TLH: What Happened to the Dallas Cowboys Run Game?

[NeonDeion21]

The Cowboys are one of the NFL’s worst rushing offenses, averaging only 75 yards on the ground per game. But recently, Dallas' rushing attack has been absolutely awful. They totaled just 98 rushing yards in the last two outings. Yet somehow, the Cowboys were able to beat the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday and should have won last week if not for a last second touchdown drive by the Detroit Lions. The team is having success abandoning the run, but should they keep doing so?

Too often people look at the stats after the game and see that the Cowboys ran the ball only 9 times for 36 yards and conclude that the Cowboys abandoned their running game because they just love to throw the ball. But in all reality, they couldn't run the ball successfully at all and gave up on the run because it didn't work early in the game. I believe that the coaching staff got startled when a few early running plays lost yardage. Here’s what I mean;

Here are the 9 rushes that the Dallas Cowboys had on Sunday:

1. 1st and 10 from DAL 21: DeMarco Murray runs for - 2 yards.
2. 1st and 10 from DAL 47: DeMarco Murray runs for a gain of 27 yards.
3. 2nd and 10 from MIN 26: Joseph Randle runs for a gain of 3 yards.
4. 1st and 10 from DAL 20: Lance Dunbar runs for -3 yards.
5. 3rd and 1 from 50: DeMarco Murray runs for 6 yards.
6. 2nd and 5 from DAL 31: Lance Dunbar runs for 2 yards.
7. 3rd and 1 from DAL 29: DeMarco Murray runs for no gain.
8. 3rd and 6 from MIN 37: Tony Romo runs for a gain of 8 yards.
9. 2nd and 10 from MIN 29: Lance Dunbar runs for -5 yards

Read the rest at: http://thelandryhat.com/2013/11/05/30179/

 

[visionary]

too often it is also the same people finding "new" excuses for why not to run the ball

give these same personnel to jim harbaugh or coughlin and be "startled" by finding that the team suddenly is able to run the ball

 

[pugilist]

"if you suck at running the ball, you suck at running the ball."

we are just too predictable on offense when it comes to running the ball, how can Callahan and Garrett not correct this? It's just mindboggling to me. Teams are obviously picking up on tendencies / formations on certain down and distances and destroying the run game.

 

[pugilist]

"if you suck at running the ball, you suck at running the ball."

we are just too predictable on offense when it comes to running the ball, how can Callahan and Garrett not correct this? It's just mindboggling to me. Teams are obviously picking up on tendencies / formations on certain down and distances and destroying the run game.

edit: actually screw it, i just don't care anymore. we're just not going to be a dynamic running team let alone a balanced team

just win, i don't care how you do it

 

[Doomsday101]

6 carries 3 yards or less, 3 negitive yardage and 3 carries over 3 yards one being the nimble footed Romo. No doubt I would have liked Dallas to run more than 9 times but sorry 9 runs and majority of those runs were poor results.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Well, on the Dunbar carries, the comment was made that the plays he is given, out of certain formations are so small that anytime he has the ball, the Defense knows where he is going with it. Don't know if that's true or not but if it is, that's a big part of the problem right there.

 

[xwalker]

I think for this season the Cowboys are over 80% pass if in shotgun and over 80% run if Romo is under Center.

 

[dragon_mikal]

This team will never have balance on offense while Garrett is HC. Just isn't his philosophy and it certainly isn't Callahan's.