Dallas Cowboys Should Use a Spread Formation To Improve the Run Game

Jason Garrett has a good offensive football mind.

His reputation as an offensive coordinator might have taken a bit of a hit earlier this season when Wade Phillips was still in charge. However, it's hard to deny that Garrett does know the offensive side of things pretty well. It's ridiculous when the casual fan starts to believe that they can do a better job than the former Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants backup quarterback can.

However, it doesn't hurt to listen to free advice.

My advice for the Garrett and the Cowboys is to utilize the spread formation. That recommendation is not being made to improve the passing game. It's being made to improve the ground game.

Years ago when Mouse Davis was perfecting the Run and Shoot offense, he was doing so because he wanted to improve his team's ability to run with the ball. It was revolutionary to believe that replacing tight ends and fullbacks with more wide receivers would be beneficial towards the ground game. The same concept is shared by the spread offense.

Loose Change

Ask any offensive coordinator in the league and they will tell you that running against nickel and dime defenses are the preferred choice. By utilizing Roy Williams, Miles Austin and Dez Bryant on the field together, you force defenses to switch to a nickel package.

Tight To Spread

Jason Witten is one of the most dynamic tight ends in the league. By having him motion from his traditional spot to a slot position, defenses will have no choice but to swing a linebacker out to shadow him. That means that there's one less person in the defensive box.

Up the Middle

Now that the defense has been cleared out a bit, Garrett can have Marion Barber and Felix Jones attacking the middle. That happens to be the strength of the offensive line as well, with Leonard Davis, Andre Gurode and Kyle Kosier available as bulldozers.