Check the points: Cowboys' offense sputtering early
Cowboys Columnist:
Todd Archer
IRVING – Averaging 33.2 points per game this year, the Cowboys are the second-highest scoring team in the NFL.
Imagine how good that total would be if they could figure out how to score a touchdown in the first quarter?
The Cowboys are one of four teams to not have scored an offensive touchdown in the first quarter this season, joining Arizona, Chicago (hello, Devin Hester) and New Orleans (fumble return). The Cardinals' and the Cowboys' six points have come on field goals.
"We're going to start scoring some points in the beginning of games, it's just not happened through five, six games," quarterback Tony Romo said. "Didn't we get points in the first game of the year?"
Nope, that was a 31-yard field goal by Nick Folk.
"Well, we'll try and do that better this week," Romo said.
Maybe it's the Curse of the Spit?
You have to go back to Week 15 last year at Atlanta to find the Cowboys' last first-quarter touchdown. It came on a nifty catch by Terrell Owens over DeAngelo Hall in the corner of the end zone to give the Cowboys a 7-0 lead.
On the previous drive, however, Owens spit in Hall's face and was eventually fined $35,000 by the NFL.
Coincidence? Absolutely.
A stretch? Sure.
But the Cowboys have no plausible answers either.
The Cowboys have run 91 first-quarter plays in the eight games since Owens' touchdown and have come away with two Folk field goals.
They have gone four straight games without a point in the first quarter, which is a 43-play drought since Folk's 26-yard field goal against Miami on Sept. 16.
The Cowboys have proven to be excellent closers. They have scored 132 points in the second half, including 63 in the fourth quarter. But the starts have hurt, especially last week vs. New England.
The Cowboys offense put up three straight three-and-outs, and the Patriots scored touchdowns on two of their first three drives for a 14-0 lead.
"We almost treat the first few drives like a boxing match, try to get a feel for the defense, don't throw too many punches," receiver Patrick Crayton said. "We need to throw a few more haymakers and right crosses and test it. I don't know what it is with that first drive, we're not getting it done. ... It's nothing to do with the coaches. That's all the players. The game plans are fine."
The problem is not exactly new. After scoring 34 first-quarter points in the first four games last year, the Cowboys scored only 31 the rest of the season. They went through a six-week stretch without crossing the goal line in the opening quarter, too.
"It's probably just finding a rhythm," offensive coordinator Jason Garrett said after Sunday's loss to the Patriots. "The most used word in the Cowboys' complex is execution. We not only have to execute on third down, but on first and second down to get into some favorable situations."
What's the remedy?
Coach Wade Phillips hinted at possible changes – maybe in the practice schedule? – but not in personnel, like at running back. Could the energy Marion Barber brings to the offense with his hard-running style be a boost the unit needs to start a game?
Phillips said he will not make a move, and Julius Jones has had more rushing yards than Barber in the last three games.
"You like to see us start sooner, and we're going to work on some things that maybe we can help ourselves a little there," Phillips said. "But the final result is how many you score in the game."
Todd Archer
IRVING – Averaging 33.2 points per game this year, the Cowboys are the second-highest scoring team in the NFL.
Imagine how good that total would be if they could figure out how to score a touchdown in the first quarter?
The Cowboys are one of four teams to not have scored an offensive touchdown in the first quarter this season, joining Arizona, Chicago (hello, Devin Hester) and New Orleans (fumble return). The Cardinals' and the Cowboys' six points have come on field goals.
"We're going to start scoring some points in the beginning of games, it's just not happened through five, six games," quarterback Tony Romo said. "Didn't we get points in the first game of the year?"
Nope, that was a 31-yard field goal by Nick Folk.
"Well, we'll try and do that better this week," Romo said.
Maybe it's the Curse of the Spit?
You have to go back to Week 15 last year at Atlanta to find the Cowboys' last first-quarter touchdown. It came on a nifty catch by Terrell Owens over DeAngelo Hall in the corner of the end zone to give the Cowboys a 7-0 lead.
On the previous drive, however, Owens spit in Hall's face and was eventually fined $35,000 by the NFL.
Coincidence? Absolutely.
A stretch? Sure.
But the Cowboys have no plausible answers either.
The Cowboys have run 91 first-quarter plays in the eight games since Owens' touchdown and have come away with two Folk field goals.
They have gone four straight games without a point in the first quarter, which is a 43-play drought since Folk's 26-yard field goal against Miami on Sept. 16.
The Cowboys have proven to be excellent closers. They have scored 132 points in the second half, including 63 in the fourth quarter. But the starts have hurt, especially last week vs. New England.
The Cowboys offense put up three straight three-and-outs, and the Patriots scored touchdowns on two of their first three drives for a 14-0 lead.
"We almost treat the first few drives like a boxing match, try to get a feel for the defense, don't throw too many punches," receiver Patrick Crayton said. "We need to throw a few more haymakers and right crosses and test it. I don't know what it is with that first drive, we're not getting it done. ... It's nothing to do with the coaches. That's all the players. The game plans are fine."
The problem is not exactly new. After scoring 34 first-quarter points in the first four games last year, the Cowboys scored only 31 the rest of the season. They went through a six-week stretch without crossing the goal line in the opening quarter, too.
"It's probably just finding a rhythm," offensive coordinator Jason Garrett said after Sunday's loss to the Patriots. "The most used word in the Cowboys' complex is execution. We not only have to execute on third down, but on first and second down to get into some favorable situations."
What's the remedy?
Coach Wade Phillips hinted at possible changes – maybe in the practice schedule? – but not in personnel, like at running back. Could the energy Marion Barber brings to the offense with his hard-running style be a boost the unit needs to start a game?
Phillips said he will not make a move, and Julius Jones has had more rushing yards than Barber in the last three games.
"You like to see us start sooner, and we're going to work on some things that maybe we can help ourselves a little there," Phillips said. "But the final result is how many you score in the game."
posted by The Gryphon at 7:41 PM
<< Home