- 6 minutes ago
Jerry Jones joined The K&C Masterpiece to share his perspective on the Cowboys' international presence, game planning against mobile quarterbacks, wide receiver depth, o-line development, and more.
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00:00We bring to you Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones. Good morning, sir.
00:06Hey, well, great, great morning, and let's go to Rio.
00:09Okay, so I always love to get your perspective on so many across the NFL issues as well.
00:19As the Cowboys are set to play in Rio, do you believe the NFL will someday have a team based
00:25outside of North America?
00:27Uh, possibly, and I underline that possibly, because we've got some great markets.
00:37The Mexico, you know, Mexico City, Monterey, those are great cities, great fans.
00:46We've got a great synergy with our Mexican fans here in the United States.
00:52The Cowboys are major, major solicitors of those.
01:00We've been broadcasting our games hispanically.
01:04We've been broadcasting those games for over 50 years with separate broadcasters going to northern Mexico and south Texas.
01:15So, listen, that's a long-winded answer, but at some point, maybe, but right now, I don't see an urgent
01:25expansion time.
01:27That being said, how important has it been for you and the league to see the proliferation of these international
01:33games and grow the game across the globe?
01:36Well, that's a different story.
01:38I think the idea of playing our real games in other countries lets us introduce and, if you will, touch
01:50and feel the NFL through our games.
01:53But the story of the NFL, the story of the game, if you will, the ethos of the game, our
02:02game is different.
02:03Players have to really give it up.
02:05Big boys, little boys, fast boys, slower boys play it.
02:09It's unique.
02:11And you have to call on yourself to play our game.
02:14That story, that spirit of what we're about with NFL football, that story can be told in many ways in
02:25other countries.
02:26And that's called storytelling, and I think that is very effective when you add our real-season games to it
02:36throughout the other parts of the world.
02:39Now, I know we aren't breaking any new ground here, but just how daunting is the challenge of facing Lamar
02:46Jackson and Derrick Henry?
02:48Well, when you look at the challenge we've had the last couple of weeks against New York, you saw their
02:54quarterback that's able to really tuck it and run with it.
02:59And then you saw what happened to us early out here the other day, one before we limited him, so
03:09to speak, with Philadelphia.
03:12Then I think that you see, I mean, with Washington, then you see what this quarterback in Baltimore gives us.
03:21He's the best at it.
03:23And he is certainly, his threat is a big influence on our defense.
03:31But more importantly, the obvious, when he does run, he's hard to guard.
03:37And so it's a big part of our game plan to make sure our defense is ready for his talent.
03:45Now, you just mentioned going back a couple of weeks against the Giants, we got news that their quarterback, Jackson
03:51Dart, is going to be out for the season.
03:53How does that change your perception of what your division rival is capable of this season?
03:59Well, in the sense that he was better than I expected when we opened up against the Giants.
04:06And he was very effective against us.
04:08And so he will be a loss to that team.
04:14On the other hand, their second quarterback came in and really played well against us.
04:19So they can make up some of the things that they lose with his legs.
04:29They can make that up with their backup quarterback.
04:32Having said that, we've got to, you have to, in today's game, you have to be ready to play, if
04:40you will, running quarterback.
04:41And the game is kind of organized or structured penalty-wise to favor running quarterbacks because they get some deference
04:54out there.
04:54They can slide.
04:56And so we try to protect them.
05:00And consequently, that can create some offensive advantages.
05:04Now, focusing on the Cowboys, week four was when, last year, George Pickens really took off statistically last season.
05:13I realize that that's about the time that CeeDee Lamb got hurt as well.
05:17But do you think it's about time that George Pickens is going to heat up again?
05:21And how nice is it to hear him say, I don't care what my stats are as long as we
05:26win?
05:27Well, it's hard to overstate George Pickens' role and how good a teammate he is.
05:38He's outstanding.
05:39He creates energy among his teammates because he loves to play the game out there.
05:45And he has such ability that that plus that attitude and recognizing how effective he can be really makes him
05:56a valued teammate as well as valuable to us would in these games.
06:02There's no question Lamb does benefit from the fact that George is out there.
06:06They've got some coverage on him that should give us some openings there, both for Lamb and for our tight
06:13ends and running backs as well.
06:14Get the ball to him in the passing game.
06:17But George will get his.
06:19There's no doubt in my mind that he'll, when the dust is settled, he will absolutely be right up there
06:28with the top reception leaders in the league in my mind.
