We struggled running and stopping the run, but did nothing to fix it!

Aerolithe_Lion

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Unfortunately, that's exactly how Jerry thinks. He has no comprehension of how to run a team/build a D/get a team that can succeed in the playoffs. Throwing a pick or two at key positions doesn't necessarily fix things.

What more can be done. Before I answer that, just remember that you asked:

1. Focus on DT in the draft. Which means frickin' quit drafting TE's high and often in the draft.
2. Quit drafting gazelles both for DT and for OL. R Doesn't matter how good your feet are if you can't stand your ground.
3. Read a book explaining to you what lateral agility/burst/instincts are and how they affect the player's ability to play at a high level.
4. Quit drafting/signing injured players. Although you may occasionally find a gem(Columbo, for instance), you'll waste the careers of many good players counting on the Jaylons and Edogas to suddenly be able to stay on the field.
5. Quit thinking a position is fixed just because you drafted someone there. DT is the most important position on D, and prolly the hardest to draft.
6. Quit signing JAGs(RB position) and thinking you've fixed it.
7. Do a better job at drafting OL's in the 3rd and later so you're not forced to draft them in the 1st. Other teams find starters later in the draft, get a guy in here who can do same.

Need more? Watch game/player tape to figure out solutions/player evaluations. Jerry does not.
I don’t disagree that there are better options out there, my point was to push against people insinuating the FO isn’t trying. “What more could he do” in reference to bases he hasn’t yet touched.

He did touch RB, he did touch Oline, he did touch interior Dline and interior LB corps and more run D-minded coaching. Jerry is absolutely trying to fix these specific issues, it’s just that the decisions may not be the strongest ones he could have made.
 

shabazz

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As usual I have little clue what you are talking about. The weakest starter on the OL was replaced. Steele should be back to his old form. So the OL will be better once Guyton has adjusted. The running scheme from last year was junked and a better one ready. Better TE blocked is expected. At RB we really don't know what we have. We should see Deuce and Luepke this year. Short yardage and 1st down specialist added. Getting another RB wouldn't be a surprise. Rumor mill saying it's possible.

On defense there will be a massive number of changes. New DC. Two draft picks from each of the last two drafts could and likely will get a lot of snaps on the DL. The LB corp has been remade with Overshown back, Kendricks and Wilson are vet adds and Liufau drafted and Clark switching sides.

There are lots of changes aimed at running and stopping the run this year. I guess you slept through this off season and missed all of those if you think the Cowboys "did nothing to fix it".
There's a lot of "ifs" with the thoughts you've shared.

When a team loses so many starters the surest and quickest way to replace them with players of the same level or better is to bring in blue chip free agents or hopefully a 1st round pick ( still waiting on Mazi, btw)

We hope our OL rookies will pan out
We hope Zims scheme and Kendricks will miraculously stop the run
We hope old Zeke and committee can replace or match pollards output.

In order to compete for a ring this team needed to UPGRADE the roster but at this point I see zero evidence that they've even maintained status quo.

9-8 or 8-9 ........ merely based on current evidence
 

gtb1943

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I think adding a bigger stronger presence in the middle of the offensive line will be huge. Guyton will not be as good in the run game as Tyron but Steele should be closer to his old self another year removed from the ACL injury, Zack will have an actual training camp, Tyler Smith will get another year stronger and more experienced and the cherry on top is we brought back the most physical runner maybe in Cowboys history. I think at least on that side of the ball we did plenty to address it.
I would say Marion Barber was the most physical RB we ever had
his problem was it was TOO physical and he quickly wore down
 

kskboys

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Sometimes effective runblocking can make lesser RBs effective.

We sucked at runblocking.
Like you said in a previous post to me, "can we at least run block well enough to not be met 6 yards in the backfield every run play?"

Wouldn't have mattered who the runner was if the oline is doing turnstile type run blocking.
Agree.

So, we got a double whammy last year. Poor run scheme, no starters at RB.
 

RonnieT24

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I would say Marion Barber was the most physical RB we ever had
his problem was it was TOO physical and he quickly wore down
I would not fight to vigorously if one made that argument. MBIII was a beast. I just think Zeke is a little bigger and stronger but again.. I aint fightin you too hard on this one! I'd take either of them in the red zone and in short yardage and feel good about my chances of converting.
 

NoLuv4Jerry

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1st round pick on a DT in 2023, multiple FA running backs, multiple future starting Olineman in the first 2 days of the draft, upping LB group with Kendricks, replacing boom-or-bust DC with old school DC

What more can be done
Signing Derrick Henry is what we should have done.

The money we are paying Trey Lance and Zeke could have been used for Henry
 

kskboys

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I don’t disagree that there are better options out there, my point was to push against people insinuating the FO isn’t trying. “What more could he do” in reference to bases he hasn’t yet touched.

He did touch RB, he did touch Oline, he did touch interior Dline and interior LB corps and more run D-minded coaching. Jerry is absolutely trying to fix these specific issues, it’s just that the decisions may not be the strongest ones he could have made.
I disagree that he's trying. Trying would be along the lines of getting people in here who understand NFL football and let them make the decisions. Insisting on a GM who is terrible at player evaluations and team building is the opposite of trying.
 

