CFZ A closer look at our inability to stop the run last two seasons

[Captain-Crash]

Hes not. He's full of crap. He's already used the words "right FA at right price," and then elaborated on going all in on our own.

Then think about how Daks deal will drag out and we won't get relief from June 1st cuts until after most FAs are signed.

come on mister, turn that frown upside down. america's team baby, and Jerry is going all in. I have hope. Well, I know nothing is changing, but who are we looking at in the draft and free agency that we will never go for? lmao..

 

[75boyz]

I'd just go with the old standby. It's jerry's fault and never think about it again.

So true brother. It's the CZ motto:
"If all else fails, blame it on Jerry."

That way no single coach or player can ever be held accountable for his individual poor performance because Jerry drafted, acquired or hired them.

The Cowboys Zone "Common Denominator Theorem"

LOL!

Oh yeah, and I think he sucks as a roster architect too but that still don't remove individual poor performance to solely Jerrys blame because the SB winning coach and 2nd place MVP QB both suck at playoff football.
That ain't Jerry's fault.

BUT that's the CZ philosophy, shrugs.

 

[Captain-Crash]

So true brother. It's the CZ motto:
"If all else fails, blame it on Jerry."

That way no single coach or player can ever be held accountable for his individual poor performance because Jerry drafted, acquired or hired them.

The Cowboys Zone "Common Denominator Theorem"

LOL!

Oh yeah, and I think he sucks as a roster architect too but that still don't remove individual poor performance to solely Jerrys blame because the SB winning coach and 2nd place MVP QB both suck at playoff football.

BUT that's the CZ philosophy, shrugs.

I'm going to try that at work. The owner hired me, and if the gm starts complaining about me, I'll tell them to suck it, it's not my fault the owner hired me.

lmao and when he does complain, I will get him fired. Like I did this year.

 

[75boyz]

I'm going to try that at work. The owner hired me, and if the gm starts complaining about me, I'll tell them to suck it, it's not my fault the owner hired me.

Lamo and when he does complain, I will get him fired. Like I did this year.

LOL.
I mean it truly has almost reached a "Just Blame Jerry" default factory setting around here.

This year is gonna be really fun.

 

[Captain-Crash]

LOL. Perfect example.
I mean it truly has almost reached a "Just Blame Jerry" default factory setting around here.

This year is gonna be really fun.

well, I did get the gm fired. He wasn't doing his job and I complained about him.

 

[Diehardblues]

LOL.
I mean it truly has almost reached a "Just Blame Jerry" default factory setting around here.

This year is gonna be really fun.

There’s more blame to go around.

 

[75boyz]

There’s more blame to go around.

EXACTLY.
In the NFL it's a 3 headed monster to success with GM, HC and QB.

Every single other post mentioned here trickles down from the performance of those 3. ie, Oline, defense, all of it

Where I differ from the majority here is in giving Jerry every bit of the blame.

He hired McCarthy.
McCarthy is a former SB winning coach.
He drafted Dak.
Dak just completed a 2nd place MVP caliber year.

For the gazillion time, it wasn't Jerry's fault that both McCarthy and Dak sucked against GB.

 

[Captain-Crash]

EXACTLY.

I just blame jerry.

 

[Diehardblues]

EXACTLY.
In the NFL it's a 3 headed monster to success with GM, HC and QB.

Every single other post mentioned here trickles down from the performance of those 3. ie, Oline, defense, all of it

Where I differ from the majority here is in giving Jerry every bit of the blame.

He hired McCarthy.
McCarthy is a former SB winning coach.
He drafted Dak.
Dak just completed a 2nd place MVP caliber year.

For the gazillion time, it wasn't Jerry's fault that both McCarthy and Dak both sucked against GB.

It was a collective suk and choke effort.

 

[75boyz]

It was a collective suk and choke effort.

LED by the 2 most influential individuals.
The Head Coach and the Quarterback.

Again, it all trickles down from there.

 

[Diehardblues]

LED by the 2 most influential individuals.
The Head Coach and the Quarterback.

Again, it all trickles down from there.

Sure we can start with them but it certainly doesn’t end there. Everyone should be bashed.

And Packers deserve some credit for taking it to us. They almost knocked SF out too .

But the fact we were blown out was inexcusable.

 

[eromeopolk]

Looking at the last two seasons, it is not difficult to see what the biggest issue the Dallas Cowboys have had on defense: The inability to stop the run against the better teams we face. That’s been an issue for more than two seasons, but I chose to just look at 2022 and 2023 since they are the most recent.

In the 2022 and 2023 seasons including the playoffs, the Cowboys won 13 games in 2022 and 12 games 2023. They lost 6 games in 2022 and 6 games in 2023. I want to look at the role the inability to stop the run played in those combined 12 losses the last two seasons.

