It is an issue, but the biggest issue is terrible run game scheming. See RonnieT.
Yeah the first thing I was going to post about fixing the running game is just use it. The Cowboys record when running more than they throw since Dak came into the league is ridiculous. It's like 31-0. Beyond that their record when Zeke gets 20 carries is almost as good.. Not quite undefeated but > 80% win rate. Even if you believe will never be the dominant back he was 2-3 years ago, even in these last two or three abominated seasons with regard to running the ball, the Cowboys are like 10-3 when giving Zeke the ball 20 times.
But to your point, if they ARE going to try to run the ball more they absolutely have to fix the scheme. That starts up front obviously. Whatever the blocking schemes are on the between the tackles running plays are need to be scrapped completely. I refuse to believe our guys are so stupid that they can miss obvious assignments as often as we see. That means the assignments are broken. Connor Williams got pushed around some early in his career but he was not running away from guys darting into the backfield and then being forced to hold constantly. Biadasz was lauded for his intelligence coming in but we repeatedly see him helping ZACK FRIGGIN MARTIN!!!! while ignoring the middle linebacker who comes in untouched and blows up our play in the backfield. We all know that Dalton Schultz and Blake Jarwin are terrible blockers. Yet we continue to call run plays where theirs is the key block that will afford the backs a clean path to the outside or a cutback lane. I don't know if McKeon is any better.. but if he's not, we need a tight end who can at least get in the way of the backside DE upwards of 99% of the time.
I don't know if you put these flawed schemes on Moore or Philbin (or both) but if those don't change then neither will our running game no matter who you draft or acquire in trade. You could bring in Rayfield Wright, Larry Allen, Erik Williams, Mark Stepnoski and Nate Newton and they still wouldn't block the right guy if their assignment is the wrong guy. The only reason the running game worked early in the season is that Zeke and Pollard were Supermen.. They would break tackles in the backfield and turn nothing into something routinely. Once Zeke got hurt he could no longer do that and soon enough Pollard got hurt too.. Yes they will come back healthy and be able to be Supermen again.. until they get beaten down again from all the beatings they take from having to fight off 300 pound guys just to get back to the line of scrimmage and in Zeke's case stepping in front of leaking pass rushers to save Dak's skin. I just depressed myself typing this again..
