PFT: Emmitt Smith says the Cowboys are fine at running back

Emmitt Smith says the Cowboys are fine at running back

Posted by Darin Gantt on May 6, 2015, 7:01 AM EDT

When you hear Jerry Jones talk about the Cowboys family, and their great support system, maybe he means having his former players prop up his questionable decisions.

Just as Hall of Famer Charles Haley has defended the acquisitions of both their dubious pass-rushers, now Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith is taking his turn, saying the group of running backs they’ve assembled isn’t so bad.

The Cowboys let the league’s leading rusher walk out the door in free agency, as DeMarco Murray landed in Philadelphia. Then they failed to draft one.

That leaves them with the enigma that is Darren McFadden, along with Joseph Randle to keep their running game going.

“Darren McFadden, that is a running back you have to respect. You have to remember he played out in Oakland. Oakland doesn’t have what the Cowboys have,” Smith said during an interview on 105.3 FM, via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “Having an offensive line, and a quarterback like Tony Romo, and some receivers, and a system that makes some doggone sense, he can become a better running back in this system.

“And [with backup running back Joseph] Randle, you can have a nice one-two punch. The one thing with McFadden, if he gets some of those running lanes that I saw DeMarco have last year, and it’s on — he can take it to the house.”

Last year was the first time McFadden played all 16 games, and he managed 534 yards, at a Richardsonian 3.4-yards per carry clip.

Smith may be right. McFadden might finally stay healthy, and he might finally deliver on the promise that caused the Raiders to take him fourth overall in the 2008 NFL Draft.

And Greg Hardy and Randy Gregory might stop making bad decisions long enough to make a prophet of Charles Haley, too.

The Risk At Running Back

Posted on May 5, 2015 by Rafael Vela

Offensive line first.

It’s the Cowboys new offensive mantra. The team that has seen marquee backs Duane Thomas, Calvin Hill, Tony Dorsett, Emmitt Smith and DeMarco Murray carry its freight is now taking a less glamorous approach. Running back by committee is the current approach, and while it has worked for teams like the New England Patriots in recent years, passing on a top quality back has definite risks.

Lets look at Rex Ryan’s New York Jets for an example. In 2009 and 2010, Ryan guided his Jets to two consecutive AFC Championship games. They did so with the very young Mark Sanchez at quarterback. The Jets put him on a limited play-calling sheet and relied on a rushing attack designed by Bill Callahan.

Callahan had four Pro Bowlers at his disposal those two years, perennials D’Brickashaw Ferguson (LT) and Nick Mangold (C). Left guard Alan Faneca made the Pro Bowl in his final season in 2009. and right guard Brandon Moore would earn that honor in 2011.

In those AFC title runs, the Jets had quality lead backs. Thomas Jones ran for over 1400 yards in ’09 and when he left for Kansas City the following year, the Jets imported La’Dainian Tomlinson, who combined with second year RB Shonn Greene to gain over 1600 yards.

Hopes were high for a breakthrough in 2011 but the Jets slumped to 8-8. Many critics pointed to the poor play of left guard Matt Slauson, who replaced the retired Faneca at left guard. After that season, I asked ESPN stats guru K.C. Joyner for an explanation. Joyner’s 2012 Scientific Football guide contained one of the first years of team run blocking metrics, where Joyner broke down a team’s run blocking in isolation, apart from its running backs’ performance.

Joyner noted that the 2011 Jets, in their last year under Callahan’s tutelage, were still an elite run-blocking team. Their run blocking metrics were as good as any other lines. They created run lanes and opportunities in abundance.

What hampered their attack that year was Greene’s sub-par running. Tomlinson turned 32 that season and was demoted to 3rd down duties. The Jets made Greene the feature back but he did not exploit the holes he got in the way Jones and Tomlinson had the two years prior. Joyner’s running backs metrics showed Greene, despite gaining 1054 yards in 2011, was holding the attack back. He lacked the vision and explosion to exploit the holes his line gave him. He was an okay back, but with Sanchez at quarterback, the Jets needed a very good back.

The 2015 Cowboys are playing the same game that burned the 2011 Jets. They are confident that their line will get most backs past the 1000 yard boundary, but if Darren McFadden is more Shonn Greene than Thomas Jones, never mind DeMarco Murray, they may see a drop-off in their run attack. They have a much stronger passing attack, with Tony Romo and his trio of targets, but no team wants to see a performance decline when it’s looking for those three extra wins that would deliver a title.

