If the Running Back Issue Isn't a Problem

[Primetime42]

It's not a question of consciously abandoning it. Its a matter of if it is not as effective as last year, and we are consistently getting ourselves in 3rd and 7's, they may need to switch gears out of necessity.

I don't believe that's going to be the case at all.

Again, it's not a bunch of scrubs we have back there like the OL Jason Garrett initially had when he took over.

 

[Primetime42]

4 out 5 day 3 picks fail. Your issue seems to be unreasonable expectations. It reminds me of a Garretism: "the other guys have to deal with the same thing."

Most 5th round picks never look like they have a chance to start. He does after improving significantly over his first two years. I don't expect most day 3 picks to do that.

There is another Parcellism that comes to mind: "instant evaluator." As opposed to you, I am not sure what to expect from him moving forward. Your surety of outcome is a possibility but only within a range of possibility. He has shown he can be a capable backup. He did it last year. Athletes in their early twenties have a tendency to improve though. He also puts in the work.

I think we can all agree he wasn't a 5th round talent. There was a lot of happiness here when we got him for that value.

Too bad something similar couldn't happen this year.

 

[Idgit]

It's not a question of consciously abandoning it. Its a matter of if it is not as effective as last year, and we are consistently getting ourselves in 3rd and 7's, they may need to switch gears out of necessity.

If we're getting 1.5/carry from any of our backs for an extended period of time with this OL, then something is seriously wrong with our plan. But that won't happen.

I rewatched the first half of the Colts game again yesterday, for fun. I really don't think Joseph Randle is going to struggle all that much behind that OL. He doesn't bring Murray's bruising style (and that was Murray's first game back after the hand surgery, where he wasn't as impressive as he had been earlier in the year), but Randle was effective in that game. Our offense can hurt teams in so many different ways that just having smart backs who can wait for their blocks creates a headache that had to be defended against. Do that, and make them double Dez, and the whole playbook stays wide open.

 

[casmith07]

Seems like the mediots are driving this narrative more than anything else...

Winner!

 

[skinsscalper]

That's not what Jerry said.

He said he wouldn't rule it out. In other words, for the right player, he'd give it some consideration. That's not the same thing as saying he's "interested" in trading the pick.

Oh no, you don't get it, obviously. You see the local Mensa council has voted and they've got it all figured out. You see, Jerry has already offered Minnesota his first next year, naming rights for the stadium the year after that and a possibly sign and trade deal for Ronald Leary and Doug Free. They're just waiting for an answer. Should be coming any day now. Oh, and by the way, NONE of this is media driven. They've "made statements", my good man. Statements, I tell you.

 

[Beast_from_East]

It's a major gamble that just may work. But calling those that question it every name in the book is.. well.. juvenile.

Yea, I have been flamed as well for not waving the pom poms for this group of RBs.

A lot of folks think our running game was 100% the offensive line and Murray did jack..................I think they are going to have a rude awakening once the season starts and realize that Murray did a hell of a job. Yes, they can show some picks where there is a wide running lane, but those wide running lanes are not there on every single run. Many times Murray had to get the "dirty yards" on his own when everything was blocked up.

I also understand that the team had a $6 million ceiling on Murray and would not go higher and I am totally fine with that. But don't go sign McFadden for peanuts and tell me the running game is going be better because that begs the question.................

If the running game is going to be better with McFadden and Randle (making peanuts), why was $6 million a year even offered to Murray to begin with?

 

[MichaelWinicki]

If we're getting 1.5/carry from any of our backs for an extended period of time with this OL, then something is seriously wrong with our plan. But that won't happen.

Agreed.

For some reason there's this mindset that exists where only a few "gifted" backs can get more than 4 YPC... And that just stuns me.

You look at the long list of backs that averaged 4.0 YPC or more last year is many. And a lot of those guys didn't have the a Cowboys-quality OL, a Cowboys-quality QB and a Cowboys-quality WR and TE.

