Dallas Cowboys make or break X-factors going into 2022
Cowboys’ Offensive X-Factors
Tyler Biadasz Pass Protection
Nothing is more frustrating and difficult to handle for a quarterback than a pass rusher coming right up the middle. Quarterbacks are used to defenders on the outside trying to get to them, but when there is a defender right in their face and they have nowhere to get out of the pocket, it’s a confidence killer. Last season we saw this happen quite a few times from Tyler Biadasz who wasn’t able to handle his man and got pushed back into the lap of Dak Prescott.
Biadasz also had some problems recognizing and calling out protections along the line which led to free rushers that would be able to make plays. His play in pass protection needs to get a lot better. The Cowboys will have two new full-time starters and can’t afford to be worried about Biadasz holding up in pass protection with rookie Tyler Smith starting next to him and Terence Steele at right tackle handling pass rushers. If Biadasz can’t be better in pass protection, it will be a long and tough season for Prescott.
Mike McCarthy’s Influence on Playcalling
Ever since taking over the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator position, Kellen Moore has only been able to make things exciting on offense for the first few weeks. Then, once teams are able to figure out what he’s doing, he isn’t able to come up with a counter punch. For that reason, this offseason we heard that head coach and offensive guru Mike McCarthy was going to be helping Moore develop game plans in order to help keep the Dallas offense in rhythm and moving.
If McCarthy is able to boost this offense during the times when Moore just can’t seem to get a handle on things, having two different playcalling styles could be enough to keep teams guessing and give the Cowboys’ offense an edge over defensive coordinators who aren’t sure who’s calling the plays. If McCarthy helps game planning and does nothing on game day, then we could be in for the same hot and cold offensive output we saw in 2021.
Tyler Smith’s Effectiveness in the Running Game
Just like the passing game for the Cowboys in 2021, the running game started off strong with Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard running all over defenses. Then, once teams took away the inside, the running game fizzled out. The Cowboys are betting that the addition of Smith at left guard paired with Tyron Smith will give this Dallas running game a physical boost. Tyler Smith’s aggressiveness and physicality have been well documented, but we’ve yet to see what he can do against NFL-caliber defensive linemen and blitzing linebackers.
If Smith can hold up in the running game and continue to maintain his aggressive and physical game at the next level, then Elliott and Pollard should be able to get back on track this season and help take the pressure off Prescott and this passing game without Amari Cooper. If the rookie can’t assist, we could see the other well-documented fact about Smith, which is his ability to draw penalties at a high rate. Although many fans were excited about Tyler Smith’s high ceiling, there was a lot of concern regarding his large number of penalties last season. After getting rid of Connor Williams, the last thing Dallas needs is another guy on the line to lead the league in penalties. Hopefully, Smith can learn some discipline and be both aggressive and clean for the OL.