NoLuv4Jerry

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As usual I have little clue what you are talking about. The weakest starter on the OL was replaced. Steele should be back to his old form. So the OL will be better once Guyton has adjusted. The running scheme from last year was junked and a better one ready. Better TE blocked is expected. At RB we really don't know what we have. We should see Deuce and Luepke this year. Short yardage and 1st down specialist added. Getting another RB wouldn't be a surprise. Rumor mill saying it's possible.

On defense there will be a massive number of changes. New DC. Two draft picks from each of the last two drafts could and likely will get a lot of snaps on the DL. The LB corp has been remade with Overshown back, Kendricks and Wilson are vet adds and Liufau drafted and Clark switching sides.

There are lots of changes aimed at running and stopping the run this year. I guess you slept through this off season and missed all of those if you think the Cowboys "did nothing to fix it".
Things were done...but you did not do what a team that was 12 - 4 three straight years should have done to get over the hump. There is a whole lot of guys that have never played a down and/or played very little in the NFL that you are counting on. Which is fine if you are re-building. But our Head Coach, o-coordinator, d-coordinator, coaching staff, starting QB and the rest of the QB room are on 1 year deals...which does not suggest this is a re-building year.
 

RonnieT24

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Agree.

So, we got a double whammy last year. Poor run scheme, no starters at RB.
As bad as the scheme was last year, it was an improvement over the Moore/Philbin years. At least to the naked eye it appeared that they got rid of the "don't block the backside DE" draw play. I also think Solari's scheme was a nod back to the Hudson Houck days which favored an Emmitt style straight ahead one-cut runner. Pollard was not such a runner.. Zeke is and so is Dowdle. Freeman I don't really know.. have not watched him that much.
 

sbark

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You are forgetting "THE SNOW PLOW"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Presume you hint at Luepke

The drive he fumbled on, prior to that he had several 1st down runs
Announcers called it the Luepke drive

In the Dallas fuedal hierarchy caste system.... he then didnt get another carry all season.
 

RonnieT24

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Presume you hint at Luepke

The drive he fumbled on, prior to that he had several 1st down runs
Announcers called it the Luepke drive

In the Dallas fuedal hierarchy caste system.... he then didnt get another carry all season.
That's football man.. A rookie can't fumble in that situation. Remember Zeke's rookie year when he fumbled at a particularly inopportune time against the Ratscums in week two? They even sat HIS butt down for a while after that. And wasn't Luepke's fumble against the Dolphins in like the next to last game of the season? It's not like they froze him out for 8 weeks. He needs to do better ..
 

75boyz

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The idea that every young player on this team is going to show linear progression is extremely optimistic, but I hope you're right.

My big question is what about the running scheme has changed? Has there been any evidence that this? If anything it seems like they brought in players that are better fits for the existing scheme, but maybe I've missed something?
The same 3 stooges are running it. They didn't know how or what to use if man, outside zone or inside zone last year...
So what's changed with 2 new starters on the oline and a possibly washed RB and his committee?

Yeah,
put me down for lacking confidence in the McFraud, Schott and Solari braintrust coaching 'em up to run game competency. Much less run game effectiveness.

jmo
 

gimmesix

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What hope do we have to believe that this will somehow fix itself? Bringing back Zeke, bringing in Zim? Running back by committee, signing Kendricks? Yet I bet I'm Jerry's mind we're all in and on the bath to another Superbowl run, please give your thoughts
We did two things. First, we hired a defensive coordinator who cares more about stopping the run. That may come at the sacrifice of pressure and turnovers, which were Quinn's focus. Second, we signed running backs that are a better fit for what the run game coordinator and offensive line coach like to do, run an inside zone blocking scheme. It's hard to say how that will turn out because of the backs we signed, but Elliott and Freeman are both better fits for the scheme than Pollard.

Not saying we shouldn't have done more, but these are the things we've done.
 
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CowboysZone DIEHARD Fan
What hope do we have to believe that this will somehow fix itself? Bringing back Zeke, bringing in Zim? Running back by committee, signing Kendricks? Yet I bet I'm Jerry's mind we're all in and on the bath to another Superbowl run, please give your thoughts
Fixing the middle of the off line and having coherent blocking schemes is where the fix needs to start. They can get by with just that, adding a stud RB will make it better.
 

thunderpimp91

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The same 3 stooges are running it. They didn't know how or what to use if man, outside zone or inside zone last year...
So what's changed with 2 new starters on the oline and a possibly washed RB and his committee?

Yeah,
put me down for lacking confidence in the McFraud, Schott and Solari braintrust coaching 'em up to run game competency. Much less run game effectiveness.

jmo
Yeah I don't see anything changing schematically. I think they've doubled down on their existing scheme by bringing Zeke back to run it up the gut. Unless he turns the clock back a couple of years I don't see it ending well.
 

cald0d30s0

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You know, Thats always been the narrative with this team. I remember when i started watching the NFL the Cowboys had serious issues at safety and Jerry NEVER fixed the issue until 2021-2022. So yeah, they “kinda” try, but they don’t seem to care about some positions.
 

rambo2

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What hope do we have to believe that this will somehow fix itself? Bringing back Zeke, bringing in Zim? Running back by committee, signing Kendricks? Yet I bet I'm Jerry's mind we're all in and on the bath to another Superbowl run, please give your thoughts
Drafting those top linemen is nothing?
 
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