Two things that still baffle me

[817Gill]

Dude, we played bad teams. Now that we are back and playing good teams, these things are going to resurface. It never went away, the issue still exists and will be right in front of us for the remainder of the year.

You have no idea if it went away or not lol. All we know is they’ve been markedly better since the niners game.

Also, we are so much more aggressive than we were. Just watch those first few games and see that plays we were running down there. It looks different and the scoring percentage says so.

If you’re using the “we played bad teams argument” literally everything we do well can be questioned. We can go down a rabbit hole but the data says we’ve been better. So until we suck again I’ll assume we improved.

 

[Cowboyny]

Penalties and our RZ offense, especially inside the 10.

We got away with it last night but you can’t continue to make the dumb penalties we do in the postseason. The number of times we line up or jump offsides on 3rd down is comical at this point, for example.

The RZ offense is just weird. We could have dropped 50+ on them if we weren’t so feeble inside the 10. Is it Pollard? Who knows. On our first trip inside the 10, the ran him on first down and he had nowhere to go. Is it the OL? Maybe but it’s puzzling how you can’t muster and adequate RZ run game when you have Martin and Tyler and even a healthy Tyron. McCarthy? I have no idea.

What has hurt them is the negative plays down there, sacks/penalties, etc.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

Thinking a real RB solved seems misplaced when you watch some of these plays. Take our first play inside the RZ last night. It was Pollard to the left side. No RB scores there as the line got blown up.

I laughed when I watched that play too because I knew some folks on the forum would blame Pollard for that.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

I could be wrong but I get a sense we aren't attacking with the same sense of urgency. That and finding better mismatches.......I'd love to see the TE's more involved.

 

[Whirlwin]

The line is bad. It’s a huge problem.

They pass protect very well. They just can’t run block. There’s no synchronous.

 

[starfan1]

The Cowboys still can't run the ball. My goodness poor Pollard gets TFL or gains 1 or 2 yards right up the middle continuously. When the Cowboys run on 3rd and 1 it's easy to see they come up with a creative play because they know what will happen if they send Tony or Rico up the middle. The OL is doing a good job with pass protection. But the run game is subpar because there simply aren't holes for the RB's.

we need to upgrade center for sure in terms of run blocking he just isnt strong enough and our RT position is not as strong as it was last year preinjury. I do think Pollard isnt the same back either and it surprises me.

I wanted RB in draft so bad and i mean well before round 6 and the lttle gadget guy they drafted. Heck I was ok with the guy seattle got and ran against us last night. Id have much rather had a RB instead of the guy you like so much but I also wanted line. I will say he haslooked better as of recent

Oh well its gonna rear its head down the stretch you watch

 

[pitt33]

The OL isn’t getting a push, but also Pollard is just running to darkness a lot

Dowdle is better between the tackles than Pollard.

Dowdle would get 4 yards while Pollard gets 2.

 

[Nova]

Dowdle is better between the tackles than Pollard.

Dowdle would get 4 yards while Pollard gets 2.

Yeah when Dowdle encounters contact, he'll spin off and forward.

Pollard is covering up the ball and ducking his head down.

Granted, I'm glad he's protecting the football, but he's running like he's going to move the pile and he can't really

 

[CATCH17]

The line is bad. It’s a huge problem.

The run blocking is awful.

The pass blocking is not.

 

[CATCH17]

I laughed when I watched that play too because I knew some folks on the forum would blame Pollard for that.

People who can watch our run plays and blame Pollard are clueless.

 

[Ring6]

The run blocking is awful.

The pass blocking is not.

run blocking is dismal. and our O line is intact. Coaching?

 

[foofighters]

You have no idea if it went away or not lol. All we know is they’ve been markedly better since the niners game.

Also, we are so much more aggressive than we were. Just watch those first few games and see that plays we were running down there. It looks different and the scoring percentage says so.

