Cowboys offense has a scoring problem

It has been a fun week if you are a Dallas Cowboys fan. Your team is on a roll after beating one of the best teams and its the leader to win the division for the first time since 2016. There is just one problem that could derail the playoff push for Dallas and that’s their inept offense.

In the four-game win streak, things have gotten better for the Cowboys, including the defense which has been holding opposing offenses to an average of 18 points-per-game. The defense comes in ranked second in scoring and fifth in passing yards allowed.  The defense clearly has been doing their part. The team’s problem is the offense being bogged down at crucial times during the game. That is something that has to be addressed ASAP.

Now there have been major improvements to the offense thanks in large part to the acquisition of Amari Cooper. He has added another dimension to the offense and that has allowed the offense to become more efficient during this current win streak. However, some of the old problems keep showing up game after game and it could cost the team a game soon.

One of the biggest concerns the offense seems to have is the inability score touchdowns in the red zone. While for the most part the offense can sustain long drives, once they get inside the 20-yard line, it’s a wreck.  In the game against the Saints, the offense went 1 out of 4 on red-zone scoring opportunities.  Shows you how dominant the Dallas’ defense was in that game. Cowboys got shutout in the second half.

For the season, the Cowboys are ranked 26^th in red-zone scoring efficiency for touchdowns.  So what is the deal?  It seems to be a mixture of bad play-calling, bad execution and sometimes really good defense.  Yet, it is a trend that is very bad and will cost you a game soon. The defense is good, but in this league, no one can pitch a shutout that long.

Another problem is coming from the quarterback himself. While there have been moments where Dak Prescott has been incredible during the win streak, he has been equally bad as well. For one, the fumbles are becoming a huge problem and they just can’t happen.  They aren’t even because he is running the football; it’s just his lack of awareness in the pocket.  The offense bogs down because of Dak’s lack of awareness and slow reaction to the defense. He will miss his targets, overthrow the ball, take an unnecessary sack or just fumble the ball, these plays all kill drives and it happens a lot. Either his confidence isn’t there or he’s just not focusing on his mechanics, but it needs to get fixed.

All of this can get fixed  or maybe were still a work in progress.  Bottom line is that the Cowboys’ offense has to sustain and score as much as possible. As good as this defense is, it still needs help and adding some points helps put pressure on the opposing teams. Remember, you win with the MOST points.