Cowboys’ season rests on ability to learn to run the ball, and stop the run

Heading into the 2024 season the Dallas Cowboys were considered one of the top four teams to win the NFC, along with the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Detroit Lions. Now, currently sitting at 3-4, that seems highly unlikely with the way their season has already gone.

The Cowboys’ tumble from the top isn’t all that surprising considering their approach to the offseason this year. They made few moves in free agency despite losing several key contributors, instead deciding to lean on young and unproven players. This approach was a gamble and it looks as if it’s blown up in their face.

As things stand right now, the Cowboys are ranked dead last in the league running the ball. They are only averaging a measly 74.1 rushing yards per game and only have eight running plays of 10 yards or more this season. Whether it’s Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, Hunter Luepke, or Dalvin Cook, nothing is working for them.

Anybody really surprised Ezekiel Elliott or Dalvin Cook haven’t worked out? Zeke hasn’t had a 100-yard rushing game since Week 5 in 2021 and Cook hasn’t hit the 100-yard mark since Week 9 in 2022. At least they were proven commodities, even though their best days are behind them. Rico Dowdle and the rest of Dallas’ RBs didn’t even have that going for them.

The Cowboys gambled that a RB-by-committee would somehow be productive with a group of players that would be backups on just about any other team around the league. That gamble has come nowhere near to paying off and doesn’t look as if it will get any better unless Dallas surprisingly trades for a genuine RB1 prior to the November 5 deadline, which is unlikely.

Sadly, things aren’t any better on the other side of the ball in regards to the running game. The Cowboys defense is currently ranked 31st in the league, allowing 154.6 yards per game. They recently surrendered 233 rushing yards to the 49ers, with Christian McCaffrey missing the contest and Jordan Mason exiting early due to an injury.

The Cowboys porous run defense once again directly correlates to their approach to the offseason and free agency. Not only did they gamble DT Mazi Smith would take a significant Year 2 jump and prove himself a quality starter, but they believed they could shop the “bargain bin” for potential starters as well. Again, the gamble blew up in their face.

With the November 5 NFL trade deadline mere days away, and the unlikeliness the Cowboys make any moves, it’s not looking as if things will improve with these two problem areas this season. And if that is indeed the case, we can probably expect the losses to continue to pile up the rest of the year.

It doesn’t really matter how good a team is. If you can’t run the ball with some semblance of success or stop the run on defense, you’re not going to win very many games in the NFL. This is sadly the world we live in with the Cowboys right now and the team doesn’t have anybody to blame but themselves about these glaring problems.