Yes I think Zeke is faster on the top end than Pollard.. But Pollards gait allows him to go zero to 60 faster.. but I think Zeke is faster.. however as we watch Zeke take the pounding over the course of games and seasons he doesn't open it up to run full speed with any regularity. But yes, in order to always be under control Zeke runs with less speed. He may not even realize it but it's a physiological fact that if you are going full speed you have less control. People like YOU get all geeked up about 20+ yard runs. I'm not in that camp. This whole "I want 2016 Zeke back" thing is a waste of energy. I would rather have the 2016 line back.. which I can all but guarantee you would give you 2016 Zeke back.
Maybe he IS easier to defend now.. but this is the NFL.. if you are not evolving and getting better then you are getting worse because everybody else in the league IS trying to evolve and get better. If Tony Pollard becomes the starter next year in two years he will ALSO be easier to defend.. because every snap you play in the NFL becomes another page in the proverbial "book" on you. "Fear factor?" That's another nebulous term that has no meaning .. I don't need my opponent to be afraid of me.. I just need him to respect me.. Every opposing coach we face states simply that Zeke is the number one guy they need to stop coming into the game. Who cares if they aren't scared? They also aren't coming into the game focusing on Tony Pollard.
Every player who gets on the field contributes to wins and losses. The guys who get the ball contribute more than guys who don't. The reason the QB gets more credit and more blame is because he gets the ball every play.. Wildcat plays notwithstanding. Good running backs who get 25 touches a game also contribute more than wide receivers who get 5-6 touches a game.. but everybody has a role to play.
No matter how many times you repeat this it won't make it true. Zeke was drafted to pair with Tony Romo.. the goal was to team a dominant ball control running game with a QB who was at the height of his powers. It had nothing to do with breakaway anything. That may have excited fans, but the Cowboys drafted Elliott to help Tony Romo win games by maintaining control of the ball and keep the suspect defense on the sidelines. Splash plays certainly help, but simply are not essential to making that happen. The Cowboys won 13 games in 2016 with Zeke having what 5 or 6? runs over 20 yards? They won 10 games in 2018 with him having like 3. If long runs are so important how do you explain that? Dalvin Cook is one of the leaders in the NFL in that category this year.. and his team is 4-6 and just lost to a team with the guy we keep hearing needs to do so much more of it. Meh..
“
Yes I think Zeke is faster on the top end than Pollard “ … lol ..Ok, ..keep telling yourself that.
- Maybe in zeke’s first 2 years that could be argued. But when I see these types of insistency that not only zeke hasn’t lost a step or two, but that he’s faster than Pollard, I can’t help but
think it’s aimed more towards bias than what they are actually seeing.
The discussion of the question zeke’s lost of speed would even be brought unless there was obvious eyeball test in placed.
- Of course I get ‘geeked “ up about 20+ yrd splash runs because the backs that consistently come up with that have ability to change game momentum and force defenses to into scheming and changing into what they don’t want to have to do.
That kind of players makes defenses have to stay on their toes and have to be accountable on every given play. You cannot let up or blow a single assignment throughout an entire game.
Power runs they get to live another play.
- Yes you can have a back that’s not known for breakaway speed but they are piling up 20+ runs such as a Marcus Allen or Emmitt smith,.. but they are mounting up big play runs
because of their top end elusiveness and their ol are paving the way on such a dominant level.
And you know there was no dominant an OL as what we had in the Great Wall 90’s OL.
- If I wanted Zeke’s 2016 OL back …more than Zeke himself … then it makes no sense to draft have drafted a Zeke Elliott RB 4th overall that high in the first round, when
we could have otherwise drafted Derrick Henry in the 2nd round. ...Who BTW, has made several more big long splash runs than Zeke the last couple of years.
That amounts to us would've been a better position of drafting CB Ramsey with 4th overall while drafting Henry in 2nd round (where we ended up drafted likely bust Jaylon Smith)
And as you do keep missing this how teams drafting backs that very high up, are going after the speed, splash home hitting ability, not methodical 15 yard runners.
No matter how you keep wanting to exclude this out of the equation.
The thought of drafting Zeke THAT HIGH to pair him with Romo, was adding both a speed back that also ball controls the run game.
- When you’re drafting an Adrian Peterson that high among very top of the 1st round , you're going after a breakaway runner that also has it in his ability to ball control the clock.
It’s the combination that it is why you’re drafting him that high.
Every player contributes to winning, that is in his ability to produce to the winning, but you don’t lay single handedly lay blame at a rushing champ, if the other compotents of the team managed to fail .
That’s like those who are questioning "what did Zeke do in 2016 that led us in wins and playoffs ?" .
Yeh Zeke did
his part of contributing in 2016 with leading the league in rushing, helping us gain a 13-3 NFC best record, rushing for over 100+ yds vs Green Bay in playoffs,.. but he wasn’t the reason why we lost and got ousted by GB . Yes you have one player contributing ...but there's so much one single player can do when it comes to overall team wins and playoff advancement.
Heck ….. "
Leon can't do Every Thang !! "
