How do they fix the run game

[SteveTheCowboy]

Why do people keep saying stuff like this? Zeke averaged like 12 carries a game over the second half of the season. On what planet is this treating him like he "is an elite RB?" And maybe you can explain how his 5-6 carries a half getting 3-4 yards a pop are "killing them" any worse than 3-4 incomplete passes and a sack or two?

Can you imagine Emmitt getting 12 carries a game...most of them in the 1st half? PSSHH...come on man!

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

yes, fix the OL. fix the center. fix the LG and we have to look for the next LT....smith has been injured every year in the past few years and its going to continue.

oh, yeah and committ to the running game and be a little more creative....we telegraph our runs and if the defense knows that, they can stop it.

Right there!

 

[McKDaddy]

Another thread talks about heart, I think it applies to this group as well. You've got to "want" to impose your will.

Having said that, the unit is getting older & at least one player (CW) just isn't talented enough. TB may fall into that category as well.

So yeah, we need some new blood and some heart.

 

[charron]

I guess you;d have to define "successfully early".

It would seem we have observed that differently. We seem to be complaining about Zeke's 3 yards....but that's actually pretty good "early". You can't not give him the ball later on because of that. You are missing out on 8-10 yard runs later on.

It's how almost any power run RB/team works. We don;t do that...for a variety of reasons...but I assure you it ain;t all zeke like some....er.....critics... think. See Ronnie for details.

You can't run poorly early and keep it going all the time. That's the issue sometimes you can because you know you're passing is going to have to keep the chains moving but if you're passing cannot keep the chains moving because you're running is putting you in bad situations 3rd and long and defenses know this they teeing off on you on on third down cuz you've got to pass because you can't run because you're only getting two yards of carry then you're doing yourself a disservice you have to stop running you have to then pass more on the earlier Downs. When we face the bad teams sometimes we can overcome that but when you're facing good defenses and good teams they stopping you on running Downs early they put you in 3rd and long you can't always sustain the passing out of that and when you can't you're going to be more often losing the game so then in the later quarters as you say you can't run because you're behind and you need to score quickly and not bleed the clock. And like I said I am defining success as 4 plus yards if you're averaging 4 yd you still have a chance to be able to run it on third down because you're within two or three yards of 1st down barring penalties.

 

[RonnieT24]

My problem with the zeke.....er...critics (like Bob haze) is that we have a lot of dysfunction on this offense....regardless of PFF BS stats.

Run scheme, run play calling, and lack of real commitment to it (not just calling the plays....but practice and discipline (like holding calls on long runs)...are all severely problematic, IMHO of course.

If I observed those WEREN'T any issue, and zeke struggled....I'd have no problem calling for Zeke's demise. As long as I DO observe that...I'm not.

These same people calling for Zeke's head make all kinds of excuses for Dak....it's the blocking it's the limited passing scheme, it's dropped footballs, zeke is fat. Everyone and everything BUT Dak.

This is not a knock on Dak...but he does struggle just as much as everyone else. Assess him the same critical way.

There are glaring deficiencies in our scheme and I really think those deficiencies are to blame for all the holding calls. Teams have taken note of the holes along our front and are exploiting our tendencies which result in guys running untouched into our backfield on just about every play. And when they're not running untouched one of the guys has seen the untouched guy running by him and grabbed onto him.. resulting in a flag. Now I never played offensive line at any level of football so I am far from some expert on blocking schemes.. But I am not a rocket scientist either but I can tell if the rocket made it into space with no training whatsoever. Moore and Philbin, if they both are back need to get into the film room and figure this out. I get every game every week.. so I get to watch every team.. and I can say with 100% certainty that there are teams out there opening GAPING holes for their running backs 10-12 times a game. Guys are getting into the secondary untouched with startling regularity.. Then I watch us.. And I MIGHT see such a play every third game. Until that's fixed it doesn't matter who you line up at tailback.. Your running game is going to struggle.

 

[kskboys]

2A means you need a TE that can actually block and we dont have one. If they pay one of those guys big money I'm going to lose my mind. If they have value trade them and get a decent 2 way TE...we have pass catchers we should be using already.

