Talkin’ Cowboys: Same Problems, New Angle

Date: December 22, 2025
Podcast: Talkin’ Cowboys (Dallas Cowboys)
Episode Theme:
A candid, in-depth breakdown of the Cowboys’ disappointing 34-17 loss to the Chargers, what’s gone wrong with the 2025 season, and what the team needs to address moving forward—particularly their persistent physicality and defensive issues.

Main Discussion Points

1. Opening Reactions to Another Disappointing Loss

• Tone: Somber and direct; the hosts immediately opt not to “cheer up” the fans but to analyze the hard truths.
• Record and Playoff Elimination:
  • Cowboys fall to 6-8-1, officially eliminated from playoff contention with three games remaining.
    • “A lot of disappointment I think around the 2025 season… the talent and how they were, how they played yesterday.” – Kyle Yeomans [02:14]
  • Eagles also eliminated.

2. Defensive Collapse & Lack of Physicality

• Get-Right Game Myth Reversed:

  • The Cowboys, supposed to benefit from the Chargers’ weak offensive line, instead registered zero sacks—a first for Chargers’ QB Justin Herbert all season.
    • “Justin Herbert was not sacked for the first time this entire season. Cowboys did not sack Justin Herbert a single time. He was back there playing Madden.” – Patrick Walker [03:13]

• Defensive Adjustment Failures:

  • New plan with Matt Eberflus in the booth produced no improvement; the defense was dominated.
    • “This looked to be one of the worst performances I’ve seen from the Dallas Cowboys defense.” – Josh Rodriguez [04:47]

• Accountability and Scheme:

  • Hosts caution against putting all the blame on Eberflus; players’ effort and assignment failures are equally at fault.
    • “Guys need to be held accountable to not handling their assignments.” – Isaiah Stanback [07:54]

• Statistical Lowlights:

  • Chargers scored on 6 of 8 drives.
    • “Their offense scored against our defense six of eight times.” – Isaiah Stanback [06:53]

• Players Lost:

  • Injuries: Ryan Flournoy (knee), DeMarvion Overshown (concussion) likely out for Christmas Day.

3. Offense: Fast Starts, Slow Finishes

• First Half Production:

  • Cowboys offense started strong—scoring on all but one first-half possession.
  • Second-half offense: “Punt, turnover on downs, turnover on downs, fumble.” – Isaiah Stanback [07:08]
    • “Offensively you had a good start. Defensively, wasn’t great at all.” [07:21]

• Key Moments & (Another) Missed Opportunity:

  • “Ticky-tack” holding penalty wiped out a Ryan Flournoy TD.
  • Odd play-calling criticized (e.g., 4th and inches handoff to fullback Hunter Luepke instead of a QB sneak).

• Miscommunication:

  • Notable play: Kevontae Turpin stopped running his route, ultimately stalling a drive.
    • “You're Kevontae freaking Turpin. Get past this guy.” – Isaiah Stanback [10:18]
    • “Offense is not excused from the loss.” – Patrick Walker [10:33]

• Overdependence on Perfection:

  • The refrain: this year’s Cowboys needed the offense to play perfectly to have a chance, which is “unrealistic.”
    • “To expect an offense to be perfect in the National Football League in 2025 is unrealistic. But they've had to be perfect.” – Kyle Yeomans [11:15]

4. Physicality: Cowboys Outmatched

• Recurring Theme in Losses:

  • In every recent loss, the Cowboys were “out-physicaled.”
    • The hosts name-check each loss and agree nearly every opponent was tougher in the trenches. [14:33–15:35]

• Personnel Gaps:

  • Dallas’s physical defensive identity only extends to the interior; edges, linebackers, and corners lack that edge.
    • “You need some goons… physicality, a lot of it is mentality.” – Isaiah Stanback [18:31]

• Team Construction Philosophy:

  • Need “goons,” players with an edge—mentally and physically—was a repeated point.

5. Organizational Accountability & Failure

• Team-wide Responsibility:
  • Not just one area or coach to blame; all in the building—from players to front office—share responsibility for the letdown of 2025.
    • “In 2025, we all underachieved.” – Patrick Walker [20:11]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Once again, the Cowboys are the get-right game.”
  – Patrick Walker [02:37]

• “Ham, no burger… peanut butter, no jelly. That’s the theme with this Cowboys team.”
  – Patrick Walker [03:43]

• “You have a bowl of Lucky Charms without any milk to speak of. …It's flashy, but there's no depth.”
  – Josh Rodriguez [16:08]

• “You need some goons… some guys that are like on the edge that you gotta reel them in a little bit.”
  – Isaiah Stanback [18:31]

• “It's an organizational type of failure.”
  – Kyle Yeomans [19:28]

Key Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment Highlight | |------------|------------------| | 02:14 | Yeomans summarizes elimination/disappointment | | 03:13 | Walker: Defense can't pressure, no sacks on Herbert | | 04:47 | Rodriguez: Eberflus adjustment failed, defense shredded | | 06:53 | Stanback: Chargers scored on 6 of 8 possessions | | 10:18 | Stanback: Turpin stops on route; offensive miscommunication | | 11:15 | Yeomans: Offense had to be “perfect” to compensate | | 14:33–15:35| Physicality check: every loss, Dallas out-muscled | | 16:08 | Rodriguez: “Bowl of Lucky Charms without milk…” | | 18:31 | Stanback: Cowboys lack “goons,” edge-mentality | | 19:28 | Yeomans: “Organizational type of failure” | | 20:11 | Walker: “We all underachieved” |

Offseason Fixes & Draft/Free Agency Debate

Where Do They Start Rebuilding?

• Defensive Fix Prioritized:
  • “You have your DT position solved. So solve your DE. You have to get a pass rush.” – Patrick Walker [26:29]
• Draft Priorities:
  • Hosts agree: two 1st-round picks should go to DE and linebacker; maybe corner.
  • Disagreement: Stanback notes corner is the hardest to find and retain, pressing for a Day 1 investment at CB.
• Resource Constraints:
  • Cowboys have two 1st-rounders, but no 2nd or 3rd-round pick.
    • “You got to hit both of them. Both… Day one starters.” – Rodriguez [33:33]
• Roster Construction Headaches:
  • Inability to cover all defensive needs with limited premium resources.

Offensive Line and Coach/Coordinator Assessment

• Coaching Staff Trust:
  • Yeomans and Stanback discuss how head coach Schottenheimer was forced to overly manage a failing defense, potentially hampering offensive evolution.
  • “If you're supposed to be cooking dinner and the kids are acting up… it's not an excuse, it's a reason.” – Patrick Walker [45:29]
• Stanback’s Leadership Theory:
  • Argues head coaches should be “leaders of men” and not primary play-callers, so they can oversee every facet of the team.

Offensive Playcalling: Did Schottenheimer Evolve?

• “No, I don’t think he’s evolved as a play caller.” – Josh Rodriguez [40:31]
• “I think he became more predictable as the year went on... I don’t foresee him going back to back years with that same issue.” – Isaiah Stanback [49:17]
• Theory: Once the offense coordinator spent more time trying to bandage the defense, the offense lost some creativity and momentum [42:26–43:05].
• Still, Cowboys produced one of the league’s best statistical offenses; the “sin” was not being perfect every week.

Final Thoughts & Season Perspective

• Summary:
  • Cowboys 2025: A team with gaudy offensive stats, no playoff hope, and a glaring lack of physicality/team toughness.
• Blame Shared:
  • Every layer of the organization failed: talent, coaching, management, and culture.
• Looking Forward:
  • Dallas needs to overhaul both personnel (especially on defense) and mentality, seeking toughness and edge in new acquisitions.

For fans: This episode is a straight-shooting, no-excuses, sometimes biting autopsy of the season. You’ll hear honest frustration—a recurring theme of physical inferiority, self-inflicted wounds, and missed opportunities for growth. The hosts balance analysis of strategy with a clear-eyed indictment of softness and organizational slippage, making this essential listening for anyone wanting to understand how and why the Cowboys’ 2025 campaign fell apart, and what’s needed next.