Locked On Cowboys: "Cowboys Squad Show - What Changes Will Be Made After the 'Unacceptable' Loss in Denver?"
Date: October 30, 2025
Hosts: Jeff Biggs (Cowboy Squad Show), Marcus Mosher, Landon McCool (Locked On Cowboys), Glenn "Stretch" Smith
Main Theme:
A blunt post-mortem on the Cowboys’ “unacceptable” loss to Denver, the state of the rebuilding defense, trade deadline options, the Trayvon Diggs injury saga, and a look ahead to the Monday night matchup with Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals.
Main Topics Overview
- Cowboys at Midseason: Gut Check After Denver Loss
- Trade Deadline Looms: Defensive Overhaul or Stay Put?
- Trayvon Diggs Drama: Injury, Concussion, and His Future
- Offensive Struggles in Denver: Dissecting What Went Wrong
- Previewing Cardinals Matchup: Danger of “Playing With House Money”
1. The Denver Meltdown: Searching for Blame
Discussion of Defensive Regression
- Landon McCool opens, calling the Denver loss “a measuring stick game” that exposed just how far the Cowboys’ defense has fallen.
- “The defense was terrible once again. I think it changes the tenor and tone of the season.” – Landon [03:32]
- Consensus: Even making a trade won’t ‘fix’ this defense this season — “We can pretty firmly put to bed the idea that the Cowboys are going to greatly improve this defense by making a trade… this team is more than a player or two away from making this a tolerable defense.” – Landon [04:19]
Youth and Injuries Take Their Toll
- Marcus Mosher points to a super young and banged-up defense: “They’re the second-youngest team in the NFL. At one point, they were without seven defensive backs — you felt that.” [04:55]
- “This is kind of the process of getting there – it’s getting your butt whooped on the road.” – Marcus [05:58]
Rebuilding Realities
- Glenn “Stretch” Smith underscores this is a rebuilding defense, referencing the team's decision to move key pieces for draft picks and cap space: “You don’t look at a trade right now for necessarily this year… the process has got to get going, even if it is for next year.” [06:29, 08:17]
- Landon endorses trading picks for known defensive veterans over using all four first-rounders in the draft: “I think I’m more on board with using a pick to trade for a veteran of known quantity than using all four picks… especially since you’re rebuilding for Daks’ window.” [08:49]
2. Trade Deadline Debates: Who, What, and Why?
- Chat question raises important caution: “Should you be trading away big-time assets for a defensive player when you don’t even know who the coordinator’s going to be in 2026?” [10:24]
- Marcus uses the example of Nick Herbig: trading premium picks for scheme-specific players is risky if you change systems [11:03].
- Glenn wants to see the Cowboys pursue playmakers on defense, especially at safety, and begin planning for 2026: “You need a ball hawk. I don’t know who that is… but you gotta start somewhere with making progress.” [11:31]
Scheme Stability Matters
- Landon argues against a total defensive scheme overhaul: “I think it would be a huge mistake… if you come in and completely start over, all you’re doing is further extending the learning curve.” [12:48]
3. Coaching, ‘Big Changes,’ and the Problem of Execution
- Following the loss, head coach Brian Schottenheimer promised “big changes,” but as the hosts note, the only real answer was “execution.”
- Marcus: “Play better, right? …Maybe you see some snap-count reductions, but they’re kind of running out of options for changes they can make.” [14:39]
- Landon clarifies: “I think execution… doesn’t always necessarily mean ‘this guy just needs to play better’ – sometimes it’s about consequences for not executing, and getting other players more up to speed.” [15:34]
Defensive Fundamentals Lacking
- Stretch is fired up about defensive basics: “Defense is about lining up, communicating, correct leverage and chasing the crap out of the football… so many things I don’t like — head placement, hand placement, first step, all the little things.” [16:45]
- Landon wants youth movement over veterans who aren’t executing: “Give the young guys snaps to see if they can play better football, at least execute what the coaches are asking them to do…rather than a sixth-year vet who still hasn’t gotten it.” [18:55]
4. The Trayvon Diggs Saga: Mystery and Mistrust
Injury Confusion and Media Blackout
- Jerry Jones revealed Diggs’ absence is a (new) knee injury, in addition to his concussion. There is confusion and no official clarity.
- “I don’t know what’s going on with Trayvon Diggs… My read is the Cowboys are actually protecting Diggs from himself a little bit.” – Marcus [23:37]
- Landon: “The whole Diggs-Cowboys relationship is fascinating. …They’ve handled the concussion situation oddly… we’re drawing conclusions because we’re not getting enough information.” [25:14]
Trade Rumors and Career Outlook
- Is this the end for Diggs as a Cowboy? Stretch: “My gut is…he’s probably played his last game as a Dallas Cowboy.” [12:14]
- Marcus and Landon doubt much trade value exists right now: “At that point, you’re just better off holding onto Diggs and hoping he gets healthy by Turkey Day.” – Marcus [28:42]
- Landon notes the contrast with the Micah Parsons situation; with Diggs, his value has “cratered” and trade makes little sense now [29:46].
- Marcus laments the lost prime years: “You can’t predict this when you sign a guy to a big contract, it’s just a lot of bad luck… with corners, you lose a fraction of your athleticism and it can disappear like that.” [31:01]
- Landon suggests Diggs himself may not remember the injury details, adding further uncertainty [32:21].
5. The Offense in Denver: Disappointment and Details
Missed Opportunity Against a Wounded Broncos D
- Jeff Biggs: “I was disappointed with that performance. I thought that was a real step back.” [36:31]
- Marcus: “They were without two of their top guys, and they still overwhelmed you. …If you can get pressure with your front four, you can do a lot to slow down these receivers. Taking away the middle of the field made it hard for Dallas to throw.” [37:35]
- Landon: “The run game issues reared their ugly head. …You didn’t get Biadasz back, so you had another week with [Brock] Hoffman. Denver is more than just a good defense… on pace to break the record for sacks.” [38:38]
Execution and Basic Errors
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Extended game breakdown from Stretch, including damning details:
- “Houston lines up offsides. Did you hear what I said? He lined up offsides. Eight games into the season. …It’s inexcusable.” [41:56]
- “When you have zero margin for error, and you don’t have much on offense, and you go play a good team, you’re going to get just what you got.” [42:26]
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Landon: “It’s even more frustrating because Houston’s one of those guys we said should get more snaps. …It feels like the guys you have out there are screwing up, and the guys you replace them with are also screwing up.” [43:08]
No Margin for Error
- “They knew exactly what they had to do in order to beat Denver… And so to get so early, and make those kind of mistakes, there is no room for error if you’re going to win. …You just weren’t ready, not ready to play.” – Stretch [44:32]
“Football is a passionate game for passionate people. I only know one way to do it – if you don’t like it, lay out for two weeks and quit. It’s the wrong game for you.”
— Glenn “Stretch” Smith [45:50]
6. Cardinals Lookahead: Contained Pessimism for Monday Night
Kyler Murray Presents a Test
- Landon: “Kyler Murray has never lost at AT&T Stadium… but he’s a high-variance player. Could be the number one overall pick one game, or the guy more interested in Call of Duty the next.” [50:09]
- Marcus hopes Murray’s “backyard football” style might actually play into the Cowboys’ hands given Dallas’ issues with pre-snap reads: “Smart quarterbacks carve them up… maybe they’ll fare better against a QB who just makes it up.” [51:46]
- Stretch: “You gotta figure out how to not let him keep plays alive… he’s dangerous, he plays backyard ball, and with this secondary, he can do a lot.” [52:29]
- Marcus: “This is a good defensive coordinator in Jonathan Gannon… don’t expect Dallas to walk in and score 35 in their sleep.” [53:17]
What Would a Win (or Loss) Mean?
