SportsDay Insider: Cowboys’ awful defense, Rangers’ skipper and a college football boomtime in Texas

SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Calvin Watkins analyze [00:40] a historically bad Cowboys’ defense and what it portends for Matt Eberflus, the defensive coordinator, as well as Brian Schottenheimer. Is it the scheme? The players? Both? How bad is it when Rico Dowdle calls out the Cowboys, and they not only don’t respond, they don’t even take offense? [32:33] The Skip Schumaker era will probably be different from Bruce Bochy’s in terms of communication, but it would be better if it involves better players. Does the Rangers’ director of amateur scouting escape blame for the farm system’s inability to deliver position players? [51:29] And has there ever been a better time for college football in Texas, where four teams are still in the running for three conference titles at the midpoint? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Speculation is mounting at Dallas City Hall that Mayor Eric Johnson may soon resign to seek another political office. At least one candidate for mayor says he is ready to run if and when Johnson resigns. In other news, a federal judge’s ruling Tuesday temporarily blocks the University of Texas System from implementing parts of a new state law that limits where and when students can engage in expressive activities on campuses. He said, “the First Amendment does not have a bedtime of 10:00 p.m." ; a Grapevine youth basketball coach was sentenced to prison in what authorities described as an extensive child pornography operation. Michael Bo Peacock was sentenced last month to 40 years in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release. The 50-year-old Denton man was also ordered to pay a $50,000 fine; and the Mavericks have reportedly signed Jason Kidd to a multi-year contract extension, two people with knowledge of the deal confirmed to The Dallas Morning News. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nirav and Megha Tolia are co-founding directors of the William Spears Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership in SMU's Cox School of Business. Nirav is the CEO of Nextdoor and Megha is the president and COO of Shondaland. The couple reflect on building community networks in entrepreneurship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Artificial intelligence-powered cameras on Dallas sanitation trucks may hit the streets next year. The City Council approved more than $850,000 to install cameras on the trucks in partnership with the Code Compliance Department. In other news, while federal workers across the country have been furloughed or required to work without pay as a government shutdown approaches its third week, members of Congress are entitled to continue collecting their salaries. But are Texas lawmakers accepting or allowing their pay to be withheld? is Dak Prescott’s Cowboys career destined to go the same wasted way as Tony Romo’s? And in today's 'Ask Curious Texas' “what’s the story of the house with dinosaurs outside and in the yard? Did the homeowners need to go through any kind of city approval to be able to place those outside?” Here's the link to Ask Curious Texas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Two people were killed Sunday afternoon when the small airplane they were on crashed near Hicks Airfield in Fort Worth, igniting a massive blaze that sent a plume of thick black smoke into the air. Several crews were dispatched to North Saginaw Boulevard following the crash. Several first responders from different agencies responded to the scene. In other news, over the past decade — as North Texas’ famous economic boom has taken off in earnest — more than 700 companies have expanded their presence in greater Dallas-Fort Worth. Increasingly those D-FW campuses feature elaborate design elements and amenities — everything from specially commissioned artwork to integrated lighting sensors to restaurant-quality cafeteria offerings — that rival those of Silicon Valley or New York City. And rookie kicker Ryan Fitzgerald made a 33-yard field goal as time expired and the Carolina Panthers knocked off the Dallas Cowboys, 30-27 Sunday. Former Cowboy Rico Dowdle rolled up 183 rushing yards on 30 carries for the Panthers. He added 56 yards receiving and a touchdown. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Dallas-Fort Worth barbecue joint is getting the Hollywood treatment in the new season of “Landman.” There are changes afoot for the Texas Michelin awards. It’s time to say goodbye to a Chili’s classic. That’s all coming up on this episode of Eat Drink D-FW. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One week before his third execution date, the state’s highest criminal court granted Robert Roberson III a stay Thursday, the latest development in an extraordinary case that has redefined the landscape — and limits — of capital punishment. The 58 year old Roberson was scheduled to be put to death by lethal injection Oct. 16 in Huntsville. In other news, . Dozens of his neighbors from the South Haven community watched the Dallas City Council approve utility company Oncor’s request to construct a 200-foot communications tower near their homes in Irving. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Host Talmage Boston interviews Mark K. Updegrove, presidential historian for ABC News and former executive director of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum, about his latest book, Make Your Mark: Lessons in Character from Seven Presidents. This is an independent podcast hosted by The Dallas Morning News opinion team. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Both DFW International Airport and Dallas Love Field were operating normally Wednesday morning, a day after both were impacted by staffing shortages stemming from the ongoing government shutdown. In other news, Gov. Greg Abbott is threatening to withhold funding for roads from Dallas and other Texas cities if they do not remove rainbow crosswalks. On Wednesday, Abbott said he directed the Texas Department of Transportation to ensure cities and counties erase “any and all political ideologies from our streets,” including symbols and flags; the victim in a fatal Tuesday shooting in Dallas was killed following an argument after she allegedly got upset that a woman did not thank her for holding open a door; and the Dallas Cowboys’ reaction to former teammate Rico Dowdle saying they better buckle up for Sunday’s game against the Panthers was met with a relaxed response. In Carolina’s come-from-behind win over Miami, Dowdle rushed for a career-high 206 yards, earning him NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

SportsDay Insiders Kevin Sherrington, Evan Grant and Joe Hoyt try [00:19] to put the Cowboys’ win over the Jets into perspective. On one hand, it was the Jets, a truly bad team. On the other, Chicago isn’t great, either, and the Bears walked all over the Cowboys. Only a couple weeks after saying they’d be lucky to win five games, Joe now says his glass is “half-full,” if only because the offense is so good and the defense couldn’t be any worse than it was the first three games. Kevin and Evan discuss [25:30] what difference Skip Schumaker can make and rank the biggest needs. (Hint: It’s not pitching). And [51:35] if the Sooners’ John Mateer really is back for Texas-OU, the Longhorns could have a long afternoon at the Cotton Bowl. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices