GET UP | Even with terrible defense, Dak will carry Cowboys to playoffs on his own – Louis Riddick

GET UP | Even with terrible defense, Dak will carry Cowboys to playoffs on his own – Louis Riddick

Four, Packers and Cowboys, aka the Micah Parsons Bowl, ended in a 40 to40 tie, the second highest scoring tie in NFL history. Dak Prescott and the Dallas offense was good. However, the defense once again letting them down in the second half in overtime. Green Bay scoring on all five possessions. However, despite that, Barry Jones was somehow still proud of his new Michaels defense. Listen, there is help on the way on defense. More importantly, if you felt it, even though they scored 40 points, our defense improved as that game went along right before your eyes and we did make some stops. No, no, no. Can I have your glasses? Yeah. Yeah. Cuz my eyes are not seeing the same things, bro. I mean, what is happening here? The Packers scored on every one of their drives after halftime. I mean, this team has been an absolute big play, explosive play civ all season long to this point. They play a very simplistic scheme when you’re talking about zone and man principles. The secondary doesn’t communicate with one another very much. They are not very athletic at linebacker. I’m assuming he’s talking about helpless on the way, meaning my guy Dearvon Overshon is going to be returning to the field, which they need desperately because I don’t I don’t know where the improvement came from that he’s talking about late in that football game, but you’re right. Jordan Love had his way with them. So, he I’m sorry. I No, I’m really I’m just trying to find the words to say. He said they got some stops. That’s like factually inaccurate because they got zero stops. He did say that they got better and there ways to get better while still looking bad because at least people weren’t running with 10 yards of space as they were against the Giants the week before. So, they got a little bit better in that case, but like this is not a winning a defense that you can win with. And it we saw case in point on that weekend because the way that Dak and that offense is playing. Oh, someone brought up a comparison this morning in our meeting. Someone brought up a comparison to Joe Burrow’s season last year. Dak may not set the records. I mean, Joe Burrow had the led the league in passing yards and everything last season and the defense was so bad that they missed out on the playoffs. Maybe Dak isn’t having quite that, but it’s not it’s not that far off. Is there a comparison to be made there, uh, Kmart, about what happened last year for how much we’re seeing how vital deck is to this team and this offense? Because take Dak off of this roster. What are you looking at? Um, a really because right now, what are they? Their defense has given up over 400 yards a game. Like it it they their offense they got the best offense in the NFL and they got the worst defense in the NFL. Unfortunately, to me, Jerry kind of reminds me of it’s almost like he’s trying to set this up like he won the breakup between him and Micah. And it’s like now he’s talking about like, “Oh, we got better as it went on.” It’s almost like the guy breaks up with his girl and I was posting the new girl on social like, “Oh, look, I’m I don’t even miss that old thing.” We We see right through you. But your new girl ugly. Thank you. Thank you. For real. Your new girl giving up 420 a game. Yeah, there isn’t a new girl. He He did seem after the game he acted like they won when they tied and he acted like Micah Parsons didn’t have much impact in the game when he did. So it it confused me as well. No, I first of all, Micah had a day. I mean, you look at Micah’s pressure, Micah was getting after him. The the the thing that’s that that bothers you is if you are if you’re Shottenheimr, you’re going in that locker room going, “We’re not good enough on this side.” and he’s going you’re getting you’re not getting better and that so so you’re having you’re you’re having differing voices saying things because Shottenheimer knows you can’t win like this and I flu has got to get it fixed the defense has got to get it fixed you you can’t continue to do this weekend and week out and so when you go oh no we got better because we tied with the trade that I made that nobody thought you know we got by with one it’s so shortsighted and you’re creating again you’re creating more distraction and more problem by not being honest about the situation of we got to fix And one linebacker ain’t fixing it, y’all. He can’t be honest. Yeah. Because if he’s honest, he’s going to say, “Yeah, clearly.” It’s like the emperor in his new clothes or the emperor’s clothes, whatever. Like, I gave away our best defensive piece. Sorry. Look, a lot of times they cut away to Matt Eberloose on the sideline and you see him standing there looking at his call sheet and then kind of like looking over his glasses out on the field like I don’t know what the hell to