Oh, we do, but he doesn't play much. Sprinkle is our blocking TE. Thing is, when he's in, there's another sign that we're fixing to run the ball.

 

[Cmac]

The Scouting Department has to be out there now.......the smaller schools are waiting.
There is another Big E or Larry Allen out there. Got to be.
Mean......country strong.......weight room bully.......technique strong.

 

[Cmac]

There are glaring deficiencies in our scheme and I really think those deficiencies are to blame for all the holding calls. Teams have taken note of the holes along our front and are exploiting our tendencies which result in guys running untouched into our backfield on just about every play. And when they're not running untouched one of the guys has seen the untouched guy running by him and grabbed onto him.. resulting in a flag. Now I never played offensive line at any level of football so I am far from some expert on blocking schemes.. But I am not a rocket scientist either but I can tell if the rocket made it into space with no training whatsoever. Moore and Philbin, if they both are back need to get into the film room and figure this out. I get every game every week.. so I get to watch every team.. and I can say with 100% certainty that there are teams out there opening GAPING holes for their running backs 10-12 times a game. Guys are getting into the secondary untouched with startling regularity.. Then I watch us.. And I MIGHT see such a play every third game. Until that's fixed it doesn't matter who you line up at tailback.. Your running game is going to struggle.

JJ doesn't allow Scouting Department to hit the smaller schools, apparently.......and the offensive philosophy is suited for Big 12 football. Can we have a FB or H Back sometimes? Run game has declined and been dismissed throughout KMoore's tenure.

 

[quickccc]

1. Improve OL in draft and FA.
2. Release Zeke
3. Draft a RB in rounds 3-5.
4. Pair Pollard with that RB.

while sadly Zeke is simply nowhere near as special as what he was earlier in his career, - and this very day,
i still believe the Garrett regime ruined him by bulking him up to beating him up en route to his decline.
i still think the way Kellen misuses/under-uses further plays into the decline mode of Elliott.

If lethargic, methodical backs such as Eddie Lacy could surprisingly do well in McCarthy's way handling of the RB crew.
via unbalanced formation (ala split back) and misdirection, .i still think Zeke could produce with running the ball at a high level.

But it's so very, very important in how these coaches use their backs, ..either you have that coach... or you don't.
What side are we now on with that per coaches ?

 

[kskboys]

We need a big, nasty LG. LC ain't it. He doesn't have the mental make-up to bully DTs. Will Hernandez is the type of G we need, big, strong and a bully. You hate him on the opposing team but love him on yours.

Maybe. LC has the physical ability to be a dominant player. As you said, though, I'm not sure he has the demeanor.

Hernandez has not been great for NYG. Lost his starting job year before last.

 

[RodeoJake]

Maybe. LC has the physical ability to be a dominant player. As you said, though, I'm not sure he has the demeanor.

Hernandez has not been great for NYG. Lost his starting job year before last.

LC has the attitude to be a RT, and he's pretty dang good there. He wasn't all that good at LG when we had him there.

A change of scenery might do wonders for Hernandez. He's a mauler who needs a little more technique. Gotta love his bully attitude.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

You can't run poorly early and keep it going all the time. That's the issue sometimes you can because you know you're passing is going to have to keep the chains moving but if you're passing cannot keep the chains moving because you're running is putting you in bad situations 3rd and long and defenses know this they teeing off on you on on third down cuz you've got to pass because you can't run because you're only getting two yards of carry then you're doing yourself a disservice you have to stop running you have to then pass more on the earlier Downs. When we face the bad teams sometimes we can overcome that but when you're facing good defenses and good teams they stopping you on running Downs early they put you in 3rd and long you can't always sustain the passing out of that and when you can't you're going to be more often losing the game so then in the later quarters as you say you can't run because you're behind and you need to score quickly and not bleed the clock. And like I said I am defining success as 4 plus yards if you're averaging 4 yd you still have a chance to be able to run it on third down because you're within two or three yards of 1st down barring penalties.

All fine. The real question is.....WHY. If you feel using the passing game will be most effective against a certain team by all means...get to it.

But if you have trouble running game after game (do we agree that is true?) something is very wrong. What? Zeke fat?

