MM needs to call in 21 and Pollard in his office to have a conversation

[JohnsKey19]

Yea until Pollard misses a blitz pickup and gets dak Killed then it becomes, why wasn't zeke playing?

You can easily gameplan around this by releasing Pollard into a pattern or motioning him out of the backfield. You force the defense to adjust. Or if they do still blitz, you have Pollard in the open field either uncovered or in a favorable 1-on-1 in the open field. You don't see Kamara, McCafferey, Eckler, Saquon, etc. banging their heads against blitzing LBs in obvious passing situations much if at all. Their OCs get them out of the backfield in a favorable matchup. We've seen what Pollard can do in the open field, or even with a little bit of space to work with.

Use them both. But it's foolish to stick Pollard back there and expect him to pick off blitzers like Zeke, when he's able hurt the defense in other ways probably moreso than Zeke.

 

[RonnieT24]

Iggles just put 237 yards on the ground against WFT. We should have put up 250 then.

The threat of Hurts really augments their running game.. We're not going to do that any time soon ..

 

[Fmart322]

Zeke is the bruiser, Pollard is the speedster.
You need both to be affective. I would like to see Pollard a little more during the games though.

 

[Blackspider214]

Pretty sure Jerry is telling MM to keep Zeke as starter.

Yep. It's an ego thing. Happens in sports a lot. The second you bench the high paying star or put him in a lesser role, you admit that contract was a wrong move. Zeke will start as long as he is here and can suit up.

 

[Blackspider214]

The threat of Hurts really augments their running game.. We're not going to do that any time soon ..

Yep. Our run game is simply run into a pile straight ahead. We don't try do mix anything up. Hit the edges, misdirection or even make Dak a threat to run (defenses still have to respect it a little or think about it). Kellen has fell off a cliff since the first half of the season. We have reverted back to the stagnant, predictable offenses of Garrett.

 

[rnr_honeybadger]

Zeke is playing hurt anyone with a brain can see it. He needs to have his rear on the pine for the last 3 games. If you need blocking, put McGovern in to provide extra blocking he’s already being used as a full back.

 

[buybuydandavis]

When it comes to the playoffs, MM needs to tell Pollard he's the starter. Damn the money. Damn the contracts. It's about the 6th.

Your thoughts?

RB-A 5.7 YPC 7.2 YPT
RB-B 4.3 YPC 4.5 YPT

Not a tough call on who should start.

 

[Thomas82]

Yes just play the hot hand is all I ask. Have some feel for the game when doing their substitutions. Not the arbitrary series at a time or whatever bs they sometimes do. I cant stand seeing a hot rb on the sidelines.

Man, that is the WORST!! It used to be aggravating to see Alfred Morris or Darren McFadden in the game after Zeke got rolling.

 

[IceStar-D7]

Basic trap blocking for Zeke would change all this and those sorrybutt fatboys opening holes for both Zeke and Pollard. Not to forget their horrific pass blocking They Oline should be the first called in the office!!!

 

[Mannix]

If Ralston is still active, why isn't he being experimented with as a blocking back and allowed to get a few carries....especially short yardage situations??? He could have been inserted in some of the games that we were comfortably ahead. I still think he could be another John Kuhn type back that Corky had and used a lot in Green Bay.

 

[RonnieT24]

Basic trap blocking for Zeke would change all this and those sorrybutt fatboys opening holes for both Zeke and Pollard. Not to forget their horrific pass blocking They Oline should be the first called in the office!!!

No Kellen Moore should be the first called in and have it explained to him that the running game is more effective when you use it for something other than a placeholder. That's what all the delay shotgun handoffs up the middle are to me. No movement up front, backs without a head of steam just running into the pile. Get into the deep set, put Dak under center and let the guys attack the line of scrimmage with a head of steam. Run off tackle and outside, double team at the point of attack and watch the running game take off. Then watch the passing game follow suit.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

Zeke is the bruiser, Pollard is the speedster.
You need both to be affective. I would like to see Pollard a little more during the games though.

Yep....I don't understand why people don't get it. Tried and true method. Beat the crap out of them then dazzle them with speed.

I love both.....an awesome duo.

The real problem is Kellen and his Mountain West Conference offense.

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

No Kellen Moore should be the first called in and have it explained to him that the running game is more effective when you use it for something other than a placeholder. That's what all the delay shotgun handoffs up the middle are to me. No movement up front, backs without a head of steam just running into the pile. Get into the deep set, put Dak under center and let the guys attack the line of scrimmage with a head of steam. Run off tackle and outside, double team at the point of attack and watch the running game take off. Then watch the passing game follow suit.

You beat me to it, Ron.

He runs it up the clogged middle then cries the run game don't work. Like some of our Zeke-hating fans.

