Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones stated that the team needs to maintain a run-first approach following a strong rushing performance. During a Monday night matchup, the Cowboys accumulated 204 rushing yards alongside 212 passing yards.
Establishing the Ground Game
Speaking on Dallas radio station 105.3 The Fan, Jones explained his strategy regarding the team’s offensive philosophy. “Our whole thing here is to establish the run,” Jones said, referencing comments he made during the game to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, adding, “We’ve got to stick with this run.”
Jones reaffirmed later in the radio segment that the franchise must operate primarily as a running team. This strategy helps protect the defense, which remains a vulnerable unit for the Cowboys. During Monday’s game, the defense surrendered 321 yards to an opposing offense directed by a quarterback who began the season as the third-string option.
Addressing Quarterback Confidence
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith raised a question on First Take regarding whether the Cowboys have lost confidence in quarterback Dak Prescott. Smith noted that his observation was his own interpretation and did not stem from anything Jones explicitly told him while they watched the game together from the owner’s suite.
Operating as a pass-first offense had not been yielding successful results for the team previously. However, the run-first strategy proved effective on Monday night by softening up the opposing defense and pulling safeties closer to the line of scrimmage, which helps Prescott perform at a high level.
