IRVING, Texas (AP)—The Dallas Cowboys have pulled off quite a midseason
transformation.

No longer are they a team that will only go as far as Tony Romo(notes) throws. No
longer are they trying to pull out victories late in the fourth quarter.

Dallas has turned into a balanced club that can break games open early, then
stay in control, all because of the emergence of a single player: rookie running
back DeMarco Murray(notes).

Since an injury to starter Felix Jones(notes) forced Murray to take on a bigger
role, the third-round pick from Oklahoma has averaged 150 yards per game and the
mere threat of him getting the ball has defenses jumping. Dallas has gone 3-1 in
that span, moving within a game of first place in the NFC East.

“I definitely think I get too much credit,” said Murray, who’s been as
humble as he’s been effective.

Murray’s breakout began with a franchise-record 253 yards against St. Louis.
He’s proven that he was no fluke by gaining 74 yards on just eight carries
against Philadelphia, then racking up 139 yards against Seattle and 135 yards
this past Sunday against Buffalo.

Consider this: he has three 100-yard games in the past month, while
predecessor Jones has two in his 41-game career. NFL rushing king Emmitt Smith
also had three 100-yard games as a rookie, but that was over 16 games; he never
had two in a row.

And this: Murray’s 601 yards rushing over a four-game span is 51 yards
better than Smith ever had over a similar stretch. His outburst has lifted
Dallas from near the bottom of the NFL in rushing to ninth-best. He’s up to No.
11 in the league despite having had only 14 carries the first four games.

“He is and should be inspirational,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. “I
haven’t seen enough of DeMarco. I’d like to see five more years—at least.”

The Cowboys are 5-4 and play teams with losing records in each of their next
three games, giving them a chance to keep this roll going.

Each of their three Murray-infused victories has gotten more impressive. The
topper came Sunday with a 44-7 rout of the Buffalo Bills, a team that came in
5-3 and tied for the lead in the AFC East.

Dallas jumped ahead 21-0 and was hardly challenged. Romo set a franchise
record by hitting 88.5 percent of his passes, the defense went from solid early
to turnover-gobblers late and kicker Dan Bailey(notes) made three field goals. So why
does Murray get the credit? Because each of those can be traced back to the
running game.

Romo is no longer facing a secondary stacked to stop him. Now teams are
committing the usual front seven to stopping the run and often adding an eighth
man close to the line of scrimmage.

For a quarterback, it’s like the difference between driving on an empty
country road and a downtown highway during rush hour. Receivers benefit, too,
because there’s more room for them to roam.

“When (Murray) is bringing the safety down in the box because he is running
the ball so well, it opens it up for us on the outside,” said receiver Laurent
Robinson(notes), who found enough space to catch two touchdown passes Sunday.

Murray makes it work by finding creases regardless of how many guys are
chasing him. He’s turning plays that look doomed into short gains and getting
first downs out of plays that look like short gains. His season average of 6.7
yards per carry practically laps the field among featured running backs. The
next closest is Buffalo’s Fred Jackson(notes), who is at 5.6.

“When you can run the ball to eight-man fronts, it puts a dent in the
defense,” tight end Jason Witten(notes) said. “And then when you have the weapons we
have on the outside, and at quarterback, it puts a smile on your face. His
expectations have not been a good run here and a good run there. His
expectations and his standard have been high. That’s good to see, because a lot
of rookies aren’t that way.”

Offensive linemen love run-blocking, and having success at it sends their
confidence soaring. It’s no coincidence that this unit, considered a liability
early, has just gone back-to-back games without allowing a single sack.

“You see him every week: powerful runner, his vision is outstanding, he can
stop on a dime,” left guard Montrae Holland(notes) said. “You saw it at the end of
the first half when he reversed field. They had overplayed it. He turned back,
reversed it and picked up (25) yards. That’s a great back. I don’t think we did
anything there to help him out.”

The defense loves a ground game because that keeps the clock running and
helps them rest more on the sideline. The more they rest, the more effective
they can be.

That clearly happened Sunday, especially with Dallas up 28-7 at halftime and
using Murray to grind out the clock in the second half. Cowboys fans remember a
similar halftime lead that was squandered against Detroit earlier this season
because Dallas didn’t run enough to protect it.

