This offseason priority-fix the run game!

[RonnieT24]

I'll go with PFF over your selective observations.

Your choice but I don't put much stock in them at all. They have a bunch of "contractors" watching the game just like you and me and making guesses about assignments and such. They cannot possibly know ever player's assignment on every play so how the hell can they hand out grades? It's like a teacher asking a student assistant to grade tests but only letting him see the answers and not the questions..

 

[baltcowboy]

You take away both Cooper/Gallup, the offense will be average at best, especially now when they cannot run the football. I believe both Cooper/DLaw get extensions and they spread out their deals not playing at those high numbers for next season.

I am not talking about this years team. In 2022 there will be a draft and free agency. The Cowboys number 1 priority will be to improve the run game. The defense will be a legit top 5 unit. It is time to go back to ball control offense to beat these powerful offenses. I don’t think Kellen’s offense as constituted now can keep up. You have to be able to run the ball. Cooper is expendable.

 

[RonnieT24]

I am not talking about this years team. In 2022 there will be a draft and free agency. The Cowboys number 1 priority will be to improve the run game. The defense will be a legit top 5 unit. It is time to go back to ball control offense to beat these powerful offenses. I don’t think Kellen’s offense as constituted now can keep up. You have to be able to run the ball. Cooper is expendable.

Not hapnin with Moore calling the plays and frankly despite his lip service I have seen no evidence that McCarthy really values the run game either.. If he did he'd be standing next to Moore during these games when we run the ball 2 times in a half in a damn one score game and cussin him out. And if it's Dak audibling out of run plays he'd be cussin him out too. Moore needs to go at the end of this season.. I really hope someone hires him away.. because I am tired of these slow starts in every game because he's using the first 12-15 scripted plays to "figure stuff out" instead of attacking known weaknesses and matchup advantages. Every fan on this site knows heading into the games which DBs cannot cover our receivers one on one.. Yet can anyone name the last time we just went out and torched that matchup for an entire quarter and used it to jump out to a lead? Anybody? I will never get over the Thanksgiving game last year when Cooper was matched up one on one with Darby.. a guy he had multiple 200 yard games against when he was in Philly.. and we completely ignored that matchup until the second quarter.. Then we hit it for two or three big plays including an easy TD, then went right back to ignoring the matchup. It seems like Moore is too preoccupied with getting through all the PASS plays on his sheet to simply take advantage of matchup advantages when they are presented. And it is driving me to drink..

 

[McKDaddy]

I love how CZ’s ideas for “fixing” the offensive line usually involve getting rid of two hall of famers still playing at a pro bowl level.

like there’s a pro bowl oline tree growing at The Star

But they aren't playing like pro bowlers or all pros. They are getting voted based on name recognition.
I'm not saying either are "bad" but they are not the players they once were.
Smith can't stay on the field. He no longer has much trade value and his contract is friendly so keep him until you have a better option. But at least explore options like kicking him to the right side if that will allow you to get a better 5 on the field. And be actively looking for his replacement.
As I said in the original post, it's your last shot to potentially flip Martin for value. That's what the perennial champs do.
I'm not saying these things just for the sake of change. Change is needed and finding ways to work around the salary cap issue that has been created is just a reality of the coming off season.

 

[baltcowboy]

Not hapnin with Moore calling the plays and frankly despite his lip service I have seen no evidence that McCarthy really values the run game either.. If he did he'd be standing next to Moore during these games when we run the ball 2 times in a half in a damn one score game and cussin him out. And if it's Dak audibling out of run plays he'd be cussin him out too. Moore needs to go at the end of this season.. I really hope someone hires him away.. because I am tired of these slow starts in every game because he's using the first 12-15 scripted plays to "figure stuff out" instead of attacking known weaknesses and matchup advantages. Every fan on this site knows heading into the games which DBs cannot cover our receivers one on one.. Yet can anyone name the last time we just went out and torched that matchup for an entire quarter and used it to jump out to a lead? Anybody? I will never get over the Thanksgiving game last year when Cooper was matched up one on one with Darby.. a guy he had multiple 200 yard games against when he was in Philly.. and we completely ignored that matchup until the second quarter.. Then we hit it for two or three big plays including an easy TD, then went right back to ignoring the matchup. It seems like Moore is too preoccupied with getting through all the PASS plays on his sheet to simply take advantage of matchup advantages when they are presented. And it is driving me to drink..

I agree with you for the most part but we both left out the Jones factor. He wants the greatest show on turf. Unless the Cowboys could get the next Barry Saunders, this offense will continue to be pass first. My big issue is we can’t do anything until we replace the Conners at guard, Biadasz at center and Schultz as our blocking tight end.Teams are attacking these guys with formations and blitz packages.

 

[RonnieT24]

I agree with you for the most part but we both left out the Jones factor. He wants the greatest show on turf. Unless the Cowboys could get the next Barry Saunders, this offense will continue to be pass first. My big issue is we can’t do anything until we replace the Conners at guard, Biadasz at center and Schultz as our blocking tight end.Teams are attacking these guys with formations and blitz packages.

Indeed, those three are like the 6 foot 160 pound point guard in basketball.. As soon he steps on the floor teams go right at him on defense.. We need to upgrade those positions. I really think the answer at LG is Collins.. His size, strength and demeanor would be a huge upgrade over either of the Connors.. It might also help Biadasz to have another power player next to him. Steele has shown me enough at RT for me to believe he is serviceable there.. Maybe never an all pro but certainly above replacement level. And Schultz and blocking really don't belong in the same sentence. Dude is just bad at it and we need to stop running plays that ask him to block all pro DEs. It doesn't work..

 

[baltcowboy]

Indeed, those three are like the 6 foot 160 pound point guard in basketball.. As soon he steps on the floor teams go right at him on defense.. We need to upgrade those positions. I really think the answer at LG is Collins.. His size, strength and demeanor would be a huge upgrade over either of the Connors.. It might also help Biadasz to have another power player next to him. Steele has shown me enough at RT for me to believe he is serviceable there.. Maybe never an all pro but certainly above replacement level. And Schultz and blocking really don't belong in the same sentence. Dude is just bad at it and we need to stop running plays that ask him to block all pro DEs. It doesn't work..

I think they will improve the middle of the offensive line during the offseason similar to how we improved the defense this offseason. Hopefully we get lucky and like we did with Parsons. I could see a guard/center being undervalued in the mid 20s.

 

[glimmerman]

I think we need to invest some draft capital in OL. And probably need to think about replacing Philbin as OL coach.

We are stuck with Elliott so you can't really re-work the TB position. Elliott, Pollard and Clement (if you bring him back), is a nice trio if they get consistent run blocking.

I would replace O-Line coach now with one that is a power blocking coach. If Colombo is available I get him back. He could walk in and tell them to forget all this idiot taught you. Go back to what we know. The O-Line will be happy. And more aggressive. And he will bring discipline. I haven’t seen this O-Line play this sloppy since JG let our guy go and hired his buddy alexander who was fired at bye week and brought Colombo in with a someone else we brought out of retirement to help.

 

[CWR]

offseason hell, need to be this week into the playoffs.

the biggest issues with our run game aren't our RBs sorry,

1. Offensive line blocking and penalty's..
2. offensive line health, never the same lineup ie no consistency's
3. offensive line not suited for the run game
4. Kellen Moore is not a run game coordinator, has zero idea how to practice, insert, incorporate a run game into his pass happy tree.
5. open holes, our rbs will find this is a fact look at what happened when we did make the run priority during the 6 game win streak. at some point Moore, dak, and the offense on whole decided they wanted to throw 35times game because running was too hard ie defenses taking it away. quitters they are trying to go the easy route instead of practicing and emphasizing the run. they gave up.. it's fixable we are capable we saw it during the 6-game win streak and we need to to a lot like the eagles and 9ers decided just run until it becomes successful. IDC if it 2-3YPC at first just go this week in meaningless game and run 40 times 20 different formations experiment and try and find run rhythm. our PA and long pass has suffered from no run game.

lets be clear, its the OL 75% of the issues is in fact OL play and mistakes. they are drive killers' momentum killers and allow the defense to make us left-handed. Hard to play with one dimensional. that's a fact. weve seen the opposite in ravens and titans not being able to throw, its the same concept you cant be easy to defense, easy to take away half the offense and win big games against good opponents. we are a good team lost by 3 when we played horribly. THats actually a sign its fixable. 12 runs that it against team that struggled stopping the run? seriously shorthanded small DL, thats all you try? I Mean is MM not in Moores ear , that sad sickening and unacceptable.

we are about to be the 2020 Pittsburgh Steelers went from hot to not real fast and the most hollow 11-5 team in the league. we've became soft, mistake prone, and shown an winningest to fight to fix the run game.

basically, like a bad relationship, we are settling. wev accepted not running.

that Moore, the Ol, and overall, the attitude has become soft. they are allowing teams to dictate who we are.

fix it now not the offseason, NOW!!

we have perfect opportunity in meaningless game, outdoors in cold weather to just go work on the run game, dont care if its a bunch of 2-3 yard runs and 6 punts we need to just run all game and find something that works. dont care if it is using 4 Rbs finding out what Clements and Smith can also add to this.

maybe we leave a few WRs home for the playoffs and actually use FB and more Rbs..go make this happen.

The oline is without a doubt the worst position group on this team. It's not even close. I'd say TE as well because Schultz can't block anything, but I dont even see us trying other TEs.

 

[CWR]

I think they will improve the middle of the offensive line during the offseason similar to how we improved the defense this offseason. Hopefully we get lucky and like we did with Parsons. I could see a guard/center being undervalued in the mid 20s.

Perfect place to snatch them up.

 

[glimmerman]

The oline is without a doubt the worst position group on this team. It's not even close. I'd say TE as well because Schultz can't block anything, but I dont even see us trying other TEs.

Not saying Jarwin is any better but I wonder why he isn’t being used in 2 TE sets. I am sure someone is going to say Sprinkle is better..

 

[CWR]

Not saying Jarwin is any better but I wonder why he isn’t being used in 2 TE sets. I am sure someone is going to say Sprinkle is better..

He just got activated again I believe. Yes, give Sprinkle a shot, he can't be worse than Schultz.

 

[CowboyRoy]

He has been struggling too, rewatch the games. Yes, he has a high yards per carry due to a few long runs throughout the season.

A few long runs. Lol

he would have a few more if he got more Carrie’s.

 

[charron]

I agree. But I don't think you need to address rb in the draft. There is nothing that needs to be fixed other than the rbs getting healthy.

it's not just a RB issue anyway. Zeke isn't the same as his early years but he isn't the biggest issue, none of the backs can consistently get decent yards. Fix the scheme 1st then watch the RB production go up.

 

[blueblood70]

IDC if we had the entire Pro Bowl lineup of Offensive line players here that kellen moore would run the football with purpose..so anyone suggesting zeke , the OL, or any other changes would fix the run game, ummm not while moores here.

Not sure why MM is allowing this to have gone on so long while its obvious when we run efficiently, we win yet its went down hill since the bye and keeps getting worse..12 carries?!, thats it against a weaker run defense missing players

Kellen moore has systematically since 2019 taken the run game to nearly a joke level as where we sit..does the 6 game win streak not show Mike and Jerry and whomever else is watching that a run game is the key to balance and winning. Being one dimensional; is why we are struggling.

very easy to defense if you allow the defense to dictate what you do and that is whats going on.

 

[Cowboyny]

I am not talking about this years team. In 2022 there will be a draft and free agency. The Cowboys number 1 priority will be to improve the run game. The defense will be a legit top 5 unit. It is time to go back to ball control offense to beat these powerful offenses. I don’t think Kellen’s offense as constituted now can keep up. You have to be able to run the ball. Cooper is expendable.

MM is not the type of HC who wants to run a ball controlled offense. He wants a quick, striking, aggressive one. If Moore leaves and he takes over the playcalling, I would expect more of a west coast offense that he ran in GB.

 

[Cowboyny]

Interesting point. There was also a point in the season when Pollard had a significant chunk of his big runs off the jet sweep. I don't think that's the case now as we don't even seem to have that play in the play book but I remember reading something similar.. like if you took out the jet sweep runs he actually had a slightly lower average.. but that was before the long one against the Saints.. I think that one put him back over because it was straight from tailback.

Moore has to give Pollard more outside touches, he is a game breaker, especially in space. I have no idea why he isn't a bigger factor as a pass catcher.