Here are the stats for the 6 losses we had in 2022 and how many yards rushing we surrendered:

• Vs TB- L 19-3. Gave up 153 yards rushing
• @Phi L 26-17. Gave up 136 yards rushing
• @GB L 31-28. Gave up 206 yards rushing
• @Jax L 40-34. Gave up 192 yards rushing
• @Wash L 26-6. Gave up 151 yards rushing (Cowboys didn’t try to win this game because playoff seeding was decided)
• @SF in Divisional round playoff game L 19-12. Gave up 113 yards rushing

In their 6 losses in 2022, the Cowboys averaged giving up 159 rushing yards per game.

Here are the stats for the 6 losses we had in 2023 and how many yards rushing we surrendered:

• @Ariz L 28-16. Gave up 222 yards rushing
• @SF L 42-10. Gave up 170 yards rushing
• @Phil L 28-23. Gave up 109 yards rushing
• @Buff L 31-10. Gave up 266 yards rushing
• @Mia L 22-20. Gave up 91 yards rushing
• Vs GB in wild card playoff game. L 48-32. Gave up 143 yards rushing.

So in our 6 losses in 2023, the Cowboys averaged giving up 167 rushing yards per game. Combining the last two seasons, we average giving up 163 yards rushing per game. You cannot beat good teams when you can’t stop the run. (Quick side note: 10 of the Cowboys 12 losses the last two seasons were on the road, and our run defense was at its worst on the road)

There are lots of things we need to fix or rebuild with the Cowboys this off-season. I know many Cowboys fans who want to change QBs. I understand that. BUT…if this team does not find a way to fix its inability to stop the run, we could have Patrick Mahomes under center and we aren’t going to win a lot of playoff games.

Fixing the run defense problem is job #1 this off-season.

Finally you are coming to the truth.

Run to win to pass to score. Stop the run to rush the pass. Defense wins championships.

 

[kskboys]

Interesting how our primary need going into the draft was CB, we missed out in the first, and just happened to have BPA in the 2nd be a CB.

I don’t think so. We were desperate and took who they thought was as best CB available, not BPA.

Ah, the beloved BPA. Man, people go to great lengths to defend it, even thought it's almost always a grey area w/ no true answers. W/ Kelvin's skillset, he could easily be called BPA at that point.

Draft strictly using either BPA or Need is foolish. Taco was BPA, like that one?

 

[kskboys]

Yep but we have drafted DT high in recent drafts like Mazi and Trysten but both look like misses.

Throw in another 1st round bust on DL in Taco, that’s 3 of our 1st overall picks in recent drafts which at the very best underachieved.

Those kind of misses have huge impacts.

Trysten was a major reach, a very strange major reach. Later round talent, and no one was looking at him.

Mazi was graded more 2nd/3rd from what I saw. I still have hope, but his lack of lateral agility was major major worrisome from the start. Unfortunately, Jerry doesn't know what that is, or how it pertains to the NFL.

 

[MikeT22]

Ah, the beloved BPA. Man, people go to great lengths to defend it, even thought it's almost always a grey area w/ no true answers. W/ Kelvin's skillset, he could easily be called BPA at that point.

Draft strictly using either BPA or Need is foolish. Taco was BPA, like that one?

I wasn't advocating, just pointing out that Joseph was a need pick, not a BPA pick.

 

[kskboys]

Yes sir!!! It’s all about the talent .

How impactful are recent misses in the draft on DL with Mazi, Trysten and Taco? What if they all hit alongside Lawrence?

And you're not even mentioning Jaylon, Kelvin, Sammy, Schooner, and even Connor Williams. You just can't miss that many high picks and succeed.

 

[kskboys]

I wasn't advocating, just pointing out that Joseph was a need pick, not a BPA pick.

I think he was a weird nothing pick, IMO. If we thought we needed a CB, much higher rated Asante Samuel was sitting there for the taking.

Some picks are just stupid!!! If we really reached for him for need at that point in the 2nd round, gawdawmighty are we dumb.

 

[JW82]

Looking at the last two seasons, it is not difficult to see what the biggest issue the Dallas Cowboys have had on defense: The inability to stop the run against the better teams we face. That’s been an issue for more than two seasons, but I chose to just look at 2022 and 2023 since they are the most recent.

In the 2022 and 2023 seasons including the playoffs, the Cowboys won 13 games in 2022 and 12 games 2023. They lost 6 games in 2022 and 6 games in 2023. I want to look at the role the inability to stop the run played in those combined 12 losses the last two seasons.

Here are the stats for the 6 losses we had in 2022 and how many yards rushing we surrendered:

• Vs TB- L 19-3. Gave up 153 yards rushing
• @Phi L 26-17. Gave up 136 yards rushing
• @GB L 31-28. Gave up 206 yards rushing
• @Jax L 40-34. Gave up 192 yards rushing
• @Wash L 26-6. Gave up 151 yards rushing (Cowboys didn’t try to win this game because playoff seeding was decided)
• @SF in Divisional round playoff game L 19-12. Gave up 113 yards rushing

In their 6 losses in 2022, the Cowboys averaged giving up 159 rushing yards per game.

