Dallas Cowboys: While you're caught in the Cowboys' passing game, a worrying development has gone under the radar

FRISCO – While everyone was wringing their hands and lamenting the state of the pass game, a disturbing development has gone unnoticed.

The racing game has slipped to the point where it must now be corrected.

This is not uncommon. When a team devotes so much attention and concentration to a broken field, it often causes erosion elsewhere.

What is amazing here is that Ezekiel Elliott and the game on the fly define the offensive identity of the Cowboys. This group no longer imposes his will on the field, which explains the record of 3-5 he won in the match Sunday night against Philadelphia.

"It was inconsistent," Elliott conceded. "I think we made good progress last week early in the game, but it's still not what we need, not yet at the level it should be."

"We have to start this game, point blank, end point."

Opposing defenders limited Elliott to less than 80 meters on the ground only twice in his first two years in the league.

It's already happened five times this season. Elliott was held 61 yards or less in two straight games and three of the last four games.

The loss of the center, Travis Frederick, before the start of the season and an erratic performance on the offensive line are partly to blame. The same goes for an ineffective passing game that is only now starting to show signs of hope.

"I think we are in reset mode there with our racing game," said Scott Linehan, coordinator of the offensive. position where we can create great games and still have the racing game on which we can rely throughout the game. "

Elliott rushed for 31 yards and caught two passes for 44 yards in the first quarter of the Tennessee team's loss Monday night. He thought he was heading for a big game.

He managed just 37 yards of the scrum the rest of the night in the Cowboys' 28-14 loss.

"Absolutely frustrating," said Elliott. "This brings us back to the conversation we had earlier this season, if you have two touchdowns, there is no running, if you have two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, you can play with the game. pass and score quickly.

"I think it's a victim of the situation."

There is validity at this point. Deficits took the ball out of Elliott's hands at key moments of the season. But this is not the only explanation.

The score was tied by entering the second half of the Cowboys' defeat against Washington. The same goes for the game against the Titans. What did Elliott do in the second half of those two games?

He has 10 runs for 37 yards.

Here's another figure to keep in mind: The Cowboys were almost automatic in the last two seasons when they passed the ball to Elliott in the third and first inning.

This season, he converted eight of 12 attempts. There are 33 players in the league who converted to a higher percentage.

"Sometimes it will be more difficult depending on what the defense is trying to do, of what it is trying to suppress," said head coach Jason Garrett. run & # 39. So you have to beat them in other ways.

"You must be able to attack through the passing game, get them out of those fronts, get them out of those defenses."

It will not be easy Sunday night. Philadelphia has the second defense in the league, averaging 83.8 rushing yards.

"They have excellent staff on that front, a lot of great players," Elliott said. It is important for us to be realistic, to be ready to go and start quickly. "

And start imposing their will on the ground again.

"We have to get there," Elliott said. "We need to determine how we are going to do that."

Catch David Moore on the ticket (KTCK-AM 1310 and 96.7 FM) with The Musers at 9:35 am every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and The Hardline at 4:15 pm. every Tuesday and Friday in the regular season.