The Dallas Cowboys finally embraced the running game in Week 7 against the Philadelphia Eagles, running the ball at a 38-27 rate and hitting a 50 percent success rate on the ground. Seriously, they actually did it! For a team that had been passing at the highest rate in the NFL for the first six weeks of 2026, this was a massive, and let’s be real, long overdue shift. They played with a lead for most of the second half, so it made total sense to lean on that ground game. And man, it worked.
Week 7: The Run Game Showed Up, Finally
Think about it: 50 percent success on the ground. For six weeks, this team was throwing it like there was no tomorrow. Dallas normally runs the ball with a 44 percent success rate, usually when they’re playing from behind. But in Philly? The stars aligned. They had a lead, and they had efficiency. That 50 percent success rate? If they could maintain that all season, it would rank them second in the entire league. You read that right. Second overall. That’s a huge jump from their usual output. It makes you wonder why it took them seven weeks to figure this out, doesn’t it?
The Catch? It’s Complicated For Dallas
Here’s where it gets tricky, and where hindsight gives us the unfair advantage. Rushing the ball is smart when it’s successful, but it’s pure foolishness when it’s not. Throughout the Dak Prescott era, the passing game has actually been superior in both success rate and EPA for the Cowboys. So, while Week 7 felt like a revelation, a run-heavy approach isn’t usually the recommended long-term strategy. The real key for this offense is finding balance. Especially with Tyler Smith reacclimating himself on the offensive line, balance should absolutely be a feasible strategy moving forward. The catch is they absolutely *have* to stick with the run, provided it keeps its efficiency and they can avoid falling behind on the scoreboard.
For the Dallas coaching staff, it’s the ultimate tightrope walk. How do you know if the run game is successful until you actually attempt a run? That’s the hard place these coaches find themselves in. They need to know when to pull the plug, how to exploit a weakness, and when to pivot to a new strategy. It’s tough, high-pressure stuff. So, can the Cowboys keep that ground game churning with the same efficiency next week? Or will they revert to their pass-heavy ways and find themselves playing catch-up? All eyes will be on that offensive balance.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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