Dallas Cowboys: Making the case for a 1-2 punch at running back

It’s no secret that the NFL is a passing league and well, those high-octane offenses that the football world sees on a gameday tend to favor elite quarterbacks and amazing wide receivers. The Dallas Cowboys have proven they have a potent aerial attack thanks to quarterback Dak Prescott and company but have now proven to be capable of running the football effectively as well.

Yes, the days of running back-led offenses in the NFL are mostly gone but teams that do their best to embrace and establish the run can find consistent success. It’s not a forgotten concept by any means but if a team is able to unleash a potent rushing attack on top of having an elite quarterback and capable receiving targets, the sky is the limit.

The Cowboys, on paper and at the moment, look like a competitive team. It’s too early to tell if they’re a playoff-contending team but so far, things are looking very good. Prescott looks great, the Cowboys’ receiving corps are keeping those chains moving, and wow, what a rushing performance by Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard in Week 2.

The Dallas Cowboys have a golden opportunity to unleash a 1-2 punch at RB

From big runs to scoring touchdowns, it was a great sight to see both running backs do what they do best. So much so that when the ground game got going, it truly added a nice dimension to the Cowboys’ offense and honestly, was a big reason why they were able to edge a close Week 2 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.

If offensive coordinator Kellen Moore continues to draw up some brilliant game plans each week featuring a 1-2 punch at running back with Elliott and Pollard, there is no telling how far the Cowboys can go. It worked in Week 2 and with a big Monday Night Football game in Week 3 against the Philadelphia Eagles, it should also work marvels against their NFC East rival.

In Week 1, I made the case for Elliott to get more rushing attempts, and to see his production increase dramatically in Week 2 was exactly what the doctor ordered. To be honest, even seeing Pollard rack up 109 rushing yards and a touchdown only continued to prove my point that the Cowboys can easily have a top-ranked offense by committing to the run game.

I would even go one step further and say that had Moore or even head coach Mike McCarthy made the necessary in-game adjustments and started to run the football more in Week 1, they could have beaten the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I get and completely understand that the Buccaneers were very good against the run going into that season opener but when you have talented running backs like Elliott and Pollard in your backfield, it’s worth it to at least try.

Hopefully, here’s to the Cowboys continuing to further feed Elliott and Pollard the ball and let them run wild against opponents. Can you imagine how productive and flat-out exciting the Cowboys can be with a blockbuster offense that can effectively dominate opposing teams through the air and ground? Perhaps it’s wishful thinking on my part but one thing is for sure, the Cowboys undoubtedly have the talent at running back to get the job done each and every week.