Sink or swim, just put on your best suit

Jason Garrett is predictable, or so is the popular saying.

Just to be clear, I also believe that he is, but it's because he has no choice (he has one Choice, but no choice... Hope that makes sense...).

In the early to mid 90s the Cowboys were one of the easier to predict Offenses in the League, but they were succesful because they executed their limited playbook better than the opposition. That was it, for example, they had a very limited number of running plays and they still ran over most of their opponents, even when they knew that they would run all over them... People like to point that Gurode, Flo and Davis aren't the sharpest pencils in the drawer... But what can you really say from Tuinei, Newton, Stepnoski (don't misunderstand me, I think the world of Stepnoski, but the guy has affinity for the wrong kind of substance... huh huh huh, mary jane...) and company?

So, just what exactly is the current Cowboys run blocking Offense? They have huge OLineman. They're in their 30s. And their level of play looks like a yo-yo from play to play...

The Cowboys of the 90s was a power line, they excelled when they were asked to make power plays, they were a consistent machine that produced positive yards time after time. The current Cowboys OLine, even with their massive side, is known for their mobility, and that's what we're seeing.

Tired of the counters? Lead draws? Draws? Tosses? You would like to see a more diversified Offense? You won't like the results... And you'll be asking for Garrett's head for the results... Which, of course, would be status quo...

Rafael and K.C. Joyner wrote articles about our Cowboys OLine and I'll borrow, with all due respect, some of what they had to say up next:

K.C. Joyner - If Only the Cowboys Had Better Blocking, July 6, 2009.

- I also took a look at Jason Garrett’s playcalling and found that he was much more creative than he is given credit for.

- One of the research areas I am tracking for the book is running back productivity on rushes in which there are no Point of Attack (POA) blocking losses versus rushes with at least one POA blocking loss (Joyner breaks down a lineman's performance by net point-of-attack attempts (plays in which he was at the point of attack plus penalties committed and drawn), yards gained on these plays and his blocking success rate. He considers an 80 percent POA success rate borderline acceptable).

- The disparity between the “all-win” POA runs and runs with at least one loss has been fairly significant for all of the backs I’ve tallied up to this point, but the Dallas backs may have the largest disparity of all. Check out the numbers:

Running back	Runs w/no POA losses	Yds	YPA	Runs w/at least one POA loss	Yds	YPA
Marion Barber	145	726	5.0	93	159	1.7
Felix Jones	23	249	10.8	7	17	2.4
Tashard Choice	60	433	7.2	32	39	1.2
Totals	228	1408	6.2	132	215	1.6

- The Boys’ O-line as a whole did not play up to its potential in run blocking (three of their players were at the unacceptable POA win mark of 80% or lower)

Joyner also wrote a worth reading article describing one of the Cowboys best running plays in here: Cowboys Magazine: A Look at the Running Game by KC Joyner, July 5, 2009.

And our own Rafael Vela wrote this article:

Rafael Vela - Cowboys Tape Review: This is Not Your Father's Offensive Line, September 30, 2009.

- Dallas, despite having a jumbo offensive line, was poor at straight-ahead, inside running plays between the tackles.  Here's the breakdown:

Rush Type	Attempts	Yards	YPA
Draw	71	441	6.2
Counter	88	439	5.0
Toss/Sweep	44	189	4.3
Slant/stretch	61	243	4.0
Dive	24	62	2.6
Isolation	33	80	2.4
Off-tackle	33	56	1.7

- The current line performs better when it blocks on the move, which explains why Jason Garrett called so many runs from shotgun and spread packages. People complained about seeing the shotgun inside the five last year, but the numbers explain why.

- Dallas still can't run an off-tackle play effectively. So, Jason Garrett and Hudson Houck have decided not to bang their running back's heads against front-seven walls.

- The coaches have decided to go all out calling and improving the execution of the plays the line does well.  This Cowboys line, for all it's size, pulls well. It cross blocks well.  All the linemen, even the big tackles, can get out on the perimeter and lead tosses and end arounds.

- The blend might change a bit with Marion Barber returning to the lineup and Jones sitting with a sprained knee.  I doubt it.  This line is what it is. Get used to more shotgun inside the ten.  To more shotgun draws on third and four.

- As long as the calls continue to favor the line's and the backs' strengths, and as long as the rush average stays among the league's best, that's fine with me.

Just like the Cowboys OLine in the 90s relied on executing the plays that fit their personnel the best, the current Oline should do too, which means more of the plays previously stated. Else, you'll be banging your head against a wall.

That makes the Cowboys Offense predictable? Ask Tuinei, Newton, Stepnoski, Allen and Williams about being predictable... They would tell you that they would still run the plays right at their opponents throats.

That's what the Cowboys need to do, they're good at those plays, but they need to execute. It's all about executing.