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The Football Educator is the name of a website, not owned by me. I am merely a writer there. This is a preview of an article that is not even out yet.
It's time to break down the drive for the 2014 Dallas Cowboys, also known as the Offensive side of the ball. Last time I broke down the Defense. In keeping with the golf analogy the Defense is the short game. The Cowboys need the short game or Defense to be solid in order to go anywhere in 2014. Allow fewer points, make more stops. Those two things are the key to 2014. The reason for that is because the Cowboys long game is the Offense. They are the driver off the tee. How the Offense drives could very well determine if the short game even matters.
In 2013 the Cowboys were improved over the 2012 version. They bettered the 376 points of 2012 to 439 points. The problem was, they were at times erratic with the driver off the tee and didn't keep the ball in the fairway. In particular where the 2013 Cowboys failed despite the improvement in points scored was in 3rd down conversions. Let's look first at their 8 losses. The Cowboys faced 78 3rd downs in their 8 losses, just below 10 per game. The converted only 23 times. Right at 29% of the time. It was punctuated as a kick in the gut against the Saints where they failed convert a single 3rd down.
In the 8 wins they didn't do much better. They faced 3rd down 102 times and converted 40 times. If you are converting less than 40% on the season you're not getting the job done. Dallas didn't convert at that rate in their wins, much less the season. In fact there were only 3 games all seasons where they converted 50% or better and 2 of those were losses. On the season Dallas was 63 out of 180 for barely over 1/3 of the time getting the job done and the chains moving.
How does this happen when you have a QB who completes almost 64% of his passes on the year? Key drops by receivers, the QB forced to scramble by pressure, penalties nullifying a positive play and forcing longer 3rd downs, coming up short of the chains forcing 4th down, or turning the ball over are the ways to fail on 3rd down and Dallas tried each of them. Enter Scott Linehan to be the play caller.
No, I didn't just dump all of that on Bill Callahan. What I did was point to a signal caller who has a History of getting the football to his RBs using the short or screen passes to move the chains. Everyone in Cowboys country swears the team is going to run the ball more in 2014. I believe that, but I also believe they will get the ball to the RBs out of the backfield more than they have so that it open up the deep game.
Let's start at the top for any team, the QB. Tony Romo is the heart and soul of the Cowboys Offense, and maybe the whole team. He gutted out a horrendous back injury against the Commanders to give the Cowboys a win leading up to the final game. He promptly needed surgery and was gone for the year. As Tony goes, so go the Cowboys. If he keeps the drives in the fairway he will pick apart a Defense and leave nothing but bones. The Cowboys have to keep him healthy. To that end they did the smartest thing I think they could have in the 2014 Draft, they shored up the Offensive Line yet again.
In 2011 the Cowboys finally took an Offensive Lineman in the 1st round of the Draft. You had to go back 30 years to 1981 and Howard Richards to find when they had done that. Tyron Smith is the 3rd youngest player ever to start an NFL game. This is his 4th year in the NFL and he's still only 23 years old. He's also probably the best young LT in the game today. In 2013 the Cowboys again went OL in round 1, taking Travis Frederick at Center. This was a controversial move to many pundits as the Cowboys took a player many felt was not a 1st round quality pick. They were wrong, he was. Frederick became the anchor on the OL and the Cowboys under his play calls and some veteran mentoring by Brian Waters, began to turn into a solid unit.
In 2014 the Cowboys have again added to this already solid unit by selecting Zack Martin out of Notre Dame. Martin is a versatile player who can line up at all 5 positions. The Cowboys selected him as a Guard and plan to play him for now at RG. In the future he may move out to RT to take over for Doug Free. This selection has already given some to say the Cowboys have the best OL in the NFL. I can't say that yet. I still think the 49ers and Titans are better because Martin hasn't played an NFL down yet. But what the selection of Martin does is give the Cowboys depth and potential. Tony Romo should be safer. That is huge. Even bigger is that these guys should be able to open up some holes in the run game.
That's where DeMarco Murray comes in. Just about anyone with a lick of sense about football knows the Cowboys need Murray to win. He has been a key to winning. When they don't get him the ball enough, they lose. Murray had his best year in 2013 despite again missing some games with an injury. Late in the year when the Cowboys added a FB to their team he again set the tone. When he wasn't used, the Cowboys lost. Most notably in the 2nd half of the Green Bay game when they kept passing the ball and blew a huge lead. Everyone knows they should have given Murray the ball and let the clock be their ally instead of stopping the clock and giving Matt Flynn time to mount a comeback. That won't happen again the Cowboys vow.
