In a blog post mid-January last year, I lamented the fact that Dallas had just finished up a third straight 8-8 season and seemed stuck in mediocrity. I said it was almost as if the Cowboys needed a really bad year so that they could seriously re-tool the roster, probably change coaching staffs, and get a high draft pick, because I just didn't think the team would be able to get anywhere other than slipping in mud labeled anywhere from 7-9 to 9-7, or worse.
Zoom forward almost a year later, and I have been gladly kicked in the shins by my favorite team as Dallas has had a great (read: not bad) regular season at 12-4 and coach Jason Garrett is not only safe for another year, but is in the running to be named coach of the year after helping the Cowboys tie for the best record in the NFL.
No matter what happens in the playoffs (playoffs?! says Jim Mora; yes, for three years, we were just trying to win a Week 17 game) -- and Dallas opens in an NFC wild-card game by hosting Detroit on Sunday -- this season has been a rousing success for the Cowboys and everything else would be
gravy. Don't get me wrong. I will be mad if Dallas loses in the playoffs and I think the Cowboys have a pretty decent shot to go all the way, but this year has already gone much better than expected. I never put a record down in type but I was thinking with a difficult schedule that Dallas was probably looking at 7-9 and no better than the 8-8 it was used to.
In mid-January of last year, it looked as if the Cowboys were not going to be making any changes. But they actually made plenty. Scott Linehan was hired in late January after the Lions let him go as offensive coordinator. Detroit's offense has not been as potent this year while Dallas' has taken a step up. Last year, Dallas was fifth in points at 27.4 per game but gained only 5,461 yards, the fewest by the team since 2005. This season, Dallas is putting up 29.2 ppg and recorded 6,138 yards, more than 600 more. Linehan was slated as a passing game coordinator for the Cowboys but that has ended up just being a title it seems like -- or clever decoy by the team -- as he is the playcaller and has built the offense around running back DeMarco Murray. The last time Dallas has been this run-oriented has to harken back to the days of the 1990s and Emmitt Smith, whose franchise record for single-season yardage was broken by Murray in Dallas' 44-17 win at Washington this past Sunday.
So anyway, some genius decided we needed to run the ball a lot more and that guy might have been Linehan. Garrett, and maybe Jerry Jones, probably let him do that. I wonder if Jones was kicking and screaming when the decision was made? If we are led to believe everything we hear about Jones, he clearly likes the high-wire circus act and he really wanted to pick Johnny Manziel in the first round of the NFL Draft. Running the ball and looking boring is probably not something that sat too well with Jones.
That probably changed when he saw the team winning, though. Winning is not boring and I don't care how you do it.
And that draft pick went to offensive guard Zack Martin, perhaps one of the best rookies in the game. He has helped pave the way for a lot of Murray's yardage.
The switch to a more run-oriented game plan should have happened long ago. People act like Dallas' offensive line was not good in recent years but it really was, especially last year. Dallas just chose not to utilize it for some reason. Murray averaged more than five yards per carry last season, which is more than this year. Dallas' defense was awful last year, but the offensive philosophy was such that the defense spent a lot of time on the field. This year, the offense has been spending a lot of time on the field. Playing to their strengths and minimizing weaknesses is something the Cowboys are finally doing. Tony Romo and all his weapons like Dez Bryant and Jason Witten and Terrance Williams are most effective when paired with a heavy dose of the running game. Murray has been the bruiser this year while Joseph Randle has been a nice change-of-pace back that has showcased terrific speed. Lance Dunbar has been a pretty good option out of the backfield, too.
Just because you can pass the ball down the field all the time doesn't mean you should. By taking a step back in the passing game this year, Dallas' offense has taken a step forward and the passing game has actually become more effective and efficient, even if it has been less a part of the offense. Romo has never been better, especially down the stretch in December when he had 12 touchdowns and one pick (which was a throw he knows he shouldn't make across the field but was in the virtually meaningless game against Washington). He led the league in QBR as well, beating guys named Rodgers, Brees, Brady, and Manning.
