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Dallas Cowboys: It’s time to start using 10 personnel

By Gillia Baattai

ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 24: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys walks off the field after the Seattle Seahawks beat the Dallas Cowboys 21-12 at AT&T Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - DECEMBER 24: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys walks off the field after the Seattle Seahawks beat the Dallas Cowboys 21-12 at AT&T Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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ARLINGTON, TX – NOVEMBER 05: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys gets a high five from Terrance Williams #83 of the Dallas Cowboys after scrabling for a first down in the second half of a football game against the Kansas City Chiefs at AT&T Stadium on November 5, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX – NOVEMBER 05: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys gets a high five from Terrance Williams #83 of the Dallas Cowboys after scrabling for a first down in the second half of a football game against the Kansas City Chiefs at AT&T Stadium on November 5, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) /

The 2017 Dallas Cowboys offense did not perform the way the team wanted it to. Could an addition to the scheme make a positive difference?

An offense is lined up in ’10 personnel’ when they have a one running back, no tight end formation. This usually results in four players split wide. From 2015 to 2017, the Dallas Cowboys ran zero plays out of this package. ZERO PLAYS.

In this article, we will dive into why the team has not used this personnel in recent years; as well as what the 10 personnel can do for the team next year.

The Dallas Cowboys coaching staff has been criticized for their lack of creativity and diversity in their offense.

Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan and head coach Jason Garrett have been bullish on certain concepts and packages. In 2016 and 2017, the Cowboys ran plays out of their 11 personnel, (one running back/one tight end), 612 and 611 times.

They ran plays out of the 12 personnel package, (a running back/two tight ends), 206 and148 times. All while never using the 10 personnel.

But how much of this can be attributed to the actual personnel? A good team dictates its scheme and system around what type of players it has, not the other way around. The Cowboys are built to run the football. With a top-tier offensive line and a top three running back, an emphasis on four wide receivers is not the priority.

But looking deeper than just the backs and the line, the Cowboys had another offensive star who dictated what the team could do in the scheme.

All-Pro and eventual Hall of Fame tight end Jason Witten was a huge piece of the offense in his tenure in Dallas. But as his career waned, the parameters of the scheme limited what the offense could do.

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