​The Dallas Cowboys got better at running the ball last season. The combination of play-caller Brian Schottenheimer and offensive coordinator Klayton Adams stepped in and immediately righted a wrong from their previous offensive leader, Mike McCarthy. It is a bit ironic when you think about it, considering McCarthy famously complained about his previous play-caller not running enough, only to learn that he, himself, was not very good at it.Some might remember that Kellen Moore was viewed as too pass-heavy and cared more about scoring points than he did about sustaining a balanced offensive attack. It was strange because, well, scoring points is usually a good thing, and also because the Cowboys ran the ball well under Moore. But it got weirder when the team struggled to run the ball when McCarthy took over the offense.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementKellen Moore (2019-2022), four seasons, 4.6 yards per rushing attemptMike McCarthy (2023-2024), two seasons, 4.0 yards per rushing attemptBrian Schottenheimer (2025), one season, 4.6 yards per rushing attemptMcCarthy preached the importance of a strong rushing game but just couldn’t carry out the plan. Fortunately, the change in management on the offensive side last year returned them to a more effective rushing attack. How did they do it?Well, it’s a lot of things, actually, but simply put, they decided to use more tight ends. McCarthy’s offense relied heavily on 11 personnel, deploying three wide receivers 76.5% of the time in 2024. That dropped to 67% last year, with the team seeing a 7.5% jump in 12-personnel and a 4% jump in 13-personnel. When you do the math, that equates to an extra 120 plays last year with more tight ends on the field.Before we go further, let’s just recap that those personnel packages are:11 personnel (1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WRs) – extra receivers to spread out the defense12 personnel (1 RB, 2 TEs, 2 WRs) – heavier lineup for more help running, but still some balance13 personnel (1 RB, 3 TEs, 1 WR) – maximum blocking for short-yardage situationsWith such a high 11-personnel rate, McCarthy’s offense had become entirely too predictable. It allowed opposing defenses to stay in lighter nickel packages and relentlessly come after the quarterback. Remember that? The uptick in extra tight end usage last year forced those defenses to swap out smaller defensive backs for bigger, slower, run-stopping linebackers.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe key thing to remember here is not just that Schotty and Adams attacked more with two or three tight ends on the field. Their usage was higher, and it certainly provided better blocking for the run game and hidden pass protection by pesky players who love to chip-and-go, but it went further than that.The real juice from this balance is how it kept opposing defenses out of sorts. It helped the passing attack become more explosive because in supposed run-heavy formations, the defense would routinely cheat forward and leave th