Why we shouldn't devalue what got us there

[Yakuza Rich]

I think Garrett had been wanting to run more since the defense fell apart in 2010, but he didn't have the OL to do it. It's important that the third of the 1st-rounders (and Garrett's "ugly" runs comment) both came after 2013. And it's important that that third 1st-rounder was an All-Pro. All that, plus having an off-season in between 2013 and 2014 to take a step back and see how much the OL improved all must have played a part.

Parcells' Giants teams were always near the top in rushing attempts and near the bottom in rushing average, but they were good in short yardage. Aside from having a defense like the 80s Giants, that last part is what had been missing here even as late as 2013 -- the ability of the OL to impose its will on 3rd and 1 or at the goal line. The arrival of Martin was the tipping point. We always needed to run more and run better in obvious running situations, but we achieved the latter before we started doing the former.

I don't think Garrett ever had the desire to run the ball. Too much of an old QB's mentality where they see the potentially easy throw and don't see the hidden values of running the ball.

Remember, this team was down big time to the Niners in week 1 and still kept running the ball. Then they were down by 21 points to the Rams at St. Louis and continued to run the ball. So, I don't think short yardage efficiency played much of a role. Especially when we were not good in short yardage against the Eagles in the game that Garrett talked about having those 'ugly runs' and he alluded to how it keeps the defense off the field and keeps the opposing defense in check.

My guess....it was probably more of a Romo thing and trying to keep Romo healthy and upright than anything else. And when it worked against the Rams and we started to see the defense stay off the field and the benefits to that...that's how they decided to stick to the run.

As far as Parcells' teams go, one factor is that the game has changed since then. It's more of a league built to throw the ball and stop the pass. I don't think anybody would confuse the run defenses of today to be nearly as good as the run defenses of the 90's and 80's. So that creates a weakness that a team can exploit like the Cowboys did last season. D-Coordinators are still afraid of blitzing against a good running team because all the RB has to do is get behind the blitzers and it's a huge play. And if your defense is predicated on blitzing or guys that pin their ears back and get upfield and now they can't due to fear of making an easy big play...that completely changes your offense.

Personally, I just saw the second half of 2013's running game being excellent and Garrett had taken over the play calling and we inexcusably neglected the run. According to some reports, they had to force Romo to not audible out of run plays so much. Perhaps part of the 'ugly runs' point of emphasis. Either way, it comes down to the team not running the ball nearly enough and we paid the price for it.






YR

 

[AdamJT13]

Dallas was 26th in 3rd down attempts this past season yet we were 2nd in converting 3rd downs much of that is because running the ball kept us is manageable 3rd down situations.

We were second in converting third downs because we had an uncanny ability to convert no matter the distance -- we ranked near the top of the league whether it was third-and-short, third-and-medium or third-and-long. And Romo's 71.1 completion percentage on first and second downs had as much to do with having manageable third-down situations as running did. The teams that have the fewest average yards to go on third down are typically NOT running teams, they're teams with good quarterbacks and/or passing teams -- the Saints, Colts, Steelers and Falcons threw more than any other teams on first or second down last season, and they were all in the top five for fewest average yards to go on third downs.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I don't think Garrett ever had the desire to run the ball. Too much of an old QB's mentality where they see the potentially easy throw and don't see the hidden values of running the ball.

I get being stubborn and holding onto principles but this belief you should just let go. Not only did he directly contradict you, he has gone at length to explain his thinking and limitations running for building the OL. Drafting a LT is one thing but two interior OL?

To me it is obvious he was only able to do what he had wanted to do last year.

One person I think even less inclined to run then Garrett? Linehan. Garrett first learned to coach from Jimmy Johnson and Nick Saban afterall. They aren't exactly Bill Walsh or Don Coryell.

 

[Doomsday101]

We were second in converting third downs because we had an uncanny ability to convert no matter the distance -- we ranked near the top of the league whether it was third-and-short, third-and-medium or third-and-long. And Romo's 71.1 completion percentage on first and second downs had as much to do with having manageable third-down situations as running did. The teams that have the fewest average yards to go on third down are typically NOT running teams, they're teams with good quarterbacks and/or passing teams -- the Saints, Colts, Steelers and Falcons threw more than any other teams on first or second down last season, and they were all in the top five for fewest average yards to go on third downs.

