The Cowboys Best Plays From 2008

The Cowboys offense was not nearly as prolific in 2008 as it was in 2007; they scored 455 points in 2007 and dropped to 362 in 2008. Point your finger where you want - an injury to Felix Jones, a three-game injury to Tony Romo, Terrell Owens' advanced age, poor blocking, etc. They all fit.
But there were a handful of plays that when everyone was healthy proved devastating to opposing defenses.

1. Double tight end, toss sweep to Felix Jones
Jones’ speed caught so many defenders off guard last season he was able to take the simplest pitch and out-race just about anyone to the corner and go. He averaged nearly 9 yards per carry until he was hurt.

2. Two receiver set, I-formation, go route to Terrell Owens
Defensive coordinators quickly learned that Owens could not get off the jam in press coverage, so he seldom had the chance to run his favorite route last season uncontested. When he did, however, he was still lethal. Against the 49ers in Week 12, Owens faced zone coverage which he destroyed to the tune of seven catches for 213 yards and a touchdown. It was one of two 100-yard receiving games he had last season.

3. Any formation - bail out to Jason Witten
When the blocking broke down, consistently one of the most effective plays for the Cowboys was for Tony Romo to throw the ball to his best friend, tight end Jason Witten. The two have played together long enough and are close enough that they instinctively know where to go, usually in the middle of the field and underneath; Witten had 81 catches last season with four touchdowns. And that was a bad year.

4. Double tight end, Tashard Choice between the tackles
This play does not seem like it should be on the list, but the rookie runner from Georgia Tech proved to be very effective in December against the defenses of Pittsburgh, the New York Giants and the Baltimore Ravens. Blessed with quick feet, Choice ran the ball 49 times for 269 yards (5.4 yard per carry average) and two touchdowns against those three defenses in successive weeks.

5. Comeback to Terrell Owens
Because Owens has never been a receiver who much cared for contact, his most effective play last season on a consistent basis was to drive his defender and turn to catch the ball near the sideline to avoid a major hit.

 - Michael Tyman