CFZ Can they successfully run the football again?

CowboyRoy · Jul 24, 2022

Hardline said:
They better figure out how to run the ball. They aren't going to consistently win through the air.

They can win through the air as long as they have an Oline that can pass block and give the QB time. A running game always helps.

CowboyRoy · Jul 24, 2022

john van brocklin said:
OL is key.
We better stay healthy.
Not much depth to speak of.

A poster that gets it

CowboyRoy · Jul 24, 2022

DandyDon52 said:
good post, thing is I dont think kellen wants to run alot, just here and there. He is a passing oc, so no telling what we will see.
I also dont think kellen knows how to use a run game .

This narrative has been proven to be completely false. Its a lie. Plain and simple.

CowboyRoy · Jul 24, 2022

DanA said:
I generally agree. The three major things that I think need to be fixed:

Reduce the drive killing penalties

Do better pushing the pile and converting short yardage (other avenues than behind Martin)

Zeke’s knee / health must hold out for the season

It’s critical because some of the best things we’ve done with Dak is play action and if the run game isn’t working it holds no threat. We need the run to be feared.

Wrap it up in one thing and that is really all it is:

-Fix the Oline to be a top unit again

We dont need Zeke. Pollard was leading the NFL in ypc before the line went in the toilet.

FVSTONE · Jul 24, 2022

Cowboyny said:
Last year was a tale of two offenses, one prior to Dak's injury to his calf and the other after the Denver blowout loss. Elite offense to more of a middle of the pack one.

We have discussed this in the past numerous times, teams started taking away the big passing plays and forced the Cowboys to run the football, take the underneath passes and drive the entire field. Several issues happened:

-They just couldn't run the football, even in light boxes. We can point to injuries to both the OL and the RB position, Zeke probably should of been playing more of a limited role as he clearly was hurting the team more then helping it.

-When they did have success on the ground, they just couldn't avoid the big penalty. Penalties were drive killers throughout the 2nd half of the season, in which they led the league.

-Most QB's would struggle moving the chains with consistent 3rd and longs. Add in Dak was reluctant to use his legs, defending this offense became much easier.

-Finally, when drives stalled, they had a very inconsistent place kicker, who missed managable FG's throughout the season, even struggled with extra points.

Have success on the ground and play more clean football will force defenses to get out of that so called shell, coverage defense. Question is, have they done enough to fix this #1 problem area?

-Connor Williams who led the league in penalties is now playing in Miami. However, they are replacing him with Tyler Smith who was a flag machine on the college level. Yes, many of his flags were over aggression, but he still must improve.

-Their TE's must do a better job blocking inline and in space. Not much turnover, but the loss of Jarwin certainly helps as he was more of a big receiver. Ferguson, McKeon and Sprinkle need to help in this area.

-Kellen Moore must be more like his predecessor and stick with the run game to keep teams honest. If you make a team one dimensional, much easier to defend.

-Even if risky, Dak has to threaten teams with his legs. He came into this league as a dual threat QB, he must bring that aspect back to the field.

This is a great question and the answer to it is YES and only yes once the Boys dump Dakota "Toad Hunter" Prescot! Rush appears to be a better option for the Boys if they want to go deep in the playoffs. His game against the Vikings proves he's a better option, considering the crap show Dakota looked and played like in the second half of last season. DCs ALL around the league have got Dakota's number to the point that he's toast in this league.

CowboyRoy · Jul 24, 2022

CouchCoach said:
They have to stay very healthy in order to run the ball.

They have ?'s on the OL with little depth and it is a question of when, not if, for Big Smitty to lose games.

There were two issues with the run game last season, health of the RB's and the OL establishing their presence. They began to disassemble as the season wore on and what was once an asset became a liability.

Critical to that run game is the QB. The D's didn't worry about him like they have in the past because Prescott is very good at finding the crease to advance the chains. While he is not a great running QB, he is an effective one when he can run. Making him a pocket QB is not playing to his strengths.

Dak is one of the best pocket passers in the NFL. LOL

Your going back 3 years in troll time with that comment.

I guess you missed what Dak did last year? Leading the NFL in yards, breaking the Cowboys all time passing TD record. All with a hurt calf and staying in the pocket.

CowboyRoy · Jul 24, 2022

charron said:
On paper we look stronger in the run game than last year. The difference this year is teams won't fear our passing game as much so they can focus on stopping the run a little more than what they had to do last year.