We did covert long yardage as well but by and large most of is was not long yardage the running game kept Dallas is good situations. The run game was big for Dallas is accounted for much of the offense with Murray alone accounting for 40%. You can belittle the run all you want but the fact is when Dallas stopped being a pass happy team and started rushing the ball they won just as many of us predicted. We kept defense off balance and we moved the chains and in terms of points per game Dallas was 5th with 29 points per game. I have watched this franchise since 1965 and the one thing that has never failed them is when they are able to consistently run the ball they win does not matter the era and Dallas is not alone in terms of a strong running game being a central part of the offense.

 

[Oh_Canada]

Said it for weeks. We have to get it right.

Get the right back. Miss or ignore, we go right back to .500 purgatory.

I'm feeling quite conflicted, find myself agreeing far too much with you lately.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

I get being stubborn and holding onto principles but this belief you should just let go. Not only did he directly contradict you, he has gone at length to explain his thinking and limitations running for building the OL. Drafting a LT is one thing but two interior OL?

To me it is obvious he was only able to do what he had wanted to do last year.

One person I think even less inclined to run then Garrett? Linehan. Garrett first learned to coach from Jimmy Johnson and Nick Saban afterall. They aren't exactly Bill Walsh or Don Coryell.

It still doesn't explain our unwillingness to run the ball in the 2nd half of 2013. That's the main issue.

As far as Frederick goes, we BADLY needed a center. It didn't matter if we were going run the ball more or pass the ball more. We went thru 6 centers the year before and our penciled starter was Phil Costa. And today's defenses have so many A-gap blitzes and really crash down on the center, that you need a center that can read the blitzes and can sustain the defenders. We didn't have that with Gurode as he was terrible at pre-snap reads to the point where Kosier was making the line calls. And if you watched Gurode play specifically targeting his performance, he did things that were just downright bizarre. So, it was no small wonder Garrett wanted to get a new center.

But given how we didn't run the ball much at all in 2011, 2012 and 2013 and the numerous occasions we neglected the run when he was the O-Coordinator from 2007-2010 along with how well we ran the ball in the 2nd half of 2013 and still neglected the run...I can't believe that Garrett was into running the ball prior to last season.

So it doesn't have to do with being stubborn, I just don't see any evidence that he was into running the ball until this past season.






YR

 

[percyhoward]

It still doesn't explain our unwillingness to run the ball in the 2nd half of 2013.

Frederick had 8 games under his belt, Martin was still at Notre Dame, and we were only the 19th-best team in short yardage (61.5% conversion rate), with the 19th-highest average gain on 1st and 10 (4.04 ypr).

Put more simply, we weren't that good yet.

One year later, we were 1st (90.5%) and 1st (5.64 ypr).

 

[Alexander]

I think Garrett had been wanting to run more since the defense fell apart in 2010, but he didn't have the OL to do it.

And that is his own fault.

Instead of wasting time and money with Nate Livings/Bernadeau and spending a mint on corners, he could have easily attacked it.

During that time he was lusting after Tyler Eifert and the like.

 

[CT Dal Fan]

And that is his own fault.

Instead of wasting time and money with Nate Livings/Bernadeau and spending a mint on corners, he could have easily attacked it.

During that time he was lusting after Tyler Eifert and the like.

I agree with this assessment, except for the part about blaming Garrett. In 2010 he inherited an o-line with so many players close to the end (Flozell Adams, Andre Gurode, Marc Colombo, Kyle Kosier) that rebuilding it wasn't going to happen right away. Livings and Bernadeau were signed to be band-aids. Garrett and the rest of the brain trust deserve kudos for not stopping with just drafting Tyron Smith in 2011 and going for Frederick and Martin the past two years.

 

[Idgit]

I agree with this assessment, except for the part about blaming Garrett. In 2010 he inherited an o-line with so many players close to the end (Flozell Adams, Andre Gurode, Marc Colombo, Kyle Kosier) that rebuilding it wasn't going to happen right away. Livings and Bernadeau were signed to be band-aids. Garrett and the rest of the brain trust deserve kudos for not stopping with just drafting Tyron Smith in 2011 and going for Frederick and Martin the past two years.

What part are you agreeing with, then?

Not seeing all that much to complain about with our rebuild. We brought in useful vets on value contracts at positions of major need, and spent premium picks and premium cap dollars at positions where you have to spend those resources to get players at a sufficient skill level to outperform the bad guys. About the only complaint is that it took so long, but with no extra picks to work with an being cap-strapped, I'm not sure what anybody actually expected. There was a long road to hoe starting in 2010, and we hoe'd it.

