Davison: Cowboys inexplicably go away from running Murray at goal line, OT

[Cotton]

Cowboys inexplicably go away from running Murray at goal line, OT
Posted Tuesday, Oct. 28, 20141 comments PrintReprintsMore Sharing ServicesShare

BY DREW DAVISON
ddavison@star-telegram.com

ARLINGTON — Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray continued his strong start to the season, turning in another 100-yard rushing game and passing the 1,000-yard mark through eight games this year.

But it was the times that Murray didn’t get the ball that posed more questions following the Cowboys’ 20-17 overtime loss to the Redskins.

The first sequence of events came in the third quarter when quarterback Tony Romo exited with an injury. As expected, the Cowboys handed it off to Murray on the first non-Romo snap and he broke off for a 51-yard run down to the Washington 6. He got the ball the next play, too, carrying it 3 yards.

However, needing only3 yards for a go-ahead score, the Cowboys opted to go away from the run. Backup quarterback Brandon Weeden went Dez Bryant’s way on second- and third-down and each pass fell incomplete.

The Cowboys were forced to settle for a game-tying field goal, but those calls didn’t bother Murray.

“It’s hard to run it with 10 guys on the line of scrimmage,” Murray said. “You could get a negative play or something bad would happen. [Play-caller Scott Linehan] called a good game. We were behind him.”

The more troubling series when they went away from Murray might have been in overtime. With the Cowboys trailing 20-17, Murray picked up eight yards on their first offensive play. That was his only rush, though, as the Cowboys threw it three straight times, including a 1-yard loss to Murray on second down.

“Whatever play is called, that’s what we believe in,” Murray said. “Scott does a great job of putting us in great position to make plays and they played it well. You’ve got to give those guys credit on the other side.”

Linehan explained going away from the run in those situations, saying: “We had a couple of two-minute drives. We had a longer two-minute drive, so you’re going to have some things like that. The way the game goes sometimes that happens. As we look at it, we certainly want to keep our balance as much as we can and be able to do both as effective as we did in the last six games.”

Murray finished the 141 rushing yards on 19 carries, his eighth straight 100-yard rushing game, extending his season-opening NFL record. He also added 80 receiving yards on four catches.

 

[Clay_Allison]

I'm glad we're not the only ones who see this.

 

[L.T. Fan]

I'm glad we're not the only ones who see this.

There were several times the game was won only to be sluffed away. Murray's fumble at the 10 was worth at least 3 and maybe 7. The other case in point outlined in the article could have been an additional 4. That's from 7 to 11 points left on the field.

 

[mcnuttz]

When the game is on the line, you damn sure don't want to run behind the cream of the NFL offensive line for those couple yards.

Nope, better to take your chance with a QB who was just rushed back onto the field by the ringmaster/owner.

 

[BipolarFuk]

The coaching was every bit as bad last night as it was last year.

RB averages 7.4 and you don't ride the guy to a win. They went full retard.

And seriously, is it too much to ask everyone's favorite WR, who is about to severely dent the salary cap, to step the fuck up, catch the ball, and destroy the coverage of a fucking rookie CB? If AZ puts Peterson on him the whole game, he might as well not show.

 

[DLK150]

Shoot, the whole backfield averaged over 6 per carry, it was maddening to see them get away from it when it was clearly what got you to 6-1, especially that last drive. OT playing for the win or at least tie is no time to get cute with play calling.

 

[dallen]

Hopefully this was a 1 night appearance of the 2013 Cowboys

 

[lostxn]

Shoot, the whole backfield averaged over 6 per carry, it was maddening to see them get away from it when it was clearly what got you to 6-1, especially that last drive. OT playing for the win or at least tie is no time to get cute with play calling.

What was maddening was how poorly we handled their blitz. If they are going to send the house we should have the receivers to make them pay dearly. Our WRs were getting punked out there.

 

[1bigfan13]

The radio shows that I listened to were all pretty much scratching their head as to why the Cowboys went away from the running game.

They were all saying the same stuff we've been complaining about.

How we've tried being a pass first team in the past and have failed, and how dumb it was for them to basically abandon the blueprint that earned them that 6-1 record.

It's so damn frustrating when everyone in the free world acknowledges that the Cowboys likely win the game if they stick with a run first attack instead of getting pass happy.

Especially with gimp Romo back there spazzing out, going into full blown panic attacks.

 

[Simpleton]

Yea, no excuse to start off the OT possession with an 8 yard run then back it up with 3 straight passes with a gimp QB. I also have no clue why we didn't use the screen game more against their all out blitzes, Murray had some huge catch and runs out of the backfield and I think it would've scared them out of the blitz.

 

[Cotton]

The radio shows that I listened to were all pretty much scratching their head as to why the Cowboys went away from the running game.

They were all saying the same stuff we've been complaining about.

How we've tried being a pass first team in the past and have failed, and how dumb it was for them to basically abandon the blueprint that earned them that 6-1 record.

It's so damn frustrating when everyone in the free world acknowledges that the Cowboys likely win the game if they stick with a run first attack instead of getting pass happy.

Especially with gimp Romo back there spazzing out, going into full blown panic attacks.

It's so damn frustrating because now that it has reared its ugly head again, we all have to be on pins and needles every single damn game now. Especially if/when we get to the playoffs.

 

[p1_]

The radio shows that I listened to were all pretty much scratching their head as to why the Cowboys went away from the running game.

They were all saying the same stuff we've been complaining about.

How we've tried being a pass first team in the past and have failed, and how dumb it was for them to basically abandon the blueprint that earned them that 6-1 record.

It's so damn frustrating when everyone in the free world acknowledges that the Cowboys likely win the game if they stick with a run first attack instead of getting pass happy.

Especially with gimp Romo back there spazzing out, going into full blown panic attacks.

One can only hope this is the conversation today at Valley Ranch.

 

[ravidubey]

Yea, no excuse to start off the OT possession with an 8 yard run then back it up with 3 straight passes with a gimp QB. I also have no clue why we didn't use the screen game more against their all out blitzes, Murray had some huge catch and runs out of the backfield and I think it would've scared them out of the blitz.

He'd have blown several of them up. I also don't know why Dallas doesn't try more cluster formations to help free up Dez Bryant and maybe create some separation for Terrance Williams.