To help Murray again lead this Offense to victory the Cowboys signed a sledgehammer rookie UDFA in J.C. Copeland. They gave him a weight goal to hit for Training Camp and he did. I've heard more Cowboys fans talking excitedly about seeing what he can do than almost any other rookie. The reason is really quite simple. When Murray has had a FB he plays well with, such as Tony Fiammetta or Tyler Clutts, he has hammered teams. When he had no FB, or Lawrence Vickers whom he was never on the same page with, he has struggled. If this rookie has the mojo with Murray and the improved big line in front Cowboys fans are starting to see visions of a run game like we remember from the good old days.
Of course, the calling card for Tony Romo has always been his ability to pass the ball. Dallas is not going to neglect that aspect of the Offense despite the commitment to the run. The reason is simple. His name is Dez Bryant and he just may be the best player on the Cowboys for the last 3 years. Dez is a beast. He is the X factor. He makes catches few can. He fights for yardage and scores. He wants to win more than anyone in silver and blue. Dare I say it, he is the playmaker part 2.
Dez came into the NFL a seriously misunderstood young man. He has blossomed into a mature, driven football star. There isn't anyone more exciting in the entire NFL when he has the ball than Dez. He is electric. At one time he had a lot of growing to do, as he ran simple routes, and had a limited role. Those days are gone. Now he lines up all over, even in the slot, and he can run any pattern better than ever. Then there are those hands. Some of the best ever to grab a football.
If Dez is the primary weapon for Tony Romo the secondary one is a guy who just may be the epitome of professional, Jason Witten. All Witten does is catch the ball, move the chains, and continue to be a guy the entire team can count on. He is double tough, playing through broken jaws and ruptured spleens in his already stellar career. If Dez is the fire for the team, Witten is the example. Work as hard as he does. Do it right every time. Don't pull up. Don't short arm anything. All out. That is what has made him great.
Last year a rookie out of Baylor came in and took the #2 receiver slot away from a long time staple at that spot. Terence Williams earned the right to man that spot this year, and Miles Austin, a very popular player with the team and fans was let go. It is expected of course that Williams, with the added role is going to improve on his very solid rookie year. If he does, good things can happen in the passing game because he and Tony have already built same rapport together.
So those are the starters who are tasked with getting the ball to the green. They aren't going to do it alone though. Let's talk for a minute about the most key backups. For me that list starts with the guy I think is the 3rd WR for this team. His name is Cole Beasley, and his precise route running and good hands make him a chains mover kind of guy. I think a key to Dallas improving on Offense in 2014 is getting him the ball more than last year. He is hard to cover, and does good things when he has his chances. Moving up from the #4 WR to the #3 is a good sign for Cowboys fans.
Next I'd have to say the importance comes to Lance Dunbar. The Cowboys need to get him his touches. Whether it is spelling Murray on runs, or in the passing game, in the open field his speed is hard for a Defense to deal with. If the Cowboys can get Dunbar 7 to 10 touches per game and still have Murray driving with 20 touches per game, they will be a nearly unstoppable Offense. This kid is that important to the overall success of the team.
Next up in importance is probably last year's 2nd round pick, TE Gavin Escobar. The Cowboys continue to want to run a lot of 12 package stuff with 2 TEs, and the guy they want occupying that 2nd slot is Escobar. His task this off season was simple, get stronger. They wanted this so he can hold the point of attack, or lead block.His hands were never in question and last year late his determination also began to impress as he even went pinwheeling on dives to move the chains or score.
Kyle Orton was the backup plan for the last 2 years. He was waived to create cap room and former 1st round pick Brandon Weeden comes in on a bargain basement deal to be the backup QB. So far, he has looked pretty good in that role. The question in Dallas is will they keep 3 QBs? My answer is no, they will not. I think they will go heavy on the Defense to have as many rested guys as they can, and light on the Offense. I won't be shocked if Dustin Vaughan makes it on the Practice Squad. One guy recently reported that Caleb Hanie doesn't look like a 3rd QB option. That's encouraging but I think the numbers game still catches up to him.
Behind Murray and Dunbar there will likely be a fight for the 3rd RB slot between last year's Draft pick Joseph Randle and former high pick of the Cardinals Ryan Williams. Most people think Williams is a shoe in for that role. I actually am among that group. He has an injury History that is negative, but if healthy he is clearly a better RB option. He's faster, shiftier, and can carry the load if the primary guy goes down. Last year when Murray did go down Randle could not carry the load. Rookie UDFA Ben Malena is a possible Dunbar clone in the making. I expect him to be on the Practice Squad this year.
