After dropping a 28-17 decision to San Francisco to open the season, Dallas has won three straight games, the first time that has happened since late in the 2012 season. In Week 2, the Cowboys pounded the Titans, 26-10. In Week 3, Tony Romo and the offense helped the Rams to a 21-0 lead but Dallas came back to win, 34-31 outscoring the Rams 34-10 the rest of the way. On Sunday, Dallas put on its best performance this season by crushing the Saints, 38-17, a team that humiliated Dallas last season to the tune of 49-17 and 40 first downs in New Orleans.
The last time Dallas started the season 3-1 was 2008. The Cowboys finished that year 9-7, lost in Week 17 to the Eagles by a lopsided score, and missed the playoffs. So let's not get overly excited yet. But this team is certainly showing encouraging signs that it could break out of the 8-8 doldrums the franchise has been stuck in since 2011 when Jason Garrett became the full-time head coach (he went 5-3 on an interim basis to finish the 2010 season).
The way Dallas has been winning has me very excited and thinking maybe the coaching staff has finally seen the light. DeMarco Murray has always been a solid running back, but he has now gotten a chance to prove he could be truly special. He's had 99 carries already so far this season, about 25
per game. Last year, he finished with 217 carries, just 13.6 per game. I was turning blue in the face yelling at the coaching staff to run him more some games. It was obvious how effective he was -- his yards per carry were close to the top if not at the top of the NFL -- but for some reason the coaches refused to give him the ball. It almost looked at times like the Cowboys were trying to sleight Murray intentionally. Dallas has been a pass-first team for basically all of Romo's tenure as starting QB, but last year was probably the strongest case of why that should not have been the team's philosophy. It is almost like the coaches were too blind to see what they had in the backfield, or perhaps to caught up in the lure of the pass-happy NFL.
Garrett called plays for years as Dallas offensive coordinator and then head coach but those duties were turned over to offensive coordinator Bill Callahan last year. The offense was OK last season, but as I've stated, the Cowboys did not run the ball enough. I am not sure if that was because of Callahan, Garrett, Romo, or both, or even Jerry Jones, but the fact is that Dallas was passing the ball too much, even when the team had the lead (Green Bay game last year anyone?).
The Cowboys hired former Lions offensive coordinator Scott Linehan to be the passing game coordinator in the offseason (a what?). He was involved in a pass-heavy scheme at Detroit that relied on Calvin Johnson and he also had "passing" in his title, so Cowboy fans expected more passing this year. For whatever reason, that hasn't been the case. The Lions haven't had a great running back in
years, so maybe Linehan is using Murray now because he knows he is great. Linehan does call the plays, but Callahan is still on the team and has the same title as last season, plus he is an offensive line coach, which, if you look at his resume, is probably what he is best suited doing. Giving play calling duties to Linehan was a good move by Garrett, Jones, or whoever made it.
I don't know the reasons why Linehan, a passing game coordinator, is calling so many runs (could just be he is the real OC but Callahan kept the title because of his senior status and perhaps for salary purposes), but it has been a brilliant plan thus far. The results have been staggering. Murray is only the fourth RB in the history of the NFL to start a season with four consecutive 100-yard games. The others? Jim Brown, O.J. Simpson, and Emmitt Smith. Not bad DeMarco. He is on pace to become the NFL's eighth RB to surpass the 2,000-yard mark in a season, which would break Smith's franchise mark of 1,773 yards in a season.
There are other good reasons for Murray to run more, too, besides the fact that he is a good, possibly great, running back. Romo is coming off back surgery. The fewer times he drops back to pass, the fewer times he gets sacked or hit. Running the ball means Romo has a better chance to stay healthy. With a leaky offensive line, he has taken a lot of hits over the years. The line is playing better this year, as evidenced by the strength of the running game and the fact that Romo has only been sacked eight times. It should be noted that three of those sacks came against the 49ers, when Dallas was behind the whole game and had to pass more. So in the past three games, Romo has been sacked five times. What was interesting about the 49ers game was Romo still only threw it 34 times and Murray had 118 yards on 22 attempts. I think in past years, Dallas would have completely abandoned the run in a game where it fell behind 28-3 and Murray would have had fewer than 10 carries and Romo would have had around 50 pass attempts. That was the first time I thought that the balance on offense this year could swing more toward the run.
Romo has, of course, been known for being a good QB through the years but also for throwing back-breaking interceptions during a crucial parts of games. Quite simply, when he throws fewer passes this also becomes less likely. Instead, he becomes much more efficient with the ball and doesn't feel like he needs to force the action. Opposing defenses also give him more places to throw the ball because they have to be able to stop the run, too. Fewer Romo mistakes result. Since his initial rusty game vs. the 49ers when he had three picks, Romo has seven TDs and one INT. Against the Saints, he had a sterling stat line of 22 completions on 29 attempts, 262 yards, three TDs, and zero INTs.
Dallas' defense has improved this season, but keeping it off the field is another positive a good running game produces. The Cowboys possessed the ball for just about 20 minutes vs. the Saints last year, but on Sunday, Dallas held the ball for 35 minutes, keeping Drew Brees and that dangerous Saints offense off the field. If your defense is below average, getting off the field quickly plays right into your opponents' hands and they can more easily exploit your weak defense.
