Cowboys: offense’s success rides on Linehan’s shoulders
By Ben Davila
Stocked with new but unproven weapons, offensive coordinator Scott Linehan must put the pieces together in order for the Dallas Cowboys to succeed in 2018.
Excuses don’t get you far in today’s NFL. Sure, the Dallas Cowboys lost Ezekiel Elliott for six games to suspension. Yeah, all-world left tackle Tyron Smith missed a few games. Yes, Dez Bryant had another lackluster season, in terms of overall production. Other teams had problems, too. One in particular, the Philadelphia Eagles, lost their wunderkind quarterback for the season, yet went on to hoist a Lombardi trophy last February.
Needless to say, last year left a bitter taste in mouths all across Cowboys’ Nation. When the chips were down, the team and coaches simply lacked the ability to adapt to their surroundings and put consistent stretches of good football together. Time and again, the coaching staff got exposed. The well-deserved narrative stated that this team could only succeed under optimal conditions. The proof was in the 9-7 pudding.
Well, the Cowboys embark on their journey yet again starting on Thursday. Gone are all the vestiges of teams past. In fact, in their places are unproven or underachieving commodities. Furthermore, these pieces are younger and downright green in places. To say that the coaching staff has their work cut out for them is a bit of an understatement.
Enter offensive coordinator Scott Linehan. Granted, he has the benefit of a young and healthy battery at quarterback and running back. Also, no news is good news on the Ezekiel Elliott disciplinary front. The notion of starting Elliott at running back for sixteen games already portends a smoother 2018 campaign. The foundation is most definitely in place.
More from Sports Dallas Fort-Worth
- Why the Dallas Cowboys wisely decided against signing Dalvin Cook
- West coast, Texas coast, burnt toast: Cowboys don’t need more runs
- Brandin Cooks will change the way defenses play the Dallas Cowboys
- Why the Dallas Cowboys defensive X-Factor is EDGE Sam Williams
- Dallas Cowboys: 3 head coach options if McCarthy fails in 2023
But a one-dimensional offense does not a winning formula make. And let’s face it, jobs on are the line this year. Be it Jason Garrett’s or Linehan’s, they’ve got to get creative and extract the most out of a largely unproven squad of skill players. This means getting wide receiver Terrance Williams to step into a leadership role. It means finding a way to work trade acquisition Tavon Austin into the mix on a regular basis. They’ve got to get Allen Hurns to inject life into Dez Bryant’s vacated position. Maybe most importantly, they need to get rookie receiver Michael Gallup contributing almost immediately. That’s a lot of ifs and buts, so a healthy bit of skepticism isn’t unwarranted.
Not that anyone’s asking me, but I also think it might be wise to dial back the playbook for Dak Prescott. I thought Linehan and Garrett were masterful in 2016 in not giving Prescott too much to chew on in his rookie campaign. Conversely, watching Dak signal and call out audibles and flap around like Tony Romo was a bit frustrating last year. I’m not saying Dak can’t be capable of pulling magic out of thin air at some point in his career like Romo did. What I am saying is it was way too much to ask of him in his second season. Scale it back. Keep it simple. It’s what made 2016 such a runaway regular season success.
Next: Cowboys: Why playoffs MAY NOT determine Garrett’s future
Of course, this all comes from an the perspective of an armchair hater like me. There’s a reason I’m not an NFL offensive coordinator. However, I do see the makings of a dynamic, physical bunch with the ability to blow the top off a defense and stretch the field. Whether or not the coaching staff makes that a reality is anyone’s guess. We’ll see soon enough. Games that count are a mere seven weeks away.