If you really wanna know what ....read ronnie.

 

[CowboyFrog]

Oh, we do, but he doesn't play much. Sprinkle is our blocking TE. Thing is, when he's in, there's another sign that we're fixing to run the ball.

Yes I mean a TE who can do both so the team does not know if we are running or passing.

 

[JonesBoys]

Start with getting rid of Philbon and Moore.

 

[RaZon]

You keep wanting to turn a football discussion into a feel fest. Zeke was second in the NFL in rushing and averaging 5.3 yards per carry before he got hurt and was on pace for over 1600 yards. Whether he has lost a step or that Pollard is quicker is immaterial to me. I'm about winning.. and Zeke plays winning football. WHEN the OC calls his number. The team wins 80% of its games when he gets it 20 times. He goes over 100 a similar percentage. This aint rocket surgery.. Kid's a good football player.. They need to use him as such and quit turning him into a 220 pound fullback. If they get another good football player to replace him then fine.. I will root for that player.. As long as Zeke is our back.. I'm 100% behind helping him be the best he can be.. and 10-12 carries a game 90% of which are right up the gut (where this no blocking more often than not) isn't doing that. I am firmly of the mind that this OC could have Jim Brown, Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton as his backs and he would still throw it 70% of the time. Zeke aint the problem..

What isn't rocket science is knowing this ain't Zeke

 

[calicowboy54]

Will Zeke and Pollard be healthy next year? Also the OL could use some new faces. I’m just not sure how they can fix the run game in one offseason. I think they need a mid round RB and an early OL pick for starters. I also think Ceedee will have to transform into a monster WR next year.

The defense needs some help too so can they fix all this? I guess I would build in the trenches, but it seams to work better if there is an off-season theme like fix the run game or the defense. What would you do? I suppose I would go OL, DL, RB, LB.

honestly Center is the problem. i like biadis-sp? but he was pushed back so many times. we also were running more power run schemes and that is not what this line is good at. the zone scheme is mostly gone. i think you fix the center position and decide on run scheme and get a guard/center that can run thst. if we keep biadis we need to move back to full zone scheme

 

[quickccc]

LC has the attitude to be a RT, and he's pretty dang good there. He wasn't all that good at LG when we had him there.

A change of scenery might do wonders for Hernandez. He's a mauler who needs a little more technique. Gotta love his bully attitude.

- I'm still not sure if RT is a natural position for Collins who is a natural lefty southpaw.
just as i'm not sure how well or how he'd project as a potential move to LG.

- When he was moved from college OT to OG in the NFL, i dunno how comfortable Collins was at OG.
Because of his short arms which is not considered a desired prototype, the Cowboys immediately thought him out as an OG at the NFL level.
Lael's toe injury, Ron Leary's 2016 one year wonder, Chaz Green's injuries and development failure and the sudden retirement of Doug Free forced
Collins to starting RT. And he's been a mainstay at RT there since.

- Philibin may move Lael at LG, and start Steele at RT, a move that would preserve a need in draft for a LG but
yet i dunno if Collins would be at his best inside at the interior vs his ability to play outside at OT.

- Lael was just ok at LG his rookie year in 2015, but he was also a converted OT making the move to the interior before the big toe injury.
So how much time was really needed before he hopefully became adjusted to LG ?

- And it does make a big difference as some Olinemen are more comfortable and better suited to the interior , just as some Olinemen are more comfortable and
better suited to the outside OT roles.

 

[Otis313]

Get a better OC that can utilize our passing weapons so everybody is not stacking the box on every play. Nobody can run when they are in the backfield consistently.
Everybody in the league knows what we are going to run before we do and we do nothing about it.
Go Cowboys!

 

[America's Cowboy]

1. Improve OL in draft and FA.
2. Release Zeke.
3. Draft a RB in rounds 3-5.
4. Pair Pollard with that RB.

North Carolina RB Ty Chandler: 6'0", 209 lbs, 4.38 40 yd dash.

Rounds 3-4...

 

[willia451]

Coming up with a running attack that doesn't have it's basis in Jersey sales would be a huge boost.