CFZ IMO-The key player for a Cowboys win

[buybuydandavis]

It’s Tony Pollard. Not replacing Zeke or any of his carries, but actually being on the field at the same time as Zeke. As a slot receiver and occasional runner, and a guy being moved around like a pawn on a chessboard. Tony Pollard should be shown to the Bucs defense in multiple looks and roles.

And by the way, by using Pollard alongside Zeke wont hurt Zeke- it will help him! It may actually open some running opportunities for Zeke and also some opportunities catching the ball out the backfield. With our OL on shaky ground Sun night, I wouldn’t expect a traditional brand of a “power running game” coupled with a traditional drop back passing game.

So, with that in mind- Here’s how I hope we see Pollard Sunday night:

• Starting along with Zeke - but as a slot receiver.
• Getting 5-7 receiving targets, and at least 8-10 carries; a total of 12-15 touches.
• Getting at least 40 offensive snaps.

We all know Cedee Lamb and Noah Brown will start at WR- and Rookie Jalen Tolbert. Although Tolbert has big upside, I don’t think he should get more than a few snaps. Devante Turpin and Dennis Houston will probably also get some snaps. Tony Pollard should be getting more snaps as a slot receiver than Tolbert because he’s a better option NOW.

Who knows what Kellen Moore does Sunday night. But I will be surprised and disappointed if Tony Pollard is not a major player. He may be the wild card on offense.

I've been disappointed for years at their failure to use Pollard for what he was drafted for - the motion RB/WR that *complements* Zeke on the field.
I've stopped being surprised over it long ago. I'll be surprised if they finally decide to seriously make use of it.

 

[Diehardblues]

It’s Tony Pollard. Not replacing Zeke or any of his carries, but actually being on the field at the same time as Zeke. As a slot receiver and occasional runner, and a guy being moved around like a pawn on a chessboard. Tony Pollard should be shown to the Bucs defense in multiple looks and roles.

And by the way, by using Pollard alongside Zeke wont hurt Zeke- it will help him! It may actually open some running opportunities for Zeke and also some opportunities catching the ball out the backfield. With our OL on shaky ground Sun night, I wouldn’t expect a traditional brand of a “power running game” coupled with a traditional drop back passing game.

So, with that in mind- Here’s how I hope we see Pollard Sunday night:

• Starting along with Zeke - but as a slot receiver.
• Getting 5-7 receiving targets, and at least 8-10 carries; a total of 12-15 touches.
• Getting at least 40 offensive snaps.

We all know Cedee Lamb and Noah Brown will start at WR- and Rookie Jalen Tolbert. Although Tolbert has big upside, I don’t think he should get more than a few snaps. Devante Turpin and Dennis Houston will probably also get some snaps. Tony Pollard should be getting more snaps as a slot receiver than Tolbert because he’s a better option NOW.

Who knows what Kellen Moore does Sunday night. But I will be surprised and disappointed if Tony Pollard is not a major player. He may be the wild card on offense.

Do we have any indication from Camp that Pollard will be used in the Slot? I must have missed those reports?

 

[shabazz]

I feel obligated to point out that the infamous @Dak_Attack_09 took a ton of heat when he said Pollard should be a receiver.

He gets a ton of well deserved heat in the vast majority of his threads, and by 'vast majority' I mean pretty much all of them, so it's only fair to give him some credit when he deserves it. We might not get another chance. It only hurts for a minute....

makes one think of the “blind squirrel finding a nut” phrase. All Hail

 

[shabazz]

Do we have any indication from Camp that Pollard will be used in the Slot? I must have missed those reports?

It was used in the closed practices from what I’m hearing on the street.

 

[Oz-of-Cowboy-Country]

The key player for a Cowboys win is Noah Brown. The rest of our skill players will take the defense's focus away from Brown. Zeke, Lamb, and Shultz will be their main concerns.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

It’s Tony Pollard. Not replacing Zeke or any of his carries, but actually being on the field at the same time as Zeke. As a slot receiver and occasional runner, and a guy being moved around like a pawn on a chessboard. Tony Pollard should be shown to the Bucs defense in multiple looks and roles.

