Cowboys doghouse: Red zone offense has become a glaring issue

One of the most important elements of offense in the NFL is being able to score touchdowns in the red zone. Yes, it becomes much harder inside the 20-yard line to run plays because of a condensed field. However, it’s crucial to put up six points as much as possible, considering red zone chances can come sparingly depending on the flow of the game. For the Dallas Cowboys in 2024, it hasn’t been good once they get to this part of the field.

The Cowboys have had 16 trips inside the red zone this season. So, that’s close to three times per game that Dallas gets to that area on average. Unfortunately, they have only scored six touchdowns during these situations. The 37.5% clip at which the Cowboys score touchdowns in the red zone ranks 30th in the NFL. It’s been particularly bad over the last two games where the Cowboys have only converted one out of seven tries. Also, the Cowboys have committed three turnovers in the red zone in their last two games. Simply atrocious execution.

The first finger has to be pointed at head coach Mike McCarthy, who also calls the offensive plays in Dallas. With an offense that lacks playmakers and can’t run the ball, McCarthy has got to dial up some creative things to get his team in the end zone. The Cowboys are only scoring 21 points per game, which ranks 19th in the league. They don’t score a lot as is. So, when they get these opportunities, Dallas can’t keep relying on Brandon Aubrey field goals. One can look at the game against the New Orleans Saints as an example. Dallas was blown out, but the game was within reach early. The problem was that the Cowboys went one for three in the red zone on their first possessions while the Saints scored touchdowns on their first three drives. If Dallas scores touchdowns there, maybe the game has a different feel to it.

Another big part of the problem is Dak Prescott. He is directly responsible for the three turnovers in the red zone that were previously mentioned. Luckily, in Pittsburgh, he redeemed himself with a game-winning touchdown pass. The Cowboys needed to match the Detroit Lions in scoring because their defense is so suspect. After a field goal on their first drive, Prescott threw an interception in the end zone. He has to be better at taking care of the football.

The Cowboys have challenging games against the San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles, and Houston Texans coming up. If they don’t get this issue solved, wins will be hard to come by.