Speaking of the defense, Rod Marinelli has done a nice job with this rag tag unit. Giving him the defensive coordinator job (he was defensive line coach last season) and demoting Monty Kiffin was a good offseason move. Last year, the Cowboys defense gave up the third-most yards in a season in NFL history but has made strides this year, ranking 26th against the pass but 14th against the run. Still not stellar numbers, but better. The defense has also forced eight turnovers, all of which have come in the last three games. No matter how the defense plays this year, keeping it off the field and giving it time to rest and strategize is a good thing.
Dallas has gotten off to a 3-1 start this year with a strong running game, wise play calling, and a serviceable defense. Up next is a big game home vs. the Texans. Dallas has to go to Seattle after that, a contest that will be very tough to win even with the Cowboys' improved play. That's why this game against Houston is crucial. A win and getting to 4-1 gives cushion should Seattle win at home, as it should. A loss to the Texans could drop the Cowboys to 3-3 after a Seattle loss. Houston ranks near the bottom of the league in stopping the run and at the top in stopping the pass.This year's edition of the Cowboys appears to know what to do in this case.
The last time Dallas started the season 3-1 was 2008. The Cowboys finished that year 9-7, lost in Week 17 to the Eagles by a lopsided score, and missed the playoffs. So let's not get overly excited yet. But this team is certainly showing encouraging signs that it could break out of the 8-8 doldrums the franchise has been stuck in since 2011 when Jason Garrett became the full-time head coach (he went 5-3 on an interim basis to finish the 2010 season).
The way Dallas has been winning has me very excited and thinking maybe the coaching staff has finally seen the light. DeMarco Murray has always been a solid running back, but he has now gotten a chance to prove he could be truly special. He's had 99 carries already so far this season, about 25
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| RB DeMarco Murray |
Garrett called plays for years as Dallas offensive coordinator and then head coach but those duties were turned over to offensive coordinator Bill Callahan last year. The offense was OK last season, but as I've stated, the Cowboys did not run the ball enough. I am not sure if that was because of Callahan, Garrett, Romo, or both, or even Jerry Jones, but the fact is that Dallas was passing the ball too much, even when the team had the lead (Green Bay game last year anyone?).
The Cowboys hired former Lions offensive coordinator Scott Linehan to be the passing game coordinator in the offseason (a what?). He was involved in a pass-heavy scheme at Detroit that relied on Calvin Johnson and he also had "passing" in his title, so Cowboy fans expected more passing this year. For whatever reason, that hasn't been the case. The Lions haven't had a great running back in
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| Cowboys passing game coordinator/ playcaller Scott Linehan |
I don't know the reasons why Linehan, a passing game coordinator, is calling so many runs (could just be he is the real OC but Callahan kept the title because of his senior status and perhaps for salary purposes), but it has been a brilliant plan thus far. The results have been staggering. Murray is only the fourth RB in the history of the NFL to start a season with four consecutive 100-yard games. The others? Jim Brown, O.J. Simpson, and Emmitt Smith. Not bad DeMarco. He is on pace to become the NFL's eighth RB to surpass the 2,000-yard mark in a season, which would break Smith's franchise mark of 1,773 yards in a season.
There are other good reasons for Murray to run more, too, besides the fact that he is a good, possibly great, running back. Romo is coming off back surgery. The fewer times he drops back to pass, the fewer times he gets sacked or hit. Running the ball means Romo has a better chance to stay healthy. With a leaky offensive line, he has taken a lot of hits over the years. The line is playing better this year, as evidenced by the strength of the running game and the fact that Romo has only been sacked eight times. It should be noted that three of those sacks came against the 49ers, when Dallas was behind the whole game and had to pass more. So in the past three games, Romo has been sacked five times. What was interesting about the 49ers game was Romo still only threw it 34 times and Murray had 118 yards on 22 attempts. I think in past years, Dallas would have completely abandoned the run in a game where it fell behind 28-3 and Murray would have had fewer than 10 carries and Romo would have had around 50 pass attempts. That was the first time I thought that the balance on offense this year could swing more toward the run.
Romo has, of course, been known for being a good QB through the years but also for throwing back-breaking interceptions during a crucial parts of games. Quite simply, when he throws fewer passes this also becomes less likely. Instead, he becomes much more efficient with the ball and doesn't feel like he needs to force the action. Opposing defenses also give him more places to throw the ball because they have to be able to stop the run, too. Fewer Romo mistakes result. Since his initial rusty game vs. the 49ers when he had three picks, Romo has seven TDs and one INT. Against the Saints, he had a sterling stat line of 22 completions on 29 attempts, 262 yards, three TDs, and zero INTs.
Dallas' defense has improved this season, but keeping it off the field is another positive a good running game produces. The Cowboys possessed the ball for just about 20 minutes vs. the Saints last year, but on Sunday, Dallas held the ball for 35 minutes, keeping Drew Brees and that dangerous Saints offense off the field. If your defense is below average, getting off the field quickly plays right into your opponents' hands and they can more easily exploit your weak defense.
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| Cowboys DC Rod Marinelli |
Dallas has gotten off to a 3-1 start this year with a strong running game, wise play calling, and a serviceable defense. Up next is a big game home vs. the Texans. Dallas has to go to Seattle after that, a contest that will be very tough to win even with the Cowboys' improved play. That's why this game against Houston is crucial. A win and getting to 4-1 gives cushion should Seattle win at home, as it should. A loss to the Texans could drop the Cowboys to 3-3 after a Seattle loss. Houston ranks near the bottom of the league in stopping the run and at the top in stopping the pass.This year's edition of the Cowboys appears to know what to do in this case.
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