The 2011 Dallas Cowboys are a team full of unexpected new contributors, you have high profile draft picks, low profile draft picks, guys that were found on the free agent scrap heap, and one guy that was found on a reality TV show. And this is just talking about the offensive side of the ball, these contributors are a reason why the wildly inconsistent Cowboys seem to be becoming consistent at the right time to make a late season run into the playoffs.
DeMarco Murray/Montrae Holland/Tony Fiammetta/Running Game - These three guys are the main driving force behind the recent success of the Cowboys and their offense. While most people are giving nearly all the credit to the emergence of rookie running back DeMarco Murray and the highest 3-game rushing total in Cowboys History, if you look closer Murray's rise to success coincides with Holland and Fiammetta becoming fixtures in the starting lineup.
The recent success of Tony Romo is also directly related to the emergence of the running game as teams now have to account for ground attack instead of playing the pass nearly 100% of the time. I think we can all agree that Romo is at his best when he does not have to carry the entire offense on his shoulders, when that happens he tries to do too much and that is when he make mistakes.
Montrae Holland - Holland was acquired by the Cowboys in a 2008 trade with the Denver Broncos and has struggled to keep his weight in check, causing him to bounce from reliable multi-position backup, to starter, to backup, to released, to finally being brought back after his back healed up and he lost weight (both are directly related). Before Holland was brought back the Cowboys were working with a very young and small offensive line (3 rookies, yes I know that Center Phil Costa is not a rookie but he might as well be) that I predicted would be a problem early this season, but Holland arrived and instantly made Doug Free and Phil Costa better.
Not only is he winning the battles in his "area" (Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett also seems to have changed the blocking scheme from 1-on-1 power blocking to more zone blocking) he is also getting out in space and getting in defenders way at the second level. His play has been so impressive that on his first game back Jerry Jones declared that Holland should get the game ball and not DeMarco Murray (who had just rushed for a franchise record 253 yards), and I tend to agree.
DeMarco Murray - the 3rd round draft pick out of Oklahoma, has been the driving force behind the resurgence of the running game. While you have to give a lot of credit to the offensive line and Tony Fiammetta, Murray has started running hard and not going down on first contact ensuring that he gets every yard possible out of every run. In my opinion, much of his success in the last few games has come with a fundamental change in his game, early in the season I saw him receive the hand-off and duck his head through first contact, but now he is keeping his head up allowing him to make that first guy miss when he steps in the hole allowing him to get to the second level.
Tony Fiammetta - Another guy that the Cowboys found on the scrap heap after he was picked from the Panthers, his playing time is also directly related to the emergence of the running game. Fiammetta is better on the edges than than taking linebackers head on in the gaps, and is a throwback fullback of sorts because he seems to be very athletic instead of bulky, with that you would expect him to be a threat out of the backfield, but he is happy clearing the holes for the threats.
Laurent Robinson - Falcons, Rams, Chargers, Cowboys(twice) all before age 26....doesn't sound like the resume of the best wide receiver on the 6th best passing team in the NFL does it? Well Laurent Robinson is currently the wide receiver playing the best for the Cowboys right now, in fact his play has made Miles Austin somewhat....expendable. In fact, I cannot believe that some wannabe sports writer/scout ever once considered that this passing attack needed Randy Moss....what an idiot!!
Robinson was a journeyman free agent who was always considered talented, but injury prone. He has become a fixture in the Cowboys offense this season accumulating a solid 27 catches for 441 yards and 4 touchdowns. But Robinson's biggest impact has not been his stats, it has been the smaller things he is doing right, like knowing the plays, where to line up and what route to run while doing it at full speed and not loafing (I am talking to you Dez Bryant and Kevin Ogletree). His route running is also precise and crisp; running the routes the same way every time which gives quarterback Tony Romo the comfort of knowing that he can throw to a spot and his receiver will be there.
It looks like Robinson has become the wide receiver version of Jason Witten for Romo, and in just 7 games this season has become a more reliable and dependable option than Miles Austin, if it weren't for the contract (Economics of the NFL) Robinson would continue to be the #2, even when Austin returns.
Tyron Smith - Coming out of USC as the 9th overall pick in the draft, Smith was fairly inexperienced after only starting for 1 year, and not even the best tackle on his team (see Matt Kalil). I was very hard on him and did not expect him to make as great an impact as he has. But through a little more than half of the 2011 season Smith has been the best tackle, if not the best lineman on the Cowboys team.
While he needs some work on leveraging his man off the snap when run blocking, which will come when he puts on some more weight and adds strength, he has been more than adequate in that area. His best attribute is his pass blocking, his first kick at the snap of the ball and his quick feet allow him to be in the right position to direct even the best pass rushers where he wants them to go. His one pass protection fault is when a rusher uses the same move over and over (speed rush to the outside) he starts sitting in his stance expecting it, and then the rusher can use a spin move to the inside or a bull rush and catch him off balance and out of position leading to a negative play.
With a full season under his belt, including a full off-season in an NFL Weight Room and training camp, I fully expect him to make the transition to left tackle sooner than later, which will move Doug Free back to right tackle, forming arguably the best tackle tandem in the NFL. These problems will work themselves out as Smith gets experience, but until then, the Cowboys and their fans have to be very happy with their 1st round selection.
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