Is Zeke still or no longer among most explosive RBs in NFL?

[cern]

Still great.

 

[Whirlwin]

You don't lose speed. In fact you can train and increase speed. I think he's just taking some of the wrong angles. I think it's a thing of patients actually. I'm not worried about Zeke

 

[Whirlwin]

I am not 100% and Elliot fan. I think he's a knucklehead still. But I also think he's one of the best running backs in the NFL has ever seen. The kid is built for the Long Haul. He'll be still running when other running backs will already be gone

 

[Whirlwin]

So I guess Prescott really is the leader of this team is that basically what you're same. I don't have a problem with that because I think Prescott is the leader. But how many people think it's Zeke.

 

[mattjames2010]

Not worth the contract.

 

[mattjames2010]

You don't lose speed. In fact you can train and increase speed. I think he's just taking some of the wrong angles. I think it's a thing of patients actually. I'm not worried about Zeke

Wait what?

 

[Mr_437]

Eh, Zeke is not the same guy I saw out run defenses in the National Championship. Zeke is an All-Pro, complete RB...just so happens the way the Jason Garrett offense is schemed it was in Zeke's best interest to add more bulk even if it cost speed.

Zeke looked great last game, so maybe he's rounding into form..regardless it would be awesome to see more Tony Pollard. #20 is a weapon, not a backup...he should get more touches...at least 5 a game.

 

[Hardline]

No RB in the league is schemed against more than Zeke . Every defense top priority is to stop him.

Unfortunately he is getting tackled more and more from first contact. I haven't seen an elite RB get taken down by shoestring tackles more than Zeke now.

 

[xwalker]

Is zeke still.. or no longer among most explosive long run RBs:

I've seen backs like Barkley, McCaffrey, Cook and Chubb breaking the big long runs/TD or
making the breakaway TD plays that make them the more feared RBs to have to face
- and we have to face 2 of those in the next 3 weeks.

and frankly we haven't seen zeke break the big long as he had his first two years in NFL.
I only have guesses and theories as to why that has changed but this is how I see the best, most dangerous breakaway RB's in the NFL now.

The best breakaway explosive RBs in the NFL today ?

1 Saquon Barkley NYG

2 Christian Mccaffrey Carl

3 Davin Cook Minn

4 Alvin Kamara Saints ?

5 Nick Chubb Clev

6 Tevon Coleman ATL

7 Leonard fournette JAX

8 Aaron Jones GB ? (vs pass)

Marlon Mack Indy

10 Zeke ??

I dunno what has happened to Denver's Phillip Lindsay as once a breakaway threat his rookie has completely fall off the map. and has Kamara's injuries served as a setback in lesser
breakaway big plays than previous years ?

Number of plays that gained 20 or more yards since the beginning of the 2018 season:

Barkely 25
Zeke 19
McCaffrey 17

 

[Whirlwin]

Wait what?

Do you remember a guy named Bill Bates. I've been training for over 40 years. Training athletes. You can always regain the speed you once had. And even get faster

 

[mattjames2010]

Do you remember a guy named Bill Bates. I've been training for over 40 years. Training athletes. You can always regain the speed you once had. And even get faster

I would like to see some actual research on this because stating you can't lose speed with age or wear and tear is......I am gonna go out on a limb and say this is wrong.

Veteran combine drills just a few years ago show this is simply not true, actually.

 

[Whirlwin]

Eh, Zeke is not the same guy I saw out run defenses in the National Championship. Zeke is an All-Pro, complete RB...just so happens the way the Jason Garrett offense is schemed it was in Zeke's best interest to add more bulk even if it cost speed.

Zeke looked great last game, so maybe he's rounding into form..regardless it would be awesome to see more Tony Pollard. #20 is a weapon, not a backup...he should get more touches...at least 5 a game.

I wonder what the weight difference was between then and now

 

[Whirlwin]

I would like to see some actual research on this because stating you can't lose speed with age or wear and tear is......I am gonna go out on a limb and say this is wrong.

Veteran combine drills just a few years ago show this is simply not true, actually.

It's all about putting in the effort my cowboy brother. You could always regain, what you once had. There's a lot of factors that go into it. Weight actually is the most important. But even sometimes you can still get the hips and arms the pump like they once did

 

[Whirlwin]

I would like to see some actual research on this because stating you can't lose speed with age or wear and tear is......I am gonna go out on a limb and say this is wrong.

Veteran combine drills just a few years ago show this is simply not true, actually.

You're talkin about tenths of a second. Quickness speed. At two different things

 

[mattjames2010]

It's all about putting in the effort my cowboy brother. You could always regain, what you once had.

