Impact of losing top RB

[Doomsday101]

Murray took the $ because he knew it was his one big contract. I can't really fault him for that.

The RB position is obviously a weak link, albeit unproven. I think the misconception, or just stubbornness, that people are associating with those on the other side of the fence that actually have confidence we can pick up the slack from Murray's departure, is not the fact that these other RB's are expected to actually *be* DeMarco, but that his production is not irreplaceable.

For one, I don't think anyone expects him to replicate last season. If he goes to Philly and rushes for 1800 yards, then I'll be the first to admit we made a huge mistake.

I've actually defended Murray quite a few times on this forum, from some of the same people now that think opposing teams are just going to put 5 games in the box now, who used to call him a bust because he was "injury prone". I liked Murray. Obviously, he's dead to me now, but the facts are what they are, Murray averaged 4.7ypc which wasn't some crazy, unprecedented number.

The only crazy part about Murray's season was the # of carries he got, and maintaining that avg. He had 80 more carries than the #2 in attempts.

I'd bet there aren't many teams in the last 5 years that have given one RB the rock 400 times in a season.

The point is, as much as I liked Murray, he averaged 4.7 yards a clip. We don't *need* a RB to carry the rock 400 times, in fact we're probably an outlier in that regard last season as far as recent history, we just need to replace a 4.7ypc average.

I'm a stats guy, and if this were baseball, a WAR would be appropriate here. Most fans that want to believe the sky is falling are not only living in the past, but fail to recognize the actual important figure in Murray's year, efficiency. He deserves his accolades for last season, absolutely, but a 4.7 ypc isn't some otherworldly number that's going to cement his status in the HoF. It's more impressive to me that he actually stayed relatively healthy during that span.

Given all of that, and the improvement of our offensive line from development, chemistry, and recently added talent, I don't believe a 4.2-4.7 ypc average, even for the RB's we currently have on the roster, is out of the realm of possibility. I would imagine 4.0ypc is the floor, and I'd be completely shocked if it was actually less than that.

I guess that's why i'm just sorta meh about the whole thing.

I agree in that I would not expect Murray to get 1,800 rushing be it here in Dallas or in Philly, hitting that mark does not happen often. Peterson has gone over 1,800 1 time in his career. As for what this current group may avg? I don't know I think as you it will likely be in that 4 yard range. My concerns are and have been situational, as in late game when you have to grind out some 1st downs to seal the deal when everyone knows what you are attempting to do. It is the goal line situation when the line is stacked, it is the picking up of blitzers to me that is where you find out a lot about the RB you have. I'm not as caught up in the flash or the break away runner I like having a guy I can count on in those tough situations.

 

[JoeKing]

That can work two ways. The starting RB may not even be on the roster at this time. I would even look at your opinion with an open mind if you could show anything that backs up your claims that any of these RBs have produced much at the pro level. You can't back up your claims because none of these RBs have had s decent career. You are basing your argument on hope and thinking the oline can make chicken salad out of chicken manure.

I'm not trying to change your opinion of these RBs we have now. I don't think there's anything I could say to do that anyway, so I'll let them do it their selves on the field. They will back up my words through their actions.

 

[Idgit]

Murray took the $ because he knew it was his one big contract. I can't really fault him for that.

The RB position is obviously a weak link, albeit unproven. I think the misconception, or just stubbornness, that people are associating with those on the other side of the fence that actually have confidence we can pick up the slack from Murray's departure, is not the fact that these other RB's are expected to actually *be* DeMarco, but that his production is not irreplaceable.

For one, I don't think anyone expects him to replicate last season. If he goes to Philly and rushes for 1800 yards, then I'll be the first to admit we made a huge mistake.

I've actually defended Murray quite a few times on this forum, from some of the same people now that think opposing teams are just going to put 5 games in the box now, who used to call him a bust because he was "injury prone". I liked Murray. Obviously, he's dead to me now, but the facts are what they are, Murray averaged 4.7ypc which wasn't some crazy, unprecedented number.

The only crazy part about Murray's season was the # of carries he got, and maintaining that avg. He had 80 more carries than the #2 in attempts.

I'd bet there aren't many teams in the last 5 years that have given one RB the rock 400 times in a season.