This time, Murray got those second-half drives close enough to ask Bailey to
finish them off. He did each time, giving the special teams a piece of the
credit.

As Dallas looks ahead to playing at Washington on Sunday, there’s a chance
Jones’ high-ankle sprain has healed enough to allow him to start practicing.

He might even be active Sunday. He certainly won’t be the featured back. But
he might make a nice complement to Murray. Being a part-time player could
actually bring out his best. He had that role early in his career and in
college, when he split time with Darren McFadden(notes) at Arkansas.

“We just want to get him back into action,” coach Jason Garrett said
Monday. “He’s been a really good football player for us the past few years. A
dynamic player both in the run game and the pass games. We just want to get him
some touches.”

By Jonathan Tjarks

– Newsdesk contributor

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Nov 8, 2011 – In the latest NFL Power Rankings from SBNation, the Dallas Cowboys made up the ground they lost after the Philadelphia debacle two weeks ago, moving up five slots to No. 16:

16. Dallas Cowboys (4-4, LW: 21): The Cowboys say this is the time to start separating from the pack. Games against the Bills, Redskins, Dolphins and Cardinals will help.

A solid if not spectacular 23-13 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday has Dallas back at .500, two games behind the New York Giants in the NFC East.

Now, after one of the most event-filled 4-4 starts in NFL history, the Cowboys schedule is set up for them to get back into the NFC playoff picture.

Only one of their next four opponents — the Buffalo Bills — are ranked above them in the Power Rankings. Two — the Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins — are ranked among the league’s bottom five.

But while Dallas has the talent to go on a winning streak, their ability to stay consistent and avoid making silly mistakes and turnovers is still very much in question.

For more on America’s Team, check out Blogging The Boys.

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A rough game against the Dallas Cowboys cost the Seattle Seahawks their title of having the best run defense in football. DeMarco Murray(notes) really had his way with the defense, pounding through seams created in the line and posting another impressive statistical game.

Dallas rushed for 163 net yards against the Seahawks , with Murray collecting 139 of them on just 22 carries. He also racked up the longest run that Seattle has given up this year with a nice 32-yard scamper that put the Cowboys back in scoring range. Before that run, the longest one against the Seahawks this year had been only 21 yards. Tony Romo(notes) added 13 yards and Phillip Tanner(notes) had 11 more yards on the ground, making up the yardage almost any time they needed it.

Coming into the game against Dallas, Seattle gave up just 3.2 yards per carry. That average went up to 3.4 per carry, and knocked the team into third place in that specific ranking. The Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens pulled ahead of Seattle, and maybe it is ironic that the Seahawks have to face the Ravens on Nov. 13. Marshawn Lynch(notes) is going to have a hard time rushing for 135 yards like he did against the Cowboys front line.

Hopefully it isn’t the run defense that fans have to focus on as the only bright part of the current season. Things are starting to look dismal in the standings, even as Seattle shuts down opposing running backs. It’s hard not to wonder if the defense is even better when the team is trying to hold a lead, but that scenario hasn’t come up yet. Seattle has not led any of the first eight games at halftime, and that is a trend that doesn’t lead to many wins in the standings.

It appears that the defensive line is one area where the Seahawks are ready to compete for the next few years, and that when the team heads into the 2012 NFL Draft the focus can stay mostly on fixing the offense. Maybe that is a secondary silver lining to a season that is starting to regress.

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*Ryan Christopher DeVault is a lifelong fan of the Seattle Seahawks that continues to hold out hope that the team is heading in the right direction with a new coach, a weak NFC West, and some great young players on defense.

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The Dallas Cowboys like their chances of making a serious run at the playoffs despite their 4-4 record, and that’s not just because of how soft their upcoming schedule appears to be.

Some optimism is based on the recent play of running back DeMarco Murray, and how the rookie’s success is affecting quarterback Tony Romo.

Murray rushed for 139 yards on 22 carries and caught four passes for 47 more yards in Sunday’s 23-13 home win over Seattle.

An improved running game created more offensive balance against Seattle, helping Romo go 19 for 31 for 279 yards and two touchdowns. What’s more, Romo wasn’t guilty of an interception and wasn’t sacked.

Murray has shown that his club-record 253-yard output in his first extended play against St. Louis was no fluke. When Felix Jones returns from a high ankle sprain, Jones could wind up as Murray’s backup.

