News: PFT: Jerry Jones: Tony Pollard showed he's an outstanding weapon but it's back to Zeke next week

[fredp22]

for the offensive side Jerry is the coaching staff.

No way Jerry is going to make someone the highest paid player at a position and sit him. His ego wont let him be laughed at for a move like that

 

[KJJ]

These comments that Jerry supposedly said are posted like quotes and they’re not. It makes it sound like Pollard is going to be on the bench and Zeke is going to get all the snaps and that’s incorrect. In the two previous games before Zeke was out the carries were divvied up pretty much the same way. Zeke is getting about two or three more touches a game than Pollard. Some fans here won’t be happy unless Pollard gets all the carries/touches and Zeke is on the bench the entire game.

 

[jwitten82]

Pollard maxes out at 25-30 snaps.

A lead back who can't take the majority of the snaps is not a lead back. Wake up to reality.

And Zeke is no longer a productive lead back, so Pollard should get the majority of the carries

 

[AtomicDog]

Think about how little Zeke does that feed me thing anymore. Even he knows he isn't the man anymore.

 

[Dak_Attack_09]

I really hope the coaching staff does not think that way.

It’s smoke screen, Cowboys need to stick balance football and 30 snaps split between Zeke & Pollard.

 

[gimmesix]

I really hope the coaching staff does not think that way.

Think what way? That it should utilize Elliott?

This is the quote from Jones: “I think Tony answered, visibly, what most thought and that is that he’s an outstanding weapon to win football games with, to be trite. He can do it and he can do it at this level, consistently. But, yes I expect Zeke back against Green Bay.”

He doesn't say that Elliott is going to get more touches than Pollard or even play more snaps than Pollard. Now, I think he'll play more snaps, but we'll see on the touches. Pollard may be more efficient if he's not out there in a physical game for as many snaps as he played against Chicago. He was toast at the end of that one, having nothing left after his long TD run. I don't mind if Elliott is out there more for blitz pickup, running outlet routes that we hardly ever throw to the back and softening up the defense. We just need to make sure Pollard gets around 15 touches per game. Maybe he gets that in 25 snaps instead of 30. (He played 31 against Chicago, so 25 would have meant up to 33 snaps for Elliott.)

 

[Reality]

Think what way? That it should utilize Elliott?

This is the quote from Jones: “I think Tony answered, visibly, what most thought and that is that he’s an outstanding weapon to win football games with, to be trite. He can do it and he can do it at this level, consistently. But, yes I expect Zeke back against Green Bay.”

He doesn't say that Elliott is going to get more touches than Pollard or even play more snaps than Pollard. Now, I think he'll play more snaps, but we'll see on the touches. Pollard may be more efficient if he's not out there in a physical game for as many snaps as he played against Chicago. He was toast at the end of that one, having nothing left after his long TD run. I don't mind if Elliott is out there more for blitz pickup, running outlet routes that we hardly ever throw to the back and softening up the defense. We just need to make sure Pollard gets around 15 touches per game. Maybe he gets that in 25 snaps instead of 30. (He played 31 against Chicago, so 25 would have meant up to 33 snaps for Elliott.)

I don't care if Elliott runs the ball, my comment was based on Jerry saying, "it's back to Zeke next week" .. back implies primary running back and I really hope the coaches do not think that way.

Let Elliott start, give him a couple of carries to protect his "starter" status, use him on 3rd-and-short, use him on goal-line plays, etc. but when there is open field ahead, Pollard is a much better runner and threat than Elliott is.

 

[gimmesix]

These comments that Jerry supposedly said are posted like quotes and they’re not. It makes it sound like Pollard is going to be on the bench and Zeke is going to get all the snaps and that’s incorrect. In the two previous games before Zeke was out the carries were divvied up pretty much the same way. Zeke is getting about two or three more touches a game than Pollard. Some fans here won’t be happy unless Pollard gets all the carries/touches and Zeke is on the bench the entire game.

Right. I think the only difference now is that we should make a conscious effort to give a few more to Pollard. We're not talking about much overall, mainly going from 12 to 15. But, of course, it's going to depend on the game. If power running is working best, then we may want to use Elliott more. If we're able to open some nice creases that Pollard can exploit with his speed and cutting ability, then we may want to use him more. I don't know why fans can't be satisfied, or even excited, about having a one-two punch.

 

[gimmesix]

I don't care if Elliott runs the ball, my comment was based on Jerry saying, "it's back to Zeke next week" .. back implies primary running back and I really hope the coaches do not think that way.

Let Elliott start, give him a couple of carries to protect his "starter" status, use him on 3rd-and-short, use him goal-line plays, etc. but when there is open field ahead, Pollard is a much better runner and threat than Elliott is.

But he didn't say it's back to Zeke. He said Zeke is back. The headline writer wrote it's back to Zeke.

