The 2015 Dallas Cowboys and the Myth of DeMarco Murray

[Stash]

Numbers are so often meaningless. Troy Aikman didn't have great numbers. Jeff George did. Drew Pearson didn't have great numbers. Ernest Givens did.

To say the Cowboys had the second best running attack in the league without accounting for (1) how many times they ran, and (2) what the threat of Romo meant to keeping eight out of the box......that's just short-sighted and simple-minded.

If Brandon Weeden was back there, Murray wouldn't have hit 1,200 yards with those carries.

I don't disagree with you, but as I see it, both areas complemented one another and the end result was a formidable offense and a 12-4 record.

One side would not have been as good without the other.

'The whole is greater than the sum of its parts'

 

[erod]

Seahawks made post season the 1st year Lynch was in Seattle before the great defense. As for his time in Buffalo just like a QB needs a line to protect him a RB needs a OL to open up some lanes. In Dallas people say Murray was not good it was the OL? yet any great RB who has played this game has always given credit to the guys up front because not even the best RB to play the game can do it without an OL

Yep, with a 7-9 record if I remember correctly.

 

[erod]

I don't disagree with you, but as I see it, both areas complemented one another and the end result was a formidable offense and a 12-4 record.

One side would not have been as good without the other.

'The whole is greater than the sum of its parts'

Balance is no doubt the key, but this is still a passing league first. If you can't throw, you don't win. That is, unless your defense is something truly and historically special, which is rare these days.

Seattle is going to have to do it much differently this year, and I'm not sure they can.

 

[Doomsday101]

Numbers are so often meaningless. Troy Aikman didn't have great numbers. Jeff George did. Drew Pearson didn't have great numbers. Ernest Givens did.

To say the Cowboys had the second best running attack in the league without accounting for (1) how many times they ran, and (2) what the threat of Romo meant to keeping eight out of the box......that's just short-sighted and simple-minded.

If Brandon Weeden was back there, Murray wouldn't have hit 1,200 yards with those carries.

and if Dallas did not run we would have likely gone 8-8 again. 3 years in a row of 8-8 same passing offense what changed? Dallas actually for the 1st time in a long time ran the ball more than they threw it. Last season Dallas ranked 31st in the NFL in passing attempts with 476 and yet was 2nd in the NFL in most rushing attempts with 508 it is not an accident. Passing game benefited greatly, the run game allowed up to control the down and it kept defense guessing. No doubt passing game is important but the run game proved itself last season and the results speak for themselves.

 

[DFWJC]

Come on guys. You have to know that a strong running game was a big part of our success. This Zampese/Turner type offense has always benefited greatly from that if/when the line has been good enough to allow it.

Though I think people that claim Murray was somehow our MVP are WAY off base, the overall run game was undeniably huge.

An MVP, however, means "who can you least do without". That would be Romo hands down.
Not even remotely close.
Some would argue next would be Dez and maybe even next would be Tyron....but in any case, no way it was Murray. He deserves huge props, nevertheless.

 

[Stash]

Balance is no doubt the key, but this is still a passing league first. If you can't throw, you don't win. That is, unless your defense is something truly and historically special, which is rare these days.

Seattle is going to have to do it much differently this year, and I'm not sure they can.

The Seahawks were the example I was going to cite. They are the exception to the 'rule' for passing, mainly because their defense is just that good.

In my opinion, their undoing - like our 90's Cowboys - will be the salary cap.

 

[Doomsday101]

Yep, with a 7-9 record if I remember correctly.

Yes but an improvement for the seahawks who had done nothing before then. I agree with you defense is a big part of winning championships. While the triplets in Dallas got the vast majority of the credit it was still a great defense for the Cowboys who went out and did a lot to win championships.

 

[JoeBoBBY]

Look I agree with you that Romo passing all those times in years prior didnt get us anywhere and our improved running game helped get us to 12-4. My point is what is easier to stop, our run game or pass game? Look at the Detroit playoff game for example. Murray averaged less than 4ypc and had under 80 yards rushing yet we still won. Romo carried the offense that game against iirc the second highest rated defense in the league. The running game helped us win a lot more than the passing game the first half of the season when Romo was still recovering. Fact is when plays had to be made in crunch time, we put it im the hands of 9 and he succeded more times than not.

Detriot was strong upfront.

And the Running Game did fade a little down the stretch. But at that point, I think Teams were keying Murray first. And were sticking with keying Murray first, probably a little too long.

I want to be a run first team. But it all goes hand and hand. We arent dominant in any part of the game, that allows us to win by being good at it and it only.

The Offense isnt the problem. But we need it to be Extra Great, until the D shows up, if we have any plans on making a trip.

I am hoping we get there..... but until I see it consistently. Im skeptical of the Defense...

With Hardy, McClain out the first 4. Rookies playing their first couple of games......New LBs....I think we struggle coming out of the gate.

I dont see us any better then 5-3 after 8. Probably 4-4. Its that second half that counts anyway...

 

[erod]

The Seahawks were the example I was going to cite. They are the exception to the 'rule' for passing, mainly because their defense is just that good.

In my opinion, their undoing - like our 90's Cowboys - will be the salary cap.

