The Cowboys have struggled to run the ball in the opening two weeks, but why?
One thing the Dallas Cowboys could hang their hat on last season was being able to run the football with Javonte Williams.
Having a top-10 rushing attack made life easy for Dak Prescott and Company, but two weeks into the 2026 season, Dallas and its "GOTI'' group is struggling badly to move the ball on the ground.
And you can't be the "Greatest Offense There Is'' if you can't run the football.
Just 69 and 66 yards on the ground against New York and Washington is a poor return for an offense that had little trouble running the ball last season.
Now, some of that could be having no Tyler Smith, but surely the Cowboys' offensive line is good enough to get more than 60-odd yards on the ground.
So, what is the problem?
Well, head coach Brian Schottenheimer has an idea.
"Look, the run game is a lot of different issues," Schottenheimer said. "We're not doing a great job blocking. We have to execute better. We have to block better, get more movement. We have to press the hole better. I think the backs are pressing a little bit, trying to find big runs. When we do have big runs, can't have penalties.
"So, it's all of us. And it comes down to our ability to execute better. The run game usually takes a little bit of time. I'm certainly not pleased with where it's at. But it does take a little bit of time to get it going, and got some new pieces in there as well.”
With Williams as the bell cow and Emari Demercado as the backup, Dallas has gotten precious little on the ground.
Schottenheimer says the team has some new pieces, too. That's only Demercado, right? All of the offensive linemen have been here for at least a year, so you would think that they know the system and their assignments. ... though TJ Bass subbing for the injured Tyler Smith might be what he's referring to.
As it regards the O-line, Schotty used the word "knock-back'' ... as in, "Our blockers are getting knocked-back into the backfield.''
Not good.
It could also be that this unit hasn't played that much football together and is only two games into the season, so the hope is that it builds up steam as the weeks go by.
And with the Baltimore Ravens in Rio up next, that is a game where the Cowboys simply have to be able to effectively run the ball to keep Baltimore's pass rush at bay.
We know the run game is a problem. And Schottenheimer just told us why.
Now, how will Dallas look to improve it in Rio?
