What is wrong with our running game!

[Smith22]

I wish I knew. 3.5 per carry isn't going to get it done though if we want to be a playoff team. I think it's a mix of Jones not finding a groove, the run blocking not being up to par and defenses are focusing on stopping him this year as opposed to last year when he was a rookie.

 

[blindzebra]

I wish I knew. 3.5 per carry isn't going to get it done though if we want to be a playoff team. I think it's a mix of Jones not finding a groove, the run blocking not being up to par and defenses are focusing on stopping him this year as opposed to last year when he was a rookie.

He's also had 3 carries that went for about 50 yards that got wiped out by penalties.

Without the penalties he's at 4.0 YPC.

 

[Cowboy4ever]

I think everyone is over reacting. JJ looks fine to me. Last year, he was basically running for his life. He got the ball and wham,, just run forest, run. This year, he knows his OL is much better. He is picking his holes better and when he gets a crack, i have seen him explode thru it for the 6-8 yds. I think he is trying to become more of an "Emmit" type back than say an LT type back. And what is all this stuff about him catching better out the back field. I have watched all 3 games and i don't remember him dropping a pass yet. I might have just missed one or something but he seems to be doing fine when the ball is thrown to him and is catchable. Also, if you look back to last year,, he was getting 25-35 carries a game, I bet this year, its closer to 21-23 a game. He has out performed both LT and Portis so far. He is not slower or less explosive, just more patient, which may be costing him some yards at times, but I have seen the exploviness when he needs it.

 

[Smith22]

Also, if you look back to last year,, he was getting 25-35 carries a game, I bet this year, its closer to 21-23 a game. He has out performed both LT and Portis so far. He is not slower or less explosive, just more patient, which may be costing him some yards at times, but I have seen the exploviness when he needs it.

24.6 carries a game. Only C. Williams has averaged more in the NFC. Add in his catches and you can see why BP wants to rest him a bit more.

 

[ratpower]

Doesnt it seem that J.Jones is running more cautiously with the ball trying not to fumble instead of just going through the hole. BTW i'm new to the forums and its koo to talk about America's team with all the fellow Cowboys fans

welcome to the zone...

JJ needs a few more blows and the O-line should provide a few more holes but JJ is the real deal and will be fine, especially if our passing game continues to open it up...

 

[Doomsdayblitz]

Teams are loading up on the run. Bledsoe is starting to make them pay. If that continues JJ will be free again.....

Remember in JJ's burst last year we were under .500 -

He's going to get his 1500 yards - no worry here and the Al Johnson bashing is funny! He's now getting 100?% snaps. Gurode fans deal with that! Its over.

Finally, someone gets it! I would love it, though, if we could get to the point where we make teams pay for loading up on the run...with the RUN! Emmitt did it consistently. Course, he had a better line, too.
We need to run the ball regardless of what the defense is doing. This lets the line know the coach has faith they can get the job done. Offensive linemen love to run the ball. Once they see the coach will not stop until the run is effective, they become determined to get it done. That way, they won't have to pass block as often, and they can do what they love to do....hit people in the mouth.

 

[MinnesotaCowboy]

It is very obvious that all the teams, so for, are definitely setting up their defenses to stop the run. As long as we win the games with our passing who cares? Let's not panic just yet.........JJ will be fine as time goes by. As soon as the defensive coordinators realize that Bledsoe can beat them with his throws they will go back to their standard defenses and JJ will be the beneficiary of such tactics. Just remember.......we will always take an ugly win rather than a loss with great running stats!

 

[DBoys]

It's called 8 men in the box.

 

[Dallas4ever]

It's called 8 men in the box.

Plus two new offensive lineman in the group with one being a rookie. Let's give the line a little time to gel. Keep in mind that a runningback has to have a feel for what his lineman are gonna do. JJ has ran pretty well with everything considered.

 

[AbeBeta]

Wow. Fickle fantasy football lovers. Why has Drew been so effective? Because teams are trying to take the run away. Every team we have played has planned a D around taking Julius out of the game. 93, 81, and 85 yards. Those are tough yards against teams stacked against the run. Those performances make it clear that even if you stack 8 in the box, Julius is still going to get some yards.

That safety who is in the box - he's not covering Glenn and Drew is making teams pay for it.

 

[JonJon]

Wow. Fickle fantasy football lovers. Why has Drew been so effective? Because teams are trying to take the run away. Every team we have played has planned a D around taking Julius out of the game. 93, 81, and 85 yards. Those are tough yards against teams stacked against the run. Those performances make it clear that even if you stack 8 in the box, Julius is still going to get some yards.

That safety who is in the box - he's not covering Glenn and Drew is making teams pay for it.

Excactly. You beat me to it. Just go back and watch the games, folks. I am sure you can still find Calico's videos on here. Jones is hitting the hole stronger now, and is tougher to bring down now that he has more bulk. If you don't trust mt opinion, just re-watch the 49ers game; he was hittin the holes that he had hard and made some quick burst up the middle. He would have had 100 yards if we were not playing from behind.

Don't worry...just wait until our WRs are full strength and Bledsoe really starts to click with our weapons (He already knows Glenn, is learning Keyshawn and Crayton pretty well, is starting to discover Witten, and price still has not "played" yet. So just wait until teams can no longer stack 8 in the box, which is going to happen pretty soon.

 

[percyhoward]

Even with defenses gearing to stop him, Julius is still average more ypc than those defenses give up on average.

WAS 2.8 (Julius 3.7)
SD 3.6 (Julius 3.6)
SF 3.7 (Julius 3.3)

AVG 3.4 (Julius 3.5)

I agree that as D's start to pay more attention to our passing game, and we play some weaker run defenses (AZ, Det, KC, the Giants twice), then Julius´numbers will go up.

 

[phdefense]

What is wrong with our running game?

So far every game we have faced a team that allows less than four yards a carry and the trend will continue for the next 2 weeks.