DMN Blog: Are Cowboys better designed to win in December?

[cowboyjoe]

Are Cowboys better designed to win in December?
2:54 PM Thu, Jun 11, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Tim MacMahon/Blogger Bio | E-mail | News tips


While flipping aroudn the radio dial, I caught Michael Irvin and Nate Newton discussing the Cowboys' newfound commitment to the running game on 103.3 FM.

Irvin wondered whether Tony Romo, a natural risk-taker, would accept being a bus driver a lot of the time. Newton wondered whether the offensive line would put in the work necessary to run the ball 30 or so times per game. But both three-time Super Bowl champs like the idea of a three-headed running back attack with Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice.

I think it was Irvin that made the point about how the Cowboys had been so reliant on the big play over the last few years, when Romo-to-T.O. was one of the most potent vertical passing combos in the league. But that always dried up in December, when the conditions usually aren't favorable for the passing game.

Choice proved last season, when he was the Cowboys' best offensive player down the stretch, that he can get the job done in December. Barber, a brutish runner, seems to be built to succeed when winter hits, too.

Maybe all the Cowboys need to cure their December curse is a commitment to a dominant running game.

Of course, the weather conditions won't make a difference when the Cowboys play three of their final four games indoors, assuming the JerryWorld roof will be closed. But the Cowboys better be able to run the ball when they open December at the Meadowlands against the Giants in a game that optimistic folks around these parts hope will have NFC East title implications.

 

[Doomsday101]

If Dallas can establish themselves as a team who can consistently run the ball effectively then yes we will be better prepared for a late season push

 

[fan62]

Still. the question is: Can this old OL get the job done, when it comes to the running game. They sure as heck can't protect Romo, without him fearing for his saftey. I am just not sure if they can be a better run blocking line. Will have to wait and see. Sure hope so!

 

[cowboys#1]

uhh


we wont know until december

 

[Four]

Still. the question is: Can this old OL get the job done, when it comes to the running game. They sure as heck can't protect Romo, without him fearing for his saftey. I am just not sure if they can be a better run blocking line. Will have to wait and see. Sure hope so!

and you don't think the injuries had anything to do with it huh?

and people were calling the dallas oline the best in the league before the season because they sucked?

come on, injuries wrecked our oline play last season.

and if Holland can play LG we are going to have an enormous line built for running it up the gut.

 

[Cbz40]

Are Cowboys better designed to win in December?


2:54 PM Thu, Jun 11, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Tim MacMahon/Blogger


While flipping aroudn the radio dial, I caught Michael Irvin and Nate Newton discussing the Cowboys' newfound commitment to the running game on 103.3 FM.

Irvin wondered whether Tony Romo, a natural risk-taker, would accept being a bus driver a lot of the time. Newton wondered whether the offensive line would put in the work necessary to run the ball 30 or so times per game. But both three-time Super Bowl champs like the idea of a three-headed running back attack with Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice.

I think it was Irvin that made the point about how the Cowboys had been so reliant on the big play over the last few years, when Romo-to-T.O. was one of the most potent vertical passing combos in the league. But that always dried up in December, when the conditions usually aren't favorable for the passing game.

Choice proved last season, when he was the Cowboys' best offensive player down the stretch, that he can get the job done in December. Barber, a brutish runner, seems to be built to succeed when winter hits, too.

Maybe all the Cowboys need to cure their December curse is a commitment to a dominant running game.

Of course, the weather conditions won't make a difference when the Cowboys play three of their final four games indoors, assuming the JerryWorld roof will be closed. But the Cowboys better be able to run the ball when they open December at the Meadowlands against the Giants in a game that optimistic folks around these parts hope will have NFC East title implications.

 

[CoCo]

I don't know what it is that has caused our December swoons but I seriously doubt that there is a strong correlation between a strong running game and December wins more than any other month.

If that correlation existed (and I'm not about to research it) I think it would have been dicovered and advertised long ago.

 

[Monster Heel]

I don't know what it is that has caused our December swoons but I seriously doubt that there is a strong correlation between a strong running game and December wins more than any other month.

If that correlation existed (and I'm not about to research it) I think it would have been dicovered and advertised long ago.

Maybe a strong running doesn't correlate with winning in December, but I'd bet flinging it around like it's Madden in December correlates with losing.

 

[Manster68]

You MUST run the ball effectively in December!

Just look at the last several Super Bowl winners.

Pittsburgh twice ran the ball effectively in December and January and won the Super Bowl as the #6 seed once. Heck, their QB won a Super Bowl with a QB rating of under 30(?).

The Giants ran the ball effectively in December and January and completed one of the improbable upsets in history.

Tampa Bay and Baltimore both won their Super Bowls with not only defense, but a superb running game.

Even though Tom Brady was the focal point in New England, their runnig game was nothing to sneeze at.

Marshall Faulk had over 1200 yards rushing for the Rams ten years ago, despite Kurt Warner lighting it up in the air.

And where would John Elway be if it were not for Terrell Davis?

If you do not run effectively in December, then you stay home in January.

