What are we elite at? Argument for a top flight RB

[The Quest for Six]

wow. I won't even try....

4 wins last year, you'd have some work to do it you did try!!

 

[birdwells1]

The average gain for 2014's "great" running game and 2015's "good" running game was the same. So you're saying that more attempts will make our running game great again. How do we get more attempts in 2016? Two ways.

1. More late leads
We had 50 plays with a 4th-quarter lead in 2015, and triple that number in 2014. Our rushing yardage will go up when we are once again leading late in games. Most yards and TD in the NFL come from passing, and Romo passing the ball was mainly how we built our leads. And passing the ball became easier with our commitment to run more often, even in the second half of the 2014 season when defenses stopped giving us the run, so we weren't running as well average-wise. The key was we just kept running.

2. Better results from the passing game after a failed running play
In the second half of 2014, Murray averaged 4.3 ypc on 1st & 10, which is about average. But we kept running on 1st down because we weren't risking anything. When our 1st-down play failed (gained between -2 and 2 yards) Romo had a perfect passer rating of 158.3 on 2nd and 8-12. Dallas led the NFL in conversions by the pass on 2nd and long, and ranked #2 on 3rd and 5+. Perfection is a pretty good insurance policy when the run isn't working. Murray's runs gained 2 yards or less 44% of the time in the second half of 2014.

In 2015, McFadden averaged 4.8 ypc on 1st & 10. His runs gained 2 yards or less 37% of the time. IOW, how well we ran wasn't the problem. The problem in 2015 was that we couldn't run all the time on 1st & 10 because we had no insurance policy if defenses started to play run on 1st down and put us into 2nd and long. Our passing game ranked 28th converting on 2nd and long, and 24th on 3rd and 5+. That's a long way from perfection.

Man I really appreciate your research, so your saying that with a healthy Romo and Dez as a threat our running game can get back to 2014 standards or better? If so sign me up.
Honest question, if we stay healthy how many yards do you think McFadden can gain. IOW is he better than Murray?

 

[JPostSam]

As much of a fan that I am of a dominant running game, how many elite RB's played a prominent role in helping their team win a Super Bowl in the 21st century?

Where was the elite RB for the Patriots, Giants, Broncos, Saints, Packers, and Steelers. Many of them had very capable running games but I would hardly call them elite.

How has the current elite runners like Chris Johnson, Adran Peterson, Jamaal Charles, and others lifted their teams to championships.

Its a nice component and it shouldnt be taken for granted if it happens but its true that it isnt a requirement. A team must have a QB, O-line, and diverse weapons and a good defense.

calvin johnson, julio jones and aj green haven't led their teams to titles, either.

know why? because no single player can do that in football.

 

[percyhoward]

Man I really appreciate your research, so your saying that with a healthy Romo and Dez as a threat our running game can get back to 2014 standards or better? If so sign me up.
Honest question, if we stay healthy how many yards do you think McFadden can gain. IOW is he better than Murray?

Absolutely, to your first question. Any competent back will reap the benefits as long as Romo and the OL are healthy.

I think McFadden was better in 2015, but I'd have to go with Murray over their careers, FWIW. Murray has certainly had the better QB play though. Even so, I don't trust McFadden to stay healthy, and would like to see us draft a RB, but no higher than late 2nd round.

 

[Tabascocat]

I am leaning towards Elliot at #4 slowly. I think that he can have the biggest and most immediate impact right away.

Not a fan of trading down for just decent talent and an extra pick, I want that stud.

 

[Vanilla2]

Elite offseason hype

Where? Here?

 

[Jarv]

Jerome Bettis won those titles with the Steelers where he was traded with a 3rd round pick for a 2nd and 4th. But it might also be fair to note the Steelers were in a Super Bowl with the back who proceeded Bettis as well, my buddy, Bam Morris.

Lynch likewise was traded but only for a 4th and following year's 5th round pick.

Lynch wasn't a top 10 pick, going 12th. He never played a playoff game for Buffalo who drafted him.

Bettis was taken 10th by the Rams but never won 8 games there or saw the playoffs. He was asked to move to fullback or be traded. He opted for the trade.

Again more examples of why DRAFTING A RB TOP 10 doesn't lead to wins. Though trading for them at 10 cents on the dollar works just fine.

Nice reply JT!

 

[StylisticS]

and that's why Dallas mustered just 4 wins last year???

Because it's all on just the oline? Detroit barely won with Calvin? Was he not an elite receiver during his tenure?

 

[CowboyGil]

While It's hard to argue with that, I would also say He is still an elite WR in this league.

I would say the ONLY thing keeping Dez from being elite is the fact that he still allows CBs to throw him off his game with trash talking and subtle shoving and grabbing. Which may have something to do with his maturity level.

 

[The Quest for Six]

Because it's all on just the oline? Detroit barely won with Calvin? Was he not an elite receiver during his tenure?

