News: Dallas offensive philosophy refuses to follow the crowd

[LocimusPrime]

Some interesting facts are

• No team has won the Super Bowl with the leas8mg rusher in 20 years
• The 1998 Broncos were the last to do it

 

[LocimusPrime]

Dallas Cowboys offensive philosophy refuses to follow the crowd

by Robert H. Carroll1 d ago
In a copycat league, teams are winning with potent aerial attacks. Why are the Dallas Cowboys obsessed with being the best rushing team in the league?

In the transition to a more quarterback Dak Prescott friendly offense, the Dallas Cowboys have been acquiring players to make the running game deadly. Our offensive line is a dominant group of athletes that deserve to be mentioned by name: tackles Tyron Smith and Cameron Fleming, guards Conner Williams, Zack Martin and La’el Collins, and center Travis Frederick.


I’m aware that I listed six people and left off tackle Chaz Green. Offensive linemen may get shuffled around both before and during the season. It’s still a great group of athletes and it wouldn’t be a stretch to expect our new collection of running backs to gain four yards per carry.

I’ve heard fantasies about how this deadly rushing attack could be used. It was pitched that the Cowboys could start games with running back Ezekiel Elliott. Rod Smithwould enter games to give Elliott a breather.


Afterwards, Bo Scarbrough, the 6′ 2”, 235 pound bruiser from Alabama would bulldoze linebackers. That would allow speedster, Tavon Austin to sprint through gaps created by our new fullback Jamize Olawale from the Oakland Raiders. Elliott would return late in the fourth quarter to finish games with fresh legs.

Looking at the numbers, it’s completely possible that this could happen. I just named seven offensive linemen, five running backs and it’s possible that the Cowboys keep three quarterbacks – Dak Prescott, Mike White and Cooper Rush. The Cowboys initial 53-man roster from 2017 had two quarterbacks, five running backs and eight offensive linemen.

 

[Teague31]

In theory it’s a good idea. Defenses are trending smaller to deal with 3-4 wide offenses. That should be susceptible to a dominant run game

 

[LocimusPrime]

Unfortunately, when I look at the list of NFL’s leading rushers and compare it to Super Bowl Champions, the emphasis on running the football doesn’t make any sense.

Why are the Cowboys focused on running the football in a league dominated by the passing game? The 1998 Denver Broncos are the last team to win the Super Bowl and have the NFL’s leading rusher – Terrell Davis.


Having the running back with the most yards hasn’t resulted in a Super Bowl title for teams in 20 years. Have you ever wondered why the NFL has devalued the running back position? It’s because teams are winning championships by throwing the football.

The 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers are the only Super Bowl Champions – Super Bowl XL – that won with more rushing yards (181) than passing yards (166).

The 2009 New Orleans Saints had 51-rushing yards when they defeated the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV.

The Green Bay Packers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV with 50-rushing yards.

The Arizona Cardinals would have won Super Bowl XLIII with 33-rushing yards, if not for a Tony Romo type touchdown toss to receiver Santonio Holmes from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger with 35 seconds left.



Next: Ranking every top-10 pick in Dallas Cowboys’ history
Owner Jerry Jones and the front office has Cowboy Nation obsessed with being the NFL’s best rushing team. Meanwhile, teams are winning Super Bowl championships with little to no concern about the ground game.

In a copycat league, where teams are winning with potent aerial attacks, it doesn’t surprise me that the Cowboys would do the opposite. Let’s hope our way works.

 

[HungryLion]

I understand the point they are trying to make.

That being said, there is obviously only 1 leading rusher out of 32 teams, every year. So right off the bat, the odds of the leading rusher winning the championship is only 1:32. From a STRICTLY numeric standpoint.

I would be curious to see how many times the leading passer has also won the Super Bowl. I would imagine it isn’t that many more times than the leading rusher in the past 20 years....

I think the main point I would make is.... even though the “leading rusher” hasn’t only won, one Super Bowl in the past 20 years. I would imagine the fact they have an elite rushing offense isn’t the cause for them to not win the championship. They probably fall short because their defense isn’t good enough, or their passing games isn’t good enough or somebody makes som key mistakes in a playoff game, etc.

For instance in 2016 and 2014 we had the leading rusher. Does ANYONE think that anything to do with our offense is the reason the team didn’t win a championship? Of course not. The team fell short because of the defense.

 

[Techsass]

Interesting stuff - at least to me it is. I think RBs are still appreciated by their teams, but good luck getting a mega-deal.

 

[HungryLion]

Interesting stuff - at least to me it is. I think RBs are still appreciated by their teams, but good luck getting a mega-deal.

I think this is a really good point.

