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Cowboys' rebuilding line will dictate play calls
By TIM COWLISHAW
The Dallas Morning News
Published: Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011 - 1:00 am
MINNEAPOLIS -- The fact that the Dallas Cowboys chose not to feature the running game in a 23-17 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday can mean one of two things.
It could be that they can win without it.
Or it could be that they have no choice but to try.
And just in case there were any doubts that the Cowboys view the 2011 season as Felix Jones' time to shine, they were erased once and for all before the game at Mall of America Field even kicked off.
Management's decision not to suit up veteran Pro Bowl center Andre Gurode for "business reasons" as owner Jerry Jones said indicates that the team is willing to completely overhaul its offensive line. Whether or not anyone wants to label this as a rebuilding season - rest assured they won't - there's no question that a complete retooling of the offensive line is well underway.
We have known for some time that rookie Tyron Smith would start at right tackle. As a first-round pick, Smith inherited Marc Colombo's job on draft day.
Against the Vikings, undrafted rookie Kevin Kowalski started at center. It's expected that Phil Costa, who has one NFL start to his credit, will get that job if Gurode no longer remains with the team. But Costa was injured this week, so the job fell, at least for the last two pre-season games, to Kowalski.
In addition, seventh-round pick Bill Nagy made the start at left guard. The only names in the line truly familiar to Cowboys fans were Doug Free at left tackle and right guard Kyle Kosier.
What does all of this line-shuffling mean?
It means the first order of business will be to develop continuity that allows the line to protect Tony Romo. Without that, there are no real hopes for even modest success in 2011.
The running game comes next. The importance of the quarterback position and the premium that has been placed on the passing game in the modern game mean that running the ball gets secondary consideration.
And that puts the burden squarely on the shoulders of Jones, who emerged as a No. 1 back last season and no longer has to wait for Marion Barber to get his two or three carries to enter the game.
Against the Vikings' defense, the Cowboys' ability to run the ball got limited examination. In the first half, when both teams played starters, Tony Romo threw 20 passes while Jones had five carries and Tashard Choice had one. Wide receiver Kevin Ogletree also ran once on an end around.
That's not exactly the kind of offensive balance head coach Jason Garrett says the Cowboys plan to pursue.
With a totally revamped offensive line, it made sense to focus on short, quick passes against Minnesota. The Vikings led the NFL in run defense three straight seasons from 2006 through 2008 and have remained top 10 against the run the last two years. Head coach Leslie Frazier continues with that philosophy, and the defense still features some of those who have played prominent run-stuffing roles including linemen Kevin Williams and Jared Allen and linebackers E.J. Henderson and Chad Greenway.
Little success was anticipated on the ground, and that's about what the Cowboys got. Jones ran five times for 20 yards. He scored a touchdown on a five-yard run and had an 11-down gain on a third-and-1 with both runs to the left side. Jones' other three carries produced four yards, but he did make three catches for another 18.
Fans hoping to be able to make much of DeMarco Murray's preseason debut were denied that chance. The third-round pick from Oklahoma, who enjoyed an outstanding career as both a runner and receiver out of the backfield, did not play until the third quarter when starters for both teams were finished for the night.
Murray finished with seven carries for 32 yards. Playing behind a backup line against Vikings reserves, it's hard to attach relevance to those numbers.
But the pass-catching skills Murray developed in the Sooners' offense would seem to be a good fit for a team that continued to make decisions that promote the need for a short, quick passing game for the foreseeable future.
Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/08/28/386...#ixzz1WLFDjcsx
By TIM COWLISHAW
The Dallas Morning News
Published: Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011 - 1:00 am
MINNEAPOLIS -- The fact that the Dallas Cowboys chose not to feature the running game in a 23-17 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday can mean one of two things.
It could be that they can win without it.
Or it could be that they have no choice but to try.
And just in case there were any doubts that the Cowboys view the 2011 season as Felix Jones' time to shine, they were erased once and for all before the game at Mall of America Field even kicked off.
Management's decision not to suit up veteran Pro Bowl center Andre Gurode for "business reasons" as owner Jerry Jones said indicates that the team is willing to completely overhaul its offensive line. Whether or not anyone wants to label this as a rebuilding season - rest assured they won't - there's no question that a complete retooling of the offensive line is well underway.
We have known for some time that rookie Tyron Smith would start at right tackle. As a first-round pick, Smith inherited Marc Colombo's job on draft day.
Against the Vikings, undrafted rookie Kevin Kowalski started at center. It's expected that Phil Costa, who has one NFL start to his credit, will get that job if Gurode no longer remains with the team. But Costa was injured this week, so the job fell, at least for the last two pre-season games, to Kowalski.
In addition, seventh-round pick Bill Nagy made the start at left guard. The only names in the line truly familiar to Cowboys fans were Doug Free at left tackle and right guard Kyle Kosier.
What does all of this line-shuffling mean?
It means the first order of business will be to develop continuity that allows the line to protect Tony Romo. Without that, there are no real hopes for even modest success in 2011.
The running game comes next. The importance of the quarterback position and the premium that has been placed on the passing game in the modern game mean that running the ball gets secondary consideration.
And that puts the burden squarely on the shoulders of Jones, who emerged as a No. 1 back last season and no longer has to wait for Marion Barber to get his two or three carries to enter the game.
Against the Vikings' defense, the Cowboys' ability to run the ball got limited examination. In the first half, when both teams played starters, Tony Romo threw 20 passes while Jones had five carries and Tashard Choice had one. Wide receiver Kevin Ogletree also ran once on an end around.
That's not exactly the kind of offensive balance head coach Jason Garrett says the Cowboys plan to pursue.
With a totally revamped offensive line, it made sense to focus on short, quick passes against Minnesota. The Vikings led the NFL in run defense three straight seasons from 2006 through 2008 and have remained top 10 against the run the last two years. Head coach Leslie Frazier continues with that philosophy, and the defense still features some of those who have played prominent run-stuffing roles including linemen Kevin Williams and Jared Allen and linebackers E.J. Henderson and Chad Greenway.
Little success was anticipated on the ground, and that's about what the Cowboys got. Jones ran five times for 20 yards. He scored a touchdown on a five-yard run and had an 11-down gain on a third-and-1 with both runs to the left side. Jones' other three carries produced four yards, but he did make three catches for another 18.
Fans hoping to be able to make much of DeMarco Murray's preseason debut were denied that chance. The third-round pick from Oklahoma, who enjoyed an outstanding career as both a runner and receiver out of the backfield, did not play until the third quarter when starters for both teams were finished for the night.
Murray finished with seven carries for 32 yards. Playing behind a backup line against Vikings reserves, it's hard to attach relevance to those numbers.
But the pass-catching skills Murray developed in the Sooners' offense would seem to be a good fit for a team that continued to make decisions that promote the need for a short, quick passing game for the foreseeable future.
Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/08/28/386...#ixzz1WLFDjcsx
