Bill Polian on Zeke

[Kaiser]

I'd say it's Zeke for sure.

It's hard to not give Dak a whole lot of credit because he's been amazing but Zeke is the guy that has this all working for us. His ability to run inside and out, make plays in the passing game, is making the game easier for Dak and that's a great thing all around for the Cowboys.

Also it gets overlooked in the rushing yards, but his receiving and blocking are a significant part of the success of offense.

 

[Risen Star]

Keep in mind that Polian was the first national media guy who had us taking Zeke at #4 overall. Before the draft he said we would take Zeke and not look back as if it was a foregone conclusion, and obviously he was right.

Now he says that Elliott is far and away the NFL MVP. Polian says second place isn't even close. He says all of this team's success starts and stops with Elliott, and that without him as a difference maker we are a vastly different team.

He is correct but I don't know about him being the first to have Zeke going to Dallas.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

He's right.

He's keeping teams up on the line of scrimmage, making almost every play man coverage for Dak. Rookie quarterbacks can throw against man coverage much easier than NFL zones.

That actually hurts Zeke to a degree. If Romo was playing, they'd have to back off, and Zeke would probably have a couple hundred more yards.

Zone is stronger against the run. It's too easy for the Beasley's of the world to just run people off as opposed to having to block and you are always looking downfield when in zone.

 

[erod]

Zone is stronger against the run.

But 8 or 9 in the box is harder to pop runs against than 6 or 7 in the box.

 

[Parche]

Nothing wrong with a draft chunked full of young difference makers...and good on the cap too.

Good until you have to pay the rooks the new contracts... But too soon to worry bout that I guess.

 

[Risen Star]

Good until you have to pay the rooks the new contracts... But too soon to worry bout that I guess.

The key is to keep drafting well. Then you don't have to re-sign everyone.

 

[Parche]

The key is to keep drafting well. Then you don't have to re-sign everyone.

LEts have our fingers crossed, cause we will have to draft very well then. This two gonna cost us a lot of cap space.

 

[Risen Star]

LEts have our fingers crossed, cause we will have to draft very well then. This two gonna cost us a lot of cap space.

Well obviously you wouldn't let your franchise QB, if he is one, and your all world RB walk. But I mean the supporting cast. You have to keep finding the next set of quality players and pick and choose who you resign to another contract.

This is absolutely critical to team building and it falls in the lap of what I've been told is a position that doesn't really matter - the GM.

 

[CCBoy]

Good until you have to pay the rooks the new contracts... But too soon to worry bout that I guess.

That's the thing about the NFL, except on a 'rookie' contract, a team must pay for quality players...no getting around the facts. Still, they are already in flow of the team and their concepts. No locker room transitioning as well.

 

[btcutter]

Great issue to have huh? Two MVP candidates and both are rookies on the same team.

Not to mention a veteran QB for just in case.

 

[CCBoy]

But 8 or 9 in the box is harder to pop runs against than 6 or 7 in the box.

7 in the box is standard for the Cowboys...and they are usually hard to run against in their base. Their SS, Church, is usually not far from it as well...so?

 

[Risen Star]

I think the Cowboys have a special situation along the OL and at RB. I would make that the focal point of the team going forward. I would make sure none of the 5 - Smith Leary Frederick Martin Collins - leave and budget for Zeke's next contract. This is the NFL 2016. Complete teams do not exist or are at least a rare sighting. If you can be dominant in one area that's more than good enough to win titles. So I'd spend my resources on offense and churn the defense with draft picks to manage the cap. I can't add big contracts on defense with all those contracts on offense.

I'd rather do it that way than break up what has led the team to the playoffs in two of the last three years.

To beat Dallas going forward you're going to have to beat Zeke Elliott and that offensive line.

 

[erod]

7 in the box is standard for the Cowboys...and they are usually hard to run against in their base. Their SS, Church, is usually not far from it as well...so?

Teams are playing Dallas with 8 to 9 in the box frequently.

And teams that run well have gashed the Cowboys defense badly. Fortunately, the NFL is really awful this year.

 

[dfense]

Zeke would likely be less successful than he is now if Romo was the QB, which is probably one of the reasons that factored into Cowboys decision to go with Prescott. Romo's lack of mobility is a liability that limits the options available to the offense. We have seen during the last 2 games just how valuable Dak's runs can be. Those runs force the defense to play honest instead of just crashing down on Zeke. Dak's presence causing a slight hesitation to the defense can make a huge difference with a player as talented as Zeke, as the announcers pointed out during the Vikings game.

That is incredibly incorrect. Dak's legs get him out of trouble , yes. But the trouble is self imposed a lot. The last couple games he has guys open and either is afraid to or just doesn't want to risk that tight throw. Hopefully, it's just the quality of defense. But just think for a second about who benefits the most from who.

 

[Risen Star]

That is incredibly incorrect. Dak's legs get him out of trouble , yes. But the trouble is self imposed a lot. The last couple games he has guys open and either is afraid to or just doesn't want to risk that tight throw. Hopefully, it's just the quality of defense. But just think for a second about who benefits the most from who.

It was laughable. Romo won't allow teams to be so nosey at the line of scrimmage. He's a much bigger threat to beat teams down the field. It would only enhance Zeke's impact.

 

[visionary]

Keep in mind that Polian was the first national media guy who had us taking Zeke at #4 overall. Before the draft he said we would take Zeke and not look back as if it was a foregone conclusion, and obviously he was right.

Now he says that Elliott is far and away the NFL MVP. Polian says second place isn't even close. He says all of this team's success starts and stops with Elliott, and that without him as a difference maker we are a vastly different team.

Hasn't he been told that the running game has no correlation with winning?

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

But 8 or 9 in the box is harder to pop runs against than 6 or 7 in the box.

You ever heard of a zone drop? 8 or 9 in the box does not necessitate man coverage.

 

[CCBoy]

Teams are playing Dallas with 8 to 9 in the box frequently.

And teams that run well have gashed the Cowboys defense badly. Fortunately, the NFL is really awful this year.

Oh, you should stop there and hire out to do after action reports...

That's why Zeke leads the NFL in rushing, right? Then there is the increase in play action pass and Presley rolling out wide and passing/running.

Uh, you forgot to add in blitzes and defensive line switches as well...but the Dallas offense has still been productive on a top shelf manner.

You may be onto something, although...but seem to miss the Dallas defense as well.

 

[erod]

You ever heard of a zone drop? 8 or 9 in the box does not necessitate man coverage.

On the outside, it does for at least one side. With nine in the box, it's man coverage outside completely other than a slant.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

On the outside, it does for at least one side. With nine in the box, it's man coverage outside completely other than a slant.

Not in cover 3 it doesn't. You can play many different zones with single high too.