The Cowboys started running the heck out of the ball last year, with DeMarco Murray running for 1,845 yards. But what took them so long? Most of the pieces of that great offensive line were already in place.
In the 2012-13 seasons, the Cowboys ran the ball on only 34 percent of their plays, 2nd-fewest in the league.
| RUNNING PLAYS (2012-13) | |
|---|---|
| Seattle | 53.7% |
| San Francisco | 51.7% |
| NY Jets | 48.1% |
| Carolina | 47.6% |
| Buffalo | 47.1% |
| Washington | 46.3% |
| Kansas City | 46.1% |
| Minnesota | 45.1% |
| San Diego | 43.8% |
| Chicago | 43.4% |
| Cincinnati | 43.1% |
| Philadelphia | 42.8% |
| New England | 42.6% |
| St. Louis | 42.4% |
| Houston | 42.3% |
| Tennessee | 42.2% |
| Green Bay | 42.2% |
| Tampa Bay | 42.0% |
| Denver | 41.9% |
| Baltimore | 40.7% |
| NY Giants | 40.4% |
| Oakland | 40.0% |
| Indianapolis | 39.8% |
| Miami | 39.8% |
| Pittsburgh | 39.4% |
| Arizona | 37.7% |
| Detroit | 37.0% |
| Jacksonville | 36.5% |
| Cleveland | 35.8% |
| New Orleans | 35.5% |
| Dallas | 34.4% |
| Atlanta | 34.2% |
Dallas moved to the other end of the spectrum last year, doing a better job of being patient with the run. During the 2014 season, only the Texans and Seahawks ran the ball on a higher percentage of their offensive plays.
| RUNNING PLAYS (2014) | |
|---|---|
| Houston | 51.9% |
| Seattle | 51.4% |
| Dallas | 50.1% |
| Cincinnati | 48.3% |
| NY Jets | 48.2% |
| Cleveland | 47.2% |
| San Francisco | 46.6% |
| Carolina | 44.6% |
| Baltimore | 43.9% |
| Kansas City | 43.7% |
| Green Bay | 43.5% |
| Minnesota | 42.1% |
| Philadelphia | 42.1% |
| Denver | 41.5% |
| NY Giants | 41.3% |
| St. Louis | 41.3% |
| New England | 40.8% |
| Arizona | 40.0% |
| Washington | 39.9% |
| Pittsburgh | 39.6% |
| San Diego | 39.4% |
| Buffalo | 39.4% |
| Tennessee | 38.7% |
| Miami | 38.4% |
| Detroit | 37.9% |
| Tampa Bay | 37.7% |
| Indianapolis | 37.6% |
| New Orleans | 37.1% |
| Jacksonville | 36.4% |
| Atlanta | 35.9% |
| Chicago | 35.3% |
| Oakland | 33.9% |
—Ian Allan