Ron Rivera Presser: If we’re going to be a play action team, we’ve gotta be a more effective running team

Ron Rivera, Carson Wentz, and others speak to the media after practice

Ron Rivera

Injury updates:

Cowboys DL vs Commanders OL:

“It is based on their alignments and stuff that we’ve seen. They try to create one on ones for you automatically. So that means you’ve got to be really good with your one on ones. And that’s what they do. That’s what they do with all the movement, the different formations, different alignments, mugging up in the line. They’re trying to force one on ones.”

Playing Rachad Wildgoose over a veteran:

“Because we’re trying to develop players. I mean that’s what it really comes down to. I mean Wildgoose has got a specific skill set. He’s got some abilities, certain things that really fit that position. And now it’s a matter of, you know, him getting the opportunity to develop and grow there.”

Black uniforms/helmets:

“No, that was the plan. We get a list of of things just like everyone. Why you wear the white jerseys at home early in the season when it’s still warm outside, hot outside and you know, you want your opponents to wear the dark jerseys. And so that’s the thought behind wearing white initially. Now as it starts to cool down and stuff, we, we’ll wear the reds at home, you know, and every now and then you get an opportunity to wear something different with your alternative colors. And we picked Dallas as a chance to wear the alternative color.”

Focusing on scoring early this week:

“Well, that’s the point of emphasis every week to score and start fast. You want to do that then sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn’t. It’s what do you do afterwards? You know what I’m saying? I mean, if you sit there and emphasize emphasize, emphasize and you don’t do it, then what do you do afterwards? So we practice that. We talk about that all the time, starting fast and sometimes you will and sometimes you won’t.”

Forcing more turnovers:

“Well, we just got to keep working on ‘em. I mean, that’s one of those things that happens. It comes in bunches when it comes in bunches. You just got to just continue to make ‘em, continue to put yourself in position, continue to work at trying to strip the ball. Those are all the things that you talk about, you work on. And again, it’s one of those things that when they happen, they happen.”

Cowboys week:

Antonio Gibson’s running style:

“Well, I think he’s been doing a pretty good job. I really do. I think he’s been aggressive. He’s in downhill a couple times. A couple times when he hasn’t had the crease on the front side. He’s cut back to the backside. Probably the only real b IIIad run he’s had all year unfortunately was the, the 10-yarder he lost. You know, he tried to reverse field down near the goal line, the truth matter is just at that point just lower your shoulder and get what you can. That’s the only criticism I have as far as that’s concerned. I like how he is running hard though. He’s gotten into the secondary a couple of times and you see him, you know, just roll over his pads and lower himself and deliver the blow. It’s one of the things that we talked about last year when we really saw him have a good second half, was when you get into that secondary a big guy like you who can run with your quickness and ability, you wanna force those guys to make a tackle. That’s what you’ve seen when you watch him get through that first line. I don’t say he’s looking people up, but he knows that, if he continues to accelerate that way, there’s some business decisions gonna be made out there. Guys aren’t gonna want to get up in front of him.”

Play action/running the ball:

“Well, I think the thing about the running game is if we’re going to be a play action team, we’ve gotta be a more effective running team because again, that slows things down. When you can do that, that discourages some of these guys pinning their ears back and just going, so we’ve gotta be able to when the run’s called to block it up, make sure we hit those holes, hit those creases because if you don’t, you’re not having success. You do become one-dimensional, and we’ve seen it. We’ve seen it for two weeks in a row that we’ve become one-dimensional because we haven’t been successful.”

Brian Robinson:

“Well, it’s one of those very fortunate situations that that wasn’t any worse and that’s the first major positive. The second measure positive is how he’s handled it. The way he’s reacted to it. The way he’s been getting himself back, how it’s been good for the team. Again, as he continues to prepare himself for hopefully an opportunity to be back soon, it’s pretty inspiring. I mean, he is a young man, has been very fortunate and he knows it quick.”

Micah Parsons:

“Well, I think one of the big things is tremendous athleticism. I mean he’s a special dynamic athlete. I think the way they use him and use his ability. They move him around again. If you can create one on ones and, and you know, not just one one-on-one, but if you try to get all four guys, get ‘em singled up and you had a fifth guy and as far as the rush is concerned, you know it makes it difficult, you know, and again, you have to be really sound really solid in your protections.”

