The Dallas Cowboys offense hasn't been clicking through the first six weeks, and running back Rico Dowdle thinks he knows why.
The Dallas Cowboys offense through six weeks hasn't been the vaunted "Texas Coast Offense" we were used to seeing last season.
Costly penalties, mental mistakes, and turnovers have plagued the offense (11 in six games), which, coming out of the bye week, ranks 20th in the league for points scored (21.0 per game).
The one overriding theme for Dallas is the turnovers in the redzone, with Dak Prescott making a habit of getting picked off when points are available inside the 20. That all leads to the Cowboys being one of the worst red zone teams in football, punching it in for six just 37.5 percent of the time (ranks 31st).
And for running back Rico Dowdle, that is where the biggest problem is.
"We shot ourselves in the foot a bunch of times in the red zone," Dowdle said. "Just taking care of the ball, I think that has something to do with it."
We say it has a lot to do with it.
But so, too, do the false start and holding penalties, which have negated positive plays and put the offense behind the sticks. Additionally, the offensive line hasn't been playing to the level many had hoped, which has meant the run game has suffered, too.
And for Rico, every aspect of the offense must work in unison.
"Everything pretty much plays hand in hand, we got to help them out and they got to help us out," Dowdle added. "We're going to make a few a changes as far as scheme and what we do on a couple things, but I think everything will be all good."
