Week 14’s Cowboys vs WFT game – the good, bad and ugly
By Tyrone Starr
Cowboys vs. WFT: The Bad = The Run Game
At this point, one has to wonder if the Cowboys running game will ever find itself. From weeks 2-5, the Dallas offense averaged 201 yards per game on the ground. Since that time, the Cowboys have only averaged 100 yards per game.
That drastic drop-off is beyond worrisome at this point. There are many reasons that one can point to in an effort to explain this issue. Regardless, the cold, hard truth is that the running game is clearly broken.
Dallas is getting absolutely no help from their quarterback in this aspect. Running back Ezekiel Elliott has been playing injured for a large part of the year. Meanwhile, backup Tony Pollard missed the game due to a torn plantar fascia.
Things may not get better any time soon either. Left tackle Tyron Smith re-injured his ankle once again and has already been ruled out for next week. It is unknown if Pollard will return either.
Each week, there seems to be a different culprit to the woes in the Cowboys’ running game. It is hard to envision a scenario in which this just turns around magically given the injuries and lackluster line play. Hopefully, the injuries dissipate to the point of non-existence and the weaknesses are corrected… but time is running out.