Critic's review of running game

[gimmesix]

Remember four of the ten possessions were in the hurry up mode so playing from behind negates the run often. That said it looked like lots of dirty yards were left on the field. Let keep our fingers crossed that Michaels can break a tackle as the backs went down too easily IMO during the giant game.

I thought there were a few runs where Randle fought for extra yardage after the initial hit, but there's definitely room for improvement.

Let me say that I saw more from Randle in this area than from McFadden. McFadden burst for 8 yards when no one touched him before running into defenders and being taken down immediately. He was unable to create yards in traffic, though.

 

[Derinyar]

I think it's a little hard to judge the rushing game comparatively. The fact that the WR corps and Romo, to some extent, sorta messed things up for the majority of the first half, meant that when we should have been abusing their tired DLine we were having to go no huddle/shotgun to get back in the game. I think we were well on our way to a large yardage day before the mistakes started.

Don't think it was as good as last year, but I'll wait to see till we have a somewhat cleanish offensive game.

 

[gimmesix]

Nothing wrong with the running game. It was one of those strange games that turnovers really affected us, and we got behind. Dmac looked good but was not used much and not sure why. This group can be a force and don't forget about CM.

I'm interesting in seeing if Michaels brings that physical element to the group. I'm not saying the others didn't try to be physical. I just didn't see much ability to get in there and drive the pile, which again forces the defense to devote more resources to stop you.

I do think Randle is scrappier than he's given credit for, but more in a slithery way than a powerful way. McFadden looks like he should have power, but he doesn't seem to generate it. Maybe it's his balance issues, his skinny legs or running style.

 

[gimmesix]

I think it's a little hard to judge the rushing game comparatively. The fact that the WR corps and Romo, to some extent, sorta messed things up for the majority of the first half, meant that when we should have been abusing their tired DLine we were having to go no huddle/shotgun to get back in the game. I think we were well on our way to a large yardage day before the mistakes started.

Don't think it was as good as last year, but I'll wait to see till we have a somewhat cleanish offensive game.

I agree and addressed that some in my initial post. Every game is different and we'll see how it goes from here.

 

[texbumthelife]

I am about to review the game on game rewind right now, but I am mystified by how anyone could say DMac looked better. He looked a little faster, but he certainly wasn't more productive. He either ran to the sideline or into his blockers. His biggest issues in Oakland were his vision and patience. He displayed how poor both were against the Giants.

 

[texbumthelife]

I'm interesting in seeing if Michaels brings that physical element to the group. I'm not saying the others didn't try to be physical. I just didn't see much ability to get in there and drive the pile, which again forces the defense to devote more resources to stop you.

I do think Randle is scrappier than he's given credit for, but more in a slithery way than a powerful way. McFadden looks like he should have power, but he doesn't seem to generate it. Maybe it's his balance issues, his skinny legs or running style.

The problem with DMac is his vision and patience. If the hole is right in front of him, he has some serious pop. If he has to choose a cut lane, which is how zone blocking works, he is lost and spends considerably more time running east and west.

 

[dmq]

They need to go to Dunbar much like they did on that last drive. That pass out in the flats is completely underutilized in this offense. The one beam of sunshine from the Dez injury is that the Cowboys will probably be forced to develop that part of their game because every defense is going to start crowding the line with Dez not out there.

 

[mattjames2010]

The coaches seem to think Randle's better. Randle was significantly more productive than DMC on Sunday. I simply don't get the DMC love.

Easier to show you are "more productive" on 16 carries opposed to 6. Two of those being sweeps that where the defense predicted the play.

What I did see is burst to the hole, something Randle just lacks.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Anyone who has read my posts about the running game knows I was not satisfied with what Dallas did to replace last year's offensive player of the year. So I approached our first game with skepticism about our ability to establish the run and was left a little dissatisfied on initial review by the running efforts. I've since gone back and watched the first half (so far) more closely, and was a little happier about what I saw.

My barometer for an effective running game is how the backs do on first down. My reason for this is that I believe if you can have success running the ball when teams expect you to run it then the opponent has to devote more resources to stopping the run, which opens things up for the passing game.

I initially thought the early returns were not good on first down, but Randle broke a 15-yard run on Dallas' fourth first down (after runs of 2 and 3 and a 5-yard pass on the previous three first downs) on the initial drive.

In the second quarter, Dallas also got an 8-yard first-down run by McFadden.

Now, let me say that there were a lot more 2- and 3-yarders than 5-plus-yarders, but what Dallas had to show to make the run-threat legitimate is the threat of those longer runs, so it established that. The Cowboys also very effectively made the backs a part of the passing game (finally using Dunbar the way everyone's been expecting them to for years).

It wasn't a perfect effort. We didn't show that we can pound the ball/exert our will in the running game, but turnovers didn't exactly put us in position to do that. So the jury remains out on whether we can run it at will. BUT the fact that we showed some semblance of ability to run on first down is a good start.

I don't disagree with your assessment. I think you hit the nail on the head that first down success will often dictate subsequent play calling on 2nd, 3rd downs. I agree that the success was spotty at best. however I am not ready to push the panic button for multiple reasons. I think Giants were keen on stopping the run and saw them do a few run blitzes. that's why the cowboys tried to open up the lane by throwing to dunbar. it started to work but then we ran into all those freaking turnover issues and game plan got changed.