06:31How rare is it, just like looking back through your ownership tenure, is it to have those superstars who are
06:38unselfish?
06:39Or do you feel like you've mostly had teams that were unselfish?
06:43And is that what you need to obviously get to where we all want to go?
06:47Well, it is, it makes sense because they really do understand even better than the fans do what the talent
06:58of their teammate means to their individual stats or their success.
07:04There's a threat out there, especially a pair of receivers, or if you will, in our case, we've got as
07:10many as full receivers out there that are benefiting from the fact that they've got to cover them all.
07:17And now you get that running game going, which is our goal, and that'll open it up.
07:22That's what we intend to do.
07:25But the fact that George is extraordinarily gifted in just the catching of the ball, that sounds simple.
07:36But catch the ball.
07:38And he has about as good a skill when it comes up in competing and catching the ball as anybody
07:45we've had.
07:46Now that really gives you a weapon to get it in the area, and George will come up with it.
07:54And so, needless to say, that's one of the major strengths that we have looking forward to as we move
08:02on down the schedule this year.
08:04I know, obviously, the absence of Tyler Smith makes a difference.
08:09Is there anything else that you have noticed in these first couple games that has led to, quite frankly, a
08:15lackluster start to the running game?
08:17No, I think that, frankly, we point to it.
08:21But we had at least one really outstanding running play call back in the last game out here against Washington.
08:31Or we would have had better numbers.
08:34But still, I think the last thing I'm worried about is Schottenheimer, our coach, making sure that we get balance
08:43in the running game and the passing game.
08:45If you see it out of kelter, it's because the defense has really given us that.
08:50And they've said to us, look, we're just going to open it up for you on running to make sure,
08:57I mean, on passing, so that you can't run against us.
09:00And Schottenheimer will take care of it.
09:03So I give him a lot of credit for us having the balance and the execution of what we're doing
09:10with our talent out there.
09:12And I definitely get that balance and execution, absolutely.
09:15Tom Brady said during the TV broadcast last week, to be a good team, to be a physical team, you
09:21have to be able to run the ball when the other team knows you're going to run the ball.
09:25I understand the desire to pass, pass, pass, because this passing game is tremendous.
09:30But at some point, do you also feel like to be a successful team, you will have to find some
09:34more on that running game?
09:36Absolutely.
09:37And you really, again, you asked the question about Tyler Smith.
09:45Anybody in this business would miss Tyler Smith, and he'll be back here real soon.
09:51But we've got some guys in there that are really taking up the slack and really playing.
09:55This will be good for us down the road because the additional responsibilities or the additional onus that's on the
10:03players that we do have is what you want.
10:07Because this is the time of year to get in here and work and get the reps.
10:13So all of this I'm positive about and building toward getting better as we move along.
10:20Now, we need to win these games, though, as we're getting better.
10:23And I do want to talk more about that in just a second, but I also want to ask you
10:27about another Tyler.
10:28What have you thought about Tyler Guyton's play these first couple of games, and have you seen the improvement that
10:35the team has been hoping for?
10:37Yes, on the last question, yes, we have seen that improvement.
10:41And he has been steady, Eddie, starting in training camp.
10:46And as he's evolved through these first couple of games, he's really had such gratifying performance as to how he's
11:01playing.
11:01And you can see him just getting better and better and better.
11:04And that's the way it works.
11:05You can do that in the offensive line.
11:08And reps do, no matter how talented you are, reps do make you better.
11:13And you see him getting the benefit now of the time that he's been in the NFL.
11:18But, boy, is that encouraging.
11:20And one of our strengths can be, because we've got some great coaching up there, and we do have some
11:27great depth up there.
11:29And so one of our strengths should be this offensive line, and as a part of that, should be our
11:36running game as we evolve through the year.
11:39Now, on the defensive side of things, what have been your thoughts through a couple of games?
11:45Because Quinton Williams feels like his own toughest critic out there, which I imagine is probably what you want.
11:50But what have you thought about the play and production of both Quinton and then maybe Kenny Clark as well,
11:56especially given the amount of money that they make?
11:58Well, they both are, I'm going to say, I wouldn't want to go without them.
12:05They are two of the best.
12:09And they address pointedly what we've tried to evolve to.
12:15We wanted to muscle up in the middle.
12:18We needed to muscle up in the middle.
12:21For several years, we've been a little light in there.
12:25And Quinton is the key to that.
12:28Kenny Clark is right there with them.