 

[JoeBoBBY]

Oh no, you don't get it, obviously. You see the local Mensa council has voted and they've got it all figured out. You see, Jerry has already offered Minnesota his first next year, naming rights for the stadium the year after that and a possibly sign and trade deal for Ronald Leary and Doug Free. They're just waiting for an answer. Should be coming any day now. Oh, and by the way, NONE of this is media driven. They've "made statements", my good man. Statements, I tell you.

If it gets AP, lets do it. Although, I think there should be some kind of criteria to be met when naming the stadium.... Other then that, yeah lets roll....

 

[Derinyar]

A few things to keep in mind. The 2014 Cowboys won by running DeMarco Murray into the ground, partially in an effort to help hide their defense and because it worked really well the first half of the season. The 2015 Cowboys won't win that same way. If they are going to win they have to figure out how to do it with this roster. Maybe something like 200/150/50 carries is the magic setup that works between the three game day backs. Maybe its going to be something else. 8 man fronts by opponents will be dictated by how often we call running plays in certain situations more then anything else.

The goal is to win football games. If the offense drops a few points from what it scored last year but the defense gets a few points better its very possible we have the same record as last year. But what I'll guarantee you is this, this team will go the same way it did last year with the success or failure of Tony Romo. When Romo was good we won. When Romo was bad or absent we lost.

 

[KJJ]

Then why are there so many comments in the press about the Jones boys looking to trade? And why are there so many threads about this issue?

If this RBBC is the answer, then why has the organization stated they are looking?

Why has this site blown up with RB threads and speculation?

I guess it could be the never ending quest to improve.

Or...

It could be the team made a mistake and misjudged their options.

The RB situation is more of a concern than the Cowboys are letting on which is why rumors are floating about the team looking to trade for a proven back. Jerry commented on draft day he felt comfortable with the backs the Cowboys have but Stephen said the team isn't necessarily set at RB. Garrett said the back matters and the Cowboys are going to be taking a real gamble banking on the OL to make the backs they have productive especially in key situations. I believe there's a real concern about having to face Murray in Philly knowing that his addition to their offense could switch the balance of power. I'm sure the Cowboys feel if they can add an elite runner behind their OL that's just gotten stronger with the addition of Collins there could be no stopping this offense.

I've said it many times since Murray left that if things go wrong for the Cowboys in 2015 it will be due to the running game not being what it was last season. Everything the Cowboys accomplished in 2014 was all due to the 2nd best running attack in the NFL. Having a bell cow to turn to all season especially in tough yardage situations was the difference. It's what kept the chains moving and Romo from having to carry the offense. Banking on the OL to make average backs produce during the season and in critical Dec games is a huge gamble that could blow up in the Cowboys face. The team can't afford to make a miscalculation here.

 

[ActualCowboysFan]

Everything the Cowboys accomplished in 2014 was all due to the 2nd best running attack in the NFL.


Holy hyperbole Batman.

 

[KJJ]

The RB situation reminds me a little of the WR situation entering the 09 season. TO had just been released after the 08 season which left the Cowboys with very little at WR. Jerry had just traded for Roy Williams during the 08 season who disappointed and with only Crayton and Miles Austin who hadn't done anything the WR situation looked pretty weak heading into the 09 season. It was hard to figure out where the Cowboys were going to make up for all the production they were losing with TO.

I knew someone was going to have to step up and be that go to guy and it unexpectedly turned out to be Miles Austin. His breakout performance vs KC got the Cowboys going that season after a shaky start. If the Cowboys enter the 2015 season with the backs they currently have someone is going to have to step up and be the back they count on in critical situations. It's going to be a committee but we have to have a back we can count on that can take over and produce in critical situations and in big games.

 

[KJJ]

Everything the Cowboys accomplished in 2014 was all due to the 2nd best running attack in the NFL.


Holy hyperbole Batman.

Is that all you have?

 

[ConstantReboot]

I don't get where you are getting Langford and those day 3 RB are better than Randle.

Langford would probably have been better than Randle. But thats open to interpretation and its debatable.

I don't buy that the Cowboys are set at runningback this year. It would be foolish for them to go with a back like Randle who is nothing more than a backup.

