shanetaylorThe Cowboys rebounded nicely Monday night with a victory over the Los Angeles Chargers 20-17.
They looked better than they did a week ago, and this was a must-win, as I said Saturday.
After seeing the Eagles and 49ers lose, they could not afford to drop this football game.
Both sides of the football looked better at times, but one of the MANY things I took away from this football game is that Mike McCarthy needs to stop forcing the running game.
Mike McCarthy is lost out there.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) October 17, 2023
Running backs Tony Pollard and Rico Dowdle combined for 42 yards on 18 carries, a 2.3-yard average.
That cannot happen every week, and expect to win games when you need to score 30.
This is being forced by McCarthy on early downs, setting them up for 3rd and long.
You saw Prescott use his legs for the first time in a long time and extend the plays.
That is when this offense is at its best. Let him get outside of the pocket.
Dak Prescott had several big throws, a touchdown pass, and the longest TD run of his career (18 yards).
Yet, the offense still needs to be consistent.
Yet 4-2 is a lot better than 3-3.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy when asked about the team entering their bye week at 4-2 after a roller coaster last few weeks: “Roller-coaster rides are fun. So you’ve got to make sure you look at the high points of it, too. The turns and twists that give you a chance to learn.…
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) October 18, 2023
What needs to change?
Look, folks, I am just a fan like the rest of us, but I follow the game differently than others because of my writing.
The first thing is to stop making it obvious. If I know from just watching this team every week they are about to run the ball, I am pretty sure the defensive players from studying them all week know it’s coming.
Through the first five weeks, McCarthy has run more on first and second down than any other team in football.
He talked about it all offseason and how they wanted to run the ball and work the clock.
Mike McCarthy. Dude.
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) October 17, 2023
The problem with that now is that teams know it is coming, so change things up.
Get Prescott some more runs in this offense, it works!
Cowboys OC Brian Schottenheimer on Dak Prescott running more Monday night: “We’re very selective with it. Nobody wants to have the quarterback have to carry it a ton, but he has the ability to hurt people with his legs, and he’s done that historically. We’re not back to the… pic.twitter.com/GMtRHUsumI
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) October 18, 2023
I don’t think anyone is a fan of how he calls the game right now.
There was a reason that Aaron Rodgers was openly not a fan of it and voiced that when Big Mike was let go from Green Bay.
I did like some things they did yesterday, though.
Moving CeeDee Lamb around, getting Brandin Cooks involved, and Dak using his legs some more.
All those things will be needed when they take on the Eagles twice, the Bills, the Lions, and the Dolphins.
I am not a coach, so maybe try to stop forcing the run down the throat of other teams when they know it’s coming.
I would rather have the offense be more aggressive than they have to start the year.
Lamb was more involved on Monday. Doing so opened up everything else.
I am not saying drop back and throw the ball 55 times, but these first and second down runs putting them behind the sticks have got to stop.
That will get you beat later in the season against Josh Allen, Tua, and Jared Goff.
End of the day, I did like a handful of the things they did on offense Monday, but let these runs come with the flow of the game.
Stop trying to force them and if Prescott plays the way he did Monday and Michael Gallup learns how to catch the ball, this could be a solid middle of the season.
The fake to Pollard was the key to winning the game, with the duk waddling in
Kinda funny, “with the duk waddling in.”
Don’t tell me you expect the Cowboys just to not run the ball anymore are you out of your mind Cowboys will become one dimensional
You have to have a run game
David A Nugent yep. We will be eaten alive if we stay one dimensional. We have to run the ball because that opens the passing game too. Whoever says this stuff is smoking something
McCarthy needs to open that play book and be more creative in his calls
Yess and get back to playing Dallas Cowboys alright the way we know it okay
You think
He needs a power back or use Dowdle or Leupke in that roll. Pollard needs to have plays to get him out in space like the 60+ yard short pass play.
He needs to run to keep the defense rested. Old school but works!
