FRISCO ― Those discouraged by the state of the Cowboys’ ground game won’t feel any better when they look across the field this weekend.
Derrick Henry comes barreling into AT&T Stadium with 130 yards rushing and two touchdowns. His counterpart in the veteran running back department, Ezekiel Elliott, has just 56 yards rushing and one touchdown for Dallas.
How different would the Cowboys rushing attack look right now if the club had pursued Henry, who has a home here? But if you’re using yards to lament the fact Henry didn’t sign with Dallas in free agency, you’re looking at the wrong stats. These are the numbers to keep in mind.
Henry signed a two-year, $16 million contract with $9 million guaranteed with Baltimore.
Elliott signed a one-year deal for $2 million with $1.62 million guaranteed in Dallas.
Advantage, Elliott.
That was the deciding factor. The Cowboys had no intent on spending money at the running back position, multiple people with knowledge of the club’s offseason approach to free agency told The Dallas Morning News. Henry was arguably the best option for Dallas, but he was never a viable one.
That leaves the Cowboys with a committee approach, a committee of Elliott, Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn that has combined for three fewer yards rushing than Henry at this stage of the season.
“We’ve played two games,” head coach Mike McCarthy said. “Running back by committee. This is what it looks like.
“It’s a running back by committee without enough attempts right now. That’s the evaluation of it."
The Cowboys enter Week 3 ranked 25th in rushing with an average of 85 yards. Elliott and Dowdle are tied for the team lead with 56 yards each, allowing them to crack the league’s top 50.
They are tied for 48th.
Vaughn is tied for fourth on the team in rushing with Dak Prescott with 15 yards.
Elliott, Dowdle and Vaughn have combined for 36 carries in the first two games.
Not enough attempts. That’s what McCarthy points to first when asked to explain the problems the team has encountered running the ball. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer echoes that opinion.
“We’re all aware of the attempts,” Schottenheimer said. “The running game is a feel thing. There are attempts. There is getting a feel for the backers and the flow and things like that.
“The running game is an interesting thing because there are so many things that have to fit together. If it doesn’t, it’s not always going to look good.”
Let’s isolate first down. Elliott leads the team there with nine carries for 19 yards.
Receiver CeeDee Lamb is next. His jet sweep in the opener picked up 12 yards. Vaughn has four carries for 11 yards on first down. Dowdle has six for 8 yards.
Suggestion: Maybe McCarthy should only call pass plays on first down.
McCarthy won’t abandon the ground game. No coach will. But he’s got to straddle that line between committing to the run game enough for it to be successful without stubbornly sticking with it when it doesn’t work.
McCarthy has already informed the players he intends to stick with this committee approach for the entire season.
“You’ve got to find your flow and get a rhythm," Dowdle said of adapting to the lack of a pecking order. “I think that’s been a challenge for us out there, just getting a rhythm, getting the bats at the plate, more attempts, more looks.
“It’s definitely a little harder to get a rhythm, but we’ve got to make the plays when out there."
There will be changes along the way. Veteran Dalvin Cook is waiting in the wings if this group doesn’t improve, although it doesn’t sound like he’ll be elevated from the practice squad for the game against the Ravens.
Next week against the New York Giants? We’ll see.
Dowdle talked about simplifying what the group is currently trying to do and getting back to their bread and butter. He then mentioned going back to the 1-2 punch but within the committee approach.
And Vaughn? Four of his five carries for the season came against New Orleans. He provides something Elliott and Dowdle don’t.
Don’t be surprised if he gets more touches against the Ravens.
“I think everything will work itself out," Dowdle said.
Whatever happens Sunday, the Cowboys committee will be pitted against the back the team didn’t pursue, Henry.
“It ain’t about him at all," Dowdle said. “It’s just about doing what we can do, making the most out of our opportunities and going to play great.
“Yeah, so it’s not really about what he does. It’s about what we do out there. We have to go out there for ourselves."
Catch David Moore with The Musers every Mon, Wed and Fri at 9:35 a.m. and on the Hardline every Tues and Fri at 4:35 p.m. on The Ticket (KTCK-AM 1310 and 96.7 FM) during the regular season.
Twitter: @DavidMooreDMN
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