Zeke- A documentary of his 2021 demise

MyFairLady · Feb 6, 2022

Punting on first down is better offense than a pass to Zeke. Dude is such a turd.

Cowboyny · Feb 6, 2022

Ken said:
Ok, I hate to break everyone away from their regularly scheduled Dak bashing, but I just watched this and it is amazing.

Here is Zeke's 2021 highlights. I was actually SHOCKED at how great he looked in the first 5 games (even though he didn't have a highlight vs Tampa). He looked as quck and agile as I have seen him probably since his rookie year. All of that offseason work that he did actually paid off.

Then around the MN or the Dak coming back game, you can see the dropoff. Highlights turn into 2 yard tds and plodding runs. The injury definitely changed him and the entire offense (as I have been saying probably since around when this started happening).

Anyone can see the dropoff. Unfortunately, even though he is obviously injured, this is not much worse than he was the previous two years.

I am hopeful that with an offseason of rehab and more work we can see the Zeke like the first 5 weeks, otherwise, he needs to be a backup.

For next season where both Zeke/Pollard will be back, they are set at the position. Focus is to upgrade the interior of the OL and find a TE that can actually block inline.

Ranched · Feb 6, 2022

One word describes Zeke. DISAPPOINTED!

Thomas82 · Feb 6, 2022

With Moore coming back as OC, I'm expecting more of the same.

Thomas82 · Feb 6, 2022

KJJ said:
Part of his demise was the injury and the other part was the demise of the OL.

And another part of his demise has been play calling.

KJJ · Feb 6, 2022

Thomas82 said:
And another part of his demise has been play calling.

Another part of it is he splits carries. It makes it harder for him to get into a rhythm. Most backs get better with the more carries they get.

Thomas82 · Feb 6, 2022

KJJ said:
Another part of it is he has to split carries. It makes it harder for him to get into a rhythm. Most backs get better with the more carries they get.

I agree with that too.

plasticman · Feb 6, 2022

It was obvious to me that Jerry was so obsessed with a SB appearance this particular season that he practically forced players to either play hurt or come back sooner than they should have. Zeke was one of several.

There is a definite flaw in the Cowboys philosophy and strategy of strength and conditioning. Their history of player injuries over the past decade is devastating.

PAPPYDOG · Feb 7, 2022

Ken said:
Ok, I hate to break everyone away from their regularly scheduled Dak bashing, but I just watched this and it is amazing.

Here is Zeke's 2021 highlights. I was actually SHOCKED at how great he looked in the first 5 games (even though he didn't have a highlight vs Tampa). He looked as quck and agile as I have seen him probably since his rookie year. All of that offseason work that he did actually paid off.

Then around the MN or the Dak coming back game, you can see the dropoff. Highlights turn into 2 yard tds and plodding runs. The injury definitely changed him and the entire offense (as I have been saying probably since around when this started happening).

Anyone can see the dropoff. Unfortunately, even though he is obviously injured, this is not much worse than he was the previous two years.

I am hopeful that with an offseason of rehab and more work we can see the Zeke like the first 5 weeks, otherwise, he needs to be a backup.

ZEKE apologizes for not carrying the 160 million $ man.
THE END......

NoLuv4Jerry · Feb 7, 2022

fivetwos said:
If he isnt a prime example that salary dictates playing time in Dallas, I dont know what is.

I guess the counter point could be that he is the only one of our skill players (besides maybe Brown) that has a clue as far as blocking....

But not getting the ball to Pollard more, especially in the playoff game, was criminal.

What's worse is the structure of the contract made it impossible to do a Jaylon Smith with him.

Jerry usually caves and gets creamed in player contract talks, but even accounting for that....I'm still a little surprised he got beat SO badly on the Elliott deal.

Not many players have a structure where it's impossible and/or very hurtful to the team to cut them within FOUR entire years.

And 60 million guaranteed to a running back who already had a ton of miles on him??

But he was grasping at straws trying to save his pet project Garrett.

Daks 40 million is a problem, but dollar for dollar, it's better than the 12-15 Ezekiel Elliott is stealing.

It's really shameful because he is a HOF type talent, but he won't as much as come close. Not even close to close.

That would really eat away at anyone with any real heart, desire and pride.

It's more about money and social media for him....as well as being the football star that he actually isn't and never earned.

I've always maintained that staying in bed Garrett for too long is the 2nd biggest mistake behind Jimmy Johnson debacle. The residual impact of sticking with Garrett is still being felt and will continue for another year or 2. He had zero imagination. Run zeke on first, run zeke on 2nd...throw it to him on 3rd or ask him to block. He simply beat the hell out of Zeke trying to play 90s football. That is why Zeke and his people asked and received their money. And the money he was getting is WHY he played through the injury (that is the residual impact I am referencing)

Joe Gibbs did the SAME thing to Clinton Portis. Trying to turn him into John Riggins. You bring in these old coaches...and they are going to lean on what they know. 80s/90s football!!!!!!!

quickccc · Feb 7, 2022

Risen Star said:
He regained his rookie burst and then lost it again but at least we know it's still there.

