erod
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 38,705
- Reaction score
- 60,327
Remember when we begged and pleaded long and loud for the Cowboys to "commit to dadgum cockamamie running game for Pete's sake?" Seems like a long time ago, but it wasn't. I grew hoarse in the process.
Garrett swore that the modicum of success enjoyed on the ground in 2011 and 2012 was largely done with smoke and mirrors. He insisted he was working on it, but the mix just wasn't yet right. In fact, the recurring difficulty in converting short yardage certainly supported his point. It just wasn't ready to unleash, he said.
Well, last year it was, and they did, and we soaked it up like hot butter. I just love a good running game. It rips out the heart of an opponent and shows it to its face in Game-of-Thrones fashion. Eat this, loser! It's a profound and undeniable way to beat somebody's butt.
But perhaps last year was just a bit too much of a good thing, at least as it relates to what's best moving forward. Maybe a proper amount of swing in the pendulum back to Romo and the air would be wise. I think so, in fact.
There's plenty of football sense to it. Nothing stupid, mind you, but maybe a 5-10 percent uptick in putting the ball in the air. The reasons are multi-fold.
First, the point is made, and the league knows. Opponents are fully aware of the road graders up front now, and they'll be focused on it just like the early 90s, when Dallas threw to set up the run, not the other way around. There will be yardage to be had, and Romo is more than capable of getting it. All that focus on the run makes short screens and hitches all the more effective, and it creates lots of one-on-one matchups. Play-action should be more effective here than anywhere, even without a great back.
Second, Romo is healthier and further removed from surgery. I don't anticipate a season so focused on managing Romo's back like last year. No, you don't want to throw 40 to 50 times like before, but a few more attempts per game is not a health worry as much now. As good as he was last year, he should be better this season.
Third, it's generally agreed that none of the backs in house can handle the role DeMarco Murray took on last year. I don't think Murray could do it again either; that really took a toll on him. Throwing a bit more, in fact, could open up more running room for these types of backs, all of which are more capable of the long run than Murray was. A bit less certainly from the defense about what Dallas is going to do should help these lesser backs do just that.
Fourth, the defense looks to be improving, so the opportunity to build big leads early is more realistic now. A better defense also makes big leads easier to manage late in games. Jumping on teams quickly allows for the pass rush to go into hyper mode, and it allows the big offensive line and backs to assert themselves with greater force late.
Lastly, and I mentioned this earlier, this team looks to be built more and more like the Cowboys of the early 90s. So many people misremember what that team did. Fans like to think that Dallas just ran the ball over everybody throughout every game, and that just didn't happen. It wasn't unusual for Emmitt Smith to only get 8-10 carries through most of the first half. Troy slung it around early to loosen up the defense, then Emmitt pounded it in the second half. The defense played fast and opportunistic, just like Marinelli teaches. That formula looks to be in place now, albeit a slightly different look and minus the rugged, feature back.
As the season grows longer and colder, and as attrition sets in across the league, game-planning will evolve to a more conservative style. However, the Cowboys are perhaps the most balanced team in the league at this point, and with Romo upright and healthier, it's best to take advantage of it.
Garrett swore that the modicum of success enjoyed on the ground in 2011 and 2012 was largely done with smoke and mirrors. He insisted he was working on it, but the mix just wasn't yet right. In fact, the recurring difficulty in converting short yardage certainly supported his point. It just wasn't ready to unleash, he said.
Well, last year it was, and they did, and we soaked it up like hot butter. I just love a good running game. It rips out the heart of an opponent and shows it to its face in Game-of-Thrones fashion. Eat this, loser! It's a profound and undeniable way to beat somebody's butt.
But perhaps last year was just a bit too much of a good thing, at least as it relates to what's best moving forward. Maybe a proper amount of swing in the pendulum back to Romo and the air would be wise. I think so, in fact.
There's plenty of football sense to it. Nothing stupid, mind you, but maybe a 5-10 percent uptick in putting the ball in the air. The reasons are multi-fold.
First, the point is made, and the league knows. Opponents are fully aware of the road graders up front now, and they'll be focused on it just like the early 90s, when Dallas threw to set up the run, not the other way around. There will be yardage to be had, and Romo is more than capable of getting it. All that focus on the run makes short screens and hitches all the more effective, and it creates lots of one-on-one matchups. Play-action should be more effective here than anywhere, even without a great back.
Second, Romo is healthier and further removed from surgery. I don't anticipate a season so focused on managing Romo's back like last year. No, you don't want to throw 40 to 50 times like before, but a few more attempts per game is not a health worry as much now. As good as he was last year, he should be better this season.
Third, it's generally agreed that none of the backs in house can handle the role DeMarco Murray took on last year. I don't think Murray could do it again either; that really took a toll on him. Throwing a bit more, in fact, could open up more running room for these types of backs, all of which are more capable of the long run than Murray was. A bit less certainly from the defense about what Dallas is going to do should help these lesser backs do just that.
Fourth, the defense looks to be improving, so the opportunity to build big leads early is more realistic now. A better defense also makes big leads easier to manage late in games. Jumping on teams quickly allows for the pass rush to go into hyper mode, and it allows the big offensive line and backs to assert themselves with greater force late.
Lastly, and I mentioned this earlier, this team looks to be built more and more like the Cowboys of the early 90s. So many people misremember what that team did. Fans like to think that Dallas just ran the ball over everybody throughout every game, and that just didn't happen. It wasn't unusual for Emmitt Smith to only get 8-10 carries through most of the first half. Troy slung it around early to loosen up the defense, then Emmitt pounded it in the second half. The defense played fast and opportunistic, just like Marinelli teaches. That formula looks to be in place now, albeit a slightly different look and minus the rugged, feature back.
As the season grows longer and colder, and as attrition sets in across the league, game-planning will evolve to a more conservative style. However, the Cowboys are perhaps the most balanced team in the league at this point, and with Romo upright and healthier, it's best to take advantage of it.
Last edited:
