NFL's 10 most explosive runners. No EzE?

GenoT · May 28, 2020

4 seasons in (one with his very own 6 game suspension).

Happy we have Zeke, but top-ten most explosive all-time...??!?

Tap the breaks, pal.

Aven8 · May 28, 2020

In the immortal words of someone on this board years ago.......

“Stupid Cowboys Fans........”

quickccc · May 29, 2020

DeathMonkey said:
The more touches a back sees with collisions, the less explosive they're going to be over time. He's never been super elusive as he heads towards hits. He's power now.

in just 3 and half years ...eh ? and a career 20.9 carry per average ?
was this the Chris Johnson syndrome ?

i've said repeatedly how i "theorized "how the Garrett regime has reformed and tried to metamorph zeke into being more Emmitt Smith bell cow
rather than the breakaway back he was feared to be coming into the 2016 NFL draft.
It was the combination of forward ahead tackle breaking punishing power ..and straight line breakaway burst that made him the coveted No.4th overall draft
his ability to blitz block comes as a luxury.

I know people all over the sports world had to be taking notice of how Zeke is not...and has not been the feared home run hitter he was in 2016.

i really do believe simplistic 90s minded Garrett, ex-RB coach Gary Brown and the previous strengthening training staff were all in on making Zeke more the
patient and power depending bell cow in more controlling the clock

i don't consider Zeke as elusive and top line fast as say a Barkley or Ladanian Thompson either as Shannon Sharpe made mentioned of .
and because he is really is not top elusive, his receiving skills are more on a line comparison of a Edgren James.
But as you've seen vs Steelers, Niners on what used to be his patented quick screen to home TD, zeke has his ability to impact pass game
Just a matter of what he is physically, and how the coaches can best utilize him. Both in run game ..and pass game.

Sorry but i thought our run scheme was underwhelming and didn't produce enough impact splash plays and big home run runs. All RB coach Gary Brown wanted to do was run up the gut middle. And even with the more bell cow now zeke, who ran with more anger and authority 2nd half of the year,
there were a few times where i thought new OC kellen moore abandoned the run.
Though McCarthy seems like he is more of a pass oriented guy than run attack oriented, its more hope that both the run scheme and pass scheme
will lead to splash big plays that will be needed from the RBs zeke and pollard.

That's why i so want McCarthy's RB version along what RB coach Skip Peete can properly implemented than what we seen from Moore,Garrett, Brown regime.

Vegas_Cowboy · May 29, 2020

CowboyRoy said:
Trust me...…...I used to be a one back, carry the load, lead the league in rushing type guy. But not anymore. The NFL has changed with the cap and disciplinary action.

Actually relying on ONE back and giving him big money is about as dumb as it gets.

Its one obvious spot to save money and you can get great young backs in rounds 2-5. And backs can come right in and play, don't need to be groomed like other positions.

A handful of us were screaming this from the rooftops when Zeke was holding out in Cabo. Good RB's are a dime a dozen and are easy to replace. Add in the fact that it's more of a passing league now and that makes them even more expendable. But all we heard was, "But...Zeke is like, special...and like, can't be replaced...and...pay that man his money!!"

Some of our fans seem to still be stuck living in the past when the RB position was more important and the salary cap wasn't an issue. It's time to move on.

Redball Express · May 30, 2020

BotchedLobotomy said:
We basically got to see the explosive Zeke one year.

Serious question: Would the current version of Zeke be the 4th overall draft pick? I say not. Probably still a first rounder but not a top 4 guy.

I think it's just pretty much not possible to remain at a top level as a RB in the NFL.

Too much wear and tear.

We should be happy we have gotten what we got.

His contract is designed such that the team can rework it several times to gain cap space..

and towards the end just release him and face the music of the coming.cap hit.

No big thing. Its how we do business.

Don't you know?

CouchCoach · May 30, 2020

Elliott was only "explosive" in college because of the level of competition. Once he got to the NFL, that changed but he is still a great back but is a power back. He's not likely to outrun a secondary without some angle help and he's not a back with moves.

He is still plenty good enough to move the chains and give them a yard or two when they need it. However, he needs to be operating on a full tank which is why he will tap out when he feels he's not himself.

Shane612 · May 30, 2020

No one is better than Earl Campbell in his prime. Maybe Bo Jackson.....
None of current NFL runners come close.

phildadon86 · May 30, 2020

Whyjerry said:
Zeke is still a powerful guy. More of a chain mover than an explosive back. He can still be explosive but he ate his way off that list.

A new running back coach who won’t coddle him will help.

garyo1954 · May 30, 2020

Is this the one where the criteria is....

