Cowboys Offensive Line Shaping Up as Perhaps Greatest in NFL History

Jiggyfly

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Cowboys Offensive Line Shaping Up as Perhaps Greatest in NFL History
By Mike Tanier , NFL National Lead Writer Dec 1, 2016

It's way, way, way too soon to declare the current Cowboys offensive line to be among the greatest in NFL history.

We should wait until at least February 5.

By then we will know if the Cowboys won the Super Bowl, reached the Super Bowl or (let's say) surrendered six sacks in a playoff loss, making this December opinion look like premature adulation. We'll also know how many major awards Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott split between them.

At the very least, we should wait until New Year's Day. By then we will know what rookie records Prescott and Elliott set, whether Elliott won the rushing title and by what margin, whether the Cowboys finished 15-1 or a disappointing 13-3, and whether Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick and Zack Martin all earned first-team All-Pro status or settled for a trio of NFC Pro Bowl berths.

So we're really jumping the gun here by mentioning the 2016 Cowboys among the great lines of history. But let's say Elliott breaks Eric Dickerson's rookie rushing record, Prescott wins Rookie of the Year and the Cowboys reach the NFC Championship Game before perhaps falling short in some offensive shootout.

Then it may be time to declare the Cowboys offensive line the greatest in history.

Joe Sargent/Getty Images
Now, before fans in Washington don their pig snouts and granny dresses to compose the angriest comment posts in history, we should take a moment to ask a simple question: What makes an offensive line great?

Super Bowls: Of course. But great lines don't always win Super Bowls, and Super Bowl winners don't always have great lines.

Pro Bowl Berths and All-Pro selections: The Cowboys line has already collected seven Pro Bowl berths and two first-team All-Pro selections since Smith arrived in 2011. Those numbers will grow to 10 and at least three in a few weeks. But you cannot judge lines by Pro Bowl selections alone, because balloting is often more about reputation than performance, especially for older players.

Offensive statistics: Great lines generate thousands of rushing yards, high yards-per-rush figures, low sack totals and awards for their quarterbacks and running backs. But be careful: Under this criterion, Peyton Manning and Jim Brown's offensive lines were the best in history. Great skill-position players can make their lines look better, as well as vice versa.

Offensive statistics by different sets of skill-position players: Bingo. A great offensive line should make multiple quarterbacks and running backs look good, not just established superstars. This is what qualifies the Cowboys line for a spot among the best ever.

As soon as the Smith-Frederick-Martin nucleus came together in 2014, DeMarco Murray won the NFL rushing title and Offensive Player of the Year honors. Tony Romo led the NFL in completion percentage, touchdown percentage and quarterback rating; he had not led the NFL in any positive categories since 2006 before that. The Cowboys won 12 games after four years mired around .500 and came within some controversial calls of reaching the NFC Championship Game.

Murray left, and Romo got hurt last year. The Cowboys tanked due to incompetent quarterbacking and mediocre defense. Cowboys haters along the I-95 corridor whispered that the offensive line was overrated.

Nonsense. Darren McFadden, after three straight years of averaging 3.3-3.4 yards per carry in Oakland, rushed for 1,089 yards and 4.6 yards per carry. The offensive line was great. Protecting Brandon Weeden and Joseph Randle is just a thankless task.

So the Cowboys drafted a blue-chip rookie running back and what appeared to be your basic mid-round SEC quarterback, and wouldn't you know it, both are on a path toward obliterating the record books. Surprising, award-winning seasons just seem to keep happening in Dallas for some reason.

It's because the Cowboys offensive line is one of the best in history, folks. And we'll learn in the weeks to come whether it really ranks among these all-time lines:
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The rest of the article and other lines.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2679032-cowboys-offensive-line-shaping-up-as-perhaps-greatest-in-nfl-history
 

L.T. Fan

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If they are declared the best OL ever that will then have the effect of diminishing the skills of Elliot and Prescott. It would then give the implication that they could not have accomplished what they have with an average OL.
 

Cowboysrock55

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If they are declared the best OL ever that will then have the effect of diminishing the skills of Elliot and Prescott. It would then give the implication that they could not have accomplished what they have with an average OL.
Don't care. We have been dealing with the same arguments about the 90's Cowboys for decades.

I no longer care about the who or why and only care about end results. But frankly if anyone could do it behind this offensive line they would have done it last year. Same offensive line except healthier.
 

L.T. Fan

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Don't care. We have been dealing with the same arguments about the 90's Cowboys for decades.

I no longer care about the who or why and only care about end results. But frankly if anyone could do it behind this offensive line they would have done it last year. Same offensive line except healthier.
I don't believe that was my point but an interesting observation anyway.
 

Cowboysrock55

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I don't believe that was my point but an interesting observation anyway.
Our offense is breaking all time offensive records. I don't know that the offensive line being an all timer really takes away from what the other guys on offense are doing.
 

L.T. Fan

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Our offense is breaking all time offensive records. I don't know that the offensive line being an all timer really takes away from what the other guys on offense are doing.
My take away was that the writer wasn't giving the two rookies enough credit for the performance this season. The emphasis was that the line was why the rookies are having the success. Anyway I guess it's all in the readers perception.
 

ravidubey

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The offensive line is the star of the team. They are consistently making everyone else better and they're doing it for longer than everyone else with Dallas #1 in time of possession (without a shut down defense).

They couldn't do it without quality skill position play, and the skill players would be much less productive without them.

Given the rare chances late round rookie QB's get, early-season Prescott might not have developed at all without that group in front of him and Zeke might be floundering like Gurley is now.

I've seen the 80's Hogs, Oilers, and Rams and 90's Cowboys.

This group is more consistent excellent than all of the above--but they never had to face LT, Reggie White, or Jerome Brown either.

If they upgrade RT with a 2nd round or higher draft pick it will become utterly disgusting.
 

townsend

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Exactly, Minny, Philly and several other teams would love to have Free.
What's sad is that for a couple years there Free was our best Lineman. Hell he was regarded as a very good LT in 2010. Although his performance has clearly gone down since then.
 

data

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From the 90s, which year was our best unit? Easy to lump the early 90s together, but the only HOFer is Larry Allen and he came in 1994 as E's LT replacement, not his strongest position. 1995 had LA at guard, but Donaldson/Kennard replaced Step and E was not his former self. This leaves non-Larry Allen unit as the best in 1992 or 1993. I'd say 1993.
 
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skidadl

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Remember all of the comments about how stupid Dallas was for taking those lineman instead of say, Manziel?
 

Cotton

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From the 90s, which year was our best unit? Easy to lump the early 90s together, but the only HOFer is Larry Allen and he came in 1994 as E's LT replacement. 1995 had LA at guard, but Donaldson/Kennard replaced Step and E was not his former self. This leaves non-Larry Allen unit as the best in 1992 or 1993. I'd say 1993.
Better question - from the 90's and forward what would be the best line you could build?
 

Rev

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Better question - from the 90's and forward what would be the best line you could build?
Add Allen and Williams to our line now.
 
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