Video: Film Study: Analyzing the Cowboys Oline vs the Rams

[CowboyRoy]

I saw that play and thought the same thing. Now, I won’t disrespect him by saying he can “only” average 3.5 ypc. His play was a key to sustaining drives and keeping the defense fresh which is his current role.

Compared to 2016, he’s not the same player. That’s understandable. He’s had a couple thousand carries since then and slammed himself into free rushers another couple times. He’s also not the same age.

I’m sure everyone would love for his 20+ carries to translate to 150+ yards so we can win In fantasy but the dude is not a robot. The current Zeke is quick but not as fast as he once was, elusive but not a game breaker. Those are good attributes to have if you also have decent hands AND are cerebral enough to handle protections on plays where you can’t just run the ball. The totality of the guy is why you have to play him the majority of the snaps. This is not bad. Zeke is still a great player.

Cool thing about this team is, Tony Pollard is that game breaker. He is very fast and elusive. He can also catch and willing to break tackles and fight for extra yardage. He is an excellent complement to Zeke in this offense.

So why doesn’t he get all the carries?

He has a slighter build and isn’t as physically imposing and that isn’t ideal for short yardage. He has also proven that he is not capable of being an asset in pass protection. I don’t know how much more you need to see but the most recent example almost got his QB decapitated in the last game. When he’s in the game, especially with Rush as the QB, you almost tell the defense that he’s running the ball. That is not a bonus.

I say all of that to say, I’m not with the Zeke slander. He’s not what he once was (which is why he got paid or whatever) but he’s definitely not a liability. Dude is a weapon and if healthy it’ll show when the games matter most.

Zeke is definitely not "great". And he is definitely not a "weapon". Any JAG RB can get 3.5 yards per carry diving up the middle.

Pollard runs harder, breaks more tackles, makes plays and can run inside or outside equally as well. Pollard doesnt need all the carries. LOL

Rewatch the game. Pollard's blocking was great save for a missed assignment on one blitzing corner. That was it. The blocking thing is way overblown and its certainly not to the point where you cant put him out there to block. Clearly the Cowboys do and he does fine with it.

Zeke at this point is nothing more than a short yardage type back.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

on positive note, he did run hard most of the game. Needed both guys. I would like to see Pollard get more carries. Its so frustrating.

that last drive when they knew we were running it, Zeke had 3 carries for like 1 yard so that probably dipped his average below 4 for the day.

Just want to see more from the guy. Im not even giving him #@$% about the money anymore. Just want bigger plays. Make a difference.

Pollard was so great last week. Zeke is running hard, gaining tough yards. Is it worth being paid the highest of any back in the league. Hell no. But he definitely has a place on this team. The Elliott/Pollard combo is working. And don't even get me started on Pollard's pass blocking He damn near has got Rush killed on multiple occasions.

 

[CowboyRoy]

The real issue is that Zeke is probably the only RB rostered that can read, understand and pick up necessary and vital blocking assignments.
Pollard is clearly the better runner, but has proven to be Mr whif in the backfield on passing downs, and will get your QB killed.
Moore has been doing a better job getting Pollard more involved, I believe that is evident.
Pollards role will grow as this OL improves, and Zekes pass protection role is reduced.

Really tired about talking about a RB blocking. Its low on the list of things a back needs to do well. I like my backs to run and catch the ball and make big plays.

Not to mention this notion that Pollard cant block is complete BS.

put Zeke in all you want to block. Just put Pollard in to run and catch.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Pollard was so great last week. Zeke is running hard, gaining tough yards. Is it worth being paid the highest of any back in the league. Hell no. But he definitely has a place on this team. The Elliott/Pollard combo is working. And don't even get me started on Pollard's pass blocking He damn near has got Rush killed on multiple occasions.

AGain, the pass blocking is total BS. Pollard blocks well. He missed one blitzing corner, that was it.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

AGain, the pass blocking is total BS. Pollard blocks well. He missed one blitzing corner, that was it.

It might be BS to you, but he has had multiple fails since he has been here. He just isn't that good at it.

 

[CowboyRoy]

It might be BS to you, but he has had multiple fails since he has been here. He just isn't that good at it.

Multiple fails in 4 years? Wow, that proves it!! LOL

Bottom line is Zeke apologists like you start with a narrative that Pollard sucks at pass blocking. A false narrative. You then see one play here and there and you think that justifies your agenda. I got news for you. Zeke whiffs on blocks as well.

If you want to show actual proof that would be fine. How about pulling up the pass blocking rates of both backs and lets see how they both compare to the rest of the NFL.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

Zeke is definitely not "great". And he is definitely not a "weapon". Any JAG RB can get 3.5 yards per carry diving up the middle.

Pollard runs harder, breaks more tackles, makes plays and can run inside or outside equally as well. Pollard doesnt need all the carries. LOL

Rewatch the game. Pollard's blocking was great save for a missed assignment on one blitzing corner. That was it. The blocking thing is way overblown and its certainly not to the point where you cant put him out there to block. Clearly the Cowboys do and he does fine with it.

Zeke at this point is nothing more than a short yardage type back.

And for the record, at the end of the game when we are just running out the clock, Zeke had 5 carries for 0 yards. So prior to running out the game, he averaged 4.6 per carry without any big long runs to inflate the average. He was consistently getting 4 to 5 yds per carry.

Pollard had the one big run, but outside of that averaged just over 4 yds per carry. The week before he averaged less than a yard per carry.

I think the tandem is working quite well and don't think they need to change it...they just need to keep running it.

