another linebacker. And I know
there's still guys Marrizlea found guys that who have to
prove themselves at that position, who can who can play ball,
But we have to see how they fit in the scheme.
But you better add another tried and true linebacker so
that you don't not sitting here worried about who your
MIC is. And then you better add an I think
(42:35):
I know everybody wants a pass rusher.
Speaker 1 (42:37):
I think that you could do just fine.
Speaker 9 (42:38):
Bringing back to Davis Clowney, I think he'll be okay
in this scheme, but I need another d lineman because
I don't want that to ever fall away. I don't
want one injury to derail our ability to stop the run.
I don't want would be one guy away from us
having a significant drop off in productivity because if you
lose the difference when you have the three four, if
(43:00):
you lose one guy, you're screwed.
Speaker 3 (43:02):
Yeah, and he's and if he's not multiple like you're
talking about, then four.
Speaker 9 (43:06):
To three we can we kind of kind of scheme
some stuffway when we're into three four and we lose
one of those three guys.
Speaker 8 (43:12):
Yeah, it's tough.
Speaker 1 (43:12):
It's tough. So you better have a backup.
Speaker 3 (43:14):
Let's pivot the conversation because this is something I think
you'd be really interested in, Isaiah, Because on dallascowboys dot Com,
Tommy is going through all of our rookie selections. The
rookie draft class and watching tape on these guys watching.
He's a film guy, arguably the biggest film guy on
this podcast currently. Tommy tell us about tape talk and
(43:35):
what you're seeing so far from the rookie. I like
that a guy that watches.
Speaker 8 (43:39):
I appreciate it. Yeah, tape talk is fun for me.
Speaker 7 (43:41):
I really enjoy watching film and seeing you know what
guys oh well, what guys don't do well.
Speaker 3 (43:46):
One second before we get into that, I think we
might have a special introduction to tape.
Speaker 13 (43:51):
Talkow tell me on the screen tonight in every move
Cowboys on the table, the light, he's in that infl
groove dress, bas gym socks, butting up, chop.
Speaker 1 (44:18):
Run no gas in between.
Speaker 9 (44:26):
Hands up, wint watch out o thing goals.
Speaker 6 (44:30):
I guy, I got you, I got you talking talking
about breaking down.
Speaker 8 (44:44):
I don't want to talk over it. Yeah, it's fun
to just turn through.
Speaker 7 (44:50):
I'm not gonna act like a you know, a super
film junkie or anything like that, but just being able
to see what guys do well, what guys do well.
I mean, you know, I wasn't like I say, I
didn't play in the league, but I like to think
I know a couple of things, and you know, I'm
always open to corrections. If anybody wants, I will love
to watch film with you, sir, Yeah, let's do it,
but just to buy it back.
Speaker 8 (45:10):
I'm always looking to learn.
Speaker 7 (45:12):
But this has been fun to kind of share it
with everyone and be like, hey, this is what I'm
seeing my favorite. The great things about film is everybody
sees different ways, right, So I really enjoy getting to
watch it and see all the different aspects. Yeah, we're
going through the rookie class at the moment. So Caleb Downs,
Malachi Lawrence, and Jayshawn Barham or bar Ham I should say,
(45:32):
excuse me, are on the website. Drew Shelton for the
offensive tackle for Penn State will be up later today.
You know, with Downs, we talked about it so much.
It's the cerebral things, the middle of the field, the instincts.
Malachi Lawrence is you see why this staff is excited
on some snaps because he has that twitch off the line.
(45:56):
He always attacks the football. He's the guy that could
get you, you know, a couple of worst fumbles this year.
I wouldn't be surprised that, but you're gonna have to
see him grow as a run defender. He's not necessarily
a set the edge guy, and it might take him
a little bit to come along as an NFL pass rusher.
And then Barham is just fascinating prospect because east to
west he moves so well, he can cover so much ground.
Speaker 3 (46:19):
But is a diagnosis there.