I think that would be go prep speak, but reality is reality. Injuries take a toll.

I could maybe see regaining speed if it's a weight thing though. If that's all Zeke's problem is, he could regain it. However, if it's from the wear and tear he has had since college and the heavy workload, I don't think you can just regain what was lost. I would think the NFL would have caught onto this by now and implemented something to get players faster or back into form. Plenty of dedicated players would love to gain back their speed, I am sure.

 

[ksadler1]

Pollard would probably be above Zeke in that category too...

 

[mattjames2010]

You're talkin about tenths of a second. Quickness speed. At two different things

Those things actually matter in the NFL though - if going by 40 times, normally no one is significantly faster the other person - however, that one lost step can be what gets you out of the league. You want to see a good example of this? Reggie Wayne. Dude couldn't run his final year and get separation.

 

[quickccc]

He doesn't have home run speed anymore. He's basically become a sledge hammer. Which is fine, though I wouldn't have paid top dollar for that.

Who and what made him become just a grinder and sledge hammer ?

He had BOTH big play splash speed and physicality coming out of Ohio State and into the NFL as the 4th pick overall . So why did that change ?
Why make that a lesser worry and concern for opposing teams ?

just my guess work and theory;
I tend to wonder if the coaching staff has a hand in wanting zeke to become much more of a pounder and less of a sprinter in more of an effort to better control the clock ?

Admittedly I was denial at first with the discussion here on this board that zeke may have been asked to play more of the style of Levion Bell with a bit more hesitate and patient behind the line to let OL blocking develop more vs the old Zeke whose style has always been was one cut and ..boom,.. quickly into the 2nd level of defenders. Could the coaches be re-training his run style for the
sake of a more grind/pound and dance game instead of zeke hitting the hole with authority ?
But now it's something that I really have to think that out, and It’s hard to tell if Zeke is bigger ,thicker in bulk and frame to better help with constant pounding he’s absorbing as a grinder.

In 2018 before the season started, supposedly RB coach Gary Brown had already told Elliott to “ get ready because he was going to be counted on to take much more of touches- load” – Zeke did and he admittedly worn down physically because he had worthless relief help from backup Rod Smith, so they had no choice but keep him in longer and run down the hell with zeke. Couldn’t afford to keep him off the field.
And to this day, I had never seen zeke point to sideline for relief breather as he did last year in 2018, – but that RB relief help has changed with emergence of Tony Pollard (who I still think he's under-utilized, imo but that’s another story later on)

 

[Whirlwin]

Those things actually matter in the NFL though - if going by 40 times, normally no one is significantly faster the other person - however, that one lost step can be what gets you out of the league. You want to see a good example of this? Reggie Wayne. Dude couldn't run his final year and get separation.

If they do. But we're talkin about Ezekiel Elliott against the Eagles a run up the middle. His body was leaning forward before his feet could catch up with him. He was actually flying. I don't think you lost a step I think he lost his patience

 

[mattjames2010]

Who and what made him become just a grinder and sledge hammer ?

He had BOTH big play splash speed and physicality coming out of Ohio State and into the NFL as the 4th pick overall . So why did that change ?
Why make that a lesser worry and concern for opposing teams ?

just my guess work and theory;
I tend to wonder if the coaching staff has a hand in wanting zeke to become much more of a pounder and less of a sprinter in more of an effort to better control the clock ?

Admittedly I was denial at first with the discussion here on this board that zeke may have been asked to play more of the style of Levion Bell with a bit more hesitate and patient behind the line to let OL blocking develop more vs the old Zeke whose style has always been was one cut and ..boom,.. quickly into the 2nd level of defenders. Could the coaches be re-training his run style for the
sake of a more grind/pound and dance game instead of zeke hitting the hole with authority ?
But now it's something that I really have to think that out, and It’s hard to tell if Zeke is bigger ,thicker in bulk and frame to better help with constant pounding he’s absorbing as a grinder.

In 2018 before the season started, supposedly RB coach Gary Brown had already told Elliott to “ get ready because he was going to be counted on to take much more of touches- load” – Zeke did and he admittedly worn down physically because he had worthless relief help from backup Rod Smith, so they had no choice but keep him in longer and run down the hell with zeke. Couldn’t afford to keep him off the field.
And to this day, I had never seen zeke point to sideline for relief breather as he did last year in 2018, – but that RB relief help has changed with emergence of Tony Pollard (who I still think he's under-utilized, imo but that’s another story later on)

Might just be a case of bulk. I think Zeke had good speed for his size, but not exactly a burner. Maybe some wear and tear. I don't know.