80 yards rushing (and 131 yards receiving) by the RBs

[windjc]

Going to be tough to improve the running game the next few weeks with Dez out having to face a lot of 8 men in the box trying to stop the run. Romo attempted 45 passes which was more than he attempted in any game last season. He took some hits tonight and appeared to be a little shaken up on a couple of them.

It's going to be a rough season if he has to carry the team like he did tonight. Without Dez and Murray this isn't going to be the same team we saw last season. Fortunately Dez will be back but who knows where the Cowboys will be when he does.

Romo was literally never touched. In fact the only tap he received was on his first TD throw. Maybe you should watch the game next time?

 

[AzorAhai]

We only had 4 games in all of 2014 (including the playoffs) where we had that much total production out of our running backs.

Over 200 yards from scrimmage and people are complaining about the RBs. I'm literally lost here. People obviously had preconceptions about what would happen and most can't admit so far they were wrong.

 

[windward]

Romo was literally never touched. In fact the only tap he received was on his first TD throw. Maybe you should watch the game next time?

I guess he is referring to the Street INT. something that should hardly be a weekly occasion.

 

[plasticman]

Going to be tough to improve the running game the next few weeks with Dez out having to face a lot of 8 men in the box trying to stop the run. Romo attempted 45 passes which was more than he attempted in any game last season. He took some hits tonight and appeared to be a little shaken up on a couple of them.

It's going to be a rough season if he has to carry the team like he did tonight. Without Dez and Murray this isn't going to be the same team we saw last season. Fortunately Dez will be back but who knows where the Cowboys will be when he does.

I don't know, man.....they didn't seem too shaken up when they were ramming the ball up the Giant's booty during the latter part of the 4th quarter. Their bst guy switched over to cover Williams and Romo treated it the same way he did Dez. he just threw it to the guy that was open. Of course Dez is a vital part of the team but I'm starting to believe in Garrett's diverse schemes. Defenses just can't consistently cover 6 potential receivers, no matter who the Cowboys put out there.

Williams, Witten, Escobar, Dunbar and Beasley can provide enough firepower for defenses to respect them enough to take pressure off the running game.

This team reminds me more of the 70's teams. They could play really poor and still pull a game out most of the time. That's how you can tell a team is good for real. It's not so much that their talent is that superior. it all goes back to the culture an mental toughness Jason Garret was speaking about.

Both winning and losing can be a habit, imbedded into a team's culture. No matter how bleak things look, winning team expects to win and they play that way to the very end. A losing team gets that "Oh no, here we go again" feeling and it erodes their resolve to give the maximum effort, the refusal to accept defeat.

This is Jason Garret's imprint on the team, his team building philosophy, the reason he wants the type of players he described as "the right kind".

 

[Bowdown27]

Not sure why dmc didn't get more, looked good and then got yanked

I was sitting in the stands and k kept saying to everyone around Me... Why is dmc in the game. S
When he was he went off....

 

[AzorAhai]

so the RBBC got "35 touches for 222 yards from scrimmage, an overall average of 6.3 yards"

interesting point.

can we maintain the success we are seeing with these sort of slot receiver RB plays to spread defenses?

NE won a SB with that. Most are short, safe and quick. Defenses still will get sucked in and open up vertical and play action plays. I still think the RBs will be more effective once the machine gets warmed uo and healthy.

 

[KJJ]

Romo was literally never touched. In fact the only tap he received was on his first TD throw. Maybe you should watch the game next time?

He was literally never touched? He got knocked to the turf on one of the turnovers and stayed down for a few seconds you call that a tap? You need to go back and watch the game. That hit was a result of all the passing he had to do and the lack of help he got from his WR's because the running game wasn't efficient. He appeared he was going to make an attempt at a tackle on another turnover and it looked as if he might have tweaked his leg or back. Having to put the ball up 40+ times like he did last night is going to put him at risk especially with no Dez for 4 to 6 weeks.

 

[windjc]

He was literally never touched? He got knocked to the turf on one of the turnovers and stayed down for a few seconds you call that a tap? You need to go back and watch the game. That hit was a result of all the passing he had to do and the lack of help he got from his WR's because the running game wasn't efficient. He appeared he was going to make an attempt at a tackle on another turnover and it looked as if he might have tweaked his leg or back. Having to put the ball up 40+ times like he did last night is going to put him at risk especially with no Dez for 4 to 6 weeks.

Your posts are, with all due respect, often preposterous.

He dropped back 45 times and got hit ZERO times. Sacked ZERO times.

