Cowboys seek answers up front after Javonte Williams opens with 71 yards on 24 carries

Dallas scored 37 points against Washington, yet its ground game remains a concern before Sunday's meeting with Baltimore in Rio de Janeiro. Javonte Williams has gained 71 yards on 24 carries through two games, an average of 2.96 yards per attempt on the Cowboys' official player log. He had 41 yards against the Giants and 30 against the Commanders, both on 12 carries.

The issue is showing up before Williams reaches the line. In a Thursday analysis for the Cowboys, Patrik Walker said his film review found a defender contacting Williams behind the line of scrimmage on 13 of those 24 attempts. That is Walker's charting, not an official league statistic. Coach Brian Schottenheimer told reporters the blocking has not been good enough.

Right guard Tyler Booker put responsibility on the line in comments reported Wednesday by Dallas Sports Journal: Dallas needs more movement at the snap and better coordination on double teams. The site counted 69 team rushing yards in Week 1 and 66 in Week 2. The Cowboys also posted Booker's full team interview, in which he discusses creating room for Williams.

All-Pro left guard Tyler Smith is on injured reserve following thumb surgery, with T.J. Bass starting in his place. That absence matters, but it does not prove that one replacement is responsible for every stalled carry. The Cowboys' earlier mailbag also pointed to difficulties running to the right and to the defenses Dallas has faced. Williams' two-game sample is small; his receiving work has remained part of the offense, with eight catches for 51 yards on the official log.

Dallas won its second game largely through the air, with Dak Prescott throwing four touchdowns against Washington. A repeat of that formula may be possible, but Baltimore presents a fresh test of whether Dallas can make its handoffs useful when the passing game cannot do all the work. The Cowboys and Ravens are scheduled for Sunday at 4:25 p.m. Eastern. The next measured change is Sunday's blocking and rushing output, not a promise that Smith's eventual return alone will fix the problem.