The Dallas Cowboys have the No. 18 pick in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. If Jerry Jones and Jason Garrett expect to make the playoffs again in the next decade, they need to select an offensive linemen in the first round. Ideally, the Cowboys will use their second round pick on an offensive linemen also. Dallas could use all the help they can get for an offense that struggled to run the ball and protect the quarterback in 2012.
The Cowboys ranked 31 out of 32 NFL teams in rushing in 2012. They averaged 79.1 yards rushing per game, and only 3.6 yards per rush. The Arizona Cardinals was the only team worse than the Cowboys at running the ball in 2012. The ‘Boys ranked 17th in the league in 2012 while allowing 36 sacks.
While the NFL has increasingly become a passing league over the past decade, to win championships it is still imperative to be able to run the ball (and defend the run). Running the ball and pass protection all goes back to the offensive line. Until their problems are rectified, they will continue to be a mediocre football team.
The San Francisco 49ers ranked No. 4 in the NFL in 2012 in rushing with 155.7 yards per game. They averaged 5.1 yards per carry and made it all the way to the Super Bowl. Their offensive line was one of the best in the NFL, and it featured three linemen who were selected in the first round of the NFL draft: Joe Staley, Mike Iupati, and Anthony Davis.
The Niners’ opponent in the Super Bowl was the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens’ offensive line featured tackles Bryant McKinney and Michael Oher. Both were selected in the first round of the NFL draft. The Ravens selected guards Kelechi Osemele and Marshal Yanda in the second and third rounds of the draft respectively.
In 2012, the Washington Redskins beat the Cowboys in the final game of the regular season to win the NFL East and advance to the playoffs. Washington rushed for 274 yards in the 28-18 victory over the Cowboys. The Redskins led the NFL in rushing that year with 169.3 yards per game. The Redskins are coached by Mike Shanahan.
Shanahan won back to back Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998 with the Denver Broncos behind a dominant running game. During Shanahan’s time in Denver, he had six running backs rush for over 1,000 yards in a season.
The 2012 Redskins were led by Alfred Morris, who rushed for 1,613 yards in his rookie season in the NFL. The starting offensive tackles for the Redskins who opened holes for Morris were Trent Williams and Jammal Brown. Both Williams and Brown were selected in the first round of the NFL draft. Shanahan has had success with the Broncos and the Redskins because he has always had a great running game. Shanahan’s teams are always effective running the ball because his teams always have a great offensive line.
It is clear that the road to the playoffs and the Super Bowl is paved by the offensive line. The easiest way to build a great unit is through the early rounds of the NFL draft.
Taking a look at what the Cowboys have done in the draft recently, they selected Tyron Smith with the No. 9 pick of the 2011 NFL Draft. He is now the Cowboys starter at left tackle and could develop into a pro bowl player. Though he’s a piece, being that they are one of the worst in the NFL in 2012, they could use help at the other four starting spots.
When the Cowboys signed Tony Romo to a long-term contract, they secured their starting quarterback for the future. Now they need to protect him by building up the offensive line.
The best case scenario for Cowboy fans is that North Carolina guard Jonathan Cooper slips down to them in the first round. In the second round they could select tackle Terron Armstead from Arkansas-Pine Bluff. That would give them two offensive linemen who could step in and start right away.
The bottom line is that the names do not matter. The Cowboys need to commit to building their offensive line through the draft if they want to reach the playoffs any time soon.
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