Cowboys wanted Demarco back before he went to Titans

[Nightman]

For the record, I love your stat breakdowns. They provide some great perspective (but never the whole story).

2015 was a terrible year for featured backs because of injuries. Around 8-10 RBs ranked higher than DMC missed significant time. DMC's 4th place finish with 1089 yds would have been 10th or 11th in 2013 and 2014.

But we'll still let them believe 2015 was a better rushing team than 2014.

 

[percyhoward]

For the record, I love your stat breakdowns. They provide some great perspective (but never the whole story).

I'll try to tell more of the story then. McFadden converted 77% of his short yardage runs (3rd or 4th and 1-2 yards to go) in 2015, while Murray converted on 73% in 2014.

With that in mind, what makes us better in short yardage-goal line with Murray and without Romo? Goes against logic, doesn't it?

If the goal-line success was due to Murray, then why doesn't that transfer to short-yardage runs on the rest of the field? Maybe you can come up with a reason that I can't think of. I think the answer is that the goal-line success had more to do with Romo than with Murray. Romo-to-Dez on the goal line was automatic. Weeden and Cassel had a total of 1 TD pass from inside the 10-yard line in their 9 games, Romo averaged 12 TD passes from inside the 10-yard line every 9 games.

I think Romo's goal-line success had an effect on how defenses were playing us around the goal line. I don't believe defenses played Weeden and Cassel the same way as they would have played Romo. To spell it out, I believe defenses loaded up on the run when we were at the goal line, and were not concerned about the pass at all.

What do you think is the rest of the story?

 

[Sydla]

I am tryin to figure out how Murray prevents Romo from breaking his collarbone.

 

[percyhoward]

2015 was a terrible year for featured backs because of injuries. Around 8-10 RBs ranked higher than DMC missed significant time. DMC's 4th place finish with 1089 yds would have been 10th or 11th in 2013 and 2014.

Opposing defenses were playing the run for most of 2015, and yet we had a running back (considered by most to be average at best) that ranked in the top 5 in both total rushing yards and ypc for only the sixth time since the merger.

Not bad, offensive line.

1981 Dorsett 2nd yd, 4th ypc (pass 5th)
1991 Smith 1st yd, 4th ypc (pass 7th)
1992 Smith 1st yd, 3rd ypc (pass 3rd)
1993 Smith 1st yd, 1st ypc (pass 2nd)
1995 Smith 1st yd, 2nd ypc (pass 5th)
2015 McFadden 4th yd, 3rd ypc (pass 30th)

minimum 10 carries per game

 

[BAT]

Opposing defenses were playing the run for most of 2015, and yet we had a running back (considered by most to be average at best) that ranked in the top 5 in both total rushing yards and ypc for only the sixth time since the merger.

Not bad, offensive line.

1981 Dorsett 2nd yd, 4th ypc (pass 5th)
1991 Smith 1st yd, 4th ypc (pass 7th)
1992 Smith 1st yd, 3rd ypc (pass 3rd)
1993 Smith 1st yd, 1st ypc (pass 2nd)
1995 Smith 1st yd, 2nd ypc (pass 5th)
2015 McFadden 4th yd, 3rd ypc (pass 30th)

minimum 10 carries per game

So your conclusion is that McFadden's season was the equivalent of the greatest seasons put up by Emmitt and Dorsett?

 

[Nightman]

Opposing defenses were playing the run for most of 2015, and yet we had a running back (considered by most to be average at best) that ranked in the top 5 in both total rushing yards and ypc for only the sixth time since the merger.

Not bad, offensive line.
1981 Dorsett 2nd yd, 4th ypc (pass 5th)
1991 Smith 1st yd, 4th ypc (pass 7th)
1992 Smith 1st yd, 3rd ypc (pass 3rd)
1993 Smith 1st yd, 1st ypc (pass 2nd)
1995 Smith 1st yd, 2nd ypc (pass 5th)
2015 McFadden 4th yd, 3rd ypc (pass 30th)

minimum 10 carries per game

McFadden's 4th last year is 10th or 11th in 2013-2014. Plus he got most of it in garbage time Weeks 14-17.

You gotta stop trying to sell that snake oil

How about his TDs? Where did 3 TDs rank?

 

[percyhoward]

You gotta stop trying to sell that snake oil

So your conclusion is that McFadden's season was the equivalent of the greatest seasons put up by Emmitt and Dorsett?

Just don't underrate the job that OL did in 2015, with those backs and that passing game.

 

[Nightman]

Just don't underrate the job that OL did in 2015, with those backs and that passing game.

They did their jobs.

With 3 #1 picks, a 4th #1 in rankings and a veteran high paid RT they better do well. Plus a 2.5m back-up OG and a 3rd round pick as swing OT.

That is ton of resources tied up in the OL.

 

[big dog cowboy]

If the goal-line success was due to Murray, then why doesn't that transfer to short-yardage runs on the rest of the field? Maybe you can come up with a reason that I can't think of. I think the answer is that the goal-line success had more to do with Romo than with Murray. Romo-to-Dez on the goal line was automatic. Weeden and Cassel had a total of 1 TD pass from inside the 10-yard line in their 9 games, Romo averaged 12 TD passes from inside the 10-yard line every 9 games.