The news for the Cowboys from Sunday wasn’t all good. Wide receiver Miles Austin left in the second quarter with a right hamstring injury and didn’t return. Austin is expected to be out for as long as a month.

Missing all of last Sunday’s game with injuries were linebacker Sean Lee (left wrist), punter Mat McBriar (left foot), cornerback Mike Jenkins (right hamstring) and Jones.

Coach Jason Garrett said he was “hopeful” McBriar and Jones would be available for Sunday’s home game against Buffalo.

Rookie punter Chris Jones was signed off the practice squad for the Seattle game, averaging 43 yards on four punts.

Austin won’t be back anytime soon, sidelined by the latest in a series of hamstring problems that have plagued him throughout his six-year career.

With Austin out, more will be expected from wide receivers Dez Bryant, Laurent Robinson and Kevin Ogletree. The Cowboys could also call up one of three receivers from their practice squad.

Murray’s emergence has been a pleasant surprise for the Cowboys. A third-round pick from Oklahoma, Murray’s development was hampered by the lockout, then he suffered another setback with a hamstring injury in training camp.

But Jones’ injury created an opening for Murray, and he’s taken advantage with 466 yards over his last three games.

“He runs really, really hard,” Cowboys tight end Jason Witten said. “Obviously we have seen those big runs he’s had, but he turns 2- or 3-yard gains into nice 10-yard gains. He takes some big hits and he gets up. … He’s been a dynamic player for us. Our offense and really our team has been better and had success because of the way he plays.”

Witten wouldn’t offer any opinion on which back deserves to start when Jones is healthy again. But the seven-time Pro Bowl selection did say the Cowboys will be even more potent on offense when both are available.

“The more of those types of players you can have, the better you are going to be,” Witten said. “We are going to have a great 1-2 punch when Felix gets healthy. It’s going to put us in a great situation. Felix is the type of player who anytime he gets it, he can take 40, 50 yards on a normal run. But I think DeMarco gets his carries, for sure.”

With their 10-point victory over Seattle, the Cowboys bounced back from a 34-7 road thrashing at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles a week earlier. Even though Sunday’s win came over a team that isn’t a playoff contender, the Cowboys needed some positive reinforcement.

The Cowboys have a favorable upcoming schedule. After Sunday’s meeting with Buffalo (5-3), they are at Washington (3-5), home against Miami (1-7) and at Arizona (2-6).

After that, the opponents get tougher: home and home against the division-leading New York Giants, at home against Philadelphia, and at Tampa Bay.

Garrett isn’t making any predictions after a break-even first half of the season. That’s not his style.

“We’ve done a lot of things to build on over the first eight games, a lot we can be positive about,” Garrett said. “We’ve played a lot of young players and they’ve stepped into roles and done a nice job. That’s hard to do in the NFL. But we have to get better. The teams that win in this league, the teams that make the playoffs, are the teams that improve over the course of the season.”

The halfway point of the NFL season played out in week nine, and the Dallas Cowboys, after defeating the Seattle Seahawks yesterday in an uninspired display of penalties and mental errors, do not appear to be much better than in the previous years under coach Wade Phillips. 

A Sputtering Offense

Head coach Jason Garrett, a former backup quarterback for Cowboys legend Troy Aikman, is being called out weekly for questionable play-calling decisions in the “red zone,” the area of the field between the goal line and the 20-yard line.  In the game against the Seahawks, on one occasion, Dallas had a first down on Seattle’s two-yard line.  Garrett elected to call pass plays on first and second downs; neither was successful.  Then, on third down, the offense failed to run the ball into the end zone, and Dallas settled for a field goal.  The red zone offense has not been up to par.

The Cowboys came into the weekend with an offense ranked eighth in the NFL.  The ranking is respectable and is based on total yards gained per game.  But, total yards are obviously not calculated into the game scores.  Dallas now stands at 4 wins and 4 losses, still good enough to be in second place in the NFC East.

