Decoding McCarthy - Run Game Struggles

The success rates of this Cowboys offense must improve across the board and soon.

Tuesdays – since about 2008 – have been my day to evaluate the offense in this space. We have called it “Decoding” over those years and then the name behind the decoding is the man with the play-sheet calling the plays and hopefully putting them in an order to attack that week’s opponent. This is where the football nerd in me gets to figure out the tactical and strategic plot-lines of the game and get a feel for how well it worked out for that side of the ball. For those of you new here, two things: 1) ask questions of anything you don’t quite understand and 2) be aware that we do defense on Wednesdays.

Here we go. Our objectives today:

• Evaluate the offense in general and closer looks at:

• The horrendous run game continues to be horrendous.

• This is all reminding us of 2012.

• Taking a look at the performances of RT Terence Steele.

• Look at some All-22 film and see what we can see.

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OVERALL OFFENSIVE EVALUATION

If you recall 2012, you might rather forget it. Unfortunately, from an offensive standpoint, this Cowboys team has given us two weeks that put us right back in that space from 12 years ago.

Back then, we called it “Decoding Garrett.” Now, it is called something different. But it was a bad, bad year for the Dallas Cowboys, and it really started because the offense could not play balanced football. I will circle back to that year in a second.

On Sunday, the Cowboys were very poor offensively. Yet, you will look at the points and the yards (you know, the fantasy football stuff) and feel like it was not too bad. But we all know better. We know how useless this offense was until the game went to 28-6 and the Ravens called off the tighter coverages. Only then did Dallas make a bit of a run.