I think Romo's goal-line success had an effect on how defenses were playing us around the goal line. I don't believe defenses played Weeden and Cassel the same way as they would have played Romo. To spell it out, I believe defenses loaded up on the run when we were at the goal line, and were not concerned about the pass at all.

Talk about dropping the mic.

BOOM!

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

I'd trade the Rams our #4 this year for Todd Gurley in a heartbeat...

I guess RB's are not worth anything anymore.....yet I'm willing to bet the Rams would laugh at us if we proposed that trade.

Rather have the qb at #4. This is a deep rb draft, we can find one in rounds 2 and on.

 

[percyhoward]

They did their jobs.

And their jobs were a lot harder in 2015.

 

[Nightman]

And their jobs were a lot harder in 2015.

and they went from 2nd to 9th

 

[DandyDon52]

If the Cowboys thought Murray would significantly upgrade the team, he'd be back in a Cowboys jersey because Tennessee apparently has given up little to acquire him and even got a restructured deal from Murray.

I doubt dallas was offered as good a deal as Tenn, if you were phil would you want murray going back to dallas or off to tenn in afc ??

 

[DandyDon52]

They are reporting that Murray revised his deal a little. He was due 4/31-33m with 9-12 guaranteed.

Now he is due 4/25.5-33m with 9-12.5m guaranteed.

If they cut him after one year he will get 9m, just like with PHI, but he can make a little more with incentives.

4 years at a avg of 7.25 mil = 29 mil so he took a bit of a paycut, but with incentives could still make 8 mil a year.

 

[Bleu Star]

So your conclusion is that McFadden's season was the equivalent of the greatest seasons put up by Emmitt and Dorsett?

This is where Percy loses me. I clearly saw numerous occasion last year where DMC was swallowed whole by short yardage situations. Yet we are supposed to rejoice in certain stats that are laid out to prove a point. Sorry. My eyes are 20/20.

 

[Bleu Star]

Talk about dropping the mic.

BOOM!

Not quite sir. Stats never tell the full story. Thankfully, we were all blessed with eyes.

 

[DandyDon52]

I'll try to tell more of the story then. McFadden converted 77% of his short yardage runs (3rd or 4th and 1-2 yards to go) in 2015, while Murray converted on 73% in 2014.

With that in mind, what makes us better in short yardage-goal line with Murray and without Romo? Goes against logic, doesn't it?

If the goal-line success was due to Murray, then why doesn't that transfer to short-yardage runs on the rest of the field? Maybe you can come up with a reason that I can't think of. I think the answer is that the goal-line success had more to do with Romo than with Murray. Romo-to-Dez on the goal line was automatic. Weeden and Cassel had a total of 1 TD pass from inside the 10-yard line in their 9 games, Romo averaged 12 TD passes from inside the 10-yard line every 9 games.

I think Romo's goal-line success had an effect on how defenses were playing us around the goal line. I don't believe defenses played Weeden and Cassel the same way as they would have played Romo. To spell it out, I believe defenses loaded up on the run when we were at the goal line, and were not concerned about the pass at all.

What do you think is the rest of the story?

The stats can only tell part of the story, not all of it and not the important parts.
For example if it is 4th and 1 and we are trying to run the clock out to win the game, and the RB gets the first down, that is just
one time in stats, but it is very important run in that game and in getting a win.
Stats dont factor in game situations, play calling, errors made etc.

So I think certain runs in games are just more important than others, and stats dont tell that story.
Then there is the chemistry or confidence in a back, and how defenses see that back, and with murray
we had a good thing going on both counts.

Now the debate over Murray and McF is really irrelevant, McF did a good job,but by the time the coaches started to
have confidence in him the season was already a lost cause, and was half over and we were 2-6.
So losing Murray had a negative effect on the 2015 season.

And even by seasons end and McF had done good, other teams defenses did not fear him like they would murray.

 

[DandyDon52]

The other thing that anti murray people ignore is setting the record for consecutive 100 yd games in a row.
he did what no other RB has ever done, and they still say he is avg or below avg, and not worth the money.
The record was 50 years old, and even AP |@ 12 mil a year has not done what murray did.

He has the Cowboys single game record, and the Cowboys Season total record, but again, he is avg and not worth the money.
He did all that at min wage, and then when contract is up he expected to be paid, and cowboys went cheap on him.

I liked murray as he never celebrated when he scored or had a big run, no dances, no x's, no look at me I am great stuff.
I liked that, but now He is gone and isnt coming back, so hopfully we get another back who can do the things murray did.

 

[big dog cowboy]

This is where Percy loses me. I clearly saw numerous occasion last year where DMC was swallowed whole by short yardage situations. Yet we are supposed to rejoice in certain stats that are laid out to prove a point. Sorry. My eyes are 20/20.

Same thing happened in 2014 with Murray. Same thing happened with Emmitt in the 90's.

 

[Bullflop]

I'm fairly dumbfounded that Dallas even considered dealing with Philly for Murray's services.

Our chances of getting an affordable deal from our division rivals in Philly were non-existent.