Okay...so we're having trouble with the one scheme....it doesn't mean we abandon the run. If we get our O-line moving....that alone will create some space. Then tell them to go knock someone on their butts!

I can't for the life of me figure out Kellen's stubbornness about this. Or fans blaming zeke. It's OBVIOUS!

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

Basic trap blocking for Zeke would change all this and those sorrybutt fatboys opening holes for both Zeke and Pollard. Not to forget their horrific pass blocking They Oline should be the first called in the office!!!

Roger THAT!

 

[RonnieT24]

You beat me to it, Ron.

He runs it up the clogged middle then cries the run game don't work. Like some of our Zeke-hating fans.

Okay...so we're having trouble with the one scheme....it doesn't mean we abandon the run. If we get our O-line moving....that alone will create some space. Then tell them to go knock someone on their butts!

I can't for the life of me figure out Kellen's stubbornness about this. Or fans blaming zeke. It's OBVIOUS!

Moore's stubbornness as pertains to the running game can probably be explained when remembering he was a throw it 80% of the time QB in college and was a throw it 80% of the time QB whenever he got to play in the pros. It's all he knows.. Remember his quote after the Tampa game? "Yards are yards" when he was trying to justify the fact that he only called like 15 runs in that game. That quote told me that he understands absolutely nothing about the cumulative effects that having 300 pound guys beating on the defense with a 220 pound RB slamming into the defense has over time. Moore simply does not want to run the ball. I have not looked it up but I would wager we have not run consecutive run plays in a game more than 10 times since that New England game. And it has made no difference if the running play gained 2 yards or 20. The next play is invariably a pass. I have given up hope that it's going to change while he's calling plays in Dallas. So I have given up on this team being dominant on the ground again until we have a new OC. The only thing that might save us while Moore is in town would be either McCarthy giving both Moore and Dak and edict to run the damn ball.. or even Dak taking it upon himself to audible into some off tackle and outside runs.. But the chances of Dak overruling Moore are slim and none IMHO. Besides.. he's a QB too.. He probably agrees with Moore that we should be throwing it every down.

 

[Thomas82]

No Kellen Moore should be the first called in and have it explained to him that the running game is more effective when you use it for something other than a placeholder. That's what all the delay shotgun handoffs up the middle are to me. No movement up front, backs without a head of steam just running into the pile. Get into the deep set, put Dak under center and let the guys attack the line of scrimmage with a head of steam. Run off tackle and outside, double team at the point of attack and watch the running game take off. Then watch the passing game follow suit.

All of this!! And add some traps and misdirection in there too.

 

[MapleLeaf]

When it comes to the playoffs, MM needs to tell Pollard he's the starter. Damn the money. Damn the contracts. It's about the 6th.

Your thoughts?

This is Skip Peete's job. He has to tell MM if he believes that Pollard is the starting RB. He would inform the HC, and it would be announced in the next coaches meeting so KM would begin developing his game packages to account for this.

So it shouldn't be MM's job even though he is the HC. He needs it to come from the position coach or else there will be lots of negativity in the locker room and coach's table.

 

[RonnieT24]

All of this!! And add some traps and misdirection in there too.

The only thing about traps for me is how athletic Biadasz is or is not. I don't know if he's quick enough to scrape off Martin or Williams' butt and get the d-lineman they leave unblocked. When I was coaching and we didn't have an athletic center we just moved the trap outside and did it with the guard and tackle. It used to create gaping holes off tackle because most defenses had never seen it. I suspect NFL defenders are smart enough to sniff it out anyway if you use it too much.. but 2-3 times a half is an absolute must. We also need to put the jet sweep back into the playbook. Easily half to 2/3 of Pollard's long runs come on that play.. yet it has all but disappeared in recent weeks. I can't even remember the last time we ran one..

 

[Thomas82]

The only thing about traps for me is how athletic Biadasz is or is not. I don't know if he's quick enough to scrape off Martin or Williams' butt and get the d-lineman they leave unblocked. When I was coaching and we didn't have an athletic center we just moved the trap outside and did it with the guard and tackle. It used to create gaping holes off tackle because most defenses had never seen it. I suspect NFL defenders are smart enough to sniff it out anyway if you use it too much.. but 2-3 times a half is an absolute must. We also need to put the jet sweep back into the playbook. Easily half to 2/3 of Pollard's long runs come on that play.. yet it has all but disappeared in recent weeks. I can't even remember the last time we ran one..

All good points!!

 

[Cowboysheelsreds053]

When it comes to the playoffs, MM needs to tell Pollard he's the starter. Damn the money. Damn the contracts. It's about the 6th.

Your thoughts?

MM first needs to clear that with old Jerrah and that will not fly!