The Great Running Back Debate

[jday]

Or, they're right that the OL really is the difference maker, and it turns out they made the shrewd decision in not extending Murray after running him into the ground last season.
We lost a great player and didn't really replace him (I don't count McFadden as a replacement for Murray. I think he's a role player). It's the story of the offseason to see how his backups do. The insurance we have is that we addressed the defense significantly, instead. Hopefully that really pays off because we had a lot of ground to make up.

I was all for letting Murray walk. I was never a big fan of him...as I said in the OP, it seemed to me he left alot of yards on the field and felt a back with better vision and overall speed would take the Cowboys to another level. The Cowboys clearly felt that they could plug and play just about anyone in the back field and find success. I disagree, but this is one of the few cases I would welcome being wrong about.

 

[Idgit]

I was all for letting Murray walk. I was never a big fan of him...as I said in the OP, it seemed to me he left alot of yards on the field and felt a back with better vision and overall speed would take the Cowboys to another level. The Cowboys clearly felt that they could plug and play just about anyone in the back field and find success. I disagree, but this is one of the few cases I would welcome being wrong about.

To be clear, I wanted them to address the RB position, too. Just not with a high pick. I guess we'll see if their gamble paid off or not soon enough.

 

[Idgit]

believe what you want to

I believe what my interpretation of the evidence suggests is likely the case. That's not necessarily what I want to believe. That's what hoping is for. But in this case, yes, I'm fairly confident my interpretation is more accurate than yours is because the available evidence is fairly significant.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I believe what my interpretation of the evidence suggests is likely the case. That's not necessarily what I want to believe. That's what hoping is for. But in this case, yes, I'm fairly confident my interpretation is more accurate than yours is because the available evidence is fairly significant.

In my view if the Cowboys wanted to pay $8 mil per season to a running back, they could of without spending a 1st round draft pick.

And being that they did not speaks volumes.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

McFadden may have been the superior athlete when he was drafted, but from what I've read/heard, he is a shell of his former self. I truly do hope I'm wrong on this, but I just can't see a guy who was leapfrogged on the depth chart twice last season as being a guy who can go get 1 to 2 yards you absolutely have to have.

We shall see. I personally think the hooplah over RB is so tired.

Like the Pats literally picked up a guy who was cut midseason and turned him into a battering ram. And their line, obviously, has nothing on ours.

 

[jday]

To be clear, I wanted them to address the RB position, too. Just not with a high pick. I guess we'll see if their gamble paid off or not soon enough.

Going into the draft, I understood that Gordon/Gurley would likely be taken before the Cowboys had an opportunity. But Coleman, seem to me to be the next best solution need to the above two. I was disappointed to see him taken, but I understood the Cowboy's moves up to that point. Hard to pass on Jones and Gregory. In hindsight, it would have been nice to see the Cowboys move up to get him instead of Chaz Green and the other OL, considering they now have La'el but I understand you can't ask the Cowboys to be smart and patient in building their team and then ask them to reverse course for a pet cat.

 

[jday]

We shall see. I personally think the hooplah over RB is so tired.

Like the Pats literally picked up a guy who was cut midseason and turned him into a battering ram. And their line, obviously, has nothing on ours.

Different team, different qb, different rb, different blocking scheme, different football idealogy, different HC, different situation all together.

In the paraphrased words of Matt Lauer, "that's not science, that's nonsense!"

 

[Idgit]

Going into the draft, I understood that Gordon/Gurley would likely be taken before the Cowboys had an opportunity. But Coleman, seem to me to be the next best solution need to the above two. I was disappointed to see him taken, but I understood the Cowboy's moves up to that point. Hard to pass on Jones and Gregory. In hindsight, it would have been nice to see the Cowboys move up to get him instead of Chaz Green and the other OL, considering they now have La'el but I understand you can't ask the Cowboys to be smart and patient in building their team and then ask them to reverse course for a pet cat.

Yep. I feel the exact same way. Given the compensatory picks we're likely to have next season, had we known about Collins in advance, I don't doubt we'd have traded up for a RB or a WR in that third round. But hindsight is 20/20 and at the time, we valued handicapping the OTs over adding a new RB. That alone ays something about how we're viewing the RB position, though.

 

[jday]

Yep. I feel the exact same way. Given the compensatory picks we're likely to have next season, had we known about Collins in advance, I don't doubt we'd have traded up for a RB or a WR in that third round. But hindsight is 20/20 and at the time, we valued handicapping the OTs over adding a new RB. That alone ays something about how we're viewing the RB position, though.

What's this we stuff?

I still view RB the same way.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

Different team, different qb, different rb, different blocking scheme, different football idealogy, different HC, different situation all together.

