Another great one by Zeke

[OmerV]

Pollard is GREAT "in space" away from the o line. He has burst and wiggle.

But we still have to pound it up the middle...and pick up the block to protect the QB.

Use both.

Did you watch the game? And other games? Pollard has actually been more effective up the middle than Zeke. Running into people harder isn't the mark of effectiveness up the middle, actually gaining yardage is.

That said, I never suggested they not use both. I certainly agree that some split of carries make sense. Just not sure it shouldn't be more of an even split than it is.

 

[OmerV]

Zeke had 6 runs for first downs in his 15 carries.. I believe Pollard had 2 first downs in his 12 carries. That's kinda the definition of one guy being better at moving the chains. And Pollard had chances on a couple of short yardage and goal line runs and came away empty.

Go back to your earlier post about the way they are used having an effect. As you noted, Zeke being used in short yardage situations means there are some plays where he has less opportunity for a bigger gain, but you can't acknowledge that and ignore that being used in those situations also increases Zeke's opportunity for 1st down runs.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

Did you watch the game? And other games? Pollard has actually been more effective up the middle than Zeke. Running into people harder isn't the mark of effectiveness up the middle, actually gaining yardage is.

That said, I never suggested they not use both. I certainly agree that some split of carries make sense. Just not sure it shouldn't be more of an even split than it is.

Sorry...I must have missed tony being more effective up the middle than Zeke.

I have not missed him sliding away from the o-line...slanting away from the center.

I'm no expert...I am sorry.

 

[glimmerman]

Moore never calls stretch plays until Sunday when it’s 3rd and 1. Wth up the gut and pick it up. Then a toss or pitch to the outside. What’s wrong with a QB sneak. For 1 yard.

 

[Bugsy12]

I’m going to keep doing this until you all start putting respect to his name!

I hope they rest Zeke and don’t play him against Chi. That way he’ll have 3 weeks of rest for his knee contusion. I’d rather have a healthy Zeke down the stretch run than a hobbled one because we played him against Chi (a team we should beat even without Zeke).

 

[Ranched]

Credit belongs to both, not just Elliott. Elliott’s 386 rushing yards places him 15th in the league overall, while my favorite, Pollard, is averaging 5.3 yards per attempt, 12th-best among all players w/double digits carries.

 

[blueblood70]

3.8 YPC
Zeke was fine, Pollard was better.

so 4 games where zeke had a better average, what's that? pollard's not Better, has bigger run here and there , all things considered they are about equal , different skillsets but equally necessary and contributing to this team.

Pollard had 2 games under 2YPC forget those?

 

[RonnieT24]

Go back to your earlier post about the way they are used having an effect. As you noted, Zeke being used in short yardage situations means there are some plays where he has less opportunity for a bigger gain, but you can't acknowledge that and ignore that being used in those situations also increases Zeke's opportunity for 1st down runs.

Oh I made note of Pollard running well between the tackles.. But when they went to him in short yardage and goal line he quite simply failed and the coaching staff came to their senses in the second half. Again no shame that he's not as good as Zeke at that but he isn't. It underscores why we need them both doing what they do. The bottom line is Zeke gets more of those opportunities because he is much better at them.

 

[RonnieT24]

Moore never calls stretch plays until Sunday when it’s 3rd and 1. Wth up the gut and pick it up. Then a toss or pitch to the outside. What’s wrong with a QB sneak. For 1 yard.

Two factors might have been at play here. 1) Our center is undersized. and 2) Our QB is coming off a hand injury that kept him out 5 games. And maybe 3) until the stupid toss play where they blocked nobody Zeke had been perfect converting in that situation.

 

[glimmerman]

Two factors might have been at play here. 1) Our center is undersized. and 2) Our QB is coming off a hand injury that kept him out 5 games. And maybe 3) until the stupid toss play where they blocked nobody Zeke had been perfect converting in that situation.

Looked like he was gonna get the edge but had no help.

 

[CowboyFrog]

Salary is set for the season, that talk is for the off season. the big set with both Pollard and Zeke in using pollard to motion across the defense is a great scheme, if we use it in the first half this game is over by half time. The defense has to cover everything Pollard wide, zeke up the middle and PA waggles...gotta give KM props for that and Zeke and Pollard both played good a good game.

 

[RonnieT24]

Looked like he was gonna get the edge but had no help.

My question is why call that play? My brother in law (huge Cowboys fan) and I have this discussion all the time. There's usually a reason why teams expect you to do certain thing.. and the reason is those things usually work. That's why teams commit extra bodies to stopping the inside run on short yardage when Zeke is in the game. But you know what? They haven't really stopped him from converting very often. Unless the line allows a jailbreak into the backfield Zeke is getting that first down. But Kellen Moore figured out how to stop him.. run him sideways and ask Schultz to make the key block. Works every time..