Speaker 7 (46:22):
It is there at times, but it's maybe a half
a tick behind. And I think the first play that
we looked at was one where you see that he
gets away from the second level climber, but he's still
late to get to the Excuse me, he's late to
get to the gap. And then two plays later we
look at him going up against a kid who won
the four by one hundred state championship in Texas high
(46:42):
school track and set the national record by three tenths
of a second with his team, and you see him
chase him down east to west and doesn't let him
turn the corner and score and easy touchdown.
Speaker 1 (46:52):
So some things you can't teach.
Speaker 7 (46:54):
Yeah, and that speed is something that the forty times
wasn't like, oh my goodness with barm but you can
still see him track that ground and cover that space
with the pads on, and that to me is more
important when it comes to your linebacker. But you also
see Michigan say hey, we're gonna move you to the
edge spot and see what you can do there.
Speaker 8 (47:14):
And he did some good things there.
Speaker 7 (47:16):
There's the play of him stacking and ripping and he
just throws the right tackle off of him and gets
in the quarterback's face. So it's been a really, really
fun time breaking down these players and hope you guys
keep reading it.
Speaker 1 (47:30):
Man, that's freaking awesome.
Speaker 9 (47:31):
And and just to kind of piggyback on some of
the things that you just mentioned, especially in regards to Barham,
the instinct that you're talking about, right, the read and react,
the sideline, sideline speed, the diagnosis can be improved.
Speaker 1 (47:45):
Right, That's what I want to help that.
Speaker 3 (47:46):
You want more confident you get in a defense that
you have some time with. And clearly he's getting it now.
Speaker 9 (47:52):
Absolutely mean, we've seen we've seen players, i mean bring
up like a ray Lewis right. I'm not making a comparison,
but I'm saying, of course, people who played around his
leaf are very long time. Why were they able to
play and be affected for so many years because when
their bodies were starting to shut down, their minds were elevated,
and they allow for them to play faster than what
their bodies would typically go.
Speaker 1 (48:10):
Right.
Speaker 9 (48:10):
So you can improve instinct, you can improve diagnosis, right,
But those those physical instincts, right, those read and reacts,
those sideline of sideline of forty time, that's the reason
why some guys play faster than their forty Some guys
play significantly faster than their forty when. That's why when
you see guys running forty, it's like, oh, man, well
his film, he plays faster than that, because they humanly possible.
(48:33):
You're able to run faster if I'm running. I was
just showing Beamer a film of my daughter running in
a four by one. Right, my daughter was able to
run faster running somebody down, Right, then she would be
if she was just a line up in one hundred
meters and run straight.
Speaker 1 (48:47):
Right.
Speaker 9 (48:47):
It's just something about it, right, So forty time is
relevant sometimes, right, But when you have those guys that
are sideline of sideline guys, there's an intensity factor and
a competitiveness that's like, no, he's not turning that corner
on me, right. Those are the things that you can't
teach as a coach, as a position coach. As a coordinator,
I can't teach that. I can't teach that instinct. I
can't teach that willingness. I can't teach that competitiveness. But
(49:08):
what I can teach is for them to be able
to diagnose things earlier so they can use those same
attributes earlier. Right, So that's what I'm saying. Like this
coaching staff in this front office seem to have gotten
that aspect down. They're like, these are the attributes and
characteristics that we really like about this player. Where they
are lacking, we can improve, right, not them, we can improve.
(49:30):
We're gonna take that responsibilit upon ourselves to make sure
we invest in this young man and give him the
tools and resources so that he can be a better
player for us going forward.
Speaker 3 (49:40):
I like it. I like those words.
Speaker 7 (49:42):
Well remember with Barham too, he challenged a front of
the show Joe Hoyt to a Oklahoma drill in the
middle of a presco. So he's an intense young man.
Speaker 1 (49:53):
I like it.
Speaker 3 (49:54):
All right, fellas, we have to go. Thank you so much.
Come on, talking cowboys. We will be back next week,
same crew, same time, same channel, Chris Beam in the back.
Thank you. So much. We will see you on Talking Cowboys.
Speaker 4 (50:05):
This has been a production of dallascowboys dot Com and
the Dallas Cowboys Football Club.
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