We will rush for 2500+ next year

[Jstopper]

It baffles me how some of you have short term memory. 2011 Murray missed games, 2012 Murray missed games, 2013 Murray missed games, 2014 contract year running behind best o-line in football Murray still broke his hand but played through it because of a contract year. So some of you are either delusional or blatantly ignoring the fact that Murray is just as "injury-prone" as McFadden and yet you guys wanted to break the bank on him, and curse our running game as if Murray was the savior of all. Well i let facts run me more than emotion and the fact is that McFadden has just as much of a chance to avoid injury and have a breakout year as your boy Murray. It's ridiculous I wasnt hearing anybody moaning over the possibility of missing Murray before the 2014 season. But as the great Phil Jackson once said, "Oh how quickly they forget"

 

[jnday]

I hope that wasn't directed my way. I was never a big fan of Murray.

 

[ShiningStar]

It baffles me how some of you have short term memory. 2011 Murray missed games, 2012 Murray missed games, 2013 Murray missed games, 2014 contract year running behind best o-line in football Murray still broke his hand but played through it because of a contract year. So some of you are either delusional or blatantly ignoring the fact that Murray is just as "injury-prone" as McFadden and yet you guys wanted to break the bank on him, and curse our running game as if Murray was the savior of all. Well i let facts run me more than emotion and the fact is that McFadden has just as much of a chance to avoid injury and have a breakout year as your boy Murray. It's ridiculous I wasnt hearing anybody moaning over the possibility of missing Murray before the 2014 season. But as the great Phil Jackson once said, "Oh how quickly they forget"

this is hard to argue. and im not going to , just such a good post i wnated to comment a little on it.

What i want to see more or expect the train of thought is, we hve no clear number 1 RB, just a rb working that day. Let me explain. you can label McFadden our number 1, but lets say hes injuried, now Randle or Williams is our number 1. than they are hurt, if McFadden cant make it, sad but Dunbar is our number, he gets hurt or is not that good, we just plug in another RB. Where last year we ran Murray/ Murray Murray Murray, (marsha marsha marsha) had to go there. This year will be whoever is there. No clear guy, no solid number 1. just whoever is playing good, healthy and pretty much can say "present" thats our rb. I think we will let the year dictate our rb.

 

[RonSpringsdaman20]

Let me start by saying I appreciate your optimism.

And the cow jumped over the moon.

or jaws in Wisconsin?

 

[Brooksey]

That's why I can see them mixing in a little more passing–especially on first down where the team became way too predictable– and that would be because of the improvement of the youngsters on the offensive line in their pass-blocking assignments.

To get 2,500 yards at a 4.2 per carry average the team would need to have 37 attempts per game. Last year they did 34 attempts per game. I can't see them increasing the attempts per game by 10%, especially with what they currently have at running back... I don't see any of the guys back there being someone you're going to give 24 carries per game to like Murray last season. Nor is it a good long-term strategy for the player's health to give them that many carries.

Running on first down was predictable by design, thats what you dont get. They didnt care if they knew it was coming. This was one of the reasons our running game was so succeesful last year. Besides establishling clock control and the line of scrimmage, it really opens up play action on first down later in the game and in the following weeks.

 

[gimmesix]

The Patriots won the Super Bowl rushing for 1,727 yards with the highest total on the team for one individual being 412 yards. The important thing for The Cowboys is to be able to run when we have to, as in keeping a defense honest, running out a clock, when an opponent is vulnerable against the spot, and short yardage situations. We may not have an elite running back on the roster, but we don't need one for the run game to be a threat.

The Patriots also averaged 3.9 YPC, which is more what I think we can expect from this stable of backs.

 

[Jstopper]

The Patriots also averaged 3.9 YPC, which is more what I think we can expect from this stable of backs.

There is no way in hell that we average less than 3.9 YPC. Idc if it was YOU thats running behind this line.

 

[gimmesix]

There is no way in hell that we average less than 3.9 YPC. Idc if it was YOU thats running behind this line.

That you, Jerry?

 

[wileedog]

It baffles me how some of you have short term memory. 2011 Murray missed games, 2012 Murray missed games, 2013 Murray missed games, 2014 contract year running behind best o-line in football Murray still broke his hand but played through it because of a contract year. So some of you are either delusional or blatantly ignoring the fact that Murray is just as "injury-prone" as McFadden and yet you guys wanted to break the bank on him, and curse our running game as if Murray was the savior of all. Well i let facts run me more than emotion and the fact is that McFadden has just as much of a chance to avoid injury and have a breakout year as your boy Murray. It's ridiculous I wasnt hearing anybody moaning over the possibility of missing Murray before the 2014 season. But as the great Phil Jackson once said, "Oh how quickly they forget"

No one cares about Murray. I was glad to see him go, he wasn't going to do last season again even if he stayed with us.

The issue is that he hasn't been adequately replaced. Everyone keeps saying the line, the line, but they got stuffed a few times against good defenses last year with Murray at his best. We play some pretty good defenses next year who are going to be able to stand up to this line. We're not going to road-grade everyone and the RBs are going to have to make some things happen on their own, particularly if we make the post-season.

What Murray did best year was get Garrett's "dirty yards" keeping us in manageable 3rd down situations. McFadden has never been that kind of back and neither Randall or Williams strike me as one either. We may get some of those homeruns that Murray left on the field last year, but we may not be nearly as consistent on offense without him.

 

[Tabascocat]

That you, Jerry?

That line never gets old

 

[Jstopper]

That you, Jerry?