I have more of a question about Dak in this regard. Is Rush sticking with the run more when called or is he checking into runs when appropriate? It seems that Dak checks to passes much more often and does the kill, kill, kill constantly.

 

[Cowpolk]

Really tired about talking about a RB blocking. Its low on the list of things a back needs to do well. I like my backs to run and catch the ball and make big plays.

Not to mention this notion that Pollard cant block is complete BS.

put Zeke in all you want to block. Just put Pollard in to run and catch.

Pollard can not block and almost got Rush blown up because of it He needs to learn how to yell look out

 

[Daillest88]

Cant blame the Oline because some over the hill, plodding RB can only average 3.5 ypc. There was one particular run that defines Zeke and a 3rd and 1. He got a handoff and went left. There was NOONE if he just cut it outside. Could have picked up another 20 yards. Pollard probably scores on the play. Instead Zeke dives inside into two guys.

Yeah his vision has been absolutely crap this year

 

[WarDaddy]

Zeke is definitely not "great". And he is definitely not a "weapon". Any JAG RB can get 3.5 yards per carry diving up the middle.

Pollard runs harder, breaks more tackles, makes plays and can run inside or outside equally as well. Pollard doesnt need all the carries. LOL

Rewatch the game. Pollard's blocking was great save for a missed assignment on one blitzing corner. That was it. The blocking thing is way overblown and its certainly not to the point where you cant put him out there to block. Clearly the Cowboys do and he does fine with it.

Zeke at this point is nothing more than a short yardage type back.

Ok sir. Have a great night

 

[buddahjoe445]

Zeke has no burst. Its so obvious. If he didn't have the big contract he would have been released already. He is essentially a fullback. Holes don't stay open for long in the NFL.

 

[ConstantReboot]

This Oline keeps improving week by week, and the video creator does a good job analyzing and explaining how the Cowboys Oline performed vs the Rams.

Enjoy...



Sure, some mistakes were made by a few of our Olinemen. No Oline is going to be perfect, but overall, the Cowboys Oline performed very well against the defending Super Bowl Champions Aaron Donald and the Rams front 7 Dline. Clearly, by the end of the 3rd quarter, the Cowboys Oline wore down the Rams Dline, and the Rams Dline wanted no more of the Cowboys Oline throughout the 4th quarter to end the game.

PS: Don't pay attention to the ridiculous PFF ratings on our Oline. Those clowns don't know what they are watching.

That sack that Aaron Donald got against Tyler Smith where he Tyler was called for holding wasn't as obvious and flagrant as what Parsons got throughout the entire game. These refs should he called out for giving the penalty on Smith for holding but not one single holding penalty against Parsons.

 

[ConstantReboot]

Zeke has no burst. Its so obvious. If he didn't have the big contract he would have been released already. He is essentially a fullback. Holes don't stay open for long in the NFL.

He is also impatient. He doesn't wait for the blocks to take place and he runs straight into it. As a vet he should know by now to wait for the blocks before running into the hole.

 

[Oz-of-Cowboy-Country]

Conner and Biadasz doing pretty good there. Now let's do it again versus the Eagles.

 

[DogFace]

https://cowboyszone.com/threads/big-boys.501183/


Guess I need a better title.

 

[Typhus]

That sack that Aaron Donald got against Tyler Smith where he Tyler was called for holding wasn't as obvious and flagrant as what Parsons got throughout the entire game. These refs should he called out for giving the penalty on Smith for holding but not one single holding penalty against Parsons.

The league knows that if they called holding vs Parsons that we would probably get 5 holding calls a game in our favor and Dallas would have an unfair advantage.
Its too obvious that Parsons is being held to not be the case.

 

[ConstantReboot]

The league knows that if they called holding vs Parsons that we would probably get 5 holding calls a game in our favor and Dallas would have an unfair advantage.
Its too obvious that Parsons is being held to not be the case.

I would think that too. However, Donald was able to get a hold penalty from Tyler Smith. One which is less obvious and less flagrant than any of the non-holding penalties that Parsons did not get.

It baffles why they call these ticky tack fouls on us. Yet we get mugged to death and there is not calls.

 

[Typhus]

I would think that too. However, Donald was able to get a hold penalty from Tyler Smith. One which is less obvious and less flagrant than any of the non-holding penalties that Parsons did not get.

It baffles why they call these ticky tack fouls on us. Yet we get mugged to death and there is not calls.

Just another example of very poor officiating is the Chris Jones incident.
Jones even ended up with the loose ball in his right hand and was trying to support his weight coming down on Carr with his left hand and they call roughing the passer.
Aikman was right when he said they need to take the dresses off, but they need to take the blinders off as well.
Parsons probably sustained the groin injury from having to drag 320lb OL with their arm around his neck to get to the QB.
Parsons sack totals would be off the hook if the officiating was unbiased.

 

[ConstantReboot]

Just another example of very poor officiating is the Chris Jones incident.
Jones even ended up with the loose ball in his right hand and was trying to support his weight coming down on Carr with his left hand and they call roughing the passer.
Aikman was right when he said they need to take the dresses off, but they need to take the blinders off as well.
Parsons probably sustained the groin injury from having to drag 320lb OL with their arm around his neck to get to the QB.
Parsons sack totals would be off the hook if the officiating was unbiased.

Totally agree. I think there was another incident where roughing the passer was called which affected the outcome of the game.

These penalties that aren't called on Parsons needs to be called out. Tyler Smith had a holding call against him with a much less obvious infraction. Parsons is nearly choked to death while getting to the QB and there is no call. It's time to talk about this openly and have someone accountable. This can't go on much longer.