Cowboys MUST Win in Chicago | Can Matt Eberflus Slow Down Caleb Williams?

Summary

Locked On Cowboys Podcast – Episode Summary

Episode Title: Cowboys MUST Win in Chicago | Can Matt Eberflus Slow Down Caleb Williams?
Hosts: Marcus Mosher, Landon McCool
Date: September 19, 2025

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Episode Overview

This episode previews the Dallas Cowboys' critical Week 3 matchup against the Chicago Bears. Marcus and Landon analyze the key challenges, focusing on how the Cowboys’ defense can disrupt rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and how Dallas’ offense can exploit a decimated Bears defense. The hosts also discuss strategic matchups, injury impacts, and make game predictions, providing fans with a thorough and lively preview ahead of Sunday’s game.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Caleb Williams: High Variance Threat (02:30–05:11)

• Caleb Williams described as “high variance”: He’s capable of explosive plays outside the pocket but also prone to mistakes under pressure.
  • Quote (Marcus, 02:32): "He's a high variance quarterback that can make some big plays outside the pocket with his arm."
• Cowboys’ need to disrupt Williams: Landon stresses that letting Williams sit comfortably in the pocket would spell trouble.
  • Mixing coverages is critical; too much soft zone without pressure could leave Dallas vulnerable.
  • The Cowboys should consider more blitzes, even without top corner DaRon Bland.
• Blitzing raises the stakes: Landon frames it as a calculated risk to force mistakes.
  • Quote (Landon, 04:56): “It could be a big… long distance touchdown, but it also could be a strip sack… might as well force that issue.”

2. Defensive Adjustments: Pressure and Run Defense (05:11–09:21)

• Stop the run early: Chicago’s ground game has struggled, but the hosts warn not to let the Bears find confidence on early downs.
  • Quote (Marcus, 05:11): “You can't let them get confidence… that’s just going to open up the playbook for Ben Johnson.”
• Blitzing on early downs: Landon argues for more aggressive run/pass blitzes early, noting Dallas’ low blitz rates and drop-off in pass rush ‘win’ rates from 3rd to 1st downs.
  • Quote (Landon, 06:54): “On third down, their win rates are going way, way up… so you don't really need to be blitzing as much.”
• Edge containment: Marcus and Landon suggest using more athletic pass rushers to chase Williams outside the pocket, preferring Sam Williams and Donovan Azu Rocku over slower veterans.
  • Quote (Marcus, 07:31): “I think this is a game where you want your more athletic edge rushers… there’s going to be a lot of plays in this game where… you’re going to have to win 4, 5, 6 seconds into the play.”

3. Bears Offensive Weapons (09:21–10:31)

• Tight ends could be trouble: Both hosts worry that Dallas’ linebackers haven’t covered well, with Colson Loveland pegged as a breakout candidate.
  • Quote (Marcus, 09:21): “The one [pass catcher] that makes me the most nervous in this one.”
• Young Bears pass catchers: Look out for previously underutilized talents like Luther Burden; “they’re going to use those guys and give them opportunities” (Landon, 09:57).

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4. Cowboys Offense vs. Shorthanded Bears Defense (13:04–17:32)

• Major injuries for Chicago: Three starting defensive backs and their top linebacker are out, leaving reserves like Tyrique Stevenson and former Cowboy Nahshon Wright vulnerable.
  • Quote (Landon, 14:15): “Naysha Wright is their savior at this point, guys… he is what he is.”
• Anticipate CD Lamb heavy coverage: New Bears DC Dennis Allen is expected to double-team Lamb, which should open opportunities for others, especially new addition George Pickens.
  • Quote (Landon, 15:10): “This is one of the reasons you brought in George Pickens… to take advantage of what happens when that happens.”
• Playcalling philosophy: Both hosts agree the Cowboys should use the run game to control the clock, sustain drives, and limit exposure to Chicago’s defensive front, namely Montez Sweat.
  • Quote (Landon, 17:32): “You have the ability to do that and it makes your passing attack more efficient, more effective.”
• Maximize mismatches: With Chicago’s depth tested at corner, the Cowboys should target one-on-ones for Pickens and run play-action to exploit aggressive but thin coverage.

