Locked On Cowboys – “Cowboys Drop THIRD Straight | BIG Changes Coming For Dallas?”

Date: December 22, 2025
Hosts: Marcus Mosher & Landon McCool

Episode Overview

This episode of Locked On Cowboys focuses on Dallas’s third consecutive loss, a blowout defeat to the Los Angeles Chargers. With playoff hopes extinguished and team morale visibly low, Marcus and Landon tackle what went wrong, the eerie lack of energy around the game, upcoming potential changes for the franchise, and standouts to build on for the future. Thoughtful analysis centers on coaching, particularly the fate of defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, personnel moves, and silver linings on offense.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Loss Recap & Energy Level (02:07–06:25)

• First Half Hope, Second Half Collapse:
  • Marcus: “I thought they were going to come out and play well. And to their credit, they did in the first half... Then the second half was some of the worst football I’ve seen from a fairly healthy unit on both sides of the ball.” (02:33)
  • Landon: Emphasizes defensive struggles throughout the game—“The defense at any point played good football… it was terrible. But yeah, early on the offense kind of performed how we had hoped.” (02:53)
• Lack of Energy:
  • Marcus: “There was just no juice at all. Even when like George Pickens made a big play down the sideline, you got like a very sarcastic clap from the crowd. This is what happens when you play kind of meaningless football.” (04:07)
  • Landon: “Once there’s no juice left in the season, once there’s no possibility of playing in the playoffs, everything just seems less meaningful… it was mostly just completely bad vibes.” (04:48)

2. Personnel Decisions: Tyler Smith at Left Tackle (06:25–11:07)

• Context:
  • Marcus: Tyler Smith, normally the Pro Bowl left guard, started at left tackle. Akima Den played last week, but Nate Thomas’ shoulder injury and sluggish recovery prompted the change. Coach Schottenheimer reportedly plans to keep Smith at LT even when Tyler Guyton is healthy.
• Analysis:
  • Landon voices concerns: “I don’t love ultimately where we’re heading… he is a better guard than he is a tackle… You wanted Nate Thomas out there to get those snaps.” (07:15)
  • Marcus wonders if it’s a short-term or long-term decision, with the franchise potentially reshaping the OL to get their “best five” out there. (08:33)
  • Landon points to the ceiling: “I think that if you’re talking about what’s the potential for getting the best five ultimately… I think it doesn’t include Tyler Smith playing left tackle necessarily.” (09:20)

3. Trayvon Diggs Returns, But Struggles (13:20–16:23)

• The Concussion Story:
  • Marcus: Diggs returned after a months-long absence, with a strange post-game report claiming he suffered a concussion “mounting a TV.” (13:20)
  • Landon’s skepticism: “We’re not buying it. No… you waited four months and this is what you came up with?” (14:24)
• Performance & Attitude:
  • Marcus: “He was awful.” (15:30)
  • Landon, on Diggs’ postgame deflection: “You don’t… just get to play because the coach called a coverage you don’t like. You got to play the coverage that’s called… That’s just not how this works.” (15:34)
  • Both expect Cowboys to move on after the season, with Diggs only playing due to injuries and extreme roster needs.

4. Matt Eberflus & Defensive Catastrophe (16:33–22:21)

• Scheme & Execution Failures:
  • Landon: “The biggest problem this team has without a doubt is… getting to the quarterback. They could not get to Herbert despite the fact that his offensive line is completely beat up.” (16:33)
  • “Even if you can’t get to somebody with four, you’ve got to start sending five and six guys… You need a DC who recognizes his team has no ability to rush the passer and then presses the issue.” (17:49)
• Future Outlook:
  • Marcus: “Just watching what happened on Sunday and listening to Jerry Jones talk after the game, I don’t think we need to be worried about Matt Eberflus coming back in 2026. It feels like the hay is in the barn at this point.” (19:07)
  • Both agree the Cowboys must overhaul their defensive end room, add several starters to the defense, and bring in a coordinator who can create pressure through scheme—“Your defense needs six starters, man. They are so far away from being, you know, a good defense.” (21:32)

5. Bright Spots: Flournoy & Pickens Shine (24:17–27:49)

• Ryan Flournoy Steps Up:
  • Marcus: “It feels like you found your No. 3 receiver and it feels like they need to find more ways to get him the football… The offense took a major step backwards when he was out.” (24:17)
  • Landon notes the difference between Flournoy and other WR3 options: “I think now they’re actually calling plays for Flournoy to get him the ball, and I think he’s rewarded them for it.” (25:09)
• George Pickens’ Return to Form:
  • Stat line: 9 targets, 7 catches, 130 yards, 1 TD.
  • Marcus: “He had two quiet games… I thought he was awesome today.” (26:33)
  • Landon: “It’s, you know, this is George Pickens, right?... a reliable big play threat.” (26:46)
• Looking to 2026:
  • Landon: “You’re going to figure out a way to get Pickens to come back next year one way or another… You’re going to feel really, really, really good about this trio wide receivers going into next year.” (25:09)

6. The Running Game Wears Down (27:49–29:58)

• Javonte Williams’ Decline:
  • Marcus lists carries and yards per carry since Thanksgiving, showing a marked decline: “You’re seeing the effect of the Cowboys not having a capable, you know, second running back. I mean, he’s got 240 carries on his body this year. He’s just wearing down.” (28:09)
  • Landon: “If you try to overload these guys by the end of the year when you really need them, suddenly they don’t have the same juice.” (29:18)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Team Mood:
  “This game felt like a microcosm for the larger season where it was just very much by the book 2025 Cowboys Problems… completely bad vibes at a certain point.”
  — Landon McCool (04:48)

• On Defensive Failings:
  “You need a defensive coordinator who recognizes that his team has no ability to rush the passer and then presses the issue.”
  — Landon McCool (17:49)

• On Draft Priorities:
  “Your defense needs six starters, man… I just feel really discouraged about this unit and unless they go out and get a big time veteran defensive coordinator, I don’t know how much better we can expect them to be in 2026.”
  — Marcus Mosher (21:32)

• On Flournoy’s Emergence:
  “It feels like you found your number three receiver and it feels like they need to find more ways to get in the football.”
  — Marcus Mosher (24:17)

Segment Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------------| | 02:07 | Recap of Chargers game, lack of energy, season outlook | | 06:25 | Tyler Smith starts at left tackle – reasoning, analysis | | 13:20 | Trayvon Diggs’ return, concussion story, performance | | 16:33 | Defensive failures, blaming Eberflus, pressure failures | | 21:32 | Future defensive needs, building for 2026 | | 24:17 | Positive notes: Flournoy, Pickens, offensive future | | 27:49 | Running back situation, Williams’ fatigue |

Final Thoughts

• Season Outlook: The loss, devoid of emotion or stakes, epitomizes the team’s listlessness as Dallas turns the page toward a critical, transformative offseason.
• Big Changes Ahead: Both hosts anticipate major changes on defense (including DC and personnel) and OL restructuring, with skill positions (especially WR) a rare bright spot.
• Silver Linings: Despite the loss, the performance of Ryan Flournoy and George Pickens offers hope for a firepower-laden passing attack in 2026.

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