So teams are going to fear our run game now and NOT fear the passing game? Please explain that one. I could use a good laugh.

CowboyRoy · Jul 24, 2022

Mr_437 said:
The only hope is the coach they brought in from SEA other than that you got the same garbage run plays and approach to running the ball.

You mean you have the same running back that can nothing more than dive up the middle?

CowboyRoy · Jul 24, 2022

LatinMind said:
Is not about can they but will moore call running plays

You mean will Moore use the right back?

DanA · Jul 24, 2022

CowboyRoy said:
Wrap it up in one thing and that is really all it is:

-Fix the Oline to be a top unit again

We dont need Zeke. Pollard was leading the NFL in ypc before the line went in the toilet.

This play is exactly why Zeke is needed. Pollard played well running the ball but he simply doesn't get the job done as a blocker. His technique is unacceptably poor at times (certainly in this play) and whereas Zeke is almost the polar opposite, he's the best blocking RB in the NFL.

https://www.azcardinals.com/video/baker-wrestles-down-prescott-for-third-down-sack

Cowboyny · Jul 24, 2022

DanA said:
Steele is nowhere near as good as Collins in pass protection but in the first half of the year how many times did we see him crashing down the line in tandem with Martin creating a huge hole for Zeke or Pollard. I feel like we lost that cohesion when Collins comes in. I agree that we might be much better even if we aren't necessarily more talented.

You don’t need stars throughout a OL, but rather a unit that works good as one

Hardline · Jul 24, 2022

CowboyRoy said:
They can win through the air as long as they have an Oline that can pass block and give the QB time. A running game always helps.

The Cowboys have their most success on the ground. Always have. Cowboys only are successful in the air when their ground game is a threat.
Running is the key .

TequilaCowboy · Jul 24, 2022

Dallas will need a change on OC if they want to be a running team again.... KM does not have it in him as far as this kind of offense. And we need big uglies up front who just love to attack and hit people. Legally of course.

3rdEyewarrior · Jul 24, 2022

Cowpolk said:
And Pollards

He doesnt matter.

quickccc · Jul 24, 2022

- i wonder if Columbo's man-power blocking scheme would benefit Tyler than Philibin's zone block scheme
That's why i was vouching for Mike Munchak to be hired on here. This is Philibin's last straw,imo.

- i don't crunch or knock zone blocking schemes because it depends upon zone philiosophies - Bill Callahan uses that scheme
and he may be the best OL coach and run game coordinator in NFL in quite some time.
But is there a difference between the Callahan's version vs Phibin's Packers zone version ?

- Between Moore and Philbin i have not been impressed with the run game designs - it's bland and basic; there's little to
no misdirection play

- Zone is depended upon combination and tandems of the center- tackle and TE than hat on hat, man on man and places
a greater emphasis on double team at the point, that supposedly creates creases for the RB's cutback runs.
Tyler is gonna have to learn combo-blocks on the run, so i expect some learning curves and speed bumps on the way.

- Gonna count on patience and learning progress with Tyler.

- TE's; Schultz and Jarwin were mediocre edge blockers, much less open space on WR bubble screens
Hard to capture the edge when TEs cannot sustain the outsides. Far cry from the blocking of Hanna, Swaim

quickccc · Jul 24, 2022

Cowboyny said:
Pressure will be on Kellen and MM to fix this offense, if not, they will not return next season.

Only pressure on McCarthy if he is allowed to step in and have a suggestive presence to help fix the offense.. it's assumed the Jones does not
want any interference with Kellen Moore.

Cowpolk · Jul 24, 2022

3rdEyewarrior said:
He doesnt matter.

I dont want him to be the starter but he matters he is good at what he does

Kingofholland · Jul 25, 2022

Kellen Moore needs to figure it out. His run play selection and whoevers blocking scheme was implemented needs some updating. I hope he spent all season learning how to run the ball, because no team can win anything being one dimensional.

DandyDon52 · Jul 25, 2022

CowboyRoy said:
This narrative has been proven to be *completely* false. Its a lie. Plain and simple.

The bold kinda seems more like a lie to me, or maybe you dont understand how the run game works either lol.

DandyDon52 · Jul 25, 2022

quickccc said:
Only pressure on McCarthy if he is allowed to step in and have a suggestive presence to help fix the offense.. it's assumed the Jones does not
want any interference with Kellen Moore.

dont interfere with kellen, but at same time HELP him out !!! :laugh:

CFZ Can they successfully run the football again?

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