Two-Running-Backs Set For The Cowboys? Bring It!
September 10th, 2022
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy.
Given what transpired last year, Joe cannot imagine Dallas doing this.
In a preview of tomorrow night’s Bucs-Cowboys — tomorrow night! — Conor Orr of SI.com thinks the Cowboys will try to go old school 1970s on the Bucs and use a two-running back set.
There will naturally be a focus on Tom Brady, but I’m watching the Cowboys’ offense to see how it spreads the wealth throughout its backfield. I have been waiting for the true promise of a two-back backfield to emerge in the NFL, with the Cowboys and Jaguars best suited to show us something special this year. Tony Pollard is a talented player who has been underutilized in the waning years of Ezekiel Elliott’s prime years as a running back. There is such an incredible buffet of presnap motion options and formational looks available to the Cowboys based on their personnel. Will they take advantage of it?
Joe’s jumping in the time machine and dialing it back a year. The Cowboys, who had both backs on their roster last year, were so scared of the vaunted Bucs rush defense, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott handed the ball off to his running backs a grand total of 14 times when both teams opened the season on Thursday Night Football in The Licht House.
Meanwhile, Prescott put the ball in the air 58 times for 403 yards and three touchdowns in a 31-29 Bucs win.
Why would the Cowboys want to so drastically change something that worked for them?
Then again, we are talking about Mike McCarthy here. As “The Pope” Mike Francesa said on SiriusXM Radio yesterday about McCarthy, “I watch his games and there are things I see that I just don’t understand.”
Joe with you, Mike.
September 10th, 2022 at 6:30 am
So they want the second coming of Robert Newhouse and Ton y Dorsett?
September 10th, 2022 at 6:30 am
Maybe if Pollard resembled Alstott, you try a dedicated two back set. Otherwise you’re just taking the 11th man out of the play. In today’s game, why would you want to take an extra tight end off the line or a WR out of play to have two backs? Linebackers are too big and fast today. You’re just setting yourself up for too many 3rd and longs. IMHO
September 10th, 2022 at 9:12 am
Why would the Cowboys want to change something that worked so well? They don’t have the same personnel, their receiving corps is without a ton of last year’s production.
September 10th, 2022 at 9:56 am
So, the thought here is “LOL, we saw how crapppy the two RB system worked for the rams in one single game against probably the best defense in the league. BRING IT!!!”
Let’s ignore the countless times through the years that “Lightning and Thunder” hasn’t just worked it’s thrived.
Let’s ignore the actual men running the ball, cause akers + Henderson DEFINITELY (sarcasm) equals zeke and pollard.
Lastly, let’s just pretend going into LA, where 35% of the fans are yours, is anything like going into Dallas.
None of that even mentions that “two running back sets” don’t have to mean rushing plays. Are you up to date on Dallas’ WR depth atm? It’s non existent
September 10th, 2022 at 10:44 am
yeah because belly button zeke is clearly a washed up mofo…
he’s been down-cycling for a few years now
September 10th, 2022 at 11:12 am
Sean Peyton will be coaching the team by November.
September 10th, 2022 at 1:27 pm
McCarthy is just boob enough to do that.
September 10th, 2022 at 5:37 pm
I’m sure there was more to Dallas’s 14 rushing attempts than just being “scared”. Tampa’s offense was scoring 30+ points a game last year. To keep up teams were going to have to pass and pass often. Not to mention Tampa’s secondary was struggling. So they were being successfully targeted by opposing offenses. Let’s be honest here teams are drafting faster linebackers that excel in coverage. They are also not scared to draft lighter pass rushers if they have speed. Defenses across the league have switched to a base hybrid three four defense. Just to keep Qb’s guessing if 3 men are coming or 4. Not to mention safties aren’t being coveted because thier a thumper in run support. Offensive linemen are primarily drafted for pass blocking than run blocking. Teams look at it like oh he can run block too? Great… Its almost an after thought. Primarily run blocking offensive linemen can be drafted in later rounds. The league is ripe for a two headed thunder and lightning package. I’m not saying teams will abandon the passing game and be successful. But against many teams a rushing attack could be the difference maker. Dallas has good defense. If they can run the ball successfully control the clock and simultaneously keep Brady off the field and wear down the defense. It’s worked before.