The Cowboys' run committee must prove itself against what could have been: Derrick Henry of the Ravens

FRISCO – Those discouraged by the state of the Cowboys' running game won't feel any better looking across the field this weekend.

Derrick Henry storms into AT&T Stadium with 130 rushing yards and two touchdowns. His counterpart in the veteran running back department, Ezekiel Elliott, has only 56 rushing yards and one touchdown for Dallas.

How different would the Cowboys' offense look now if the club had pursued Henry, who has a home here? But if you're using yards to lament that Henry didn't sign with Dallas as a free agent, you're looking at the wrong stats. These are numbers to keep in mind.

Henry signed a two-year, $16 million contract with Baltimore, with $9 million guaranteed.

Elliott signed a one-year, $2 million contract in Dallas with $1.62 million guaranteed.

Advantage, Elliott.

That was the deciding factor. The Cowboys had no intention of spending money on the running back position, said several people with knowledge of the club's offseason approach to free agency. The Dallas Morning News. Henry was arguably Dallas' best option, but he was never a viable one.

This leaves the Cowboys with a committee approach, a committee of Elliott, Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn, who have combined for three fewer rushing yards than Henry at this point in the season.

“We played two games,” said head coach Mike McCarthy. “Running back by committee. That's what it looks like.”

“This is a running back by committee without there being enough attempts at the moment. That's the evaluation of it.”

The Cowboys enter Week 3 with an average rushing yardage of 85. Elliott and Dowdle are tied for the team lead with 56 yards each, putting them in the top 50 in the league.

They are tied on 48th place.

Vaughn is tied for fourth on his team in rushing with 15 yards, along with Dak Prescott.

Elliott, Dowdle and Vaughn combined for 36 carries in the first two games.

Not enough attempts. That's the first thing McCarthy points out when asked to explain the team's problems running the ball. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer agrees.

“We're all aware of the tries,” Schottenheimer said. “The running game is about feel. There are tries. You get a feel for the backers and the flow of the game and things like that.”

“The running game is an interesting thing because so many things have to fit together. When they don't, it doesn't always look good.”

Let's look at the first attempt first. Elliott is the team's best player with nine attempts for 19 yards.

Next up is receiver CeeDee Lamb. His jet sweep on the opening play netted him 12 yards. Vaughn had four first-down carries for 11 yards. Dowdle had six first-down carries for 8 yards.

Suggestion: Maybe McCarthy should only call passes on the first attempt.

McCarthy won't give up on the running game. No coach will. But he has to walk a tightrope: focusing on the running game enough to be successful, but also sticking with it when it's not working.

McCarthy has already informed players that he intends to maintain this committee approach throughout the season.

“You have to find your flow and get a rhythm,” Dowdle said of adjusting to the lack of pecking order. “I think that was a challenge for us out there, just finding a rhythm, getting the bats to the plate, more attempts, more chances.”

“It's definitely a little harder to find a rhythm, but we have to make the right plays out there.”

There will be changes along the way. Experienced Dalvin Cook is ready to step in if this group doesn't improve, although it doesn't sound like he'll be promoted from the practice squad for the game against the Ravens.

Next week against the New York Giants? We'll see.

Dowdle spoke of simplifying the group's current efforts and refocusing on its core business. He then mentioned returning to the one-two punch, but within a committee approach.

And Vaughn? Four of his five appearances this season have been against New Orleans. He offers something that Elliott and Dowdle don't.

Don't be surprised if he gets more playing time against the Ravens.

“I think everything will sort itself out,” Dowdle said.

Whatever happens Sunday, the Cowboys committee will have to face the running back the team hasn't pursued: Henry.

“It's not about him at all,” Dowdle said. “It's just about doing what we can do, making the most of our opportunities and playing great.”

“Yeah, so it's not really about what he's doing. It's about what we're doing out there. We have to go out there for ourselves.”

See David Moore with The Musers every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9:35 a.m. and on the Hardline every Tuesday and Friday at 4:35 p.m. on The Ticket (KTCK-AM 1310 and 96.7 FM) during the regular season.

Twitter: @DavidMooreDMN

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