The Dallas Cowboys' offense hasn't quite looked like the elite unit we expected it to through five games this season.
Granted, Dallas' offense is averaging the seventh-most points per game in 2026, but it still feels like a struggle for the Cowboys to consistently move the ball and put points on the board.
The most glaring issue on offense is no doubt the run game, as Dallas is averaging the third-fewest rushing yards per game and Javonte Williams is averaging just 3.7 yards per carry.
It was a much different story last season, when the Cowboys had a top-10 rushing attack in the NFL and Williams averaged 4.8 yards per tote.
On Thursday, Cowboys offensive coordinator Klayton Adams was not afraid to point to Dallas' run-game struggles and admitted the team has to develop an identity on the offensive side of the ball.
The lack of a rushing attack and the dependence on moving the ball through the air has Adams comparing the Cowboys' offense to a boxer who is fighting with one hand tied behind his back.
“We have to develop an identity, and we're still searching for that," he said, per WFAA's Ed Werder. "But you know, so far, what you've seen from us is streaky and somewhat inconsistent, and I would say some of that is because we've really been we've really only for the most part been able to kind of hit with one hand, and so you know we need to be more balanced.
"We need to — like I said, using the boxing analogy — we need to be able to hit you with both hands, and we're kind of competing with one arm tied behind our back right now because we really haven't been very good in the run game.”
Less run game, more problems
Streaky is also a good way to describe how the Cowboys' passing attack has looked this season. There will be quarters where Dallas looks like a world-beater through the air, and other times the Cowboys will go long stretches without any success.
It would be nice to be able to lean on the run game when the latter occurs, yet the Cowboys haven't been able to do that. Further, the Cowboys being a one-dimensional offense makes it far easier for opposing defenses to sell out to stop the pass, which only makes Dak Prescott's job more difficult.
Another issue stemming from the run-game struggles is Dallas is getting dominated in time of possession. Flipping the script on that will keep Dallas' biggest weakness off the field and fresher, which might help with overall performance.
With how poorly the defense has played, the offense has got to reach its ceiling for the Cowboys to have a chance to overcome that. Not being able to run the ball will prevent the Cowboys' offense from getting to that ceiling.
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