The Dallas Cowboys took a risk when they hired Paul Alexander as their new offensive line coach in 2018. The offensive line has been the strength of the team over the last several years and yet the Cowboys had decided to move on from last season’s OL coach Frank Pollack. The decision was due in part to how poorly Chaz Green and Byron Bell played when they replaced the injured Tyron Smith last season. The inability of Smith’s replacements and the failure of the rest of the offence to adapt and adjust led to the Cowboys front office making wholesale changes with their position coaches. The hiring of Alexander was an interesting choice because he had introduced a new method of blocking that the current group of linemen were unfamiliar with. The Cowboys have played 7 games so far this season and the players have not adjusted well to the change and now the headlines in Dallas read “Offensive line Coach Paul Alexander fired.”
It has been plain for all to see that the offensive line was not playing at a high level and the numbers further demonstrate what got Paul Alexander fired. Dak Prescott has been under immense pressure all season and he has been sacked 23 x’s in 7 games which ranks 24th in the league in 2018. In 2017 and 2016 the Dallas Cowboys offensive line allowed only 28 sacks the entire season! Those totals were good enough to rank in the top 10 both years. The run game has been less effective too. Currently the Dallas Cowboys rank 8th in the league in rush yards/game compared to 2nd in both 2017, 2016. This season, while they are actually averaging more rush yards per game overall than last season, they have been more inconsistent. More specifically they have been a different team at home than on the road. In both 2016 and 2017 the Cowboys have averaged 150 yards/game at home and 134 yards/game on the road which is relatively even. So far in 2018 they Cowboys have averaged 175 rush yards/game at home and only 107 yards/game at home. Clearly the decision to fire Alexander was justified but how will the team respond to a coaching change midseason?
The man who will replace Alexander is none other than former Cowboys tackle Marc Colombo. Colombo has served as the assistant offensive line coach since 2016 and is highly regarded by the Cowboys front office. He was likely instrumental in bringing in his former OL coach Hudson Houk who also coached Cowboys legends such as Larry Allen, Nate Newton and Flozell Adams among others to be his advisor. Colombo is highly unproven but If he does nothing other than help players like Tyron Smith and La’el Collins re-establish their former techniques and return to their 2017 form than he will be an upgrade. Colombo does not need to reinvent the wheel in order to accomplish that, he just needs to help these guys get back to basics so they can once again maul opposing defensive lines.
The firing of Alexander is a significant move for the Dallas Cowboys because of the timing of it. That move in conjunction with the Amari Cooper trade and rumours of more possible trades before the deadline tomorrow indicate the Dallas Cowboys are intent on making the playoffs this season. Further to that point, by giving Jason Garrett as much help as possible and removing any and all excuses that may stand his way, it implies that failure to make the playoffs will cost Jason Garrett his job at the end of the season.
All data and statistics obtained and verified from https://www.pro-football-reference.com/
*Photo by Kieth Allison https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode