The Musers The Podcast: Cowboys Weekly Edition (at Commanders)

Date: December 23, 2025
Hosts: George Dunham & Bob Sturm
Producer: Peter Welton

Episode Overview

This week's Cowboys Weekly Edition arrives in the shadow of another dispiriting December for Dallas fans. George and Bob dissect a season that's painfully reminiscent of recent Cowboys history—early optimism dissolved by defensive collapses, offensive frustration, and widespread fan apathy. While the podcast leans into the bleakness of the present, the hosts also revisit the legendary 1975 Cowboys—50 years since the original Hail Mary—offering a nostalgic counterpoint to the current malaise.
*Tone: Honest, wryly self-aware, sometimes nostalgic, sometimes exhausted.

1. Cowboys’ December Misery: “We’ve Seen This Movie Before”

[00:58–06:09]

• Opening Mood:
  George admits it’s hard to summon enthusiasm, echoing decades of Cowboys late-season disappointments.
  • “For the last 30 years these cowboy movies don't have good endings. They just don't.” (George Dunham, 00:19)
• Bob's Dad Wisdom:
  “According to my dad, my butt tired yet again now.” (Bob Sturm, 02:09)
  • Both describe the Chargers loss as the “culmination” of 30 years; December collapse is now a Cowboys tradition.
• Defensive Collapse:
  • The Cowboys are on pace for their third-worst defensive season ever, maybe historic lows, giving up 37 points per game this month.
  • “They are now within 19 points of the all time number of 473 points against.” (Bob Sturm, 03:59)
• Fan Apathy:
  Bob notes a growing “enough is enough” exhaustion among fans at the stadium.

2. Anatomy of Collapse: Offense, Defense, and “Third Down Misery”

[06:09–25:50]

• Typical 2025 Lowlight:
  George spotlights Justin Herbert’s 33-yard scramble (on third-and-long) as emblematic of defensive breakdowns.
  • “If that wasn't this year's defense in a nutshell, in one play, I don't know what is.” (George Dunham, 07:14)
• Sack & Takeaway Drought:
  • Cowboys had a “00 game” (zero sacks, zero takeaways)—rare until the last few years but increasingly common now.
  • “From 21 to 23, they always had either a sack or a takeaway or both in every single game. Except one. Now they've done it five times since.” (Bob Sturm, 07:37)
• Offensive Paradox:
  • Historically, every Cowboys team with a top-5 offense made the playoffs—except this one.
  • “The first 18 were playoff teams. And the one exception is this one, the 2025 Cowboys.” (Bob Sturm, 11:01)
  • The offense started strong but “petered out.” Bob argues the defense sapped hope and opportunity.
• Point Differential Fail:
  • Despite scoring 424 points (which would lead other years), they’re still 30 points underwater on the year.
• Harbaugh Admiration:
  • Bob spotlights Charger coach Jim Harbaugh as “a great coach…everywhere he's gone, he has transformed that franchise.” (Bob Sturm, 14:16)
• Offensive Line Investment—And Disappointment:
  Bob: “No matter how many times we take a first rounder, we still get to the end of the season and say, man, maybe we should look at offensive line again in the draft.” (Bob Sturm, 19:28)

3. Crunch-Time Performance: Red Zone and Third Downs

[23:53–25:50]

• Critical Stats:
  • In December, red-zone performance collapsed (4/11 in TDs) and third-down conversions fell to 33% (12/36).
• Running Game Drop-off:
  • Success rate has dropped; efficiency is missing; “feels broken.”
• Wasted Quarterback Play:
  • “You've wasted a whole season of premium quarterback play which reminds people of kind of what you did to Tony Romo's prime. And we're doing it again.” (Bob Sturm, 25:40)

4. Thirty Years of Fan Apathy: “How Do You Interrupt Your Family Christmas?”

[26:36–32:45, 54:06–65:46]

