Locked On Cowboys: Cowboys Mauled by Bears in Chicago (September 22, 2025)

Episode Overview

This episode of the Locked On Cowboys "Cowboys Squad Show" features hosts Jeff Biggs, Aisha Morrison, and former Cowboys coach Glenn "Stretch" Smith dissecting the Dallas Cowboys’ painful 31-14 loss to the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Week 3. The crew explores how the team unraveled on both sides of the ball, focusing on defensive disarray, offensive pressure, coaching adjustments (or lack thereof), and the daunting outlook ahead. The hosts maintain their trademark candid, sometimes playful tone, but the underlying message is clear: there are major issues in Dallas, and things could get rougher.

Main Themes

• Defensive failures: confusion, lack of pass rush, and poor communication
• Offensive pressure to be perfect: turnovers and an inability to bail out the defense
• Coaching mismatches: schematic misalignment and personnel struggles
• Locker room dynamics: looming risk of finger-pointing and morale issues
• Implications for the season: urgent need for adjustments with a tough schedule ahead

Key Discussion Points and Deep Dives

1. Bears Controlled the Game from Start to Finish

• The Bears "came ready to play," executed their game plan, and made the Cowboys look even worse than the scoreboard suggested (31-14). ([01:43])
• Jeff Biggs opens by stating, "You could make a case this one was actually worse than the score looks." ([01:43])

Notable Quote

“They imposed their will... sometimes you say a game isn’t as bad as it looked. You could make a case this one was actually worse than the score looks.”
— Jeff Biggs ([01:43])

2. Defensive Disaster and Scheme Disarray

• Defensive confusion carried over from the previous week. The lack of adjustment allowed Chicago to exploit the Cowboys with ease.
• Scheme change under new DC Matt Eberflus has led to mental mistakes and a visible lack of confidence among defensive backs.
• Lack of pass rush (only one QB hit all game, Sam Williams, who was benched early for a penalty).
• Bears offensive coordinator Ben Johnson “came to embarrass them” with aggressive and creative play-calling (“piled it on... the flea flicker and things like that”). ([06:13])
• Secondary appears lost, with frequent communication breakdowns and visible frustration (e.g., Malik Hooker throwing his helmet).

Notable Quotes

“You have a secondary that is completely void of any kind of confidence and nor do they know what’s expected of them.”
— Glenn Stretch Smith ([04:27])

“No pass rush, secondary confused, sounds bad all the way around.”
— Aisha Morrison ([06:13])

Timestamps:

• Defensive breakdown: ([03:35] through [07:23])
• Sam Williams’ penalty and pass rush issues: ([06:13])
• Malik Hooker's post-drive frustration: ([04:27])

3. Scheme vs. Personnel: Coaching on the Hot Seat

• Stretch Smith criticizes the coaching staff for failing to align scheme with personnel, referencing the Trayvon Diggs touchdown allowed due to poor technique: "That tells me that’s not being coached."
• Explains that last year's disconnect between Mike Zimmer and Al Harris on defensive back coordination is repeating with the current staff.
• Calls attention to the urgent need for the DC to get the defense "sound" and stop mental errors.

Notable Quotes

“Your responsibility as a football coach is to match your personnel with what you can do schematically. Otherwise, I can just go get anybody to say, 'Hey, we're going to put this scheme in.'”
— Glenn Stretch Smith ([09:48])

“Right now it doesn’t feel like they got the right tools.”
— Glenn Stretch Smith ([34:21])

Timestamps:

• Discussion of coaching mismatches: ([09:01]-[11:48]), ([34:21])

4. Offensive Margin for Error = Zero

• The offense is under relentless pressure to be flawless; any mistake is heavily punished due to the defense’s failings.
• Red-zone inefficiency: Four red zone trips, only one touchdown. Penalties and mistakes killed drives.
• Run game (Javonte Williams) was effective early, but a fluke fumble handed momentum to the Bears.
• Aisha criticizes late-first half and second-half play-calling for lacking sufficient aggressiveness, calling for more urgency considering the state of the defense.

Notable Quotes

"The perfection in which the offense has to play in is not realistic."
— Aisha Morrison ([16:47])

“You have an offense who has zero room for error. They can't fumble, can't get a pick, can't get a penalty—they have zero room for error.”
— Glenn Stretch Smith ([13:46])

Timestamps:

• Pressure on offense: ([03:35], [09:44], [13:46], [16:47])
• Red zone and offensive miscues: ([16:47]), ([22:22])

5. Turnover Battle and Missed Opportunities

• Cowboys lost turnover battle 4-0 (multiple picks, including a tipped interception off Pickens’ hands, and the Williams fumble), each coming at crucial moments.
• Every turnover magnified due to defensive struggles—no margin to recover.

Notable Quote

“The turnovers were killer—lost the turnover battle 4 to 0 today. And every single time it mattered, it mattered.”
— Aisha Morrison ([31:56])

6. The Risk of Locker Room Friction

• Hosts discuss fear of offense/defense finger-pointing and waning morale as blowouts or repeated collapses mount.
• Both hosts emphasize it's going to take strong leadership to keep the locker room united and focused.

Notable Quotes

“It is going to take a lot to keep this locker room together through this time.”
— Aisha Morrison ([28:16])

“That’s when it’s going to really challenge this first-year head coach.”
— Glenn Stretch Smith ([27:56])

7. Looking for Solutions...but "There's No Quick Fix"

• Aisha and Stretch agree: There’s no simple scheme/talent tweak that fixes this overnight.
• Suggestions:
  • Simplify coverages and reduce asks on DBs.
  • Re-examine personnel (possibly give more snaps to younger players like Wanye Thomas).
  • Consider reshuffling or exploring the practice squad for help.
  • But acknowledge the roster may simply lack high-end solutions.

