Is it me or do we run every first down play for zero or 1 yard

[RonnieT24]

...I'm all for it, but try DIFFERENT run plays. Delay-draws, outside runs, pitch-backs etc.

None of those work when the defensive line is in your backfield like they were last night. That's why Dak had to go win the game with his arm.

 

[JBond]

I've noticed that on those first downs it's Zeke and is designed to go up the middle and everything is jambed up and he just runs it there anyways when he could bounce it outside to an open hole if his vision would see that.

As a fullback he isn't really equipped to bounce outside. An occasional swing pass etc. sure, but you are asking too much. Use him up. Make him bang blockers every play. That is what he excellent at.

 

[Praxit]

None of those work when the defensive line is in your backfield like they were last night. That's why Dak had to go win the game with his arm.

....yep, they sell out to run. TY signing is looming larger, going forward.

 

[JustChip]

People won't want to hear this but there were two reasons for what we saw in the running game last night. First is the game situation. I don't think the Cowboys wanted to show anything to any potential playoff opponent so they went with a very vanilla game plan last night. The play calling looked like a preseason game. Second is the Titans d-line absolutely kicked our line's butts. They were living in our backfield. Now how much of that was on the vanilla play calling is certainly open to debate but there can be no denying that they won the line of scrimmage. We had one play where we got a runner to the second level.. that was Davis' 24 yarder where he literally was not touched until he got 15 yards down field. The rest of the night both Davis and Zeke were fighting off guys in the backfield. We knew going in that the Titans were really good up front.. We didn't know they were THIS good. Then again losing the center and shuffling three guys didn't help either.

The Titans are 2nd in defensive avg. per rush attempt, trailing only San Fran and only by the slimmest of margins. Anybody that expected the Cowboys to run roughshod last night wasn’t living in reality.

 

[FVSTONE]

Kellen is committed to the run and so am I. But running the ball inside on every first down play appears to be repetitive and predictable, to the point that the opponent's defense is just sitting and waiting on it.

Could we have a play action, or a screen or a wide receiver screen. Are Kellen and Mike playing possum and will save the best play calling for the playoffs? I am hopeful, but tend to doubt that theory, it would be something Jimmy Johnson might do, but not these two.

Thoughts? I am baffled by the predictability of our first down play calling.

Tenn loaded the box and forced Prescot to throw and the only thing that saved the Boys were the penalties. Prescot showed why the Boys CAN NOT be taken seriously in the playoffs.

 

[RonnieT24]

Tenn loaded the box and forced Prescot to throw and the only thing that saved the Boys were the penalties. Prescot showed why the Boys CAN NOT be taken seriously in the playoffs.

If the DB doesn't tackle Gallup on that long one it's a 50 yard completion maybe even a TD. That ball dropped right into the bucket from 60 yards away. Same with the one on the sideline against Noah.. If that Db doesn't push him down that ball hits him in stride. Now these days it's 50/50 whether he would have caught it but the throw was on the money. The bottom line is Dak and Cowboys have just won back to back games without much of a running game.. and that seems to bug the hell out of a lot of "Cowboys fans.."

 

[RonnieT24]

The Titans are 2nd in defensive avg. per rush attempt, trailing only San Fran and only by the slimmest of margins. Anybody that expected the Cowboys to run roughshod last night wasn’t living in reality.

And we know fans don't do a lot of this..

 

[Wichitaleafs]

I'm just not so sure the Cowboys oline is as good as they are made out to be.

 

[Hadenough]

I'm just not so sure the Cowboys oline is as good as they are made out to be.

Yeah with the injuries they could struggle. We better hope the old farts Smith and Peters can stay healthy.

 

[America's Cowboy]

Our Oline continues to struggle.

 

[reddyuta]

i agree with RonnieT here.there were several plays in early downs which had no chance of success with atleast 8 guys in the box and these guys actually were beating our linemen too.If they were playing better teams Dak hopefully would have audibled to a pass every time.