The key to the Cowboys WR corps this year, other than Beasley is size. 5th round pick Devin Street, the favorite to win the 4th slot is 6'5". Two other UDFA rookies are 6'3" and 6'4". Still two other veteran additions also hit the 6'3" area. Dez and Terrence and these tall backups give the Cowboys one of the biggest WR corps in the game right now. L'Damian Washington is a kid whose story has already touched the fans. He and his brothers are orphans who raised themselves. He is also bullet fast. Chris Boyd is a young rookie with incredible upside. He may force the Cowboys to make some hard choices at 6th WR. I think the 5th WR is obvious. That is Dwayne Harris, whose primary job is being the best Special Teams guy on the team. Not only was he among the top 5 in Kickoff and Punt Returns, he was a leading Special Teams tackler.
There's going to be an interesting battle for the 3rd TE spot. James Hanna has the inside track due to his speed, but he is a suspect blocker. Can Dallas Walker or Jordan Navjar out perform him in that role and take his spot? Dallas will not keep 4 TEs this year.
That brings me to the backup O-line. I purposely left out the starting LG for this team earlier. The reason is simple, right now I do not know who it is. If I had to guess right now I'd say it is Mackenzy Bernadeau due to Ronald Leary's injury. Dallas also brought in a seasoned veteran in Uche Nwaneri. These guys, along with Martin give the Cowboys Interior OL depth it hasn't seen in a very long time. In fact, it will not shock me if the Guard depth pushes Martin to his destiny at RT this year and makes Doug Free the swing backup tackle instead of a starter. I do not think that will happen, but it certainly is possible.
The Dallas Offense has to put the ball in the fairway deep. To do that they are going to have to eat up the clock with the run game. Control the tempo with their still very dangerous passing attack. Above all they are going to have to score. They need to be among the top 5 scoring teams in the NFL. They are certainly capable of that. In fact they were the 5th best scoring team in the NFL last year. On paper they are better on Offense this year. The problem was only 6 teams gave up more points than the Cowboys did. If they convert 3rd downs this year, and keep the chains moving by running the ball the way they need to, it's going to be a year to love for Cowboys fans.
I will close with mentioning the Special Teams. Dan Bailey has proven himself to be a steady scorer and a clutch kicker. If he keeps this up he's going to move into the top 5 in Cowboys History for scoring this year rather easily. As reliable as he is I'd rather see him kicking PATs than FGs because I want TDs. I think we all do.
It's time to break down the drive for the 2014 Dallas Cowboys, also known as the Offensive side of the ball. Last time I broke down the Defense. In keeping with the golf analogy the Defense is the short game. The Cowboys need the short game or Defense to be solid in order to go anywhere in 2014. Allow fewer points, make more stops. Those two things are the key to 2014. The reason for that is because the Cowboys long game is the Offense. They are the driver off the tee. How the Offense drives could very well determine if the short game even matters.
In 2013 the Cowboys were improved over the 2012 version. They bettered the 376 points of 2012 to 439 points. The problem was, they were at times erratic with the driver off the tee and didn't keep the ball in the fairway. In particular where the 2013 Cowboys failed despite the improvement in points scored was in 3rd down conversions. Let's look first at their 8 losses. The Cowboys faced 78 3rd downs in their 8 losses, just below 10 per game. The converted only 23 times. Right at 29% of the time. It was punctuated as a kick in the gut against the Saints where they failed convert a single 3rd down.
In the 8 wins they didn't do much better. They faced 3rd down 102 times and converted 40 times. If you are converting less than 40% on the season you're not getting the job done. Dallas didn't convert at that rate in their wins, much less the season. In fact there were only 3 games all seasons where they converted 50% or better and 2 of those were losses. On the season Dallas was 63 out of 180 for barely over 1/3 of the time getting the job done and the chains moving.
How does this happen when you have a QB who completes almost 64% of his passes on the year? Key drops by receivers, the QB forced to scramble by pressure, penalties nullifying a positive play and forcing longer 3rd downs, coming up short of the chains forcing 4th down, or turning the ball over are the ways to fail on 3rd down and Dallas tried each of them. Enter Scott Linehan to be the play caller.
No, I didn't just dump all of that on Bill Callahan. What I did was point to a signal caller who has a History of getting the football to his RBs using the short or screen passes to move the chains. Everyone in Cowboys country swears the team is going to run the ball more in 2014. I believe that, but I also believe they will get the ball to the RBs out of the backfield more than they have so that it open up the deep game.