"Jerry" must be latin for common sense

 

[MichaelWinicki]

It baffles me how some of you have short term memory. 2011 Murray missed games, 2012 Murray missed games, 2013 Murray missed games, 2014 contract year running behind best o-line in football Murray still broke his hand but played through it because of a contract year. So some of you are either delusional or blatantly ignoring the fact that Murray is just as "injury-prone" as McFadden and yet you guys wanted to break the bank on him, and curse our running game as if Murray was the savior of all. Well i let facts run me more than emotion and the fact is that McFadden has just as much of a chance to avoid injury and have a breakout year as your boy Murray. It's ridiculous I wasnt hearing anybody moaning over the possibility of missing Murray before the 2014 season. But as the great Phil Jackson once said, "Oh how quickly they forget"

Correct.

Murray has become the "Lou Gehrig" of running backs.

 

[Jstopper]

No one cares about Murray. I was glad to see him go, he wasn't going to do last season again even if he stayed with us.

The issue is that he hasn't been adequately replaced. Everyone keeps saying the line, the line, but they got stuffed a few times against good defenses last year with Murray at his best. We play some pretty good defenses next year who are going to be able to stand up to this line. We're not going to road-grade everyone and the RBs are going to have to make some things happen on their own, particularly if we make the post-season.

What Murray did best year was get Garrett's "dirty yards" keeping us in manageable 3rd down situations. McFadden has never been that kind of back and neither Randall or Williams strike me as one either. We may get some of those homeruns that Murray left on the field last year, but we may not be nearly as consistent on offense without him.

That very well may be true. But we have gone from a 6.0 to a 9.0 on the defensive side. So while we may miss some of his consistence offense without him, we are gonna be stopping people a lot more than we were before as well.

 

[jnday]

"Jerry" must be latin for common sense

This line is very good, but this team and fans have become arrogant and believe any RB can gain big yardage behind it. A good line is not the only part of a great running game. It takes a very good RB as well. Any JAG is not going to get the job done.

 

[wileedog]

That very well may be true. But we have gone from a 6.0 to a 9.0 on the defensive side. So while we may miss some of his consistence offense without him, we are gonna be stopping people a lot more than we were before as well.

I understand that. But if we could have either covered our bases better before the draft with a more proven vet or gotten creative somehow in the third instead of taking Chaz (yeah I know, easier said than done) I would feel a whole lot better about the situation. I really think a lot of people - the FO included - have really bought into this line is going to just mangle everyone theory, but it's the NFL. The other teams have good players too.

 

[jnday]

That very well may be true. But we have gone from a 6.0 to a 9.0 on the defensive side. So while we may miss some of his consistence offense without him, we are gonna be stopping people a lot more than we were before as well.

Well, Hardy is an upgrade when he gets to play. Are you counting on rookies playing at an all-pro level? I don't see the immediate impact. You are counting your chickens before they hatch. Rookies are not going to do much in their first year.

 

[gimmesix]

"Jerry" must be latin for common sense

Common sense says if you replace a back who has averaged 4.1, 5.1 and 4.7 YPC the last three years with one who has averaged 3.4, 3.6 and 3.4, your YPC is going to go down.

People who want to say the line makes all the difference need to look at the line we had three years ago when Murray still averaged more than a half-yard per carry better than McFadden.

I always hope for the best with my team, but I don't ignore the facts. Maybe McFadden suddenly becomes the 5.0 back he was for two of his seven years in the league instead of the 3.5 back he has been for five. Maybe Randle can carry a full load without his average dropping off dramatically like happens when a lot of backup RBs become the starter. Maybe Williams can just stay healthy, but even then he's only averaged 2.8 YPC when he's played.

 

[Beast_from_East]

Umm. No.

Don't see it without a "running" QB.

And it's not necessary, given the other weapons on offense.

Last season they rushed for 2,300 yards.

This year I think they stay right around 2,000 yards while the passing game garners a couple more attempts here & there.

30 rushing attempts per game... 4.2 ypc average... 2,016 yards on the season.

That I can see.

So McFadden, Randle, Williams, and Dunbar are going to all tag team for over 2000 yards?

 

[Beast_from_East]

I don't think so. Not with this core group of runningbacks. Two of them, Mcfadden and Williams are damaged goods. Randle is not a workhorse and Dunbar is nothing more than a situational player.

Thats a pretty pathetic group to entrust with the best blocking oline in the NFL. We could and should have done better then this during the draft. But we didn't. So no, we won't be gaining more than what we had last year.

Agreed

I cannot believe the level of disrespect Murray is getting around here................To think a bunch of scrubs like McFadden, Randle, Williams, and Dunbar are going to come anywhere close to the level of production Murray gave us is laughable.

 

[ConstantReboot]

It baffles me how some of you have short term memory. 2011 Murray missed games, 2012 Murray missed games, 2013 Murray missed games, 2014 contract year running behind best o-line in football Murray still broke his hand but played through it because of a contract year. So some of you are either delusional or blatantly ignoring the fact that Murray is just as "injury-prone" as McFadden and yet you guys wanted to break the bank on him, and curse our running game as if Murray was the savior of all. Well i let facts run me more than emotion and the fact is that McFadden has just as much of a chance to avoid injury and have a breakout year as your boy Murray. It's ridiculous I wasnt hearing anybody moaning over the possibility of missing Murray before the 2014 season. But as the great Phil Jackson once said, "Oh how quickly they forget"

I would not have broken the bank on Murray but I would trust him and his 5 yards per. carry average over a washed up McFadden. I'm actually surprised that the Cowboys are putting a lot of faith in McFadden and that they should be more rational and at least bring in other runningbacks to compete for the job.

This McFadden or bust ideology is foolish. If it fails there is no one to blame but Jerry.