Dallas Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys Offense: Regular Season Grades

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 11:21 p.m. ET

Fansided, Brandon Orange/FanSided via The Landry Hat

Here are my grades for the Dallas Cowboys on the offensive side of the ball during the 2016 NFL regular season.

What went right, what went wrong, what they need to do in the offseason to improve, etc.

When fans of the Dallas Cowboys reflected on the season this time last year, the feeling was a little different than last year.

Heading into the divisional round, the team’s attention is on the Green Bay Packers.

So, it’s good to look back on the 2016 regular season right now and see when right and what went wrong.

Taking a look at the offense; this unit had high expectations heading into the fall.

That was before then-starting quarterback Tony Romo went down with a bad back on a soggy field in Seattle.

When rookie quarterback Dak Prescott showed some promise in the preseason, fans began to feel hopeful for what the regular season had in store.

Seventeen weeks later, and the Cowboys are the best team in the NFC with a 13-3 regular season ending record, a first round bye in the playoffs and home field advantage throughout.

And the Cowboys efficient offense was a big reason for their success.

Therefore, here are my grades for the Dallas Cowboys offense in 2016.

(You can read my defensive grades here: Dallas Cowboys Defense: Regular Season Grades)

Dallas Cowboys Offensive Grades: Quarterbacks – A

Starting at the most important position in football, the quarterback.

Did any player in the NFL come into the 2016 season with fewer expectations than Dak Prescott?

By now everybody has heard the story about the fourth round pick who was originally supposed to be the third string quarterback.

But Prescott was suddenly thrust into the starting spot due to a back injury suffered by Tony Romo.

After his preseason showing, many expected that Dak could hold down the fort until Romo returned.

Many thought that maybe the rookie would win enough games to keep the Cowboys in the hunt until the reinforcements arrived.

Instead, all Prescott managed to do was put together one of the best rookie seasons of any quarterback in NFL history.

And the fourth rounder performed like one of the best quarterbacks in the league this season.

Dak led a very young team to a 13-3 record, looking like a seasoned veteran for most of the season.

I think that’s an “A” in anybody’s book.

Dallas Cowboys Offensive Grades: Running Back – A

The jewel of the 2016 draft has been sensational in his rookie season. Ezekiel Elliott led the NFL in rushing yards with 1631, and tacked on 16 total touchdowns on top of that.

Elliott has been an absolute game changer in the passing game as well, racking up over 30 receptions and took a pretty memorable screen pass 80 yards in Pittsburgh.

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Perhaps just as important as the numbers Zeke produced is the impact he had on the opposing game plan. Teams obviously stacked the box to attempt to slow down Elliott, leaving the passing lanes open for Prescott and the receiving core.

As if Zeke didn’t grade out high enough, the backs behind the rookie grade out pretty well themselves. Lance Dunbar, Darren McFadden and Alfred Morris all played their role well in taking reps while Zeke caught his breath.

Between Zeke and the second wave of ball carriers, the Cowboys possess a rushing attack that few teams have shown the ability to slow down.

Even the Packers, who went into their regular season matchup with the number one ranked rush defense in the league, gave up 190 yards on the ground to the Cowboys stable of running backs.

Dallas Cowboys Offensive Grades: WR/TE – A-

The Cowboys receiving core is outstanding. Despite missing a chunk of time with injury, Dez Bryant still managed to haul in 8 touchdown receptions (and even throw one!).

Cole Beasley staked his claim as one of the best slot receivers the NFL has to offer, Terrance Williams made strides, and Jason Witten is still very good at what he does. Dak Prescott has had no shortage of toys to play with this season.

The reason this unit grades out so well isn’t strictly due to production, but depth. The Cowboys had seven players have touchdown receptions, with six of them being either wide receivers or tight ends.

The depth of the Cowboys receiving core was an underrated key to their 11 game winning streak, with Bryant missing an early chunk of the streak, Dallas’s rookie quarterback had to build chemistry with other receivers, namely Beasley, who ended up leading the team in receptions.

The quarterback and running back have been getting the majority of the credit for the success the Cowboys have enjoyed this season, understandably so.

But this group of pass-catchers has been vital to the Cowboys 13-3 record, after all, a quarterback can’t do it alone.

Dallas Cowboys Offensive Grades: Offensive Line – A+

Finally we get to the heart and soul of this offensive unit: the offensive line.

A line that boasts three 2016 All-Pro selections, three former first round picks, and paved the way for Ezekiel Elliott to lead the NFL in rushing.

The Cowboys offensive line is the best in the NFL, and has been for the last few years.

Left tackle Tyron Smith is as good of a pass blocker you could hope to have, often stonewalling the opposing team’s best pass-rusher.

Ronald Leary, Travis Frederick and Zack Martin from the middle of the line, opening hole for the Cowboys devastating running attack.

And while he may be showing age a bit, Doug Free has yet to be unseated at the right tackle position.

The team rode their offensive line to a 12 win division title a few years ago, and now look to finish the fight this time around.

After finishing with the best record in the NFL, they take their dominant offensive line into the postseason again, only this line has gotten better with age.

The team’s offensive strength comes from the blocking ability of Tyron Smith, Zach Martin, Travis Frederick, Doug Free, and Ronald Leary.

The unit provided time for Prescott, opens up holes for Zeke, and sets the tone for the entire game.