Notable Quotes

“Maybe they don’t have anybody, Aisha. They may not.”
— Glenn Stretch Smith ([34:49])

“If your personnel’s not picking up on this stuff and every time you’re talking about running some zones or struggling, then maybe they’re just not a good zone team.”
— Aisha Morrison ([36:26])

Timestamps:

• On secondary (Hooker, Wilson, Wanye Thomas, etc.): ([31:56]-[34:49])
• Problems with installing scheme: ([36:26])

8. Individual Performances and Injury Updates

• Jake Ferguson had many catches but for minimal yards—indicative of dump-off, check-down safety valve football (86 yards on mostly short catches). ([26:34])
• George Pickens: Big talent but still raw; had a costly drop, but was shadowed more after CeeDee Lamb exited with an ankle injury.
• CeeDee Lamb’s injury not believed serious (“feels like he can play next week,” per postgame locker room). ([43:51])
• Kavontae Turpin praised for toughness after taking big hits; could see an increased role on offense. ([61:40], [62:07])

Notable Quotes

“He [Ferguson] gonna have to ice up today because he had a million catches for not that many yards.”
— Aisha Morrison ([26:36])

“Kevontae Turpin is as tough as it gets.”
— Glenn Stretch Smith ([61:40])

9. Big Picture: What's Next? What's the Mentality?

• Week 4 brings Sunday Night Football vs. the Packers, who will be angry after their own bitter loss.
• The defense leads the NFL in explosive plays allowed after three weeks—opponents are scoring not just often, but quickly and in bunches.
• The hosts agree Dallas must fix its communication and mistakes internally, perhaps by considering roster churn for players with more range or upside.
• Heavy focus is now on keeping the season afloat—“if you don’t score 35 Sunday night, you’re not gonna win.”
• Aisha stresses the ongoing loss of Micah Parsons fundamentally changes what the defense can do ("the defensive outlook is almost totally different").

Notable Quotes

“If you don’t score 35 [versus the Packers] Sunday night, you’re not gonna win. It’s just that simple.”
— Glenn Stretch Smith ([58:19])

“The Cowboys are number one in the league in explosive plays given up—three weeks into the season.”
— Aisha Morrison ([54:30])

10. The Reality Check (And Jerry Jones’ Optimism)

• Jerry Jones remains positive, saying “the Cowboys are still a playoff team,” but the hosts (politely) dismiss this as owner-speak, not grounded in the current product. ([60:57])
• The mood is weary (“I’m tired already”—Aisha, [18:45]) and realistic: things may get worse before they get better.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “[This defense]…is fixing to get real rough. And I do mean real rough.”
  — Glenn Stretch Smith ([07:23])

• “Your secondary is only going to be able to do so much. If the guy still has a million years to just sit back there, get a pillow, chill, get some potato chips, and pass the ball, then your secondaries only can keep up that long.”
  — Aisha Morrison ([12:23])

• “They called the dogs off.”
  — Glenn Stretch Smith, on Bears not scoring more late ([37:59])

• “This could really be a tough situation to be in.”
  — Glenn Stretch Smith ([27:56])

• “Williams, who paints his toenails, just wore your ass out.”
  — Glenn Stretch Smith, on Caleb Williams torching the defense ([35:24])

Important Segment Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamps | |-----------------------------------------------------|----------------| | Opening Reaction, Bears’ Dominance | 01:43–03:35 | | Defensive Confusion & Scheme Breakdowns | 03:35–07:23 | | No Pass Rush & Offensive Pressure | 06:13–09:44 | | Scheme vs. Personnel/Coaching Critique | 09:01–11:48 | | Offensive Struggles & Play-Calling | 16:47–19:04 | | Red Zone Failures, Run Game Notes | 22:22–25:38 | | Pickens, Lamb, Receiver Depth | 41:54–45:17 | | Locker Room & Leadership Concerns | 27:56–28:59 | | Solutions and Personnel Decisions | 31:56–34:49 | | Looking Ahead to Packers, Future Outlook | 52:23–56:30 | | Turpin Praise, Final Thoughts | 61:40–62:43 |

Summary Takeaways

• Major defensive issues: Scheme confusion, communication breakdowns, no pass rush.
• Offense forced to play perfect: Cannot afford turnovers, penalties, or execution errors.
• Coaching under fire: Urgent need to match personnel to scheme or simplify drastically.
• Locker room unity at risk: Multiple players showing frustration; early signs of finger-pointing.
• Tough road ahead: Next week vs. Packers looms large; pressure is on to right the ship before the season spirals.

The hosts’ tone is a mix of hard-nosed realism, occasional dark humor, and frustrated concern. As Aisha sums it up:

“I ain’t ready for it to be like this all season. I’m just not.” ([18:47])

For fans who missed the episode:
This show offered a candid, insightful breakdown of one of the Cowboys’ ugliest recent losses, explaining in detail—and with some insider perspective—why the issues stretch far beyond one bad Sunday. The crew doesn’t sugarcoat the challenges or offer false hope, but clearly lays out what’s gone wrong, what isn’t fixable overnight, and the tough choices ahead.

Listen to the full episode for even more breakdowns and to catch next week’s midweek preview before the Cowboys-Packers Sunday night showdown.