Let's start at the top for any team, the QB. Tony Romo is the heart and soul of the Cowboys Offense, and maybe the whole team. He gutted out a horrendous back injury against the Commanders to give the Cowboys a win leading up to the final game. He promptly needed surgery and was gone for the year. As Tony goes, so go the Cowboys. If he keeps the drives in the fairway he will pick apart a Defense and leave nothing but bones. The Cowboys have to keep him healthy. To that end they did the smartest thing I think they could have in the 2014 Draft, they shored up the Offensive Line yet again.
In 2011 the Cowboys finally took an Offensive Lineman in the 1st round of the Draft. You had to go back 30 years to 1981 and Howard Richards to find when they had done that. Tyron Smith is the 3rd youngest player ever to start an NFL game. This is his 4th year in the NFL and he's still only 23 years old. He's also probably the best young LT in the game today. In 2013 the Cowboys again went OL in round 1, taking Travis Frederick at Center. This was a controversial move to many pundits as the Cowboys took a player many felt was not a 1st round quality pick. They were wrong, he was. Frederick became the anchor on the OL and the Cowboys under his play calls and some veteran mentoring by Brian Waters, began to turn into a solid unit.
In 2014 the Cowboys have again added to this already solid unit by selecting Zack Martin out of Notre Dame. Martin is a versatile player who can line up at all 5 positions. The Cowboys selected him as a Guard and plan to play him for now at RG. In the future he may move out to RT to take over for Doug Free. This selection has already given some to say the Cowboys have the best OL in the NFL. I can't say that yet. I still think the 49ers and Titans are better because Martin hasn't played an NFL down yet. But what the selection of Martin does is give the Cowboys depth and potential. Tony Romo should be safer. That is huge. Even bigger is that these guys should be able to open up some holes in the run game.
That's where DeMarco Murray comes in. Just about anyone with a lick of sense about football knows the Cowboys need Murray to win. He has been a key to winning. When they don't get him the ball enough, they lose. Murray had his best year in 2013 despite again missing some games with an injury. Late in the year when the Cowboys added a FB to their team he again set the tone. When he wasn't used, the Cowboys lost. Most notably in the 2nd half of the Green Bay game when they kept passing the ball and blew a huge lead. Everyone knows they should have given Murray the ball and let the clock be their ally instead of stopping the clock and giving Matt Flynn time to mount a comeback. That won't happen again the Cowboys vow.
To help Murray again lead this Offense to victory the Cowboys signed a sledgehammer rookie UDFA in J.C. Copeland. They gave him a weight goal to hit for Training Camp and he did. I've heard more Cowboys fans talking excitedly about seeing what he can do than almost any other rookie. The reason is really quite simple. When Murray has had a FB he plays well with, such as Tony Fiammetta or Tyler Clutts, he has hammered teams. When he had no FB, or Lawrence Vickers whom he was never on the same page with, he has struggled. If this rookie has the mojo with Murray and the improved big line in front Cowboys fans are starting to see visions of a run game like we remember from the good old days.
Of course, the calling card for Tony Romo has always been his ability to pass the ball. Dallas is not going to neglect that aspect of the Offense despite the commitment to the run. The reason is simple. His name is Dez Bryant and he just may be the best player on the Cowboys for the last 3 years. Dez is a beast. He is the X factor. He makes catches few can. He fights for yardage and scores. He wants to win more than anyone in silver and blue. Dare I say it, he is the playmaker part 2.
Dez came into the NFL a seriously misunderstood young man. He has blossomed into a mature, driven football star. There isn't anyone more exciting in the entire NFL when he has the ball than Dez. He is electric. At one time he had a lot of growing to do, as he ran simple routes, and had a limited role. Those days are gone. Now he lines up all over, even in the slot, and he can run any pattern better than ever. Then there are those hands. Some of the best ever to grab a football.
If Dez is the primary weapon for Tony Romo the secondary one is a guy who just may be the epitome of professional, Jason Witten. All Witten does is catch the ball, move the chains, and continue to be a guy the entire team can count on. He is double tough, playing through broken jaws and ruptured spleens in his already stellar career. If Dez is the fire for the team, Witten is the example. Work as hard as he does. Do it right every time. Don't pull up. Don't short arm anything. All out. That is what has made him great.
Last year a rookie out of Baylor came in and took the #2 receiver slot away from a long time staple at that spot. Terence Williams earned the right to man that spot this year, and Miles Austin, a very popular player with the team and fans was let go. It is expected of course that Williams, with the added role is going to improve on his very solid rookie year. If he does, good things can happen in the passing game because he and Tony have already built same rapport together.