call. Yeah. I really just don’t know what cuz it’s such a simplistic scheme, Fox. I mean, it it really is. And the and these guys are I mean there’s just basic fundamental breakdowns that are they’re they’re the worst team in the league giving up plus 20 yard explosives. Are they going to get better? Jerry is suggesting they’re getting better. Are they going to because that offense is good enough. They did it without CD Lamb. He’s going to come back. That offense is good enough to make a playoff run this year. Can the defense get better? Here’s the schedule. They got winnable games. Look at these games they got coming up. They could win these next two games for sure. And then you’re right in business. The defense can get better, but not better enough is the problem. like they they’ll improve from where they are, but if they get to middle of the pack, that still to me is not good enough considering their their NFC competition. When you’re trying Yeah. when you’re trying to climb out of that kind of hole, that’s the kind of work that’s done during that that uh thing that we broadcast in May called the draft. That’s when that work is done. Not right now. You will say this though, you look at that schedule, they can win four of those next six games. That’s what I mean. And then they get CD back. I mean, look, you look at your screen right now. Yeah. You you can you can they could be right in it by the time of their he ain’t going to fix the defense, man. And and the point that you made about Jerry’s mixed messages, like that’s the thing that’s driving home is like Shenheimer needs to come in there and be like, “We have to fix this.” But at the same time, the owner of the team is like, “We’re getting better.” Is he saying when he says help is coming that he might make a trade? I mean, people keep talking about that. Is it possible that he’s got a deal to make something up his sleeve? We’ll see. That offense is good enough to take this team somewhere if the defense could play at all for they’re 4-0. There’s never been a more scrutinized 4-0 defending champion in the history of football than this team. But there’s reason for it. They just seem to disappear for halves. They disappeared in the second half offensively against the Rams. Then this past week they comp or excuse me in the first half against the Rams. And then this past week, they literally were Jaylen Herz 0 for8 in the second half of their game against Tampa. Their numbers not great. You see the numbers of what they’re allowing. They’re allowing 330 yards a game. The offense hasn’t been a whole lot better. So the question is pretty simple. The way they are playing right now, it has been good enough to win these games. Some of that has come with complimentary football. Some of it candidly has come with a little fluky stuff here and there. You blocking kicks. I know that’s not an accident, but it’s not something you can count on. Do the Rams need to get be the Eagles need to get better in order to repeat a Super Bowl champion? Absolutely. Because every team improves dramatically in the second half of the season because the first part of the season, the quarter part of the season, now with the way offseason programs are designed and training camp is conducted, you really aren’t playing football until now is kind of like an extended training camp. They’re figuring things out. They have a new offensive coordinator. The offensive line isn’t as playing as good as it was last year. Seaquin has not fallen off of a cliff. Okay, AJ Brown is getting targeted plenty and Jaylen Herz will hit his stride. This team will be there. But yes, it’s nice to win these games the way they are and be 4-0, but there definitely needs to be improvement. I have a chicken and egg question for you here. Saquon Barkley also has not gotten off to a dynamic start. He just is coming off one of the great running back seasons of all time. Are they not throwing? Are they not able to get offense going because defenses are shutting down Barkley? Or is the fact that Barkley is getting shut down causing their passing game to look so bad? Well, honestly, I think that it’s the the first one, not the latter one. I think if they run the ball a ton on first down, they run the ball they throw the ball less than anyone else in the league on first down. And I think they’re not running the ball well on first down because teams are geared up to stop the run. Like, we all know what this team is built to do. But when they get out there, it makes no sense to me why they are playing so riskaverse. When you want to give your quarterback the best possible situation to throw the ball. When’s the best situation? When they’re not expecting it. First and 10, throw the ball to AJ Brown. There’s always going to be extra safety in the box because of your reputation and your running back. So Kmart, you have bit, you were on the Jaylen Herz

GET UP | Even with a terrible defense, Dak will carry the Cowboys to the playoffs on his own – Louis Riddick