Can a good rushing attack last all season?

[kskboys]

Good point, but if so why did Zeke play so much more than pollard when pollard was the better player

Because it's blatantly obvious that Pollard is an ideal complementary back, the speed back that you use w/ the power back.

Zeke was bad, no argument here. But, you still need that starter quality bruiser.

Plus, due to his build, Pollard will start having injury issues w/ a ton of touches. He's so effective w/ limited touches, that effectiveness would wain w/ a lot more touches.

 

[kskboys]

so if we win the superbowl running the WishBone and the Wing T its an issue?

i dont care if Dak only throws 10 tds and 8 ints with 1500 yards passing in 17 games

i just want a superbowl....Pay him whatever it doesnt come from my account

Lol lol lol that's my overall thinking when it comes to these threads and people trying to argue. None of that money is coming out of my families account so in the end they're going to do what they doorrect on both of you.

Incorrect for both of you.

What you pay each and every player has a ton to do w/ winning a super bowl. And it has absolutely zero to do w/ anything personal.

The thought of "it doesn't come from my account" is absolutely irrelevant, and doesn't make any sense in the converstation about salaries.

Saying "I just want to win a super bowl" and "Pay him whatever" are two phrases that are extremely contradictory. They make zero sense when put together. If you really want to win a super bowl, then you care a lot about what he gets paid.

 

[Coogiguy03]

Because it's blatantly obvious that Pollard is an ideal complementary back, the speed back that you use w/ the power back.

Zeke was bad, no argument here. But, you still need that starter quality bruiser.

Plus, due to his build, Pollard will start having injury issues w/ a ton of touches. He's so effective w/ limited touches, that effectiveness would wain w/ a lot more touches.

Good points

 

[rnr_honeybadger]

The problem with this fantasy is the inability to recognize that eventually you will need to pass your way to a win and every team and defensive coordinator out there knows that Dak Prescott cannot do that consistently.

 

[Cowboyfanforlife]

A lot of us want the ball to be ran more, I get that I agree totally. My question is can this last all year long, in the playoffs etc as well?? Can we expect our runners to give us that much without injury at the RB position or on the O line?

Are the coaches willing to commit to the run that often. I often feel when you want to commit that hard to the run, you have to have a QB you're trying to protect. With us we've protected our QB will MILLIONS of dollars. For us to run that much, and not use that million dollar arm, I can see issues with this.

Please give your thoughts....

Thats exactly what it would take!!!!!! commitment and the backs to do it.........see early 90's emmitt and 3 chips

 

[zrinkill]

Ask Emmitt Smith

 

[rnr_honeybadger]

Ask Emmitt Smith

Emmitt complimented Aikman but let's face it, Aikman was also more than capable of passing the Cowboys to a victory. Dak Prescott is no Troy Aikman.

 

[TwoDeep3]

The running attack is dependent on the offensive line play.

The passing attack is dependent on the offensive line play.

This line needs to be rebuilt. I do not understand the retention of Tyron. He clearly is not the player he once was.

All the end of season problems start and end with the offensive line and injuries.

 

[thunderpimp91]

The running attack is dependent on the offensive line play.

The passing attack is dependent on the offensive line play.

This line needs to be rebuilt. I do not understand the retention of Tyron. He clearly is not the player he once was.

All the end of season problems start and end with the offensive line and injuries.

You're spot on, but I'll push back on the Tyron comment a little here. Tyron played out of position after missing 3/4 of the season with an hamstring injury. He's probably a good bet to play better in 2023 provided he can stay healthy, which is a huge if. It sounds like the Cowboys are going to ask him about a pay cut or possibly renegotiating his deal. If so I think it does make sense to roll the dice as a sure fire upgrade to Tyron wont come cheap and wont be guaranteed if you go the draft route.

 

[CATCH17]

Good point, but if so why did Zeke play so much more than pollard when pollard was the better player

Because the Cowboys are a dumb franchise.

 

[CATCH17]

The running attack is dependent on the offensive line play.

The passing attack is dependent on the offensive line play.

This line needs to be rebuilt. I do not understand the retention of Tyron. He clearly is not the player he once was.

All the end of season problems start and end with the offensive line and injuries.

Because NFL Oline in general are terrible and the Cowboys still have one of the best units. That goes for Tyron Smith.

He’s still one of the best Tackles in football. Hard to replace these guys which is why Tyler Smith is a great great find by the team.

 

[75boyz]

Good point, but if so why did Zeke play so much more than pollard when pollard was the better player

Cuz coach Jerry had to try and justify the Zeke contract. Same with the so called "more aggressive" passing attack with SleepNumber that failed miserably. Trying to sell that QB contract to the public by throwing more when the thrower sucks at decision making.

Coach Jerry behind the scenes as always.

