The Dallas Cowboys are always looking for ways to make their offense better and their overall attack more bulletproof. Winning a variety of different ways is key to sustained success in the postseason, so it’s been a focus of Klayton Adams as he enters Year 2 as Dallas’ offensive coordinator.
Designing and executing a scoring drive in the modern-day NFL is no easy task. With defenses shifting to more umbrella looks in the secondary, big plays can be hard to come by, even for a star-studded team like the Cowboys. Oftentimes the only way to put up points is to put together long, multi-play drives. In drives such as these, unsuccessful plays can have disastrous consequences. It’s why many coordinators speak incessantly about “staying ahead of the chains.”
The Cowboys used a myriad of techniques to do so, but one that worked to great effect in 2025 and probably even moreso in 2026 is that of the run-pass option.
Staying ahead of the chains means focusing more on success rate than expected points added (today’s primary metrics for grading value), which means low-risk/low-reward plays are often preferable to those high-risk/high-reward plays often associated with big shots downfield.
The Cowboys aren’t particularly dedicated to any single identity. One moment they will show the patience demanded for sustained and conservative drives, the next moment they’re launching missiles downfield looking for homeruns. While everyone knows a Cowboys offense with Dak Prescott, Ceedee Lamb and George Pickens is proficient in big plays, they’re also strong in building multi-play drives.
While the league average for plays per drive was 5.6 last season, the Cowboys were league leaders at 6.5 plays per drive. It might not sound like much but for a well-rounded and fairly aggressive team such as Dallas, being a leader in plays per drive is impressive. One of the ways they achieved this impressive accomplishment is by being proficient in RPOs.
Dak Prescott RPO work, quick screen to CeeDee Lamb pic.twitter.com/94v9BBAzaz
— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) July 24, 2025
Based on Pro Football Focus play tracking, the Cowboys were fourth in the NFL in yards per play on RPOs last season. At 5.5 yards/RPO, the Cowboys were a full yard above league average. It kept them ahead of the chains and kept defenses on their heels.
RPOs are effective because they put defenders in conflict. Not to be confused with read-option and zone-read which are run-only option plays, RPOs have a legit pass option to their design.
In a nutshell, if a defender plays it one way, the quarterback hands it off. If the defender plays it another way, the quarterback pulls it back and delivers a pass. It’s a quick-read play that requires quick decisions. It’s low-risk and low-reward but has a success rate of 52.3% compared to that of non-RPO plays which average 48.1%.
An added benefit of an RPO-rich offense is the stress it removes from offensive tackles. With such a quick-strike nature, RPOs get the ball out quickly. Per PFF, Patrick Mahomes, king of the RPO, averaged 1.17 seconds on RPO throws. It’s a great way to neutralize a defense that has elite edge rushers.
RPOs also typically favor inside runs. With arguably the best inside offensive line in the NFL, the Cowboys have reason to run plays up the middle. And since most RPOs end up being runs, it plays perfectly to Dallas’ strength. With one of the great field generals in the game in Prescott, the Cowboys should by no means become an RPO-rich offense in 2026 but given their proficiency in it, and given their pass protection situation on the edge, a slight uptick might be in order.
It’s all about becoming multidimensional and being bulletproof for the postseason. Explosive plays aren’t always an option but RPOs have a certain resiliency that ages well in an NFL season. Last seen, the Cowboys were pretty darn good at them, so why not lean into RPOs a little more in 2026 and see if it pays off like the data suggests?
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Can Cowboys remain among Top 5 in this key offensive tactic in 2026?
