Zeke cannot do what Pollard does

[cern]

I see some either do not understand or are not willing to understand the meaning of this thread. Per usual.

one of these things is not like the other.

 

[texbumthelife]

Reminds me of Barber/Jones

I'm partial to Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott

 

[cern]

Problem is, we keep ignoring the KR position, and just shove someone in there.

For instance, Darnay Holmes went to the Giants w/ the 110th pick. We picked 123. If ever there was a time to trade up, here it was. Holmes is a super athlete who blew up the combine and is a noted returner. Why didn't we look? Because we think every CB has to be 6-1, and Holmes is 5-9.

I have no idea how he's doing, but there's just one example why we have Pollard returning. Get Holmes for the returns, and then you also have an ultra fast CB, whether he's starting or just a backup due to height.

dez had one reception yesterday.

 

[aria]

And Pollard cannot do what Zeke does.

Zeke is a very good chain moving pile driving RB. He gets the tough yards between the tackles. Often gets yards when there's nowhere to go.

Pollard is an explosive 3rd down back. He explodes through the hole and makes big plays.

This is one of the best combos in the NFL. Zeke takes the majority of the carries and softens 'em up, Pollard takes the top off.

Why is it whenever Pollard has a longer run people start screaming that he should get all the carries? It's just silly. How do you not see that it's the combo that's awesome?

It’s a good combo, just a horrible decision by Jerry. You can get the same combo using a FB or FA vet a la CJ Anderson for much, much, much cheaper.

 

[RonnieT24]

Cowboys noted what Murray was, ..they knew he was serviceable -despite still holding Cowboys single season rushing record
they wanted significantly more than a grinder. They coveted a back more special than that. than more than just a grinder.
Zeke was a big play back coming out of Ohio st. - he was a breakwaway threat.

those 15 yrd runs would have been 40+ or long TDs if 2016 zeke version was still presence.

Zeke still can be a an agry power runner - but he's not near as fast and explosive 2nd level or in-hole acceleration as Pollard is.

Maybe.. but the main thing to me is the late game rushes. I just heard on the radio that he had 55 yards on 8 carries in the 4th quarter yesterday. Those are the touches that he wasn't getting before with all the deficits and the pass happy approach. Zeke's stated strategy has been to pound on the defense for three quarters then get the big runs late as the defense wears down. I have said before that if line is going to be this bad he would have to adjust his thinking. He might have to start looking for the home run earlier. But I still think he's pacing himself.. Maybe it's lack of proper conditioning owed to the screwed up offseason complicated by Covid in more ways than one. But I think he's trying to be there for four quarters and worries that expending the energy to do all that dancing might take too much out of him. And make no mistake about it.. trying to take it to the house takes a LOT of energy. The violent jump cuts, all that junking and hitting the accelerator through the hole to get to the second level.. it all wears a fella out.

BTW I think your assessment of Murray as just "serviceable" is disrespectful. Murray was a helluva lot better than that. He just wanted more money than the Cowboys were willing to pay at the age he was at. Remember he turned 27 the year he signed with Philly. The Cowboys signed Zeke at 24. Basically a whole generation of difference for a running back. But Murray had two runs of at least 75 yards in Tennessee. He wasn't some stumblebum.. Dude was a quality runner and it would not have bothered me one bit if we had kept him.

 

[RonnieT24]

dez had one reception yesterday.

No he didn't.. he had 4 catches yesterday for 28 yards. More telling to me was that he was on the field for the Ravens last drive to send the game into OT and had a nice catch and run on the drive. When he caught that thing and turned up the field it looked pretty familiar. Before that he had pretty much been used as a let him take two steps and throw it sideways guy. I have a feeling that either the Ravens are starting to figure out how to use him and/or Dez is starting to learn the playbook. But I think we might start seeing Dez on the field for 30-35 snaps a game for them going forward. Of course we will see him for 50 snaps come next Thursday.. a prospect that should scare the hell out of Cowboys fans everywhere.