I do not know how much Romo's back surgery played into this decision but it might have helped. Running the ball has lowered the amount of hits Romo has taken and that could extend his career in the long run. Running the ball could be a calculated move on the Cowboys' part, who signed Romo last offseason to a six-year deal. Whatever the impetus for the change in philosophy, it's been the best thing about this season.
I mentioned the defense. It was bad last year. Fourth-most yards given up in the history of the league (6,645). It is not great this year. But it has taken a step up, giving up 5,681 yards. The rush defense is up to eighth in the league. The unit is giving up five fewer points per game compared to 2013. Rod Marinelli, the defensive line coach last season, was promoted to defensive coordinator in the offseason, another great decision by whoever made it. He has energized a defense that has not had Sean Lee, Jason Hatcher, or DeMarcus Ware all season and has only had Anthony Spencer for some
of it. Marinelli deserves lots of praise for making names out of guys like Rolando McClain (how is this trade working out for the Cowboys -- sixth round pick to the Ravens), Barry Church, J.J. Wilcox, Tyrone Crawford, Terrell McClain, Bruce Carter, Jeremy Mincey, Nick Hayden and more.
Garrett and Bill Callahan -- and I guess former defensive coordinator Monty Kiffin, too -- should be commended for what they did this year in taking a step back. Both became more hands off on the offense and it has helped. Garrett is now more of an overall coach and I think that has helped his focus, allowed him to guide several areas of the team, and strengthened his ability to motivate. Callahan has worked more with the offensive line, which I think is his specialty. Players reliant on the passing game for big numbers like Romo, Bryant, and Witten have not been the only people this year to make sacrifices for the betterment of the team.
Finally, myself and I think lots of other people have been perhaps a little too harsh on the Cowboys the past few years for going 8-8 over and over and over and ... Think about it, though. They were one win away from claiming the division three years in a row, four if you go ahead and count this year when they actually did seal the deal. They just could not break through that ceiling in 2011-13. They did that this year and then some. But it's not like they were awful those other years. In fact, in these past four seasons in which each NFC East team has won the division, Dallas has been the best overall, compiling 36 regular-season wins in four years. The Eagles have 32, the Giants 31, and the Redskins 22.
Zoom forward almost a year later, and I have been gladly kicked in the shins by my favorite team as Dallas has had a great (read: not bad) regular season at 12-4 and coach Jason Garrett is not only safe for another year, but is in the running to be named coach of the year after helping the Cowboys tie for the best record in the NFL.
No matter what happens in the playoffs (playoffs?! says Jim Mora; yes, for three years, we were just trying to win a Week 17 game) -- and Dallas opens in an NFC wild-card game by hosting Detroit on Sunday -- this season has been a rousing success for the Cowboys and everything else would be
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| Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan has brought a different focus to the offense this season that helped it be more efficient and given Tony Romo one of the best seasons of his career. |
In mid-January of last year, it looked as if the Cowboys were not going to be making any changes. But they actually made plenty. Scott Linehan was hired in late January after the Lions let him go as offensive coordinator. Detroit's offense has not been as potent this year while Dallas' has taken a step up. Last year, Dallas was fifth in points at 27.4 per game but gained only 5,461 yards, the fewest by the team since 2005. This season, Dallas is putting up 29.2 ppg and recorded 6,138 yards, more than 600 more. Linehan was slated as a passing game coordinator for the Cowboys but that has ended up just being a title it seems like -- or clever decoy by the team -- as he is the playcaller and has built the offense around running back DeMarco Murray. The last time Dallas has been this run-oriented has to harken back to the days of the 1990s and Emmitt Smith, whose franchise record for single-season yardage was broken by Murray in Dallas' 44-17 win at Washington this past Sunday.
