Troubling Cowboys Running Game Looks Too 'Vanilla' In Joint Practice vs. Rams

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Troubling Cowboys Running Game Looks Too 'Vanilla' In Joint Practice vs. Rams originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

When the Dallas Cowboys drafted two running backs in Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah, to go with Miles Sanders, Javonte Williams, Hunter Luepke and Deuce Vaughn, many were wondering where they would sit in the pecking order.

Head coach Brian Schottenheimer stated shortly after that he wouldn't have drafted the pair if he didn't think they could be starters in the NFL, and through the first couple of weeks of training camp, it has been Blue who has shown out.

Taking reps with the first team, Blue has been generating some serious buzz regarding what type of weapon he could be for this Dak Prescott-led offense with his running and receiving ability. He's even gotten some first-team reps.

Really, every running back on the roster has had a moment or two this offseason that makes us think they can contribute something to Schottenheimer's offense.

But then came Tuesday and the joint practice against the Rams ... with a bit of a troubling issue emerging.

Outside of a successful sweep featuring Javonte, this collection of running backs accomplished very little.

Was the failure a result of Dallas not "game-planning'' for the Rams?

"Those present problems for you," Schottenheimer said of the lack of game planning. "We'll certainly have a better idea of who we're going up against on game day, but today was more about us. It was just, 'Hey, throw the ball out there and let's see what happens.'"

Two things: One, nobody "game-plans'' for a joint practice. And two, yeah, they "threw the ball out there'' in a way that allowed Dak, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens to have their moments ... and in a way that allowed Joe Milton and Jalen Brooks and KaVontae Turpin (who looked like a real live wideout) to have theirs.

They threw it. They just couldn't run it.

Maybe that's because All-Pro left guard Tyler Smith was only rotating in as he nurses a mild knee problem. Maybe that's because Nate Thomas, the new starting left tackle (due to Tyler Guyton's month-long injury) was trying to block Rams star Jared Verse.

But here, Schotty's oft-stated commitment to featuring a powerful running game did not present results.

"I'm going to say it again: We're playing pretty vanilla," Schottenheimer said. "We're just focusing on execution. Can we run block? Can we get open? Can we pass block? ...''

And can the Cowboys run the football? Not on this day, they couldn't.

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