He has never regained that rookie burst - For example if that was such he would have never came close to being caught from behind on that long Carolina 47 yd run,
That 2016 rookie Zeke would have dusted any trailing defenders to home run TD pay dirt.

TexasBacon · Feb 7, 2022

Risen Star said:
And please keep in mind when you read the propaganda from our zombie fans, Zeke had his 2nd most productive game of the season a week after the injury.

Even so, the extreme drop off is kind of inexplicable if you attribute it to anything other than an injury. Maybe he got juiced up on painkillers the week after and further injured it. He didn't steadily decline, he fell completely off. The only thing that makes sense there is an injury.

Risen Star · Feb 7, 2022

TexasBacon said:
Even so, the extreme drop off is kind of inexplicable if you attribute it to anything other than an injury. Maybe he got juiced up on painkillers the week after and further injured it. He didn't steadily decline, he fell completely off. The only thing that makes sense there is an injury.

You keep telling yourself that.

I'll go with he's a shot player with little left in the tank and simply wore down during the season. Combine that with the OL issues and his season makes sense.

What doesn't make sense is a ligament tear in the knee causing him to look like a 3rd stringer the last 10 games of the season except the week after the injury when he rushed for 110 yards and 5.2 yards per carry.

TexasBacon · Feb 7, 2022

Risen Star said:
You keep telling yourself that.

I'll go with he's a shot player with little left in the tank and simply wore down during the season. Combine that with the OL issues and his season makes sense.

What doesn't make sense is a ligament tear in the knee causing him to look like a 3rd stringer the last 10 games of the season except the week after the injury when he rushed for 110 yards and 5.2 yards per carry.

I'm not a Zeke defender, I hope he gets replaced ASAP, I'm just saying such an extreme drop off in production doesn't make sense. Like I said, it's possible he further injured it and was doped up the week after and was then screwed the rest of the season. I don't think I've ever seen a player just randomly fall off like that so quickly without some sort of injury occurring.

Risen Star · Feb 7, 2022

TexasBacon said:
I'm not a Zeke defender, I hope he gets replaced ASAP, I'm just saying such an extreme drop off in production doesn't make sense. Like I said, it's possible he further injured it and was doped up the week after and was then screwed the rest of the season. I don't think I've ever seen a player just randomly fall off like that so quickly without some sort of injury occurring.

Yeah I know what you said but no its not possible. It's fan fantasy. He tore the ligament against the Panthers. It's an injury that couldn't be made worse by playing on it and he didn't get good numbing one week and not the rest of the season. He simply doesn't have much left in his tank and played behind a line that fell apart around that same time.

BleedSilverandBlue · Feb 8, 2022

I don't know why people are so shocked at Zeke's regression. It is well documented that NFL RBs can take a certain amount of carries before falling apart physically. 2,500 carries is approximately where the wheels come off for most and Zeke is getting real close. It is an immensely punishing position and unless you are a once or twice in a generation type player you are not going to be able to maintain your performance into your late 20s.

good article about how carries impact performance: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1271412-why-and-when-do-nfl-running-backs-start-to-decline

Now for everyone that says Zeke has only had approximately 2,000 touches in his NFL career, we must not forget the rushing volume this guy saw at Ohio State. He had another 650+ touches there. I would imagine that translates to being very near to his NFL productivity tipping point. This is simply how RBs work and to assume that Cowboys running backs are exempt from this even if they are first round picks is delusional.

Jerry simply should not have paid out for a RB. I cannot think of a single example in the modern era where a big RB contract did not end in disaster.

noshame · Feb 9, 2022

He certainly looked like his 2016 playing weight at the beginning of the year, not so much at the end.
Pollard is clearly the superior RB at this point. If Zeke wants to re-do his contract and become a short yardage specialist, I'm fine with it. But his days as a feature back are over.

mardwin · Feb 9, 2022

Risen Star said:
He regained his rookie burst and then lost it again but at least we know it's still there.

You don't get faster with age. Next year should be his last based on productivity vs compensation. Zeke will be 28 at the end of the season.

Pittsburgh moved on from Bell when he was 25.
We moved in from Demarco Murray at 26,
Tennessee moved in from Chris Johnson at 28,
Philly let go Shady McCoy at 26.

mardwin · Feb 9, 2022

KJJ said:
Another part of it is he splits carries. It makes it harder for him to get into a rhythm. Most backs get better with the more carries they get.

He didn't split any carries against the niners and still looked like crap. Stop the excuses the guy just didn't perform, goes down on first contact most of the time.

PAPPYDOG · Feb 9, 2022

mardwin said:
You don't get faster with age. Next year should be his last based on productivity vs compensation. Zeke will be 28 at the end of the season.

Pittsburgh moved on from Bell when he was 25.

We moved in from Demarco Murray at 26,

Tennessee moved in from Chris Johnson at 28,

Philly let go Shady McCoy at 26.

Zeke's finest moment was in 2016 and this includes this roster in general.
The roster is a wash now and a qualified GM would be blowing it up for a rebuild.
We will waste another 2 years with Zeke and the rest of this overrated roster before any sort of rebuild occurs.
GM Jerry does it get any better baby???
I

Zeke- A documentary of his 2021 demise

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