Dallas Cowboys: Why aren’t we running Dak Prescott more?

Cam Newton showed the Dallas Cowboys what a dual-threat quarterback can do for a stagnant offense, so why don’t we use Dak Prescott this way?

It’s not exactly breaking news to say the Dallas Cowboys struggled offensively in their week one match-up against the Carolina Panthers. Only two teams in the NFL produced less output than Dallas’ eight points and when factoring in the last half of last season, this kind of poor performance is fast becoming a trend.

But what many people fail to realize is the Carolina Panthers struggled in much the same way as the Cowboys. Their running backs were effectively shut down and their passing game couldn’t get off the ground. Then something changed…

This coaching staff is about as creative and adaptive as a bologna sandwich. So let’s just try this – when all else fails, call some running plays for Dak.

Cam Newton ran the ball. This wasn’t a situation where the play broke down and the Carolina signal caller found opportunity amidst a sea of inopportunity. No. He ran the ball on called plays. Plays in which he was intended to run. And that made all the difference on Sunday.

Look at the quarterback stat lines:

• Dak Prescott passing: 19/29 170 yards (81.1 rating)
• Cam Newton passing:  17/26 161 yards (82.4 rating)

Listening to postgame analysis from Carolina to Dallas, one would never know how shockingly similar the passing stats are between these quarterbacks. Yet, here we are with two similar passers and two very different outcomes.

The Carolina Panthers know their quarterback. They know what he can do with his arm and when the arm isn’t enough, they know what he can do with his legs. Newton ran the ball 13 times for 58 yards (Carolina’s top rusher). Through the read-option, he lifted his offense and drove his team down the field when nothing else was working.

His success subsequently led to more opportunities for his running backs and a couple extra windows to his receivers. It really made all the difference in the world.

When all else fails – run the dang ball!

Initially I set out to write an article about how the Cowboys fix their offense. I was going to say they should use less 12 personnel and a little more S-10 personnel. I was going to say Tavon Austin needs more opportunities in the open field and bunch formations could create separation for targets who are struggling to get open. I was going to say Ezekile Elliott needed to play a part in the passing game.

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But that’s a lot to ask of a coaching staff who’s about as creative and adaptive as a bologna sandwich. So let’s try this – when all else fails, call some running plays for Dak. I’m talking about called running plays. Whether they are read-option or just vanilla runs – make Dak a weapon.

If he can’t do it with his arm, let him do it with his legs. He’s built like a truck so he can take it. Besides, if the alternative is what we saw on Sunday, why are we being over protective in the first place?

Keep in mind, just because he runs the ball, does not mean he’s putting himself in any extra danger. Aaron Rodgers, for goodness sakes, runs the ball more per game than Dak Prescott. Let that sink in. Rodgers just knows how to avoid the big hit.

Running the ball keep the ball moving and the offense on field. It builds momentum for the team and breeds confidence in the quarterback. When all else fails, the Dallas Cowboys need to set their quarterback free because we saw on Sunday, it makes all the difference.

• Published on 09/12/2018 at 12:01 PM
• Last updated at 09/12/2018 at 12:35 PM