The Dallas Cowboys were trying to stay committed to a successful run game. Head coach Jason Garrett was quoted numerous times in the offseason saying the team was seeking balance on offense in order to help quarterback Tony Romo. Those were all wonderful plans, but two games into the season and the Cowboys offense is the same as it has always been.
In Garrett's Tuesday press conference, he said what everyone has been thinking, "We didn't run the ball very well." Garrett may have promised balance, but the last 19 plays in Dallas' loss to the Chiefs were all passes. In Week 1, the team ran the ball 21 times. On Sunday, the rushed a mere 13 times. DeMarco Murray is not too thrilled over the change in plans.
"We didn't run it enough; to be honest, we kind of got to the pass," Murray said, via WFFA.com. "That's something the coach will have to talk about and discuss."
Garrett understands that if the offense is going to find success, they have to run more than 13 times per game. Murray is healthy and at one point in the offseason was referred to as the key to the Cowboys' upcoming season. Quarterback Tony Romo is desperate to find a better rushing attack. While the quarterback tries to follow what the defense is showing him, he wants to focus more on executing blocks to rush more.
"Once again, it's about the game that we're playing in that day," Romo said. "I think if we have more possessions, we run the ball more. If we have a lead, in the fourth quarter, we run the ball more, I don't know if there is a magic number. More than anything, we've got to run it a little bit better."
The Cowboys currently rank 25th in the league in rushing yards. Last season, they finished 31st in rushing. Garrett is stressing that there are plenty of outside factors affecting the balance of the offseason. Crowd noise and audibles at the line of scrimmage hurt the running attack. Other offensive position players must do a better job at creating space and he must do a better job of calling different plays.
"Not just the offensive line, but the tight end and the receivers getting involved blocking the secondary assignments," Garrett said. "Certainly the runner has a lot to do with the success of the running game, seeing the holes, getting comfortable in the running game, seeing what the defense is trying to do and finding the softness in the defense."
Once again, Garrett is saying all the right things, but time will tell if he follows through with them. If the Cowboys are going to remain competitive, balance must truly be achieved.