• The Emotional Toll:
  • George and Bob touch on the emotional fatigue facing Cowboys fans born after the 1990s.
  • “How does he feel about this team? And is he does he feel anything at all?” (George, 26:47)
• Younger Generation’s Disaffection:
  • George questions whether a 10-year-old in 2025 even sees the Cowboys as relevant.
  • “Are they still into it? Does it still matter to the 10 year old like it did to me in 1975?” (George, 54:06)
• Apathy as Inheritance:
  • “I think the dad's becoming apathetic is passed down to the sons, probably.” (Bob, 55:17)
  • “So how do you get away from the apathy? Well, you need to believe that what they're doing makes sense and that it gives you hope. And I just think that we are to a point now where you could argue things feel pretty hopeless now.” (Bob, 56:14)
• The Jerry, Dak, and Parson Cycle:
  • Discussion of front office mismanagement, the endless cycle of defensive coordinator changes, and Micah Parsons contract drama.
• “Running in Circles”:
  • “They're not any closer to a Super bowl than they were a year ago or two years ago or three years ago…The worst place you can be as a sports fan, is believing that your team is not going anywhere except in a giant circle.” (Bob, 65:35)
• Christmas Melancholy:
  • “Santa's given up on the Cowboys.” (George, 66:03)
  • “There's a really good chance I won't be watching it live… I'm probably not going to take over the family Christmas up in Wisconsin by saying I've got to watch this game live.” (Bob, 67:09)

5. 1975 Cowboys: The Original Hail Mary, Dirty Dozen, and Sustained Hope

[29:48–53:13]

• Nostalgic Storytelling:
  • George paints the drama of the 1975 Vikings playoff win, “the Hail Mary,” and how as a kid, the Cowboys “had me for life after that game.”
  • “I remember jumping up and down going, he caught it. They won, they won that. Can't believe this.” (George, 38:49)
• Bob’s Deep Dive:
  • The wild finish: Fourth-and-17, Pearson’s midfield catch, the infamous “kick” by a Minneapolis security guard, oranges and a whiskey bottle thrown from the crowd, Drew Pearson's improbable touchdown, and the chaos after.
  • “He pins the ball between his elbow and hip…If you watch this, it's mind-blowing, this historic moment you can actually still see.” (Bob, 35:09)
• NFL Folklore:
  • “It's like ground zero of the term Hail Mary.” (Bob, 36:20)
• Dirty Dozen Draft:
  • Recap of the incredible 1975 draft class that defined a generation and sustained success: Randy White, Thomas Henderson, Bob Bruenig, Pat Donovan, Herb Scott, among others.
• Why the Flex Defense Worked:
  • George summarizes: “It was designed to stop the run…another way of gap control to where you had the free runner and that was the middle linebacker, Leroy Jordan…” (George, 50:37)
• Landry’s Legacy:
  • Tom Landry as engineer, innovator, and stoic icon: “He oversaw everything….control freak in the most respectful way possible.” (Bob, 48:03)

6. Where to Next? The Future and Tyler Smith at Left Tackle

[68:48–71:08]

• Season “Postmortem”:
  Bob: “Cowboys post mortem. And the season’s not even over yet.”
• Tyler Smith Debate:
  • Bob raises questions about shifting Smith to tackle; George is positive but uncertain if it's a move to buy into for 2026.
  • “I do think that he's a dominant guard, and I'm not sure he's a dominant tackle. So I don't know how smart it is…” (Bob, 69:47)
• Tongue-in-Cheek Viewing Motivation:
  • “If you need to convince your significant other that you must turn on Netflix at noon on Christmas day, just tell her or him that you have to evaluate Tyler Smith at left tackle.” (Bob, 70:42)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “I've almost given up…trying to translate Jerry. I don't even try anymore.” (George, 08:39)
• “You've wasted a whole season of premium quarterback play…And we're doing it again.” (Bob, 25:40)
• “Santa's given up on the Cowboys and I honestly can't blame him.” (George, 66:04)
• “The whole sports experience, the whole fan experience, is based on, I hope, I believe that the future is going to be fun. And I don't know that the Cowboys have that guy.” (Bob, 63:00)
• “Bradsham once said, it would be funny if it wasn't sad. And that's. That's kind of where we are at the end of the 2025 season.” (George, 68:43)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Sad Cowboys December, Defensive Collapse: [00:58–06:09]
• 1975 Cowboys Hail Mary/Nostalgia: [29:48–53:13]
• Critical Stats (Red Zone/3rd Down): [23:53–25:50]
• Long-term Apathy, Fan Discussion: [54:06–65:46]
• Tyler Smith at Tackle Debate: [68:48–71:08]

Summary:

This episode is a wistful, sometimes mournful reflection on another “lost” Cowboys season, blending present malaise with stories of glory days. For longtime fans, it’s a familiar script—promise, excitement, heartbreak, and, ultimately, resignation. George and Bob find small comfort in nostalgia but struggle to offer hope for the future, except perhaps in young players and distant memories. Even Santa, they note, has vacated Cowboys country this year.