Bigger Role for Zeke. Better Late than never!

[Deep_Freeze]

we could have won the game had is not been for a 32 yard pick up on a 3rd and 20 play by GB that put them in FG range to win.

I think when an offense can put up 31 points in a game and you lose it had nothing to do with Zeke getting more carries or catches. I fully expect to win games when we score 31. I have to question the play of any defense giving up more points. Just seems to me we look at the situation and come up with 2 different solutions your give Zeke more of a work load and mine correct the problems on defense.

The playoffs isn't a place to manage Zeke's work load as much, I'm totally on board with doing it in the regular season (heck I was happy when he didn't play in the last game), but its weak football to take him off so much during the playoffs.

And yes, the D did suck. So did their D for that matter. Every game is different, and this one we were going to have to win with our offense. Can't win with your offense when you best player and scorer is on the sidelines getting gatorade instead of on the field.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

I'm personally in favor of not riding him into the ground.

This is the same line that "washed up" Mcfadden averaged 4.6 ypc behind.

Zeke lead the nfl in carries. I'm sure he'll do it again. He should not approach 400 touches.

 

[Deep_Freeze]

I'm personally in favor of not riding him into the ground.

This is the same line that "washed up" Mcfadden averaged 4.6 ypc behind.

Zeke lead the nfl in carries. I'm sure he'll do it again. He should not approach 400 touches.

I agree, if your talking about the regular season....heck he probably got too many then.

But going for a ring isn't the time for rest. Ask Emmitt, played with one arm just to get homefield advantage....wasn't even the playoffs yet.

Its weak football that allowed Zeke sit around and not get used in both the rushing and passing game for that entire game.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

I agree, if your talking about the regular season....heck he probably got too many then.

But going for a ring isn't the time for rest. Ask Emmitt, played with one arm just to get homefield advantage....wasn't even the playoffs yet.

Its weak football that allowed Zeke sit around and not get used in both the rushing and passing game for that entire game.

In a game where we got down big and had drives stalled for numerous reasons...the running back got 23 touches.

This arbitrary we didn't feed Zeke enough stuff is nonsense.

 

[Stash]

So fewer throws to WR and TE more to the RB who already carries a pretty big load on offense? Dez was a 1st rd maybe he should be getting more

No, not saying anything close to that.

What I am saying, again, is don't go away from your best traits, or your best weapons, especially for some gimmick nonsense that screams to the defense exactly what you're doing. Hope that clears it up.

I don't care if it's Elliott or McFadden out there. Both are three down backs capable of running, blocking, and receiving. You have either guy out there and you're not broadcasting pass play.

That gives Elliott the "rest" you mentioned without handcuffing your offense or going pass happy.

 

[bayeslife]

Even if that did happen, fine. That's the life of an NFL running back. Chew em up and spit em out.

Because the idea is that it would have been a wasted top 5 pick and should have selected Ramsey for a longer career

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

People think of Zeke will only last 3 years with a lot of touches

There is a fair bit of evidence that RB production falls off a cliff after 350 carries on a season and ~1500 carries for a career. For every Emmitt there are 50 Demarco Murrays.

Personally I would like to see them use WCO principles and substitute short passes that turn into sprints out in space for the running game. Dak is accurate enough to do it.

 

[kevm3]

If we are going to take zeke out on third at least put a bulldozer in on short downs, not a finesse back

 

[robbieruff]

For some reason...this just chaps my hide...seriously, I'm ticked off right now...

 

[bayeslife]

There is a fair bit of evidence that RB production falls off a cliff after 350 carries on a season and ~1500 carries for a career. For every Emmitt there are 50 Demarco Murrays.

Personally I would like to see them use WCO principles and substitute short passes that turn into sprints out in space for the running game. Dak is accurate enough to do it.

I agree 100% he should be used like David Johnson

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Easy to say. Tougher to do when one drive was compromised by a sack and the next by a ten yard penalty. And we still maintained nearly a 50/50 run pass split those first series.

The actual problem was the defense being unable to stop Rodgers the first three times he got the ball. Tough to be 'done by halftime' when you score every time you touch the ball.

Screw you! When its 2nd and 16 the solution is always to run the ball! When it's 3rd and long? RUN! Down 3 scores?!?!?! RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111

 

[CATCH17]

7-3 at the end of the first quarter...

Go back and watch how the game unfolded instead of reading the box score.

The game unfolded on us poorly. We were behind and constantly penalized the majority of the game.

Passing was the best option to conserve clock. We almost came back with the strategy they used as well.

 

[lostar2009]

Who is backing up Zeke? I hate to see the guy gp down and this team running game go to trash.

 

[fishspill]

Zeke was a top 5 RB in snaps but was still about 250 behind Johnson and 150 behind DeMarco. He was even behind Bell with a suspension and coming off injury (I think). All I can figure is the way he's used must be more physically demanding because he shouldn't be outsnapped by any RB ideally. I'm hoping whatever they add to Dak's plate allows more chances to have Zeke on the field more without wearing him out so much he can't play 3rd downs.

 

[JohnsKey19]

My problem wasn't putting Dunbar on the field as much as it was how they used him. He's a good receiving back. He can make people miss. Yet he was often asked to stay in and pass block, which made zero sense. If the running back needed to adjust based on pressure, you better have a back who can do both - block and catch the ball out of the backfield. Zeke and McFadden are both better blockers than Dunbar. Both can catch the ball.

When Dunbar was in his job should have been to get into a pattern and catch the ball, exclusively. That's the coaching fail IMO.

All solid points.

 

[Deep_Freeze]

In a game where we got down big and had drives stalled for numerous reasons...the running back got 23 touches.

This arbitrary we didn't feed Zeke enough stuff is nonsense.

I'm not talking about feeding Zeke, don't really care for that term or the motion he makes. My thing is, get him involved in the offense, he is a complete RB, so use those talents to our benefit. Its not arbitrary if we don't get him involved in the passing game when we are behind. Having him not involved is whats nonsense.