The Cowboys have ample time to acquire a veteran rusher, in trade or off waivers if necessary, but it appears that their Pro Personnel department will determine the offense’s fortunes.

In McClay We Trust. Because we must.

Iamtdg said:

“Darren McFadden, that is a running back you have to respect. You have to remember he played out in Oakland. Oakland doesn’t have what the Cowboys have,” Smith said during an interview on 105.3 FM, via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “Having an offensive line, and a quarterback like Tony Romo, and some receivers, and a system that makes some doggone sense, he can become a better running back in this system.

“And [with backup running back Joseph] Randle, you can have a nice one-two punch. The one thing with McFadden, if he gets some of those running lanes that I saw DeMarco have last year, and it’s on — he can take it to the house.”

Click to expand...

This must have been translated. Emmitt isn't this well spoken. #debacled

Darin Gantt said:

Last year was the first time McFadden played all 16 games, and he managed 534 yards, at a Richardsonian 3.4-yards per carry clip.

Click to expand...

Curvin Richards? Talk about an obscure reference.

ravidubey said:

Curvin Richards? Talk about an obscure reference.

Click to expand...

More like Trent Richardson, which really means he sucks ass.

Love Emmitt the player but not so much his opinions.

I guess McFadden could have a Reggie Bush like resurgence under Linehan. I doubt it though.

boozeman said:

More like Trent Richardson, which really means he sucks ass.

Click to expand...

Good call. Man, remember how fluid he looked before the 2012 draft?

Genghis Khan said:

Love Emmitt the player but not so much his opinions.

I guess McFadden could have a Reggie Bush like resurgence under Linehan. I doubt it though.

Click to expand...

Barring injury, signs point to some kind of improvement. Every aspect of his supporting cast is better.

ravidubey said:

Good call. Man, remember how fluid he looked before the 2012 draft?



Barring injury, signs point to some kind of improvement. Every aspect of his supporting cast is better.

Click to expand...

I gotta feel like playing for the Raiders there are a lot more actively disengaged players, guys who get hurt and sit, when they'd play hurt for a better team. Darren McFadden wasn't exactly their first draft.

Wasn't Emmitt the one who said we needed to bring back Murray?

mschmidt64 said:

Wasn't Emmitt the one who said we needed to bring back Murray?

Click to expand...

Irvin was pretty adamant about it if I recall correctly but not sure about Emmit. Maybe that is who you are recalling.

ravidubey said:

Good call. Man, remember how fluid he looked before the 2012 draft?

Barring injury, signs point to some kind of improvement. Every aspect of his supporting cast is better.

Click to expand...

Considering Murray averaged 3.9 yards before he even got touched you have assume McFadden who's is faster and more elusive will average more then 3.4 YPC.

With that being said if McFadden averages 4.0 ypc behind this offensive line that's still sucking ass.

Cowboysrock55 said:

Considering Murray averaged 3.9 yards before he even got touched you have assume McFadden who's is faster and more elusive will average more then 3.4 YPC.

With that being said if McFadden averages 4.0 ypc behind this offensive line that's still sucking ass.

Click to expand...

It was 2.5 before contact. At least that's what Jiggy came back with.

So, now Williams is not a PS player anymore.

Iamtdg said:

So, now Williams is not a PS player anymore.

Click to expand...

I don't think he ever was this offseason. It's why we signed the guy to a 2 year contract.

Cowboysrock55 said:

I don't think he ever was this offseason. It's why we signed the guy to a 2 year contract.

Click to expand...

That's pretty much what I've been saying. He looked good running the football in preseason last year. Everyone was pissed that Randle got the roster spot over Williams. Apparently the team saw what we saw in him and wanted to give him a shot to learn the system and get better in blitz pickup.

For the record, Stephen Jones was on the radio this morning and called him Ryan "Matthews."

I can't imagine he's in the forefront of their plans if he can't even get his name right.

Genghis Khan said:

For the record, Stephen Jones was on the radio this morning and called him Ryan "Matthews."

I can't imagine he's in the forefront of their plans if he can't even get his name right.

Click to expand...

Sometimes I wonder if Jerry isn't straight senile and Stephen is really running the team.

Our OL....diamonds surrounded by trash.