12:30And, boy, they've got some help out there.
12:32But I think right at this time, the strength of our defense is in there.
12:38We've got to get our linebackers, which is happening.
12:41Those linebackers have got to sync up so that they can basically fill for us where it's designed to and
12:50where the play goes.
12:52But still, I'm real encouraged as we have finished through two games.
12:59I'm encouraged.
13:00And one of the things I'm looking forward to the most is watching that group play this game.
13:05Now, again, we're challenged by that running quarterback.
13:08And he gives the interior serious things to consider when he can break it down and break the defense down
13:18and make those runs.
13:19But I feel very good about what it looks like for this season inside.
13:25What have you thought, since you mentioned the linebackers, what have you thought about the early play of the rookie,
13:31Jayshon Barham, who I know has been exciting, the fan base, and the progression?
13:35Are you ready to see some more Malachi Lawrence?
13:39Absolutely.
13:40Both those first-year guys are really impressive at this stage, two games into the season as well as training
13:50camp.
13:51And they're getting better.
13:53And Barham really does put a lot on his own expectations, a lot on his shoulders.
14:01And he really exerts tremendous competes every play.
14:09And so he's got to control that a little bit so he can go at that pace the entire game.
14:15But, boy, you seem capable of making those big plays.
14:20But he's going to do nothing but get better as he gets this experience.
14:25He's playing up to his potential all the way.
14:28And, of course, Lawrence has a chance to be one of the best pass rushers we have, or maybe others
14:35have.
14:36And he's showing flashes of that as we move along.
14:40To kind of go back to where we started, the discussion about Rio, because I'm just really interested in this,
14:47could you see getting to the point in the NFL where perhaps every team has an international game
14:55at least once a season or perhaps every other season?
14:58Yeah, they've recently changed the rule just this past spring to where if a team was asked to go overseas
15:10and it was your away game, not your home game, you only have to play one home game every eight
15:17years away.
15:19But, on the other hand, if you were asked to go as a visiting team, then the other team could
15:28veto that.
15:29And nobody wanted the Cowboys to go because we draw so good at various cities around the country.
15:37And so we weren't going because teams would say, we don't want our Cowboy game to go on the road.
15:43We'll keep it here and we'll do another one, but we don't want to do the Cowboy game.
15:48That rule changed and now the other club can't veto it, so we'll be doing more away games.
15:54And where we really want to go is Mexico.
15:57That really fits for us.
15:59It's great for us.
16:00It's where our core base of fans are.
16:06We really believe that we have the highest going in the way of Hispanic Mexican fans in the United States.
16:16And every time we go and play in Mexico, it endears us and creates more interest for our fans here
16:21in the United States.
16:23Strictly from a business perspective, is there any level of annoyance when you do have to give up a home
16:30game for an international game?
16:32Well, you pay a price.
16:35But that's the price we're paying to create and sustain the interest internationally.
16:44And that creates a lot of interest in television.
16:47That gives us another place to show our games during the Sunday morning of the week.
16:54And so all of this is good.
16:56I'm in complete agreement with how we're developing and doing our international games.
17:02But I don't like it when it takes one of your home games away.
17:05That's no good.
17:07Now, one of the things that I've kind of said throughout the week, and you've made some allusions to how
17:12tough the Ravens can be when you look at the ability of Lamar Jackson to run,
17:16when you look at Derrick Henry, future Hall of Famer in the backfield, I've said that just based on the
17:22first two weeks, this seems like a bad matchup for the Cowboys defense.
17:27What is your confidence level going into this game?
17:31Well, I agree with you.
17:33Any time you have to face those two players you just mentioned and the Ravens, that's a bad matchup.
17:43And so we've got our work cut out for us.
17:47And they've got a lot of incentives to play at their top level against us down there Sunday.
17:55So it's a rough one.
17:57And it's really rough to have to move that game as a home game here at AT&T Stadium and
18:03then play that game down in Rio.
18:06On the other hand, we're all playing an away game now, and that may even it up just a little
18:14bit.
18:14But we'll be ready for them.
18:16But they're a handful.
18:19Well, we appreciate the time.
18:21As always, good sir.
18:22Best of luck in Rio.
18:24We will catch up with you again next Friday.
18:26Well, thank you.
18:27And, boy, listen, we're looking forward to visiting with you every Friday.
18:33Absolutely.
18:33There you go, ladies and gentlemen.
18:35Jerry Jones right here on 105.3 The Fan.
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