Battle Lines: RB room has a great problem

[CowboyRoy]

I mean that's fine, but the numbers are the numbers. By DVOA, Zeke was considerably better than Taylor, Harris, Henry, Cook, Walker, Kamara, and a host of other guys. That's almost entirely attributed to his short-yardage work.
https://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/nfl/rb/2022

What are you cherry picking?

Short yardage is mostly oline. Zeke was predictable often needing multiple tries. He became so unreliable they started using dak on critical 4th downs.

 

[Mac_MaloneV1]

What are you cherry picking?

Short yardage is mostly oline. Zeke was predictable often needing multiple tries. He became so unreliable they started using dak on critical 4th downs.

I'm not cherry picking anything. He's a very good short yardage back. OL influences it heavily which is why it's not worth investing in. But he is still very good at running through contact at the LOS and has the drive to fall forward. Not a short-yardage play, but he still does this all the time:

 

[CowboyRoy]

I'm not cherry picking anything. He's a very good short yardage back. OL influences it heavily which is why it's not worth investing in. But he is still very good at running through contact at the LOS and has the drive to fall forward. Not a short-yardage play, but he still does this all the time:

Why are you nit picking traits? He sucks as a back. Short yardage specialists are a dime a dozen.

Give me a guy that can also bounce short yardage outside and take it for a big play. Any fool can fall forward for a yard.

 

[Mac_MaloneV1]

Why are you nit picking traits? He sucks as a back. Short yardage specialists are a dime a dozen.

Give me a guy that can also bounce short yardage outside and take it for a big play. Any fool can fall forward for a yard.

Platitudes like this are ridiculous.

The number of players who can bounce short yardage runs outside and hit for a big play is effectively 0.

 

[gimmesix]

I think that is exactly the team's position as well. If we get deep in TC and don't feel like we've got answers, then I think the team will go out and get one of the more proven guys.

Of course, the only risk with that gamble is that the players who are worth picking up are already gone by then. My preference is to go ahead and add one if you can get him for cheap, but that's the problem since most don't want to play for cheap.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Platitudes like this are ridiculous.

The number of players who can bounce short yardage runs outside and hit for a big play is effectively 0.

Yah whatever. Lets move on.

 

[ColeBeasley11]

Pollard is a much better runner today than he was when he was drafted though.

His lower body strength has increased a bunch from when he first entered the league.

Exactly. Last year was the best version we’ve seen of him.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

I thought you said everyone was over zeke and i should too?

and here you are talking about zeke in a cowboys rb thread?

Why dont you chastise this poster? Maybe you should chastise yourself?

Dont ever tell me to stop talking about zeke. Talk about hypocritical?

In the final urinalysis, mods are people and they, like us, have their biases and favorite players.
But on the whole a fine group of chaps. Good fellows all.

 

[CowboyRoy]

In the final urinalysis, mods are people and they, like us, have their biases and favorite players.
But on the whole a fine group of chaps. Good fellows all.

Most are great. Others overstep.

 

[Blackrain]

https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/battle-lines-rb-room-has-a-great-problem-in-23

It's been made deathly clear by head coach Mike McCarthy that moving on from Ezekiel Elliott has nothing to do with trying to replace one of the best running backs in the history of the storied franchise. To put it plainly, it's about turning to Tony Pollard and the youth at the position and asking them to take a big leap forward in 2023.

There you have it. Now will they gear the offense running plays to Pollard skill set. Something Moore would / could not do.

Are they really counting on a RB that seem to wear down after 15 touches a game, coming off a broken leg and torn ligaments.

Looks like a pretty risky plan to me counting on a guy to be able to come back from injury 100% and a guy with stamina problems at that.

That said we certainly didn't need another tight end and should have drafted a running back in that spot to take some of the load off of Pollard since he's coming back from injury

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

Most are great. Others overstep.

Tell me and I will speak to Reality.
Maybe therapy for them or something.

 

[DuncanIso]

Looks like a pretty risky plan to me counting on a guy to be able to come back from injury 100% and a guy with stamina problems at that.

That said we certainly didn't need another tight end and should have drafted a running back in that spot to take some of the load off of Pollard since he's coming back from injury

I think Dallas/Jerry were worried about cap space for the RBs.

10 mil TonyP
5 mil Zeke [cap hit]
1 mil RJones
The Others

They probably didnt want to spend anymore $$$ on another back.

It starts to clear out next season.

 

[DuncanIso]

What are you cherry picking?

Short yardage is mostly oline. Zeke was predictable often needing multiple tries. He became so unreliable they started using dak on critical 4th downs.

To be fair, he was playing on a hyperextended knee. Got it jacked up in the Detroit game. He missed those games, but I think he came back too soon.

He's had over 100+ rushing first downs the last two seasons.

