Blogging The Boys
The Dallas Cowboys have a lot to figure out before they can call themselves contenders. And that’s because their defense is bad. They are all out of sorts with players in the wrong spots, and a play-after-play display of chickens with their heads cut off. It’s unsettling.
While improved communication and better awareness of their assignment are reasons to cling to hope for the defense, at least the Cowboys can say their offense is clicking, and clicking quite well. Through four games, they have gained the most yards in the NFL and have put up 114 points, good enough for top five in the league. What is amazing about this feat is that they have done this while being without their top offensive weapon, CeeDee Lamb, for two games, and missing two starting interior offensive line starters, Cooper Beebe and first-round rookie Tyler Booker. How is that possible? How are the Cowboys having so much success on offense despite these challenges?
This onion has many layers, but a big reason for their success centers around the addition of three new offensive coaches – head coach/playcaller Brian Schottenheimer, offensive coordinator Klayton Adams, and offensive line coach Conor Riley. It’s hard to know exactly how much of each coach is responsible for what, but what we can say is that the things they came in to do, they’re doing. This resides around strong communication, a clever plan of attack, and all hands on deck in carrying it out. When you look closely at the Cowboys’ offense, this is exactly what’s going on.
This was the elephant in the room most of last season. The Cowboys’ offense was one-dimensional thanks to a rushing attack that only gained 4.0 yards per carry, ranking them third-worst last season. Currently, the team is ranked fourth-best in the league with a 5.1 yards per carry. It’s a night-and-day difference. Why is it so much better? Answer, part personnel, part scheme.
When it comes to the running backs themselves, the duo of veteran free agents Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders is working out nicely. With each game, it feels more and more validated that Williams was the right guy for the lead running back job. He’s doing everything asked of him. He shows great patience, finds the creases, and hits the holes hard. Four-yard gains are churned into seven thanks to his physical running style. He’s a chain-mover as his 19 first downs are second-best in the league. Williams also adds help in pass protection as he’s regularly used to pick up blitzes or chip pass rushers. And he quietly adds 20 yards a game as a receiver.
Miles Sanders has been an effective complementary piece. He’s only getting a third of the work as Williams, but is actually rushing at a higher efficiency. His running style offers a little more wiggle and opportunities for bigger runs. Both he and Williams joined the team under scrutiny because they each only averaged...
