Cowboys confident run game will improve after bye week

Running the ball has been an issue for the Cowboys but they have faith it will improve after the bye.

Sep 26, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle (23) runs for a touchdown. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

With Sunday behind us, the bye week is over for the Dallas Cowboys. They’re ready to prepare for their Week 8 showdown with the San Francisco 49ers, a game Mike McCarthy claims isn’t a “must-win.”

He’s correct the team won’t be mathematically eliminated with a loss but it might be hard to keep the season unraveling if the Niners bully them the way Detroit did. To keep that from happening, the Cowboys have to be better on the ground both offensively and defensively.

As far as the offense is concerned, offensive line coach Mike Solari has faith that things will improve each week going forward.

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“There is no doubt we will get the running game going,” Solari said via Jon Machota of The Athletic. “It’s a young group. It’s going to be ascending. I really believe we’ll get better each week.

"It’s just a matter of us getting those efficient runs, plus 4-yard runs and then in certain situations moving the chains. That’s the most important thing. It’s the consistency of the technique and fundamentals.”

No team has struggled to run the ball more than the Cowboys. Can it be fixed?

O-line coach Mike Solari: “There is no doubt we will get the running game going. It’s a young group. It’s going to be ascending. I really believe we’ll get better each week.” https://t.co/ezre33R4im

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) October 21, 2024

Solari is accurate in saying the O-line is fairly young. Zack Martin and Terence Steele have been around a while but Tyler Smith is in his third season whereas Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe are rookies. They’ve even turned to T.J. Bass, who is in his second year.

That said, the issues aren’t solely on the line. Dallas has also failed to build a complete backfield.

Oct 6, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (15) runs the ball against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Rico Dowdle has had a few moments to remember but he’s gotten no help from Ezekiel Elliott or Deuce Vaughn. They could turn to Dalvin Cook but coaching staff inexplicably refuses to promote him from the practice squad.

It’s also hard to see the team doing much worse than they have. Through six games, they have 463 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Both stats leave them last in the NFL.

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