Zeke being back doesn't imply that he's the primary running back or even going to get the most carries. He should get about an equal share of the carries because that's the way to keep Pollard fresh to do what he does best. I said after the Chicago game that an effort should be made to get Pollard at least 15 touches per game, but the game also showed that if we overwork him, we're going to take away his legs. He would have been caught on that last long run against the Bears if not for the trailing blocker running interference because as Pollard admitted, he was dead tired.

We've got a good combination with Elliott coming back. We just need to use it smartly. If Pollard goes back to getting what he got in a few games this year (under 10 touches), that is not using it smartly.

 

[KJJ]

Right. I think the only difference now is that we should make a conscious effort to give a few more to Pollard. We're not talking about much overall, mainly going from 12 to 15. But, of course, it's going to depend on the game. If power running is working best, then we may want to use Elliott more. If we're able to open some nice creases that Pollard can exploit with his speed and cutting ability, then we may want to use him more. I don't know why fans can't be satisfied, or even excited, about having a one-two punch.

Would like to see us use him more as a receiver. It would allow him to use his speed and quickness out in space.

 

[Praxit]

.just give Pollard some more touches.

Get creative with him.

 

[gimmesix]

Would like to see us use him more as a receiver. It would allow him to use his speed and quickness out in space.

I agree. I think that is one area Kellen and McCarthy don't take advantage of. Of course, the way we moved the ball against Chicago, that wasn't an issue, but there are other games where we could definitely use that some. I really thought we'd see more of it when we played Rush because the tendency with a backup quarterback is to check the ball down.

 

[Vinnie2u]

Zeke is the Tenderizer.. Pollard is the Secret Sauce.

 

[KJJ]

I agree. I think that is one area Kellen and McCarthy don't take advantage of. Of course, the way we moved the ball against Chicago, that wasn't an issue, but there are other games where we could definitely use that some. I really thought we'd see more of it when we played Rush because the tendency with a backup quarterback is to check the ball down.

He’s been used less as a receiver this season than last year at this time which is surprising.

 

[Hoofbite]

Would like to see us use him more as a receiver. It would allow him to use his speed and quickness out in space.

It's getting into the Witten/Bennett conundrum.

Zeke isn't used as a receiver nearly as much as he was before, and Pollard is a bigger threat in the open. Consequently, teams know if Zeke is out there, they can probably squeeze the flats a bit more than if Pollard is out there. You're probably not going to get the home run with Zeke that you would with Pollard, but just keep them honest for a solid gain of 10 yards.

 

[Hoofbite]

Zeke is the Tenderizer.. Pollard is the Secret Sauce.

Zeke beats the meat? Got it.

 

[AbeBeta]

And Zeke is no longer a productive lead back, so Pollard should get the majority of the carries

Pollard has never had more than 14 carries in a game.

Why? Because he becomes much less effective. He cannot carry a majority load week to week.

 

[gimmesix]

He’s been used less as a receiver this season than last year at this time which is surprising.

Especially since it seemed like they were going to use him more as a receiver after trading Cooper.

I do think my expectations for him as a receiver may have been unrealistic. I wanted them to line him up as one of the three receivers with Elliott in the backfield to give us a sweep option, player who could motion into the backfield, etc. However, based on how he felt at the end of the Bears game, I think that would cause him to run too much and take his legs out from under him. Plus, while he's a good receiver, playing receiver actually takes precise route-running and I can't say I know that he has that. Coming out of the backfield for passes doesn't call for that kind of precision because you usually end up going against a linebacker or strong safety at best.

Not having him as the third receiver doesn't mean we can't throw him the ball, though, as one of the ways to get it to him/give him touches. And I do think lining him up at receiver some with Elliott in the backfield is still an effective threat, just not a main-use threat like I thought it could be since we don't need to overuse Pollard snapwise.

Kellen just doesn't seem to like screens or designed throws to the running backs that much.

 

[gimmesix]

Pollard has never had more than 14 carries in a game.

Why? Because he becomes much less effective. He cannot carry a majority load week to week.

15 in about 25 snaps might be his maximum without losing speed/legs like he did at the end of the Chicago game. The 31 snaps he got in that one appear to have been his upper limit, and even then, he still did run for a 54-yard touchdown on those tired legs before he was completely done, so I don't want to take that away from him.

Maybe if he only played 20 snaps, he could handle 20 touches, but it's kind of hard to be effective if the defense knows you are going to get the ball every snap you are in the game.

It's important for fans to understand that it isn't just the number of carries or touches that get to your legs. It's a cumulative toll from those touches, running out on passes, blocking, etc.

 

[LysleE]

Jerry needs to lose the power of speech…he really shows his ignorance at times with the things he says.

it really doesn’t matter who the feature back is and how many carries each back gets; Pollard will get paid to be a #1 RB with another team and this will become a moot point.