Here are some of the problems midway through the season (prior to the eighth game against the Seahawks):

1. Fumbles – In the first seven games, Dallas has fumbled the ball 14 times, ranking 29^th in the NFL out of 32 teams.  Of the 14 fumbles, Dallas has lost five of them.  The Cowboys are ranked 22^nd in fumbles lost.
2. Takeaway ratio  – The statistic for the takeaway ratio combines interceptions and lost fumbles.  A positive number means the team has accomplished more takeaways from its opponents than it has given up.  Dallas, through seven games, has a -2 takeaway ratio, ranking 21st.
3. Third down conversions – Third down conversions are considered to be a key statistic in determining the offense’s ability to sustain long drives, controlling the game clock, and causing the opponent’s defense to stay on the field a long time, risking fatigue and mental errors.  The Cowboys’ third down conversion rate is currently 34%, which ranks them 22^nd in the NFL. This forces a choice to punt, try a field goal, or risk a fourth down conversion two-thirds of the time.
4. Points per game – Dallas is ranked 18^th in points per game with an average of 22.3. 

Despite being ranked eighth in offense, based on total yards gained per game, the keys to converting offense to scoring lies in most of the factors listed above. In these key categories, Dallas ranks well below the NFL average, around 21^st on average.

The Dallas Cowboys are back to .500 on the season after beating the Seattle Seahawks, 23-13. After starting the season with a 3-3 record, no game decided by more than four points, the past two weeks have broken that streak. While the Philadelphia blowout was embarrassing, the Seattle victory did little to give fans confidence.

Here is a look at the next four Dallas Cowboys games and what they can expect over this important stretch of the season.

BUFFALO

The Buffalo Bills started the season on fire. Along with the Detroit Lions, they were the season’s Cinderella team. They opened with three big wins, none greater than their victory over the New England Patriots in Week 3. It seemed like they were for real. But then they lost to Cincinnati, beat Philadelphia, lost to the Giants and beat the Redskins. After losing to the Jets in Week 9, Buffalo finds themselves at 5-3 and have lost every other week since the Bengals game.

They have a star running back in Fred Jackson(notes), a great receiver in Stevie Johnson(notes) and an up-and-coming quarterback in Ryan Fitzpatrick(notes). However, their defense gives up more yards than their offense gains and they are vulnerable to the pass, giving up 260 yards per game. This is the toughest of the next four games but is winnable if Dallas plays smart.

@ WASHINGTON

Washington and Dallas played in Week 3 and the Cowboys took an 18-16 win over the Redskins. This Redskins team is different, though. Rex Grossman(notes) is out at quarterback and John Beck(notes) is in. Tim Hightower(notes) is out, so Roy Helu(notes) and Ryan Torain(notes) split time in the backfield. After beating the Giants to start the season, the Redskins have only beat Arizona and St. Louis. They have now lost four in a row and are on a downward spiral in 2011.

MIAMI

In Week 9, the Miami Dolphins finally won their first game of the season against the Kansas City Chiefs. Before that, they lost to everyone from the good (Giants) to the bad (Denver) to the ugly (Cleveland). Their starting quarterback is Matt Moore(notes), who has four touchdowns and four interceptions on the season. Their backfield includes a banged up rookie in Daniel Thomas(notes) and Reggie Bush(notes), with Bush actually playing as the starter. The best player on the offense is Brandon Marshall(notes). The defense is decent against the run but gives up 375 yards a game on average.

@ ARIZONA

Arizona was supposed to be rebuilding under Kevin Kolb(notes), the prize trade of the offseason. Kolb is now hurt but should be back by the time Dallas plays the Cardinals. However, even with Kolb, Arizona is struggling. He has as many touchdowns and interceptions (8). Beanie Wells(notes) is good for touchdowns but is a walking injury report all by himself. Their defense is one of the worst in the NFL and their only star player, Larry Fitzgerald(notes), is held back by his surrounding cast.

As you can see, the Cowboys have a slight break in their schedule here, with four very winnable games. After these, they play the New York Giants, who began their toughest portion of the schedule on Nov. 6 when they beat the New England Patriots. Dallas has to hope the law of averages catches up with the Giants and the two could end up playing for first place in the NFC East in five weeks. With this schedule, Dallas has to move now or their season is over with.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has followed the Dallas Cowboys since he was a child, his favorite players range from Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett to the Triplets of the 90s. Through the great years of the ’90s and the hard times of the ’80s, Shawn never turned his back on America’s Team.

Source: Yahoo! Sports

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