News: DMN: Ex-NFL GM: Cowboys draft target Carson Wentz is similar to this Super Bowl-winning QB

[ufcrules1]

Not true. When defenses wanted to stop our running game, they could -- and did. Watch how Murray's average kept going down as defenses started to pay more attention to our running game.

If they sold out to stop our run game, we were able to pass on them with few exceptions. Having a strong run game opens the door for the passing game and we saw that a TON in 2014.

We already had an outstanding QB and WR, then improved to the point where we had an outstanding OL in 2014, which allowed us to run much more often and resulted in an outstanding year for our RB. On first down, defenses usually played two high safeties against us because of the passing threat, and the running game took advantage of this early in the season. Later in the season, not so much. Compare Murray's 1st-down ypc in games 1-8 with his average in games 9-16, and you'll see a drop off of almost two full yards per carry.

Murray was being ran like crazy all year and it was starting to take a toll on him. The threat was still there though and teams had to do everything they could to stop it and that drastically helped the passing game. Nothing to see here.

Congrats on being one of the few people out there that believe our success on 2014 was because of Romo and Dez. Everyone knows our true success was because of a run game everyone feared and that we dominated TOP with. Sure Romo had an outstanding year but a big reason that happened was because of a dominating run game behind a dominating Oline.

If they sold out to stop our run game, we were able to pass on them.

 

[WillieBeamen]

Ok so it was just coincidence that when romo threw less than 30 times we would win. And how the hell could u say romo won us the Seattle game when Murray ran it straight down there throat at the end of the game

See Romos play to Twill earlier in that drive. Without that conversion, we probably lose. You didnt watch the games in 2014, did you?

Look at the scoreboard. Down 3, with 5 minutes left. 3rd and 20. But yea Murray and the run game allowed Romo to make that play

 

[percyhoward]

If they sold out to stop our run game, we were able to pass on them.

Which we weren't able to do in 2015, hence the 4-12 record. And yet, you disagreed with this...

"We can get back to the 2014 level of offense (and even better), but RB isn't the missing piece -- a healthy Romo and Dez are."

 

[percyhoward]

I can't believe I need to even touch on this topic yet again. If your looking up numbers look up these two. Time of possession and number of defensive plays. The defense was clearly better due to the run game and only a stubborn idiot would think otherwise.

Name-calling aside (please), the 2015 defense faced more plays because it couldn't get off the field.

Time of average Dallas offensive possession
2015 3:00 (3rd in NFL)
2014 3:02 (2nd in NFL)

 

[jterrell]

Flacco may not be Aaron Rogers, but saying he is some JAG is laughable.

If Flacco got released tomorrow, 2/3 of the teams in the NFL would be offerring him $50 million+

I hardly call that a JAG

75+Mil.

 

[tyke1doe]

If Carson Wentz's twin is Joe Flacco, then we need to pass on him and draft defense.

Flacco is so overrated to me. He has been basically a bus driver and has benefited from a great defense or great defensive players.

 

[Zekeats]

See Romos play to Twill earlier in that drive. Without that conversion, we probably lose. You didnt watch the games in 2014, did you?

Look at the scoreboard. Down 3, with 5 minutes left. 3rd and 20. But yea Murray and the run game allowed Romo to make that play

Lol at what a fool you are. If you know anything about football you would know that the pass was not intended for him. Twill bailed him out.

 

[WillieBeamen]

Lol at what a fool you are. If you know anything about football you would know that the pass was not intended for him. Twill bailed him out.

Ok now youre just trolling and spewing straight nonsense.

 

[tyke1doe]

Flacco may not be Aaron Rogers, but saying he is some JAG is laughable.

If Flacco got released tomorrow, 2/3 of the teams in the NFL would be offerring him $50 million+

I hardly call that a JAG

But that's because there's a premium on starting quarterbacks.

The Patriots generally have strong defenses too, but most people would consider the Ravens being led by the defense, not necessarily Joe Flacco.