The point is, as much as I liked Murray, he averaged 4.7 yards a clip. We don't *need* a RB to carry the rock 400 times, in fact we're probably an outlier in that regard last season as far as recent history, we just need to replace a 4.7ypc average.

I'm a stats guy, and if this were baseball, a WAR would be appropriate here. Most fans that want to believe the sky is falling are not only living in the past, but fail to recognize the actual important figure in Murray's year, efficiency. He deserves his accolades for last season, absolutely, but a 4.7 ypc isn't some otherworldly number that's going to cement his status in the HoF. It's more impressive to me that he actually stayed relatively healthy during that span.

Given all of that, and the improvement of our offensive line from development, chemistry, and recently added talent, I don't believe a 4.2-4.7 ypc average, even for the RB's we currently have on the roster, is out of the realm of possibility. I would imagine 4.0ypc is the floor, and I'd be completely shocked if it was actually less than that.

I guess that's why i'm just sorta meh about the whole thing.

This is actually almost exactly how I feel. We took a step back at the RB position, but probably not one that's going to affect the offense all that much, overall because we're also good everywhere else on that side of the ball. We're just going to have to rotate players more often to match them to game situations where we didn't have to before. I don't think we'd have to carry and extra RB because we can't really afford to, but that's where the other challenge could come. I think we take a hit in short yardage. Otherwise, RB just isn't all that important.

But I don't mind saying that we lost the best player in that RB group by a fair margin when we didn't choose to overpay his age and carries.

 

[Frozen700]

What Top RB did we lose? I only know a few Elite in the NFL. We didn't have 1.

 

[Bullet22]

The boys didn't..they lost a Rb who had a career year., behind the best and getting better line in football...Mcfadden and Co..will be even better.....

 

[JoeKing]

Take it easy! If you know something about the running backs currently on the roster that the world doesn't know, fill us in. Otherwise, your drunk on the proverbial koolaid and high on hope...which is okay, but don't attack other zoners simply because we are taking a logical and realistic point of view and want some tangible proof that the current stable of backs can replace Demarco's production. I'm not saying he was a Super Star, but he was clearly head and shoulders better than anyone on the roster last year. The only thing that has changed for us since then is the date.

Oakland has been using and abusing DMC all wrong. The Cowboys will make him a much better runner this year. Not the first time someone has suggested I may be drunk on the Cowboy Koolaid. The tangible proof you need won't be here until the regular season gets started so... patience.

 

[Beast_from_East]

What Top RB did we lose? I only know a few Elite in the NFL. We didn't have 1.

What we lost might not have been elite, but it was dam sure better than anything we got left on the roster by a far margin.

Why do you think the team offered Murray $6 million a season and are paying McFadden and Randle combined the price of a happy meal?

Do you seriously think the team would have offered that much money to our non-elite RB if the guys still on the roster could do the same job for peanuts?

 

[Beast_from_East]

Oakland has been using and abusing DMC all wrong. The Cowboys will make him a much better runner this year. Not the first time someone has suggested I may be drunk on the Cowboy Koolaid. The tangible proof you need won't be here until the regular season gets started so... patience.

You realize the offensive line coach in Oakland is now the offensive line coach in Dallas.

So the same offensive line coach that was using him wrong in Oakland is now going to use him correctly in Dallas?

Yea, that makes sense

 

[Bullet22]

What we lost might not have been elite, but it was dam sure better than anything we got left on the roster by a far margin.

Why do you think the team offered Murray $6 million a season and are paying McFadden and Randle combined the price of a happy meal?

Do you seriously think the team would have offered that much money to our non-elite RB if the guys still on the roster could do the same job for peanuts?

When DMC and Randle run like crazy..Don't cheer, just sit there and be miserable on gameday.,..

 

[Beast_from_East]

The boys didn't..they lost a Rb who had a career year., behind the best and getting better line in football...Mcfadden and Co..will be even better.....

 

[Beast_from_East]

When DMC and Randle run like crazy..Don't cheer, just sit there and be miserable on gameday.,..

So you got no counter argument to make your case.................not unexpected....................keep drinking that cool aid and waving those pom poms bro

 

[gmoney112]

So you got no counter argument to make your case.................not unexpected....................keep drinking that cool aid and waving those pom poms bro

Lol.

