CFZ Dallas Got More Explosive By Cutting Zeke; the Key Will Be Consistency

[DuncanIso]

In 2022, I couldn't help but feel like a fan of some other team as I watched the Cowboys pass, pass, pass, their way to a loss in the season opener versus Tampa.

Even as Zeke sat, washed up on the sideline, many of us thought, why abandon the run?

Last year, our running game ended up being pretty good. But it was only pretty good because our defense was good. Otherwise, our run game would have been rather average, especially without the dynamic that Pollard brings.

Remember in 2021 when little Aidan Diggs said, "Zeke doesn't hit the hole hard anymore"?

I'm paraphrasing, but when a child says something like that you know he's repeating it because he heard it somewhere else. That was a long time ago, and the Cowboys ended up riding it out with Zeke even when his teammates kids knew he'd lost it, which is kind of funny because everyone kinda knew it but Zeke.

I want to see Pollard get paid as a Cowboy, personally, so I'm fine with the franchise tag.. Plus, even with his injury, I don't expect him to lose as much as people think. He will maybe lose a smidgen. But he will still be Tony Pollard.

There were times last year when he looked like Adrian Peterson out there, so I'm not going to regret it too much if I franchise him and it doesn't work out. He's sort of made himself the x-factor at times.

That said, despite losing Zeke, which I view as addition by subtraction, at the end of the day, unfortunately, I think we can be a more explosive offense, and that's what Dak needs to be Dak. If we have faster backs, and contrary to popular belief, we do now, then it really comes down to our offensive line, and I'd expect the Cowboys to draft a bruiser or a short, stocky guy like Tucker or Corum.. then again, there are guys like McBride, Abinikanda, and Gibbs that have all facets of their game ready to rock day 1.

Whatever happens, we'll be more explosive by default, which will help all facets of the offensive production.

It will come down to whether or not McCarthy sticks with the run or goes with the pass. In some games, you have to pass more than you run or you'll become too predictable. But it's about picking which of those games you'll pass more in and which ones you won't that matters.

Either way, the success of the run game will still come down to consistency so you need to worry about making it work early and often.

Except Tony broke his leg…

And we have scrubs at RB.

 

[plasticman]

Ther quality of the running game will depend on who replaces Zeke and not on Pollard. We already know what he can do when he is part of a tandem. Hopefully, the Cowboys aren't going to make the mistake they made with Marion Barber.

Pollard is a great complementary back and will be a good primary back so long as he isn't overused. The best way to prevent that is in the quality of the other back, he can't just be a warm body that takes carries. They have to be productive. Otherwise, the Cowboys have no choice but to use Pollard under circumstances that could fatigue and wear him out over a long season.

Ronald Jones is not that guy. Jones is Plan B. We will know that the Cowboys drafted a productive RB if they rarely use Jones.