He got bumped on an interception return. SO WHAT? He didnt get intercepted because he threw 45 times. He got intercepted because Street didn't hold on to the ball.

Our backs got over 50% of the offensive touches and averaged over 6.8 yards per play on their touches.

It was a pretty balanced attack. We just shuttled it off some instead of handing it off. At end of the day, we controlled possession, ran more plays and gained more yards than our opponents. Same as last year.

We have to win the turnover battle though - 3-0 turnover advantage will kill you almost every time.

 

[AmericanCowboy]

Outside of Romo- I think Dunbar was the offesnive MVP- HUGE plays by that guy-that's why he hasnt been cut!

 

[ctrous25]

The one thing that I noticed was on those stretch plays. . I think Murray would have ran through those arm tackles and got 8-10 yards.Besides that was ok with Randle. Michael may bust through those arm tackles too. One thing I know is we need to pound the rock Sunday

 

[Clarkson]

We used the short pass game as our run game last night...worked out well, I'd say.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Your posts are, with all due respect, often preposterous.

He dropped back 45 times and got hit ZERO times. Sacked ZERO times.

You've earned +1 for using the word "preposterous".

And yes, his posts often are.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

We used the short pass game as our run game last night...worked out well, I'd say.

Exactly right.

It was a "West Coast" offense night and it worked like a charm.

 

[Jarv]

well, savor it tonight. Because if we play like that in the coming games, I am guessing winning wont be as "easy" as it was tonight.

You mean 3 turnovers that led to 17 points? Relax, we ran fine for the first half, it was the turnovers that got us out of the running game. We would have broke some big runs in the second half to get the yards per carry up, that's how it works and worked for Murray too. His average was always skewed up by a few big runs...As we will see going forward with our other backs,

 

[John813]

Looking back, our running backs did well last night.

Even with Randle struggled with running the rock, he made up for in the passing game. Dunbar was huge in the passing game. Run DMC I thought looked very good in limited snaps.
Thought they could of established more of a run game with DMC, but in the end the offense was clicking well once we got into the 4th.

As much as I would like to see Michael get some carries, the way the first three backs were used last night, it would be hard to see him active, especially with Dez being out, but still counting on the 53 man roster

 

[MrPeanutbutter]

Looking back, our running backs did well last night.

What Randle struggled with running the rock, he made up for in the passing game. Dunbar was huge in the passing game. Run DMC I thought looked very good in limited snaps.
Thought they could of established more of a run game with DMC, but in the end the offense was clicking well once we got into the 4th.

I would like to think if it weren't for the bad turnovers, the Cowboys would have gone to the run even more.

 

[65fastback2plus2]

Over 200 yards from scrimmage and people are complaining about the RBs. I'm literally lost here. People obviously had preconceptions about what would happen and most can't admit so far they were wrong.

didnt you know if the ball is directly handed to an RB vs. tossed that it makes the yardage count differently down the field?!

 

[Yakuza Rich]

The one thing that I noticed was on those stretch plays. . I think Murray would have ran through those arm tackles and got 8-10 yards.Besides that was ok with Randle. Michael may bust through those arm tackles too. One thing I know is we need to pound the rock Sunday

I agree. I thought we missed Murray from that perspective.

I think Randle will probably be a 4.2 ypc-ish type of player, but his receiving was very impressive. I think that McFadden will end up being the better ball carrier, but I think they are afraid he'll get injured.





YR

 

[MrPeanutbutter]

Your posts are, with all due respect, often preposterous.

He dropped back 45 times and got hit ZERO times. Sacked ZERO times.

He got bumped on an interception return. SO WHAT? He didnt get intercepted because he threw 45 times. He got intercepted because Street didn't hold on to the ball.

Our backs got over 50% of the offensive touches and averaged over 6.8 yards per play on their touches.

It was a pretty balanced attack. We just shuttled it off some instead of handing it off. At end of the day, we controlled possession, ran more plays and gained more yards than our opponents. Same as last year.

We have to win the turnover battle though - 3-0 turnover advantage will kill you almost every time.

Great post. The O-Line is our MVP for the foreseeable future. An interception return is not the same situation as a drop back.

 

[visionary]

That's got to improve. 3.5 yards per carry. Not good enough.

I am not making any guesses as to the outcome being more comfortable but for one game, it's clear Murray was a big factor in our run game and you can't ham and egg it with what we got.

Note, I was all for letting Murray walk so don't count me as one of those screaming to resign him.

More importantly the coaching staff showed you they don't believe in the run game by their playcalling in 3rd and short and in the red zone