Young guys coming into the league are often times all "p*** and vinegar, coming from playing in college maybe 15 games, having to go to class instead of constantly playing, practicing, working out, etc. Yet after a few years in the league they begin to realize the NFL is a real grind. They begin to realize if they want to play a long time they better pace themselves.
Teams have more game film, defenders learn better angles to take, how fast the player really is, and adjust formations and reads to control a runner. It's not like running backs have how they do based solely on their own abilities.
And losing does wear on a person in many cases, the "why should I play my heart out just to lose?" situation. Conscious or not, it wears on a person. Just like myself as a Cowboys fan, after decades of no SBs, I'm not nearly as enthusiastic about them as I was 20 years ago.
I suspect if Zeke had a better line to play behind, more wins, a defense that gave him the ball at the other team's 30 instead of their own 20, he'd be more energetic.
Zeke's never had a major injury, still very young. And the Covid apparently does weaken a person, maybe he's still got some residual effects?
We have no idea if Zeke really is slower, etc. He may be doing better than just about anybody else would do in the same situation. Until I hear from him or reliable sources near him that he's lost a step, etc. I'm assuming he's doing as well as he can, under current circumstances...
