The Cowboys’ struggling offensive line is still a concern

The NFL season is going into week seven and while most teams have overcome their struggles, some haven’t. The Dallas Cowboys have been playing a million times better than in week one, but problems still loom large with six weeks down.

One of those problems — a major one — still plaguing the Cowboys is the utter lack of experience on the offensive line. This issue has made every game more difficult for the Cowboys. Quarterback Dak Prescott‘s thumb injury in week one can certainly be attributed to the offensive line not protecting him well enough.

When looking at the stats, it’s really bad. The Cowboys have allowed let their opponents a total of 24 sacks for a loss of 151 yards. This is the worst by any team in the league. Cooper Rush has had to get the ball off in under 2 seconds on every snap to avoid being sacked.

One factor is how Kellen Moore calls his plays. What does this have to do with the O-line? In order for a lot of Moore’s plays to work, the offensive line needs to give the quarterback more time in the pocket. Kellen offers a good selection of routes for his wideouts. Receivers can frequently get open, however, the play needs time to develop for that to happen. This is where the offensive line comes into play. If the QB isn’t given that certain amount of time, then the play simply won’t work.

So, how do the Cowboys fix this issue? I believe the answer lies not within the players, but in their coaching. Offensive Line Coach Joe Philbin owns much of the blame for the line’s deficiencies. Look at how much attention the Cowboys staff has given to the offensive line. One example is in the 2022 NFL Draft when the Cowboys drafted Tyler Smith as their first choice.

Great pick, this was the opportunity their line needed to get better. Yet, come the preseason, the offensive line looked even worse. Alright then, perhaps he’s not as good as people thought… Right?

Well, then again, the Cowboys decided to sign Offensive Tackle Jason Peters. Wow, a superstar has joined the team, and now the offensive line should prosper… RIGHT!?

Again, even after this amazing player joins the team, the offensive line is still not giving the quarterbacks any time to throw. The staff and recruiters have done a good job at trying to improve the line, but the problem doesn’t sit with them or the players, it sits with the coach.

Overall the Cowboys actually have a pretty good offensive line. Much talent and potential are with them, but it seems Joe can’t get them to play the correct way. It is starting to look like the Cowboys need to change it up a bit and hire a new O-line coach soon.

If the offensive line can’t hold properly to a weak Detroit Lions team, then the decision is obvious on what to do. Joe has to go soon, or the struggles with the line will continue.