Is our HB group historically bad?

[DUO_CORE]

If only we could harness some of that mid/late'90's/2000's Bronco's luck regarding running backs; Terrell Davis, 6th round pick and 6th on the depth chart, Olandis Gary in 1999, 4th round pick.

 

[Cowboyny]

We have two backs that are completely out of gas in Elliott and Cook. And two backs who have done next to nothing in the NFL. We are at a point where Rico Dowdle is our best hope to have an adequate every down back

Is it possible we have one of the worst HB groups of all time. I honestly cant remember a worse group anywhere

Disagree, they just don't have that lead back anymore, this is going to be a legitimate running game by committee. Players like Zeke/Cook will be fine with limited snaps. This has never been done here in Dallas, but this is what is going on in today's modern game.

 

[Cowboyny]

I think this group is going to surprise some fans. Keep in mind, MM doesn't ask much from his RBs in the conventional concept of say 100+ yards per game from one player. He is more concerned with having the right player(s) on the field for protection and receiving and spreading the yards among several players. In other words, he will use 2-3-4 players to be your traditional 3-down RB.

I think many fans aren't comfortable with a running back by committee cause it has never been done here, they always have had elite, primary backs.

 

[NDGAEDE]

Pretty bad yeah.

Not a single one of these players can win a race to the end zone.

It really is a shame since I expect our run blocking will be much better.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

We have two backs that are completely out of gas in Elliott and Cook. And two backs who have done next to nothing in the NFL. We are at a point where Rico Dowdle is our best hope to have an adequate every down back

Is it possible we have one of the worst HB groups of all time. I honestly cant remember a worse group anywhere

If the o line is fixed....no.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

Pretty bad yeah.

Not a single one of these players can win a race to the end zone.

It really is a shame since I expect our run blocking will be much better.

Zeke out ran a few defenses last year....on a bad, terrible team.

So what are the numbers for other rbs taking it to the house? All the others do it regularly?

 

[RonnieT24]

Drafting him wasn't a mistake but drafting him 4th was. At the time I loved the pick.

Nah the mistake was building your offense around him, paying him like your offense was built around him, then shifting to a pass happy offense and relegating him to glorified fullback duty. Had the Cowboys simply continued to play smashmouth football, invest in good offensive linemen and the defense they would already have a couple of trips to the NFC Championship fans so strongly desire and maybe even a trip to the dance. Unfortunately Jerry has always been the shiny new toy guy so when Kellen Moore's head popped up as the shiny new toy the desire to play smashmouth was gone and so was Zeke's true value.

 

[RonnieT24]

Zeke out ran a few defenses last year....on a bad, terrible team.

So what are the numbers for other rbs taking it to the house? All the others do it regularly?

Just as with Pollard people keep overvaluing that one 50 yard run every 5th or 6th game over steady production. It's like with the old Emmitt vs Barry debate.. fans and players favored Barry.. coaches and GMs favored Emmitt.. In other words, guys whose jobs depended on winning games wanted the steady production guy over the highlight reel guy.

 

[NDGAEDE]

Zeke out ran a few defenses last year....on a bad, terrible team.

So what are the numbers for other rbs taking it to the house? All the others do it regularly?

Pollard could

 

[RonnieT24]

Pollard could

Remind me again how many long runs Pollard had last season once he became the guy with the target painted on his back? Hint: Pollard had the same number of 50+ yard runs in 2023 that you and I (and Zeke) did..

 

[Hawkeye0202]

I think many fans aren't comfortable with a running back by committee cause it has never been done here, they always have had elite, primary backs.

As stated in another thread......I have to believe each RB is here with MM's blessing. So am going to trust him with this one.

 

[MyFairLady]

If only we could harness some of that mid/late'90's/2000's Bronco's luck regarding running backs; Terrell Davis, 6th round pick and 6th on the depth chart, Olandis Gary in 1999, 4th round pick.

That isn't just luck. In order to get lucky you need to take the chance. We resign washed up has beens and draft people because their dad woks here. Our "bad luck" is 100% self inflicted.

 

[DuncanIso]

Id take Pollard over Elliott or Cook any day

Tony slow now.

His leg is wrecked.

 

[DuncanIso]

As stated in another thread......I have to believe each RB is here with MM's blessing. So am going to trust him with this one.

Big Mike has almost no say in who gets a contract. Especially after the fiasco with Nolan.

Look at the Lance trade.

Big Mike didn’t even know about it.

Now Zimmer gets a say.

 

[DuncanIso]

A lot of it will depend on the blocking upfront. We didn’t leave ourselves with any good options at RB by not drafting one or picking up a quality RB in free agency.

Our Cap was a big problem.

Still is.

Dudes are signing vet minimum contracts to play here

 

[DuncanIso]

Zeke was never fast

What mistakes?

~Jerral

Ran a 4.47 at the 2016 combine.

But that was many carries ago.

Zeke is more about power now.

That’s why Pollard is likely out the NFL soon. Speed goes.

 

[Deep_Freeze]

I do think that the wild card is how we use Turpin. I believe he should be used alot more this season than any other season in the past.

An injury is always a concern for him, but its always a concern for any NFL player.

 

[DuncanIso]

Zeke was used to pound the ball a lot between the tackles. He did move the chains in some critical situations. He was still able to squeeze out a yard or two when needed. A dirty yard or two, especially when you’re trying to punch the ball into the end zone could make the difference between winning and losing a game.

Yup.

He scores TDs and makes 1st downs.

 

[RonnieT24]

Ran a 4.47 at the 2016 combine.

But that was many carries ago.

Zeke is more about power now.

That’s why Pollard is likely out the NFL soon. Speed goes.

It's not speed that goes.. it's quickness. At least not speed is not the first thing to go. Explosiveness, quickness, endurance, speed of recovery and durability all go before speed does.. Power and vision are the last things a back will lose. Instincts will never be lost, only the physical ability to capitalize on them. What happens as an athlete ages is that the "feel" of running top speed changes. It requires more mental energy to hit top speed than before. You can still get there, but the signals from the body to the brain change as your body changes. Athletes have to learn to interpret the new signals to get the same results from their bodies. Unfortunately most of them are not smart enough to do it.. but the smart ones hire trainers who teach them how .. The rest just go away from the game thinking "I guess I just got old.." While getting old will happen to all of them eventually, I firmly believe it does not happen as early in their careers as most of them exhibit.

 

[KJJ]

Our Cap was a big problem.

Still is.

Dudes are signing vet minimum contracts to play here

That’s all we can afford are vet minimums.