 

[CowboyFrog]

My question is why call that play? My brother in law (huge Cowboys fan) and I have this discussion all the time. There's usually a reason why teams expect you to do certain thing.. and the reason is those things usually work. That's why teams commit extra bodies to stopping the inside run on short yardage when Zeke is in the game. But you know what? They haven't really stopped him from converting very often. Unless the line allows a jailbreak into the backfield Zeke is getting that first down. But Kellen Moore figured out how to stop him.. run him sideways and ask Schultz to make the key block. Works every time..

Yes in the first half there was no rhym or reason to the run calls...BUT i have to give KM credit he actually changed it up in the second half and starting scheming run plays AND IT WORKED..lets hope that continues.

 

[glimmerman]

My question is why call that play? My brother in law (huge Cowboys fan) and I have this discussion all the time. There's usually a reason why teams expect you to do certain thing.. and the reason is those things usually work. That's why teams commit extra bodies to stopping the inside run on short yardage when Zeke is in the game. But you know what? They haven't really stopped him from converting very often. Unless the line allows a jailbreak into the backfield Zeke is getting that first down. But Kellen Moore figured out how to stop him.. run him sideways and ask Schultz to make the key block. Works every time..

Sometimes I think Moore just thinks. This will totally fool them. They will never expect me to cal this play. Like Linehan would throw 4 straight times from the 2 yard line..

 

[glimmerman]

Yes in the first half there was no rhym or reason to the run calls...BUT i have to give KM credit he actually changed it up in the second half and starting scheming run plays AND IT WORKED..lets hope that continues.

First half looked like random run plays to make sure he was throwing them in there because he had to. Second half looked like he was reminded establish the run and pass off of that.

 

[RonnieT24]

First half looked like random run plays to make sure he was throwing them in there because he had to. Second half looked like he was reminded establish the run and pass off of that.

On Talkin' Cowboys yesterday Isaiah Stanback said that Sunday was the first time that he witnessed for himself Mike McCarthy walking up to Kellen Moore and physically getting in his face and saying what amounts to "No, don't call that, run the damn ball, Kellen." I think the doomed red zone reverse play was the final straw for McCarthy. I forget the down and distance but it was down close and there was absolutely ZERO reason not to be putting on big boy pants and playing smash mouth there.

 

[Xeven]

As much as I would love to see Zeke lead the league in rushing, the combination of him and Pollard is just too good. I am hoping Zeke takes a pay cut and they use that to keep Pollard. Keep them together for a few more years.

Zeke ain’t taking a cut lol. If anyone should take a cut it is Dak. We need some of Dak cash to keep other stars n the team.

 

[OmerV]

Sorry...I must have missed tony being more effective up the middle than Zeke.

I have not missed him sliding away from the o-line...slanting away from the center.

I'm no expert...I am sorry.

Zeke seems much too often to just hit whatever bodies are in the way, even if it's running into the back of his own O-Linemen. He's definitely stronger than Pollard, but if hitting a mass of 300 lb. bodies square on it's tough going

Pollard seems much better at finding at least some sliver of a seam to hit so he isn't slamming into the mass of 300 pound bodies full on. He is also doing a great job continuing to drive with his legs after contact. There were at least 2-3 times the swarm of people around him moved another 3-5 yards as he stayed upright and kept driving his legs. That seems to be something we are seeing more and more of with Pollard

 

[jay94]

I think 90% of today's rbs would've been out injured after Zeke hurt his knee on that hit later in the game. His durability is under appreciated.

And his performance the last 3 years has been vastly overrated, to me that's what is important. He was literally the worst receiving back last year.

 

[RonnieT24]

Zeke seems much too often to just hit whatever bodies are in the way, even if it's running into the back of his own O-Linemen. He's definitely stronger than Pollard, but if hitting a mass of 300 lb. bodies square on it's tough going

Pollard seems much better at finding at least some sliver of a seam to hit so he isn't slamming into the mass of 300 pound bodies full on. He is also doing a great job continuing to drive with his legs after contact. There were at least 2-3 times the swarm of people around him moved another 3-5 yards as he stayed upright and kept driving his legs. That seems to be something we are seeing more and more of with Pollard

Agree he is getting better and better at inside runs which will only make his overall game that much better. I think this thing about Zeke running into the back of his linemen however is a canard. He's not prone to getting fancy when a tough yard or two is what is needed but when the play has called for him to go find a hole he waits for it and hits it. The issue is that as the line play has deteriorated his patience is being rewarded less and less. He doesn't have Pollard's stop/start acceleration so when the hole opens for a nanosecond he can't get there as quickly. However when there IS no hole more often than not he makes positive yards anyway. When there is no hole in front of Pollard it's a stuff for no gain or a negative play. I posted the numbers earlier, he has more negative plays than Zeke on far fewer carries. Coaches don't like 2nd and 14. They would much prefer 2nd and 6 or 7. There is value in both their skillsets. I hope the the Cowboys keep using them just like they have been. With the exception of trying to force feed Pollard in the red zone. That dawg won't hunt. All too often there are no little slivers to sneak through down there. That's when you need the big hoss.