Jason Witten called it a "top offense" over the last few years. QB coach Wade Wilson referred to it as an "attacking-style."
The Cowboys rank eighth in the NFL in total offense and seventh in the passing game. Yet, there haven't been many big plays in recent weeks, and just six plays of 40 yards or more this year.
Last week, in the middle of a disastrous game in Philly, Tony Romo hooked up with Laurent Robinson on a 70-yard bomb for the team's only touchdown.
It was the longest pass play from scrimmage in nearly a month and since Miles Austin's 53-yard touchdown against the 49ers in Week Two, the Cowboys have just three passing plays of 50 yards or more. The players catching those passes . . . that'd be Jesse Holley and two to Robinson, who wasn't even on the roster to start the season.
It's obvious the Cowboys are having problems not only getting the ball down the field, but into the hands of Miles Austin and Dez Bryant. In Sunday's game in Philly, the two starting receivers didn't just go without a catch in the first half, but not a single pass was thrown in their direction.
When asked about the team's inability to stretch the field lately, a few different reasons have surfaced. One of them has been the nature of the games. The Cowboys played a tight, more-conservative approach in New England, followed by a game with the Rams in which the running game did all the work.
"We still want to be an attacking style of offense, but these last couple weeks . . . " Wilson said. "St. Louis we really didn't have to throw the ball down the field and then this past week we got behind so far and they were taking deep throws away. It's something that kind of goes in cycles throughout the season."
When asked about not taking as many down-the-field shots, Romo called the notion "silly" and said it's always in the game plan.
"It's the opponents you're going against," Romo said. (If) you have more time, you're able to take shots down field. When you have less…that's part of it. When you're running the ball well you're able to take more. There's a lot that goes into it. We're always pushing the ball down the field. From week to week, that will vary here and there."
