Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones recently joined 105.3 The Fan (KRLD-FM) to discuss how the team is adjusting to Mike Zimmer’s scheme, facing the Detroit Lions again and more.
Here are some highlights, edited for length and clarity:
Two games in a row, the Cowboys have stopped the run well. Is this Mike Zimmer’s message getting home? How much better are you feeling about your run defense?
Jones: “Well, I think it’s just, whenever you get a new defensive coordinator and you change the language, you’ve got to adapt to the change. I think that’s what our guys are doing. They’re seeing how important it is to have gap integrity and do the things that Mike wants them to do. I think they’re starting to really do a good job of that. Obviously it’ll be real important because this Detroit team can really run the ball well, they’ve got two really good complementary backs in [David] Montgomery and [Jahmyr] Gibbs. Good, good players that really run the ball well. As anything, when you go into a game the first thing you want to do on defense is stop the run. Obviously we’ll line up and have confidence Zim’s got our guys schemed up and ready to go.”
This Lions group is pretty tough. How confident are you that your guys can hang in with them?
Jones: “We feel good. Every game is a challenge in this league. Obviously, they’ve got some really good football players. Really good coaching staff that is very innovative moving the ball. They’ve got a couple of good backs that complement each other. The speed-power matchup. Certainly got some good receivers and a really good tight end and that quarterback is making plays for them. They’ve also got a good offensive line, so it’s a solid group. On the defensive side, they’ve got the same thing. That’s life in the NFL. You’re going to go up against good teams, good players. You’re going to have your challenges and it’s good that we’re going to be at home with our fans and hopefully get them rocking a little bit and give us a home-field advantage.”
With Tyler Guyton sustaining an injury, what did you think of the line with Tyler Smith at left tackle and T.J. Bass at guard?
Jones: “It’s just good to have the versatility. In this league, you’re going to have injuries. All you have to do is turn on a game every night or day and you see offensive linemen going down and people having to shuffle. That’s just part of it. To have a guy like a Tyler Smith who’s versatile and can kick out and can kick a guard in, it’s certainly something that makes us a better football team. At the same time, I really like when he’s 100% healthy what Guyton’s done at left tackle and what Tyler’s doing at left guard.”
How much discussion have you guys had about getting CeeDee Lamb more involved as the games go on?
Jones: “Obviously when you pay a guy that kind of money, you want to get him his targets. He started off fast the other night, I think he had four or five catches in the first quarter. Then they zeroed in on him and it opened it up for a lot of other players on our team between [Jake] Ferguson, [Jalen] Tolbert, [KaVontae] Turpin. It opened it up. At the end of the day, we want to get CeeDee his touches. He’s a dynamic football player, one of the best players on our team and we want to get him the ball.”
Listen to the rest of Jones’ radio appearance here.
Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