Yep, and Pete Carroll. He's so vastly overrated as a football coach. He bombed miserably with the Jets, took down a good Patriots team, cheated like a gypsy at USC, bailed to avoid the cops and headed for Seattle, and lucked upon a great defensive coordinator and general manager in Seattle.

NOW, we'll see if he can coach, which I don't think he can.

 

[CowboyRoy]

I agree he's getting better, but he's still 5-foot-nothing, and he can't throw from the pocket because he can't see. That Graham signing will not help them as much as people think. There's nobody outside to really take the focus off of him like in New Orleans.

They will have to pass more because they're going to give up more points, I think. Their defensive coordinator is gone, as well as a couple of defensive linemen and some secondary guys. Their ripe for the picking if Arizona gets its act together, and don't sleep on the Rams.

I think Wilson has lived a charmed life, and he has been over rated up to this point..................But I dont agree that he cant throw from the pocket or that Graham wont make a difference. I think its a sure fire signal they want to improve the passing game.

 

[JoeBoBBY]

Detriot was strong upfront.

And the Running Game did fade a little down the stretch. But at that point, I think Teams were keying Murray first. And were sticking with keying Murray first, probably a little too long.

I want to be a run first team. But it all goes hand and hand. We arent dominant in any part of the game, that allows us to win by being good at it and it only.

The Offense isnt the problem. But we need it to be Extra Great, until the D shows up, if we have any plans on making a trip.

I am hoping we get there..... but until I see it consistently. Im skeptical of the Defense...

With Hardy, McClain out the first 4. Rookies playing their first couple of games......New LBs....I think we struggle coming out of the gate.

I dont see us any better then 5-3 after 8. Probably 4-4. Its that second half that counts anyway...

So, dont panic, stay calm, and hold on to you butts, those first 8 games! We just need to survive them by going .500 or better. The second half looks to be ours!!!

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[erod]

I think Wilson has lived a charmed life, and he has been over rated up to this point..................But I dont agree that he cant throw from the pocket or that Graham wont make a difference. I think its a sure fire signal they want to improve the passing game.

You could see against Dallas how uncomfortable he was stuck in the pocket.

Marinelli did a brilliant thing that day. He kept the defensive ends from swinging wide on the rush. The entire line rushed together flat against, so he couldn't step up and bail outside. He couldn't get outside at all. He had to stand there and throw over the line, and he struggled.

Green Bay did the same thing, and it worked. The Packers offense just left so many points on the field.

Now, with tremendous defenses in Arizona and St. Louis, it will be interesting. They saw that. They'll be ready for him.

New England's defense wasn't that good (and really looks iffy this year), and they couldn't contain him.

Make Wilson a passer from the pocket. That's how you shut them down.

 

[CowboyRoy]

The running game is important. Some games, especially towards the end of the season the running game was shut down, and we still won. Why is that? Because our passing game was elite as its been every year since Romo has been here. If you take Romo off this team and replace him with Alex Smith, our running game is no where near as effective.

Yah, still not getting your point here on Romo vs the run game. They both play on the same team. They are both better with one another being top notch. I dont want one or the other. I want both. They both make each others lives easier. When one gets shut down or has a bad game, the other can take over.

 

[kevm3]

Yep, and Pete Carroll. He's so vastly overrated as a football coach. He bombed miserably with the Jets, took down a good Patriots team, cheated like a gypsy at USC, bailed to avoid the cops and headed for Seattle, and lucked upon a great defensive coordinator and general manager in Seattle.

NOW, we'll see if he can coach, which I don't think he can.

How is Carroll overrated? He already won one superbowl and almost won a second one.

 

[erod]

How is Carroll overrated? He already won one superbowl and almost won a second one.

He rode a defense not of his creating to one, and he cost his team the second.

If they win this year, I'll take it back.

 

[percyhoward]

The percentage is higher in the 2nd quarter because of the 2 minute offense to end the half. And the two minute offense is mostly passing.

It's no mystery why teams pass more in the 2nd quarter. Here's that quarter broken down into scoring and non-scoring drives:

2nd-quarter scoring drives
82 passes, 64 runs

2nd-quarter non-scoring drives
40 passes, 39 runs

The most successful drives in that quarter featured more passing. You could say that the less successful, more balanced drives set up these scoring drives, but the point is that passing more didn't stop us from having our best quarter, according to scoring margin.

 

[Dodger12]

He rode a defense not of his creating to one, and he cost his team the second.

Wait....what?

 

[Blackspider214]

Balance is no doubt the key, but this is still a passing league first. If you can't throw, you don't win. That is, unless your defense is something truly and historically special, which is rare these days.

Seattle is going to have to do it much differently this year, and I'm not sure they can.

We slang it all over the field from 2011-2013. How did that work out for us?

 

[erod]

We slang it all over the field from 2011-2013. How did that work out for us?

It worked brilliantly, until the defense gave up 40 points. And it darn near got Romo killed with an offensive line of Home Depot rejects.

Balance yes, but the passing game is still the key to championships as that past two decades has proven.

 

[CyberB0b]

1800 yards is no myth