Is the Cowboys offense "overrated"?

[Cowboyny]

there is ups and downs in the NFL every season, for every team. you can literally do this for every team in the nfl (with a very very few exceptions)

part of the issue was the defense, just giving up points so easily and making the offense one dimentional often.
but for example, seahawks were 3rd in scoring, but had similarly 4 games they scored less than 20 (won 2 of them because of their defense)
rams were top scoring and had two games scoring less than 20 (won one of them because of their defense)
similarly bills who were 4th in scoring had 4 games scoring less than 20.
lions had 5 games scoring less than 20, including one against those very chicago bears you mentioned above. and they won that game. because of defense.


are they above criticism? no. absolutely not. but I don't think that's the right approach, thinking they should score a ton every game. that rarely happens in the NFL (2013 Broncos and 2007 patriots for example, both of whom lost in the superbowl because they couldn't score).

Good point about making the offense more one dimensional as the defense forced them.

 

[Redsfan_83]

This is mostly nonsense but it's hilarious that you think the Bears had a worse D than the Cowboys last year.

Just absolutely 0 evidence to back that up.

If you think I need to post accurate stats for Rocky, then you have zero clue about the point of my reply to him... that being said, the Bears D is/was absolutely horrific, which single-handedly cost them a shot at going anywhere in the playoffs...The Cowboys are, yes, worse, but with a middle-of-the-pack D the Bears could have gone somewhere...

 

[Chocolate Lab]

This is nonsense.

Why?

You think defenses play the same in the second half up by 3 vs. up by 10 or 14?

 

[Cowboyny]

I don't think they are overrated. This is the NFL and they Defenses get paid too. They were statistically great and they are being touted as such. Now, 2026/27 is a new year so last year doesn't mean much but they aren't overrated.

My biggest concern is with Shotty and play calling. He showed MANY times last year that he could/would be too aggressive and it cost them drives/points.

Yeah he definitely was very conservative especially knowing his defense couldn't stop anyone.

 

[LouBrown]

Good point about the Rams offense as they are considered an elite unit, but cannot compare the Seahawks as their defense carried that team for the majority of the year.

The Packers had 4 games of less than 17 points.
The Bills had 5 games of less than 21 points.
The Patriots had 4 games of less than 17 points.

Top 5 offenses by EPA/play last year were NE, GB, Buffalo, LAR, and Dallas.

Acting like the offense is a problem because of a few games where they didn't score 30 points or whatever is distanced from the reality of the league.

 

[LouBrown]

Why?

You think defenses play the same in the second half up by 3 vs. up by 10 or 14?

No but the idea that defenses played some sort of prevent so much against Dallas last year that it inflated their offensive totals, especially relative to other teams in the league, is nonsense.

The Cowboys didn't even score after going down 17 to the Bears lol.

Everything else except I think Denver and LAC was close in the 4th quarter. They didn't score against LAC either.

 

[LouBrown]

If you think I need to post accurate stats for Rocky, then you have zero clue about the point of my reply to him... that being said, the Bears D is/was absolutely horrific, which single-handedly cost them a shot at going anywhere in the playoffs...The Cowboys are, yes, worse, but with a middle-of-the-pack D the Bears could have gone somewhere...

The Bears lost in the playoffs 20-17 in overtime lol.

You don't know what you're talking about.

 

[G2]

For the season they averaged 125.6\game. Not sure what stretch you are looking at to see 75. Either way, I also suspect you would want the passing game & the scoring to be better also for a championship team during that stretch.

Barring extreme injuries, I will personally assure you of more than 75\game for the season. If they fail to deliver that, I'll send you $100. How's that?

Williams ran for 1,200 in 16 games. The team averaged 125, which was like 8th in the NFL.
That's not championship caliber. That's not playoff caliber. Save your money.

 

[LouBrown]

I don't think they are overrated. This is the NFL and they Defenses get paid too. They were statistically great and they are being touted as such. Now, 2026/27 is a new year so last year doesn't mean much but they aren't overrated.

My biggest concern is with Shotty and play calling. He showed MANY times last year that he could/would be too aggressive and it cost them drives/points.

Too aggressive? I think the offense was way too conservative.

They played for a lotttt of field goals.

 

[LouBrown]

Williams ran for 1,200 in 16 games. The team averaged 125, which was like 8th in the NFL.
That's not championship caliber. That's not playoff caliber. Save your money.

