Emmitt Smith on Mike McCarthy and how he's used Tony Pollard

[big dog cowboy]

 

[big dog cowboy]

Maybe Emmitt should be the RB coach.

 

[WoodysGirl]

Dallas Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith: "The creativeness of the offensive coordinator is truly what's going to make him a genius. I'm not giving the offensive coordinator a genius because he's developing the passing game. Or he's created to move guys around. I'm giving the title genius to an offensive coordinator when he finds the balance between the both and make both of them work. To me that's the way the game should be played, that's the way the game is won. When you're able to keep teams off balance and you're able to do both."

"And right now defenses are gearing up to stop one person, Tony Pollard, in the run game. Therefore they're focusing on him week in and week out, like they did with Ezekiel Elliott, and he's slowing down his running game and McCarthy's only enhancing it by not creating opportunities for Pollard to get the ball in certain spaces. And that's McCarthy. That has nothing to do with Tony Pollard. Because given the opportunities, he's going to make plays. And we see him make some plays, just not the big plays that we were accustomed to seeing him make last year. Because some of those plays came in special situations and they called the right play at the right time and they set the defense the way they needed. They had what they needed to have and he made explosive plays. They can do the same thing with him in the number one position, they've just got to focus on it and find ways to get that man the ball."

 

[gimmesix]

"And right now defenses are gearing up to stop one person, Tony Pollard, in the run game. Therefore they're focusing on him week in and week out, like they did with Ezekiel Elliott, and he's slowing down his running game and McCarthy's only enhancing it by not creating opportunities for Pollard to get the ball in certain spaces. And that's McCarthy. That has nothing to do with Tony Pollard. Because given the opportunities, he's going to make plays. And we see him make some plays, just not the big plays that we were accustomed to seeing him make last year. Because some of those plays came in special situations and they called the right play at the right time and they set the defense the way they needed. They had what they needed to have and he made explosive plays. They can do the same thing with him in the number one position, they've just got to focus on it and find ways to get that man the ball."

In other words, stop running him up the middle over and over again, Mike.

 

[Typhus]

Maybe Emmitt should be the RB coach.

Like Step should have been an OL coach.

 

[Cowboys5217]

I've got questions, too, about the offense and use of RBs. They way we have tried to use Vaughn is all wrong as well and is why he is inactive. You don't ask a guy like Deuce to block or run into the pile. He's a guy you have to get into space so his quickness and speed can be most effective. he is just too small to be a blocker or smash mouth runner.

 

[MapleLeaf]

If you could isolate Vaughn in space you have to believe his lower centre of gravity gives him an edge over most defenders.

The problem is that Deuce has to show he can block NFL Blitzers and rushers. This way his presence on the field doesn't tip off defenders and especially LBs.

Deuce expanding his skillset will help his cause in space. LBs won't always be lloking for him to bleed out because his blocking skills means he can be stuck in the backfield, and if he get a delayed handoff and you have abandoned the gaps thinking he is going to bleed out then you can get gashed up the middle.

It's not just a RB problem or a scheme problem. Unfortunately our run blocking SUCKS at times.

 

[KJJ]

I think the biggest issue is the OL and not having a big physical runner playing ahead of Pollard to soften up the defense. Pollard was doing just fine when he was our second back behind Zeke. The more carries Pollard gets the less effective he is. He was much better when was kept fresh.

 

[DallasEast]

These are the insightful interviews worth watching and listening to, even if everything said is not agreed upon. The subject was Tony Pollard and the running game. The interviewed source is one of, if not the, best running back in NFL history. Not a bunch of sports talking heads creating hot air out of usually nothing for viewers and clicks. Instead, getting a unique perspective from a bona fide respected source. Thanks for posting.

And thanks to Kay Adams for arranging the interview. Brains and cuteness. Deadly combination.

 

[Mannix]

Maybe Emmitt should be the RB coach.

He would just end up being the escape goat.

 

[Creeper]

Before we start criticizing McCarthy for play calling or how he uses Pollard, let me see the OL open some holes in the running game. Let me see some downfield blocking from the TEs and WRs. Even the best RBs ever can't gain yards if they are hit at or behind the LOS.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

Before criticizing McCarthy, one needs to know a) did Dak make an audible and b) if so, did Dak make the correct audible based on the defense shown.

Without this audible information, there is no way to judge accordingly. We are all just guessing.

 

[CowboyChris]

I think our offense has been too predicatable for a long time now...we go 2-3 TE's on first down, with Dak under center, that's usually a running play, then on 2nd down we go to 3 WR's and shotgun because we're in a 2nd long situation, usually means pass...depending on down and distance we are probably in shot gun again on 3rd down. and then the cycle repeats itself.

I also agree with a previous poster, that our OL hasn't been opening holes in the run game, it's no secret MM wants to keep the offense balanced.

 

[Ranching]

Maybe Emmitt should be the RB coach.

Maybe he took too many hits.

 

[gimmesix]

He would just end up being the escape goat.

A testament to Emmitt's elusiveness.

 

[conner01]

Before we start criticizing McCarthy for play calling or how he uses Pollard, let me see the OL open some holes in the running game. Let me see some downfield blocking from the TEs and WRs. Even the best RBs ever can't gain yards if they are hit at or behind the LOS.

I think it’s a bit of both but the oline has not played well and the yards before contact show that

 

[conner01]

I think our offense has been too predicatable for a long time now...we go 2-3 TE's on first down, with Dak under center, that's usually a running play, then on 2nd down we go to 3 WR's and shotgun because we're in a 2nd long situation, usually means pass...depending on down and distance we are probably in shot gun again on 3rd down. and then the cycle repeats itself.

I also agree with a previous poster, that our OL hasn't been opening holes in the run game, it's no secret MM wants to keep the offense balanced.

I thought we’d pass more on first down. Seems like we’ve gotten away from that a bit

 

[big dog cowboy]

let me see the OL open some holes in the running game. Even the best RBs ever can't gain yards if they are hit at or behind the LOS.

 

[CATCH17]

I think the biggest issue is the OL and not having a big physical runner playing ahead of Pollard to soften up the defense. Pollard was doing just fine when he was our second back behind Zeke. The more carries Pollard gets the less effective he is. He was much better when was kept fresh.

Our run game problems have next to nothing to do with our Runningbacks.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

I agree with Emmitt 100 percent. I don't want a team that's pass happy, and I don't want one that's run happy. I want one that can kick butt at both. It's what the 90s-era Super Bowl teams did. Emmitt was a huge reason for those teams' success, but he didn't have to do it all by himself. They ran him a ton, but then Aikman would connect with Irvin, Novacek, Harper, or many other weapons. They also would occasionally run Daryl Johnston or other running backs besides Emmitt. That team could rip defenses to shreds via the run or the pass. I remember one game against the Eagles, and it was probably a playoff game, in which Coach Johnson used a bunch of weapons as a decoy. They were in the red zone, and so they sent Irvin, Novacek, and Emmitt to the left of the endzone to attract the over-pursuing defense. Aikman then passed to a wide-open Derek Tennell for a TD. With all those weapons drawing the defense away, the lowly scrub, Tennell, was able to score.
...
When you've got a balanced attack like that, you can score even with a player of basic skill. I am concerned that Pollard may not be the guy for the bruising, grind-it-out yards. If we had a Robert Newhouse-style player on the team to complement him, I would feel better.