The Dallas Cowboys receive an important reality check at joint practice vs the Rams but one play sparks confidence
There was a common theme from the Cowboys-Rams practice.
The Dallas Cowboys’ joint practice vs. the Los Angeles Rams is over and everyone present at Oxnard, California appears to agree on one thing: The offensive line lost the battle on Tuesday.
The Cowboys received a reality check in the trenches after an offseason of aiming for a violent, physical run game. The Rams’ defensive line was just better on Tuesday.
Now granted, it’s one of the best defensive lines in the NFL and it all starts with elite edge rusher Jared Verse. The young defender went up against Cowboys’ backup left tackle Nate Thomas, who is expected to start in place of Tyler Guyton if the latter isn’t ready for Week 1.
In the play below, Verse beats Thomas with an inside move to blow up the play and get the tackle for loss on Cowboys RB Javonte Williams.
And it wasn’t just because of the mismatch involving Verse and Thomas: The Rams had success defending the run no matter what hole the Cowboys were aiming for.
“It’s been a lot of [blown up plays] in the run game for the Cowboys offense today,” Nick Harris from Fort Worth Star-Telegram posted on X, formerly Twitter. The Athletic’s Jon Machota added: “Not much on the ground today for the Cowboys.”
Not only is it true the Cowboys were facing a top-tier defensive line but it’s also true they’re adopting a new run philosophy (more on that below), and they were down their starting left tackle. Tyler Smith also missed a good chunk of snaps with the first-team offense.
And yet, the Cowboys know there are no excuses. Brian Schottenheimer will want his team focused on improving in the run game.
One play during practice should get Cowboys Nation excited about the run game
The best run of the day was attributed to Williams, who is listed as the starting running back on the Cowboys’ unofficial depth chart. Williams broke free right down the middle of the offensive line and the reason why I got so excited with the play was simple: It was a counter run.
Last year, the Cowboys ran the 30th-most counter attempts. That is bound to change: New offensive coordinator Klayton Adams comes from an offense that ran it the second-most times (Arizona Cardinals). Counter is a concept utilizing misdirection and demolition. The team pretends to run to the backside, from where to pulling blockers emerge to meet unsuspecting defenders.
The play below is a perfect example. Left guard T.J. Bass meets with a Rams LB (No. 56) at the end of the line of scrimmage while center Cooper Beebe pulls and leads the way for Williams up the middle.
From the moment the Cowboys hired Adams, I’ve been excited at the prospect of the franchise finally spicing up the run game and so far, it appears the overhaul to the run game is serious.
Things might not have gone the Cowboys’ way on Tuesday but it’s a process for the new coaching staff. The only problem is time is a factor with the regular season under a month away.
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