A top RB is still extremely valuable to a team. I think what does work against RB’s is their short shelf life.

Their play can drop off at anytime due to injury of number of carries. Only the BEST OF THE BEST historically, seem to stay very productive for long stretches of time. So I think some teams shy away from drafting them high or signing them to big deals because of that reason, moreso than because a great RB isn’t valuable to a team.

 

[PAPPYDOG]

Some interesting facts are

• No team has won the Super Bowl with the leas8mg rusher in 20 years
• The 1998 Broncos were the last to do it

Cause JJ and his fearful YES MEN are IDIOTS!
We have 4 no 1 picks and 1 no 2 pick on the offline and then we wonder why we have no defense.

P.S. Mr. Rodgers sends his regards!

 

[Hardline]

The trend in the NFC East is changing.

Elliott
Ajayi
Guice
Barkley.

And all 4 teams heavily drafted OL the last few years.

Ill take my chances with the rushing attack.

If the Cowboys had Rogers,Brady or Brees I could see them pass more.

 

[CCBoy]

Cause JJ and his fearful YES MEN are IDIOTS!
We have 4 no 1 picks and 1 no 2 pick on the offline and then we wonder why we have no defense.

P.S. Mr. Rodgers sends his regards!

Sean Lee round 2
Jaylon Smith round 2
Leighton Vander Esch round 1
Demarcus Lawrence round 2
Randy Gregory round 2
Taco Charlton round 1
Byron Jones round 1
Jourdan Lewis round 2

As you were squeeking...

 

[CCBoy]

The trend in the NFC East is changing.

Elliott
Ajayi
Guice
Barkley.

And all 4 teams heavily drafted OL the last few years.

Ill take my chances with the rushing attack.

If the Cowboys had Rogers,Brady or Brees I could see them pass more.

With a top rushing team in 2014, Tony Romo had a career year throwing the ball and a QBR of over 100...

 

[HungryLion]

Sean Lee round 2
Jaylon Smith round 2
Leighton Vander Esch round 1
Demarcus Lawrence round 2
Randy Gregory round 2
Taco Charlton round 1
Byron Jones round 1
Jourdan Lewis round 2

As you were squeeking...

Maliek Collins round 3.

Chido Awuzie round 2.

Tyrone Crawford round 3.

They have been putting draft capital into the defense. The problem has been, that they aren’t getting the same level of player with those draft choices. For whatever reason. Injury being a big part of the piece. IMO.

 

[PAPPYDOG]

Sean Lee round 2
Jaylon Smith round 2
Leighton Vander Esch round 1
Demarcus Lawrence round 2
Randy Gregory round 2
Taco Charlton round 1
Byron Jones round 1
Jourdan Lewis round 2

As you were squeeking...

hey CCBoy tell the people why we invest so heavily on the Run game.
Tell them CCBoy ............

Hmmm not responding well I'll do it for you bud.....Cause first we had inj prone Romo and now we have Couldn't hit the barn if his life depended on it Prescott...np CCBoy no need to thank me bud.

P.S. Now you be here this coming season when 8 man in the box defenses are making us look very silly on offense cause we have no Passing game to speak of.....

 

[Roadtrip635]

Getting to a Superbowl is, by and large, about having an effective balanced team. Teams have to be able rush effectively when they have to, pass effectively when they have to and have balance between offense and defense. The defense will have to keep the team in games when the offense struggles or make key stops when it counts.

 

[CPanther95]

They aren't following the crowd because the crowd has receivers and a TE.

 

[CCBoy]

Maliek Collins round 3.

Chido Awuzie round 2.

Tyrone Crawford round 3.

They have been putting draft capital into the defense. The problem has been, that they aren’t getting the same level of player with those draft choices. For whatever reason. Injury being a big part of the piece. IMO.

One could also add the draft levels for the free agents that the Cowboys have been signing as well...oh, there is both youth and talent on the defensive side of the ball.

Give me a top defensive tackle and a top safety, and all I could do then would be wait for this all to jell.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

The team needs a good defense. They started running the ball to keep their defense off the field.

 

[Vtwin]

It's nice to have a top tier running game but if you want to contend for a championship you better have a top tier passing game too.

If you can only have one, passing game it is.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

If the Cowboy passing game isn't efficient (And no "efficient" doesn't mean have to be in the top-10 teams when it comes to passing yardage per game) then it will not matter how good the running game is.

 

[DallasDomination]

It's not the philosophy that's important it's the execution and design.

In 2014 we could of won it all with the emphasis on the run game and power offense.

The one thing we need is a real defense.

The giants won a sb against what would of been the best team of all time. Their philosophy on offense didn't matter. It was their defense.