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5. Game Management, Personnel & Offensive Identity (17:32–20:54)

• Run game to neutralize pass rush: By controlling time of possession, Dallas can sap the energy from Chicago’s strongest defenders and protect its own defense.
• George Pickens’ role: This is a statement game for Pickens, expected to take on a true No. 2 role and exploit singular coverage.
  • Quote (Marcus, 19:26): “This is the game where you kind of find out whether George Pickens is worth $24, $25 million a year.”
• Mental toughness questions: Landon highlights the need for Pickens to control his emotions and avoid “careless” penalties or mental errors if defenses try to agitate him.
  • Quote (Landon, 20:24): “Can he maintain his own emotions and mentality? That's the question we have to have answered.”

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6. Game Predictions & Closing Thoughts (23:21–28:16)

• Vegas line suggests a toss-up (“Cowboys by 1”)
  • Landon picks the Cowboys (28–21), trusting Dak Prescott over rookie Williams, and preferring Dallas’ ground game.
  • Quote (Landon, 25:53): “I trust the Cowboys’ offense more… Dak Prescott is by far the more superior quarterback.”
• Marcus is torn but leans Bears: He’s wary that Chicago is a “desperate team” that will empty the playbook in a near must-win scenario, but feels it’ll be close and may come down to turnovers.
  • Quote (Marcus, 26:26): “Whoever wins the turnover battle is going to win this one… I just don’t know if the Cowboys have that kind of wiggle room.”
• Physicality on the road: Marcus wants to see Dallas prove it can out-muscle a traditionally physical Bears team, even in a hostile environment.
  • Quote (Marcus, 27:54): “I want to see the Cowboys go into a team like Chicago on the road and be physical… that’s kind of the next step.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Caleb Williams’ volatility:
  “Blitzing him just ups the variance… it also could be a strip sack or… he forces himself into his own mistake.”
  – Landon McCool (04:56)
• On Bears' battered secondary:
  “Nashon Wright is their savior at this point, guys. And we all… know he is what he is.”
  – Landon (14:15)
• On George Pickens’ importance:
  “This is the game where you kind of find out whether George Pickens is worth $24, $25 million a year.”
  – Marcus (19:26)
• Prediction tension:
  “Whoever wins the turnover battle is going to win this one… I just don’t know if the Cowboys have that kind of wiggle room right now with their defense.”
  – Marcus (26:26)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Caleb Williams scouting & defensive plan: 02:30–05:11
• Run defense & blitz philosophy: 05:11–09:21
• Bears pass-catchers and tight end threat: 09:21–10:31
• Cowboys offense vs. Bears injuries: 13:04–17:32
• George Pickens’ role & offensive identity: 17:32–20:54
• Predictions and closing thoughts: 23:21–28:16

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Episode Tone

• Analytical and conversational with light-hearted banter.
• Balanced optimism (Cowboys’ offensive talent) with caution (defensive inconsistency, Bears’ “desperation” factor).
• Insider’s perspective, referencing film study, advanced stats, and coaches’ tendencies.

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Summary Takeaway

The Cowboys vs. Bears clash looms as a significant early-season test, with both teams seeking to answer big questions. The hosts lean toward a high-scoring game, where Dallas’ ability to pressure Caleb Williams and exploit Chicago’s depleted secondary are key. While Landon picks the Cowboys to edge a “shootout” by a touchdown, Marcus’s prediction hinges on turnovers and leans to the home team out of caution. Above all, the episode sets up a matchup full of strategic intrigue, individual tests (notably for George Pickens), and a vital opportunity for Dallas to establish physical dominance on the road.

Transcript

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[Landon McCool]

Terms apply.