- Landon, on 4–4–1 vs. 3–5–1: “Honestly, to me, I think where you are right now… unless you win this and another two games, I can’t even talk about playoffs.” [55:52]
- Marcus: Winning three straight (Cardinals, Raiders, Eagles) would put Dallas in contention, but both agree the defense remains too big a problem: “I just have a hard time believing this defense is going to do anything in the playoffs.” – Landon [56:37]
- Stretch: “Go score 40 and you’ll have a chance… but it isn’t going to happen on the other side of the ball. …You gotta start the [rebuilding] process no matter what by the deadline.” [58:54, 59:27]
7. Trade Deadline Speculation: Who Could Move?
- Stretch: “While you’re on the phone asking about Myles Garrett, ask about the safety.” [60:51]
- Marcus and Landon agree: Smart teams don’t trade away All-Pro pass rushers in their prime, but mention other targets coming on Friday’s Locked On Cowboys episode.
- Landon stands by his 90% chance Dallas makes “some sort of trade,” but the type and aggressiveness of the deal has changed with the team's current record. [62:09]
- Stretch asks if the trades should be outgoing or incoming; Landon: “Either, honestly, but I’d imagine in.” [62:38]
- Both view a surprise Diggs trade as possible but unlikely to bring value at this point.
8. Notable Quotes & Moments
On Defensive Coaching:
- “It’s frustrating as a fan… the first time I’ve seen them play with correct leverage was against the Commanders. Why does it take that long?” — Stretch [16:45]
On Trade Deadline Prudence:
- “You’ve shown us eight weeks what you are. …Start making progress for 2026.” — Stretch [11:31]
On Offensive Letdown:
- “When Sunday was the game the offense needed to dig deeper and help the team, I was disappointed. That was a real step back.” — Jeff Biggs [36:31]
On the Diggs Soap Opera:
- “It feels like that Micah [Parsons] deal where it’s drifting away. This ship has sailed… only a matter of time before they do something.” — Stretch [28:56]
On Fan Frustration:
- “[Michael] Irvin is one of the most brutally honest people I know and sometimes it ain’t very good.” — Stretch [46:51]
Key Timestamps
- 03:30 – Blame for Denver loss; defensive regression
- 05:58 – "Process of getting there": Youth and injuries
- 08:49 – Trading picks: Veterans vs. the draft
- 10:24 – Trade deadline risk with pending scheme change
- 12:48 – Danger of drastic defensive scheme shift
- 14:39 – “Execution” as a coaching cure-all
- 16:45 – Defensive basics missing
- 23:37 – Diggs injury saga: New knee issue, media confusion
- 28:56 – Diggs trade value discussion
- 31:01 – Lost prime years: Cornerback breakdown
- 36:31 – Offensive disappointment in Denver
- 41:56 – “Lined up offsides” rant; coaching accountability
- 50:09 – Kyler Murray matchup concerns
- 55:52 – What a win or loss vs. Cardinals would really mean
- 60:51 – Trade deadline ‘wishlist’ and closing banter
Tone and Style
- The conversation is candid, critical, and often darkly humorous.
- Glenn "Stretch" Smith brings forceful, no-nonsense coach perspective, cutting through rationalization with blunt calls for fundamentals and discipline.
- Marcus Mosher and Landon McCool blend informed optimism and realism, leaning into analytics and context, but express concern about systemic issues, especially on defense.
- Jeff Biggs keeps the conversation moving, asks for clarity, and designates "who gets the blame."
- Multiple self-aware jokes and audience engagement, including reading chat, referencing Twitter’s Michael Irvin rants, and good-natured trade banter.
Summary Takeaway
This episode captures the Cowboys at a crossroads: Out of excuses, aware that defensive fixes aren’t simple, and uncertain about the futures of key players (like Trayvon Diggs), but still dangling on the edge of playoff relevance. The hosts urge the team to “start the rebuild,” pull no punches about coaching lapses and player fundamentals, and preview the trade deadline as a point of potential action but not an instant cure. Monday night against Kyler Murray and the Cardinals is framed as another “gut check”—but the consensus is that Dallas must outscore opponents, with little faith their defense can hold up without major long-term changes.