The reason we won is Dak did what Roger Staubach used to do. Magic by being able to to get away from pass rush to allow his receivers to get open.
Jeffrey Calibuso oh now I’ve heard it all . Comparing dakto staubach when it comes to scrambling .roflmbo ROMO would be more comparable to staubach than dak the quack … dak is not good enough to carry roger’s jock strap…. compare him to Roger the dodger indeed wow…. Obviously you’ve never ever seen staubach play …
They always say must win for the cowboys every game. Whatever
If they had a run gm that would be fine,pollard is not that guy
Well do need to be able to run the ball
Rico needs more carries and he needs to get more creative in his run concepts and give Pollard more outside runs.
We also should be running and passing out of more 12 personnel packages. Run to the edge on pin and pull plays. Run split back sets and motion Pollard into the slot or outside for screen plays. If you go split back with Turpin, motion Pollard out and run Turpin on a Wheel route. They have to scheme better mismatches on offense.
How bout the line gets better so Tony can move the ball
Joe N Jessica Abrego that starts with the whole OL getting g healthy . T hey are all battling injuries…..
Or use tony a bit more in the passing game..he’s very expensive when he gets on the open field
Zeke did make it easy for Pollard but he’s long been exposed. Doesn’t block well and can’t run between the tackles well. Getting him short screens and plays to the outside are better. Rico and Luepke are bangers. Use them more. Unfortunately with an owner like Jerry, if he pays you the money he expects production. That’s why some of the veterans get so worn down because he runs them into the ground.
If McCarthy has been auditioning to keep his job by becoming the primary play-caller it looks to me he is on his way out and this would be a great way to keep DQ…just axe McCarthy and promote Quinn. Also, it is not getting mentioned nearly enough. Tony Pollard is probably the best #2 in the league but he has not shown that he is capable to be a #1. Without this defense, we could easily be 2-4. The offensive side of the ball is seriously underachieving.
Am I mistaken that throwing the kitchen sink at a defense – maybe like a 60 – 40 mix of passing and runs with multiple looks, getting a lead, and Then pound it on the ground in the 2nd half. What’s so foreign about that? Good gosh!
It was good win, but the offense could only put up 20 Points on the Chargers that not going to work on a great teams
he needs to run Pollard on the outside that is where he get most of his yards Zeke was good on the outside until they had him running up the middle now they are doing Pollard the same way
No, you have to keep defenses honest.
The o line needs to work together. It’s only been 2 weeks they’ve worked together
he has a quarterback that can’t pass the ball. At least he can’t pass it to the Dallas Cowboys team. He can pass it to other teams that McCarthy is forcing the run game cover up for Prescott, in ability to be a quarterback in the NFL and destroy the organization the rest of the team didn’t want to follow McCarthy or Prescott. It was a sad day for the Cowboys when McCarthy and prescot hooked up
Pollard is an OUTSIDE RUNNER!!!!!! STOP trying to run him between the tackles!!!!!
No, it is time for the oline to retrain how to run block and do it with vigor and physicality. All passing all the time looses games and gives opponent ball back too quickly. Think about it.
Pass every down set up the run, Kellen now McCarthy run on first run on second then third and long then punt
this whole new Offensive scheme with the run game was said early on to be the feature. it’s not working out i agree Prescott should have more room outside the pocket but lately that has also been troublesome when the Oline breaks down on pass protection. Prescott’s been hurried and sacked plenty enough already. not much happening with the WR action until they brought Lamb back into the equation. Cook hasn’t really been a threat lately so the Offense needs some work.
Your kidding right predictable and sticking with run game is why he left GB
What the Hell did Mike do take some pages of Kellen Moore play book cause it sure looks the same. Mike and Dak Stink. And I’m a Cowboy fan Smfh.
If his desire is to continue forcing the run game then he and Jerry need to make a move for and angry bull running back. I like Tony Pollard but he’s not a pounder; he’s a change of pace with a huge burst.
❤️⭐️