I am of the mind that you use your best players and game plans revolve around that. last year it was murray and we ran and IMO sometimes tried to force the issue too much. this year its the passing game, with dez, dunbar, McFadden, Williams, beasly, witten, escobar. a dump off pass to McFadden, dunbar and beasly gaining 5 yards is as good as a 5 yard run. NE did/does that effectively.

I wouldn't mind if we started to utilize the backs, screen passes and beasly from the slot more often.

 

[ConstantReboot]

The coaches seem to think Randle's better. Randle was significantly more productive than DMC on Sunday. I simply don't get the DMC love.

DMC is our best back. He is more explosive than Randle and has the same wiggle to gain a few extra yards. Randle looked indecisive and was easily arm tackled. He left some yards on the field that night and thats too bad.

 

[JD_KaPow]

DMC is our best back. He is more explosive than Randle and has the same wiggle to gain a few extra yards. Randle looked indecisive and was easily arm tackled. He left some yards on the field that night and thats too bad.

I'll believe it when I see it in the results. Not until then.

 

[ConstantReboot]

I was unimpressed with Randle. He really needs to step up and hit the hole hard and not get arm tackled.

Randle criticized Murray for leaving a lot on the field. But there were holes for him to run and he wasn't able to capitalize on it.

I think he's nothing more than a change of pace back. They should let MacFadden get the brunt of the carries - not Randle.

 

[ConstantReboot]

I'll believe it when I see it in the results. Not until then.

Well so far Randle failed to impress me with his first game as starter. If this continues you can bet more and more will be asking for MacFadden or even CMike to get the brunt of the carries.

 

[gimmesix]

I don't disagree with your assessment. I think you hit the nail on the head that first down success will often dictate subsequent play calling on 2nd, 3rd downs. I agree that the success was spotty at best. however I am not ready to push the panic button for multiple reasons. I think Giants were keen on stopping the run and saw them do a few run blitzes. that's why the cowboys tried to open up the lane by throwing to dunbar. it started to work but then we ran into all those freaking turnover issues and game plan got changed.

I am of the mind that you use your best players and game plans revolve around that. last year it was murray and we ran and IMO sometimes tried to force the issue too much. this year its the passing game, with dez, dunbar, McFadden, Williams, beasly, witten, escobar. a dump off pass to McFadden, dunbar and beasly gaining 5 yards is as good as a 5 yard run. NE did/does that effectively.

I wouldn't mind if we started to utilize the backs, screen passes and beasly from the slot more often.

Oh, I agree that it isn't time to hit the panic button. I just wanted to give as fair assessment as I could of the first game's efforts, having been critical of our choices at the position.

I don't want to make it look worse or better than it was to prove a point.

I do think we played to the strengths of the backs, especially Dunbar, by getting the ball to them in space. That was a good adjustment by Linehan to what the Giants were trying to do and was a big part of our "rushing" attack. I thought last year that we ran too often into a stacked front just to prove we weren't going to abandon the run, and I would much rather us attack the defense's weaknesses.

However, we do have to be able to run the ball effectively when we do it on early downs, and like I said, I was pleased that we showed we could on a few first downs because that will help establish that running threat. Now, if we can build on that, we'll be able to keep defenses from just focusing on the passing game.

 

[Rogerthat12]

There was too much meat left on the bone...lol!

 

[texbumthelife]

I sincerely wonder how many people knocking Randle's play went back and look at the tape.

It's ironic I made a whole thread dedicated to film study of just Randle's runs, and all the people knocking Randle just choose to ignore it.

 

[conner01]

I think most of us want to see more DMC. He is the one with the potential to break long ones and is better in pass protection.

They're not giving Dmac huge carries
That's not the plan
They want him to last 16 games and the best way to do that is limit his carries

 

[foofighters]

wait...What does everyone think about how Murray looked last night against ATL?

 

[Rockport]

Anyone who has read my posts about the running game knows I was not satisfied with what Dallas did to replace last year's offensive player of the year. So I approached our first game with skepticism about our ability to establish the run and was left a little dissatisfied on initial review by the running efforts. I've since gone back and watched the first half (so far) more closely, and was a little happier about what I saw.

My barometer for an effective running game is how the backs do on first down. My reason for this is that I believe if you can have success running the ball when teams expect you to run it then the opponent has to devote more resources to stopping the run, which opens things up for the passing game.

I initially thought the early returns were not good on first down, but Randle broke a 15-yard run on Dallas' fourth first down (after runs of 2 and 3 and a 5-yard pass on the previous three first downs) on the initial drive.

In the second quarter, Dallas also got an 8-yard first-down run by McFadden.

Now, let me say that there were a lot more 2- and 3-yarders than 5-plus-yarders, but what Dallas had to show to make the run-threat legitimate is the threat of those longer runs, so it established that. The Cowboys also very effectively made the backs a part of the passing game (finally using Dunbar the way everyone's been expecting them to for years).

It wasn't a perfect effort. We didn't show that we can pound the ball/exert our will in the running game, but turnovers didn't exactly put us in position to do that. So the jury remains out on whether we can run it at will. BUT the fact that we showed some semblance of ability to run on first down is a good start.

It's important to note that the Cowboys were behind for most of the game which necessitated a change in play calling.

 

[lostar2009]

Randle had more rushing yards than Murray and Peterson combined in Week 1. One thing I was unhappy about was that it appeared too easy to take down Randle. Looking for some explosiveness from him. But, if DMC can stay healthy, would like to see him more.

He should he had more carries. But he didn't show much.