Nick Shook of NFL.com took on the task of defining what explosiveness means. In short, speed plus productivity. Shook set three criteria:

a minimum of 100 carries in 2019
at least 20 carries and 10 or more yards
the defining metric: percentage of runs where a player surpassed 15mph?

Seems a bit silly to use 15MPH as a criteria. Why does it matter what speed you are running if you pick up 10 yards? If I baby walk 10 yards I got a first down the same as someone who ran 15MPH and did the same. But I burnt clock too.

And how many backs can hit 15MPH with all the traffic in the way? More likely they won't hit that mark going straight into the line unless/until the second level.

That said, QB Dalvin Cook flourished in a Vikings offense that committed to two-tight end sets and allowed Cook to averaged 10.93 mph at the line of scrimmage on runs in 2019, the second-highest mark among running backs in the NFL with a minimum of 100 rushes. But to be clear, running backs in zone schemes have more time to build up speed. Lamar Jackson tallied 47 runs of 10 or more yards. Nick Chubb had 39 runs of 10-plus yards, but his 15-plus mph run percentage fell below the top 10 at 12.4 percent, partially as a result of his nearly 300 carries. The same goes for Ezekiel Elliott (who posted a mark of 11.3%), Derrick Henry (14.9%) and Saquon Barkley (15.7%).

If this is the criteria used, I'd say that runners who surpassed 300 carries and/or had the most short yardage situations were penalized to some degree.

Cowboysheelsreds053 · May 30, 2020

OmerV said:
He certainly has to be very good, but league MVP is not the standard. A player can be very good and absolutely key to a team and still not be league MVP.

This

phildadon86 · May 30, 2020

CowboyRoy said:
Trust me...…...I used to be a one back, carry the load, lead the league in rushing type guy. But not anymore. The NFL has changed with the cap and disciplinary action.

Actually relying on ONE back and giving him big money is about as dumb as it gets.

Its one obvious spot to save money and you can get great young backs in rounds 2-5. And backs can come right in and play, don't need to be groomed like other positions.

I have to disagree. We had that in Murray and when he left. We trusted McFadden. Who had a good season but didn’t get in the end zone.

Sarge · May 30, 2020

CowboyRoy said:
Give me Metcalf, Mark Ingram and Pollard over Zeke all day long. It would cost me about 10 million less.

StuckMojo · May 30, 2020

I don’t think he should have got extended as early as he did, but not a running back I would take over him.

Cowboysheelsreds053 · May 30, 2020

With the weapons on the outside and if the TE spot becomes a weapon also and with the OL and QB play similar to last year, talk about wearing out a DL with the ground and pound at the end of games.

Ranched · May 30, 2020

Whyjerry said:
Zeke is still a powerful guy. More of a chain mover than an explosive back. He can still be explosive but he ate his way off that list.

Ewok's been eating himself off of many lists after that $90 million payday. :laugh:

Toruk_Makto · May 30, 2020

GMO415 said:

Imagine this now being a surprise to you in 2020 after 4 years of watching Zeke run.

DandyDon52 · May 30, 2020

Yeah but zeke party's better than those other guys , and he is explosive in most party situations.

DandyDon52 · May 30, 2020

daboyzruleperiod said:
Ewok's been eating himself off of many lists after that $90 million payday.

I think it isnt just eating, it is his drinking booze, pot belly or beer belly?

Buzzbait · May 31, 2020

Future said:
Zeke would look a lot more explosive if he ever had, you know, space.

Exactly. They just kept running him straight up the gut where the defense was waiting for him. I think that plus Zeke's appetite is the problem. Hopefully McCarthy will try and give the offense a chance to get Zeke out into space a little more instead of pounding him straight up the middle every carry.
Plus it wouldn't hurt to tell him to lose a little weight.

Buzzbait · May 31, 2020

Whyjerry said:
Yes sir it is a good one. I think you are going to see Coach Mac get these guys the ball in space. Lots of screens and short dumps. One slasher and one anvil.

I hope MM is better at that than the clapper was!

NFL's 10 most explosive runners. No EzE?

GenoT

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Aven8

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quickccc

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Vegas_Cowboy

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Redball Express

All Aboard!!!

CouchCoach

Shane612

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phildadon86

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garyo1954

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Cowboysheelsreds053

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phildadon86

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Sarge

Red, White and Brew...

StuckMojo

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Cowboysheelsreds053

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Ranched

"We Are Penn State"

Toruk_Makto

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DandyDon52

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DandyDon52

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Buzzbait

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Buzzbait

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