So anyway, some genius decided we needed to run the ball a lot more and that guy might have been Linehan. Garrett, and maybe Jerry Jones, probably let him do that. I wonder if Jones was kicking and screaming when the decision was made? If we are led to believe everything we hear about Jones, he clearly likes the high-wire circus act and he really wanted to pick Johnny Manziel in the first round of the NFL Draft. Running the ball and looking boring is probably not something that sat too well with Jones.
That probably changed when he saw the team winning, though. Winning is not boring and I don't care how you do it.
And that draft pick went to offensive guard Zack Martin, perhaps one of the best rookies in the game. He has helped pave the way for a lot of Murray's yardage.
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| Center Travis Frederick (72) and guard Zack Martin are two important cogs to the offensive line. Martin was a first-round pick this year while Frederick was in 2013. |
The switch to a more run-oriented game plan should have happened long ago. People act like Dallas' offensive line was not good in recent years but it really was, especially last year. Dallas just chose not to utilize it for some reason. Murray averaged more than five yards per carry last season, which is more than this year. Dallas' defense was awful last year, but the offensive philosophy was such that the defense spent a lot of time on the field. This year, the offense has been spending a lot of time on the field. Playing to their strengths and minimizing weaknesses is something the Cowboys are finally doing. Tony Romo and all his weapons like Dez Bryant and Jason Witten and Terrance Williams are most effective when paired with a heavy dose of the running game. Murray has been the bruiser this year while Joseph Randle has been a nice change-of-pace back that has showcased terrific speed. Lance Dunbar has been a pretty good option out of the backfield, too.
Just because you can pass the ball down the field all the time doesn't mean you should. By taking a step back in the passing game this year, Dallas' offense has taken a step forward and the passing game has actually become more effective and efficient, even if it has been less a part of the offense. Romo has never been better, especially down the stretch in December when he had 12 touchdowns and one pick (which was a throw he knows he shouldn't make across the field but was in the virtually meaningless game against Washington). He led the league in QBR as well, beating guys named Rodgers, Brees, Brady, and Manning.
I do not know how much Romo's back surgery played into this decision but it might have helped. Running the ball has lowered the amount of hits Romo has taken and that could extend his career in the long run. Running the ball could be a calculated move on the Cowboys' part, who signed Romo last offseason to a six-year deal. Whatever the impetus for the change in philosophy, it's been the best thing about this season.
I mentioned the defense. It was bad last year. Fourth-most yards given up in the history of the league (6,645). It is not great this year. But it has taken a step up, giving up 5,681 yards. The rush defense is up to eighth in the league. The unit is giving up five fewer points per game compared to 2013. Rod Marinelli, the defensive line coach last season, was promoted to defensive coordinator in the offseason, another great decision by whoever made it. He has energized a defense that has not had Sean Lee, Jason Hatcher, or DeMarcus Ware all season and has only had Anthony Spencer for some
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| LB Rolando McClain has helped stabilize the Dallas defense. |
Garrett and Bill Callahan -- and I guess former defensive coordinator Monty Kiffin, too -- should be commended for what they did this year in taking a step back. Both became more hands off on the offense and it has helped. Garrett is now more of an overall coach and I think that has helped his focus, allowed him to guide several areas of the team, and strengthened his ability to motivate. Callahan has worked more with the offensive line, which I think is his specialty. Players reliant on the passing game for big numbers like Romo, Bryant, and Witten have not been the only people this year to make sacrifices for the betterment of the team.
Finally, myself and I think lots of other people have been perhaps a little too harsh on the Cowboys the past few years for going 8-8 over and over and over and ... Think about it, though. They were one win away from claiming the division three years in a row, four if you go ahead and count this year when they actually did seal the deal. They just could not break through that ceiling in 2011-13. They did that this year and then some. But it's not like they were awful those other years. In fact, in these past four seasons in which each NFC East team has won the division, Dallas has been the best overall, compiling 36 regular-season wins in four years. The Eagles have 32, the Giants 31, and the Redskins 22.
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