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A confusing tale about the Cowboys' running game
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas -- Last season the Dallas Cowboys set their identity with their running game.
DeMarco Murray led the NFL in rushing with 1,845 yards. Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick and Zack Martin went to the Pro Bowl.
How well is the offensive line run blocking this season?
“We’re not running the ball as well as we did last year,” coach Jason Garrett said. “It’s a collaborative effort.”
Nothing about the Cowboys’ offense has gone as planned this season. Start with Tony Romo's twice-broken left collarbone and then go to Dez Bryant missing five games with a broken foot. The ineffective quarterback play in place of Romo has not helped, either.
The Cowboys are averaging 17.7 points per game, which is 30th in the league. They are averaging 325.6 yards per game, which is 28th. They are averaging 207.5 yards per game through the air, which is 29th.
So what do the Cowboys hang their hat on offensively?
“Well, I do think we’ve run the ball fairly well this year,” Garrett said. “I think we’re probably in the top third in the league running the football.”
If you’re slightly confused by Garrett’s quotes, the answers came within three minutes of each other.
The Cowboys haven’t run the ball as well as they did last year, but the best thing they've done this year is run the ball.
Both statements are true.
The Cowboys finished second in the NFL in rushing last season. They are averaging 118.2 yards per game on the ground this season, which is 11th-best in the league. With 1,536 yards on the ground, they are on pace for 1,890, which would be the third-best total since Garrett arrived as play-caller in 2007.
Their league ranking is poised to be the second-best since Garrett became head coach midway through 2010. In 2012 and ’13, the Cowboys had the 31st- and 24th-ranked run offenses, respectively.
“We haven’t been as balanced as we need to be,” Garrett said. “So I think in some ways that hurts the running game. If you’re not as effective throwing the football, they can load up against the run on you, so it’s been a harder environment to run the football. You want to be able to break the huddle and challenge the defense different ways. But if you’re asking me what we’ve done the best: We’ve probably run the ball better than we’ve done anything else on offense this year.”
It will be tough to run the ball Saturday against the New York Jets.
They have the NFL’s top-ranked run defense, giving up just 78.9 yards per game on the ground. They have not allowed a team to have a runner with more than 23 yards in the last three games. Two times this season, the quarterback was the leading opposing rusher (Tom Brady, Johnny Manziel). One time a receiver was the leading rusher (Jarvis Landry).
The Jets have not faced some of the better running teams this season, though. They have faced run offenses ranked 20th or worse on nine occasions. The best running games they have faced this season belonged to the Buffalo Bills (No. 3) and Philadelphia Eagles (No. 13).
Buffalo’s LeSean McCoy had 19 carries for 112 yards in the Bills’ victory. Ryan Mathews had 108 yards on 24 carries in the Eagles’ victory. The Jets have given up three 100-yard rushers this season and lost all three games.
“It starts with their players,” Garrett said of the Jets’ defense. “They’re really good in their front four on defense. They’re really good at the linebacker level. They’re really good in the secondary from a personnel standpoint. Their scheme is really good. They do a good job playing a scheme that makes it difficult to run the football and they have a tremendous amount of faith and confidence in their corners to cover on the back end and rightfully so; they are two of the best guys in the league. So they do a good job from a scheme standpoint playing to their personnel, which is awfully good.”
But remember, the Cowboys aren’t running the ball like they did a year ago even if it’s the best thing they've done this year.
_______________________________________________
“Well, I do think we’ve run the ball fairly well this year,” Garrett said. “I think we’re probably in the top third in the league running the football.”
Then why don't you stay with it, you motherfucker?
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas -- Last season the Dallas Cowboys set their identity with their running game.
DeMarco Murray led the NFL in rushing with 1,845 yards. Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick and Zack Martin went to the Pro Bowl.
How well is the offensive line run blocking this season?
“We’re not running the ball as well as we did last year,” coach Jason Garrett said. “It’s a collaborative effort.”
Nothing about the Cowboys’ offense has gone as planned this season. Start with Tony Romo's twice-broken left collarbone and then go to Dez Bryant missing five games with a broken foot. The ineffective quarterback play in place of Romo has not helped, either.
The Cowboys are averaging 17.7 points per game, which is 30th in the league. They are averaging 325.6 yards per game, which is 28th. They are averaging 207.5 yards per game through the air, which is 29th.
So what do the Cowboys hang their hat on offensively?
“Well, I do think we’ve run the ball fairly well this year,” Garrett said. “I think we’re probably in the top third in the league running the football.”
If you’re slightly confused by Garrett’s quotes, the answers came within three minutes of each other.
The Cowboys haven’t run the ball as well as they did last year, but the best thing they've done this year is run the ball.
Both statements are true.
The Cowboys finished second in the NFL in rushing last season. They are averaging 118.2 yards per game on the ground this season, which is 11th-best in the league. With 1,536 yards on the ground, they are on pace for 1,890, which would be the third-best total since Garrett arrived as play-caller in 2007.
Their league ranking is poised to be the second-best since Garrett became head coach midway through 2010. In 2012 and ’13, the Cowboys had the 31st- and 24th-ranked run offenses, respectively.
“We haven’t been as balanced as we need to be,” Garrett said. “So I think in some ways that hurts the running game. If you’re not as effective throwing the football, they can load up against the run on you, so it’s been a harder environment to run the football. You want to be able to break the huddle and challenge the defense different ways. But if you’re asking me what we’ve done the best: We’ve probably run the ball better than we’ve done anything else on offense this year.”
It will be tough to run the ball Saturday against the New York Jets.
They have the NFL’s top-ranked run defense, giving up just 78.9 yards per game on the ground. They have not allowed a team to have a runner with more than 23 yards in the last three games. Two times this season, the quarterback was the leading opposing rusher (Tom Brady, Johnny Manziel). One time a receiver was the leading rusher (Jarvis Landry).
The Jets have not faced some of the better running teams this season, though. They have faced run offenses ranked 20th or worse on nine occasions. The best running games they have faced this season belonged to the Buffalo Bills (No. 3) and Philadelphia Eagles (No. 13).
Buffalo’s LeSean McCoy had 19 carries for 112 yards in the Bills’ victory. Ryan Mathews had 108 yards on 24 carries in the Eagles’ victory. The Jets have given up three 100-yard rushers this season and lost all three games.
“It starts with their players,” Garrett said of the Jets’ defense. “They’re really good in their front four on defense. They’re really good at the linebacker level. They’re really good in the secondary from a personnel standpoint. Their scheme is really good. They do a good job playing a scheme that makes it difficult to run the football and they have a tremendous amount of faith and confidence in their corners to cover on the back end and rightfully so; they are two of the best guys in the league. So they do a good job from a scheme standpoint playing to their personnel, which is awfully good.”
But remember, the Cowboys aren’t running the ball like they did a year ago even if it’s the best thing they've done this year.
_______________________________________________
“Well, I do think we’ve run the ball fairly well this year,” Garrett said. “I think we’re probably in the top third in the league running the football.”
Then why don't you stay with it, you motherfucker?