 

[catiii]

Kellen is committed to the run and so am I. But running the ball inside on every first down play appears to be repetitive and predictable, to the point that the opponent's defense is just sitting and waiting on it.

Could we have a play action, or a screen or a wide receiver screen. Are Kellen and Mike playing possum and will save the best play calling for the playoffs? I am hopeful, but tend to doubt that theory, it would be something Jimmy Johnson might do, but not these two.

Thoughts? I am baffled by the predictability of our first down play calling.

It's not you. We run up the middle for no gain on the first play of every game a totally wasted down.

 

[RonnieT24]

i agree with RonnieT here.there were several plays in early downs which had no chance of success with atleast 8 guys in the box and these guys actually were beating our linemen too.If they were playing better teams Dak hopefully would have audibled to a pass every time.

I don't and here's why.. Didn't they run it almost 40 times against the Eagles despite pretty modest results? You have to keep at it in the run game so as to keep the defense from pinning their ears back and coming after the QB. If you allow them to "scheme" you away from running the ball you let them off the hook. Parcells used to call it "being stubborn with the run" as in you have to keep doing it even though you know it might not work. Because you need the defense to always have to worry about it. That helps your passing game which is how we've been able to win two games in a row with borderline anemic rushing numbers. You gotta stay with it man.. You just have to..

 

[RonnieT24]

It's not you. We run up the middle for no gain on the first play of every game a totally wasted down.

No we don't .. the first two plays just last night were passes. But I get it you must have been working and missed the game..

 

[JustChip]

It's not you. We run up the middle for no gain on the first play of every game a totally wasted down.

FYI…
10 of 16 (62.5%) initial plays have been runs.
7 of the 10 of the runs were between the tackles.
5 of the 7 between the tackles gained 4+ yards.

They’ve run more than pass on the initial play, and those runs have been weighted towards between the tackles. But those between the tackles runs have been successful 71% if the time.

Bottom line is “running up the middle for no gain on the first play” is a false narrative.

 

[RonnieT24]

FYI…
10 of 16 (62.5%) initial plays have been runs.
7 of the 10 of the runs were between the tackles.
5 of the 7 between the tackles gained 4+ yards.

They’ve run more than pass on the initial play, and those runs have been weighted towards between the tackles. But those between the tackles runs have been successful 71% if the time.

Bottom line is “running up the middle for no gain on the first play” is a false narrative.

But did you notice how many lemmings nodded in agreement with it? This fan base man, I swear..

 

[Creeper]

Based on the way the Titans were lining up on first downs last night I thought they should have used more play action on first down.

But I also think the OL has suffered in the run game since Steele went down. That guy is way underrated as a run blocker. With all due respect to Tyron Smith, he is nowhere near as good run blocking as Steele.

 

[JustChip]

But did you notice how many lemmings nodded in agreement with it? This fan base man, I swear..

Yep. People here something and then just regurgitate it without thought. There’s a great need to be part of the crowd. It’s how totally false narratives take on a life of their own. And it’s not limited to just the Cowboys or sports. There is a great lack of critical thinking in today’s populace.

 

[Blast From The Past]

I've noticed that on those first downs it's Zeke and is designed to go up the middle and everything is jambed up and he just runs it there anyways when he could bounce it outside to an open hole if his vision would see that.

Just maybe our linemen could perhaps do their job on any given run on any given down? Backs need blocking and if it's not their then backs get tackled most of the time.

 

[Clove]

The entire offensive game plan(Dink+Dunk) is contingent on getting to a 3rd and minimal 4 as our QB is pretty much a major liability if the down requires additional yardage.
Who do you think we have under center Burrows or Herbert?
Might want to mention it's the most boring offense the Cowboys have ever had....zzzzzzz....wake up PAPPY wake up.....

Chargers with Herbert 9-6
Bengals with Burrows 11-4
Cowboys with Prescott 12-4

Wake up Clove, this doesn't make sense.