So those are the starters who are tasked with getting the ball to the green. They aren't going to do it alone though. Let's talk for a minute about the most key backups. For me that list starts with the guy I think is the 3rd WR for this team. His name is Cole Beasley, and his precise route running and good hands make him a chains mover kind of guy. I think a key to Dallas improving on Offense in 2014 is getting him the ball more than last year. He is hard to cover, and does good things when he has his chances. Moving up from the #4 WR to the #3 is a good sign for Cowboys fans.
Next I'd have to say the importance comes to Lance Dunbar. The Cowboys need to get him his touches. Whether it is spelling Murray on runs, or in the passing game, in the open field his speed is hard for a Defense to deal with. If the Cowboys can get Dunbar 7 to 10 touches per game and still have Murray driving with 20 touches per game, they will be a nearly unstoppable Offense. This kid is that important to the overall success of the team.
Next up in importance is probably last year's 2nd round pick, TE Gavin Escobar. The Cowboys continue to want to run a lot of 12 package stuff with 2 TEs, and the guy they want occupying that 2nd slot is Escobar. His task this off season was simple, get stronger. They wanted this so he can hold the point of attack, or lead block.His hands were never in question and last year late his determination also began to impress as he even went pinwheeling on dives to move the chains or score.
Kyle Orton was the backup plan for the last 2 years. He was waived to create cap room and former 1st round pick Brandon Weeden comes in on a bargain basement deal to be the backup QB. So far, he has looked pretty good in that role. The question in Dallas is will they keep 3 QBs? My answer is no, they will not. I think they will go heavy on the Defense to have as many rested guys as they can, and light on the Offense. I won't be shocked if Dustin Vaughan makes it on the Practice Squad. One guy recently reported that Caleb Hanie doesn't look like a 3rd QB option. That's encouraging but I think the numbers game still catches up to him.
Behind Murray and Dunbar there will likely be a fight for the 3rd RB slot between last year's Draft pick Joseph Randle and former high pick of the Cardinals Ryan Williams. Most people think Williams is a shoe in for that role. I actually am among that group. He has an injury History that is negative, but if healthy he is clearly a better RB option. He's faster, shiftier, and can carry the load if the primary guy goes down. Last year when Murray did go down Randle could not carry the load. Rookie UDFA Ben Malena is a possible Dunbar clone in the making. I expect him to be on the Practice Squad this year.
The key to the Cowboys WR corps this year, other than Beasley is size. 5th round pick Devin Street, the favorite to win the 4th slot is 6'5". Two other UDFA rookies are 6'3" and 6'4". Still two other veteran additions also hit the 6'3" area. Dez and Terrence and these tall backups give the Cowboys one of the biggest WR corps in the game right now. L'Damian Washington is a kid whose story has already touched the fans. He and his brothers are orphans who raised themselves. He is also bullet fast. Chris Boyd is a young rookie with incredible upside. He may force the Cowboys to make some hard choices at 6th WR. I think the 5th WR is obvious. That is Dwayne Harris, whose primary job is being the best Special Teams guy on the team. Not only was he among the top 5 in Kickoff and Punt Returns, he was a leading Special Teams tackler.
There's going to be an interesting battle for the 3rd TE spot. James Hanna has the inside track due to his speed, but he is a suspect blocker. Can Dallas Walker or Jordan Navjar out perform him in that role and take his spot? Dallas will not keep 4 TEs this year.
That brings me to the backup O-line. I purposely left out the starting LG for this team earlier. The reason is simple, right now I do not know who it is. If I had to guess right now I'd say it is Mackenzy Bernadeau due to Ronald Leary's injury. Dallas also brought in a seasoned veteran in Uche Nwaneri. These guys, along with Martin give the Cowboys Interior OL depth it hasn't seen in a very long time. In fact, it will not shock me if the Guard depth pushes Martin to his destiny at RT this year and makes Doug Free the swing backup tackle instead of a starter. I do not think that will happen, but it certainly is possible.
The Dallas Offense has to put the ball in the fairway deep. To do that they are going to have to eat up the clock with the run game. Control the tempo with their still very dangerous passing attack. Above all they are going to have to score. They need to be among the top 5 scoring teams in the NFL. They are certainly capable of that. In fact they were the 5th best scoring team in the NFL last year. On paper they are better on Offense this year. The problem was only 6 teams gave up more points than the Cowboys did. If they convert 3rd downs this year, and keep the chains moving by running the ball the way they need to, it's going to be a year to love for Cowboys fans.
I will close with mentioning the Special Teams. Dan Bailey has proven himself to be a steady scorer and a clutch kicker. If he keeps this up he's going to move into the top 5 in Cowboys History for scoring this year rather easily. As reliable as he is I'd rather see him kicking PATs than FGs because I want TDs. I think we all do.