 

[Dre11]

Why does Derrick Henry still hit big plays and Zeke doesn't?

I'd rather have Kareem Hunt then Zeke.

For as great as Zeke is we have no hardware to show for it. Nothing. Maybe 3.5 yards and a cloud of dust is not the way?

what Hardware do Hunt and Henry have?

 

[Jarntt]

And Pollard cannot do what Zeke does.

Zeke is a very good chain moving pile driving RB. He gets the tough yards between the tackles. Often gets yards when there's nowhere to go.

Pollard is an explosive 3rd down back. He explodes through the hole and makes big plays.

This is one of the best combos in the NFL. Zeke takes the majority of the carries and softens 'em up, Pollard takes the top off.

Why is it whenever Pollard has a longer run people start screaming that he should get all the carries? It's just silly. How do you not see that it's the combo that's awesome?

I tend to mostly agree with everything you said here, but the big issue to me is that Pollard is finally getting the touches that he should have been all along. It is so obvious how much better Pollard is in space than Zeke and that he is good enough to get some carries to maybe make some plays for us or at least not hurt us while keeping Zeke fresh. Everyone pretty much has know for a while Pollard should be more involved in every game, not just blowouts or random games and it finally seems to have caught up with the team

 

[RonnieT24]

I tend to mostly agree with everything you said here, but the big issue to me is that Pollard is finally getting the touches that he should have been all along. It is so obvious how much better Pollard is in space than Zeke and that he is good enough to get some carries to maybe make some plays for us or at least not hurt us while keeping Zeke fresh. Everyone pretty much has know for a while Pollard should be more involved in every game, not just blowouts or random games and it finally seems to have caught up with the team

Yeah we all know Pollard is a great weapon in the change of pace back role. He's good in space and we are now getting production out of him when we bring him in. Early in the season he wasn't really giving that, thus he wasn't getting as many opportunities. If you are the backup you gotta make the most of your opportunities or you aint gittin no mo. Pollard is earning his touches. It's going to be fun to watch unfold over the next several years. Hopefully Moore gets better at utilizing both the backs..

 

[cern]

No he didn't.. he had 4 catches yesterday for 28 yards. More telling to me was that he was on the field for the Ravens last drive to send the game into OT and had a nice catch and run on the drive. When he caught that thing and turned up the field it looked pretty familiar. Before that he had pretty much been used as a let him take two steps and throw it sideways guy. I have a feeling that either the Ravens are starting to figure out how to use him and/or Dez is starting to learn the playbook. But I think we might start seeing Dez on the field for 30-35 snaps a game for them going forward. Of course we will see him for 50 snaps come next Thursday.. a prospect that should scare the hell out of Cowboys fans everywhere.

Thanks for update.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Not going to bag on Zeke too much, but he's definitely lost a step which is odd to say from someone that's 25. The burst he had his first few seasons simply isn't there.

I do think getting Pollard a good ten carries a game will help keep Zeke a bit more rested.

true, although Zeke looked faster and better yesterday than in a long time

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

It took him until late November to grind a 100 yard game.

You don't pay 15 million a year for this. I'm sorry but you just don't.

No excuses for this when paying that kind of money for a guy who comes asking for a new contract 2 years early. This is called a rip off.

it isn't your money

 

[catiii]

Now that everyone agrees how special Pollard is especially in tandem with Zeke, it would be quite typical of the two bogans who run this place to trade Pollard or let him walk next year. They've always got to act like they're doing something even if it's counterproductive. Their little real life Madden game..........

 

[quickccc]

Maybe.. but the main thing to me is the late game rushes. I just heard on the radio that he had 55 yards on 8 carries in the 4th quarter yesterday.

Those are the touches that he wasn't getting before with all the deficits and the pass happy approach. Zeke's stated strategy has been to pound on the defense for three quarters then get the big runs late as the defense wears down. I have said before that if line is going to be this bad he would have to adjust his thinking. He might have to start looking for the home run earlier.