 

[Stash]

Langford would probably have been better than Randle. But thats open to interpretation and its debatable.

I don't buy that the Cowboys are set at runningback this year. It would be foolish for them to go with a back like Randle who is nothing more than a backup.

And a bonehead who could have a great game on Sunday and end up in jail on Monday.

 

[ConstantReboot]

...and let me add this.

The Jets was the 3rd best running team last year. Right behind the Cowboys with a 4.5 rushing average and a total of 2280. The Boys averaged 4.6 with a total of 2354. Just 74 more yards. And who is running the ball in New York? They run a RBBC approach and the results are very comparable if not identical.

All this stat research got me to thinking.

Joseph Randle had a 6.7 average on only 51 carries. That is not a large enough sample rate to get excited about. So I went back and watched the video that "itsaboat" posted of Randle's runs last year. That video blow me away of what was happening. And what I seen is exactly what the Cowboys must be thinking.

Teams are scared of our rushing attack. Just go watch the video again everyone. In that video, Joseph "freaking" Randle was facing 8 man fronts on approximately 80% of the plays. Not just one team, but every team in that video. Washington, Philly, Houston, Jacksonville, the "Big Bad Bully" Seattle and so on. Eighty percent!

Randle is a product of this oline. He's not that special saved for a few big runs here and there. People say how great this oline and keep gushing about it. But yet they seem to bring up Randle's stats as IF Randle was a back destined for greatness.

Don't be fooled folks. Randle benefited much, much more from running behind this oline more so than Murray. He's nothing more than a backup in my opinion. Goes down when someone lays a finger on him and has off the field issues. I wouldn't trust him to carry the load at runningback and we shouldn't.

 

[ConstantReboot]

And a bonehead who could have a great game on Sunday and end up in jail on Monday.

Its funny some folks praise him for his running abilities and ignore his off the field issues. While they also ridicule the Hardy trade as a risk and a red flag. Well wouldn't Randle be a much bigger risk if he was starting?

Your right Stash....he is a bonehead. Plus he threw his teammates under the bus.

 

[ConstantReboot]

The RB situation reminds me a little of the WR situation entering the 09 season. TO had just been released after the 08 season which left the Cowboys with very little at WR. Jerry had just traded for Roy Williams during the 08 season who disappointed and with only Crayton and Miles Austin who hadn't done anything the WR situation looked pretty weak heading into the 09 season. It was hard to figure out where the Cowboys were going to make up for all the production they were losing with TO.

I knew someone was going to have to step up and be that go to guy and it unexpectedly turned out to be Miles Austin. His breakout performance vs KC got the Cowboys going that season after a shaky start. If the Cowboys enter the 2015 season with the backs they currently have someone is going to have to step up and be the back they count on in critical situations. It's going to be a committee but we have to have a back we can count on that can take over and produce in critical situations and in big games.

Miles Austin always had the abilities to become a top tier receiver. Thats why they kept him for so long.

However, we already know what were getting with what we have now. Our bunch is a big IF. They can do great and they could also be destined for failure.

I'm sure the FO has that in mind and that the starting runningback is not yet on the team.

 

[KJJ]

Miles Austin always had the abilities to become a top tier receiver. Thats why they kept him for so long.

However, we already know what were getting with what we have now. Our bunch is a big IF. They can do great and they could also be destined for failure.

I'm sure the FO has that in mind and that the starting runningback is not yet on the team.

The Cowboys saw potential in Austin which is why they kept him but his 09 season was a fluke. His numbers went down every season after that. He never had great hands or hamstrings.

 

[Stash]

Its funny some folks praise him for his running abilities and ignore his off the field issues. While they also ridicule the Hardy trade as a risk and a red flag. Well wouldn't Randle be a much bigger risk if he was starting?

Your right Stash....he is a bonehead. Plus he threw his teammates under the bus.

And the fact of the matter is that most other running backs in this league would kill to be in his position, with the potential to run behind this line and replace a Pro Bowl running back who just led the league in rushing and signed a huge free agent deal.