One area of the Dallas Cowboys that is the worst in the NFL is the running backs, and there seems to be no help on the horizon. It is not the owner/general manager, but that is probably a close second or possibly first, depending on who you ask.
The Cowboys are the worst team in the NFL at running the football. This should not come as a surprise, but the extent of their problems may shock some fans.
The front office has several options to fix the running problems; most options are not complex changes. A good running game will create opportunities for every facet of the game plan, but the team is making this problem out to be a non-issue.
As everyone dreams of getting Davante Adams, let’s hope for help in an area that is easy to fix.
Running Game Rankings
The Dallas Cowboys running game is the worst in the league, but how bad is the problem? The problem starts with the top three backs, who are some of the worst in the NFL.
Everyone knows that the running backs are Rico Dowdle, Ezekiel Elliott, and Deuce Vaughn. These backs probably would not make the 53-man roster on any other team.
The Dallas Cowboys running game has 301 total rushing yards, which sits at 32nd in the league for rushing yards. Rushing attempts are better, at 31st in the league with 85 attempts.
The Cowboys’ rushing yard average, at 3.5 yards a carry, seems to be their bread and butter. They are 30th in the league.
In comparison, Derrick Henry has rushed for 480 yards by himself so far this year. Derrick Henry also has five touchdowns, four more than our entire running back room.
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. The running game was, at one time, a great sense of pride for the Dallas Cowboys.
The Running Backs
The top back is Rico Dowdle, who has 34 carries for 134 yards for the year. He is averaging almost four yards a carry but is currently at 3.9.
The next running back is the old man of the group, Ezekiel Elliott, who is 29 years old. He has had 24 carries for 81 yards and one touchdown while averaging 3.4 yards a carry.
The third back on the roster is “Not so Mighty Mouse” Deuce Vaughn. He currently has seven carries for 20 yards and averages a robust 2.9 yards per carry.
The fullback, Hunter Leupke, has two carries for eight yards while averaging four yards per carry.
The best runner on the team is CeeDee Lamb, who has six carries for a 5.5-yard average. He also has the longest run play at 12 yards.
These running backs are destroying the offense and defense.
A Competent Running Game Can Happen
A competent running game could happen in Dallas; it will take a call-up from the practice squad or a trade. Either roster maneuver can help the team reach the middle of the pack running the ball.
The call-up from the practice squad would elevate Dalvin Cook to the active roster. Four games into the season, the running game does not seem to be making any progress.
Dalvin Cook may be another Ezekiel Elliott, a past-their-prime running back just looking for a paycheck. What if something is left in Cook’s tank, and the team shouldn’t try him out on the active roster?
Solving the issue and seeing what they have in Dalvin Cook could pay off big time. If nothing else, they can revert to the current running backs.
Another option would be to trade for a running back. Several running backs could be had for the right price or the price Jerry Jones is willing to pay.
Two running backs that come to mind are Chuba Hubbard from the Carolina Panthers and Raheem Mostert of the Miami Dolphins.
Chuba Hubbard may be the more expensive option, as the Panthers could have a fire sale sooner rather than later.
At only 25 years old, Chuba Hubbard has tread left on the tires and runs well behind an offensive line far worse than the Cowboys offensive line. He averages 5.4 yards a carry and has 296 rushing yards on 55 carries.
Raheem Mostert of the Miami Dolphins is injury-prone and older than all of our running backs, but has proven effective when on the field.
Last year, he averaged 4.8 yards per carry, over one thousand yards, and 18 touchdowns. The Cowboys passing game could open up major running lanes for Mostert, much like the Dolphins offense last year.
Chuba Hubbard may cost more draft capital, but could provide much more for the offense for longer. He also would not break the bank, and we all know Jerry worries about the cap room.
The Dallas Cowboys front office has to address the running game. At this point, fans don’t seem to mind which way the Cowboys go.
The fans’ problem is that the running game is terrible, but the coaching staff and front office continue to beat a dead horse. Just make a change and get the offense back on track.
Stop doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. This is the definition of insanity; maybe that is what’s wrong with Jerry Jones.