The case that an OL coach somehow "uses" a RB?

Hey guys, Coach Dooley used Romo pretty effectively last season for his receivers, right guys?

 

[Doomsday101]

What we lost might not have been elite, but it was dam sure better than anything we got left on the roster by a far margin.

Why do you think the team offered Murray $6 million a season and are paying McFadden and Randle combined the price of a happy meal?

Do you seriously think the team would have offered that much money to our non-elite RB if the guys still on the roster could do the same job for peanuts?

I agree, evidently it is easy to get 1,800 yards anyone can do it. Regardless if people want to call him elite or not he was the best RB in the NFL last year bar none!

 

[Idgit]

What does Andy Reid have to do with anything in this thread? Stick to the topic.

 

[JoeKing]

You realize the offensive line coach in Oakland is now the offensive line coach in Dallas.

So the same offensive line coach that was using him wrong in Oakland is now going to use him correctly in Dallas?

Yea, that makes sense

DMC is not on the O-line so your point is moot. Not his coach.

 

[jday]

Oakland has been using and abusing DMC all wrong. The Cowboys will make him a much better runner this year. Not the first time someone has suggested I may be drunk on the Cowboy Koolaid. The tangible proof you need won't be here until the regular season gets started so... patience.

So, your contention is that the Cowboys offensive line is much better than Oaklands, and the Cowboys scheme is a better fit for DMac's skill-set; therefore, he will have more success here. Right?

I understand that sentiment. I agree the Cowboys may be a better fit for DMac, but he still has several questions he has to answer. 1. Can he stay healthy? 2. Does he have anything left, in terms of explosion and overall speed? 3. Can he do a better job with the zone blocking scheme then what he did the first time he was introduced to it by Frank Pollack?

http://cowboysblog.***BANNED-URL***...ed-and-hoping-to-get-it-right-this-time.html/

I have patience, just not a whole lot of confidence. But trust when I say I would absolutely welcome a big plate of crow pie, if he turns out to be a great running back.

 

[Doomsday101]

So, your contention is that the Cowboys offensive line is much better than Oaklands, and the Cowboys scheme is a better fit for DMac's skill-set; therefore, he will have more success here. Right?

I understand that sentiment. I agree the Cowboys may be a better fit for DMac, but he still has several questions he has to answer. 1. Can he stay healthy? 2. Does he have anything left, in terms of explosion and overall speed? 3. Can he do a better job with the zone blocking scheme then what he did the first time he was introduced to it by Frank Pollack?

http://cowboysblog.***BANNED-URL***...ed-and-hoping-to-get-it-right-this-time.html/

I have patience, just not a whole lot of confidence. But trust when I say I would absolutely welcome a big plate of crow pie, if he turns out to be a great running back.

I agree with you and will even say I am pulling for McFadden, I'm much more interested in team success than who is right or wrong. Right now all we can go by is what players have done thus far in their careers.

 

[Bullet22]

So you got no counter argument to make your case.................not unexpected....................keep drinking that cool aid and waving those pom poms bro

Good as yours.....Murray is the greatest because I said so....I know what DMC can do....When healthy he is better than Murray hands down..

 

[Bullflop]

I can't think of too many successful season we have had using RB by committee. What I would hope is one of the RB currently on the roster shows he can take on the majority of the load. Backs just seem to get a better feel through out the game.

It may well be that our most successful seasons included a bellcow RB but it does seem to me that when we had several bellcow running backs like Calvin Hill, Duane Thomas and Emmitt Smith, those offensive lines were outlandishly exceptional. Maybe we could be willing to keep an open mind to see what THIS offensive line is capable of producing before concluding that the RBBC approach isn't particularly desirable. Surely, I'd relish having another Emmitt Smith to operate behind our current OL but that may not be forthcoming. It's also entirely possible we'll obtain some sort of a bellcow type RB before our initial regular season game occurs. We'll see.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I think the pas protection will continue to improve and we won't need to rely on the run quite so much. The right side of the line struggled against line games between Martin being Green and Parnell being mentally slow. That won't be a problem this year.

The point of the OP is that passing matters. I think the running game will take a hit if not as much as people think. OTOH, I think Romo and the passing game will build on year 1 under Linehan and improve more than making up for the running game.