While it’s early in the season, and there’s no need for alarm, at least not yet, the Dallas Cowboys’ first two weeks have revealed challenges in both their rushing offense and run defense.
The offense has struggled to establish a ground game early on, while the defense overall had a standout performance in Week One after yesterday and is still showing vulnerabilities against the run and top-tier backs.
The Cowboys prepare to host the Baltimore Ravens, who are reeling from a surprising home loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Notably, the Ravens’ strengths directly contrast the Cowboys’ weaknesses, setting the stage for a compelling matchup.
Dallas fell to the New Orleans Saints 44-19 in a home loss that certainly left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth.
Alvin Kamara had his way against the Cowboys’ run defense, rushing for 115 yards and scoring three touchdowns on 20 carries.
This showcased the Cowboys’ continuous run defensive struggles as they gave up a total of 190 rushing yards on Sunday. In the first two weeks, the Cowboys have allowed 283 rushing yards, ranking 11th in the league.
On the other hand, the Cowboys have struggled to generate momentum by running the football.
After two weeks, the ground game has been slow to start. Ezekiel Elliott leads the team with just 56 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, averaging a mere 3.5 yards per attempt.
His longest run so far has only been 9 yards. Interestingly, the team’s longest rush belongs to wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who broke off a 12-yard run in their Week One victory against the Browns.
Overall, Dallas has rushed for 170 yards with an average of 3.7 yards per carry through two weeks, which ranks 10th worst.
As previously noted, the Ravens could be looking at this matchup knowing very well it’s an opportunity to dominate the ground game on both ends.
Baltimore, spearheaded by two-time MVP Lamar Jackson and All-Pro Derrick Henry, enters Week Three ranked seventh in rushing with a formidable 336 yards and an impressive 5.7 yards per carry.
Unsurprisingly, Jackson himself has been a driving force behind their ground game, contributing 167 yards on the ground.
More impressively, but unfortunately for Dallas, the Ravens currently boast the league’s top run defense after two games.
They’ve surrendered a mere 99 rushing yards through two weeks, with their longest allowed run to a running back being just 8 yards, courtesy of Vegas’ Zamir White.
In conclusion, though the season is still young, coach Mike McCarthy and the Cowboys must address these shortcomings, especially with pivotal mid-season matchups looming.
