Kellen Moore led the Cowboys’ offense for four highly successful seasons. From 2019 through 2022, the Cowboys finished in the top-six for total offense three times under Moore. Despite constant roster churn and multiple coaching changes above and below him, Moore kept the Cowboys offense humming at league-high levels.
It’s believed predictability and postseason failures ultimately led to Moore’s departure. Mike McCarthy was feeling the pressure and the two sides saw a separation could be mutually beneficial.
After a quick stop with the Chargers in 2023, Moore made his way back to the NFC East, latching on with Philadelphia to lead the Eagles offense in 2024. Moore brings a track record of success and his intimidate knowledge of the Cowboys with him to Philadelphia. He knows the Cowboys offense unlike any other.
Dallas didn’t completely change their makeup under McCarthy so Moore could provide a certain degree of inside information to the Eagles. Then again, there’s two sides to every coin and by bringing his offense to Philadelphia, he also offers familiarity back to the Cowboys.
No one understands the strengths and weaknesses of Moore’s offense better than the Cowboys and the advantage gained by Dallas could be far greater than the advantage gained by Philadelphia.
When McCarthy took the helm on offense in 2023, he brought with him change. Nothing wholesale but he did noticeably impact the identity of the offense. With the Cowboys moves this offseason that change will likely continue to develop. Dallas has been downplaying the running game and installing more West Coast principles in the offense. It’s safe to say Moore’s knowledge of the Cowboys’ offense has been dwindling since he’s left.
Jalen Hurts says about 95% of the #Eagles offense is new going into this season upon the Kellen Moore hire.
He says he’s still absorbing it all and is excited to become comfortable in the new system. pic.twitter.com/38DUdq2ogm
— Eagles Nation (@PHLEaglesNation) June 6, 2024
The Cowboys’ knowledge of Moore’s offense, on the other hand, will come down to how much influence he has on Nick Sirianni. Based on recent statements from Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, it seems a rather significant amount.
“You get to the point where you feel, I’m going to be comfortable with this, I like this, that time comes when you can rep it, rep it, rep it later on, but right now it’s been a lot of new inventory in – the majority of it, probably 95% of it being new – and so it’s just been that process, and it’s been a fun process because you get to see what works for other people,” Hurts said Thursday according to ESPN (via NFL.com). “I think the goal coming in was to learn Kellen’s offense and to master it, and I think that’s been a process, and by the end of it, I want it to be mine and have it in my own way,”
If the offense is anything close to 95 percent Moore’s, the Cowboys will know exactly what to expect when the two teams face off this season. Even in a 50-50 situation Dallas would be well equipped to face off against a Moore offense. Knowing route combinations and play-calling tendencies would give the Cowboys defensive backs an enormous advantage.
Knowing Moore’s offense is especially impactful given the ball-hawking nature of Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland. Both cornerbacks have been at the top of the NFL in interceptions since joining the league. They’re both proficient in jumping routes and making big plays happen when they get their hands on the ball.
The change at defensive coordinator also helps Dallas win this battle of familiarity. The Cowboys new DC, Mike Zimmer, is more prone to 2-high coverage looks than Dan Quinn was in Dallas. 2-high coverage and other various shell/umbrella looks often gave the Moore offense fits. Being able to mix in these coverages will free the two Dallas ballhawks to play more instinctually and aggressively. Moore will likely try to bait them in their aggressiveness but overall, the familiarity looks like a net gain for the Cowboys.
Moore is a good coordinator, but he’s also proven to be somewhat predictable. If the Eagles offense takes its shape in Moore’s image, the Cowboys defense should gain a big advantage over their NFC East rivals.
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