VaqueroTD
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Sometimes Troy hasn't had time to watch the Cowboys game. We all heard him during the game, so first-hand observations from a smart no nonsense football legend. Musers are on vacation, so not same interviewers. Musers do a great job. Audio will be available later tonight on Ticket, this was transcribed Live. Just came out.
- Micah Parsons outstanding. Game changing type player. He's already the type of player that opponents have to gameplan for. He was a real force in the game.
- I felt going into the game we would know more about both teams. Even though KC had a good game with the Raiders, the Dallas defense did all they could to keep the game close for the offense. Very impressive performance for the defense. Dan Quinn is outstanding, felt that way for a long time. Has the D playing hard and believing. Biggest part about defensive coaching is just getting guys to buy in and run hard, not scheme.
- CeeDee Lamb being out was a big blow. Two top receivers. When they're healthy it's an abundance of riches and opponents don't know who to slow down. Thought that Dallas would still get more. I did feel Amari Cooper's absence was significant. Didn't feel much was made nationally or locally about it. I expected it to be a high scoring game, and he's one who can beat single coverage, then you lose CeeDee Lamb who can do the same. When you take someone away like that it becomes more challenging.
- Chiefs defense, Steve Spagnulo did a nice job with the Chiefs. I thought Dallas was the biggest test for KC. Not having Tyron Smith was exposed. Defensive front with Chris Jones inside. We look at a lot of things, but more times than not the game is won in the trenches with offensive and defensive lines and KC won that battle.
- Dak was one of the least hit QBs in the NFL. You get spoiled a bit, and I was as well. How significant to Zeke? I don't know. He's a tough guy. He got banged up and came back. I was surprised they didn't commit and try to play smashmouth football, especially when they were struggling. With the score being close, they didn't have to play their normal game and could beat them up a bit and slow them down.
- I don't know that it's been tough for the Eagles to change their offensive focus. They already had it they just didn't major in it. They were still trying to throw the ball. Think back to their Dallas game, they didn't run the ball much. That is smart on the Coach's part to realize it wasn't working and go back to what they did well. They are playing pretty well. It's still Dallas's division to win but I would be real surprised if we get to the end of the season and we talk about Dallas having to win a game to win the division, but how knows? We talked about last week that so much can change in a week in today's NFL. Last week we talked about how dominant Dallas was, and one week later, people have paused on Dallas because of the KC game. When you look around the league, that's true of EVERY team. It's not just performance based, it's based on injuries. Who will lose a player that changes the landscape of the team? Philly doing some good things but they must play at a high level the rest of the year if they want to get back into it.
- Daniel Jones.... he has a few more pieces than he had before but that offensive line has never been able to get where they want it. But with that said, it's one thing when you're a rookie but as you move through the years -- it's different when you've been in the building with an NFL team for a year even if you haven't played -- that critique is far different than a rookie. Jones is in 4th year? You can't help if you aren't getting great protection, but what you have to do is not make it worse. You can't have turnovers - fumbles, interceptions. Especially not the ones like he had last night. That's the frustration and causes everyone in the Giants organization -- they always say the right things like every organization -- but those mistakes are on him and not the WR or OL. You CAN make the problem worse. If you're like that team and now questioning if you have your guy, that's a tough position to be in. As we know, you will never get to where you want without the right QB. Then things fall in place.
- Chicago feels they have their QB in Justin Fields. But we have 2 teams this week on broadcoast not in a good position with QB - Detroit & Chicago. You have to solve your QB.
- It's not hard to get the train back on the track after a demoralizing loss. In my experiences, Norv Turner wasn't too vocal about it, but Jimmy Johnson certainly was. The short week is good so that Dallas doesn't spend too much time on KC. I think it will be a close game and Dallas will have to play well. These Thanksgiving games, you're not able to gameplan a lot and you go with your base stuff that you feel best about. It won't be an extensive gameplan designed for the Raiders. For Dallas now having lost 2 of last 3 and not playing well in those losses -- I don't want to say they are questioning themselves -- but they are probably not feeling as good as they did a month ago. Thursday game is always hard. Feels like you just left the last game. I think it will be a good game and Dallas will be fine.
- Loudest stadium I played in? Always a dome stadium. Probably Minnesota. Had good regular and postseason games there. That's why I love KC. The new Cowboys, LA, Atlanta.... new stadiums are awesome, but when you go to Arrowhead and the old stadium where they redid the broadcast area and redid the jumbotron and you still get the feel of an old stadium. You only get that in Arrowhead and Lambeau now. You feel like you're in an old stadium that has been preserved. So for KC to get as loud as it does is impressive. We've done loud games in Seattle, but I can't image anyone louder than their playoff games.
- I've had one Thanksgiving off in my career. 2001. The first year I retired. Madden was #1 analyst and Moose and I were working together. Prior to that last one was I was 21 years old in College. I'm used to working on Thanksgiving. As a kid, I remember one year playing Pop Warner around that time, but that's my only recollection on Thanksgiving. I'm not a big turkey and stuffing guy, I buck the trend, and like Italian on Thanksgiving. The pilgrims would not be happy with me.
- (They talked about how on the Manning cast last night Eli was openly rooting for Giants, and how Troy seemed to feel openly exasperated with Cowboys on KC game, the Ticket DJs wanted to know how their relationship with teams affects their broadcast.) I don't think it affects much. Calling a Cowboys game is not difficult. Any comments I might make are usually not isolated to Dallas. I remember the point in the game you are talking about, I was not sure what they were trying to accomplish. I would say that in other games as well, but people won't notice. If I say it in a Cowboys game, the local media may bring more attention to it. I also know there are KC fans watching the game who thinK I'm openly rooting for the Cowboys. And then there's also Cowboys fans who think I'm openly rooting against them and that there shouldn't be ANY penalties against the Cowboys. You can't win. I root for good games. I would love to see the Cowboys do real well, I'm an unabashed fan of Dak Prescott and think the world of him. Now I can't say that on the air. But when you're Eli Manning and doing a Manning Brothers broadcast, you can say whatever you want. Same for Michael Irvin in studio and Strahan for the Giants. Fans see that and they don't distinguish between a studio analyst and a game analyst. I root for a good game and that's what I hope for. I was so excited about that KC/Dallas game and thought it would be the regular game of the season and it just didn't live up to it. I find most of the time games like that do live up to expectations but this one didn't. We've had some non-competitive teams that had better games. So it was a bit of a letdown. But saying things about Dallas I wouldn't about other teams, I don't feel that at all.