[Marcus Moser]

The Dallas Cowboys might have a hard time slowing down the Bears on Sunday, but we'll tell you how they might do it next. You are Locked On Cowboys, your daily Dallas Cowboys podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast network your team every day. Welcome back to the Lockdown Cowboys Podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast network your team every day. We we'd like to thank you for making us your first listen of the day. Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now, new customers can bet just $5 and if your bet wins, you'll get $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. Welcome back. I am your host Marcus Moser. You can follow me on Twitter arcusmoer. Joining me today as always, is Lana McCool. Check him out on Twitter @McCool BCB and on today's show we are previewing the Cowboys Week 3 matchup against the Chicago Bears. We're going to talk about the Cowboys offense. We'll make some predictions but Lane and let's start with this. Caleb Williams is a high variance quarterback. Is that being nice? Is that. Is that a nice.

[Landon McCool]

I think it's fair. I think it's fair.

[Marcus Moser]

Yeah, he's a high variance quarterback that can make some big plays outside the pocket with his arm. What are the Cowboys going to need to do to try to slow him down?

[Landon McCool]

They're going to need to try to find a Way to disrupt him, which has really, really been a huge problem for the Cowboys and quarterbacks these last few weeks. Yeah, I think, you know, if you're gonna let him sit in the pocket and, and let him go through Ben Johnson designed progressions against the secondary without a pass rush, I think you're gonna have a very bad time. And I think it's gonna look a lot like it did against the Giants and maybe, you know, maybe worse. So I think the Cowboys, you know, have to kind of take a look in the mirror about how they played last week, and I think I, we understand maybe why they needed to feel like they play that way. But they, if they're going to play that much zone, they have got to make sure that their technique and their, their, their zones are sound. And if they're, if they're willing to, I think that they should try to mix in a little bit more, man, even without bland. And I certainly think that they should consider coming after the quarterback a little bit more certainly than they did versus versa hurts in week one and definitely more than they did against the Giants of week two.

[Marcus Moser]

I would assume that Matt Eberflus, who coached in Chicago last year, I mean, he would have an idea of what Caleb Williams struggles with. Right. Like, I can't imagine it's just going to be the same game plan that we've seen the last two weeks. Like, I would think that he's going to try to, you know, maybe disguise things a little bit, maybe send some more corner blitzes. It can't just be we're gonna rush four and drop back into zones. And I know that Caleb has struggled with zone coverage, but it can't be that simple.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, I mean, it certainly won't be successful if it's that simple. I mean, yeah, I think, you know, there's a difference between struggling versus A coverage, you know, and, and all the, the pressure that comes with the different teams that you're playing while playing against zone coverage. And, and you know, just having a, just a drop back with no pressure and, and having to read zones as guys to run through windows, that's a lot easier.

[Supporting Analyst]

Right.

[Landon McCool]

So the Cowboys, if they're gonna drop into these, these zones, you know, they have to find a way to get pressure either with four or do some zone blitzing and, and, and send some guys and force the issue a little bit and deal with. You know, I think that you mentioned it, right. Williams is a high variance quarterback. I think blitzing him just ups the variance.

[Supporting Analyst]

Right.

[Landon McCool]

Like, like, it certainly could be A, a big, you know, long distance touchdown, but it also could be a strip sack or it also could be a situation where he, he makes his, he forces himself into his own mistake. And, and I think that's just as likely, so might as well force that issue there.

[Marcus Moser]

One thing that the Cowboys have to make sure that they do is stop the run in this game because Chicago has been one of the league's worst rushing teams through two games. And again, I don't want to read too much into stats with a two game sample size, but they just haven't run the ball well. Yeah, you can't let them, you can't let them to get confidence. And now getting into second and threes, third and ones because that's just going to open up the playbook for Ben Johnson who loves nothing more than to throw trick play after trick play after trick play on you. I think it's really important that the Cowboys have a lot of success stopping the run on first down. And that's why I would love to see some like more run blitzes. And yeah, if, if it turns into a pass, you've got guys coming downhill. You cannot let the Bears play downhill on you.

