Everyone knows the old saying from NASA astronauts: “Houston, we have a problem!” Houston does not have a problem in the NFL, but the Dallas Cowboys do.
Can anyone guess what the problem is with the Cowboys? I will give you a hint: it is on the offensive side of the ball. For those who said the running game, give yourself a pat on the back.
The Dallas Cowboys added Ezekiel Elliott in the offseason, but that is not working. Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn are also not working, although Vaughn has been limited.
Let’s look at the issues and possible fixes in the running game.
The scheme is an issue.
The Dallas Cowboys first objective in a game is to get the passing game going. The running game has been treated as an afterthought, hurting the passing game.
The opposing defense shows great respect to Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and company. Why can’t the running game get going?
The first problem may be offensive line coach Mike Solari. Mike Solari is a great coach and excels at teaching technique and detail.
The problem is that his run-blocking scheme places most of the teams he has coached in the middle or near the end of the pack.
Fans can look at the last two games and see that defenses are not loading the box. Defenses are giving the Cowboys a light-box on nearly all the plays.
The running back talent is an issue, but it should be spread out instead of a tight zone scheme.
Outside a strong run in Kansas City in the late 90s and early 2000s, Solari has had many average or worse performances across several stops.
In six of his first nine years, his teams were among the top five in adjusted line yards, five times among the top six in stuffed run rankings, and eight times in the league’s top half in adjusted sack rate.
Tom Downey had an excellent take on the running game problems.
The running back issue.
The current running backs are Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle, and Deuce Vaughn, who you already know.
These running backs are not having a promising start to the year. Through two games, the running backs have rushed 46 times for 170 yards for an average of 3.7 yards an attempt.
These are not numbers that evoke excitement. These numbers should evoke anger.
Breaking these numbers down by player doesn’t make it any better, but here are the numbers.
- Ezekiel Elliott has 16 attempts for 56 yards (3.5 yards an attempt) and one touchdown. He has three first-down runs.
- Rico Dowdle has 15 attempts for 56 yards (3.7 yards an attempt) and no touchdowns. He has five first-down runs.
- Deuce Vaughn has five attempts for 15 yards (3.0 yards per attempt) and no touchdowns. He has no first-down runs.
Would these running backs start on another team? The simple answer would be no, not with these statistics.
There is possible help sitting around on the practice squad.
The Dallas Cowboys signed Dalvin Cook at the start of the season, and he could only help now. With the current running game problems, there is nothing to lose.
Dalvin Cook did not have a great year last year; he was injured and playing. He looked pretty good at the end of last season with the Baltimore Ravens.
He, at minimum, could give the Cowboys a shot of catching lightning in a bottle and getting a spark.
Having Cook come in and giving him a chance to contribute could be the aspect this offense lacks.
His averages last year look terrible, but playing injured was a big reason for the stats. If fully healthy, Dalvin Cook is the way to go when it comes to fixing the running back problem.
I would almost guarantee the Dallas Cowboys front office will not bring in other running backs. So, the team will roll with what they have on the roster.
If that means using four running backs and riding the hot hand, then do it. If it means trying different players outside the top four running backs, then get it done.
Hunter Leupke can run the ball and catch. Give him a shot.
At this point, the running scheme and running backs are an issue, and the fix may not be straightforward.
The front office and coaches need to find a solution. Is it the scheme, the running backs, or both?
The only way to find a solution to the problem is to give all the running backs a chance to run in the current scheme. If this does not work, change the running scheme.
Changing the scheme may be the most drastic way to fix the problem. Something has to change with all the favorable boxes the running game sees in opposing defenses.
Until this issue is taken seriously, the problem will continue. The passing game will struggle because the opposing defense does not worry about the running game.
Several problems can be fixed by fixing the main issue.