Montez Sweat:

Really the guy that’s facing a little bit more has been Montez [Sweat] in terms of the way the protections are rigged, and you see a conservative effort to pay attention to where he is. You know, as we look at the things that we want to try and do, we’re trying to put him in position where they’ve got identify ‘em, but then once they do and they do something different, the other guys have to step up. We’ve had some guys that really played well, especially the interior guys. Those two interior guys have done a heck of a job and for what Montez has had to deal with, he’s been pretty stout.”

Jamin Davis:

“A guy that’s kind of like we say, just kind of soaking up the gravy has been Jamin [Davis] in terms of the add-ons. You know, he’s seeing opportunities to go in and make a play and he’s stepped up. That’s been a big deal for us but we gotta have more of it. We just gotta continue to work at it.”

Carson Wentz

Getting rid of the ball:

“Yeah, for starters, not every play is the same. There’s different nuances within each play, but the simple answer is just find ways to get rid of the ball. Find the check down, find the underneath route, maybe cut your losses, take off and run, different things. So, every play was different, but there’s definitely a lot that I could have done better and I look forward to doing better as we go forward. There’s definitely some chances for that and I’ll learn from it.”

Checkdowns:

“Well for one, anytime staying ahead of the chains is huge. Staying ahead of the chains is huge. I also, with the guys we have, I don’t really view it as a true checkdown because I think these guys, the guys that we have outta the backfield and the guys running these underneath routes, I think all of our guys with the ball in their hand can turn a two-yard pass into something big in a hurry. For me it’s just playing fast. Play fast and go where the read takes me. If that means checking it down underneath, I have nothing but confidence those guys can take two yards into 20 in a hurry. I think we’ve already seen some of that this year. Hopefully we can do more of that.”

9 sacks film review:

Consistent pressure from 4 defensive players:

“Yeah, I mean obviously that can make it tough. But again, there are things that we can do to counter that. There’s ways I can be better and just maybe find the underneath route. Like I said, the same type of answer. It can make it tough. Obviously every defensive coordinator would love to get pressure with four guys. That would be fantastic. But, that’s not always the case either. But, it can make it tough. But, there’s always ways to counter that as well.”

Micah Parsons:

“Yeah, for starters, not every play is the same. There’s different nuances within each play, but the simple answer is just find ways to get rid of the ball. Find the check down, find the underneath route, maybe cut your losses, take off and run, different things. So, every play was different, but there’s definitely a lot that I could have done better and I look forward to doing better as we go forward. There’s definitely some chances for that and I’ll learn from it.”

Cowboys defense:

Cowboys week:

Not getting Terry McLaurin the ball sooner:

“Yeah. It’s a culmination of a lot of things. I think for one, we have a lot of talented weapons that I think we can find a way. And I don’t think it’s just Terry. I think we’ve obviously struggled the last couple games early in games. There’s no denying that. I don’t think it’s anything that we want to overreact on. There’s plays for him. There’s plays for each guy and we haven’t executed them well yet. I’m very confident we will get him and the other guys involved more early, especially if we can execute a little bit better early on, that would help. But yeah, I don’t think it’s anything that we want to panic about or force the issue on because I know he’ll get his.”

Adjusting your play in the NFL after injuries:

“Yeah. It’s a culmination of a lot of things. I think for one, we have a lot of talented weapons that I think we can find a way. And I don’t think it’s just Terry. I think we’ve obviously struggled the last couple games early in games. There’s no denying that. I don’t think it’s anything that we want to overreact on. There’s plays for him. There’s plays for each guy and we haven’t executed them well yet. I’m very confident we will get him and the other guys involved more early, especially if we can execute a little bit better early on, that would help. But yeah, I don’t think it’s anything that we want to panic about or force the issue on because I know he’ll get his.”

Black uniforms:

Nick Martin:

Washington OL vs Dallas DL:

Montez Sweat

Double teams:

Cowboys rivalry:

Sam Cosmi

Confronting Haason Reddick:

Nick Martin

Zach Martin:

Logan Thomas:

Washington’s offense:

Jeremy Reaves

Special teams:

Practice updates

Black helmets/uniforms

TE drills

Sam Cosmi

Charles Leno

William Jackson III

Injured DEs

Sled work

Antonio Gibson