What’s next for Dak, Zeke, McCarthy and the Cowboys? | You Pod to Win the Game
Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson and Frank Schwab discuss the Cowboys loss the the 49ers in the NFC divisional playoffs. How will that impact Dallas and their star players and head coach moving forward? Hear the full conversation on the You Pod to Win the Game podcast. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you listen.
Video Transcript
CHARLES ROBINSON: What does the offseason become, what does this talk become about in Dallas? I mean, people are going to talk about Dak, his money. Hey, at some point, you have to start thinking contract extension with him again because remember, he only signed a four-year deal.
Zeke, straight up, he clearly looked like he was a backup now to Tony Pollard. The talent gap there, at least the impact gap, is pretty significant. He gets trotted out there on that weird last play, where he gets trucked.
I don't even know what to think about the last play of the game. I just thought-- when it happened, I thought, like, Dallas fans are going to be losing their minds already with Mike McCarthy and whatever they want to pick apart in this game. But then you put that formation on the field, and it just looks horrible.
And it also becomes emblematic for frustration of Cowboys fans.
FRANK SCHWAB: That's the thing, I think it's emblematic. I think people made too much of that last play, man. They had a 0.0001% chance of going 80 yards on that play. Who cares? There's no play in your playbook that's any good right there.
CHARLES ROBINSON: Of course.
FRANK SCHWAB: Let go on the last play. Who cares? Like, it's probably not going to work, anyway. I mean, they tried something different. It didn't work, obviously.
With the Cowboys and their offseason, like, Zeke, I think is a good running back, still. But he's a $100 million running back-- 90, I think he's got. No, he's not worth that.
He's not a number one guy anymore. He's not an impact maker. If he was a league minimum guy, I'd be like, yeah, he's a great number two back of the committee behind Tony Pollard, clearly behind Tony Pollard.
But he's not that anymore. So they're going to have to figure out something there. Running back's easy to figure out, though.
I really think the key to this all is, they need another playmaker for Dak. If it's Gallup being another year removed from the ACL-- I mean, he looks better-- because we have seen flashes from Gallup of being really good. Or just some super slot guy who is just going to make life easier for Dak because again, you've got to build around him.
And I know he's getting paid so much that he should be a top five guy. But the truth is, he's in that number 7 to 12 range of quarterbacks who you need to help out. And he can win. He can do that.
He's got to cut down the interceptions. I think they're right there. The Cowboys were right there yesterday. It's not like they were blown off the field by any stretch of the imagination.
I mean, that game was tied as the fourth quarter started. You saw it. I didn't see much separation between those teams except Dak threw two backbreaking interceptions, and the rookie, Mr. Irrelevant, didn't. So it'll be interesting to see what Dallas does going forward.
I think Zeke has to be done because his contract, it doesn't match what he does anymore. But I don't think this team is far off. It's not going to be easy just to find another receiver, a playmaker in the passing game. But maybe they can figure that out.
CHARLES ROBINSON: Well, Amari Cooper would have been helpful [LAUGHS] in a game like this--
FRANK SCHWAB: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you're right. Yeah, who would you rather have yesterday, Amari Cooper or Zeke? Basically, because you had Zeke, you felt you had to trade away Amari Cooper.
CHARLES ROBINSON: Right, you signed Gallup. I get it. I understood the risk they took. None of it's really worked. I mean, Gallup has not really worked out coming off of the injury.
Amari Cooper goes, and I think he plays a really solid role in Cleveland. Wide receiver money goes where it goes. It might not have been the worst risk, just-- again, that's hindsight. I get it. It's totally Monday morning quarterbacking that situation. But it is what it is.
Mike McCarthy, he's safe, right? I mean, I think--
FRANK SCHWAB: Yeah.
CHARLES ROBINSON: --it felt like, as disappointed as Jerry was last night, seemed like he understood. Back-to-back 12-win seasons, you won a playoff game this year. This should represent a step forward, even though it frustrates Cowboys fans who are Super Bowl or bust.
And by the way, the 49ers might win the Super Bowl. Maybe that would make fans feel a little bit better that you lost to a team that clearly has great Super Bowl odds.
FRANK SCHWAB: And Mike McCarthy, for all the grief he gets-- and I get it. Look at his record. There's something to that. It's not like this guy is just bumbling his way to 4 and 13 every year.
CHARLES ROBINSON: Right.
FRANK SCHWAB: They had a really good team this year. They navigated injuries early on, especially to Dak. They were really, really good.
Yes, I do think he's safe. I don't think that they're going to make a move after what we saw. So we'll see where they go going forward.
And I think those Cowboys have a totally fine foundation. And they could be right back in the same spot next year. And that's really all you can ask for.