Here are the stats for the 6 losses we had in 2023 and how many yards rushing we surrendered:

• @Ariz L 28-16. Gave up 222 yards rushing
• @SF L 42-10. Gave up 170 yards rushing
• @Phil L 28-23. Gave up 109 yards rushing
• @Buff L 31-10. Gave up 266 yards rushing
• @Mia L 22-20. Gave up 91 yards rushing
• Vs GB in wild card playoff game. L 48-32. Gave up 143 yards rushing.

So in our 6 losses in 2023, the Cowboys averaged giving up 167 rushing yards per game. Combining the last two seasons, we average giving up 163 yards rushing per game. You cannot beat good teams when you can’t stop the run. (Quick side note: 10 of the Cowboys 12 losses the last two seasons were on the road, and our run defense was at its worst on the road)

There are lots of things we need to fix or rebuild with the Cowboys this off-season. I know many Cowboys fans who want to change QBs. I understand that. BUT…if this team does not find a way to fix its inability to stop the run, we could have Patrick Mahomes under center and we aren’t going to win a lot of playoff games.

Fixing the run defense problem is job #1 this off-season.

I agree with it being a top priority but I think its tied with fixing our own run game.

 

[leeblair]

Looking at the last two seasons, it is not difficult to see what the biggest issue the Dallas Cowboys have had on defense: The inability to stop the run against the better teams we face. That’s been an issue for more than two seasons, but I chose to just look at 2022 and 2023 since they are the most recent.

In the 2022 and 2023 seasons including the playoffs, the Cowboys won 13 games in 2022 and 12 games 2023. They lost 6 games in 2022 and 6 games in 2023. I want to look at the role the inability to stop the run played in those combined 12 losses the last two seasons.

Here are the stats for the 6 losses we had in 2022 and how many yards rushing we surrendered:

• Vs TB- L 19-3. Gave up 153 yards rushing
• @Phi L 26-17. Gave up 136 yards rushing
• @GB L 31-28. Gave up 206 yards rushing
• @Jax L 40-34. Gave up 192 yards rushing
• @Wash L 26-6. Gave up 151 yards rushing (Cowboys didn’t try to win this game because playoff seeding was decided)
• @SF in Divisional round playoff game L 19-12. Gave up 113 yards rushing

In their 6 losses in 2022, the Cowboys averaged giving up 159 rushing yards per game.

Here are the stats for the 6 losses we had in 2023 and how many yards rushing we surrendered:

• @Ariz L 28-16. Gave up 222 yards rushing
• @SF L 42-10. Gave up 170 yards rushing
• @Phil L 28-23. Gave up 109 yards rushing
• @Buff L 31-10. Gave up 266 yards rushing
• @Mia L 22-20. Gave up 91 yards rushing
• Vs GB in wild card playoff game. L 48-32. Gave up 143 yards rushing.

So in our 6 losses in 2023, the Cowboys averaged giving up 167 rushing yards per game. Combining the last two seasons, we average giving up 163 yards rushing per game. You cannot beat good teams when you can’t stop the run. (Quick side note: 10 of the Cowboys 12 losses the last two seasons were on the road, and our run defense was at its worst on the road)

There are lots of things we need to fix or rebuild with the Cowboys this off-season. I know many Cowboys fans who want to change QBs. I understand that. BUT…if this team does not find a way to fix its inability to stop the run, we could have Patrick Mahomes under center and we aren’t going to win a lot of playoff games.

Fixing the run defense problem is job #1 this off-season.

This has been a problem since Jason Garrett was head coach. The Cowboys want to dance around and claim greatness without earning it.
But when another team gets physical with them and punches back, they fold like a cheap suit. And the Joneses won't invest in beef on the defensive line. They want an offensive line so that they can have success in the passing game and protect the quarterback, but they waste that, too.
Until Jerry understands the fundamental truth about football- that it is a war for the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball- it will continue.

 

[Hadenough]

I’m reading an article this morning how SF was 5th in rushing defense this season giving up 97 yards a game but in playoffs gave up 136 yards on the ground to Green Bay and 182 yards to Detroit.

Interesting how they overcame being gashed on the ground in the playoffs. But they had offenses that led them from behind.

This isnt meant to take away from Bobs most excellent thread and no doubt a weakness for the Cowboys. But great teams and better clutch QB’s can overcome. At least in the playoffs.

Wow! Good point
I would suspect that a lot of those yards for Detroit and GB came in the first half. And SF made adjustments at halftime. If it were Dallas they would just continued to get ran over the whole game. It always seems like the better teams are able to adjust their style of play but in Dallas they never do a dam thing at halftime to adjust.