Did the route-running and playcalling improve?

[Mark]

SMH. Y'all still don't get it. Simply running the ball (whether you gain yards or not, plus based on the rushing production of the previous 3 games) actually keeps the opposing defense honest and helps your passing game.

Not really true last night. The DAL running game was zero threat from the get-go. TB was daring Rush to throw the ball. IMHO, the home team didn't do it enough, because it was working. It was the stupid insistence on challenging a full defensive box that deprived the Cowboys of the chance to score more than three points in an offensively-futile second half. I know everyone's heart has been ablaze for McCarthy since last evening, but that miscalculation is on him as playcaller...it making no sense whatever to be running Dowdle on 3rd & 6, and such.

 

[America's Cowboy]

Not really true last night. The DAL running game was zero threat from the get-go. TB was daring Rush to throw the ball. IMHO, the home team didn't do it enough, because it was working. It was the stupid insistence on challenging a full defensive box that deprived the Cowboys of the chance to score more than three points in an offensively-futile second half. I know everyone's heart has been ablaze for McCarthy since last evening, but that miscalculation is on him as playcaller...it making no sense whatever to be running Dowdle on 3rd & 6, and such.

Show us video of Dowdle running on 3rd & 6.

 

[Mark]

Show us video of Dowdle running on 3rd & 6.

Ummm...not sure how long it would take me to look it up. But, yes, it happened. A sweep to the left. (And we didn't get the first down, and were forced to punt.) Perhaps MM's worst play call of the evening.

 

[Wildcat711]

Not really true last night. The DAL running game was zero threat from the get-go. TB was daring Rush to throw the ball. IMHO, the home team didn't do it enough, because it was working. It was the stupid insistence on challenging a full defensive box that deprived the Cowboys of the chance to score more than three points in an offensively-futile second half. I know everyone's heart has been ablaze for McCarthy since last evening, but that miscalculation is on him as playcaller...it making no sense whatever to be running Dowdle on 3rd & 6, and such.

I agree the run game was a zero threat.

But even if it doesn't do a lot.. at least it runs the clock down.. also gives the defense a rest, which is vital.

 

[Mark]

I agree the run game was a zero threat.

But even if it doesn't do a lot.. at least it runs the clock down.. also gives the defense a rest, which is vital.

Does the defense get more rest from a three-runs-and-out, or from the offense using short passes to move the chains two or three times?

I'm a firm believer in "dancin' with the one who brung ya." The run game was clearly not working Sunday night, with TB selling out against it. Cowboys receivers were running wide open. That obvious mismatch needed to be exploited more. McCarthy got stubborn, trying to make his running game somehow work in the face of all logic & evidence to the contrary. And the home team ended up with a whopping three points in the second half to show for it. And, if not for a most improbable stroke of luck (two strokes, actually), would have lost the game.

 

[BHendri5]

WRs have been open all season, the Jones’s wanted the QBs to feed Lamb. The play calling has been good, the execution has not been good

 

[big dog cowboy]

20 rushing attempts. Plenty of evidence of an attempt to run the football.

Not really. One was Zeke's TD run. 3 more kneel downs from Rush. So in reality only 16 rushing attempts or an average of 4 per quarter.

You want us to believe 4 rushing attempts a quarter is evidence of attempting to run the ball? No.

 

[big dog cowboy]

WRs have been open all season.

 

[darthseinfeld]

Honest question. Did the receivers start running better routes and creating more separation? Did McCarthy starting calling different plays? 8 different players caught a pass last night and even Fluornoy had a pretty solid game.

My guess is play calling. Rush was more aggressive. He took shots down the field. That is going to open up space for the WR's to operate. Even though Rush doesn't have a great, you have to respect Lamb deep

 

[Whiskey Cowboy]

You have backups, you call a different game. And then you realize wow this works well we should’ve done this all along.
Dank and dunk methodical football wins football games. The dink and dunk opens the deep ball. Sometimes coaching forgets it I think.

Or sometimes players forget this and force the back down the field when they don't have to.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Lol. WRs have been running open all season? Yeah, sure. Show us tapes. I dare you.

maybe he meant the opponent

 

[America's Cowboy]

Not really. One was Zeke's TD run. 3 more kneel downs from Rush. So in reality only 16 rushing attempts or an average of 4 per quarter.

You want us to believe 4 rushing attempts a quarter is evidence of attempting to run the ball? No.

Something is better than nothing. The opponent knew what the Cowboys were averaging on the ground over the previous 4 games. Pretty sure that kept them honest, especially since you didn't see so much outright blitzes throughout the game.

 

[Cowboys5217]

The real answer is that Rush reads defenses much better than Dak does. Dak has been exposed big time this year. He shouldn't even be a starter for a serious team, let alone paid like a GOAT.

 

[CowboyoWales]

Honest question. Did the receivers start running better routes and creating more separation? Did McCarthy starting calling different plays? 8 different players caught a pass last night and even Fluornoy had a pretty solid game.

Add it to the list of Dak excuses......everyone improved for Rush. Maybe, just maybe (but im certainly no expert), that Rush has a bit of composure that means he doesnt have to stare down his first option and throws to it, regardless of the coverage. It looks as if he's able to go through a progression and can read the field.

 

[Mr_437]

Add it to the list of Dak excuses......everyone improved for Rush. Maybe, just maybe (but im certainly no expert), that Rush has a bit of composure that means he doesnt have to stare down his first option and throws to it, regardless of the coverage. It looks as if he's able to go through a progression and can read the field.

Jerry or Stephen was calling it "nervous system" some years ago, lol.

 

[CowboyoWales]

Jerry or Stephen was calling it "nervous system" some years ago, lol.

Yep, if you capitulate whenever under pressure, there's very little chance of winning through a playoff system that will certainly put you in such a pressurised situation (or two).

 

[JoeKing]

Honest question. Did the receivers start running better routes and creating more separation? Did McCarthy starting calling different plays? 8 different players caught a pass last night and even Fluornoy had a pretty solid game.

You question results when the facts are in your face?

 

[Mr_437]

Yep, if you capitulate whenever under pressure, there's very little chance of winning through a playoff system that will certainly put you in such a pressurised situation (or two).

So true, we've witnessed some breakdowns in the playoffs.

 

[WillieBeamen]

You question results when the facts are in your face?

Not today, Queen

 

[big dog cowboy]

Something is better than nothing.

That's not what you said. You said "Plenty of evidence of an attempt to run the football." The Cowboys never made a concise effort to run the ball.

The first drive of the game was a 10 play drive resulting in a FG. The Cowboys ran only 3 times.

That also means after the first drive of the game they only ran 13 times the rest of the game! Ridiculous.