 

[RS12]

Too me its all about 1) the O Line being able to impose their will, I still think False start is a major liability at LT. I hope Holland gets LG job, would do wonder for the running game IMO.

2) Fixing the hole in the middle of the defense that Baltimore and Philly exposed at the end of the year. I think Brooking and Sensabaugh are upgrades, but still say Ratliff is an All Pro DE playing NG.

 

[Bluefin]

I don't know what it is that has caused our December swoons but I seriously doubt that there is a strong correlation between a strong running game and December wins more than any other month.

If that correlation existed (and I'm not about to research it) I think it would have been dicovered and advertised long ago.

The annual December wades can't be blamed on any one problem area.

And while a team can win with either a run first or pass first philosophy, relying on a strong ground attack and solid defense is a tried and true theme among senior NFL coaches.

That's the old school approach.

Perhaps we have been too new school placing such a burden on Tony Romo's arm.

I know Romo is a weapon and we will never shackle the passing game, but what we've been doing to date hasn't generated pleasant results at the end of the season.

It's time to try a different approach.

We have three backs all in need of touches, it's time to lean on their collective feet and force defenses to start game planning for them instead of concentrating on our passing game.

 

[MONT17]

Lol @ the OLine injuries... Only 1 guy missed time and he came back after a few games.

 

[fan62]

I have seen Romo scramble for his life, be forced to get rid of the ball when he is not ready, be forced into bad throws, for two years now.

I am sick and tired of excuses for poor performances by this line. The stats of how poor they are, may be non existent, by you can't say Romo has had an easy time of it. Romo could be one of the most accurate arms in the NFL, but we will never find out when he has to scamble 3/4ths of the time, or makes poor decisions because he is hearing footsteps on his heals. Romo has been injured because of the poor perfomance and his confidence suffers because he nevers knows when the hit will be coming that could end his season or even career. Romo has almost never been able to stand in a pocket and step up to make his passes.

Now we are forced to run first in order to set up the pass. We will see how this goes when teams start lining up 8 or 9 men in the box, in order to force us to pass.

 

[Idgit]

Out of curiosity, does anyone on this board think Romo would have a problem winning games with a controlled running game if that were effective?

 

[casmith07]

Still. the question is: Can this old OL get the job done, when it comes to the running game. They sure as heck can't protect Romo, without him fearing for his saftey. I am just not sure if they can be a better run blocking line. Will have to wait and see. Sure hope so!

just run behind Leonard and it's all good.

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

Defense and a running game wins championships folks... Ask the 90's Cowboys.

 

[Four]

Lol @ the OLine injuries... Only 1 guy missed time and he came back after a few games.

kosier? missed a lot more than thtat

Holland got injured in his sted and we were stuck with proctor.

Flo was injured all season pretty much

From what I understand Kosier calls the adjustments, not gurode.

And oline is all about chemistry, you have to know and trust what the guy next to you is going to do, it's almost like all 5 guys have think with the same brain.

so yes, the injuries were huge on the oline last season.

 

[GOLDENCHILD1688]

Are Cowboys better designed to win in December?
2:54 PM Thu, Jun 11, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Tim MacMahon/Blogger Bio | E-mail | News tips


I think it was Irvin that made the point about how the Cowboys had been so reliant on the big play over the last few years, when Romo-to-T.O. was one of the most potent vertical passing combos in the league. But that always dried up in December, when the conditions usually aren't favorable for the passing game.

thats when it becomes the offensive coordinators job to adjust and become more geared towards the run

sadly he never did.

 

[hendog]

For our line to be as big as they are we are not a very good run blocking team. And our pass blocking sucks about half the time as well.

 

[silverbear]

Lol @ the OLine injuries... Only 1 guy missed time and he came back after a few games.

Guess you weren't paying attention... Kosier missed 13 games, and his backup, Holland, missed 9... which means that THIRD STRING guard Corey Procter wound up playing 13 games...

Meanwhile, Flozell Adams played all 16 games, but while battling through a fairly serious arm injury... Leonard Davis also battled injuries while playing all 16 games...

It could be argued that at no point last season did the Cowboys have the offensive line they planned on having back in training camp...

And even then, Romo wasn't sacked nearly as frequently as posters in this thread would have you believe... he went down 31 times, in 578 pass attempts, or once every 18.7 attempts... I think if you took the time to compare that to the other teams around the league, that average would be a little above average... indeed, the Steelers allowed one sack in every 11.3 attempts, the Pats gave up one in every 12.1 attempts...

Just took the time to go through the stats, and only 12 teams last year did better than the Boys did at protecting their quarterbacks, using the number of attempts per sack stat...

The Boys were also tenth in the league in yards per attempt rushing, but were 21st in total yards rushing, suggesting that they needed to feature their running game more... so I'm unsurprised that they're now saying they're planning on doing just that...

Of course, that's a tribute to lousy coaching, isn't it?? The Boys need to employ press coverage more, and run the ball more... that, and staying healthier than they did last year, is the key to a solid turnaround this year...