Dallas teams of the 90's had three running plays and ran them whether you had 7,8 or 9 in the box daring the defense to stop them, and still moved the ball and controlled the clock and won games and as much as everyone wants to say Dallas had a great offensive line then, there were many changes pieces along that line from Gesek to Gogan, from Stone to Allen, Stepnoski to Donaldson etc...yet this so-called vaunted offensive line couldn't dominate and win games against lesser opponents last year, let alone couldn't protect their starting quarterback from getting almost killed once again.....this may be an elite offensive line in the near future as a unit but as it stands right now IMO, they aren't elite yet...

 

[bsheeern]

4 wins last year, you'd have some work to do it you did try!!

What does having 4 wins have to do with having an elite O-line? Surely you don't judge talent by the Win/Loss record of the teams do you?
There are plenty of Elite players on teams that have losing records.

 

[Idgit]

Dallas teams of the 90's had three running plays and ran them whether you had 7,8 or 9 in the box daring the defense to stop them, and still moved the ball and controlled the clock and won games and as much as everyone wants to say Dallas had a great offensive line then, there were many changes pieces along that line from Gesek to Gogan, from Stone to Allen, Stepnoski to Donaldson etc...yet this so-called vaunted offensive line couldn't dominate and win games against lesser opponents last year, let alone couldn't protect their starting quarterback from getting almost killed once again.....this may be an elite offensive line in the near future as a unit but as it stands right now IMO, they aren't elite yet...

Give them a QB and a defense like the 90s teams had, and you'd see this team wearing teams out in very much the same way. This is an elite OL, for sure. It's the other parts of the team that need work.

 

[bsheeern]

Dallas teams of the 90's had three running plays and ran them whether you had 7,8 or 9 in the box daring the defense to stop them, and still moved the ball and controlled the clock and won games and as much as everyone wants to say Dallas had a great offensive line then, there were many changes pieces along that line from Gesek to Gogan, from Stone to Allen, Stepnoski to Donaldson etc...yet this so-called vaunted offensive line couldn't dominate and win games against lesser opponents last year, let alone couldn't protect their starting quarterback from getting almost killed once again.....this may be an elite offensive line in the near future as a unit but as it stands right now IMO, they aren't elite yet...

That team also had Aikman and Irvin. We had Cassel, Weeden and Kellen Moore.

People here are going to blow big holes through your theory base upon your above statement.

 

[Section446]

We have two elite OL's, an elite deep snapper, and an elite kicker.

 

[The Quest for Six]

Give them a QB and a defense like the 90s teams had, and you'd see this team wearing teams out in very much the same way. This is an elite OL, for sure. It's the other parts of the team that need work.

but that wasn't the point, this was about one particular unit, the offensive line, not overall team.....I don't care about what QB you have back there playing in the NFC least last year, houston had no problem winning with the multiple QB's last year including the cowboys castoff that couldn't win here so does that make their offensive line better than Dallas??.......Our so called vaunted Line, that mostly cowboy fans believe is elite, yet got their starting QB two broken collarbones last season....as a unit, Elite they are NOT YET, they don't control the line of scrimmage, don't get a consistent push and don't control games especially last year against lesser opponents.....

 

[The Quest for Six]

That team also had Aikman and Irvin. We had Cassel, Weeden and Kellen Moore.

People here are going to blow big holes through your theory base upon your above statement.

yet Cassels won in Houston, in fact multiple QB's won games for them last year, so I guess under your theory, that makes Houston's offensive line better, right???

 

[Idgit]

but that wasn't the point, this was about one particular unit, the offensive line, not overall team.....I don't care about what QB you have back there playing in the NFC least last year, houston had no problem winning with the multiple QB's last year including the cowboys castoff that couldn't win here so does that make their offensive line better than Dallas??.......Our so called vaunted Line, that mostly cowboy fans believe is elite, yet got their starting QB two broken collarbones last season....as a unit, Elite they are NOT YET, they don't control the line of scrimmage, don't get a consistent push and don't control games especially last year against lesser opponents.....

I think I was pretty clear that the OL is explicitly elite in their own right.

HOU won for reasons that had nothing to do with how their OL played relative to ours, so, no, I'd say your argument is completely irrelevant there.

 

[cowboyblue22]

at the end of each season there is one stat that counts that's wins and losses in a players or coaches carreer that is what they also count last season this team was 4 and12 so no there are not elite units on this team.

 

[bsheeern]

yet Cassels won in Houston, in fact multiple QB's won games for them last year, so I guess under your theory, that makes Houston's offensive line better, right???

No "Cassels" never played in Houston. Don't know how you came across that.
Nor do I know what you are inferring to about their O-line and my theory.

Your conclusions about my theory are way off and not sure how you even got to the point you did. lol. Maybe you should go back and re-read what I posted?

 

[bsheeern]

at the end of each season there is one stat that counts that's wins and losses in a players or coaches carreer that is what they also count last season this team was 4 and12 so no there are not elite units on this team.

Ugh Good luck with that theory holding water.
So no Elite players or units on losing teams huh? wow...... the NFL Hall Of Fame disagrees