And by the way, by using Pollard alongside Zeke wont hurt Zeke- it will help him! It may actually open some running opportunities for Zeke and also some opportunities catching the ball out the backfield. With our OL on shaky ground Sun night, I wouldn’t expect a traditional brand of a “power running game” coupled with a traditional drop back passing game.

So, with that in mind- Here’s how I hope we see Pollard Sunday night:

• Starting along with Zeke - but as a slot receiver.
• Getting 5-7 receiving targets, and at least 8-10 carries; a total of 12-15 touches.
• Getting at least 40 offensive snaps.

We all know Cedee Lamb and Noah Brown will start at WR- and Rookie Jalen Tolbert. Although Tolbert has big upside, I don’t think he should get more than a few snaps. Devante Turpin and Dennis Houston will probably also get some snaps. Tony Pollard should be getting more snaps as a slot receiver than Tolbert because he’s a better option NOW.

Who knows what Kellen Moore does Sunday night. But I will be surprised and disappointed if Tony Pollard is not a major player. He may be the wild card on offense.

I think things will even out given injuries to each team's offensive line and defenses they have..
it will come down to Maher...and our kicking game again.

 

[Bobhaze]

Do we have any indication from Camp that Pollard will be used in the Slot? I must have missed those reports?

He has lined up in the slot on occasion.

 

[CCBoy]

I will expect individual highlights...but I'm putting heavy responsibilities on Dak Prescott from the start.

 

[Whyjerry]

How is it anyone other than Dak? Dak gets protected and plays well this is a playoff team. With a shot. Dak plays poorly and this is a double digit loss team.

 

[Bobhaze]

How is it anyone other than Dak? Dak gets protected and plays well this is a playoff team. With a shot. Dak plays poorly and this is a double digit loss team.

Of course we need Dak to play well to win. Always going to be true. But our chances of winning will always be better if other players step into a big role as well.

Thinking our QB must carry this team alone is short sighted IMO. Dak is an excellent QB but he’s not Mahomes, Allen or Rodgers. This team will win when we have a very good team that plays as a team, not because our QB is wearing a red cape.

 

[VaqueroTD]

I firmly believe if Pollard and Schultz don’t have big seasons, our offense sputters the same as last year.

 

[MarcusRock]

You people and your Turpin love. I think many are underestimating the jump to the "real" Pros he's in for. I just hope fans don't turn on him if he doesn't score a TD every game. I'll be satisfied with improved starting field position. House calls will be gravy.

 

[bigE79]

I have a player in mind but don't want to let the secret out, pretty sure most of the coordinators in the league follow my posts...

Brian anger?..lol

 

[buybuydandavis]

The key player for a Cowboys win is Noah Brown. The rest of our skill players will take the defense's focus away from Brown. Zeke, Lamb, and Shultz will be their main concerns.

Pollard, Brown. Zeke, Lamb, and Shultz are an interesting personnel package.

Brown was looking decent last year as a WR. If he can be a true dual threat as a competent WR in the passing game while adding solid blocking in the run game he becomes a big problem for defenses.

Pollard *should* be used as a dual threat as well. And Lamb.

I really like the multiple runners (including Dak) and run blockers I see. If you just wanted to pass, it's a weak receiving package, but as a run/pass package, it's got a lot of possibilities.

The real question is whether Brown has improved to a legitimate WR threat. Not great, but a reliable possession WR who will get a few extra yards of yac with his size and strength advantage over CBs, and be a mismatch problem for coverage LBs.

So many varieties of run/pass/block capability, and no dead weight whether we run or pass. To make that really true, Lamb and Pollard have to be used in lateral motion before the snap as run wide options.

 

[charron]

Dak. When the OL, or wr or rb groups break down he has got to make the play.

 

[Shane612]

Pollard is the wrong answer.

.
The correct answer is the QB, jersey #4, the $160,000,000.00 man, who's name should not be uttered by me, until he does something significant.
Pollard is the green pasture next to Eliott.

 

[Acceptablename]

It’s Tony Pollard. Not replacing Zeke or any of his carries, but actually being on the field at the same time as Zeke. As a slot receiver and occasional runner, and a guy being moved around like a pawn on a chessboard. Tony Pollard should be shown to the Bucs defense in multiple looks and roles.

And by the way, by using Pollard alongside Zeke wont hurt Zeke- it will help him! It may actually open some running opportunities for Zeke and also some opportunities catching the ball out the backfield. With our OL on shaky ground Sun night, I wouldn’t expect a traditional brand of a “power running game” coupled with a traditional drop back passing game.

So, with that in mind- Here’s how I hope we see Pollard Sunday night:

• Starting along with Zeke - but as a slot receiver.
• Getting 5-7 receiving targets, and at least 8-10 carries; a total of 12-15 touches.
• Getting at least 40 offensive snaps.

We all know Cedee Lamb and Noah Brown will start at WR- and Rookie Jalen Tolbert. Although Tolbert has big upside, I don’t think he should get more than a few snaps. Devante Turpin and Dennis Houston will probably also get some snaps. Tony Pollard should be getting more snaps as a slot receiver than Tolbert because he’s a better option NOW.

Who knows what Kellen Moore does Sunday night. But I will be surprised and disappointed if Tony Pollard is not a major player. He may be the wild card on offense.

Of course it’s Dak

 

[TWOK11]

It’s Tony Pollard. Not replacing Zeke or any of his carries, but actually being on the field at the same time as Zeke. As a slot receiver and occasional runner, and a guy being moved around like a pawn on a chessboard. Tony Pollard should be shown to the Bucs defense in multiple looks and roles.

And by the way, by using Pollard alongside Zeke wont hurt Zeke- it will help him! It may actually open some running opportunities for Zeke and also some opportunities catching the ball out the backfield. With our OL on shaky ground Sun night, I wouldn’t expect a traditional brand of a “power running game” coupled with a traditional drop back passing game.

So, with that in mind- Here’s how I hope we see Pollard Sunday night:

• Starting along with Zeke - but as a slot receiver.
• Getting 5-7 receiving targets, and at least 8-10 carries; a total of 12-15 touches.
• Getting at least 40 offensive snaps.

We all know Cedee Lamb and Noah Brown will start at WR- and Rookie Jalen Tolbert. Although Tolbert has big upside, I don’t think he should get more than a few snaps. Devante Turpin and Dennis Houston will probably also get some snaps. Tony Pollard should be getting more snaps as a slot receiver than Tolbert because he’s a better option NOW.

Who knows what Kellen Moore does Sunday night. But I will be surprised and disappointed if Tony Pollard is not a major player. He may be the wild card on offense.

Only if he's able to be effective as a slot receiver. The stats are clear that NFL teams are worse with two RBs on the field than when they replace the RB with an extra receiver. This is true for every single team, every single year going back at least a decade (as far back as I can find info for).

The reality is that we should be giving mroe of Zeke's snaps to Pollard. Zeke has a role on this team but Pollard is a more explosive player at this point in their careers. But more to the point, the most important player to any team in any game is the QB. The team with the better QB play on any given day wins NFL games over 75% of the time.

 

[RS12]

Sorry Bob. It is Tyler Smith followed very closely by McGovern.

 

[shabazz]

Of course we need Dak to play well to win. Always going to be true. But our chances of winning will always be better if other players step into a big role as well.

Thinking our QB must carry this team alone is short sighted IMO. Dak is an excellent QB but he’s not Mahomes, Allen or Rodgers. This team will win when we have a very good team that plays as a team, not because our QB is wearing a red cape.

Players who take up 20% of the salary cap HAVE to wear that red cape…..basic economics say that extra money he’s getting above every other player has to hold that kind of value and be far and above the best player on the team…….”that’s what the market is set for quarterbacks” doesn’t apply when an above average Qb is payed like an elite Qb.

It’s merely production per salary cap dollar spent……nothing more, nothing less.