Tight end Geoff Swaim (#87) motions to the weak side to pick up the linebacker coming off the edge.
The free safety Berhe has to come up from his spot over 10 yards from the LOS to assist in run defense. The Giants have seven defenders in the box (3-5 yards from the LOS) and safety Landon Collins (#21) creeps up on the strong side.
On the first play of the second quarter the Cowboys bring in Morris (#46) and again line up in 12 personnel. The Giants were obviously loading up the box all afternoon to make sure Elliott wasn’t going to beat them. This was the kind of pressure that Elliott faced most of the game. Free safety Nat Berhe (#29) is able to come off the outside of Free for the tackle. This early penetration causes Elliott to get hit immediately. The Cowboys have seven designated players to block up front for the runner.Īt the snap, defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul (#90) gets inside of tackle Doug Free (#68), and defensive tackle Damon Harrison (#98) beats center Travis Frederick (#72) immediately. Once Elliot has the ball in his hands there are nine Giants within 10 yards of the LOS. At the snap, notice that there are eight Giants defenders within seven yards of the line of scrimmage (LOS). The Cowboys are using their 21 personnel package, with Elliott (#21) in the backfield. On the first play from scrimmage Dallas lines up on its own 25-yard line. Fullback Keith Smith toted the ball once for three yards and Prescott had two carries for 12 yards, 11 coming on one play. Elliott rushed the ball 20 times to the tune of 51 yards and a score, as he averaged 2.6 yards per carry, Morris had seven carries for 35 yards for an average of 5.0 yards per carry. Elliott really turned heads with the way he performed against the vaunted Seattle Seahawks defense, however it was only the preseason.ĭuring Week 1’s matchup against the New York Giants, the Cowboys weren’t able to establish their running game the way fans were accustomed to seeing since the beginning of the 2014 season.
However, the Cowboys possess one of the better zone-blocking-scheme weapons in Alfred Morris, and the top running back of this year’s draft, Ezekiel Elliott, running behind their dominant offensive line. The loss of quarterback Tony Romo to a back injury prior to the season’s start, and were forced to turn to rookie fourth-round pick, Dak Prescott. Going into the 2016 football season the general consensus was that the Dallas Cowboys run game was going to be a focal point for the offense. Patrick Conn explains why the Cowboys run game was stifled in Week 1 by the New York Giants. However, their rushing attack was unable to gain much traction. The Dallas Cowboys made a commitment to the ground game this offseason, and that decision seemed wise after a preseason injury.