FRISCO — The Dallas Cowboys' offense has not produced at the same outstanding clip they demonstrated last season. They have gone from averaging 30 points per game to struggling to break the 20-point threshold.
Through eight weeks of trial and experimentation, the Cowboys have not found the flare that made them such a dangerous group a year ago. Some point fingers at the run game, offensive line or the head coach.
Ultimately, the reality remains these setbacks have been a culmination of multiple things.
But Brandon Aubrey has excluded himself from this group. Aubrey has connected on 18 of 20 field goals this season, including a eight of nine mark from 50 yards and beyond. He is also a perfect 12 of 12 on extra points.
For CeeDee Lamb and the Cowboys offense, they would like to see that latter number tick up. To do that, Dallas will need to enhance their red zone efficiency, an area where they have struggled mightily this season.
“We play confident and fast, we can score with anybody. I feel like that’s been our thing, we get to the red zone and we don’t put up enough points," Lamb said Thursday. "Just finishing our drives, ending our drives with 7, and not so much 3. We love Brandon (Aubrey). He’s taken care of us a lot, so trying to give him an off day.”
Despite the loss to the San Francisco 49ers Sunday night, Lamb had his best outing of the year with 13 grabs for 146 yards and two touchdowns. That type of production would certainly help this offense climb out of this slump that contributes to a 3-4 record.
And like Lamb, this team showed progress in the red zone in their last game. Dallas moved the ball into the red zone four times, finishing three of those possessions with touchdowns and the other with a field goal.
That shows a lessened reliance on Aubrey. But they also need to move the ball in that position more consistently.
Whether they find something on the ground or Dak Prescott can improve his play, the Cowboys must sustain longer drives and capitalize on them than they have shown throughout the season. For all the good they did against San Francisco, they also had costly turnovers or stinker three-and-out possessions.
It all starts with putting themselves in position to score rather than continuously losing this field position battle. If they can make some progress on these drives, perhaps it will be reflected further in the box scores and in the win column.
And for those times when they fail to punch it in or come up short a little ways beyond the final 20-yards, they still have Aubrey's trusted right leg to call upon.