In the paraphrased words of Matt Lauer, "that's not science, that's nonsense!"

Oh so it's our system that requires a superstar rb?

That's just a dumb strawman argument.

 

[jday]

Oh so it's our system that requires a superstar rb?

That's just a dumb strawman argument.

I never said it requires a superstar. I don't view Demarco Murray as a superstar and thing's worked out pretty well in this system for him last year.

As for your assertion that my comment was a "dumb strawman argument":

 

[Toruk_Makto]

I never said it requires a superstar. I don't view Demarco Murray as a superstar and thing's worked out pretty well in this system for him last year.

As for your assertion that my comment was a "dumb strawman argument":

OK.

When we have a great running game with our current players come talk to me.

I'm simply over arguing this.

Look at xwalker's sig. Then get back with me.

 

[jday]

OK.

When we have a great running game with our current players come talk to me.

I'm simply over arguing this.

Look at xwalker's sig. Then get back with me.

Talk to you about what? The fact that you really don't know what a straw man argument is? Funny you should mention it, your response indicating I said we need a Super Star at rb is a perfect example of a straw man argument.

About xwalker sig? I'm afraid a picture of 1 play out of an entire season doesn't quite prove much. I will admit though in that one play the blocking was great. But for that 1 play though, I could probably produce 10 where the blocking was nowhere close to that good, were I so inclined...which I'm not so please don't ask.

Or about the potential of the Cowboys getting by on what they have? I acknowledge the Cowboys may just be smarter than the rest of the league, the media, the fans and the expert's. It wouldn't be the first time the Cowboys proved they knew something we don't. That's fair. But for now, I have my reservations.

 

[jnday]

I really don't question short yardage usage especially with Mcfadden and Murray being the same size.....oh and Mcfadden is the superior athlete.

. Exactly what has McFadden done in his pro career that makes you think he is even close to Murray in short yardage situations? He was not even the best RB on the Raider's roster. He signed with Dallas and now he has become a great RB? He has been a bust and will remain a bust until he actually stays healthy and produces.

 

[jnday]

Oh so it's our system that requires a superstar rb?

That's just a dumb strawman argument.

In the offense that the Cowboys run, yes, you do need a very good RB. They are a running team and that running game is the difference from being 8-8.

 

[Beast_from_East]

Where we will miss Murray is on the "dirty yards". As great as our offensive line is, there are sometimes when the defense just blocks up all the lanes and there is no hole. In that case, you have to lower your head and ram the pile to get those 2 or 3 yards needed for a first down to keep the drive alive. Yea, Murray looked terrible running in the open field, but he could lower his head and drive the pile forward better than anybody in the league just about.

That is where we are going to miss Murray............neither McFadden or Randle have the power to move the pile to get those 2 "dirty yards" needed for a first down.

 

[big dog cowboy]

In my view if the Cowboys wanted to pay $8 mil per season to a running back, they could of without spending a 1st round draft pick.

And being that they did not speaks volumes.

Seems pretty obvious to me as well.

 

[jday]

Cowboys arrogance. yeah, Demarco would half cost us but so do Romo et al. You ascept quality tou pay for quality -- at each vital position.
You guys are like Ceaser playing the lyre while Rome burns.
Let us admit letting Demarco go was colossal. McFadden is a mere player; his claim to fame is being let go by the Raiders. Randle. Dont make me like the rakish, heroic mans I am.

Things seem to be in place for a super bowl run. Escept for one and we better git a real running back soon or Romo will half to pass all day and Dez will be missing even more passes than usual.
Come to your senses men.

I know what your saying. Most of it, anyway. An understanding of context clues is very important when reading your contributions, gimme. And as I've said before, it helps if you use Foghorn Leghorn as your inner-voice when reading.

Nonsensical banter aside, I really am worried about rather or not the Cowboys did in fact make a colossal mistake by letting Murray walk. I did not want the Cowboys to extend Murray into his 30's though, and the Cowboys absolutely could not afford to pay him what he wanted from a cap-stand point. Finally, I thought the timing of his departure was perfect considering the bevy of talent this draft was seemingly brimming with. Everything made sense, up until day 3 of the draft. Since then, I have been completely lost in what the Cowboys were thinking. I understand Jones, the risk taken on Gregory, even the Wilson pick-up make sense. But to not address the RB position at all...only the regular season can answer my question(s) on that issue.

 

[DallasEast]

Even Timmy Smith can rush for over 200 yards in a Super Bowl.
~ Old NFL proverb ~​

 

[Toruk_Makto]

In the offense that the Cowboys run, yes, you do need a very good RB. They are a running team and that running game is the difference from being 8-8.

The running game is predicated on the line. Not the back. Remember Randle was more productive per carry.