 

[CT Dal Fan]

What part are you agreeing with, then?

Not seeing all that much to complain about with our rebuild. We brought in useful vets on value contracts at positions of major need, and spent premium picks and premium cap dollars at positions where you have to spend those resources to get players at a sufficient skill level to outperform the bad guys. About the only complaint is that it took so long, but with no extra picks to work with an being cap-strapped, I'm not sure what anybody actually expected. There was a long road to hoe starting in 2010, and we hoe'd it.

The spending a mint on corners statement I agree with. Tossing a ton of money at Brandon Carr and then basically mortgaging the 2012 draft on Claiborne a month later. Sorry, I forgot to mention that in that reply.

 

[percyhoward]

And that is his own fault.

Yeah, it's not like we couldn't all see it coming. In 2010, the Cowboys entered the season with the oldest offensive line in the NFL.

From 2008-2010, no team drafted fewer offensive linemen than the Cowboys.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

It still doesn't explain our unwillingness to run the ball in the 2nd half of 2013. That's the main issue.

As far as Frederick goes, we BADLY needed a center. It didn't matter if we were going run the ball more or pass the ball more. We went thru 6 centers the year before and our penciled starter was Phil Costa. And today's defenses have so many A-gap blitzes and really crash down on the center, that you need a center that can read the blitzes and can sustain the defenders. We didn't have that with Gurode as he was terrible at pre-snap reads to the point where Kosier was making the line calls. And if you watched Gurode play specifically targeting his performance, he did things that were just downright bizarre. So, it was no small wonder Garrett wanted to get a new center.

But given how we didn't run the ball much at all in 2011, 2012 and 2013 and the numerous occasions we neglected the run when he was the O-Coordinator from 2007-2010 along with how well we ran the ball in the 2nd half of 2013 and still neglected the run...I can't believe that Garrett was into running the ball prior to last season.

So it doesn't have to do with being stubborn, I just don't see any evidence that he was into running the ball until this past season.

YR

He used to say that they wanted to run the ball back then too. We haven't been able to get consistent push up until times in 2013 and finally 2014. We all watched Costa, Killer, Free, Livings and young players learning the position fail assignments in run blocks and be weak as heck at the poa. I was so used to terrible interior line play that I was fooled by Costa. Watching Martin is a revelation.

I do recall Garrett plenty of times try to establish the run in the first half and then completely abandon it in the second half for shotgun. If you want to say he panicked then fine but given how some of those guys like Bad Free and Livings were playing I really cannot blame him. Another one of Garrett's phrases is you have to live in reality.

About the only time I think you have a legitimate complaint is at the end of last year and even then there are plenty of other possibilities than Garrett has been lying to us and really didn't want to run the ball. You are arguing for a conclusion.

 

[JoeKing]

Well I don't believe there is a right or wrong here. Where they draft a RB has too many variables to say that we can use it to determine if they have a need. In fact we wont really know until the season is half way through if what moves they choose to make are even the right moves. Maybe they draft a back in the 4th round that runs wild on the league this year...Maybe they draft a back in the 1st round that doesn't transition well into the pro game and he sits the bench...We wont know how this plays out until its over. The draft has so many moving parts that Jones cant even say how they will come out of it. I believe they wont reach for any position out of desperation. That always fails.
We don't know how they cowboys have each player graded. They may want Buck Allen or another 2nd tier back the whole time and if they feel he will last until round 4 then they could pick up some other players that wont last that long.

What I do believe is we will have a RB on our roster this year that we drafted this year. The back we draft will take a roster spot and get carries. This makes it harder for either Randle or RW to make the team. Randle and RW are the same type of back. Dunbar is the third down scat back so I feel he will be relatively safe. So it will be Rookie, McFadden, Dunbar, and then whoever wins the battle of RW and Randle. This is keeping 4 backs on the active roster.

And I disagree and think they won't draft a RB at all. All 4 of our RBs will make the active team roster. The battle in training camp will be sorting out who is the starter and so forth. I think it will be McFadden, Williams, Dunbar and then Randle.

 

[big dog cowboy]

We have to think long term about our CB's. Mo and Carr could both be gone next year. Standing pat now could put us in a bind a year from now. It's much cheaper to draft CB's than go the FA route.