The Musers The Podcast: Cowboys Weekly Edition (vs Chargers)
Release Date: December 18, 2025
Hosts: George Dunham & Bob Sturm
Theme: An irreverent and unflinchingly honest postmortem of the Cowboys’ season-ending loss to the Vikings, with a critical look ahead to the final games, roster holes, and the future of the staff.
Episode Overview
This episode finds the iconic Musers duo—George Dunham and Bob Sturm—commiserating over another Cowboys collapse, following a demoralizing 34-26 loss to the Vikings that all but ends Dallas’ playoff hopes. The hosts bring their trademark wit and biting football insight to bear on the Cowboys’ persistent dysfunction, dissecting everything from player performance and coaching woes to organizational patterns and what little is left to play for in the remaining weeks.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Playoff Hopes on Life Support
- The Cowboys are officially 6-7-1 after losing to the Vikings and, as George puts it, "there is no hope for [the playoffs]." Still, in classic Musers fashion, hope is playfully invoked ("Do you hear sleigh bells, Bob?") as they crunch the unlikely mathematical chances left.
- Quote [01:41]:
George: “If the Cowboys win out and the Eagles lose out, why, that would put the Cowboys in the playoffs, Bob.”
2. Pattern of Letdowns and Trust Issues
- The guys reflect, with a sense of déjà vu, on the team’s inability to deliver when “expectations” return. Losses at home seem especially “gutting,” with Bob describing the familiar heartbreak for fans who “Charlie Brown” themselves into hoping, only to have the football yanked away.
- Quote [03:19]:
Bob: "The second you throw out something like expectations... well, you can’t trust these guys. And you know, we’ve seen that too much."
3. Decades of Organizational Dysfunction
- The Musers hammer home how upper-management interference and poor timing in roster moves (especially highlight the Micah trade) sabotage coaching staff and team stability.
- Quote [04:55]:
George: "You do not trade him a week before the season starts... That’s a sabotage."
4. Statistical Disintegration of a Team Identity
- Bob lays out startling stats—Cowboys were 34-9 as 3+ point favorites under McCarthy from 2020-2024 (79%). Now in 2025, they’re 2-3 in that same spot, among the league’s worst performers as a favorite.
- Quote [06:54]:
Bob: “They were second in the NFL in win percentage as a favorite. So here we are in 2025... That is a 40% win percentage when you are favored to win.”
5. Red Zone, Third Down, and Exploding Inefficiency
- The offense racks up yardage but consistently fails in red-zone and third-down situations; points are “left everywhere.” Missed field goals and protection issues compound struggles.
- Quote [10:47]:
Bob: “They have a lot of fancy numbers, Georgie, but they just don’t get the proceeds from those fancy numbers as much as they should...”
6. Offensive Limitations: Personnel and Game Plan
- Injuries and lack of depth at running back, underperforming offensive tackles, and missing home-run threats hamstring Schottenheimer’s plans.
- The running back issue is thoroughly unpacked, especially how Javonte Williams is worn down by blitz pickups and how the lack of a “225-lb. backup” exposes the offense to blitzes.
- Quote [15:18]:
Bob: “You’re not just using him and giving him the ball, you’re using him in blitz pickup... it’s taking his energy down.”
7. Defensive Disasters Under Eberflus
- The Musers can no longer defend DC Matt Eberflus, dissecting a series of catastrophic plays and misalignments from the Vikings loss.
- Bob and George cite multiple examples where the defense is out-schemed and out-executed, from fullback dives to soft zone coverages—emphasizing the inability to stop the run or generate any pass rush, and the comical misplays on critical downs.
- Quote [23:51]:
Bob: “He’s gotta go, George. I... this morning was the defensive film study and trying to go through these plays and I’ve got like four of them at the top of my head and they all drive me absolutely crazy.”
8. Anatomy of Embarrassing Defensive Breakdowns
- Detailed breakdowns of four specific gutting plays—including blown coverages, mindless player alignment, bizarre two-man pass rushes, and a criminally soft defense on 4th-and-1—paint a portrait of chaos and lack of belief in the scheme.
- Quote [31:00]:
Bob: "They’re standing next to each other... waiting for the bus, I don’t know. But anyway, McCarthy had to make a great throw, and he did, but he had zero pressure."