You don't think that running for 125 yards per game is playoff caliber? lmao

The Seahawks must have really blown your mind!

 

[McKDaddy]

Williams ran for 1,200 in 16 games. The team averaged 125, which was like 8th in the NFL.
That's not championship caliber. That's not playoff caliber. Save your money.

it's better than the seahawks & rams while only being a few yards less than the Patriots.

If you are expecting significantly better than 125, then yes, I understand your concern about our running game.

 

[Redsfan_83]

The Bears lost in the playoffs 20-17 in overtime lol.

You don't know what you're talking about.

So you are pointing to 1 whole game to try to prove a point about their D being good? So you are suggesting that they were good, then? Do you not undetstand my reply to Rocky, or just as ignorant as he is? By the way, the Bears had 7 come-from-behind games that they won in the last 2 minutes of games in 2025, so I guess they were better than Dallas, right? You know, clutch? Which leads to my next point: what meaning does a ranking even have if the team ranked 6th in the NFL made it to the playoffs thanks to clutch play, and the team that had the 2nd rank had a below .500 record.....

 

[G2]

You don't think that running for 125 yards per game is playoff caliber? lmao

The Seahawks must have really blown your mind!

We're not the Seahawks, but thanks!

 

[G2]

it's better than the seahawks & rams while only being a few yards less than the Patriots.

If you are expecting significantly better than 125, then yes, I understand your concern about our running game.

I'm saying that I'm not expecting a repeat with a 6th year RB and no one proven as a back up.

Sorry that gets you in the feels, it's just my opinion. I've heard your POV.

 

[LouBrown]

So you are pointing to 1 whole game to try to prove a point about their D being good? So you are suggesting that they were good, then? Do you not undetstand my reply to Rocky, or just as ignorant as he is? By the way, the Bears had 7 come-from-behind games that they won in the last 2 minutes of games in 2025, so I guess they were better than Dallas, right? You know, clutch? Which leads to my next point: what meaning does a ranking even have if the team ranked 6th in the NFL made it to the playoffs thanks to clutch play, and the team that had the 2nd rank had a below .500 record.....

You said it was the reason they lost in the playoffs. They gave up 20 points lol.

You are absolutely clueless.

 

[LouBrown]

We're not the Seahawks, but thanks!

Dallas ran for more yards per game than Seattle. Seattle won the Super Bowl.

So how exactly is 125 yards per game not enough to contend?

Silliness.

 

[Gambit]

Hand wringing at its finest.

 

[Whirlwin]

We keep on hearing how the Cowboy offense is elite, but yet there were games last season where they truly underperformed:

14 points at Chicago-yes they lost Lamb early, but if I remember Chicago had a banged up secondary
20 points at Philly-they were shutout in the 2nd half where their defense only surrendered 3 points
17 at home against the Cardinals-there is zero excuse to lay an egg at home against one of the worst teams.
17 at home against the Chargers-Chargers dominated them

These are just a few examples. Everyone keeps on talking about the defense cause it was so bad, but the offense deserves some criticism as well. They must be more consistent or it won't matter how the defense performs.

Good teams always dominate the offense, that’s why you need a defense to get to the ball back,

 

[Whirlwin]

Definitely.

This offense proves how irrelevant stats are, which I constantly harp on.

What does the offense do when it really matters? Choke.

No, choke is the wrong word
It stalls out against a better defense
All good offenses, stall out against good defenses
That’s why you need a good defense, I don’t care how good your offense is, you need to get the ball back, field position, special teams, Cowboys are one dimensional last season

 

[jazzcat22]

We keep on hearing how the Cowboy offense is elite, but yet there were games last season where they truly underperformed:

14 points at Chicago-yes they lost Lamb early, but if I remember Chicago had a banged up secondary
20 points at Philly-they were shutout in the 2nd half where their defense only surrendered 3 points
17 at home against the Cardinals-there is zero excuse to lay an egg at home against one of the worst teams.
17 at home against the Chargers-Chargers dominated them

These are just a few examples. Everyone keeps on talking about the defense cause it was so bad, but the offense deserves some criticism as well. They must be more consistent or it won't matter how the defense performs.

Absolutely not.
I have not heard any person in the media remotely suggest this.