If you’re using the “we played bad teams argument” literally everything we do well can be questioned. We can go down a rabbit hole but the data says we’ve been better. So until we suck again I’ll assume we improved.

oh my goodness. Ok. I am not saying our team has put the work in. It's obvious that our offense is better now than a few months ago. and yes, the Seahawks have a pretty good defense but the problem is still out there...RZ issues. With better teams, it's going to surface again.

 

[ChronicCowboy]

This is NOT a Super Bowl team unless they turn things around quickly with the penalties.

 

[Bobhaze]

The lining up offsides thing is just incredibly stupid. We lead the league in offsides penalties and it’s not even close. Going into last night’s game we had twice as many as any team in the league.

Big Mac and Quinn either aren’t addressing this or just don’t care enough to make it a priority. If this team wants to win playoff games that alone will kill them. Details matter.

Regarding the OL - I think the run blocking has been poor all season. And…Expecting a smallish RB like Pollard to be a power back who wears people down is not realistic. Pollard is best when paired with another back. He’s just not a feature back who gets 18-20 carries a game.

 

[Blackspider214]

Redzone offense comes down to the OL and the run game, especially the closer inside the redzone you get. Both of those are suspect for us.

 

[conner01]

Penalties and our RZ offense, especially inside the 10.

We got away with it last night but you can’t continue to make the dumb penalties we do in the postseason. The number of times we line up or jump offsides on 3rd down is comical at this point, for example.

The RZ offense is just weird. We could have dropped 50+ on them if we weren’t so feeble inside the 10. Is it Pollard? Who knows. On our first trip inside the 10, the ran him on first down and he had nowhere to go. Is it the OL? Maybe but it’s puzzling how you can’t muster and adequate RZ run game when you have Martin and Tyler and even a healthy Tyron. McCarthy? I have no idea.

Penalties is a big part of RZ offense

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Penalties and our RZ offense, especially inside the 10.

We got away with it last night but you can’t continue to make the dumb penalties we do in the postseason. The number of times we line up or jump offsides on 3rd down is comical at this point, for example.

The RZ offense is just weird. We could have dropped 50+ on them if we weren’t so feeble inside the 10. Is it Pollard? Who knows. On our first trip inside the 10, the ran him on first down and he had nowhere to go. Is it the OL? Maybe but it’s puzzling how you can’t muster and adequate RZ run game when you have Martin and Tyler and even a healthy Tyron. McCarthy? I have no idea.

I think MM had a couple of brain farts last night. inside the 10, and he didn't call a timeout when time is running out. that's his job. Carroll did it in first half. those are simple mental mistakes that need to be fixed.

and the pre-snap penalties. again, last night lining up with your hands over the line...easy 5 yards and free play. seriously...stop it.

and then the stupid call at the very end of the game, passing on third down, with Seattle out of timeouts. freaking just run it. we had success running in 4th quarter. run the clock. leave them one minute of time. instead they passed, yes I get the aggressive mentality, but there is also smart football. we left them 1:45 on the clock. that's too much time for a defense that had struggled all night. too risky

 

[john van brocklin]

Penalties and our RZ offense, especially inside the 10.

We got away with it last night but you can’t continue to make the dumb penalties we do in the postseason. The number of times we line up or jump offsides on 3rd down is comical at this point, for example.

The RZ offense is just weird. We could have dropped 50+ on them if we weren’t so feeble inside the 10. Is it Pollard? Who knows. On our first trip inside the 10, the ran him on first down and he had nowhere to go. Is it the OL? Maybe but it’s puzzling how you can’t muster and adequate RZ run game when you have Martin and Tyler and even a healthy Tyron. McCarthy? I have no idea.

It's a mystery wrapped in an enigma.
Whatever it is, it's gotta get figured out before the playoffs.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

The line is bad. It’s a huge problem.

this. steele struggled last night. he fooled everyone over the past couple of weeks, playing aginst weaker competition, but he was clearly the weak link last night just like Philly game. why aren't we helping him out, not sure!!!!!

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Redzone offense comes down to the OL and the run game, especially the closer inside the redzone you get. Both of those are suspect for us.

exactly, in that close, defense is bunched in. passing lanes are tight. OL and running game must be huge threats and we are not.