9. Fundamental and Motivational Failure
- Hosts observe that poor fundamentals and a lack of clear identity have defined the defense; players don’t seem to understand or trust what’s being coached.
- Quote [37:06]:
George: "Do you have no pride whatsoever in your soul to play just a little bit of defense? ...sometimes it looks like they’re kind of going through the motions because they’re not sure what they’re doing, why they’re doing it, and they don’t believe it’s going to work."
10. What’s Next—Coaching and Draft Strategy
- With a fourth defensive coordinator in four years expected, the Musers ponder who could take the reins (no clear answers), lamenting outdated defensive philosophies and pointing out the need for real change.
- Possible draft strategies are discussed, including the likelihood of trading one of their two first-rounders for a bundle of mid-round picks instead of taking two blue-chippers—revealing skepticism about any quick fix.
11. What’s Left to Play For?
- Hosts reflect on the final three games and how the remainder of the season matters for player evaluation—looking for “hope” and bright spots in young players (Tyler Smith, Tyler Booker, Overshown), and arguing that the staff should prioritize live reps for future contributors over retreading the same veterans.
- Quote [45:05]:
Bob: “We’re going to see what the Cowboys, how bad they want to fight the rest of the way... you just want to see hope. You want to see things out there that make you feel good about how far this team might not be away.”
12. Organizational Culture and Head Coach Profile
- Bob draws parallels between Schottenheimer and the Jason Garrett era—compliance, risk aversion, and reluctance to stand up to Jerry Jones—fueling organizational stagnation.
- Quote [55:58]:
Bob: “I just kind of think that there’s a selection bias in how we hire our coach... But nowhere in there does it say, pound the table because you’re upset how the Jones family set things.”
13. The Worst Kind of History
- Bob drops a shocking stat: “There is one time in Cowboy history where the Cowboys gave up less than 330 yards, had zero giveaways, zero, and still allowed 34 points or more than 28... That is the first time in Cowboys history that’s ever happened.” [58:10]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- [04:42] George: “We look at Scrooge McJones and we think, okay, he’s had his fingerprints all over what’s gone wrong with this franchise for the last 30 years.”
- [23:51] Bob: “He’s gotta go, George. I... this morning was the defensive film study and trying to go through these plays and I’ve got like four of them at the top of my head and they all drive me absolutely crazy.”
- [37:06] George: “Do you have no pride whatsoever in your soul to play just a little bit of defense? That’s all defense is.”
- [55:58] Bob: "Nowhere in there does it say, pound the table because you’re upset how the Jones family set things."
- [59:13] Bob: “There is one time in Cowboy history where the Cowboys gave up less than 330 yards, had zero giveaways, and still allowed 34 points or more than 28. That is the first time in Cowboys history that’s ever happened.”
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 00:01 – 03:00: Playoff math, “sleigh bells,” and swift reality check
- 04:42 – 06:17: Organizational dysfunction & sabotaged seasons
- 06:24 – 09:27: Plummeting as a favorite, McCarthy stats
- 10:47 – 15:45: Red zone futility, protection issues, and running back woes
- 22:58 – 38:31: The defense’s disastrous year, breaking down Eberflus’s repeated failures
- 45:05 – 48:16: Final three games’ significance; searching for young player hope
- 53:22 – 55:58: Coaching philosophy, compliance, and fear of confronting Jerry Jones
- 59:13 – 60:00: The “one of one” Cowboys stat: historic futility
Conclusion/Outlook
Despite the bitterness of another lost season filled with epic defensive failures and underachievement, The Musers bring their signature blend of gallows humor, deep football knowledge, and franchise-weary loyalty. Looking ahead, they pin hope on incremental progress—seeing improvement from youngsters, possible coaching staff changes, and maybe, just maybe, the chance that the organization learns from (another year of) disappointment.
George [62:09]: “We’re giving you an episode right before Christmas, whether you want it or not. That’s the football spirit I want to hear, Bob, no matter how tired our butts are.”
Summary prepared for those wanting deep insight and a few laughs from Cowboys heartbreak, without having to relive the full two-hour odyssey.