Week 11: Dallas Cowboys vs. Atlanta Falcons Preview

by
Former Writers
November 17, 2018

Football Schedule via Flickr

Will The Cowboys Stay Committed To The Run?

It’s no secret that the Cowboys’ key to success relies heavily on their ability to run the ball. Don’t believe me? Here are the numbers. The Cowboys are an impressive 13-4 when Ezekiel Elliott rushes for 100 yards or more since his rookie season.

Four of their five losses this year have come when Elliott has rushed for less than 100 yards. Dallas needs to feed Elliott the ball.

Plagued By Inconsistency

Dallas has yet to have back-to-back wins this season. After each win, the Cowboys have run the ball less than they did the week before. It almost seems as if they are trying to prove that running the ball isn’t what they need to do.

The coaching staff also gives up on the runway too soon. No team should abandon the run in the first half. Especially if they have an all-time talent such as Ezekiel Elliott.

Take Advantage Of What Atlanta Gives You

The Atlanta Falcons aren’t exactly great on defense against the run. They’re giving up an average of 119.9 yards per game. There’s no reason why the Cowboys should run Elliott less than 20 times on Sunday afternoon.

The Cleveland Browns ran for 211 yards last week against the Atlanta Falcons. Running back Nick Chubb had 176 yards on 20 carries. He even had a run for 92 yards. Elliott is more than capable of breaking free for a huge gain such as that.

Dak Prescott Doesn’t Need 300 Passing Yards To Win

So far this season thirty different quarterbacks have thrown for 300 yards or more. Dak Prescott isn’t one of them. While it would be nice to have more production out of a quarterback in today’s league, it isn’t necessary for the Cowboys.

They need to realize that their success doesn’t reside within Prescott’s arm. They just need him to make good decisions. Prescott should also trust his legs a little more often as well. He is a dual-threat quarterback. I’m sure the Falcons will give him opportunities to run. He should take advantage of them.

Prediction

Since I am not the coach for the Dallas Cowboys, I don’t believe that they will run Elliott the way they need to. They haven’t given me any reason to think otherwise. Atlanta will come out strong against the run at first since they are at home, and the Cowboys will abandon the run. They shouldn’t, but I believe they will.

Dallas loses a very winnable game in Atlanta.