Jerry Jones sees the bye week as a good opportunity for the Dallas Cowboys offense to get back on track. After struggling in New Orleans on Sunday, Jones talked Tuesday about the need for better production on third down.
The Cowboys were 0-of-9 on third down in their 49-17 loss to the Saints.
"When I look ahead at our team, our opponents, I think we have the potential to be a really productive offensive team," the Cowboys owner and general manager said on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM]. "It's in the can. In other words, we've for years been working in this system. We did several things in the offseason, regarding our blocking scheme that should make us a better offensive team. And all of that is very, in my mind, likely that we'll have a great two week period off here.
"We'll use our bye right and come out and be sharper offensively. As we go forward, that and the addition of the players that we can play with on defense that we haven't been playing with, I think that looks for better day ahead. I do."
Perhaps the most glaring adjustment on offense is giving Dez Bryant, the team's best playmaker, more opportunities to make plays. Bryant was only targeted twice Sunday. Jones said he'd like to see his star wide receiver getting more touches.
"We need to get him the ball more," Jones said. "I think that's the kind of thing that is a reasonable thing that you can adjust over a two-week period that we're going into with our bye. How do we work to get him the ball more?
Jones also said the team needed to find ways to get running back Lance Dunbar the ball more.
"He's a playmaker out there," Jones said. "We need to really be able to look at what we're doing in some of the play-action area. Are we having trouble blocking them up? If so, then let's loosen them up a little bit more."
Here's how Bryant's targets compare to some of the other top receivers in the league:
Detroit's Calvin Johnson: 12
Cincinnati's A.J. Green: 11.9
Houston's Andre Johnson: 10.6
Chicago's Brandon Marshall: 10.3
Bryant: 9
Denver's Demaryius Thomas: 8.8
Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald: 7.8
Follow Jon Machota on Twitter: @jonmachota