[Landon McCool]

Yes, thank you. I think that's an excellent segue to. What I wanted to get to as well is I, I do think the Cowboys specifically need to do more blitzing on first down. And, and not just, you know, for the run sake, but also for the past. The Cowboys have really struggled to, to win as pass rushers on first down. You know, part of it is obviously the, the kind of drop off because that you have a, a dual read to see if, whether it's a run or a pass. But I also think that just if you notice the difference in the pass rush win weights of all the top pass rushers for the Cowboys between first and second down, there's a significant drop. And, and I think that there. The. One of the big differences too is the amount of blitzing that's being done between first and second down. There's almost twice as much. The Cowboys are blitzing on first and third down at the same rate. 11 on first to. I think 13 is what I got on third down, but they're still very.

[Marcus Moser]

Low across the league. Like that's very, very low.

[Landon McCool]

Absolutely. But the difference is, is that on third down, their win rates are going way, way up. I think Oso Odigizu is at a 20% win rate, which is a crazy high rate for, for a defensive tackle on third down specifically.

[Supporting Analyst]

Right.

[Landon McCool]

So you don't really need to be blitzing as much on third downs. I going back to your comment, I think the Cowboys should try to force the issue early, force it into an errant play. If you give up a big play, I mean it's going to happen but if you don't and even if it's just a one yard negative run, getting someone like Caleb Williams in a in a disadvantageous down in distance will open things up for you a little bit.

[Marcus Moser]

I'm also curious to see what the pass rush rotation looks like. And we mentioned this on the squad show that goes live every Wednesday at 7pm Eastern. That's a plug. I think this is a game where you want your more athletic edge rushers because Caleb Williams loves nothing more than to get outside the pocket and try to make plays with his arm that way. And I don't know if like Marsha Nealand is a great fit for that and honestly I don't even know if Dante Fowler is a great fit for that anymore. I think guys like Sam Williams and, and Donovan as a Rocku guys that can like run and chase Caleb and provide pressure that way because there's going to be a lot of plays in this game where the pressure doesn't win initially and you're going to have to win 4, 5, 6 seconds into the play. And I kind of think Ezra Rocku and Sam Williams are better fits there.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah. And, and kind of to your point, I think the blitzing that, that needs to be done needs to be quick blitzing like not long developing, you know, know even like stunts and twists and stuff that are just that can take some time and actually get you out of your lanes. I would avoid, I would, I would attack him with the fat, the speed rushers that you mentioned on the outside. Obviously your two interior guys blitzing straight up the middle just because it gets a direct path to the quarterback. And then also we've, we've seen them do it before. We know that Ibrafus likes to do it. I think a quick way to at least apply pressure to make the quarterback processors start going quickly. It's slot corner blitzes. It's a quick route. You have a guy that's obviously faster, hopefully faster than the quarterback that's playing. And it's just even if he can't quite get there, the quarterback knows it's there. It speeds up his process. If he's got a hot and he can get to it quickly then it can kill you. But Caleb Williams is also one of these guys that you know, he can get he could screw up the simple things when his processor gets going a little too quick.

[Marcus Moser]

I'm also a little bit nervous about the tight ends in this game. We, we saw Dallas Goddard have a pretty big Week 1 game. The Giants tight ends didn't do that much. That's because they were throwing the ball 50 yards down the field. But Cole Comet and Colson Loveland, like, I, I don't think the Cowboys linebackers have been great in coverage and I know they're dropping into zones and that stuff, but I think I wouldn't be surprised if this is a big Colson Loveland game. Trying to get him in the middle of the field with the ball in his hands on the move. He's. Of all their pass catchers, he's probably the one that makes me the most nervous in this one.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, you know, we haven't really seen much of the young guys.

[Supporting Analyst]

Right.

[Landon McCool]

It's mostly been like an adunze more offense. Like it was a lot last year. I mean, obviously the offense is very different, but as far as targeting and. And who they're where they're going. But that. That's going to change at some point and, and Loveland is obviously a high pick and so is Burton. So they were. They're going to use those guys and give them opportunities to make plays. So it certainly I would be pre. Mostly for Adunze and more. But you have to watch all those snaps of the young guys too because there's just going to be a point where they start to get deployed and can't get caught off guard.

[Marcus Moser]

I'm going to be watching Luther Burden with a very wandering eye. That's right.

[Landon McCool]

I know, but.

[Marcus Moser]

All right, let's talk about the Cowboys on offense because if they're going to win the game, it's going to be because of their offense. They have some big advantages here in week three. We'll talk about them next. This episode is brought to you by DoorDash. It's almost a weekend. It's time to look back and crown this week's MVP on who delivered. Powered by doordash. Just like you can win every Saturday with doordash streaks, saving more every time you order. These players delivered when it mattered the most. So let's break it down for this week. I'm going with George Pickens of the Dallas Cowboys, who delivered it a big way. He caught the touchdown at the end of the game to to give the Cowboys a lead. He drew a big penalty in overtime. He's got the most defensive pass interference yards drawn this season and he's been a fantastic addition to the Cowboys offense. George Pickens is on a streak. And just like George Pickens delivered for the Cowboys, Door Dash delivers your Saturdays. And with Door Dash streaks, you can save on every Saturday order. Stack it up all season long and you could save up to $250, including a hundred dollars in doordash credits. Order this Saturday and keep the streak alive. Fuel your game day only with DoorDash term supply. This episode is brought to you by FanDuel. The NFL season is here and FanDuel is making sure that you are ready for kickoff with a can't miss offer. Right now, new customers can bet just $5 and if your bet wins, you'll get $300 of bonus bets to use across the app. I love FanDuel because it allows me to bet however I like. Like I like doing some of the same game parlays, trying to stack up who I think is going to score a touchdown, how many points are going to be scored in the game, who wins the game. It's all available on FanDuel. It makes every game more exciting whether you're watching your favorite team, the Dallas Cowboys, or maybe you're keeping an eye on your fantasy lineup. It's quick, it's easy, and it's the best way to add to just a little bit more energy and juice to your Sundays. So are you ready to play? Download the FanDuel app now by visiting FanDuel.com to get started. That is FanDuel.com to place your first $5 bet. Welcome back to the Loton Cowboys Podcast. We'd like to thank you for making us your first listen of the day. Landon, let's talk about the Cowboys offense because they have some big advantages in this game. How do you expect them to attack this Chicago Bears defense however they like?

[Landon McCool]

Honestly, I mean if there is, I mean especially with the injury report being the way it is, maybe we should go over that first, right? It's, it's the classic Babe Laufenberg. You tell me who's gonna win, I'll tell me first who's gonna play.

[Marcus Moser]

All right, so let's start with the secondary. So Jalen Johnson, who is their best corner? He's having season ending groin surgery. He tried to play last week, played a couple snaps. He's out. Okay. Jalen Jones, who they they claimed from the Colts, he's dealing with an injury. He's not going to play as well taught to Lauren Cox of Locked on Bears. He said he does not Expect Kyler Gordon to play. That's their starting slot corner. So that means that corner. I believe this week, your two outside guys are going to be Tyreek Stevenson, who's actually not a bad player. He's fine. And then Naysha Wright, old friend alert. They're still having some issues with who's going to play in the slot. And then at linebacker, their top linebacker, TJ Edwards, who we know from the Eagles a couple years ago, doesn't look like he's gonna play as well. His backup likely out as well. They have Noah so well, and they have Tremaine Edmonds, so they do have some viable linebackers, but they're kind of decimated right now in the back end.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, it's. It's brutal. And I would even push back a little bit on Tyreek Stevens being okay. He.

[Marcus Moser]

He's. He's not been great this year, but I think he's the best option they.

[Landon McCool]

Have, which is sad.

[Supporting Analyst]

Yeah.

[Landon McCool]

I mean, that just shows you where they are. I mean, frankly, Naysha Wright is their savior at this point, guys. And we all. I mean, I like Nayshaan Wright, but, I mean, he is what he is. I think we're all comfortable and familiar with where he is, and I think we're all comfortable and familiar with him lining up across CD Lamb or George Pickens.