Flacco is among the better quarterbacks in the league, but he's always been blah to me. Maybe that's a matter of perception. But I don't think I'm the only one who has that opinion of him.

 

[tyke1doe]

Dude, buy a dog name it clue and then you'll have one. Our 2014 success was due to the run game. One game against a top 3 defense with a nobody backup QB does not mean that Romo was the reason. What did Romo do this year and in other years without that run game? 8-8 and 6-10 records. LOL, you guys crack me up. They ran the ball, stuck with running the ball and after about 5 game they basically stripped Romo and his right to change the play. The running game made Romos career year. It also made a horrible defense look 10 times better than they where.

I have to admit. This made me

 

[tyke1doe]

See Romos play to Twill earlier in that drive. Without that conversion, we probably lose. You didnt watch the games in 2014, did you?

Look at the scoreboard. Down 3, with 5 minutes left. 3rd and 20. But yea Murray and the run game allowed Romo to make that play

I think it's safer to say that the running game gives us an opportunity to make that play, keeping us in the game so we have a chance to win near the end.

We play too much either/or in this forum, and, in specific, this thread.

A Romo-friendly offense hasn't gotten us any farther than a run-oriented offense. But I like the offense better when we didn't have to rely totally on Romo and allow him to "do what he do" when the game is on the line.

 

[BigStar]

Yes it is. McChicken and Morris certainly are not the missing pieces. With Elliot this offense would run like a fine oiled machine like in the early 90s.

IF Romo is in the game...

 

[WillieBeamen]

I think it's safer to say that the running game gives us an opportunity to make that play, keeping us in the game so we have a chance to win near the end.

We play too much either/or in this forum, and, in specific, this thread.

A Romo-friendly offense hasn't gotten us any farther than a run-oriented offense. But I like the offense better when we didn't have to rely totally on Romo and allow him to "do what he do" when the game is on the line.

Theres too many people on here with agendas. There has been constant threads on Romos greatness and the numbers show this, yet some still think he needs an elite running game to win. Percy has shown us that the successful teams in the league, pass the ball well and stop the opposing team from passing well.

Does a good running game help? Sure it does, but last year it should be evident that Romo and Dez are far more important to this offense than Murray.

 

[BigStar]

Not true. When defenses wanted to stop our running game, they could -- and did. Watch how Murray's average kept going down as defenses started to pay more attention to our running game.

Murray's ypc, 2014 (runs of 10+ yards)
games 1-4: 5.4 (17)
games 5-8: 4.9 (13)
games 9-12: 4.6 (8)
games 13-18: 4.1 (11 in 6 games)

We already had an outstanding QB and WR, then improved to the point where we had an outstanding OL in 2014, which allowed us to run much more often and resulted in an outstanding year for our RB. On first down, defenses usually played two high safeties against us because of the passing threat, and the running game took advantage of this early in the season. Later in the season, not so much. Compare Murray's 1st-down ypc in games 1-8 with his average in games 9-16, and you'll see a drop off of almost two full yards per carry.

2014 (g 1-8): Murray 5.8 (Romo 87.3)
2014 (g 9-16): Murray 3.9 (Romo 142.1)

That's Romo's 2nd-down passer rating in parentheses. Even though Murray's 1st-down ypc went way down, the team scored more points. (The 3.9 yards per carry didn't demoralize anybody, but the 142.1 probably did real damage.) Over his career, Romo was already the best in the league on 2nd and long going into 2014. That's what allowed us to keep running all the time on 1st down, we knew Romo could bail us out if the run failed. And it failed often in the second half of that season. As good as it sounds to say we imposed our will with the running game against stacked boxes, that's not what happened.

That running game benefited from the respect defenses had to give to Romo and Dez. The commitment to the run was a great complement to those two players, because it meant that they could face defenses that, for the first time, were being forced to play honest. Defenses try to take away what the offense does best, and if that's running the ball, that's what they'll take away. Against a team that can pass, that's a risk. Against Romo and Dez, it's suicide.

