Machota: Scott Linehan - Dallas Cowboys are going to lean more on DeMarco Murray

Cotton

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Scott Linehan: Dallas Cowboys are going to lean more on DeMarco Murray and the running game
By Jon Machota
jmachota@dallasnews.com

Scott Linehan is known for directing pass-heavy offenses. During his previous five seasons as Detroit’s offensive coordinator, no team threw the ball more. Over those 80 games, the Lions averaged 40.7 pass attempts per game, four more than the Dallas Cowboys averaged during that time.

So, it was somewhat surprising to hear the new Cowboys offensive play-caller talking on the radio about how Pro Bowl running back DeMarco Murray and the Dallas running game would be the team’s strength this season.

“Things that were done last year in the running game with DeMarco, the running style that was created here is really a good fit,” Linehan said recently on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM]. “That’s going to be our strength, being able to lean on that running game a little bit more than they have in the past.

“Obviously, with this offensive line, this is going to be something that’s going to help our passing game. The looks that Dez [Bryant] started to get as the year went on, people started giving him the attention that Calvin [Johnson] and Randy Moss would get as far as getting those double coverages. You need to have those other facets of your offense as far as your running game.”

The Cowboys averaged 21 rushing attempts per game last season. Only Atlanta handed the ball off less. Over the previous three seasons, no team has fewer rushing attempts than Dallas (22.8 attempts per game).

Linehan also mentioned how an increased emphasis on running the ball could lead to the Cowboys using a fullback more often than they did in 2013.

Four-year veteran Tyler Clutts is the only fullback on Dallas’ current roster. LSU fullback J.C. Copeland was one of 24 undrafted free agents signed Tuesday by the Cowboys. Copeland was considered one of the top blocking fullbacks in college football.

“The No. 1 goal, and I told Jason [Garrett] this when I came here, is to keep a lot of things the same,” Linehan said. “It’s a lot easier for the players to not have to change how they call things. To the naked eye, they’ll be similar.

“I just want to be an asset and bring some ideas that maybe haven’t been implemented that I can add to current things that were done well in the systems I’ve been around.

“Jason and I have a good background. … There are a lot of similarities. It’s just the language. I just basically made the commitment to transfer over what I’ve called things, the way people call things to keep it consistent for the players so they can step on the field and be ready to go from the get-go of OTAs.”
 

L.T. Fan

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Ha. I just posted on another thread this would likely happen. This is part of the plan to protect Romo.
 

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Rev

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Garrett has said several times that they need to be more balanced. Only to come out and pass the ball with a huge lead.
 

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Garrett has said several times that they need to be more balanced. Only to come out and pass the ball with a huge lead.
I think this will be mandated from you know who.
 

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Garrett has said several times that they need to be more balanced. Only to come out and pass the ball with a huge lead.
Yep, we have heard this many times before, and it never changes.
 

Cotton

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What's with the wait and see attitude.? :art
I don't think kinda wait and see is the same as yours. Mine is much more facetious.
 

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Our OL, if utilized properly, has the potential to be the type of dominant unit that can lift an otherwise generally mediocre team to 11 or 12 wins like Carolina's DL did last year.

Look at Carolina's roster last year, their WR's were shit, their TE's were shit, their RB's were shit, their OL was average to above average, their secondary was average and their LB's outside of Kuechly were average.

They basically rode their DL, one monster LB in Kuechly and a QB in Newton who is no better than Romo to a 12-4 record.

I believe that our OL can be a unit similar to that when combined with a monster like Dez and then guys like Witten, Murray, etc. Our defense will likely be average at best but if Lee can stay healthy I think it could be decent enough.

The main caveat of course is if the OL is utilized properly and I have exactly 0 confidence that the most pass-happy offensive staff in the league can pull that off.
 
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Clay_Allison

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Ha. I just posted on another thread this would likely happen. This is part of the plan to protect Romo.
I think this will be mandated from you know who.
I posted the same thing a couple of days ago, though I phrased it more as a hope than a prediction.

I think Jerry's attitude may have gone from "Romo = Manning" to "Protect 100 million dollar investment" and he may mandate more runs from on high.
 

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I posted the same thing a couple of days ago, though I phrased it more as a hope than a prediction.

I think Jerry's attitude may have gone from "Romo = Manning" to "Protect 100 million dollar investment" and he may mandate more runs from on high.
Yep.
 

Cotton

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I posted the same thing a couple of days ago, though I phrased it more as a hope than a prediction.

I think Jerry's attitude may have gone from "Romo = Manning" to "Protect 100 million dollar investment" and he may mandate more runs from on high.
I'm not buying it. He could have done that last year when Murray was averaging like 6 yards a carry and didn't.
 

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I'm not buying it. He could have done that last year when Murray was averaging like 6 yards a carry and didn't.
Romo wasn't injured then. He had one surgery but it wasn't debilitating.
 

Stars

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Romo can just change the play to a pass anyway. No way we run the ball more with this current coach and QB combination.
 

Simpleton

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I posted the same thing a couple of days ago, though I phrased it more as a hope than a prediction.

I think Jerry's attitude may have gone from "Romo = Manning" to "Protect 100 million dollar investment" and he may mandate more runs from on high.
Sadly that would probably make Jerry the most sane person in the team's power structure.
 

Clay_Allison

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I'm not buying it. He could have done that last year when Murray was averaging like 6 yards a carry and didn't.
Romo wasn't injured then. He had one surgery but it wasn't debilitating.
What LT said. Jerry probably didn't consider the cyst thing very serious. The surgery that ended Romo's season was for reals back surgery and Jerry should remember going down that road with Troy.
 
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