But I still think he's pacing himself.. Maybe it's lack of proper conditioning owed to the screwed up offseason complicated by Covid in more ways than one. But I think he's trying to be there for four quarters and worries that expending the energy to do all that dancing might take too much out of him. And make no mistake about it.. trying to take it to the house takes a LOT of energy. The violent jump cuts, all that junking and hitting the accelerator through the hole to get to the second level.. it all wears a fella out.

BTW I think your assessment of Murray as just "serviceable" is disrespectful. Murray was a helluva lot better than that. He just wanted more money than the Cowboys were willing to pay at the age he was at. Remember he turned 27 the year he signed with Philly. The Cowboys signed Zeke at 24. Basically a whole generation of difference for a running back. But Murray had two runs of at least 75 yards in Tennessee. He wasn't some stumblebum.. Dude was a quality runner and it would not have bothered me one bit if we had kept him.

- If Murray was a helluva lot better than that ...and the Cowboys team really thought he was a helluva lot better than that ...then the team would
have re-signed him to the deal DeMarco coveted ..simple and plain.

- But the thought was he was a B-tier player (at best) - even with a whopping 1800 rushing season - not even zeke or emmitt or Dorsett succeeded more.
but it was only a certain type of contract they were willing to dish out and offer him ....
..ditto with a number of FAs that departed here as well.
Frankly while the Cowboys thought Murray had a helluva year - they obviously did not think he was a helluva player.
Murray had a 91 yard run vs a porous Rams defense too,. .but that has not changed their view of him as a workhorse rather than a breakaway back.

That burst and breakaway element was the leading reason why Zeke was drafted overall ... what made him standout and special enough to draft that high
Cowboys didn't see Murray as special, and age 27 is in his prime, but that wasn't an element either. Ironic Murray retired at just age 29.

- i know you're gonna be committed to bias-thinking Zeke is still the 2016 version ,that if he chose to in according to his OL,
he could break the big home run at anytime but chooses to do so in the 4th quarter. Yet we don't see his own version of 30 and 40+ plus runs
regardless of quarters and ending moments of games. He's top heavy and just no longer has that kind of acceleration pullaway burst.

 

[starfan1]

what Hardware do Hunt and Henry have?

Well one has a national championship. I say this with sarcasm as does zeke for that matter

 

[ItzKelz]

And Pollard cannot do what Zeke does.

Zeke is a very good chain moving pile driving RB. He gets the tough yards between the tackles. Often gets yards when there's nowhere to go.

Pollard is an explosive 3rd down back. He explodes through the hole and makes big plays.

This is one of the best combos in the NFL. Zeke takes the majority of the carries and softens 'em up, Pollard takes the top off.

Why is it whenever Pollard has a longer run people start screaming that he should get all the carries? It's just silly. How do you not see that it's the combo that's awesome?

I think most people would like Tony to get more carries.

Could be a Ingram and Kamara combo for the next year or so.

 

[CATCH17]

it isn't your money

Salary Cap. Google it.

 

[T-RO]

People scream for Pollard because he’s a much better value at this point in their careers.

Exactly.

The yards per carry, fumble totals...dropped passes all are lopsided...and PFF is on board:

2019
Zeke: 77.0
Pollard: 82.9

2020
Zeke: 64.6
Pollard: 69.2

Zeke and his fans...Jerry and his money... are afraid to death for Elliott to miss a game...where heavy dose of Pollard would prove the point.

 

[Kaiser]

Close, but not quite. Pollard is that explosive jitterbug type. Makes you miss. That's what Zeke doesn't do as well.

Who did Pollard make miss on that 40 yard TD? He had one defender that came within a yard of him at any time and it was Chris Jones making a "business decision" that you could see from outer space.

 

[Kaiser]

It took him until late November to grind a 100 yard game.

In three of his first five games he had 96, 89 and 91 yards. He hasn't had more than 3 decent OL on the field for any game this year and in some games it was only one.