That's why a healthy Romo and Dez are the key, and also why teams like the Rams are desperate for a QB -- no matter how good their RB is.

Damn, would've been nice to throw in some play-action when D's were swarming on 1st like that. Just messin, but would'v definitely helped in DET and GB. Romo was lights out in 3rd down efficiency throughout the year (think you referenced that to me in the past); that's why that type of O worked.

It became limited bc we relied too much on the running game in both games to some degree (left the opponent lingering). GB especially. Murray got his yards (eventually as intended), but Rodgers was hot by then too, etc. Balanced each other out and then became a mini shootout. We could have "ended" thGB game in the 1st half with Romo and Dez and a noticeably hobbled Rodgers...but relied on running into 9 man fronts and waiting for Romo to bail them out on 3rd. We could have let "Romo be Romo" a little earlier in each playoff game in all honesty if the team actually expected a deeper run.

We know JJ was content with that playoff win on JG's resume The show is allowed to continue...

 

[percyhoward]

Romo was lights out in 3rd down efficiency throughout the year (think you referenced that to me in the past); that's why that type of O worked.

Yep, and why it didn't work last year.

 

[ufcrules1]

Which we weren't able to do in 2015, hence the 4-12 record. And yet, you disagreed with this...

Dude seriously? You can't have an absolute joke at QB and holes all over your team and dominate. We were 4-12 due to injuries, horrific backups, and coaching. It is clear as day our team did as well as it did in 2014 because of the outstanding run game and oline. That opened the door for the passing game. We (Me and EVERYONE in the media, analysts, etc) and you will just have to disagree on why we were successful in 2014.

 

[ufcrules1]

It became limited bc we relied too much on the running game in both games to some degree (left the opponent lingering). GB especially. Murray got his yards (eventually as intended), but Rodgers was hot by then too, etc. Balanced each other out and then became a mini shootout. We could have "ended" thGB game in the 1st half with Romo and Dez and a noticeably hobbled Rodgers...but relied on running into 9 man fronts and waiting for Romo to bail them out on 3rd. We could have let "Romo be Romo" a little earlier in each playoff game in all honesty if the team actually expected a deeper run.

They relied on the run game in those games for a reason. The run game is what got us to the dance in the first place. JG trusted the run game over Romo being Romo. I don't blame him either. We could have won that game but made too many mistakes.

 

[BigStar]

They relied on the run game in those games for a reason. The run game is what got us to the dance in the first place. JG trusted the run game over Romo being Romo. I don't blame him either. We could have won that game but made too many mistakes.

Yeah but those 3rd downs Romo converted allowed the run game to continue. I hear your point, just believe the QB should be "securely" in place bf a stud RB; Romo for 4 years is just DAL PR, etc. Think they want one but don't want to do it @ 4, so likely looking at RD 2 and later if I'm "feeling their approach". Who knows, we could all skit the bed when they draft Bosa

I'd take Wentz/Goff/Lynch (whomever they see as heir apparent to Romo though have questions on that ability as well) and Sampson (S) in the 2nd personally. I wouldn't hate a RB @ 34 either. If team goes RB @ 34, hope (S) K.J. Dillon slides to the the third so we can secure the back end of the secondary. Nassib could also be the pick there if he makes it that far to help the DL, etc.

 

[percyhoward]

We were 4-12 due to injuries, horrific backups, and coaching.

If you disagree with identifying a healthy Romo and Dez as the missing pieces last year, then what injuries are you talking about?

 

[conner01]

Comparing Wentz to Flacco is just a lazy comparison.

The only thing they have in common are big arms and small schools. Wentz is much more athletic. Wentz also is a very smart guy who will learn very quickly. Wentz would be the next in line of great cowboy qb's. Just gotta figure out a way to get him without using picks from next draft and I'm down with it