The Dallas Cowboys were running the football about as well as any team in the NFL in their first six games. They averaged 164 yards a game over the span and stormed out to a 5-1 record. However, over the last five games that has dropped to 83 yards a game and the Cowboys have gone 2-3.

Although the Cowboys were missing All-Pro Left Tackle Tyron Smith for three of those games due to an ankle injury coupled with shuffling at the right tackle and left guard spots, All-Pro Right Guard Zack Martin isn’t letting that be an excuse for why the Cowboys running game has taken such a dive.

He recently said that the offensive line is the biggest reason it’s been on a decline.

“I think you’ve got to look first and foremost at our room,” Martin said. “We take a lot of pride in that run game and over the last few weeks it hasn’t been what we want it to be, so we’ve just got to get back to basics.”

Defenses in the NFL always make adjustments. Ezekiel Elliott mentioned that opposing defensive lines have done more movement and have been run blitzing lately. Martin isn’t letting that be a reason why the Cowboys haven’t run the ball well either.

“That’s the first thing a defense will do if it’s in there getting blown off the ball,” Martin said. “They’re going to start moving the line and you just have to be on top of it to react and kind of change some of your combination blocks on the fly.”

The Cowboys will have a tough task getting the running game back on track on Thursday night against the New Orleans Saints and their third-ranked run defense. However, they will have something working in their favor.

Martin along with Smith and La’el Collins will all be in the starting lineup for the first time since 2019 when they built a wall for Dak Prescott to nearly set a franchise record for passing yards (4,902) and paved the way for Elliott to finish fourth in rushing (1,357).

Week 13 is a must-win for Dallas and the offensive playing well will have a lot to do with them achieving that.