[Marcus Moser]

Right now. We should mention that Dak Prescott, or. Sorry, I think it was Brian Schottenheimer said that they fully expect Dennis Allen to double CD Lamb in this game, because if you remember, Dennis Allen was the head coach with the Saints last year. Now he's the defensive coordinator with the Bears. So we should expect CD Lamb to get a heavy amount of attention in this one.

[Landon McCool]

Absolutely. Yeah. And this is one of the reasons that you brought in George Pickens.

[Supporting Analyst]

Right.

[Landon McCool]

So that he can take advantage of. Of what happens when that happens. But I'm going to go ahead and point this out, too. I think that this needs to be a. A very solid run game. Like, I. I think that the Cowboys need to attack this defensive line and linebacker group. I think the secondary is obviously easy pickings, and then I think that they will get what they need out of it. Thank you. Welcome. But I. I think that it's one of those things where they. They need to kind of the thing that could, you know, wreck their ability to continue long drives, I think will be if the pass rush gets to them too early. It's not that they have like an, you know, a super outstanding pass rush, certainly to the last two weeks that you Face, to be honest. But Monte Sweat is, is nothing to shake a stick at. He's a great player. Dexter is, is a good player on the inside. Number 99. They have a couple other guys that can come in that can come at you from on the outside in. What's the. I can't remember how to say. Oh, oh. Odin Bank.

[Marcus Moser]

Yeah.

[Landon McCool]

Thank you. As soon as I start taking the.

[Marcus Moser]

Colts a couple years ago, who actually Matt Eber for the coach, so.

[Landon McCool]

Yes, yeah, exactly. And Grady Jarrett, you know, so who it sounds like is working his way, turning his way towards. Towards playing. So again it's another tough matchup with a good defensive line. However, I do think that the Cowboys should be able to find some success attacking the edge of the. Of this defensive line. Other teams have had like the last two weeks have had a lot of success running at these guys and I think what that will do is at least make all those guys have to think twice and then you run a lot of play action which if you watch the Lions game certainly was successful against the, the Bears. So I, I think running the ball is going to be important in order to be able to continuously score a whole bunch of points. Because here's the thing, I think that this is going to be a, a shootout. Not that that's a spoiler alert for the Dallas Cowboys 2025 season. Yeah, I think that they're going to need to score a lot of points. But I apart part, a good part of that is not just, you know, bombing the ball constantly and letting their pass rusher come after you over and over again. You want us to be able to sustain long drives as well and possess the ball. And I think you have the ability to do that and it makes your passing attack more efficient, more effective.

[Marcus Moser]

Well, and that's why I'm going to be curious to see how Brian Schottenheimer calls this game because I do think they're going to be able to run the ball. But do they want to be taking these big shots down the field like George Pickins against Naan Wright one on one? That's obviously that's not a bad matchup, but I wouldn't be surprised if Shotti wants to try to get. It's almost like in baseball where you're trying to get deep into a rotation in a series because Chicago's their strength is their front four. Right. It's their backups and their secondary that's a problem. So if you can get to these drives where you're at 8, 9, 10 plays and that Starting defensive line is off the field. Field, that's when you can start to play. Hurry up a little bit and keep those guys off the field. I also think we're going to see Shotty try to protect his defense a little bit more than what they did last week. They played a ton of snaps against the Giants, so maybe we see a slower paced game. Not saying that there's not going to be a lot of scoring, but maybe you're going to have to be a little bit more efficient than you were in the first half last week.

[Landon McCool]

I think I just look at these two teams and I look at the swear they're strong and it just seems like both teams are going to try to score a bunch of points on lesser defenses. And to me, the difference is in between these two is that the Cowboys have a run game that can actually control the clock. And I think that the Cowboys should use that as their to their advantage because I think, you know, it may be one of these things where both teams come out and score a bunch of points, but if the Cowboys can possess the ball a little bit longer by the time the third and the fourth quarter come around, the pass rush doesn't have nearly the teeth that it might have had earlier. And then maybe you're able to be more efficient because that's the thing, is that even though the defense is bad for the Bears, maybe they have a little bit better pass rush than you do. So maybe you want to find a way to neutralize that advantage by having a better run game and making them think twice whenever they're coming after you.

[Marcus Moser]

One more thing in the offense before we move on. You mentioned this is the reason that you went out and got traded for George Pickens, right? And you're correct. This is the game where you kind of find out whether George pickens is worth 24, 25 million a year. Right. Like we know CD Lamb is going to get a ton of attention. Can you be the focal point of an offense and handle 8, 10, 12 targets and be efficient and be in the right spot and not have that one careless route where you're not in the right spot? The results of a turnover, it's always, it's the consistency with George Pickens because the, the highs are so high. It's these types of games where I want to see him take over.

[Landon McCool]

Well, I'll tell you this. If I was the defensive coordinator for the Bears in this situation, I would be telling whoever my, you know, barely rosterable third corner is that they're gonna have to Throw out there on George Pickens. Hey, hit him, kick him, pull his, you know, bite him, be aggressive, right?

[Marcus Moser]

Like.

[Landon McCool]

Over line, draw him not literally offsides, but like figuratively off sides, right? Like, yeah, this, that's the way that you're, that they'll, if you can get into Pickett's head, make him do something stupid at a moment when the Cowboys desperately need him. Yeah. And I think that that's ultimately, we know he has the ability to do this to, to take the ball and be the wide receiver one. When wide receiver one is, is being occupied, can he maintain his own emotions and mentality? That's the, that's the question we have to have answered.

[Marcus Moser]

All right, let's make some predictions. Week 3 Dallas Cowboys at Chicago Bears. Who's who wins? We will get to that next. This episode is brought to you by Square. Your favorite neighborhood spots run on Square. There are certain businesses that truly make the neighborhood feel like home. Whether it's that local sports bar that's packed on game days or the coffee shop that knows your order by heart, or or maybe the corner deli that's been serving your community for decades. There are places that bring people together. And when neighborhood businesses thrive, the whole neighborhood thrives. I know the golf shop that I, that I go to every single day. They use Square and it feels just like home. Right? They all know your face. It's warm, it's welcoming. And they've been using Square for the last couple years. It just makes the entire process so easy again. It makes the neighborhood and for me, the golf shop feel like home. And so many of your local businesses run on Square. Square is a proud partner of more than 4 million neighborhood businesses around the world. You can go to square.comgolot NFL to learn more. But before you do go support your neighborhood spot, whether that's that coffee shop that you like to go to or that little restaurant that you like to have brunch at Square. See you in the neighborhood from producer Jordan Peele.

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[Marcus Moser]

What if I say no?

[Landon McCool]

I ain't a killer, but don't push me.

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[Marcus Moser]

Welcome back to the Locked on Cowboys podcast. We'd like to thank you for making us your first Listen of the day. The NFL season is finally here. For your second listen, get a double dose of the lockdown NFL podcast. Tyler Roland gives you a shot of espresso to start your football day, while Tony Wiggins takes you to the barber shop for the smoothest breakdowns to end it. Find lot NFL on YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcast. All right, Landon. Week three Cowboys at Bears. Who wins?

[Landon McCool]

Man, the line is one point, I think, right. Which, you know, if you kind of read into that, usually Vegas gives the home team three points. So I'm assuming that they think that the Cowboys are, are, you know, favored slightly here. I'm, I'm, I'm gonna pick the Cowboys. I think this is, this is actually tough though, because I do think that it's, it's, it's one of those things where like the, the both teams really need this and, and obviously for the Bears, they go on three and that obviously changes the direction of their season in a very serious way. They're, they have a new coach. Obviously there's going to be a lot of anger in Chicago, but you know, there's a lot of leeway here because he just got here and he signed a long term deal.

[Marcus Moser]

Do you buy into the, the desperate team, you know, usually wins these early season games? Because that, to me what I'm worried about is that Ben Johnson's just going to throw out everything he has because they, he knows if it's 03, their season's probably done.