 

[PAPPYDOG]

Ok so you're paying a QB 40 million just to hand it off most of the game?? In our case seeing how bad Dak can be, makes sense

Of course, he is I mean it's Dak, and being a 40 million $ hand off machine is just fine for the Dak stains here.

 

[buybuydandavis]

We've had a good running game that lasted all year multiple seasons and including the playoffs though of course no nfc championship game or SB

Did we have a good running game all year? Since when? I have to go back to 2016 to see one.
What years are you saying that the running game lasted all season?

I'd say that was true in 2016, but not 2014. Murray's ypc declined through the season. Just not the same juice for the playoffs, and it was fraction of a step that made the difference between a huge gain and a turnover.

Pollard didn't last through the final playoff game, and that alone could have been the difference in the game. Not that the offense wasn't stinking, but a healthy Pollard is just a huge difference over a healthy Zeke, and the defense miraculously kept the game in reach.
And it's not like the running game was strong all season. Like the rest of the offense, even the team, very up and down.

The previous playoff loss, 16 carries for 45 yards from the RBs. 12 of those carries were Zeke, 4 for Pollard. Not a strong running game all season then either.

I think an NFL team has needed 2 good backs for a strong running game all season for a *long* time. Especially if they want that running game to show up in the playoffs.

Zeke as a strong lone runner in 2016 was a combination fluke of a dominant oline paired with the top rookie RB from the draft who *delivers*, for at least that year, on the pick you spent on him. Spending a 1st for that one year wonder is not something anyone wants.

Plan on 2 backs, at least, though they can have a mix of styles, and the best bet is getting a RB/WR hybrid as your 2nd runner.

 

[buybuydandavis]

Depends on why you are running well. For example if your OL is opening holes big enough for me to run well behind then it won't matter who the RB is they will all do well. If your RB is getting hit behind the LOS but fights to gain yards then if he goes down your ground game probably gets exposed. Some teams do a better job scheming to help the backs get more yards and others have no clue how to do that. Designing plays for the backs is one of KM weaknesses while he was here. If they can fix that then sure the run game can go all season regardless who is running.

The other way to run well is to have so much threat from your WRs that they draw the defense off the LOS and out of the box. I think Cooper was giving us some of that. A guy you had to double, *and* respect over the top. Some guy had to play back on Cooper.
I don't think Lamb commands double teams like Cooper, and they don't have to back off the LOS even if they do. Like Dez, you can bracket him horizontally instead of leaving one guy backed off over the top.

 

[kiheikiwi]

I like the premise, I think Zeke is not the back we can rely on for it. Either he takes a massive cut to stay with the team and basically becomes the goal line and blitz pickup guy. For 1 more year.
And we draft the complimentary back to go with Pollard.
Or Zeke is a June ist. Cut to spread our his remaining cap hit.
But I do like the new/ retread thought process.

 

[charron]

The other way to run well is to have so much threat from your WRs that they draw the defense off the LOS and out of the box. I think Cooper was giving us some of that. A guy you had to double, *and* respect over the top. Some guy had to play back on Cooper.
I don't think Lamb commands double teams like Cooper, and they don't have to back off the LOS even if they do. Like Dez, you can bracket him horizontally instead of leaving one guy backed off over the top.

AGREED, good points. But even when teams kept 2 safeties back we weren't great at running. That was alot in the last half of 2021 and some in this last year. I don't think the blocking schemes worked well.

 

[Kingofholland]

At some point teams will stack the box and shut it down. It's how the coaches respond and if Dak will make opposing defenses pay for trying to make them one dimensional that will dictate the season

I'm excited for this offseason to

 

[buybuydandavis]

AGREED, good points. But even when teams kept 2 safeties back we weren't great at running. That was alot in the last half of 2021 and some in this last year. I don't think the blocking schemes worked well.

In 2021, meh running team with Zeke at 4.2ypc, very good running team with Pollard at 5.5ypc.

This year w/o Cooper, Pollard dropped .3ypc and Zeke 0.4ypc. Not exactly a controlled experiment, at least consistent with the general principle that's pretty obvious in itself - the better your WRs, the easier row to hoe for your RBs.

 

[conner01]

A lot of us want the ball to be ran more, I get that I agree totally. My question is can this last all year long, in the playoffs etc as well?? Can we expect our runners to give us that much without injury at the RB position or on the O line?

Are the coaches willing to commit to the run that often. I often feel when you want to commit that hard to the run, you have to have a QB you're trying to protect. With us we've protected our QB will MILLIONS of dollars. For us to run that much, and not use that million dollar arm, I can see issues with this.

Please give your thoughts....

You have to extend the run game with the short passing game and play action. The greatest assist you can give the run game is pass more on early downs. It’s hard to run when they know you are running