The problem with Zeke was the cap hit.

He'd still be here today if that contract wasn't so top heavy.

 

[DuncanIso]

Good for him he had a GREAT rookie year.
He wasn't consistent, and he surely wasn't good for the team the last few years. Time to move on regardless of how many yards he tallied up in the stats book

1800 yds
22 TDs
100+ 1st downs.

last two seasons.

He's not that bad.

 

[DuncanIso]

First off stop bringing zeke into this every time and then being wrong about it he had four good years in a row he got paid and then guess what 2020 happened COVID happened injuries happen coaching staff got replaced it was a lost season literally 17 or more injuries that year 11 different offensive line changes and no Prescott that pretty much sums up 2020 in 2021 and 2022 he had injuries right around the midway point that slowed him down but he started those two years out near 5 yards per carry he was playing well he looked in shape he had wiggle he had moves like his old self maybe not 2016 so now I got that straight let's get off zeke's short and curlies please the man was one of the best running backs to ever suit up we've already seen the mean the dude has 8300 yards plus tons of touchdowns some good receiving stats and was ranked what third all time in Cowboys history maybe have to go look but I don't think people realize how good he was just because injuries and age caught up to him doesn't mean you get to stay here and say you only had two good years when he nearly the first three years coming out of college could have had three straight rushing titles if he wasn't suspended so that means 2016/17 and 18 he was very good.. And in 2019 with a brand new offensive coordinator who was more pass happy he still was fifth in the league in scrimmage yards so somehow that's four years into his career were you say 2.. OK so you don't know how to do math and your eyes are really bad..

But you wanna know why we said Tony Pollard wore down maybe you weren't paying attention the last five games of the year which includes the playoffs 3.8 yards per carry no touchdowns 51 yards per game no explosive plays and two injuries.

You need anymore proof of that I mean he did wear down , stats don't lie the man did not close the season very well he was not the old Tony Pollard and I believe it had everything to do with him moving from 15 to close to 19 carries per game and he wore down so we need to use 3 running backs for the running back by committee yes he's the starter he should get his 15 carries he might get 18 if he's hot but literally yes to your question to jazz cat he did wear down.. If you wanna keep Tony Pollard explosive you're gonna have to limit his carries he was like that in college he's been like that in the NFL there is no proof of anything to the contrary. That's not a knock on the guy I mean he even came out and then he made a joke about it but we all know he was huffing and puffing he couldn't finish that one game he even made a statement we all got to hear who is coach or teammate then he took it back and says he was only joking no we saw him the dude was grasping for air.

Zeke hyperextended his knee.

 

[DuncanIso]

Just to catch people up, I believe 5 RB's in the NFL averaged 16 or more carries per game last year. Two of them averaged 20 or more.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/stats/player/_/stat/rushing/table/rushing/sort/rushingYards/dir/desc

Most teams have figured out that RB's really do start to lose a step as they tire which is why virtually every team platoons.

Dallas' concern is not Pollard, who is one of the best backs in the NFL in a normal NFL RB load and role. Its RB2.

I like the RB rotation.

But once a back gets going, stay with him.

 

[DuncanIso]

I don't doubt that at all ... but he came into the league with 4.3 speed & receiving skills. He should have been utilized more than he was in his early years.

Guess the lack of usage may actually benefit him \ team now though.

Tony will be 27 next April.

28 is usually starts the downward slide for RBs.

Plus the cap hit....

And the freak leg/ankle injury.

 

[Blackrain]

I think Dallas/Jerry were worried about cap space for the RBs.

10 mil TonyP
5 mil Zeke [cap hit]
1 mil RJones
The Others

They probably didnt want to spend anymore $$$ on another back.

It starts to clear out next season.

I believe you're right and they didn't want to sign a veteran to a big chunk of money but I really think they should have committed to drafting someone higher in the draft rather than going with another tight end now we have like three

 

[TequilaCowboy]

If i had my druthers, i'd like to get me a very good vet RB FA.....on a good deal. There are some out there right now. But if they have their eyes on another JAG like Ronald Jones, no thanks.... go with what we got in Pollard/Vaugh/Jones or Dowdle.. Not very comforting, but that just the facts. Lotta pressure on Pollard to perform like last season or they will be in deep doodoo.

 

[DuncanIso]

If i had my druthers, i'd like to get me a very good vet RB FA.....on a good deal. There are some out there right now. But if they have their eyes on another JAG like Ronald Jones, no thanks.... go with what we got in Pollard/Vaugh/Jones or Dowdle.. Not very comforting, but that just the facts. Lotta pressure on Pollard to perform like last season or they will be in deep doodoo.

I think the dead cap money for Zeke is a problem for Jerry.

11.5 million over the next two seasons just to finish paying for Zeke.

These big contacts always end the same.

Dead cap $$$.