[Landon McCool]

I, I see. I think I, I would buy the desperate thing situation if Ben Johnson's seat was hot, but I don't think it is.

[Supporting Analyst]

Right.

[Landon McCool]

Like I, I mean, I think they could go oh and three and it would, people will get mad or whatever, but I, you know, they just signed him and they, they did a lot to, to kind of get this deal lined up. So I have a feeling that there's going to be patience here. So I do kind of generally think about that, but I wonder also how much does that counteract with, you know, the, the Eber flu element of this and how, how much he wants to get revenge and coming back to Chicago. So there's a lot of weird kind of opposing forces on either side, but I think at the end of the day for me, I trust the Cowboys offense more than I trust what I've seen from Chicago's offense so far just because I think the Cowboys can run the football a little bit better. And I think that Dak Prescott is by far the more superior quarterback and I think that Even though I may view Ben Johnson's play calling overall as far superior, I mean, just by design, than what we've seen from Shoddy. And I don't think Shoddy's a slouch by any stretch of the imagination. I, I don't think it makes up the gap of the, the quarterbacks that are on the field. So give me the Cowboys. I said, I said a blowout of, you know, a shootout, but I don't know, I think it might end up being like, 28, 21.

[Marcus Moser]

I'm really struggling with this because my instinct says to take the Bears and because they need this game so bad and because Ben Johnson, he's not on the hot seat, but they desperately need a win. But there is part of me that just feels like Dak is playing so well right now that, you know, even if we get a B plus that game, like, man, they're probably gonna score 28 points. Like, again, a B plus that game, they probably score 28. And that probably keeps you in the game if, if not wins, you know, you know, win it.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah.

[Marcus Moser]

But I don't know. I, I, I don't have a strong feeling. To me, this feels, and, man, you could almost say this for any NFL game, whoever wins the turnover battle is going to win this one. And if it's one of those weird games where, you know, the ball deflects in the air and Malik Hooker gets an interception or you block a kick, or on the other side, like, you know, Jake Ferguson has a ball that pops up in the air, I, I just don't know if the Cowboys have that kind of wiggle room right now with their defense. And I think that's why I'm going to take the home team in Chicago. But I don't feel great about that. There's other times where I, I, I, I think this is going to be a close game is what I'm trying to say.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, I mean, even though I picked the Cowboys to win by a touchdown, I mean, like, I, I think this is going to be a close game. I, I, there's a good chance. Look, I, I honestly believe that Chicago at some point is going to blow up.

[Supporting Analyst]

Right?

[Landon McCool]

Like, in a positive way.

[Supporting Analyst]

Right.

[Landon McCool]

Like, it's, that it's going to hit with everything and that they're going to be a much better team than what we've seen. I just don't know if that's this week yet. And, and, you know, we'll see. And what is the, the Cowboys defense is still, you know, an unknown to me, like, I just don't know exactly. Are we going to see what we've seen the last two weeks? Because if we do, then, yeah, we might be in for some trouble. But if. If Eberfluss has been holding on to some fun stuff for the. The end of the. For the Chicago game specifically, then maybe we see a little bit something. Maybe we see more blitzes. Maybe it works. It all works a little bit better. Maybe clowning has an effect that. That's positive. That's positive beyond what we expect.

[Marcus Moser]

One thing before we go. I want to see the Cowboys go into, you know, a team like Chicago on the road and be physical out physical. The Bears. Yeah, maybe even if they don't win this game, like, that's kind of the next step this team needs is to be a physical team that's not afraid of going on the road and running the ball 30 times and winning a game. That way they know they can throw the ball. I want to see if they can win on the ground.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah. And I think they did. They did it. They did it against Philadelphia. That's how they wanted to attack Philly, too. They didn't win that game, but maybe they could finish the job this time with against Chicago.

[Marcus Moser]

All right, that is it for today's show. We want to thank you for making Loton Cowboys your first listen every single day. Download the podcast wherever you get your podcast. We are free and available on all platforms. Enjoy the game and we'll see you right back here on Monday.

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